Chapter 103: [Short Story] Hero (Yuusha) Zect's Redo, Part Three - Useless Slave
Chapter 103: [Short Story] Hero (Yuusha) Zect's Redo, Part Three - Useless Slave
Zect's POV
"Now, Zect-sama, may I have some of your blood?"
The slave trader gave me a knife and a small plate.
And using the knife, I cut my finger and dropped the blood onto the plate.
The slave trader then mixed the blood with some kind of ink and draw a pattern on the upper part of the buttocks of the slave I had bought with a brush.
Come to think of it... I didn't know this girl's name.
Anyway, after a while, the ink glowed, and it seemed that the contract was done.
"The contract has been successfully completed."
I thanked the slave trader and paid him.
Then I asked the slave girl what her name was.
"By the way, I never asked your name."
"Now that you mention it... I don't have a name."
She doesn't have a name... Why not?
"Zect-sama... as I told you, this slave was treated as a half-demon, no better than livestock, so she doesn't have a name... Come to think of it, I think she needs a collar if she's going to be carried around because of her appearance... This time I forgot to tell you, so I'll give you a collar as a service."
It's inconvenient that she doesn't have a name...
Then, let's name her 'Mashiro' because of her white color like snow... But thinking it again, it still seems too easy.
After all, a name will be with her for the rest of her life...
Well, after thinking about it... I like the name 'Luna'.
Ceres told me that it means "moon" in some countries.
It would suit this fragile-looking girl.
"Then your name is 'Luna', which means moon in another country."
"Luna... that's my name...? Thank you."
"Then I'll make a collar with that name... as long as you wear this collar, you'll be safe in the city."
"I see..."
After that, I leave the slave trader with Luna.
* * *
“Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm~”
She's humming quite happily.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"Because I've never received anything from anyone before."
Saying this, Luna happily pointed at her collar.
Well, a normal person wouldn't like to wear a collar...
I really feel sorry for her...
More importantly, she's not even wearing shoes, and her clothes are in shreds...
And she's so skinny...
I can't help it.
I decided to go to the second-hand clothing store...
"Hey, Luna... pick out 3 clothes you like and what you need, and I'll buy them for you."
Luna looks at me in surprise.
"I don't understand."
"You don't have to understand, you can pick and choose what you want."
"I've never had anyone buy me clothes! So, I don't understand."
Well... sure thing.
I have no choice but to do this.
"Auntie, I'm sorry, but I need three outfits and some shoes that would look good on this girl, and I need some other things."
"Okay, I get it"
She gave me a bad look for a moment... but I guess she was just trying to do her business.
Anyway, she puts the clothes and underwear into a bag.
Of course, the underwear and shoes are brand new...
"Here you go, a silver coin."
"Thank you..."
"You're welcome."
"Here, Luna!"
"What! Huh?!"
"Here are your clothes... and put your shoes on right now... because your feet will hurt."
"They're mine? Are you sure I can have them?"
"I wouldn't wear women's clothes, so, those are yours! Take it."
"Thank you..."
"I'll buy you something like that any time you want... so, let's go."
"Yes."
Why is she so happy when she's carrying a bag...? It's just a cheap one silver coin!
Wait, since when did I start saying 'cheap one silver coin'?
Back in the village, it was a lot of money.
"Hey, I don't care about it, but you'll fall if you hold it like that."
"It's okay if I fall... Whoa—"
This idiot... she really fell down.
"Are you okay?!"
"Yeah... but I'm hungry."
"You've got to be kidding me... you haven't even done anything yet... and you want to eat."
But, seriously, she's an unsalable slave, and I guess they didn't feed her well...
"Then, what do you want to eat?"
"I don't know... when I was a slave I could only drink soup like water... and before that, I ate leftovers with pigs..."
It sounds terrible.
That would never happen in Jimna.
"Then, is this okay?"
I bought three grilled skewers from a stall nearby.
"... Yes."
"Here it is."
I gave Luna two of the skewers and bit into one myself...
"Can I eat this?"
"Yeah... Eat them... but you'll have to work when we get to the inn."
"Okay... Mmm, it's delicious."
It's a skewer from a street stall it's neither good nor bad.
"After you eat that, let's go. I've given you food and clothes and you're gonna work hard."
"Okay."
This girl is driving me crazy.
* * *
When we get to the inn... I can see how dirty Luna is.
"You're so dirty, take a bath."
"Bath? What's that supposed to mean?"
Luna really doesn't have much emotion.
And what does she mean she doesn't know how to take a bath?
"What do you mean you don't understand taking a bath?"
"I don't know!"
"Then what did you do when you got dirty?"
"I was drenched... with pigs."
I don't have a choice... Huff~
I guess... I'll just have to wash her.
"All right, I'll wash you."
"Okay, wash me..."
Well, I did wash a little kid in the village a long time ago...
Still, why should I, a former Hero (Yuusha), do this?
"Do you have any itches?"
"No, it's fine... it feels good."
"Well, that's good."
Gradually, she's getting better.
But she's really skinny. Is she really okay?
Anyway... she's really dirty... there's even a bug in her...
Huff~ Looks like it's clean now.
"Here, it's done, I'll wipe you off, then put on your underwear and get dressed."
"Okay... but how do I put on my underwear?"
She doesn't know how to do that either...?
Really, I've never been with such a woman before and I never thought I'd be putting underwear on a naked woman.
"That's better... you'll have to put it on yourself next time."
"Okay... and thank you."
"Yeah, so, you should learn little by little... by the way, is there anything you can do, Luna?"
"I can take care of pigs and livestock."
"Anything else?"
"I don't know... because I've never been out of the pig pen... and I've been abused, beaten, and kicked... and that's all I've ever done."
"Really?"
"Yeah, for real."
But how is it that she can speak normally?
Anyway…
There's no way I could ask her to do the housework.
It's no use...
"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you the housework, especially the cleaning."
"Okay, I'll do it."
I don't know why it's like this... it's more like it's getting worse.
No way, I'm... well, whatever, my head hurts so I'm going to bed today.