Chapter 64

It's a bonus. It's quite long.

My name is Pulm. I'm 14 years old and a stableboy for the Firstest family. A stableboy is someone who takes care of horses. I was assigned to this job because they said even a brainless guy like me could do it, but man, the first few weeks were tough. I couldn't even do the simplest chores properly, got kicked by horses, and got beaten up by Just, my senior, so my head was all bruised up.

Ah, Just, my senior, is the head stableboy. He's the top dog among the stableboys. He's two years older than me, with a spiky all-back hairstyle and sharp eyes. He's a real demon, and anyone who sees his glare runs away. He's one of the 'Four Heavenly Kings,' a pretty impressive guy.

He's really impressive, the Four Heavenly Kings. They're led by the butler, Cubero, the head chef, Sobra, the head gardener, Lily, and then the head stableboy, Just. They're all rumored to be incredibly amazing, but I think Just is the best. Why? Because he's my senior! He's really cool. He's tough, you know, really tough, and I can't quite explain it, but he's just cool.

...Ah. There's no one else who would take care of a useless little thief like me. No one else would scold me with a punch and not abandon me. No one else but Just...

"Hey, Pulm. What are you doing here in the corner of the cafeteria, not even eating your meal?"

"Ah, Senior! Don't peek! I'm just taking notes!"

It seems Senior had come over at some point.

Actually, I can't write. I'm just practicing bit by bit. I want to write a biography or something someday.

But... it's kind of embarrassing to be caught by Senior, so I lied reflexively.

"Huh? Can you write?"

"...Well, I can kind of write, I guess."

"Really? Where did you learn?"

"I learned from my parents. When I was 9."

"Wow! So it's like a gifted education. It's good that it's useful, right?"

"Yeah."

Lying about being able to write. The part about learning from my parents is true. In fact, my lousy parents did that to raise my value when they sold me as a slave. A slave who can read and write sells for more, so it was a kind of investment.

But... I only learned a little bit of reading and writing, and I overheard my parents talking to a merchant about selling me as a slave. I thought, "Oh no, I'm going to be sold," and ran away immediately. After that, I lived as a thief in the slums. So I can only do the basics like reading the alphabet. Thieves don't need to read or write, you know. Well, if I had been caught and sold as a slave, that would have been a different story.

...Come to think of it, I'm technically a slave now, right? I get paid and the food is delicious, but I don't really feel like a slave.

It's a miracle, a real miracle. I was lucky to be bought by this family. If I had been a 14-year-old slave, I would have been forced to work until I died or handed over to some pervert through the black market. Even if I had good luck, I would have ended up as a servant in a noble's house. I'm not good-looking, so that would have been impossible for me.

Hmm, wait... I've never really thought about it, but the Firstest family is kind of abnormal, isn't it? Even a lowly stableboy like me gets a decent salary, the work isn't too hard, and it's fulfilling. The servants' dormitory is like a mansion, and there's no rent or food expenses. Since I'm a slave, I don't even have to pay taxes.

Wow, it's really something. Is this a paradise on earth? If it's like this for me, how much do Just and the other Four Heavenly Kings get? And why is Just working as a stableboy here? Could it be that Just and the other Four Heavenly Kings are also slaves like me?

...I don't know anything about Just, do I?

"So? What were you taking notes on?"

"Ah, um, well..."

While I was thinking, Senior brought up the earlier conversation. Senior is surprisingly persistent.

How can I cover this up? I can't think of anything. Ah, no, I'll be suspected. Damn, I have to go all out now.

"Well, I... I was thinking of writing a biography... about you and the Four Heavenly Kings..."

Ah, it's over. I'm completely exposed. I'll be hit with, "Don't tell such a ridiculous lie," for sure. I'd bet 10,000 CL on it.

Senior glares at me with eyes that don't seem to belong to a 16-year-old. I involuntarily close my eyes and clench my teeth.

"---That's a great idea, Pulm!"

But what came flying at me wasn't a shout or a punch, but an enthusiastic word.

"Your biography, huh? I'm looking forward to it!"

"Y-Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, Senior."

"Right! Oh, by the way, wouldn't it be better to do an interview?"

"N-No."

"Huh?"

"Y-Yeah, you're right. An interview would be good."

"Right, right."

This is bad. I need to pretend to take notes or it'll be a problem...

"Alright, ask me anything."

"Senior, is it okay to do this now?"

"Don't worry. It's my break time."

Senior is in a really good mood. He's smiling. Was he that happy about the biography?

...Since Senior is happy, I can't betray him. I steel myself and prepare my paper and pen.

"Alright, what were you doing before you came here?"

"Thug."

"Thug!?"

The first question revealed a shocking fact! Senior was a thug!? That cool Senior! No way!

All the thoughts about the biography flew out of my head, and I leaned forward to ask more questions.

"What do you mean, a thug?"

"Well, I was an orphan at first. Then I went astray and became a vagrant, got into all sorts of trouble, and ended up as a thug."

"Did you guard the slums or something?"

"It wasn't that fancy. I was just a scumbag who stole and robbed to get by day by day."

"..."

I was the same. Steal or be stolen from, take or be taken from. Trampling others and living a dirty life. That's what life was. I didn't know any other way.

"If I did something wrong, I'd get caught and have to pay. Since I couldn't pay, I had to become a slave to make money. But, in the end, it turned out to be a good thing."

Senior said this and looked into the distance.

"Living in a cage, just defecating, and then suddenly being told to get out. I was taken to a place where those two were waiting."

"Those two?"

"Second and Yuki."

Second! I, a lowly servant, have never even seen him, our master. I've seen Yuki, the housekeeper and head maid, a few times, but I've never talked to her. To me, they are like gods. Wow, Senior met them directly. Senior really is amazing.

"They had an incredible aura. I was just overwhelmed. I was shaking like a newborn slime."

"Really!? You, Senior!?"

"Yeah. Sylvia and Eco are scary, but those two are really scary."

Senior's face lit up. Come to think of it, everyone was like that. When talking about the Four Heavenly Kings of the Firstest family, they often had a good expression, as if they were talking about their best friends.

...It's jealousy, I guess. I said it without thinking.

"But, Senior, you're amazing too. You're one of the Four Heavenly Kings, after all. Maybe you're even better than Second---"

The next moment, Senior's iron fist hit my stomach.

"Ugh... Hah!"

I can't breathe!

"Hey, Pulm. I know you're a fool and you tend to say things like that, but you need to understand what's forgivable and what's not."

"U...Uh..."

"Always show respect to your master, no matter what joke or reason you have. It's fine to think your senior is better, even though it's a big mistake. People make mistakes, and it can't be helped right now. But never say it out loud. It really pisses me off."

"U...Uh..."

"Yeah, it's hard to respect someone you've never met. But just remember, I, you, and everyone in this house owe a great deal to them."

Yeah, Senior is right. I'm a fool. I wasn't thinking. It's natural to get pissed off when someone disrespects someone you like. I would get pissed off too if someone looked down on Senior. I might even hit them.

But... I still like Senior. I like the Senior who scolds me for my sake.

"I'm sorry, Senior..."

"Huh? Why are you crying? Ha ha! You're such a fool! What a wimp!"

He's a really mean and rough person, but he's my first Senior. A man I want to follow for life.

I'm a complete fool, but I want to follow Senior. So, even though I can only think, "I respect them because Senior respects them," I've decided to respect the master. What Senior says is absolute.

But, it's just too big to imagine. They must be amazing, but I can't really feel it. It's like, "The world was created by God, so pray to God," kind of thing? It's similar to not believing in a god I've never seen or met.

But, why does Senior respect them so much? Maybe the other Four Heavenly Kings do too?

Suddenly, I became interested in the master. A man who is so respected by such strong people. What kind of amazing man is he? Unlike a god, I can meet him and learn about his great deeds. But, opportunities to meet him are rare. Hmm, what should I do?

"Alright, that's the end of my interview. How about going to Lily's place tomorrow? I'll let her know."

"...! Yeah, please!"

Right, I can hear it from the Four Heavenly Kings!

"Nice one, Senior!"

"Huh? Yeah, that's right."

The next day, I went to the cafeteria in the afternoon to interview Lily, the head gardener.

"Oh, Pul-chan? I've been waiting for you."

"U...Uh, it's Pulm, Lily."

"Aww, no, no. Call me Lily-chan, okay?"

"U...Uh, Lily-chan."

Lily, the head gardener, is a muscular, burly "sister" with a deep voice. I had only seen her from a distance before, but now that I'm face to face with her, she's really intimidating in many ways.

"Jas-chan told me. You're going to write my biography, right? I'll answer anything!"

She wriggled her huge body... Ugh.

"Then, then... How old are you, Lily-chan?"

"It's not nice to ask a lady's age, you know. But I'll tell you. I'm 38 this year."

38 and still a maiden? Her receding hairline and beard do make her look her age... but her muscles are amazing.

"What were you doing before you came here?"

"I was an adventurer. A C-rank martial artist."

Like Senior, she has a far-off look in her eyes. Lily must have had something in her past too...

"To be honest, I never wanted to be an adventurer. But I was turned down for the job I wanted, like a florist, because of my appearance. I had to do physical labor to survive."

"But you look strong, Lily-chan."

"No, not really. I am strong, but being an adventurer isn't that easy. That's why intermediate adventurers like me work in teams to explore dungeons."

Lily's usually bright face became a bit darker.

"Everyone said I was creepy. They said it to my face, behind my back, and it was obvious from their looks and attitudes. I was bullied and isolated, and things were stolen from me. I even wondered why I was born with this body, but I learned the hard way that worrying about it wouldn't change anything..."

"Lily-chan..."

You've been through a lot, haven't you?

"One day, a new girl joined my team. She was a kind-hearted person who understood me. We became good friends on the first day we met."

"Wow, that's great."

"...She asked me to keep watch while she changed. I was really happy. I thought she was treating me like a woman. But a few minutes later, she screamed."

"Huh?"

"It was a trap. The team was trying to get rid of me. All the team members conspired to set me up."

"..."

...That's terrible. What did you do, Lily, to deserve that?

"I was made a slave for the crime of peeping. I was truly, truly desperate. No one would buy a creepy, burly man like me. If I was bought, I would be used up in harsh physical labor. I was completely finished."

Of course, you were desperate. I would lose all trust in people if I were in your shoes. But, so, Lily became a slave and was picked up by this family.

"---That's the story of when I wasn't shining. Now, I'll tell you the story of when I was shining---"

...Huh?

"Oh! Love at first sight really does exist! The shock of seeing Second for the first time... I'll never forget it!"

"...Uh-huh."

"One of the reasons is that he's incredibly handsome, of course. Without Second, I would have been finished. It's impossible not to fall in love! And he gave me a life without any worries, and let me do the job I wanted... I, I! I'm so grateful!"

Just a moment ago, she had a gloomy face, but then she suddenly perked up and started talking about how great the master is. I nodded along, exhausted.

"---Hey, Pul-chan, are you listening?"

"U...Uh, yeah. But, let's move on to the next question."

"Oh, I got carried away. I'm sorry."

Phew...

"Alright, um, why did you become a gardener?"

"Hmm, I guess the main reason is that I wanted to become one."

"Wanted to?"

"Yes. Don't you think taking care of the garden is wonderful? I've always dreamed of such a job. Growing cute flowers, making the garden beautiful as I imagine it..."

Come to think of it, she did say she wanted to be a florist. She has a cute side too.

"But, being a gardener isn't just that. I also patrol the grounds. It's like being a security guard. Cubero said I'm suited for it because I look strong."

"Indeed, with Lily-chan around, thieves would run away thinking a monster appeared."

"What did you say?"

"N-Nothing, nothing."

She's still scary.

"Phew... Oh, it's already this late. Let's call it a day, shall we? Did you find it helpful?"

"Uh, yeah, it was really helpful."

"That's good. I'll let Sobra know. See you later~"

Lily waved and left. Lily is a good person, even though she's both admired and feared by her subordinates.

Tomorrow, I'll talk to Sobra, the head chef... I'm not really good with him.

"Hey, you're here, brat."

The next evening, I went to the back of the kitchen, and Sobra was waiting for me, smoking a cigarette.

He has messy black hair, a beard, and glasses. He doesn't look like a chef at all.

"What's with the 'brat'? It's Pulm."

"Oh, right. Whatever, sit over there."

"Over there is the floor, isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Whatever, find a place to sit."

There's nowhere to sit except the floor... I'm already getting tired of this.

"Head Chef Sobra. 35 years old, single. Looking for a girlfriend~"

Sobra answered my question before I could ask. Wait, what? Looking for a girlfriend?

"Did you break up with your girlfriend?"

"Huh? I've never had a girlfriend, you fool."

"Then who was the woman you were walking with the other day?"

"Slime."

"......Huh?"

"Oh, I see. You mean that? Alright, I understand. As a favor to a junior of a junior, I'll arrange a date for you---"

"Ah! No, no, it's fine! It's fine! I'm good! Let's get to the interview!"

This guy is too much with women.

"What were you doing before you came here?"