Chapter 75

The next morning, I left Momo at home and headed to the church, where Crow and Leus were already waiting. It seemed that Crow had already checked on Tiga. My appraisal confirmed that the "Total Paralysis" was gone.

Today, I will try to channel my magic and energy after casting the "Recovery from Abnormal Status" spell.

It's better than yesterday... No, rather, it's hard to understand why he hasn't woken up. There are no abnormalities, and the blockages are gone.

"Still not waking up?"

"It seems so."

Hmm.

I think it's getting better... but when I confirmed with the priest, there was no sign of him waking up. However, since there doesn't seem to be anything wrong, he should wake up eventually.

"It's getting better, right?"

"I think the medicine is working. I think we should observe him a bit more."

"I see... thank you."

Leus, unlike Naga, has the appearance of an adult male, but since yesterday, he has shown some childish behavior... Is he becoming mentally unstable?

Anyway, he looks older, but Leus might be younger inside. Not a child... maybe a college student.

I think Crow is definitely an older man. He has some older man-like gestures. His face is handsome, but when he moves, he says things like "yoisho" or "yokorasho." I secretly think he could pass as a handsome man if he didn't let out those phrases.

"Ah, yeah. So, I have something to talk about. It's about money."

I hadn't properly discussed how much the medicine would cost.

It's something that needs to be talked about. After all, I was told various things yesterday.

"Should we talk together or separately?"

"Either way is fine."

"Then, I'll talk to you first. Leus, can you go outside?"

"Okay... I'll be back in a bit."

In the room where Tiga was sleeping, I was alone with Crow.

I had a feeling this would happen. Leus seemed like a guardian, so I thought he would talk to me first, make a judgment, and then pass it on to Leus.

"Is it about the debt? Or the slavery?"

"...It includes that."

"I told you I would dedicate this ability to you."

"Ah... I have a resistance to slavery... I wanted to settle it with money."

If you think about it, it makes sense. Slavery wasn't unheard of in our world either. But even a few decades ago, it was despised, so the idea of owning someone was unimaginable.

However, it seems Crow was willing to become a slave.

"...You're too soft."

"Too soft? How so?"

"If you don't like being soft, are you foolish?"

Crow stood up and approached me. His face was smiling, but I felt a chill.

I was scared and tried to put some distance between us. The atmosphere had changed from the previous warmth, and he was looking at me with disdain... I was cornered against the wall.

"You're a fool who can only see yourself and not the world around you."

Cornered with no place to run, his hand reached out and touched my neck. He wasn't applying pressure, but it was a moment before he would strangle me.

I tried to suppress the trembling in my voice, glared at him, and spoke.

"...What?"

"Do you plan to keep relying on others and rejecting the common sense of this world? Your thinking is abnormal. It's like you're saying you can't fit into this world."

"What...?"

"You're not from another world, you're from this world. You've become part of it, haven't you? If you show a crack, it will spread to two, three, and more. In this world, slavery is allowed by the state. Are you going to fight against that common sense? Do you know how much effort it would take to free slaves? You know history, don't you?"

The mockery seeping from his beautiful face... He was showing me that he thought I was a fool with his attitude and expression. His face was so close that his breath touched me, and his fingers on my neck were trembling.

"Do you think we want to become slaves? We choose it because there's no other way. We chose you because we thought you were better than state slaves. If you don't want to own slaves... then sell us. Sell us as slaves."

"Crow..."

"Do you lack the resolve? But... helping us... it's not going to be easy. If you know how much medical care costs in the modern world, you should understand that treatment in a country where medicine and politics are underdeveloped would be extremely expensive. If you continue to do it for free, you'll be disrupting the order of this world... How are you different from the others who caused chaos in this town?"

You're not...

Crow is right. According to my ethics, slavery is unthinkable, but that's just my perspective. In this world, if you can't pay, you become a debt slave. And if you receive expensive treatment, you have no choice but to become a slave.

That's the common sense of this world. Disrupting it means I'm no different from the other foreigners... a self-centered troublemaker.

"You saved me. Then, you should take responsibility. If you don't need me... If you can't take responsibility for my life... then kill me. Again..."

"......I can't. I can't kill you..."

"Then, what will you do?"

"I'll make you a slave..."

"You're a good kid."

He smiled and removed his hand from my neck, returning to his seat... I collapsed on the spot, feeling drained. Whether it was from relief or something else... tears started to fall from my eyes.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Seeing my state, his voice softened, and he tried to comfort me.

Being hit where it hurts and crying... I really am useless. I need to be stronger.

I slapped my cheeks with my palms to muster up some courage. I need to have resolve. I can't cry and be selfish... I can't pass the responsibility for what I've done onto someone else and cause them trouble.

"Really... But I lacked resolve. I only did what I liked and ignored the consequences, leaving the cleanup to others..."

"I'll pay for my treatment and understand the meaning of helping Tiga, right?"

"Evil..."

"It's the truth... You saved me. Then, it's better for me to belong to you."

"I don't want that. I have enough trouble with myself, and I can't take care of others. I don't need someone who points out my weaknesses and confronts me with reality! ...But I'll take it, your ability and all! Even if you say no, I won't give it back!"

"Ah, that's good... Keep that attitude up."

Declaring that I would make him my property... treating a person as an object... It's a cruel declaration.

But the man in front of me narrowed his eyes and smiled, his lips curling up. He made a seductive gesture, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. Is he doing this because he knows his face is good?

He also saw through that I couldn't abandon him and was pushing me to have resolve. But... even without that resolve, I was the one who treated him. I need to take responsibility for his life until the end.

From now on... becoming a pharmacist means having the power to influence people's lives.

"...What about Leus? Not talking to him together means you have something in mind, right?"

"It's complicated... I want to let Leus go. If it's possible."

Let him go... If it's possible... I want him to do it without my knowledge.

No, even illegal immigration... I know it's a huge hassle from the moment Lord Raz insisted that I make them my slaves. I can tell that they're already taking steps to prevent them from escaping. Leus might be a troublesome unique individual. If he's relying on me to let him go, I won't ask... but if I say it's impossible, that's probably the end of it... I don't want to put his life at risk out of sentimentality... but.

At the very least, I should hear his hopes. If we don't align our goals, the burden will only increase.

"...Be more specific."

"Crow and Tiga have useful abilities, so I don't think they'll be let go... They were highly favored by the empire. They escaped, but it won't be possible here."

"Special eyes... What can they see specifically? I'm a foreigner... cough..."

Why did he know I was a foreigner... I tried to ask but choked. It seemed to have gone down my windpipe, and I couldn't stop coughing...

"Don't push yourself. You don't have to say it out loud. You're bound, right? You're too careless."

"...That's right. We didn't introduce ourselves. The contract is still in place... Can you even see a secret contract?"

"In the carriage on the way from the mountains to the town, I noticed your status... I tried various things when I realized it was bound and hidden. It looked like a normal title, but when I tried to investigate further, I saw the inconsistencies... It took some effort to see everything, though."

"Where did you leave your tact?"

"Well... the other world, right? Actually, I can't see everything I want. It's tiring to use SP, so I don't want to. But if I try, I can tell if someone is lying and can appraise hidden information to some extent."

So, he investigated me... I think I'm the one who saved his life. I tried pretty hard to help him?

Is this how you repay someone by exposing their secrets? And then ask for their power? That's pretty audacious.

I can't deny that I was careless...

"...How far are you willing to use that power?"

"You're my slave. I'll follow your orders."

That's assuming I won't do anything cruel, right?

It also means he can see that I can't do certain things. However, if I make him my slave, I don't know how much of the contract with Lord Raz will apply to him.

"...Is it okay to use the power without orders, or do you not want to use it? It depends on that. How I act will change based on that. No changes after the fact..."

"...If it helps your work, it's fine. But not for the state."

"Understood. Then... what about him? He has it too, right?"

"Tiga has ears. 'Keen Hearing,' an exceptional hearing ability among beastmen that can hear sounds from over a thousand miles away... The appraisal results show that he can hear voices from a considerable distance. He'd be perfect for a spy, right?"

Ears and eyes. Indeed, from the perspective of a noble for whom information is life, these are abilities they would kill for.

Lord Raz ordered that they couldn't be given to anyone else... and hinted that they might be eliminated in certain circumstances.

And to pay off the debt, they would become my property... Can I let them go? When they're already known to the higher-ups? The responsibility for letting them go would fall on me.

It's impossible. At least, as long as I'm working with Lord Raz, I don't think I can let them go.

"Hmm... It seems the three of them have the title of illegal immigrants. It can be removed if they become slaves. And if the debt is paid, the slavery can be removed."

"Originally, the treatment costs would need to be paid, right? But Leus didn't receive treatment."

"That's true. Leus requested it, but the two who received treatment are the ones who need to pay. For Leus, if he becomes a debt slave and pays for the potion, he can be free... theoretically."

"You can have such a handsome man as a slave. If you cooperate, I'm fine with being a slave for life. I think one of us can be let go, right?"

"Creepy. Don't come closer."

I really wish he would stop giving me those suggestive looks. I don't know if he's trying to seduce me to get me to do what he wants.

He might be dissatisfied with not getting a favorable response, but I don't want him to come closer. I understand his feelings... but to do whatever it takes to change the situation, even if it means seducing someone, is understandable.

No, he's not really seducing me. He's enjoying my reaction...

"I don't mind letting Leus go, but will he agree? He came back to the snake's nest to save the two, right? He didn't know the snakes had been defeated, so it wasn't because it was safe. If the two are slaves and he's the only one who escapes... will he follow?"

"I'll convince him. Crow and Tiga can't be free... being free would be worse, right?"

"That's true. I think so too. But I don't understand why you're so attached to Leus when you're so careless with your own life? I can't come up with a plan without you clarifying that."

He blinked and made a thinking gesture, as if he hadn't considered the question.

But he doesn't seem to have any intention of explaining. His sly smile suggests he's trying to manipulate me. He's determined to talk me into it.

"If you want to know... the bed, it hurts!"

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to. I can tell you're an older man by your gestures, even if you look handsome. I'm not at all attracted."

Honestly, he's creepy. I'm not going to fall for a bed invitation. Absolutely not. Besides, there's only one bed, and Tiga is already sleeping in it. Fol's smile was also creepy, but in a different way.

I don't know... Can I tell that his eyes aren't serious? He's trying to create a certain atmosphere to cover something... evil.

When I gave him a sidelong glance, he spread his arms in a "what can you do" gesture. I feel the same way.

"Hmm... That's a shame. Well... Leus is still young. He has a future."

"How about the three of you pay off the debt and stay together? If he's a minor, it's better to have a guardian, right?"

"No, I don't have the energy for that. Physical labor isn't for me."

"Do you have the motivation or not... What about Tiga? If Tiga is cured, what will he think?"

"He has no choice but to agree. No one else could help him. Waking up is a miracle, right? By the way, he also cared for Leus."

Oh.

His words sounded different, with a new weight. It seems they have a bond.

But indeed... I'm not sure if I can trust him, but there's something likable about him.

He seems to have feelings for Tiga too... After all, they've been together for a month. I can understand that they care for each other.

"You're a decent person. Why did you come to this world?"

"...You too. Honestly, I didn't think there were any decent people among the foreigners."

"In the empire, there were a lot of crazy people. Maybe it's because of the cause of death... Reincarnation by truck or something, where you weren't supposed to die, so the personalities are twisted."

"......I can't deny that."

"......It's fine. Letting Leus go isn't easy right away, but if Tiga wants to, I'll prepare to let them go together. But in return, you'll have to work for two people."

"Will I have to work?"

Slavery... I don't want it if I can avoid it. But if I need to take responsibility to survive in this world...

At the very least, I'll treat them humanely. That's the least I can do. Even if paying off the debt and gaining freedom doesn't lead to happiness... Using abilities like "Appraisal" and "Analysis" is the same as hiring someone to fill a shortage in manpower. I won't make them do dangerous jobs like adventuring, which could help them pay off their debt quickly.

"That's right. I thought about it, but I don't need Tiga's ability, so I can release him as a slave right away. But Crow's ability is necessary as a pharmacist. Like this time. So, I'll use it. Not for life, but be prepared."

"Oh, just the ability? If you want, you can make me a sex slave."

"I won't stop you if you want to pay off the debt faster by being a male prostitute. I won't be your customer, but I think there's a demand for that face. I want you to summarize the characteristics and effects of materials on paper. And when we go on long-term collection trips, I want you to watch the shop? I don't have a shop, though."

"That... isn't there a difference between a slave and an employee?"

"Originally, it's impossible to have a lot of handsome men as servants. Men might like a harem, but I just want a respectful husband. I have a small heart, so it's enough to admire a handsome man from a distance. It's good for the eyes, but being too close would make me feel sick."

Besides, the contract isn't finalized yet, but I've already decided on that one person. It's not out of love, just a practical decision... I also want to be with my brothers... but without Lord Raz's protection, I can't stand up to the nobles.

When I let go of Lord Raz's hand, my safety will be at risk. He said it was dangerous, and I think he judged that it was truly dangerous. There must be something that makes him keep the contract even if I disobey his orders.

Besides, not just me, but my brothers and Naga... and Crow and the others would also be in danger. The guild master told me to let