After the trouble at the Adventurers Guild, we arrived at the Lakeside Hotel. Unfortunately, there was no other available room but their best room, though our current selves had enough money to stay there for even a few years.
「Even so, Sydnia’s heroes were vulgar people, weren’t they?」
「Yeah. They stared at us with their lecherous eyes.」
「That’s right. They were particularly eyeing Sophia-san and Marnie-san like they’d taste them.」
「……uu, just remembering it disgusts me. The only one alright to look at us is MasterHusband.」
Sophia was disappointed at the heroes, Maria and Laeva remembered their unpleasant stares, and Marnie had goosebumps when she remembered.
「Master, those heroes are from the same place as Master, right?」
Having come out of the Subspace, Kaede ate sweets and relaxed as she asked.
「Yeah, it’s disappointing. Even if the girl called Akane is different, those two are impossible. I wonder if they’re aware they’re being called crooked heroes.」
Having the backing of a religious organization, how can they act like thugs?
「But they’re touring each nation as part of the Light God Faith’s propaganda, aren’t they?」
Sophia asked strangely.
「That’s right. They’ll likely be the at the head.」
「Indeed. In the first place, in countries like this where a variety of races live, the majority would not support the Human Supremacy doctrine that the Light God Faith sings praises of. Only Sydnia and Triaria would.」
Of course, the Elven country and Dwarven country have no church.
「It’s probably the girl called Akane from a while ago.」
The ones who entered after knocking on the door were the young lady known as Akane and the 10 year old Catkin girl attendant that we had encountered at the Adventurers Guild. The Catkin attendant was naturally a slave of Sydnia, but she didn’t have a slave mark but was affixed with a slave collar.
The difference between the slave mark and the slave collar is that the slave mark is a slavery contract based on the laws of that country used to bind a slave. There is no life-threatening punishment even if an act violates the contract. On the other hand, if an order is defied or if the contract is violated, the slave collar tightens and takes the life of the slave. It is only used for criminal slaves in this country.
For Sydnia, it seems it is standard to attach a slave collar to all slaves aside from the human race.
「Welcome, this way please.」
Marnie, who is wearing a maid outfit, led the young lady who calls herself Akane to the sofa.
「I will introduce myself once more. I am Akane Misatoアカネ ミサト, no, Misato Akane三郷 茜. This is frank of me to ask, however, Takumi Iruma-san, you don’t look Japanese, but are you a descendant of a Japanese ancestor summoned in the past?」
The young lady in front of me asked with a serious expression.
She gazed at me intently with her eyes that seemed to hold a strong will. And this goes the same for the other two, but they’re handsome men and a beautiful woman that are the very picture of heroes and heroines.
「I’d be very glad if this information isn’t leaked to Sydnia.」
「I will not tell Sydnia!」
Well, they already sent assassins to me, though.
「I am Japanese. No, it might be more accurate to say I was Japanese. I was a salaryman in my 40’s that was dragged into your hero summoning and had lost my life.」
「Eh?!」
She couldn’t believe the silver-haired me who didn’t look Japanese.
「The truth is that Goddess had kindly picked up my soul, which was destined to die. This body was also something that Norn-sama had prepared.」
「………………」
Akane was at a loss for words when she heard that I was dragged into their hero summoning and had lost my life.
「Umm, are you alright?」
「……yes, umm sorry.」
「No, you don’t have to apologize. The wrong one is Sydnia who had used the hero summoning, a forbidden magic.」
After that, Akane-san talked about matters after the hero summoning.
No matter how she thought of it, there’s no way she could understand the Light God Faith’s doctrine on human supremacy and oppression of slaves excepting Humans. Mazoku being just one of the things, but she seems to have done her investigation and learned that the humans weren’t necessarily in confrontation with them. At that point in time, Akane-san understood that they were simply summoned to be tools of war.
「But Akira and Yamato have been completely tainted…………, those two think they’re allowed to do anything. But, to kill people without hesitation…………」
「Well, we’re dyed in a sinful way in this world.」
Still, it’s disconcerting how, not even a year having passed here, high school boys in Japan had been able to assault someone without any hesitation. When I asked Akane-san about this, it seemed she didn’t know either.
「They’ve always been the type to easily get carried away, but it’s like they’ve lost all restraint since coming to this world.」
「…………Hmmm, well, leaving that aside. Was there something you wanted to talk about with me as someone from the same place?」
Right. Was there something she wanted to talk to me about that she even went out of her way to go to the inn we’re staying?
「Iruma-san, please help Lulu and I!」
When Akane said that, she got off the sofa and kneeled on the floor, bowing. The so-called “Dogeza”[1]. The Catkin attendant called Lulu imitated Akane-san.
「No, please stop with the dogeza!」
Among the three summoned, only she realized the ulterior motives of Sydnia and was waiting for an opportunity to escape. Moreover, for those two to not notice is strange, but my heart is not hard enough to abandon these two girls.
「Dispel」
Kacha, the slave collar on the Catkin attendant made a sound and fell.
「?! The collar! The collar is off!」
「Eh!?」
Tears welled as Lulu-chan touched her neck. Akane-san was surprised and looked at me.
「It’s better that that collar is removed.」
「Th-thank you very much!」
I assumed it likely had good-for-nothing conditions on it, so I judged that it would be better to remove that slave collar. Like she’d be strangled if she leaves a fixed range.
「For now until things settle down, it would be better if you’re at the house I have in Volton town.」
「That’s true. I believe it would give peace of mind since Titan is also there.」
「Master, Kaede will also return to the house?」
「Hiiih!」
Seeing the Arachne Kaede, Lulu let out a small scream. Even though Kaede has always been in this room, Lulu must have been so tense that she didn’t notice.
「Don’t worry. Kaede is my familiar so she’s a companion.」
After that, I took Akane-san and Lulu-chan to Volton and entrusted them to Titan and Kaede[2], then I teleported back to the royal capital.
「(Now then, I have another job to do.)」
I wore the Overcoat of Existence Concealment, activated the Stealth skill and snuck into the Light God Church in the royal capital, left a parting gift for the hero party, and returned to Sophia and the others. They’re temporarily sheltered at my home, but I think I should ask for the cooperation of people like Margrave Volton. My house is already being monitored by the zealots, after all.
I’m sure that right about now, the church officials were moving about in immense confusion.
***
Footnotes:
Sphy’s Note:
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Anyway, I’ve got this annoying headache that won’t go away right now. So yeah, might be even less responsive. Stil, let’s all try to stay good and healthy. >w<