Chapter 141: Fugitive Slave
“Delicious!”
“…It’s good.”
I decided to have a brief conversation with the Fox-Eared Child, Phonia, who was sparkling with joy, and the bear-eared man, Ivan, who was expressing his thoughts with a sour expression. I felt a bit like I was getting involved in a troublesome situation, but I couldn’t help it; Phonia’s cuteness had me completely captivated. Since earlier, Rio had been fluffing Phonia’s ears and she was happily devouring grilled fish without any sign of discomfort.
Now that we had secured food, I knew that lingering here to chat would risk being discovered, so I had set up a Perception Inhibiting Barrier. I was somewhat skeptical, but seeing it in action right before my eyes convinced me.
“So, why did you run away?”
“I heard that even slaves must be provided with proper food, clothing, and shelter, or it becomes a crime.”
As I nodded in agreement with Rio’s observation, Ivan’s expression twisted as if he had bitten into something bitter.
“But that just means you’re alive. They don’t allow you to live like a human…”
“What do you mean?”
Since his one-word answer didn’t clarify much, I asked for details. It turned out that they had been treated like pets. The food they received was mostly raw and not properly cooked, and they were given only a single ragged piece of cloth to wear. Although Phonia was now layering several pieces of cloth she had picked up, she had been nearly naked while living in the mansion.
“Above all, the abuse was far too severe.”
He said this while pulling up his shirt, revealing numerous scars beneath. There were cuts and bruises all over, but the worst was on his back. It seemed that his master was quite the sadist.
“Phonia even stopped smiling for a while.”
He gazed at Phonia with a pained expression. Although she was currently enjoying her meal and smiling, it was outrageous that such a cute child had to endure abuse.
“Still, how did you manage to escape?”
“Well, slaves can’t defy their master’s orders, right?”
“That’s true, but… it seems I wasn’t specifically ordered not to run away…”
“What do you mean by that?”
It seemed that being treated like a pet had its advantages; they were often left alone in an empty garden. Seizing the opportunity, they managed to escape.
“You could say it was like being free-range.”
Ivan chuckled self-deprecatingly, but it was hardly a laughing matter. I learned that their masters were nobles residing in the Imperial Capital. While we could remove the collars, we couldn’t take responsibility for what came next. Especially since their masters were nobles, the situation was even more precarious. In fact, reporting a fugitive slave could lead to a reward. After all, if a slave owned by someone harmed others or committed a crime, the master would be punished.
But then again, if we could just remove the collar, maybe everything would work out? No, I wasn’t sure if Ivan could manage that while protecting Phonia. Besides, which was better: being a fugitive slave or a former fugitive slave? In a way, the law seemed to offer more protection to slaves… I was utterly confused.
“I’m full now! Thank you, big brother and big sister!”
Before I knew it, Phonia’s plate was empty.
“Ah, ah. That’s great to hear.”
“Thank you for being so kind to us. We owe you.”
After bowing deeply, Ivan stood up.
“We can’t impose on you any longer; it’s time for us to go, Phonia.”
“Y-Yeah.”
After bowing once more, they disappeared into the depths of the alley before I could gather my thoughts to call out to them.
“Hmm…”
A sense of unease lingered in my heart, but I didn’t know what to do.
“Was it okay to leave things like this?”
Rio tilted her head, but when I shared my thoughts that being a slave might mean less risk of being killed, she seemed to understand.
“It’s complicated…”
“Right? Well, there’s no point in lingering here. For now, let’s head back to the inn.”
We had no idea what kind of people their noble masters were. I concluded that there was nothing we could do at this point, and with a heavy heart, we returned to the inn.
The next day, I went to the Guild to report the completion of the escort request for the ship. After finishing the report at the reception on the second floor and receiving my reward, I decided to inquire about the fugitive slave that had been on my mind.
“Fugitive slave, you say? Well, basically… slaves are considered personal property, so there are no specific penalties for the slave themselves just because they escaped. However, depending on the owner’s wishes, they usually face additional debt or prison time.”
“Oh, I see.”
Hearing that brought me a bit of relief.
“Yes. Also, if a slave commits a crime, the master will be punished, so it’s common for a reward to be offered for their capture. …Speaking of which, we actually have a D-rank request for a fugitive slave search at our Guild.”
“Wait…”
I exchanged glances with Rio in surprise. Could it be that Phonia and Ivan were the ones being sought?
“Of course, if they were caught, we wouldn’t know what would happen to them, so it’s rare for slaves to commit serious crimes while on the run. However, there are cases where they resort to theft out of desperation for food.”
Ah, that makes sense. There’s no way they could find a decent job while living as fugitives. Either way, it was clear that it would be better for them not to be discovered by the townsfolk.
“Fugitive slaves would likely resist, so there’s no issue with causing some harm when capturing them. However, if the fugitive slave’s behavior is too bad, it could lead to a capture request with no regard for their life or death.”
“Seriously?”
Still, I wondered if I should be relieved that it was just a search request for now. …Though it wasn’t confirmed that it was Phonia and Ivan.
“Also, please be careful not to free a slave on your own, as that is a serious crime. Normally, it’s not something one can do…”
“…Hypothetically, if a slave were to be freed, what would happen to them?”
“Uh? …Well, they would no longer be subject to direct orders from their owner, but their status in society would still be that of a fugitive slave. In fact, without proof of ownership, a powerless slave might find themselves in even more dangerous situations.”
“I-I see…”
I thanked the Guild staff member, who shrugged his shoulders, and left the Guild after getting the answers I wanted. Yet, the lingering feelings of unease remained.