kscans

Chapter 77 - Fang and Doris in the Dungeon

"What are you here for?"

the were-beast man, Fang, growled, glaring at me.

The guard beside him moved swiftly, striking him. Then he swept his legs out from under him, knocking him to the floor. Fang shot a defiant look at the guard, but the guard kicked him in the face without hesitation. He was used to this. The guard was expressionless, performing the action as if it were a routine task. I couldn't read any emotion from him at all.

The priest's daughter, Doris, watched the scene with terrified eyes.

"Wait, we just came to negotiate,"

I said, mostly to the guard. He was scaring me, so I wanted him to stop being so violent.

"Negotiate?"

Fang pushed himself up and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Yeah, but first, please have a seat."

The guard grabbed Fang and forced him into a chair. Doris also sat down timidly.

I looked at the two of them again. They were probably in their late twenties, around the same age as Myra. Fang was more than a head taller than me. Pointed ears stuck out from his short, cropped hair. He had sharp eyes and a pointed chin. Unlike when we fought, he was now dressed in dirty undergarments, but the muscles visible beneath them were a symbol of his strength as a warrior. I was impressed that Mizuki had fought against such a man. Then again, all the men in this world had decent muscles.

Doris had a round face, giving her a slightly raccoon-like appearance. Perhaps it was her brown hair, cut to her neck, that gave that impression. Her eyes were large and round, and though she kept her head down, she was constantly darting them around, assessing her surroundings. She was short, about the same height as Famu, I thought. However, Doris's chest was larger. She was also dressed in the same kind of undergarments as Fang.

"I want to hire you both as my slaves."

At my words, Fang and Doris exchanged a look.

"What do you mean?"

Doris asked.

"Exactly what I said. Regarding this whole incident, I believe that as slaves, you were not in a position to defy Mii's group and were just following orders."

"So even if we get out of this cell, we'll still be your prisoners,"

Doris said with resignation. I glanced at the guard.

"Sorry, but I'd like to speak with them alone."

"Sir!"

He gave a surprisingly crisp reply and a bow, then left the room. I had expected him to put up a fuss, so this was unexpected.

"It's because you are the one sent by the goddess..."

Myra said, gazing at the door the guard had exited through. I nodded and turned back to Doris.

"The Citizens' Council has given me permission to take you in as my slaves, on the condition that you never set foot in this city again. I'll release you in, let's say... the city of Frucht."

"Master,"

Famu interjected.

"Is that not acceptable? In Cecily's case, I pushed through with my own idea. With Riley, I also decided on my own. This time, I will follow your thoughts."

"...I do not mind them becoming Master's slaves. But please do not forget that they raised a blade against you. I cannot forgive them."

I nodded to Famu.

"There you have it. Your release depends on your future conduct."

"And you expect us to believe that?"

Doris replied.

"You don't have to believe me. But if you stay here, you'll be beaten by these guards until you're executed."

"..."

Doris fell silent. She glanced at Fang.

"Sorry, but I refuse,"

Fang said.

"Why?"

"I don't like that woman over there."

Fang jutted his chin, indicating Mizuki.

"Is it because she killed Task?"

He shook his head.

"We fought. It can't be helped that Task died."

"Then what don't you like?"

"That woman... she was losing against me and Task, but she fought us on nearly equal terms. But after she beat Task, she clearly started holding back in her fight with me. She insulted me."

"That's not what I intended! I was..."

Mizuki shouted, trying to argue back, but her words trailed off.

"On top of that, she tried to protect me from the special skill Mii unleashed. There is no greater humiliation."

He must be talking about when Mii used the Crystal Core to fire that laser-like attack. Did Mizuki try to shield Fang and get hit by the attack?

"What a soft-hearted fool,"

I muttered. Famu, Mizuki, and Myra all looked at me.

"Well, that is part of her charm, isn't it..."

Myra said. Was she talking about me? For some reason, I sensed a critical tone.

"In any case, I have no intention of accepting charity from you people,"

Fang said, cutting into our conversation.

"Are you saying it was a nuisance to be saved?"

Mizuki asked.

"I am a were-beast warrior. To fight more bravely than anyone on the battlefield—that is our pride. In battle, if you lose, you die. That's just how it is."

"Don't be ridiculous! After dragging the townspeople and us into this, what pride are you talking about? We didn't want to fight!"

"I'm just a slave. I can't escape my master's orders. I only carried out the command I was given. I simply fought on the given battlefield in a way that wouldn't bring shame to the were-beast name. And you defiled that battle."

"I understand that you hate me,"

Mizuki said, clenching her teeth.

"Mizuki, you don't need to listen to him anymore. Slaves don't have a choice anyway. He doesn't have a sense of right or wrong. He's just trying to assert his existence on the battlefield. To use his own words, in the end, it's his fault for being weaker than you. If he were stronger, his pride wouldn't have been defiled. Let's just confirm Doris's intentions and leave."

I've long thought that my and Mizuki's values don't apply in this world. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to survive in this world unless I changed my mindset. If Fang had been the mastermind and had fought of his own volition, I might have been able to accept his argument. But as it stands, his claim just sounds like a false accusation.

"Wait. I hesitated to fight Fang because I was hung up on having killed Task. I think that hurt Fang's feelings. If we leave now, he'll really be executed."

"You..."

Fang looked at Mizuki. But his gaze no longer held the same rage as before.

"We are trying to accept Fang as a slave. We don't need his consent in the first place. If you don't want him to be killed, shouldn't you just command him as you and Mash see fit?"

Myra interjected. Mizuki and I looked at each other at her words.

"I think Mizuki and I are probably the same, but we're hopelessly bound by the values of our original world. To put it simply: all people are equal; you shouldn't kill people; you can understand each other through talking; there are emotions you shouldn't put into words..."

I listed off what came to mind. If I thought about it more deeply, I'm sure more would come up.

"What do you mean by emotions you shouldn't put into words?"

Myra asked.

"We believe that words have spiritual power. We believe that if you say something, you draw it to you. We call it kotodama."

"I'm sorry. I feel like I understand, but I don't,"

Myra replied apologetically.

"No, it's fine. I'm not trying to impose it on you, and I don't think it's necessarily right. I understand that values change depending on where you live. It's just not something I can easily cast aside."

"I kinda get it. Like, ya can't speak ill of the dead. Ya can't waste food. Ya can't sleep with yer head pointin' north, right?!"

Hyakka answered. She's from the same world as me, and she only kind of gets it? Something feels off, but the conversation seems to be heading in a strange direction, so I'll keep quiet. Famu moved closer to me.

"I am beginning to understand what you mean, Master."

"So that's why you so strongly dislike giving orders to Cecily and Aira,"

Myra said. I couldn't tell if her comment was negative or positive.

"That's not it. That's just because I don't want them to hate me,"

I said honestly.

"Alright?"

Fang said.

"Yeah,"

I replied.

"I'll accept your proposal. But I have one condition."

"Fine. Let's hear it."

"I won't be your slave. I will be that woman's... Mizuki's slave."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I'll be Mizuki's slave."

I looked at Mizuki. She looked just as surprised. I grabbed Mizuki's arm and pulled her to a corner of the room. For some reason, Famu followed. Myra, seeing this, must have felt left out, because she puffed out her cheeks and followed too. I just wanted to talk to Mizuki alone, but I guess it couldn't be helped.

"Mizuki, what do you think of that guy?"

I whispered to her. Famu and Myra also leaned in to listen.

"I don't really know what you're asking. What do you mean?"

"Older guys are out of your dating pool, right?"

"What's that supposed to... I have you, Mash. I could never be with anyone else!"

Mizuki flared up.

"That is just a feeling for now. Mizuki is super lewd,"

Famu cut in.

"That's right. Even though Mash had me and Famu, she used her charms to become his girlfriend,"

Myra added, nodding in agreement. What was she trying to do?

"That's not true! He forced himself on me!"

"Does that mean it's okay, as long as you're forced?"

Myra prodded the flustered Mizuki. I wished they'd stop getting Mizuki so worked up in here. It looked like the fallout would hit me hard, and I wanted to stop them, but I didn't know how to intervene.

"Myra, don't interpret it in such a weird way! That's not it! I couldn't help it at the time. The one I was with... was Mash!"

Mizuki shouted. Hyakka had been trying to eavesdrop from the start, but she probably heard that perfectly well without trying. Fang remained expressionless; Doris just looked bewildered.

"Master and Mizuki have similar values. Starting with this, Mizuki will continue to add more and more men."

"Famu? Hey, what are you saying? That's not part of the values of the world we lived in. Mash is just the one who's been corrupted by this world! I hate that, and I actually hate that part of Mash, too. But if I say that, I'll be the one kicked out... so what can I do?!"

Mizuki yelled. The whole conversation had become public knowledge.

"I wanted to talk in private, but that's pointless now. ...Oh well."

I cleared my throat theatrically to stop their conversation. The space had become incredibly uncomfortable, but I turned back to face Fang.

"We accept you as Mizuki's slave. Is that okay?"

Fang nodded at my words.

"Doris, what about you?"

She looked even more anxious than before, her gaze shifting to the group of women behind me. I wondered what kind of faces they were making.

"...Understood. I don't want to die here either. I will serve you, Mash-sama. If possible, I would ask for your generous protection."

Doris bowed her head deeply.

"Right, you can just call me Mash. And you can talk normally."

I didn't know what she meant by 'generous protection,' but I nodded for now.

"Also, sorry, but I can't get you out of this cell while we're in this city. I'll give the guards some money to treat you well. Please bear with it."

"When... do you think we will be leaving?"

"It depends on the Mateo Trading Company, but I think we'll depart soon."

I'd have to get Claire's permission to take the two of them with us. If that didn't work, I'd ask the wandering folk.