Capital Ribek.
Inside the Palace, Raisa was in front of me.
「You called for me Master?」
「Yeah, I have something for you.」
「For me?」
「It"s this.」
I pointed to the choker that I"d made with Mira and Lilia.
It was a one off for Raisa, a choker with a violet gem in it.
I held it out before her eyes.
「This is…….the same as the others?」
「That"s right. I"m giving it to you.」
「——」
Raisa gasped seeming breathless.
She held onto her mouth with her hands as tears started welling up in her eyes.
It goes without saying, they were tears of happiness.
If she was just a normal slave, I"d give it to her now…but for her there is a necessary process.
「However, I have two conditions.」
「Wh-what is it?」
Raisa latched on.
「One, I will take in your children as well.」
「Is that really ok!?」
She looked even happier.
It was something Eternal Slaves desired, it seems she was not an exception.
「Really, how is it?」
「Of course! Please do so!」
She was so enthusiastic that I would"ve died if she was cursing me.
This was what I expected when I asked.
I have begun taking their natures into consideration.
And that"s why I attached this second——this final condition at the end.
「Second, you must completely cut ties with Seiya.」
「——」
She was once again speechless, but for a different reason.
Her previous Master Seiya…to completely turn her back on him, betray him, and become mine.
This I was unsure of.
I couldn"t understand the confusion she would be going through between her former Master, Seiya and her current Master…me.
Raisa looked at me, eyes wide.
I waited.
I didn"t press her for an answer, I just stood there with her choker.
This was an answer I didn"t want to pressure her into, I wanted an answer from her heart.
So I waited.
After a moment that seemed to last an eternity, Raisa looked into my eyes and took the choker from my hands.
Then, she placed the choker around her own neck.
The gem glowed and integrated with her body.
I didn"t ask if it was alright.
Since she"s gone this far, I had nothing to suspect and no need to check.
This was the Eternal Slave——the slaves of this world.
「Alright then. We"ve got some work to do.」
「Ok!」
Acting as if nothing had happened I gave Raisa her orders.
She obeyed as if nothing had happened.
Nothing.
Other than the magic charging changing to 2 per second, nothing had changed.
Just a Master and his slave, the everyday sight.
A place and time unknown to Raisa.
Night, outside of Ribek.
I arrived at a clandestine meeting with Maya and the girls.
「We"ve captured the culprit, he"s here.」
Maya pointed at a cell a short distance away.
I couldn"t judge well from a distance, but I could see one man inside.
「The proof?」
「We caught him red-handed. He was attempting to set fires around the palace.」
「Did he confess?」
「It"s incoherent, but we can clearly tell how much he hates you.」
I see.
I looked at the cell.
He also realized I was here and started rattling the cell.
I ignored him. ——it"s enough.
「I"m sorry, but can I leave him to you?」
「Is that alright?」
「Yes, yes it is.」
「Alright. We"ll take care of it.」
「Sorry girls. I"ll make sure to fulfill our promise.」
「I"m looking forward to it.」
Maya said grinning and laughing.
She was a good woman.
I started to leave, there was no need to be here anymore.
「Oh, I have to give this to you as well.」
Maya said and handed me a card.
It was a Normal——DORECA.
「We confiscated it.」
It seems she predicted what I wanted to ask.
「We thought that it"d be best kept in your hands.」
「I guess that"s right, I"ll keep it.」
I accepted it.
The DORECA glowed, but nothing changed.
「Menu Open」
————————-
Type: Normal Card
Magic Level: 0
Items Created: 0
Number of Slaves: 0
————————–
It looked like a completely new DORECA.
I didn"t know what use it had yet.
I put it in my pocket.
「Alright, then I"ll leave it to you.」
「You can count on us.」
And I left.
I ignored the clamoring man from beginning to end.
With this, the only Master with a DORECA is me.