"Can you cook?"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says, 'Please leave it to me,'" Roxanne translated.
In this world, convenience store bentos and eating out weren't exactly widespread. Most people couldn't afford to be just "eaters." Unless she came from a very unusual family, Miria should be able to handle basic cooking.
"It’ll be a problem if every single meal is fish, though."
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says that will be fine."
Well, I didn't plan on making Miria do all the cooking by herself anyway, so it should be okay.
"Is entering the Labyrinth also fine?"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says she’ll beat up the fish-men in the Labyrinth, too."
Is her aggression limited strictly to fish?
"As for the Brahim language... well, if I tell her she doesn't get any fish unless she learns it, she'll probably pick it up quickly."
"××××××××××"
"You don’t have to translate that! Don’t translate it!"
Despite my protest, Roxanne translated it anyway. Miria glared at me with eyes that looked as if she were staring at her parents' mortal enemy. Still, she seemed like she would be fine in the Labyrinth.
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"Um... I persuaded her by saying that Master is kind, so she will be okay."
It seemed Roxanne had stepped in to smooth things over for me.
"Shall we conclude the business for today?"
Once Miria lowered her guard, the Slave Trader announced it was time to wrap things up. When I gave my consent, he took Miria and left the room. He seemed to have left us alone on purpose. Since only the three of us remained, it was time for a consultation.
I asked Roxanne and Sherry for their honest impressions.
"I’ve interviewed all three candidates. What do you think?"
"The second woman is dangerous," Roxanne said firmly. "She might hold us back in the Labyrinth."
"I figured as much."
So Roxanne gave a hard 'no' to a woman who was beautiful but lacked motivation. That was the logical conclusion.
"...Everyone’s chest is... bigger than mine..." Sherry muttered darkly. "They should all just perish."
Oh, Sherry. Do you not know the famous wisdom that small breasts have rarity value? You shouldn't try to seek out companions in that specific department. You should walk the path of self-reliance. I didn't say that out loud, though. I wasn't that brave.
"I think the first woman wasn't bad," Sherry added, regaining her composure.
"She wasn't bad, but she wasn't particularly good either, I suppose."
I ignored Sherry's previous outburst and continued the discussion with Roxanne.
"Um... If Master prefers her..."
"Well, you and Sherry are both more beautiful. In terms of not causing trouble, Miria might be the best choice."
"Th-thank you very much. I think the third girl is a good choice. She is a Cat-kin, after all."
"Is there an advantage to her being a Cat-kin?"
When I pointed that out, Roxanne’s expression shifted slightly.
"I-I'm sorry. Cat-kin are a race that doesn't cling to or obsess over their partners, even after they've formed a pair. Therefore, I believe that even if you attend to her for a short time each day, she won't become overly dependent on you."
In other words, even as a slave, Miria wouldn't stick to me twenty-four-seven. That meant Roxanne could keep the rest of my time for herself. It seemed Roxanne was weighing the options in her own way.
"I certainly have no intention of neglecting you, Roxanne."
"Th-thank you very much. Since her people don't fish in groups, she probably isn't used to fighting in a party. I will have to train her strictly on that front."
"Will it be okay?"
"Yes, please leave it to me. I also have no problem acting as her translator."
If Roxanne said it was fine, then I was willing to trust her judgment. After a while, the Slave Trader returned.
"How would you like to proceed?"
"First, tell me the prices for the three of them."
"The first woman is 200,000 Nahl. She is a bargain, truly."
"Is that all?"
That was cheaper than I expected. Since she was a decent woman, I suppose her price was also just 'decent.' Or rather, were Roxanne and Sherry just exceptionally expensive?
"She has no special skills, you see. The second woman is 500,000 Nahl—or so I would like to say, but since you were introduced by a regular client, I will offer my best price of 450,000 Nahl. She is a beauty to behold; any man would want her."
It seemed the price jumped significantly for good looks. Given how easily he dropped the price by 50,000 Nahl, the market value was clearly flexible.
"As I thought, she’s expensive."
"As for the third girl, if we were to teach her the Brahim language properly and put her up for auction, she is a talent that could easily reach 600,000 or even 700,000 Nahl. I will set her at 450,000 Nahl as well."
So there were auctions. He clearly didn't want to deal with the risk of an auction if he could get a guaranteed sale now.
"An auction doesn't guarantee a high price, and you'd have to pay for her food in the meantime."
"The price accounts for all of that."
"It’ll also take a lot of effort for us to teach her Brahim."
"That is exactly why I have set it at 450,000 Nahl while she is still uneducated," the trader countered, shaking his head.
"Is she a first-year slave?"
"Of course."
He nodded with absolute confidence. That meant she wasn't a leftover he was desperate to move. It didn't look like I could use that for leverage. Getting a discount on Miria was going to be tough. Then I remembered a flaw he mentioned earlier.
"I heard she committed a crime."
"She caught fish in a no-fishing zone," the trader explained hurriedly. "She was caught casting a net near a temple. After a village consultation, she was reduced to slavery. That is her punishment. Even if you own her, there should be no risk of divine punishment."
So she violated a sanctuary. It was just like the stories about illegal fishing at the Ise Grand Shrine. People really are the same everywhere.
In this world, divine punishment was a very real fear. It wouldn't be strange for someone to worry that having a sanctuary-violator in the party would bring bad luck. That was my opening.
"Divine punishment, huh..."
"S-she apparently didn't even know the no-fishing zone existed! She isn't a bad person by nature."
"Still, if I pay a premium only to invite divine wrath..."
"There should be no punishment! I... look, as a final concession, let's say 400,000 Nahl. I absolutely cannot go any lower than that."
The trader had finally reached his limit. If he was confident about the auction, he wouldn't drop the price much further. Since an auction was a gamble, he preferred a sure thing now.
"Miria, right? Fine. I'll take her."
"Th-thank you very much!"
"Also, I want to update my will. Sherry here is set to be liberated if I die. Miria, however, will be inherited by Sherry."
In a world where life was cheap, punishments were varied. In old Japan, they had everything from seppuku to crucifixion. The worst punishments were the ones that made you suffer. If a slave killed their master, having them inherited by a former comrade was a way to ensure they remained bound. It was a failsafe, just in case.
"Updating a will costs 300 Nahl. Is that acceptable?"
"I don't mind."
"Well then, in honor of your resolve, I shall make the final total 280,210 Nahl."
Even though he had just claimed he couldn't go lower, he dropped the price significantly. Merchants really are impossible to trust.
"That was magnificent negotiating, Master," Sherry praised once the trader left the room to finalize the paperwork. She didn't seem to mind the haggling when it was for our benefit. Given how sharp she was, she’d probably be a nightmare for any merchant herself.
"Is that so? Thank you."
"In particular, I didn't understand at all why he dropped the price so much at the very end."
Well... that was because my 30% discount skill kicked in.
"As expected of Master, your virtue is magnificent," Roxanne added.
"Thanks. I wouldn't call it virtue, though."
I decided to just roll with Roxanne’s assessment. Skills and virtue were basically the same thing in this context. In the merchant's eyes, I probably looked like such a high-value client that he could afford to take a hit. Or at least, that’s what I told myself.
"No, it really is a wonderful thing."
"She apparently violated a sanctuary, but that shouldn't be an issue for us."
"If Master says so, then it is fine."
"Divine punishment is just a superstition," Sherry said rationally. "If it were real, she would have been struck down the moment she cast that net."
Sherry was always so logical. Roxanne nodded in agreement, so that settled that. A few minutes later, the trader returned with Miria in tow.
"××××××××××"
"She says, 'Thank you for the fish,'" Roxanne translated.
I haven't even fed her yet! She was already holding me to my promise. She might actually be better at negotiating than I thought.
"Soon enough."
"××××××××××"
When Roxanne translated my reply, Miria stared at me with wide, expectant eyes. I hadn't said she'd get it right now.
"Now then, I shall update the Intelligence Cards."
I extended my arm, and Miria followed suit somewhat reluctantly after being told what to do. Sherry joined us, and the trader updated the cards. Just like that, Miria was officially my slave, and the inheritance clause was finalized.
After finishing up at the trading house, we stepped outside. As I expected, Miria was barefoot. I immediately handed her a pair of leather shoes.
"Here, put these on."
"××××××××××"
"She says she feels bad about getting shoes on top of being promised fish."
So she’s definitely planning on that fish dinner.
"As long as you're in the Labyrinth, these are part of your gear."
Roxanne translated, and Miria accepted the shoes obediently. I added her to the party and we made our way back home via the Imperial Capital Adventurer Guild.
On the way, Roxanne immediately started teaching Miria the basics. I was glad she was taking her role as a senior member seriously. The conversation continued even after we stepped through the front door.
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says it's incredible that you can do this even though you're an Explorer."
I realized they were talking about the Warp.
"Just give her a vague explanation. And tell her to keep it a secret."
"Understood."
It was a hassle to explain, so I left it to Roxanne. After she spoke for a bit, Miria looked at me with pure admiration. I have no idea how Roxanne explained it away, but if it earned me respect, I wasn't going to complain—even if it might come back to bite me later.
"Once again, I'm Michio, your Master. Nice to have you with us."
I placed a hand on Miria's head. When she didn't pull away, I gave her a little pat and couldn't resist touching her cat ears. They were surprisingly soft. I thought they might be firmer, but the white fur on the inside felt like a plush cushion. It was incredibly satisfying.
"××××××××××"
"She says she looks forward to working with you too."
"The word for 'yes' in Brahim is 'Hai.' Try saying it. Hai."
"...Hai."
Following Roxanne's translation of my instruction, Miria moved her mouth shyly.
"Oh! You can say it perfectly!"
"××××××××××"
"That’s amazing!"
The three of us showered her with praise. As the old saying goes: Show them, tell them, let them try, and praise them, or they will never move.
"Hai."
Miria smiled bashfully. I figured she’d pick up the language eventually, especially since 'no fish' was the alternative.
"This is Roxanne. She’ll be translating for you for a while, so you'll be in her care. Treat her like an older sister."
"××××××××××"
"Hai."
Miria bowed to Roxanne. It seemed Roxanne had translated my request quite accurately.
"Alright, try saying it. O-nee-chan."
I was going to drill this into her. First, 'Big Sister.' Once she could say that, then the next step was...
Heh heh heh. The bliss of being called 'Onii-chan' by a beautiful cat-eared girl. There was nothing that could top that.
"...O-nee-chan."
"Yes, Miria!" Roxanne replied happily.
Perfect. She said it. Now, for 'O-n...'
Just as I was about to teach her the next word, I noticed Sherry looking at me with eyes full of pure contempt. Why? No, it must be my imagination. Definitely my imagination. I was just being paranoid.
"A-and this is Sherry. The four of us are the party for now. I plan to add more members eventually to boost our strength, so make sure you get along with whoever joins next."
Dammit. What was so wrong with a little sibling roleplay? To compensate, I went ahead and made a formal declaration of my intent to expand the harem. Strike while the iron is hot. It was better to set expectations early.
"××××××××××"
"She says she’ll be fine since she had a younger brother."
Miria puffed out her chest with pride. Well, I didn't plan on adding any younger brothers to this group.
"Now then, let's talk about your job. Are there any specific jobs you want to try for the Labyrinth?"
I used Party Job Settings while questioning her.
Diver Lv 2, Villager Lv 5, Merchant Lv 1, Explorer Lv 1, Warrior Lv 1, Pirate Lv 1.
None of her jobs were particularly high level. 'Pirate' was likely the result of her illegal fishing. It seemed Beast-kin became Pirates instead of Thieves.
"She says she's fine with what she has."
"So, Diver then?"
I was just glad she didn't announce she was going to be the Pirate King.
"Actually, she says there’s a guild contract that requires her to stay a Diver for ten years."
"Is that so?"
As an experiment, I tried switching her job to Villager Lv 5. It worked instantly.
Wait.
"She says if she tries to change her job, the contract will be voided and she'll be demoted to a Pirate," Roxanne warned.
I finished the setting and used Appraisal. Sure enough, her job had flipped to Pirate Lv 1. I panicked and reopened the Party Job Settings.
Phew. I was able to switch her back to Diver Lv 2. Even after closing the settings, it stayed. Just to be safe, I tried setting her to Warrior Lv 1. It stayed. She didn't turn back into a Pirate.
"It looks like that contract is officially void now. You can take whatever job you want."
The act of changing her job must have been seen as a breach of contract. Since the breach already happened once, the restriction was gone. My Job Settings clearly operated outside the normal logic of this world.
"××××××××××"
"Is it divine punishment?" Miria asked fearfully. Roxanne looked worried too.
This was bad. This was entirely my fault.
"N-no, it's not divine punishment. I just did a little something."
"You can even do things like that, Master?"
Roxanne’s eyes were filled with awe. When she translated for Miria, the girl looked at me the same way. I was being seriously misunderstood here, but what was done was done. I decided to just play it cool.
"Sherry, what kind of job is a Diver exactly?"
"It’s a race-specific job for Cat-kin women. It grants high attack power against monsters that live in the water."
Appraisal confirmed she had the 'Anti-Aquatic Strengthening' skill. It was likely a passive buff. Since being strong against water monsters was useful, I decided to leave her as a Diver for now.
"What weapon do you use?"
"She says she used a spear for fishing."
Of course she did. Though, was it a spear or a harpoon?
"Is a spear okay for the Labyrinth? Roxanne, are you okay with having two spear users on the front line?"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says a two-handed sword is good for offense, but a one-handed sword and shield is better for defense."
The two of them talked it out and reached a conclusion. A sword and shield was fine. My role was to do the heavy damage anyway.
"A one-handed sword then. I'll get you a better one later, but can you make do with a dagger for now?"
"Yes, she says that's plenty."
With Roxanne’s approval, I went to the storage room. I had a spare dagger with an empty skill slot that Sherry had made. Since the 30% discount only worked on bulk purchases, I’d wait to buy her proper gear.
I handed the dagger to Miria. She gave me an energetic "Hai!" as she took it.
"Next is armor. I have a spare leather hat and gloves, but a leather jacket might be too weak for the torso."
We had all upgraded because the Green Caterpillars on the 11th floor were too strong for basic leather. I couldn't send Miria in with substandard gear.
"I can fight just fine in a leather jacket, though," Roxanne pointed out.
That's because you're Roxanne.
"I'd rather not take the risk. We'll go to the armor shop. If we need anything else, we'll buy it all at once."
"Understood."
I warped us to the Quratar Adventurer Guild. Miria was wide-eyed with shock, but I left the damage control to Roxanne. Since we warped from inside the house, I didn't even need to use an incantation. Luckily, Miria didn't scream when we reached the street.
We headed toward the center of town, but Miria stopped dead in her tracks in front of a fishmonger. Figures. It wasn't a huge selection—mostly river fish like carp or sweetfish. Quratar was too far inland for a fresh sea catch.
"××××××××××"
When I tried to walk past, Miria followed, muttering something under her breath. I thought she’d be more stubborn, but she was surprisingly well-behaved.
"What did she say?"
"Hemichana, Roxlar, Bagiji. She says those were the names of the fish in the shop."
She certainly knew her fish.
"Fish later," I promised.
When Roxanne translated, Miria’s face lit up with joy and expectation.
"Hai!"
She stepped to the front as if she were leading the way. I highly doubted she knew where the armor shop was. Sure enough, Roxanne had to pull her back. Miria sheepishly lined up next to Roxanne, who began a very long lecture.
"What is she telling her now?"
"Probably formations," Sherry answered.
"Formations?"
"Yes. Until now, Roxanne-san and I split the guarding duties between us, but now that there are three of us, the tactics change."
She was probably telling Miria not to charge ahead and to stay on guard. I hadn't even realized they had such a defined system.
"I see. Sorry about that. Thanks, Roxanne."
"No, it is my duty."
She was guarding me, of course. I really should have been the one giving orders, but Roxanne was picking up my slack. I really was a mediocre Master.
At the armor shop, I let Roxanne pick out an Iron Shield—the next step up from wood. It had two empty skill slots and wasn't much heavier than a wooden one.
"Miria, do you want a Hard Leather Jacket or Chainmail?"
"She says Chainmail is fine as long as she doesn't have to swim in it."
Well, I didn't plan on throwing her into the ocean. I picked out a set with an empty skill slot. When I asked Miria to choose, she pointed to one instantly.
"Is that one okay?"
"Um... she says, 'Hurry to the fishmonger.'"
She cared more about dinner than her own protection. I guess any set was fine for now.
After buying the gear and some clothes—which Miria chose with lightning speed—we headed for the food stalls. Shopping is so much easier when people don't dither.
"Miria, is grilled white fish okay?" I asked, wanting to be safe.
She nodded vigorously with a huge smile.
"She says that's fine."
"Alright. We'll have grilled fish. Roxanne, Sherry—you two pick one more dish each for dinner."
"I'll make soup," Roxanne said.
"I'll handle the stir-fry," Sherry added.
Since it was her first day, Miria didn't have to work. She was looking at me with incredibly intense eyes. Was she finally falling for me?
"××××××××××"
"She says, 'Thank you for the fish.'"
Yeah, I thought so.
After buying supplies and some Magic Crystals, we went to the fishmonger to get the white fish. Miria stuck to me like glue. These "white fish" were actually monster drops from the upper floors, which is why they were available so far inland. Since it was an item, the Item Box could store it, and my 30% discount applied at the merchant’s counter.
"Can you clean fish, Miria?"
"She says, 'Leave it to me!'"
She puffed out her chest with such confidence that I didn't even need the translation. Unlike me, who only ever bought fillets at the supermarket, she was a pro.
When we got home, the first thing on the agenda was the bath. I headed straight for the bathroom. The beginning is crucial. Miria hadn't explicitly consented to everything that came with being my slave yet. I needed to bridge that gap. If she was really reluctant, I could use fish as a bribe, but I didn't want a relationship based on coercion. Taking a bath together was the classic first step.
Even if she refused to get in, I could order her to wash my back. And then... well. It would be fine. I had even laid out the futons in the next room.
"××××××××××!"
Miria suddenly shouted. I jumped. Had she been following me? Roxanne was already there, explaining.
"She says it's incredible that you can use magic."
She was shouting about the Water Wall I used to fill the tub. For a second, I thought she’d read my mind. She looked at me with awe again. Thank god it was just the magic.
After filling the tub, I went down to the kitchen. Miria was helping Roxanne.
"This is a pot. N-a-b-e."
"...Nabe."
She was learning Brahim. Good girl. I patted both of their heads—and their ears. One pair of floppy dog ears, one pair of upright cat ears. Both were incredibly soft and fluffy. It was pure bliss.
"××××××××××"
"She says she’ll learn Brahim so she can eat fish."
I hadn't meant it as a threat, but if it worked, it worked.
"Should we take her to the Labyrinth for a look?" I asked Roxanne.
"That would be wise."
Sherry stayed behind to watch the stove, so I gave Roxanne and Miria their gear. I told Miria to just watch and not get involved, then warped us to the Halber Labyrinth.
"I can only smell Minos this way. It's a strong scent, so there are probably three of them," Roxanne reported.
"Impressive. Let's go."
We moved through the 11th floor. Since it took time to find monsters, fighting them one by one was a waste. But without Sherry’s Antidote Pills, NEET Ants were too risky. Three Minos was the perfect balance.
We made quick work of them. I took one out with Rush, then handled the second with normal attacks while dodging its charges. Roxanne stood in front of the third, dodging its attacks with such grace that she made it look easy. I finished it off from the side.
"××××××××××!"
Miria was visibly excited. She must have been blown away by Roxanne’s movements. I had dodged too, but Roxanne’s style was on a different level. If Miria could appreciate that skill, she had the makings of a great warrior.
On the way to the next group, Miria suddenly stopped and pointed around a corner.
"Magic Crystal!"
Sure enough, there was a Black Magic Crystal sitting there. I hadn't even seen it until I used Appraisal.
"She calls it 'fish savings,'" Roxanne explained.
"She found it? That’s amazing. It’s almost impossible to see in this light."
"She says her parents told her she could eat fish if she found these in the Labyrinth. That's why she calls them fish savings."
Miria puffed out her chest. It made sense; cats have a tapetum that gives them superior night vision. She could probably spot things I never would. If all Cat-kin were like this, no Magic Crystal would ever be left behind.
We finished the hunt and headed home. Roxanne immediately began demonstrating combat moves to Miria. I didn't think her "wham" and "zip" explanations would work, but Miria was following along perfectly, mimicking the movements with surprising precision.
"Miria is going to be a fine warrior," Roxanne said with a satisfied nod.
I guess Beast-kin just speak the same language when it comes to instincts. I retreated to the bathroom to boil some more water. I floated some lemons in the tub, then took the leftovers to the kitchen.
Roxanne was simmering meat and vegetables for the soup.
"Can I have a bit of that bouillon?"
I had Miria squeeze the lemons by hand.
"Squeeze... fish... pour... delicious. Okay?" I said to her in broken Brahim.
"Hai!"
"Shi-bo-ru."
"Shiboru."
"Sa-ka-na."
"Sakana."
"Ka-ke-ru."
"Kakeru."
"O-i-shi."
"Oishi."
She was a fast learner when food was involved. I mixed the bouillon with lemon juice and wine, reduced it, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I pan-fried the white fish in olive oil and poured the sauce over it.
Miria stared at the pan with predatory intensity the entire time.
"Grilled fish."
"Grilled fish."
"Eat fish."
"Eat fish."
I kept the lesson going. "Want to eat fish. Happy to eat fish." It felt like I was the one learning the sentence structure.
Finally, dinner was served. Miria sat next to Roxanne, while Sherry took the other side. They were all on one side, and I was alone on the other. I-it’s not like I was lonely!
"What is it?" I asked when I saw Miria staring at me.
"I believe she just wants to eat," Roxanne said.
I gave the word, and Miria dove into the fish meuniere. She used her knife clumsily, practically shoveling the food into her mouth.
"Oishi!" she exclaimed happily.
She used the Brahim I just taught her. Seeing her that happy made the whole thing worth it.