Chapter 13: The Position of a Slave
Melissa was upset.
No, it might just be my imagination but, even though she’s been going “Goshujin-sama, Goshujin-sama” the entire time, right now she is being completely silent.
Although, if I called out to her then she would still answer with something like “what is it”.
I’m not sure what the problem was but the mood was too heavy.
That’s why, in order to somehow recover her mood, I decided that we should go to the baths together.
I say “together” but from what I hear the males and females are separated so obviously we would go to different baths but, will her mood improve a bit after relaxing in the hot springs? At least that’s what I’m hoping for.
Although it might be a bit abrupt and she might not want to go, I was pretty much fixated on the idea.
Well, with that I invited her to take a bath and she responded with “Yes, I understand” but, she didn’t seem that happy about it.
But to think that there were towels prepared for us in the closet huh.
However, now that I think about it, I don’t have any underwear to change into. Whoops, I should’ve bought some of those too huh.
But, it’s too late now to be regretting that.
「Sorry about that. Looks like I forgot to buy underwear. At least for today, is it alright if we bare with it?」(Hitto)
I tried to inform Melissa while mixing in an apology.
For some reason she tilted her head while looking puzzled and replied “Haa[1] ……” while seeming indifferent about it.
Hmm? Maybe I said something strange.
Well nevermind, For now it’s to the bath.
We heard about the baths beforehand so we knew that it was on the first floor.
Located on the opposite side across from the baths was something like a dining hall.
I brought Melissa along to the place where the bathhouse was.
There were two entrances, instead of a sign there were curtains that sectioned off the entry points.
You were able to tell which one was for males and which one was for females by a plate hung above each of them.
「Now then, Let’s head into the baths and freshen ourselves up」(Hitto)
「Yes, Goshujin-sama……」(Melissa)
Yup~ Melissa still seemed a somewhat gloomy huh.
Well, I would be grateful if her energetic spirit returned from taking a bath though.
While thinking that Melissa and I headed towards the same entrance together―― Eh! Oi[2] !
「Wait a second! Why are you following me!?」(Hitto)
I reflexively grabbed Melissa’s hand and led her to a place away from the entrance, and asked her while emphasizing my tone.
I mean, Isn’t that odd? Why did Melissa follow me into the men’s bath.
Eh? Was she a shameful woman [3]?
「……? Ano, is there some sort of problem?」(Melissa)
Melissa was…… She answered me why tilting her head but―― Eh? Are you seriously saying that? No, her expression is a bit different, it looks like she really doesn’t understand.
「No, You understand that this is the men’s bath right?」(Hitto)
「Yes」(Melissa)
「And, The women’s bath that one」(Hitto)
I pointed towards the entrance on the other side.
And then she nodded her head to confirm that she already understood that.
「In that case, do you understand which one you should use, Melissa?」(Hitto)
「Well yea. It is a slaves job to accompany her Master after all」(Melissa)
「No, That’s not right-! It would be weird if you brought a woman into the men’s bath right?」(Hitto)
But Melissa responded with an expression that looked as if, from the bottom of her heart, she completely did not understand.
「Ano, Goshujin-sama. Fundamentally, it would be normal for a slave to accompany her Master into into a bath regardless of their s.e.x in order to attend to them. Rather, it would be unbelievable for a slave to do something such as entering a bath by themselves but……」(Melissa)
…… Seriously? Haa?
「Eh, so then Melissa will accompany me and, how should I say, with a bunch of other men inside there, uhh, that is, Wil-will you get naked?」(Hitto)
「If Master so wishes it then that will be possible, but normally it will be with only underwear on. It is also possible to change into clothes specifically for use in the bath」(Melissa)
So that’s how it is…… No, well, that should be obvious. Who would want to willingly show off their naked body for other people to see.
But, to strip if I wanted her to… I don’t really understand that part.
「In any case, when you are with me that is definitely out of the question. It would be best if Melissa used the women’s bath to freshen up instead」(Hitto)
「Eh? However, that is――」(Melissa)
「Okyaku-sama[4]」
Hmm? Just when Melissa was about to say something, a voice called out to us from behind.
And, when I turned my head I found a middle-aged man with a forced smile on his face standing there.
Judging by his appearance, he seems to be one of the staff members at this inn huh.
「You need something?」(Hitto)
「Ahh, that’s not it. By chance I heard a bit of your conversation and was curious but, No I thought I might have misheard you before but, You could not possibly be thinking of sending that slave to the bathhouse by herself right?」(Staff)
What’s up with him? This guy just asked me a very odd question.
「That’s what I was planning but is there some kind of problem with that? Melissa is a woman. Obviously she should use the women’s bath」(Hitto)
「To do such a thing! No, I thought I was mistaken but please do spare us that! That kind of behavior will be troublesome!」(Staff)
Haa? Troublesome? I have no idea what you’re saying.
「Why would you be troubled? It should be fine to use whichever bath right?」(Hitto)
「Certainly if it was together with Okyaku-sama then that would be completely fine but, when entering the bathhouse, if a slave were to enter the bath independently then that would be an annoyance to the other guests――」(Staff)
Haa? You accidentally let your tone show how completely peeved you are, you know.
「What are you saying? Why would Melissa be bothering other guests just by entering the bath?」(Hitto)
「That is, perhaps Okyaku-sama really does not understand it? If such a filthy thing went in then the bath would become dirt- Gue! Gu-guruji……」(Staff)
I reflexively grabbed the guy’s collar and held him up in the air.
Even if it was me, I had enough strength to do that.
「Gou, Goshujin-sama please stop it! If you do that sort of thing!」(Melissa)
Melissa begged me while latching onto my arm.
The staff member’s feet were also flailing about but…… Any more than this would be really bad huh――
I released the man and let him fall to the ground.
*Geho, geho*[5] after having a coughing fit, he raised his eyes up to me, and ran away while letting out a little scream.
「Dammit! What the h.e.l.l was that!」(Hitto)
「…… For me, I do not understand why Master became so upset about that. Slave are different from human beings. That is why it is forbidden for us to use the bath like a normal person does. That is common sense in this world――」(Melissa)
「Like I care about that common sense, it’s complete bulls.h.i.t. I will do things based on my own beliefs. That’s enough, anyways let’s not go to the baths. We’re heading back」(Hitto)
Geez, I’m really p.i.s.sed off.
Even if you tell me that’s how slavery works, I really can’t accept it after all.
In the first place, anyone would get p.i.s.sed off if they were treated like accompanying pieces of trash.
「…… I really cannot understand Master’s way of thinking」(Melissa)
While we were heading away from the bathhouse Melissa murmured that sort of thing.
The treatment of slaves has been completely ingrained in her huh―― No, that should be obvious.
The more I think about it, Melissa might have been a slave in this world for a very long time.
If that was the case then if I told her to change her way of thinking right away then you would expect her to be troubled and confused by that. But, even so, I can’t help but think that it is still somewhat messed up――
We gave up on going to the baths but now that I think about it my stomach is a bit empty. After heading back to the room and grabbing the Magic Bag we had left there, I went with Melissa to the dinning hall to get some dinner.
But, even though I wanted to head to the baths to have Melissa regain her energy, that only ended up with me feeling disgusted instead huh.
Tomorrow, Let’s search for an inn with a private bath instead.
It’s already too late to do something about today though.
The dinning hall had about 10 wooden tables set up.
All of them were round tables huh.
Right now only about half of the tables were taken up.
And…… There was a pair with a man and his accompanying slave.
Since he looked like a soldier they strangely stood out. Was that his profession?
Other than that, everyone else looked like merchants or couples.
Well whatever. For now let’s find an appropriate place and have a seat with Melissa, or so I thought.
「Melissa. Like I’ve been saying, instead of sitting on the floor please use the chair over there」(Hitto)
「Eh? But that is――」(Melissa)
「It’s fine, so please. I won’t be able to settle down」(Hitto)
Since I insisted, Melissa sat down on the chair with her usual nervous expression.
It was something that I told her to do, but it somehow resembled telling someone to take a seat for an interview huh.
「Ano, Please have some water……」
The person who brought the water was, it was a girl with an ap.r.o.n wrapped around her but, she’s looking at me with an odd look. Geez.
「This is the way I do things」(Hitto)
「Haa……」(Ap.r.o.n)
With a really indifferent response, her odd look didn’t change
Haa… whatever.
(TL: This “Haa” is a *Sigh*)
「Do we choose our dinner?」(Hitto)
「No, the menu has already been decided」(Ap.r.o.n)
「That so, then I’ll leave it to you」(Hitto)
She bowed her head while saying “Understood” and left.
I can see into the kitchen from here huh.
And, they were quietly whispering something to each other. Gives me a bad feeling, Seriously.
So Melissa and I were…… Without knowing what to talk about, we both sat there completely silent.
This sucks, it really does.
In addition―― For a while now, it feels like were were being bathed in an intense stare.
The one responsible was, it was that man who looked like a soldier. It might be my imagination but I think his glare is fixed on me.
What’s up with him? I don’t remember anything that would make him hate me though.
Actually, the slave over there is sitting on the floor in a Seiza huh.
The slave was female and she was wearing a maid outfit. Her posture was nice huh. With a somewhat chilling atmosphere around her, she was sitting with her eyes closed while not fidgeting in the slightest.
Yea but still, Even if you told me that was the proper way for a slave to act, I still can’t help but feel uncomfortable with that.
「Pardon me for the wait」(Ap.r.o.n)
While I was lost in thought the food came huh. Well, whatever the case maybe, let’s dig in… oi――
「Hey! Why is there only enough food for one person? Will another portion of food come out later?」
「Eh? No, we only prepared Okyaku-sama’s portion though……」(Ap.r.o.n)
「That’s not it, there’s another companion right in front of me, right. What happened to her portion?」(Hitto)
Upon hearing that, “Eh?” is plastered all over your face you know.
Oh please, not this again……
「Perhaps you are telling that you didn’t prepare anything because she’s a slave?」(Hitto)
「Yes, that is why」(Ap.r.o.n)
She quickly responded huh. Seems like she doesn’t have any ill intent.
「Oi oi, if that’s how it is then I can’t consent to that. When we checked in we paid for two people. If that’s the case then you should properly arrange for two people’s portions right? Am I wrong?」(Hitto)
I tried asking it as gently as I could, but the girl ended up going “EHhh~” with a frown on her face. She made it seem as if some bothersome “Claimer[6] ” suddenly showed up.
You’re joking right? Did I say something strange?
「Goshujin-sama, Please stop it already. I am fine with just the leftovers from your meal」(Melissa)
「Don’t say something so stupid. If that happened then I would be troubled if you collapsed from malnutrition」(Hitto)
Well, as I said that, the surrounding looks became a bit painful.
I was being treated like a complete weirdo. d.a.m.n it, but I honestly can’t accept it.
「I get it. Whatever. In that case, I’ll pay an extra fee so please bring her a portion as well. There isn’t any problem with that right?」(Hitto)
「No way! To do so much for me!」(Melissa)
「It’s fine. Besides, I eat quite a lot so there won’t be any leftovers for you」(Hitto)
So then I once again asked the waitress “Can you do that?”
「Ehhh, in that case there would be no problem with――」(Ap.r.o.n)
「DON’T F**K WITH MEEEeee」
Then, just when it seemed like she was about to agree with it, suddenly an angry roar came flying towards us.
I thought to myself “What was that?” and as I looked towards the source of the voice, that soldier that brought along a slave stood up with a devilishly furious expression on his face, and he started walking this way――
TL Extra note: Oh, looks like stuff is about to go down.
TL Extra note 2: Skipped over some of the editing. I’ll do a second pa.s.s later. Sorry about that.
1.
TL Note: These “Haa…” are sort of like [Hai]/”Yes”. She’s replying in the affirmative sort of like “I see…” (There are other “Haa”s that mean different things. Hope they are mostly self explanatory)
2.
TL note: [Oi] sort of means “Hey”. Since it sounds a bit annoying to say Hey in English,
3.
TL note: The original phrase was [痴女属性] which means “does she have the attribute of a female pervert?”. He’s basically calling her a pervert but that sounds a bit weird so I changed it a bit.
4.
TL note: Again, this is Okyaku-sama or “Mr. Guest”. You can also replace “Okyaku-sama” with “Hitto-sama” if it sounds better to you as you read.
5.
TL note: *Geho* is the sound of struggled coughing. Also, I’m not really sure what that “Guruji” means so I left it as romaji. I a.s.sume it’s just him choking on words (I’m not sure what he’s trying to say)
6.
TL note: “Claimer” is someone who comes in with a complaint, usually unwarranted. You know, like people who say “there’s a fly in my soup” when they put it there themselves.