Chapter 25, Disturbance ~ 14
The girl woke up.
She must have been camping. The area was enveloped in a morning mist, and the damp, slightly cool air irritated her nostrils. As soon as she woke up, she stretched widely. Her spine snapped with a cracking sound. She woke up feeling unusually refreshed and knew that she had slept well. She wondered how long it had been since she had slept this well.
A loud buzzing of wings came from above, and the girl raised her eyes upward. A flying dragon, four or five times larger than the common subordinate type, flapped its wings and slowly descended towards her. It had a small beast in its mouth.
As she slowly turned her eyes to her surroundings, she saw the back of a particularly large man. Recognizing the reality, the girl - Rico called out to the owner of this place.
「Good morning.」
「Good morning. ...... Have you calmed down a bit?」
Rico nodded her head in response to Satoru's question. The stagnation in her heart was not as heavy as yesterday. It seemed to have flowed away with the tears. She thanked Satoru, who silently offered her a wet towel, and wiped her face. She wiped her face, feeling a little embarrassed to find out that her eyes had swollen so much.
While handling a rabbit that Minerva, the Flying Dragon Nushi, seems to have hunted for Satoru with a book in his hand, Satoru told Rico without looking at her.
「If it's all right with you after we clear the Chorus Labyrinth or something, I'll take you to another town somewhere. You can start over there.」
"Eh?" said Rico. The Chorus Labyrinth is an unknown labyrinth even in this area, and this is the valuable information she got from the Galhassan Kingdom Knights. While Rico was asleep, he must have read through the information letter she gave him.
Rico was a little confused, but approached Satoru a little closer.
「Ah, um, ...... Can't I follow Satoru on your trip too?」
There was no immediate answer this time. The air of helplessness that she had felt when leaving the town was gone. Rico took the opportunity to cut to the chase.
「I'm useful! I'm not afraid of this kind of nightlife, I can cook, I can even have a night vigil.」
「Idiot. That's not it」
Satoru scolded Rico and pondered with a difficult look on his face.
He understand how Rico feels. She has lost her place, and she is trying to secure a new place for herself by clinging to Satoru as a new place to stay. He had promised Kai and Jim that he would protect her until she reached another town, but things would be different if she followed him on the journey itself.
He would have to tell her everything. If she still want to come with him, then...
「...... Leia. Come here.」
「What can I do for you, my Lord.」
Satoru placed his own hand on Leia's head as she approached, and turned to Rico.
「Rico. You seem to have an idea of what I'm talking about, so I'll tell you first. I'm not a resident of this world. I'm a foreigner summoned from another world by this idiot.」
「Summoning ......」
When he said that, she understood why Leia was explaining every single thing to Satoru, her Lord, even common sense. If that's the case, it makes sense... even if it's a little hard to believe. But when you think about the fact that he has completely inhuman powers, it's more convincing to say so.
「So, you see, a lot has happened. This idiot is now my slave ...... and a magical slave.」
「I don't know if you've seen it before, but this is the crest that signifies a magical slave.」
Leia proudly showed Rico the strange pattern floating on the back of her left hand. The intricately carved patterns are certainly the work of magic alone.
「The purpose of my journey is to return to my world. This idiot summoned me without preparing for repatriation.」
「Umm........Can you please not say "Idiot-idiot" too much?」
「You're an idiot. Or rather you're moron」
「Uhhhhhh~~......」
Leia looked up at her Lord with tears in her eyes and groaned, unable to deny it because she had made so many mistakes in front of her Lord. Satoru gave a small smile and patted her on the head. He didn't really mean what he said.
「So, I'm looking for her mentor, the Immortal King Yarth, who may know the repatriation art. In other words, I'm going to disappear from this world sooner or later.」
He say this knowing full well that there is a possibility that he may not be able to return. But that's not the issue right now.
「The fact that I have a hell of a soul or something is, well, an afterthought.」
He gave a small laugh, then turned his sharp gaze to Rico.
「...... Are you going to follow me even though you know I'll be gone eventually?」
Rico does not seem to be able to withstand Satoru's sharp gaze. She is staring straight back at Satoru with fixed eyes.
「I have no place to stay. Even if I were to make a new one, I have only the skills of being a thief, so I wouldn't be able to find a good place anyway. If that's the case, I want to stay by Satoru's side until you returns.」
「There's no destination for a journey, and there's always danger.」
「I'm well aware of that.」
「I'll tie you up. If you follow me, it means you'll be mine. Can you give your life, your body, your mind, your everything to me?」
「I've already prepared to throw it away once anyway. There's nothing to be afraid of.」
Rico was able to see through the barrage of questions, one after another. Satoru scratched his head in frustration.
Rico gulped - and then said. A word of wish.
「If possible. I want to be Satoru's magical slave, too. I don't care what you do to me. I don't care if you kill me, and I don't care if another man holds me, if you order it.」
「Your resolve is admirable, but I have no intention of letting you do such a thing. I hate cuckoldry.」
After saying that, Satoru showed a frown. This is not the first time that Satoru has been in a bind.. After thinking for a while and deciding that there was no way he could win this battle, Satoru gave up and accepted defeat... then looked back at his last hope.
「Leia.」
「I have no right of refusal. Do as you wish, my Lord.」
She must have planned to do so from the beginning. Satoru laughed at Leia's attitude of giving up and accepting everything, admitted his defeat, and pronounced.
「Use the art of :Slavery". I accept Rico as my new magical slave.」
Rico's face brightens up.
「......! Really! Are you really serious!?」
Satoru nodded and put his hand on Rico's shoulder, as if to say, "It can't be helped".
「Yeah. In exchange, you will lose your freedom but, are you sure about that?」
「I don't care! I don't mind at all! As long as Satoru can be my place, I don't mind!」
Satoru grabbed Riko's shoulders, as if she was about to jump, and pulled her into his arms, hugging her and whispering in her ear.
「I'll embrace you when the art "slavery" is done. I'll make you mine.」
Instantly, Rico's cheeks flushed red.
「Y-yeah. ...... Okay. I'm ready.」
She knew that would happen, so Rico replied clearly. As she said, I'm ready for it. But she still mixed up in anxiety and anticipation.
Satoru patted Rico on the back of her head and looked back at his first magical slave.
「Leia.」
「Siiggghhhh~~.........It can't be helped」
Leia, the magic expert who had been appointed, sighed somewhat theatrically.
Leia's mind is also complicated. She was happy that the person she had once shown her loyalty heart to was saved, and anxious that an interloper would get in the way of the two of them plus one animal on their journey.
It's only been a few days since they met, but the journey with Satoru has been both exciting and happy, and the past few days have been filled with excitement that she couldn't have gotten while she was holed up in the deepest labyrinth for a little over 200 years.
She's confused by the change in her emotions, which started out not bad, then turned good, and now she doesn't want to leave.
But her Lord's word is absolute. There is no way she can disobey them.
「Little girl. Your name is...」
「Rico. I don't have any other name.」
Leia sighed as Rico answered clearly. In this world, it is common for people of lower ranks to have no family name.
「That's right. I don't care if it's a fingertip, just give me a little blood.」
In response to Leia's request, Rico took out a needle from behind her waist and pricked her index finger with it. This is the same weapon that she used to try to escape when she was first captured by Satoru. A bead of blood appeared on her index finger.
「Is this okay?」
「Yes. If you are truly willing to become a magical slave, answer "I accept" to the question in the art. Understood?」
「I understand.」
Leia enters the spell, earning a mysterious nod from Rico. Leia's feet gleamed and her proud black cloak floated softly.
「『That is [Visitor from another world] Kasahara Satoru.
That is [Galhassan bandit, Agile] Rico.
In the name of [Immortal King] Leia Löwenstadt and Miguelfi, following the ancient laws, I pledge the bond of a magical slave.
O Kasahara Satoru, who has become our lord, do you accept her or not』」
「『I accept.』」
『And now, Rico, do you accept it or not』
「『I accept.』」
She nodded in reply to both of them.
「The contract is done. The blood of the new magical slave Rico will serve as proof. "Pursue Slave."」
The bead of blood floating on Rico's fingertips began to wriggle as if it had a life of its own, and attacked Rico's left hand. There is a small sound of air puffed.
「Hmm」
A smoke rose from the back of Rico's left hand. The pattern on the back of her left hand was clearly visible even on Rico's almost brown skin.
「..........This is the end. Little girl, you have become my Lord's magical slave, just like me. From now on, you must show your loyalty.」
「I don't need to be told that........Hehe」
Rico stroked the crest of the magical slave on the back of her left hand somewhat proudly. Instead of the scars on the middle and index fingers of her right hand, which had been left as proof of her guilt, the new pattern on the back of her left hand is a new beacon for her to live by.
「Ah, the rest is yours to do with as you please, my Lord. No matter how violent you are when you strip her naked, the wards I've put up will not be shaken.」
With a small puff of her cheeks, Rico looked at Leia. This [King of Immortals] is deliberately speaking in such a nasty manner. Satoru threw his voice at Leia, who started to walk away to put some distance between them.
「No, Leia. You must watch.」
「Heh.」
The dumb voice rises again in unison.
He had replied in the same tone before, but the situation was completely different from that time. The reason he had left Leia behind that time was to deter Rico - though it had no effect at all. Satoru continues with the two who have raised their voices stupidly.
「As a demon slave, you may be her equal, but as my demon slave, you are her senior. Witness your junior's moment of rupture.」
「Wai, whaaaaattt??
「What? Do you have a problem with that?」
Rico was indeed surprised and looked at Satoru and Leia repeatedly. As for Leia, she looked puzzled and then sullen. What saddens her is that she have to watch her Lord and his magical slaves, make love with another person - She has a look of dissatisfaction on her face.
「U-uh, I'm not complaining about that...... umm ......」
Rico turned over and glanced at Leia, looking very embarrassed. She had been prepared for Satoru to see it, of course, but she had never thought of having someone of the same sex watch the moment she lost her virgin. Satoru sighed somewhat exaggeratedly.
「If you have a problem with my methods, I can break the spell right now. In return, I won't allow you to follow me, though.」
「Uhhh」
Rico gasped. Satoru's words and actions were completely honest and straightforward. Even though she was once allowed to become a magical slave, if he didn't like it, he would immediately break the spell and throw it away - Satoru would probably do it for real. Satoru turned back to Leia.
「Hey, Leia. For example, is there any magic that can manipulate memories?」
「Oh, yes. There is a magic that can erase memories of a specific person.」
When Rico heard this, she was shocked. If such a spell was used to erase her memory of Satoru after she was released from the spell, she would not be able to follow him anymore. She doesn't want to lose the guideposts she have gained because of something like this.
「Ah! I understand, I understand! Please do as you please, Satoru!」
「Upset is not good」
Satoru quickly chastised Rico, who had resignedly put her hands on her hips and slumped over. The first step is always the most important. It's not a problem for Leia, because she acted sensibly after her initial surrender, but not for Rico. She still has a twisted sense of pride lurking in her heart, and the first thing he needs to do is destroy it - that's what Satoru thinks.
Leia understood part of his intentions as to why he was bothering to show it to her after all this time. He want to make the pecking order clearer by showing the moment of surrender, that is, becoming the senior as a magicqal slave.
「Oh, then, my Lord. Can you give me a little time?」
Leia suddenly remembered and took out a freshly purchased measuring bead from within her shadow. After this, Rico will have her meltdown, and will probably receive her Lord's spirit in her body. Now is the best time to measure the rise of the vessel of the soul, which is only a guess at this stage.
「Hey, little girl. Here, take this.」
「Eh, what? This is measuring bead. ...... Why now?」
「Just shut up and listen to me. If you don't listen, I will touch you.」
Rico stepped back a little as Leia grew more intense. Even though both of them are Satoru's magical slaves, the other is the mighty [Immortal King]. If she were to lose her temper for just a moment, Rico would quickly become an insignificant dried-up fish.
Satoru offered a helping hand.
「Leia. Threats are not good. Rico, just cooperate with her.」
「Hrmm. ....... Well, if you say so, Satoru.」
Rico receives the measuring beads. With a small, dumbfounded glance, Leia quickly gave the junior one a bad idea.
「You might want to fix that language. ...... "Soul Search"」
With a high-pitched squeal, the measuring beads reacted to Leia's spell. Leia let out a small gush at the numbers floating there.
「...... Pfft!」
「Wh-What!? You don't have to laugh at all! Well, compared to Leia, the Immortal King, my magic power is nothing but garbage!」
The other party is the "Immortal King. It is a special existence that can only be manifested by a particularly superior person. There is no way that Rico, an ordinary human, can match her. Satoru's voice, mixed with amazed, flew at the two of them.
「Don't fight. If both of you fight, I'll throw you both away.」
「Ugh」
「...... Fine」
Both of them nodded reluctantly. Leia looked a little serious and put her mouth to Rico's ear. Rico cowered in fear.
「You know, little gi- ...... No, Rico. My Lord have a very short temper, all right? Even with me, he's not afraid to say he'll let me go twice, but abandon me a third time.」
「What?」
「So if we fight repeatedly, he'll seriously abandon us the third time we fight. ......」
「Really? So narrow-minded. ......」
She was talking in a low voice, but Satoru could hear them perfectly.
「I can hear it, both of you.」
「Hiyaa!」
「I'm so sorry!」
Satoru's face is filled with a bitter smile. Leia's decision to call Rico by her name instead of "little girl" is a sign of her intention not to fight, and is probably a concession. Satoru is glad that Leia, who is normally proud to be a lonely person, has given in so easily. That's how much he admires her.
However, Rico is different. She needs to be nailed down.
「And Rico. What Leia just said is true. You've already betrayed me twice.」
「Tw-Twice?」
Satoru gave a cold stare to Rico, who made a dazed face.
「You're not trying to ignore the first time you tried to seduce me, are you? You betrayed me twice there.」
Rico's shoulders twitched.
「So there's no next time. Don't think that just because you've settled down as my slave that you're going to be kept by me forever, all right?」
「Y-yeah. I understand.」
He heard a gulp of air. It's not that easy to make a place for yourself. Rico is well aware of that.
「Just in case. If I admit that it is properly mine, I will overlook some of it. ......」
Satoru narrowed his eyes at the two bright faces and nailed them.
「If that makes you grow up, I'll beat you up right there.」
Rico's face paled at the cruel declaration. It's not so much that Leia was upset, because she knew the nature of Satoru, but she also felt lonely, as if he hadn't recognized her as an insider yet. Knowing how Leia felt, Satoru smiled at Leia.
「Leia is doing much better, but not quite as well. Of course, Rico is not much better at all. It all depends on how hard you work from now on.」
「Okay!」
Leia also smiled at Rico's honest reply. She know that Rico is basically a good and honest girl. But she is a bit stubborn. She is a little stubborn, and in that way she is similar to her.
「Also, you can keep your language as it is.」
「Really? I'm glad. I'm not very good at using formal language. To be honest, I'm not good at Leia's way of talk either.」
「Hohou? Are you insulting me with every word you say ......?」
「The only people who speak in such an old-fashioned way nowadays are some princesses. ......」
Then it finally hit Rico. It was then that Rico finally realized where she had heard the name "Leia" before. Right, that was a fairy tale....
「Leia ...... Löwenstadt? No way, by any chance.」
「Stop. You can't say more than that.」
Leia's voice was laced with a cold emotion of restraint. Rico gulped at the sound of her voice, which she had never heard before, and could not hear anything else.
「...... Fight, second time.」
Satoru, sensing the change in the atmosphere, announced in a playful voice and wrote in his field book. The two of them panicked.
「Wawawawa, Oh, man, Satoru. That wasn't a fight. Right, Leia?」
「I-I-I-Indeed. That was just a joke. It's not a fight.」
Satoru looked at them with a frown, and closed the field book.
Satoru has a hunch. Rico knows about Leia's past. The fact that Rico knows about Leia's past means that she is probably a person who has been told about at the level of a fairy tale that everyone in the world knows about, and that there is some kind of story there.
But Satoru had told Leia before. He said he had no intention of asking her. He thinks that perhaps there is a story behind how she came to be manifested as the Immortal King. But that's just an unnecessary inquiry into the past. So he won't ask.
「...... If it gets to be too much, I'll seriously throw you away. After all, I'm narrow-minded and short-tempered.」
At the sound of Satoru's sulky voice, the two looked at each other for a moment and panicked.
「I-I'm joking. There aren't many people as kind and open-minded as Satoru!」
「I-indeed. You're absolutely right.」
It was completely just flattery, but Satoru deliberately ignored it. This way, he could divert the conversation from Leia's past.
「Oh well. ...... Then I'll embrace you. Come here.」
Satoru's directness was so typical of him that Rico felt a pang of disappointment on her face.
「R-really ...... uuhh ...... There's no romance, no mood .......」
「Don't be a whiner. Ah~ah, it's withered.」
「Waaahhhh! Sorry! I'm sorry!」
In a panic, Rico shuffled over to Satoru's side. She braced herself and waited for Satoru to do something. Just as Satoru was about to reach out his hand, Rico looked up at him embarrassedly.
「Ah, um, ...... are you going to show it to Leia after all?」
After all, Rico has a sweet spot in her heart. She is not fully aware of the fact that she has been helped by the people around her, so she thinks that if he wants, she will respond.
This is the real reason why Satoru left Leia. By forcing her into a situation where nothing goes her way, he has to make her give up her naivety. Otherwise, it won't be good for Rico, and more importantly, she will only be a hindrance for them.
「Don't you think it's too late? Should I throw her away, Leia?」
「That's right. It's better that way.」
「Waaahhhhhh, Sorry, I'm sorry~~!!」
Rico interrupted Leia's agreement. He doesn't know how many times she's said "I'm sorry" to him.
「You know, how many times do you have to apologize to me like that before you're done? You've done it three times already.」
「Ugh...... Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not going fight back anymore.」
She said it again. Satoru flicked Rico very lightly on her forehead, who bit her lower lip and stood upright.
「That's fine, but that's not the point. I want you to make up your mind.」
While holding her forehead and getting a little teary-eyed, Rico looked up at Satoru. I think I've already made up my mind, but now...? That's what Rico's eyes were telling him.
Satoru made up his mind to become a demon.
「You are my slave. That is, you belong to me. My own.」
「Y-yes.」
「I'll say it backwards. Your place is only on my side. The only place you're allowed to be is on my side.」
「......Yes」
She was a little confused at first, but then she noticed the seriousness in Satoru's voice, and Rico took him seriously.
Yes. The only place where Riko can be right now is on Satoru's side.
「No matter how perverted or devilish I am, you can't stand against me. You can't fight it.」
「I'm not so sure.......about that.」
As expected, Rico raised her voice in protest, and Leia, the senior magical slave, gave a small sigh.
「Rico. That's what being a magical slave is all about. They are allowed to exist only to fulfill their master's demands, desires, and wishes.」
「Uhhh......」
The word "magical slave" and her position weighed on her more than she had imagined. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a fantasy that if she could become Satoru's slave, he would protect her and pamper her.
Satoru shattered such a sweet illusion head-on.
「The priority for you right now is not yourself. It's me. If it were up to me, I'd let the saber tigers eat your stupid pride.」
「Please don't joke about that.」
The events of last night came back to haunt her, and she let out a grunt, but her voice was already weak. She found herself unable to rebel when her naivety was confronted head-on.
「I'll forgive you for voicing your opinion if you think it's wrong, and I'll even admit that sometimes you have to use strong words. But you're still here because I forgive you. You should throw away your pride right now. It's nothing more than garbage.」
Satoru's words were filled with heat.
「Can anyone see it? It doesn't matter. If I say I want to hold you, even if it's in the street, in front of the king, or in front of the gods, you have to be willing to open your body.」
If you're not prepared to do that, then I'll lift the spell and you can leave right now. And don't ever show your face again. Something was engraved in Rico's soul as she felt such a strong desire behind the words.
「I thought you were going to throw it all away for me.」
──Yeah, why am I here? How am I even here? It's Satoru. Because of Satoru, Zareth was chased. Because of Satoru, I'm saved, and I'm here. I thought I was going to throw it all away? I'm the worst. I am..
「...... I'm sorry. I was wrong.」
Rico's voice was weak and mumbled, but there was still sincerity in it. It wasn't just a superficial apology like before. She ruminated on Satoru's words over and over again, and looked up at Satoru with a firm intention. The intensity of her gaze was so different from the dead fish eyes of that time.
Satoru nodded gravely. That's fine. As long as I can be reborn properly.
「It's okay if you understand. Leave one pair of underwear, and take off everything else.」
「...... Okay.」
I have no doubts. She didn't even care that Leia was watching her now. She unbuttoned her jacket and took it off without hesitation, exposing it.
――I'm so embarrassed.
She can see that Satoru's eyes are on her chest. But since Satoru wants her to do it, she have to respond to him. Her embarrassment is nothing more than garbage.
She unbuckle her belt and put her hands on her shorts.
「Satoru.」
「What is it?」
「I belong to Satoru, right?」
「That's right」
She took off her shorts as well, leaving only her underwear. Her body is well-proportioned and healthy, with the suppleness of an antelope.
「The only man who can touch my body is Satoru, right?」
「I'm a jealous man. I'm not gonna let another man touch you.」
She smiled a little. After all, no matter what she say, Satoru will protect her... Once she know that, there's nothing to be afraid of.
「Then, I'll give you everything I have. ...... Hmm, no, this is different.」
Rico gave a small smile with a shy but determined look on her face.
「...... Please take my first time」
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