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Leaving The Nest
「Congratulations on the deal」
「Thank you for your hard work. Regarding today’s share, I will get to it later」
「Yes, well then」
After sending me back to the tent, the elderly man left.
I wonder, what would happen next? Soon, we would probably be taken under a new master. The children looked at Myluc, asking for instructions.
However, Myluc himself remained sitting on his chair, closing his eyes, without moving.
「You all」
A little while later, he finally spoke.
「Our time together has been long and short up until now」
He said that while his eyes were still closed.
Usually, he was talkative and had no problem coming up with what to say, but right now, it seemed like he was speaking while looking for the words to say one by one.
「You are.....right now, have both happiness and unhappiness」
I somehow guessed it.
Until now, Myluc was just a slave trader. However, now, the children have left his hands. This time, everyone had been sold. That’s why, he started talking about this inside the tent without letting anyone leave. Right now, he was just a single person named Myluc.
「I, am the one who took you away from your family. This too, is something brought about by both fortune or misfortune. Being separated from the village you used to live in and from your family, was a misfortune. But, if that did not happen, what would happened to you all? There are those who should have died from starvation. Even if that had not happened, some would have continued to receive abuse from your parents. And, you will not be able to get out of your poor farming village」
The children were also listening quietly and seriously. Their expression varied.
Like Dee, she had a severe expression on her face. It’s not that she did not understand what Myluc was talking about. It felt like she was saying, ‘You’re a slave trader yourself, don’t say stuff like that!’.
「And it will continue that way. You all, are going to live next to wealth and authority. Despite this, your current status is that of a slave. Perhaps, you might not be able to get out of that situation your whole life」
「What are you trying to say?」
Unable to bear it any longer, Dee asked.
He gave her the calmest expression I had ever seen from him.
「I have, taught you all how to conduct yourself as a slave. Submission, is a necessary virtue in this world. But......in the end, I want you all to throw that away. For yourself」
「Why are you telling us something like that now!」
Dee stood up, kicking her chair. There was anger in her eyes, something I had never seen before.
I remembered. The sight of her figure, wandering around the housing facility’s corridor in the middle of the night, crying as she longed for her hometown.
「Because now is the only time」
In contrast to Dee, who flared up, Myluc was calm, like lukewarm water.
「You are, all already out of my hands now. And, until the buyer who will take you all comes, you are all not tied down by any rules. …..if you have any grudges, it's not the time, you know?」
He poked his own cheek with his finger as he said that. ‘If you want to hit me, then you can hit me’. That’s what it meant.
「....then, then! I, from the village」
「Don’t say that」
「Why!」
Although his expression remained calm, his tone was merciless.
「Dee, the one who sold you, was your parents」
「No! You must have tricked my parents with a lot of money」
「Even so, I just paid money properly as agreed by both sides」
For Dee, she was confronted with the one reality she most did not want to face.
「I’m not a scoundrel, Dee. Buying and selling children is inhuman. So, if you hate me that much, you can borrow Jill’s sword outside and stab me in the chest. What, you don’t have to worry, I will not blame you」
Because of how shocking the words he said, Dee and the other children could not move at all.
「And, just as I am also a bad person, so are your parents」
「They’re not!」
「They are. Accept the reality」
With that, Dee looked down, just clenched her fists, and said nothing.
At that moment, Wyst - who had been quiet until now - raised his head.
「I know」
He stood up with momentum, jumping up from his chair. Then, he confronted Myluc.
「I was sold. I’ve accepted that from the beginning. But, you don’t have to keep laying it all to Dee 」
「I know this is cruel. But, this is necessary, Wyst. If I don’t do it now, no one will」
「Is it really necessary to do this?」
「It is」
Turning serious, Myluc first turned to Wyst, and then to Dee.
「The people who buy and take you all in, all are nobles or merchants. They buy you not because you are all useful. They want to take care of you all from a young age to make you their faithful servant. Also, there are many tasks that can not be entrusted to someone with the status of a slave. That’s why, if you all continue to work hard in the correct way, someday you will definitely regain your status as free people」
Dee and the other children suddenly turn to face him at his clearly declared hope. However, Myluc followed.
「The important thing is that moment. That will be the first time you obtain freedom. Not only that, but also wealth.....serving wealthy people is a good trade. And you all, will finally be able to live according to your feelings. But, what will you do if your former family or friends gather around you?」
Faced with that question, Dee made a troubled-looking face.
「Don’t lend a helping hand」
「Why」
Dee asked in a tearful voice.
「Life has limits. And, it’s the same with your money and your affection. So, keep those precious things to the people who truly cherish you. It is not just your family. There are countless people who will try to take away your happiness, pretending to show you affection. And the greater the wounds you carry, the more vulnerable the important parts within you become」
Myluc took out a small pouch from his pocket.
「This is a present, from me」
He picked something from inside there with his fingers. It was a silver brooch. It was a small, round brooch and minimal ornaments with light blue jewel set in the middle. It was an Aquamarine. Considering Myluc’s fortune, it is not a considerable expense for him. Probably.....my intuition told me it is at most 2, 3 gold coins worth. It was probably something free people, even the common people, can not normally obtain.
「Kovol」
Suddenly being called, his eyes wandered around.
「The meaning of this aquamarine, do you understand?」
Myluc asked with a mischievous smile on his face.
「Ah.....that, that is.....」
After a few moments of him frantically holding his head, trying to find the answer, Kovol finally began to speak the meaning of aquamarine.
「The jewel of the 10th month.....a symbol of merchants and travelers.....」
He continued to remember and put his thoughts into words.
「A symbol of determination, solitude, quest, delving deep into a path….also….」
Then, a look of realization appeared on his face.
「To cut off dependence」
「That’s right」
Myluc nodded in satisfaction.
「I prepare something for everyone. Please take it. Although you all may still have the bodies of children and your hearts are still not fully grown, from today onwards, you will become adults. I am sure your life would be a bleak one after this. You will long for warmth, not just once or twice. That’s why, you have to endure it. Just like a merchant waiting for the right time to sell their goods, being patient」
He stood up and handed each of us a brooch.
「Now. It’s already time. Everyone, let’s go outside」
It was bright outside compared to the inside of the tent, but the sunlight was starting to turn orange.
Seeing us coming out, Jusa and Jull turned around.
「Looks like your talk is over」
Jusa said while narrowing his eyes.
The children who had been living together are leaving all at once. After that, they would meet pitiful children who were sold off due to poverty. And when they finally grew enough to smile, he had to part ways again.
Then, what about Jill? I looked up at her, thinking that I would see her usual expressionless face.
But, she was unusually smiling. No way? Before I could even get surprised, her hand was gently placed on my head.
I was so surprised could not say anything. In the end, I still didn't know anything at all about Jill. Untill the very end, she did not say anything, which was very much like her.
After she finished stroking my head, she did the same thing to the other children. I wonder what feelings she held inside her? What was her relationship with Myluc? Did she really love him, or hate him? She probably did not know it herself but at least for now, she chose to reach out to us gently.
「Noor」
I heard a voice calling me from behind. It was Wyst.
「Now that it's decided, I guess we’ve got nowhere to go, huh」
「Yeah」
「Really, I wonder what will happen from now on. Oh well, whatever will be will be」
Even Wyst seemed to be trying to sort his feelings in his own way while scratching his head.
「Oi, Noor」
That’s when Kovol spoke to me.
「I won’t lose」
「Hm? What about?」
「You’re strong, but you hide it」
Aah, about the match with Jusa, huh.
It’s not like I was hiding it. It’s just that, that day I suddenly got stronger.
「I’m going to be a knight. Once that happens, let’s have a match at least once」
Certainly, Kovol was already showing his extraordinary talent for immense strength at this point in time. However, becoming a knight was not something you achieved through training these days. In practice, a great majority of them were the second sons of noble houses. They did not go on some kind of pilgrimage of training, just spending their carefree and enjoyable time in the academy, getting appointed, and having a job at random. So, when would his dream be shattered, I wonder?
「Even if it is still a long time until Kovol becomes a knight, I will become a maid in a castle starting tomorrow」
Dee also joined us.
「If Noor, and everyone visited the castle……I will at last give you some leftover foods from the back door 」
「That’s some luxury, huh」
Wyst wrapped it up with a smile.
But, something just felt off. Like something was missing.....
「Now, then....ah, looks like they’re here to pick me. Guess I’ll go first. Well, we’ll meet again if we’re lucky. See you!」
With his luggage on his back, he walked away without looking back.
「Oh, mine also came. Noor, we’ll compare our skills, alright? Absolutely, okay!」
Kovol also walked away vigorously.
「Well, Noor, see you again」
Dee too, with her usual prim look, looked straight ahead and left without a word.
And then, finally, I realized the identity of the discomfort.
「……Dona?」
Dona, was standing next to me.
She had not said a word since earlier. Only, her complexion was pale and she was trembling all over. I wouldn't believe it if she told me she caught a cold.
「Dona」
「……fine, I’m, fine.....」
Was she very shocked that the fat guy won the bid for her? That was probably so. That look. And his bedroom technique level was so high. Since there was no title that came with a territory’s name with it, he was likely a wealthy merchant but.....at any rate, just the fact that he appeared in a slave auction himself shows how tasteless he is.
Reality is cruel. I wonder how long Dona could maintain her purity? 10 years from now, 15 years, or even tonight?
「It doesn’t look like you’re fine」
It would have been better if she had been bought as a maid like Dee at least. But, this was also fate. And besides, this was not necessarily the worst one. In any case, just look at that overweight figure of his. If he suddenly died, she might be able to get his inheritance and remarry while still being young.
「You know」
Dona finally spoke
「I.....Noor saw it too right, the fat person who bought me, sitting in the back left of the venue」
「Un」
「He bought me for 20000 gold coins」
That was amazing. That was amazing enough to make a pro baseball player ashamed. Just how much he want Dona?
……because of that, I was sure he must not have enough pocket money to bid for me.
「Near Pyris.....I heard that, he is a merchant in a town called Korapt1 」
「I see」
「His occupation is.....slave trader specializing in women, also….running several brothels」
Aaah……
For Dona with her future dream of being a「wife」, he might be the worst match for her.
「That uncle.....host-person told me about it later. That Gruvy-person, is not even married. He told me, he gathers one beautiful girl after another, made them work in his mansion.....once he grew tired of them, he sent them to his stores」
Uwaaa……
「Dona will be fine」
I deliberately said.
「He will just throw them away when he gets bored. But he won’t throw a beautiful person since he won’t be able to get it again」
「No, I hope he throws me away」
Oi oi. That’s impossible. No matter how you look at it.
20000 gold coins was like, 200 million yen, right? No way he would throw you away without doing anything.
「I mean, that person.....his eyes were really, disgusting.....」
Dona said in a voice that sounded like she was about to cry.
Despite feeling pity and sympathy, the calm part inside me screamed. Was it just his eyes that were disgusting?
However, that was the end of Dona’s complaint. From a place hidden from view, a huge figure - clearly struggling to move - lumbered into sight. He approached us slowly, really slowly, with unsteady steps. On either side of the figure were the figures of a weak-looking man and a crisp-looking woman who occasionally kept his swaying body from collapsing
Dona gasped as she saw the very embodiment of fear and disgust approaching. But, she tightly held my hand.
「It’s fine. It’s fine. I’m fine」
She muttered in a tone as if forcibly holding down her quivering voice.
「I have, already given my pretty side to Noor, that’s why, it’s fine already」
Not only her voice, but the hand holding mine kept trembling as well.
「That’s why, that’s why I」
Even with a stiff expression on her face, she still looked at me and told me her feelings with all her might.
「Definitely, I will definitely return to Noor」
With that declaration, she finally loosened up her grip.
Just then, Gruvy had come up to Myluc’s side.
Dona gave me an awkward smile.
「Well then, see you」
「Dona」
But, she no longer looked back.
Gruvy’s companion, the woman, pulled her hand and they walked away.
……was this really okay?
Even if we were still children. Even if it was just one-sided. That I didn’t try to protect someone who believes in me this much, who sought to stay with me.
If only I had not been born in this world. If only I had not chosen to reincarnate in the afterlife. Even so, Dona was born in Nuga village and was eventually sold as a slave. The one who purchased her would surely be Gruvy again. That fate would not change. Therefore, it was not my responsibility that things turned out this way. Her life, she should live her life on her own.
Above all, I had my own purpose. I could not take any burden with me.
That reasoning, was probably not wrong.
But.....
「……Dona!」
Did my voice reach her?
Either way, she did not look back. She kept walking straight, just straight, and was being led by the hand by that woman.
「You’re the only one left, Noor」
Before I knew it, Myluc was beside me.
「Someone also came to pick you up」
A little distance away, stood a man called Ifroz from before. When his eyes met Myluc’s, he bowed with a refined grace.
「I have nothing more to say to you. Live the way you want」
Myluc patted my shoulder while saying that. So, I also took a step forward.
Seeing me following him obediently, Ifroz bowed at Myluc once again. I just followed him in silence, not saying anything. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
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TL Note :
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コラプト, literally mean corrupt
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