Chapter 22 MisunderstandingLute, age 11.
h.e.l.lo, this is Lute, formerly Hotta Youta.
I got carried away and became an adventurer all by myself, then got tricked and was sold as a slave. Tehe~☆
And now, a man who would be the one to purchase me was right in front of my eyes.
But he’s not just any man.
He was wearing clothes worn by n.o.blemen I saw at the Fairy Human Continent, but he was unusually tall. Easily two and a half meters.
Furthermore, he had well-developed muscles like a bodybuilder, also, his skin was black.
Even now, his clothes looked like they’re about to burst apart, he had a overflowing beard, lips that were thick like a cod roe, bushy eyebrows and golden hair was combed in a ‘all back’ manner.
This muscled monster man looks to be my potential buyer.
I tightened my a.s.s.
Ah, my chast.i.ty is in danger!?
(…. Hey!? Now is not the time for escapism! Besides, he’s only my “potential” buyer! It’s quite possible he’ll refuse!)
While silently praying “refuse, refuse”, I observed the conversation between Rano Slave House manager Rano and the muscled daruma.
ED: gender is indeterminate when referring to lute for a reason
“It’s become thin after a long journey, but there is no problem whatsoever with it’s health.”
“The skin certainly looks healthy. I don’t think there’s any worry about sickness, either!”
“Of course. This company always aims to provide the best of goods. It’s age is 11. It’s gender—.”
“All right, I’ll buy it! 350 gold coins, right!”
(That was fast!)
The price is also 50 gold coins higher than expected.
Rano probably intended to overcharge, and force a sale by making a discount at the appropriate moment.
But, to the one who was making snap decisions, he raised his voice to stop him.
“U, uhh, there are still things I need to explain.”
“Hahahahaha! Since he’s one that you recommended, there shouldn’t be a problem! You just take the money from this pouch!”
The muscled daruma laughed heartily and handed over a leather bag full of gold to Rano.
“T, thank you very much m’lord count. I’ve prepared the contract, so please look over it and if there are no problems, please sign at the bottom.”
“Uh huh.”
The muscled daruma received the contract, sat in a sofa opposite of me, and ran his eyes over the contract.
Meanwhile, Rano took 350 gold coins from the pouch handed to him.
The muscled daruma finished reading the contract and finally put down his signature.
Rano confirmed the contract and gave a deep bow.
“Thank you very much for your purchase, m’lord count”
“As am I, for the excellent goods! Tell me if you come across good slaves again!”
“As you wish, m’lord will be notified first whenever I do so.”
As muscled daruma finished his handshake with Rano, he turned to me and offered his hand.
“Best regards from now on, Lute! I am Count Dan Gate Vlad! Of the honourable rulers of the night, the Vampire Race!”
“N, nice to meet you. M’lord count…… I am Lute, a human.”
“Don’t be so tense! Hahahahahahaha!”
“Ha, hahahaha……”
My hand was grasped with a strength that made me think it had gotten crushed.
It looks like it was normal power for him, even Rano’s hand was red.
“Well then, I will perform a temporary contract.”
Rano took something that looked like a rectangular seal from his desk.
He pressed that thing on my right shoulder.
“-Ksst!?”
It felt like I was p.r.i.c.ked with countless needles.
When the seal was removed, a tattoo-looking magic crest was left on my shoulder.
“With this, the temporary servant contract is complete. If a proper contract is not made within 5 days, it will be voided and his rights will be transferred over back to us. Please keep in mind that we cannot make a full repayment if that happens. We will give you a backup contract and contract seal together with Lute.
“Then I’ll leave it to you. Since I’ll be heading back, you can send him over once the preparations are complete!”
“Certainly. We’ve been greatly helped by the Count this time, so we’ll include some goods free of charge. Please look forward to it at your mansion.”
“Hahahahahaha! I’ll be looking forward to it! Well then Lute! See you later at my mansion!”
The Count left with laughter.
The pressure in the room immediately dropped.
I asked Rano while rubbing my shoulder.
“U, um, what’s a provisional contract?”
“It’s a contract temporarily created to prevent claims like ‘They died soon after buying them!’, or ‘I was cheated!’. You see, sometimes there are slave traders that misrepresent the slaves’ health or life span. Ordinarily, the curse mark will be affixed on the same day as the contract agreement, so even if I don’t worry about it, it’ll be OK.
So a warranty period or cooling off time.
“These are the service goods for the Count and farewell gifts for Lute from me. You can put it on tonight after the contract is signed. It’s important to leave a good impression after all, even if just a little.”
I was given a paper bag.
When I looked inside—there was a black bikini thong, garter belt, and bra inside.
As I thought, I was bought for that purpose…….
With my face turning blue in despair, I thanked Rano for now.
“……Thank you very much.”
I was currently in the bas.e.m.e.nt.
I took a bath and changed for newly-washed clothes.
I was taken to the dining hall, where food had been prepared.
It takes half a day to get the count’s mansion by carriage, so it’s recommended to depart by noon.
Of course, in my despair I had lost all appet.i.te.
The bean soup that was usually rather delicious now tasted like drinking muddy water.
I said my farewells to the old lady at the dining hall and everyone, then went up the stairs.
A coach had already been prepared in front of the bas.e.m.e.nt door, and Obukhov and the soldier that led me up to the 5th floor reception room were already on alert.
“I’ll release your cuffs before you get on the coach.”
Obukhov took a bunch of keys and released the shackles on my hands and feet.
I thought that this might be my chance, but the magic prevention choker was not taken off.
The other soldier gripped my shoulder hard, so it’s impossible to force my way out. I obediently did as they say.
The coach, of course, had steel grates. It was a small coach for 4 people.
It was locked from outside and cannot be opened from the inside.
Obukhov and the soldier rode at the driver’s seat, and used a whip on the two horned horses.
The coach I was placed on slowly started moving.
After being shaken for half a day since before noon, we arrived at the Count’s castle.
The castle was made of stone, it was rather high but also wide. The castle walls were so high that I needed to look up to see the top, it felt as though ivy had been growing there for many years. There was also this tower that gave off a feeling that a princess was held captive within.
It was indeed a castle for vampires to live in.
We pa.s.sed through the gate and went through a long garden.
There was a large water fountain right in the middle of the road, water sprayed out beautifully from calculated points.
The coach circled around the water fountain and continued.
As the coach reached the front door, I was brought down.
There were two figures at the front door.
One of them was an old man wearing a tailcoat.
He was short in stature, about the same as me, who was a child. Two curved horns grew out from underneath his gray hair, and there were hooves like on a goat or a sheep on the tips of his toes that popped out of his trousers.
There was an almost 2 meter tall beastman standing beside him.
From the looks of him, he was like a wolf that walked on two legs.
One of his ears was torn off, …His furry body was forged from such intense training, that an intense physique that had all its extraneous fats stripped away from his body, was revealed. His face and body had numerous scars that couldn’t be hidden. wheee
Obukhov let me down from the coach.
“We brought the human Lute, a slave bought by Count Dan Gate Vlad from the Rano Slave House. These are the copies of the contract doc.u.ments and the seal used for the actual contract. Please confirm.”
“We’ve been waiting for you. Well then, excuse me―no problem. Thank you for the delivery baa~.”
The old man wearing tailcoats took the doc.u.ments and said his thanks.
Obukhov and the soldier bowed their heads, boarded the coach, and went back the way we came.
I, who was left alone, gazed uneasily at the two.
The first one to talk was the old man.
“Nice to meet you Lute. My name is Merry, from the Demon Race, Sheepman clan, working at the Vlad house as head butler. If there’s something you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to tell me baa~.”
“L, looking forward to working with you.”
I shook his hand that was presented to me.
His name is Merry because he’s a sheep, and he attaches “baa~” at the end of his sentences…… so simple.
“This is the head of the guards in charge of the defense of this castle, Gigi, of the beast race, wolf clan. He was formerly a slave, so if anything troubles you, feel free to consult with him baa~.”
“… … … …”
“L, looking forward to working with you.”
I gave Gigi a bow and he twitched his nose 2, 3 times and silently nodded.
He looked just like a wolf walking on two legs, so even when being silent he was intense.
Scaaaaaaaryyy!
I can’t possibly feel free to consult with hiiiiiiiim!
“This may be sudden, but the master and madam have been expecting you. Please make preparations to meet him right now baa~”
“Please come this way,” he said, and I entered the castle.
I walked inside the castle, sandwiched between Merry and Gigi.
“By the way, I’ve been wondering but what is that you’re holding in your hand baa~?”
“To please the master, the slave merchant gave me these underwear. The black translucent one is quite erotic. Ahahaha…”
When Merry heard my story, he stopped walking and turned his head.
“Oh dear, why is a set of black underwear needed to please master? Did you not hear anything from master baa~?”
“Hear what, exactly?”
“…From your look, it seems like you haven’t been told yet baa~”
“I, I’m sorry.”
“No no. Master is someone who doesn’t mind the small details, just as he looks, I’m sure he just neglected to explain to you. Firstly, Master already has Madam. So, there’s no need for Lute to have any strange worries baa~.”
T, thank goodnessssssssss!
It looks like I wasn’t bought to become that muscled daruma’s plaything.
Hearing what Merry said, my tension loosened all at once.
What a relief! Really, I’m relieved!
But then…. if that’s true, then why did he buy me for such a large sum of money, 350 gold coins?
Driven by curiosity, I asked Merry.
“Umm, then why did he buy me?”
“You were bought to take care of and become a blood bag for ojou-sama, who’s having her 10th birthday baa~.”
“B, blood bag!?”
My face paled, once again falling from heaven to h.e.l.l.
(No matter how you think of it, a blood bag is like, food, right?)
Vampire food I remembered from the vampire movies I watched on Nichiyou Youga Gekijou in my previous life.
Merry corrected the misunderstanding involving splatters in my head.
“Rest at ease. It won’t be something horrible like Lute is imagining right now baa~.”
Then Merry continued explaining about the vampire family.
“There is a custom among vampires that they would gain a taste for blood on their 10th birthday. For the rich ones with the means to do so, employing a steward that doubles as a blood bag is a kind of status symbol. But still, for vampires, blood, along with scented tea and black tea are luxury items. They only suck a little blood, they won’t suck until you die, so you can relax baa~.”
I stroked my chest once again.
If it’s only a little bit then I’ll be fine.
After finishing his explanation, Merry stopped just in front of a room.
“Well then, a change of clothes had been prepared inside, tell me once you’ve finished changing. We will first go greet master and madam, then we will go see ojou-sama together with master and madam. So please get changed as quickly as possible baa~.”
“Understood.”
I went inside the room.
The room is a 6-tatami room.
There was only the minimum necessary furniture; a simple bed, desk and chair.
On the bed, for some reason, a maid uniform was folded and stacked.
“Why does a guy like me have to wear a maid uniform……”
Merry said that I was going to be ojou-sama’s caretaker, doubling as a blood bag.
She’s a lady. So do I have to wear maid clothes because she couldn’t relax with boys around?
Then they should’ve bought a girl from the beginning.
Or maybe ojou-sama has a hobby of putting boys in maid clothes…….
In that case, what an interest for someone who’s turning 10 years old.
But compared to becoming a male prost.i.tute for another man, being made to wear girls’ clothes is 10 billion times better.
I quickly put on the cla.s.sic maid uniform.
Once I finished changing, I went out to the hallway where Merry and Gigi were waiting.
With their lead, I went towards the room where the Count and Madam were waiting.
Count Dan who I met at the slave house was sitting relaxedly on a sofa, drinking scented tea prepared by a maid with hamster ears.
The beautiful-looking lady sitting beside him was probably the madam.
Her blonde hair flowed to her hips, going past the sleeves of an expensive looking dress. … Her cleavage is plentiful and it felt like it was sucking me into it, and her waist was so thin that one worried whether her organs were there.
She had a beautiful appearance, it’s unthinkable that she had a 10-year old daughter.
There was n.o.body with such a beautiful figure like her even among Hollywood actresses in my previous life.
The Count noticed us, and vigorously stood up with a smile.
“Hahahahaha! It suits you well, Lute! What do you think, Seras? My eyes weren’t wrong, right!”
“Yes, as expected of darling. You bought such a cute-looking child!”
“Fuwaa! Wai, er….!”
Madam immediately approached me, and hugged me into her valley without hesitation.
Madam had a tall stature, and I was still a child, so my face was buried in the valley between her huge b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Ooooooooooooo! b.o.o.o.b.s soooooooft!
They also smelled sweet in a different way to Snow.
I spontaneously brought my hips close.
Perhaps misunderstanding a male’s psychological phenomenon, the madam let go of my hand and released me from the valley.
I still wanted my face buried between those huge b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
“Ara, sorry, I put in a bit too much strength because you were so cute. Nice to see you, Lute. I am Seras Gate Vlad, of the Demon Race, Vampire Clan.”
“Nice to meet you madam Seras. I am Lute, human.”
I shook hands with madam.
The Count started talking with a hearty laughter.
“Hahahahahaha! Lute, you look very good in maid clothes! But is it too tight or too big?”
“No, it’s just the right size.”
“Really really.”
“But, why do I―.”
“Hahahahahaha! Well then, shall we go see our daughter!”
My words were interrupted by the Count’s laughter.
Count Dan started walking on his own while laughing.
The head butler Merry was somehow already at the entrance, and opened the door.
“That’s right, we should soon introduce Lute to her.”
Madam also happily took my hand and left the room.
Madam’s hand was soft and warm.
We headed towards the second floor.
In front of a pair of large double doors there were the Count, Madam, me, Merry, Gigi, and the maid who prepared tea, lined up in that order.
“We’re coming in, Chrisse!”
The Count called out, but opened the door without knocking.
The room had heavy curtains inside, blocking the light from the stars.
The only source of light was the lamp beside the canopy bed.
The Count’s and Madam’s only daughter was sitting on the bed, staring at us.
A small stature.
Her golden hair was spread out on the white sheets.
Her large eyes with long eyelashes seemed frightened like a small animal, and started to become teary.
Her skin was white and smooth like marble, but was not unhealthy like a sick person.
The fangs that peeked from her red lips seemed slightly longer than humans of her age.
But other than that, rather than a vampire, it seemed more proper to call her an angel that had fallen to earth and became frightened.
The girl who was to be my master was a feeble, beautiful girl, who strangely roused my protective instincts.
“Hahahahahahaha! Happy birthday Chrisse! This guy is a birthday present from papa and mama…. your blood bag Lute!”
I was gently pushed by madam, and gave my greetings.
“Nice to meet you ojou-sama. I am Lute, from now on I’ll be taking care of you and doubling as your blood bag. Please treat me well.”
“How’s she, isn’t she a very cute and nice girl? I’m sure Chrisse will soon grow to like her.”
Madam, too, started talking to her with a smile.
The girl called Chrisse, took out a small blackboard. Ran her fingers over it, and wrote.
Then she turned the mini blackboard towards everyone.
“Thank you for the birthday present, Father, Mother, but―.”
She erased the words, and once again ran her fingers over it.
“Why is a boy wearing maid clothes?”
Everyone’s eyes simultaneously pointed at me.
“…… boys are scary.”
Chrisse ojou-sama left the last words on the mini blackboard, grabbed the feather quilt and hid herself in its shadows.
←→