Interlude 2 Grace Morris
My name is Grace Morris. I was originally the daughter of an Imperial viscount, but due to the fall of my house, I became a slave and served a certain Marquis’ household. That Marquis’ household was also exposed to the country for abusing slaves, and for some reason, a heavier punishment than usual was handed down. And all the slaves, including myself, were returned to the slave trader.
The enormous debt could not be fully repaid even with over twenty years of service to the Marquis’ household, and it still remains. I have also reached the age of forty-two, but as expected, a slave of this age does not sell easily. However, it seems there are peculiar people out there.
The one who purchased me was an organization called the Information Guild ‘Hinomaru’. It was an organization I had never heard of, but as a slave, I had no choice.
The one who appeared as my master was a short, young man with black hair and black eyes. He said introductions would be done together later, and he immediately went somewhere.
Led by a rabbit-kin named Ronarl-sama, who claimed to be my master’s subordinate, from the slave trader in the Imperial Capital, I arrived at a building on the border of the slums. I was told this was the Imperial Capital branch of ‘Hinomaru’, but that this was not where we would be working. I was led underground, proceeded down a corridor, and passed through a door into a large, dome-shaped space.
“Be careful, you can’t pass through here without the Key I just gave you.”
“Understood.”
Looking at the card hanging from my neck, its intricate decorations glittered reflecting the light, looking very expensive. I was told it was exclusively for my use and could not be lent or borrowed.
More importantly—
Despite being underground, I don’t understand it at all. No matter how I think about it, I can assert that the dome’s ceiling is higher than the stairs we came down. Moreover, although I don’t know where the light source is, it’s dimly bright.
“This way.”
“Ah, yes.”
As I was blankly staring up at the ceiling, Ronarl-sama called out to me and started walking without hesitation. We passed through a passage with many doors, then he opened one door and went through, so I followed. When we emerged into a corridor, I felt a slight chill.
“Wait here for a while.”
“As you wish.”
“You are free to use anything here. You can eat and drink freely until you are called.”
Should I call this large room a waiting room? Chairs and tables are arranged at equal intervals, and tea sets and snacks are also laid out. There seem to be several people already here, and since everyone has the same thing around their necks as I do, perhaps they will be my colleagues.
“Hello. My name is Sebastian Winslow. I believe we will likely be serving the same master, so please make my acquaintance.”
While feeling bewildered and seeing Ronarl-sama off, a butler-like man with distinguished gray hair introduced himself, so I returned the courtesy.
“Grace-san, is it? By the way, may I ask where you came from?”
“I came from the Imperial Capital… Where might this place be?”
“Actually, I was also just brought here a short while ago. It seems they will give us an explanation once everyone is gathered.”
“I see…”
“However, from the Imperial Capital…”
“Yes… Is there some problem?”
Seeing Sebastian-sama lost in thought makes me feel a little anxious.
“No… I was brought here today from the Trade City Zain in the Arclight Kingdom.”
“Eh?”
“I was brought from the Commercial City just now…”
Rachel-san, a commoner who said she worked as a waitress at an eatery, joined the conversation, looking surprised.
Asking around, it seems there are also people who came from the Kingdom of Faerdehelde; apparently, slaves have been gathered from these four countries.
“Just who might our master be?”
“I do not know, but there is no doubt that he is a user of tremendous magic.”
Sebastian-sama’s throat trembled as if I could hear him gulp. Gathering people from all over this vast continent in just one day is completely unimaginable.
“Hm? What’s wrong with everyone standing around?”
Just as we were all feeling apprehensive about our master, Ronarl-sama, who had guided me here, returned bringing new people.
“It’ll still take a little longer, so feel free to relax. Those baked sweets called Financier over there are exquisite, so please try them.”
As Ronarl-sama left without waiting for a reply, I suddenly remembered my duties.
“Well then, I shall brew some tea.”
I boiled extra water for the people who would be arriving later and brewed tea for everyone. Once everyone had been served, I also took a seat and had some tea. I picked up a Financier, which Ronarl-sama had recommended, from the basket and took a bite.
“…Delicious.”
“This is…”
What is this moist texture, and this fragrance that gently wafts through the nose? It’s more delicious than any sweet I have ever eaten. It’s unbelievable that such expensive things would be served to slaves.
Our master possesses very frightening power, but isn’t the treatment not just good, but perhaps the best I’ve ever received? The possibility of being lifted up only to be dropped down isn’t non-existent, but it’s likely low.
While we were doing that, it seems the time came.
“Alright, everyone’s here.”
Ronarl-sama announced this after bringing the last slave.
“We are now going to the Grandmaster’s mansion. Everyone, follow me.”
Following him out of the building, there were three other large mansions. But there were no other buildings in sight, only sparsely growing trees and grassland stretching out, surrounded on all four sides by mountains. Where truly is this place?
And then, at the mansion we were guided to, we met our master. Hearing that our master was an S Rank Adventurer was reassuring, but when I was introduced to his two S Rank Tamed Monsters, the blood drained from my face.
At that time, I wondered if I could manage well here, but Nil-chan and Phonia-chan are very cute, aren’t they? They have now become my solace. This truly is the best workplace.