Heavenly Castle

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

Water, three meals. A roof over the head, wood-made bed.

All of that indeed matches conditions prescribed in the contract for the high-grade slave.

But each and every single item was a sham, a far cry from filling the actual minimum requirements. Perhaps they hastily remodeled a stable, but raindrops were trickling from the roof, and the bed that was provided was broken and it inclined to one side. Food was some scraps of vegetables and moldy bread. The water stored in the earthenware also was giving off a stink.

「...I’m, hungry...」

Without a thought, such words escaped my mouth. Other than myself, six men were sleeping in the same room, that didn’t even have a single window, but all of them were in a half-dead state due to harsh work and scarce meals.

Only a few days have passed since I was bought, but according to what I’ve heard, others already spent several months in such conditions.

Thinking back on it, the days I’ve spent learning new skills at that shop were when I was treated the best.

Almost ten years have passed since I became a prisoner after losing a war and was sold as a slave. For all that time, my daily life as a slave was pretty much the same as it is now. Depending on the situation, there even were times when I couldn’t have food for a day or two.

Essentially, this is what being a slave is.

However, it wasn’t so at that store.

I was given an even better life than I had before becoming a slave, I was given a sophisticated education, since it was needed, and undertook training for improving my own special skills.

Every day was very busy, but those days had a sense of fulfillment.

And there I was told that as a high-grade slave I should do my job with pride in my skills and myself. That was the same as saying that I can again lead a human-like life.

That wasn’t good.

Honing myself in a blessed environment I ended up remembering myself, that I have forgotten a long time ago, what I was like before.

So the disappointment from falling to my current conditions, and despair about my future was as great as if this was hell itself.

Without even realizing I was grinding my teeth with my lips trembling.

I was sad, I was mad, but most of all, vexed. Thought I was simply doing as I was told, but I was putting more effort than anyone. I might be able to escape that lowest livelihood of a slave. Thinking so, I exerted myself.

And ending up with such treatment after that, isn’t this just too cruel?

If it was going to become like this it would’ve been better if I never was given any hope at all.

I groan, overwhelmed with bitterness.

And when I directed my anger at that foreign slave store.

The half-broken door to the room was suddenly destroyed from the outside.

With wood splinters whirling through the air I saw a familiar soldier rolling on the ground. That’s the man that always observed us, the slaves, tyrannizing us.

The man, raising a beast-like scream, was knocked away by a giant arm, flying ever farther inside the room.

And then, a giant golem poked into the room.

「......! Heavenly Country’s golem......!」

No way. I couldn’t believe it. But I couldn’t find any other explanation.

「Yo-you, came to save, me......?」

When I muttered that, the golem turned this way with its entire body and approached. Crouching down in front of me, he then picked me up along with my bed.

It seems he really came to my rescue. Power escaped my body the moment that thought crossed my mind.

「I-I’m saved......」

As I uttered that in a hoarse voice, surrounding scenery entered my sight. The crumbling building and beds, and pitiful slaves trembling in a corner of the room...... Seeing them greatly pained my heart.

「Can they somehow be rescued as well......?」

When I whispered so, the golem turned his head and looked at the slaves.

「Eh?」

I had only a brief moment to be surprised by the golem’s actions, next instant it held out the bed on which I was riding to them.

No way, is there a magician from Heavenly Country, that not only heard my whisper but even took action?

I was struck with admiration. But now, I had other things to do.

I had to extend a hand to them, who were trembling so much they were pitiful to even look at.

★

I was sitting in the control room of the Heavenly Castle, staring at the screen with my arms folded.

We have a problem.

That’s the words that popped up inside my head.

「...Taiki-sama.」

I nod to the worried Ayla. Then, Mea, who brought tea, tilted her head.

「Didn’t you save a mistreated slave?」

As Mea asked with a quizzical expression, I replied, shaking my head.

「The troublesome thing is that this seems to be a standard treatment for slaves in Karluk Kingdom. That I guess is the reason why I decided to seize the slaves, who are the property of Karluk Kingdom’s baron.」

When I answered, Mea raised her eyebrows.

「......But, Taiki-sama, you saved the slaves.」

「From the slaves’ viewpoint it might be a good thing, but it isn’t so for the baron’s household.」

I said with a wry smile, but apparently, Mea wasn’t convinced. Pouting, she glared at the screen. 𝗳𝔯𝙚e𝒘e𝚋𝘯𝚘ν𝙚l.𝑐o𝙢

Then, Yuri, who until now was silently observing, spoke up with a troubled look.

「The influence of Taiki-sama’s shop should already be known. If an agreement is broken by a party that they were already cautious with......」

「Well, it might be a good chance for them to put some regulations on the business. We also can’t make any claims without a just cause. My, what a bind. 」

As I mutter so with a sigh, Aifa turns to me with an extremely serious face.

「Before an investigation starts I will infiltrate the baron’s mansion and negotiate. He was the one who violated the contract for the high-grade slave, to begin with. Then, we shouldn’t just take their one-sided accusations.」

「Well, the Karluk Kingdom would agree that the baron violated the contract, but what would they say about us going against the agreement not to plunder slaves from their lands...」

From Kakluk Kingdom’s viewpoint, we just went and arbitrarily broke the agreement. The proper procedure would’ve been to try and solve this by first trying to negotiate it with the baron’s house first.

Even if they broke the contract, taking even other slaves away is overdoing it, no matter how you look at it. Other kingdoms would surely see this as a high-handed act of violence by Heavenly Country.

However, trying to negotiate it directly with the baron’s house might be a good idea.

「...Let’s see. Then, sorry to bother you, but can I ask this of you, Aifa, and also Yuri-san? Please, talk this over with people of the baron’s house. And, please, keep it peaceful.」

When I said this, both Yuri and Aifa nodded.