Chapter 338: The Master's Role (END)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 338: The Master's Role (END)
Today was a most auspicious day.
It was the eighth anniversary of Eden's founding. For the next week, a festival would be held throughout the city to celebrate.
Its name: the Reaper's Festival.
A festival to honor the Slave Reaper, master of the slaves.
Karami, who had disliked the title "Slave Reaper" from the start, had objected, but it was decided by the unanimous vote of all of Eden's residents.
Even Skadia, who considered Karami her enemy, had conceded, saying, "I'll allow it, since he let me meet Aria." That said it all.
What could he do when everyone was for it?
Karami had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
During the Reaper's Festival, the city gates, normally closed to outsiders, were opened.
While entry was typically impossible for anyone but masters and slaves, during this time, female outsiders were permitted to visit as tourists.
The purpose was to show off the city's facilities to those still skeptical of Eden and to recruit new slaves.
The effect was immediate. Less than an hour after opening, the city was already teeming with tourists.
The tourists were shocked.
It was completely different from what they had imagined.
The city is beautiful.
The streets are clean.
There are no vagrants.
No one is starving.
No one is sick.
The residents' faces are full of smiles.
They had dismissed it as a slave city, but before them lay a paradise on earth.
“They all seem shocked.”
From the Princess's Tower, which overlooked the entire city, Karami said, looking down at the city.
Narsha, watching alongside him, agreed with confidence.
“It's a natural reaction. It's no exaggeration to say Eden's technology is the best in the world. To them, it must feel like they've come to a new world.”
“The population will grow.”
Narsha nodded.
“We won't stop with just this small place; we will build a second and third Eden. In time, the world will be at your feet, Master. It won't take long. I will make it so.”
“I'm always grateful.”
“Anything for you, Master.”
Just as Karami was about to head out for a look around, Narsha stopped him.
“Master, there is one more thing I have yet to report…”
“Why do you always trail off like that? It makes me anxious.”
“Well… we slaves have planned something amongst ourselves. We want to show your greatness to those visiting Eden… We would be grateful if you could spare some time on the final night of the Reaper's Festival.”
Was this a surprise party?
A performance, perhaps?
He was curious, but Narsha didn't seem inclined to say more.
Well, they did a lot of strange things, but they would never do anything that would cause him trouble.
If anything, the problem was that they tried too hard to do good things for him.
“Alright. I'll look forward to it, then.”
*
Karami also enjoyed the festival, wandering the city with the children.
The children could be divided into two broad categories: those who were strictly managed, and those who were left to their own devices.
Aria and Miho were in the latter group, while the rest were in the former.
He wondered what there was to teach these little ones so intensely.
Mirabelle, who was like a cute squirrel in front of Karami, turned into a strict mother in front of her own children, vowing to make Lucia and Lumia into true maids.
Soren's case was particularly severe. Narsha had forbidden him from playing, saying he had too much to do, but Karami had ignored her and dragged him out anyway.
There was nothing more miserable than not being able to play when everyone else was.
Childhood regrets can last a lifetime.
He had to make sure they had good experiences.
Irina, who had received Mirabelle's growth-accelerating magic, was growing at an extraordinary rate, like a tree fed a highly concentrated nutrient solution, but sadly, she wasn't yet big enough to run around and play.
Still, by next year—just one more year—she would be able to play with them.
Until then, he would have fun with these kids.
“How is it? Are you having fun?”
“Yeah!”
“This fritter is so delicious… M-Master, would you like one?”
Lumia offered Karami a slime fritter, her eyes sparkling so brightly it was hard to refuse.
In the end, he ate one.
Wiggle.
“…I think something just moved in my mouth.”
“Th-that's because it's fresh. That's the most delicious kind. Hehe…”
Lumia was simply happy to have fed her master something tasty.
Karami, the one who'd eaten it, didn't look so pleased.
This scene feels strangely familiar... but it must be my imagination, right?
It had to be his imagination.
“Oh, this one's wiggling too. Yuri, you want one?”
Lucia held out the fritter to Yuri. It was something in the shape of a fritter, wiggling and squirming as if alive.
“Ah, no. I'll just take the thought…”
“You won't eat this delicious thing?”
Lucia popped it into her own mouth.
Yuri breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hey, Soren. Stop glancing over like that. If you want some, just say so. I can't give you any of mine, but Mastah will buy you some.”
“Was I that obvious?”
“I could hear you swallowing your spit.”
At some point, Miho had appeared, her hands full of chicken skewers dripping with sauce.
“No, I'm fine.”
“Oh?”
“Street food is unhealthy. And my mother taught me that eating while walking around is undignified.”
“Hoh? Does that mean Mastah, who just ate Lumia's fritter, is vulgar?”
“Wh-what?”
Soren panicked for a moment.
The attention of the children, who had each been in their own little world, suddenly focused on him.
“According to your logic, isn't that the case? Eating while walking is undignified. Mastah just ate. Therefore, Mastah is an undignified person. Am I wrong?”
Faced with Miho's orderly logic, Soren couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
He even began to fidget, nervously glancing at Karami.
“Ah, Father. That's not what I meant…”
“I wasn't thinking that, so don't worry. More importantly, do you want a chicken skewer too, Soren?”
“……Yes.”
Karami smiled brightly.
“Miho, how about you give one to Soren?”
“No! These are Miho's skewers!”
“If you give him one now, I'll buy you ten later.”
“What? Ten? One becomes ten. This is nothing short of magic! Here, take it, Soren.”
“…Thanks.”
“Aah, at last, I, Miho, have mastered magic. Just you wait, Rin. The age of Miho has arrived.”
Ignoring Miho, who was muttering some nonsense, Soren took a bite of the chicken skewer.
“How is it?”
“…It's delicious.”
“Of course it is. It was made for that purpose alone. I'll buy them for you from time to time. Without Narsha knowing, of course.”
Color returned to Soren's face. He nodded vigorously.
After that, they continued to enjoy the festival—eating delicious food, buying souvenirs, and watching performances.
Aria even received a bouquet as a gift from a flower shop run by an elf slave. It was clear she was thrilled with it.
Even though it was a familiar place, the atmosphere had changed for the festival season, making it incredibly fun.
After several days of enjoyment, the final night of the Reaper's Festival finally arrived. A castle maid came and began to guide Karami.
The slaves, who usually clung to him like leeches, were nowhere to be seen.
“Where has everyone gone?”
“I'm sorry. I was told not to say.”
“Hmm.”
It must be because of what Narsha reported on the first day.
Are they really throwing me a surprise party? How did they know I have a soft spot for these things?
Filled with anticipation, Karami arrived at the castle balcony overlooking the square.
“…?”
Eden was a place that was bright even at night, thanks to its magic stone streetlights and lamps. But now, it was dark, without a single point of light.
It felt as if he were submerged in darkness.
Nothing was visible.
It was complete and utter blackness.
Just as he was wondering what on earth was happening…
Ssssk.
A light appeared, flowing like water.
A soft, indigo light illuminated the darkness. There stood Mirabelle, along with all the witches of Eden.
Mirabelle brought her hands together and bowed deeply. Following her lead, the witches knelt and paid their respects.
A green light shimmered.
Alfia was prostrated. From the Elf Queen to the elven warriors, all bowed their heads.
A pink light swayed.
Rin touched her forehead to the ground. From Hila, who had become the king of the beastkin, to all the various beastkin, they assumed a posture of submission.
A blue light sparkled.
Azyeth bowed her head in a deep bow. The colossal dragon did the same. The countless dwarves who protected the princess prostrated themselves as if lying flat on the ground.
A crimson light spread.
Elize offered a reverent salute. The celestial and demonic races greeted their new master.
Not only them, but all the slaves of Eden knelt before their master.
Lowering one's head lower than one's hips, a posture of absolute submission.
Tens upon tens of thousands of them.
The bowing slaves filled the city to the brim.
Every single one of them was female.
Beautiful women. They were born to be the Master's slaves, gathering in this paradise to be liberated from their oppressed lives.
The Master does not discriminate based on race, status, origin, or anything else. He is the great one who saves all slaves.
To serve the Master who saved them, the slaves beautify their appearances and act coquettishly.
If it can please him, they can cast off dignity and shame without a second thought.
Unqualified as humans.
Qualified as slaves.
Receiving the Master's seed and giving birth to beautiful slaves is their greatest happiness and service.
A goal that must be pursued if born a woman. Offering one's soul to the Reaper is the final destination of life.
To those foolish females who have not yet become slaves, we declare:
We, the Master's slaves, are the happiest in the world.
We who have become slaves are the freest in the world.
So hurry, offer your body, mind, and soul, and submit to the Master.
Only then can you be liberated from this hellish world.
Looking at the spectacle before him, Karami gave a bitter smile. To think they had planned something so… adorable.
“You all are truly…”
Hopelessly beyond saving, unable to live without a master.
*
“Are you sure this is the place, Trainer?”
“Yes. Just wait somewhere nearby and come back for me.”
After the Reaper's Festival concluded successfully, I took a carriage driven by Miro to another city.
Using the excuse of personal business, I shook off the slaves who persistently clung to me, wanting to follow.
When I sternly warned them that I would scold them if they secretly followed, they had no choice but to reluctantly obey.
They made their disappointment painfully obvious, but it couldn't be helped. If I didn't do this, I would never have any time to myself.
Being with the slaves is enjoyable, but sometimes, a man just wants to be alone.
Now was one of those times.
“Alright, I'll be back to pick you up in a bit.”
Miro guided the carriage and took off into the sky.
This was a daily occurrence in Eden, but not elsewhere. I could hear people murmuring.
I turned my back on the commotion and walked into the street.
As always, with my hands clasped behind my back, leisurely and alone.
This silence felt incredibly awkward now, but when I first came to this world, it had been the norm.
Back then, I had no money and no slaves.
I was at a point where I was ashamed to be called either a slave trader or a master.
And yet, that same person became the Slave Reaper, the master of countless slaves, and even built a city.
So successful that it seemed impossible to be any more so.
I've done everything I can here, haven't I? That's what I thought.
“How dare you steal from me, you bitch? You got a death wish or something?”
A commotion broke my train of thought. A middle-aged man was shouting as he stomped on a young girl.
It seemed the girl had tried to steal something.
Thud! Thud!
The sounds were shockingly violent to come from the girl's small body.
The man spat on the girl, then picked up the bread that had fallen to the ground. It had already lost its value as merchandise, but he took it with him as if he couldn't bear to part with even that.
Left alone, the girl lay motionless for a long time, like an earthworm stuck to the ground, before finally beginning to move slowly.
But did she even have the strength to move? She couldn't support her body and collapsed again.
I approached her.
A wretched appearance.
Stick-thin limbs.
She was a beggar, a common sight anywhere in this world.
Wandering the streets with nowhere to go, wearing rags with nothing to wear, eating trash with nothing to eat.
The world is still overflowing with girls like her.
Lying face down, the girl rolled only her pupils to look up at me.
Lifeless pupils. Her breathing was as thin as a thread, as if the Reaper might claim her soul at any moment.
She seemed to have given up on everything, but I could see it.
Within those eyes, which couldn't even feel the emotion of despair, flickered a faint desire to survive.
A self-contradictory instinct that, while doubting and wary of me, still longed for a hand of salvation.
Aah.
This is it.
This is the look.
The look that made me a master.
This is why I can't stop, even if I want to.
I bent down.
I extended a hand to the girl.
Her gaze shifted between my hand and my face.
“Will you not become my slave?”
It was arrogance.
The thought that there was nothing left for me to do.
When there are countless pitiful girls, how could I possibly stop?
“I will liberate you.”
And so, today, as always, I will liberate a slave.
Because that is my role… as their master.