Hello Work – Volume 1 Chapter 22

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Volume 1 Chapter 22 – Sati

It’s been a long time since I overslept. Usually at daybreak the daughter from the inn comes to wake me up for breakfast. Waking up by myself I eat breakfast at the dining room cum kitchen. The breakfast is a lunch box I bought before. Since lately I’ve been always eating at the inn’s dining hall, it’s awfully lonely to eat by myself.

Going around the shopping district, I ordered bedding in a furniture store. When I was shown high class ones they were staggeringly expensive. A top class quilt filled with large eagle’s down. A mattress made from wool from large wild sheep called blue rams. Together with blanket and sheets, the money from the wild boar will be almost completely gone. I give up and purchase the moderately priced set. But still the set cost 1000 Gold and I bought it because the sleeping comfort was good.

Now. Today is the main event. Exactly as told by Kreuk, I come around a single building store at the end of the city. Similar to the real estate agent, it’s an ordinary building with a ‘Broughal Company’ displayed on a signboard.

Standing in front of the entrance, the nerves came. Is it okay to enter like this? Could have been better if I asked Kreuk for more details. Or ask him to follow me here? I’m aimlessly wandering in front of the door. I’m acting suspiciously. I’m also obstructing the business. However, luckily no other customers appeared.

When I was lingering at the door, it suddenly opened and a middle-aged bald man peeked outside.

“Please, this way.”

I was guided inside with a friendly grin on his face.

“Ah, say here, a slave…”
“That is right. We’re the slave traders. Laddie is purchasing? Want for domestic chores? Yes, yes. Of course a female one, right? We have pretty girls. Do you have any wish in particular? No? Understood. Come come, wait here for a little bit.”

He’s used to it. I wonder if there are lot who hesitate at the entrance without any guts. Just to say, the bald old man came out with some tea. I sit on the sofa and while drinking the tea, calm my nerves. Alright, infiltration successful. The mission starts from now on. While waiting restlessly the bald old man returns.

“Then, this way.”

I was guided outside the room.

“Well, laddie has good luck. Just now we gathered some beautiful girls. I believe you’ll surely be pleased with them. What is your budget? I see I see. 40-50 thousand? Don’t worry. Bear in mind we’re an extremely honest business, ok? You’ll be able to obtain for a reasonable price.”

We come out from the hallway and enter the innermost room. Entering the room, there were women in a row side-by-side. Counting the number, there were 8. The girls were staring this way. Are all them wearing gowns? Like those worn by patients in a hospital, they’re wearing thin white clothes. They’re fluttering. I could clearly see their body shape. Their clothes only came down to their knees. They were bare foot. Aren’t they a bit see-through? Moreover there are slits on the sides and I could see their breasts spilling out. Ah, this is dangerous.

“Come now, please sit here.”

I was offered a chair by the bald guy. I couldn’t stand up now. A teenager could understand, right? In front of the chair there’s a desk. The lower half of my body is hidden. The baldy really understands. It’s like a situation where I interview the 8 girls in front.

“Generally they’re ordered by age from the right. What do you think? Is there anyone you like? Look at them without rushing.”

There’s a bit of distance, probably the girls can’t hear our conversation but only us two whispering. I roughly look over. There are two with cat ears. Only one is a little girl, the rest are young girls. The 8 of them have fairly high standards. Seems there’s no mistake that I’d be satisfied no matter which one I chose. In this world, I feel like the ratio of beauties is very high.

“Say, all of these girls…”
“Only the rightmost one has experience, the other ones don’t have experience. I can guarantee.”

Is that what he’s assuming I was going to do? The right most one is a sexy voluptuous woman. Surely her age looks to be old enough. However, what about the leftmost little girl? By all appearances, it’s unreasonable at her age.

“As expected it’d be unreasonable to do that, but there are particular tastes, right? Even if that isn’t so, they can be brought up from a young age with various kinds of training, like one wishing for an adopted child or pupil it could be said.”

I see, like wife husbandry? For now let’s pass on the leftmost little girl. There are too many cons. The bald old man describes each girl one by one. The rightmost young lady is experienced and skillful in bed. She sure can do housework too. The next one is tall with solid muscles. She has combat experience and able to perform guard duties. The third one has cat ears. Beastman’s physical abilities are high. She can learn to fight and recommended for doing physical labor.

I’m captivated by the fourth one. Since some time ago I’ve been very interested in her. Every single one of the 8 girls are lovely, but this one is exceptionally alluring. Silky long black hair, neat and clean featured face. Her skin is almost translucent white and her figure is outstandingly good.

“This girl, right? Housework certainly, she’s been educated in reading and writing and even trained in etiquette. No matter where you take her she won’t shame you, she’s our store’s recommendation. However, accordingly her cost is higher.”

When asked about the price, it’s completely over my budget? Even using all the budget I wouldn’t reach half the price. In spite of telling him 40-50 thousand, why did he had to expressly show her?

“You could also take a loan if you really wish to buy, once you’ve been shown everyone of them. How about it? Do you want to carefully look at them close up?”

Let’s pass on that. If I look at them carefully I won’t be able to endure… The 5th and 6th ones are very ordinary, after seeing the 4th one they pale in comparison. They were only a bit plain, but they were pretty and their price reasonable. In any event, would the 2nd or 3rd be better if we talk about fighting? The 3rd girl with the cat ears if I throw in the money from the dragon I may be able to afford, I think. If it’s the 2nd I have more than enough to buy her. Finally it was the 7th girl who also had cat ears. Her looks are cute. Her limbs are long, slender and well-proportioned. She’s thin. I feel she’s a bit young, but just barely safe. Probably.

 

I’m surprised when I ask her price. She’s the cheapest. Even though cat ears generally should be comparatively more expensive.

“This girl has a few problems, you see. She has bad eyesight. Although she can see in dim light, she stumbles when she walks. She fails when you make her work. She bumps into things inside the house. She’s fairly strong, but with the exception of that she’s completely…”

Wouldn’t she be cured if healing magic is used? And also using something like glasses?

“She’s been shown to a healing technique user, you know. According to the technique user that area is incorrigible. If it’s a high ranking healer it might be cured, but even so I don’t want to spend a lot of money when it’s uncertain if she could be cured or not.”

Seems like spectacles are unknown. I wonder if they don’t exist in this other world?

“You know, her appearance is good and undoubtedly she’ll serve you? As for me, if possible I’d want someone as nice as you laddie to buy her. At this rate I wonder what would happen to her if she remained unsold?”

What will happen to her?

“Will she become a plaything at a brothel or sent off to the mines? Do you know about the mines?”
“Eh? I don’t know about them…”

Plaything at a brothel? Sent off to the mines? To such a pretty girl?

“That is an extremely dreadful place, going into a confined dark hole and with human labor excavate to extract minerals. And besides poison gas and flooding, sometimes the mine collapses. If she was sent there…”
“In my case. I really don’t want to send her there. However a girl that remains unsold can’t be left behind, you know.”

“She only has a bit of a bad eyesight, right? She doesn’t have any other problems, does she?”

“It is so. However, there aren’t many people that would buy a girl with issues, you know. Look, please come here.”
“She’s a pitiful girl. The truth is her parents sold her when they heard she’d be useless because of her bad eyesight. Hey, come and greet this person.”

“Errr, I’ll do my best, so please purchase me. Master.”

The cat girl teary-eyed is making an appeal. Such a girl is being sent to the mines?

“Say, can I try healing magic?”
“Heh? Laddie a healer? That is, there’s no problem, however I won’t be paying for it?”
“It’s okay. Instead, please don’t hike the price if she’s cured, ok? Come here. What’s your name?”
“My name is, Sati.”
“Well then Sati, since I’ll be using healing magic on you, stay still, ok?”
“Yes.”

I hold my hand around her eyes and concentrate magic power. [Heal], [Heal], [Heal], moreover I tried using [Cure Disease] and [Detoxification] too.

“Okay, try opening your eyes? How is it?”

The cat girl opened her eyes wide and shook her head. It didn’t work? Should I try discussing it with Angela-chan and company? Since there are drinking glasses, making lenses should be possible. I could also raise my healing magic level. Healing magic is level 3. I have 29 skill points, it will take 4 points for level 4. It’ll probably take another 20 points for level 5, but there’s enough. Well, if [Heal] would cure her was a gamble anyways. While I was pondering I was talked to.

“Did you become interested? Are you going to purchase her?”

Suddenly, I realized. I fully feel like taking her home… I can do nothing but purchase her already.

“I’ll buy her…”

In the end the slave trader got his hand. The baldy left Sati behind and exited the room with the other girls. That number 4 girl was too good. Frankly she was exactly in my strike zone, if only I had enough money.

When turning around, the cat girl was quietly looking at me while she stayed on the same spot she was left at. Well, yeah. You’re cute too. Silky short black hair, her tail is fluttering left and right. Looking at her face closer, she’s a beautiful girl. I feel she’s still a bit young, but in a few years I believe she’ll grow up to be a beautiful woman. I wonder if dressing her in goth loli clothes will suit her.

“Sati, you are coming home with me, are you alright?”
“Yes, please treat me well. Master. I’ll do anything, so please order me.”

She repeatedly bowed her head. Master is it?. Master-sama… Master, Owner-sama. Onii-chan? No way. Nope. My normal name will do. [TL Note: Masaru is simply repeating Master with different spellings.]

“I’m Yamano Masaru. Please call me Masaru.”
“Yes, Masaru-sama.”
“You can see a little, don’t you?”
“Yes, long distances I can only see hazy, but I can see close up fine.”

While saying that, suddenly she brought her face closer. It’s close, too close. Her face is so close her nose could hit me. Before she could touch me, suddenly she moved away.

“Ah, I’m sorry. That’s how close I can see.”

I take a big gulp. At any rate, these clothes. They are thin and suggestive. Each time Sati moves, I’m tempted by catching glimpses of various things. And then I realized. I thought she was a bit thin, but isn’t she skin and bones? Is she being fed enough? That’s pitiful.

The bald guy returned.

“Well, then your name, please. And also did you bring your identification papers?”
“Yamano Masaru. Is the guild card okay?”

I handed over my guild card and once he took a glance at it immediately returned the card. When he asked ‘Do you have the money now?’, I replied with a yes.

“Then 35,000 Gold, please.”

I take out the gold coins from Items and hand them over. The bald old man carefully counts each coin.

“Yes, this is correct. Then let’s certify the slave’s crest. Could you please draw a bit of blood? The master’s blood is added to the crest to be acknowledge as the owner.”

Sati extends her arm. On the back of her hand, just above her wrist, like a tattoo some pattern is drawn. The baldy hands me a needle and I prick my finger. I spill the blood over Sati’s wrist as told. At that moment the slave’s crest shined.

And suddenly the Menu opened. It’s not mine, it’s Sati’s.

“Okay, with this she belongs to Masaru-sama.”
“A-Ahhh. That’s right, does Sati have any other clothes? And she’s not wearing any footwear, taking her back home like this is a bit…”

With this, I received the clothes and sandals that have already been prepared. I hand them over to Sati and with some rustling she pulls it over her head and completely covers her body. A robe, huh? It’s white and she looks like a teru teru bozu. She puts on the sandals and like that, as far as it goes, there’s no issues going out.  [TL Note: Teru teru bozu: that white doll the Japanese hang as a charm so it stops raining and be sunny.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teru_teru_bozu ]

Afterwards I was informed things regarding the slaves. As long there is the slave’s crest, they can’t run away and they absolutely can’t attack their masters. And although one can make commands, there are instances they won’t listen to commands they truly hate. It appears only golems obey commands even without being strongly bound, because they don’t have emotions the control can be loosened. The night duty is within the scope of the basic tasks. They are unable to refuse. One can use them freely. The owner of the slave is their master, however they’re also the property of the state. It is prohibited to unreasonably hurt them. Hitting them twice or thrice is permitted. If they are treated excessively bad the slave can lodge a complaint. The slave’s speech can’t be restrained. They’re able to speak freely. If it’s brought to their attention, they can take away the slave and one be fined too. The same applies to killing them. If one gets tired of them, don’t throw them away, bring them to the slave trader, huh? They’ll buy them back.

While listening to the explanation, I was catching glimpses of Sati. The baldy might be misunderstanding, but is that something I should care? Currently a Menu is open in front of her, in other words, HP & MP, Status, Skills and so on are being shown.

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