Next Life

State-Guest Magician of Firat Kingdom, Marius Tuban.
The responds to that announcement, at least on the surface was peaceful.
For peoples inside Kingdom sense of trust to Royal Family win over their sense of dubiousness, for peoples of other country a present that could instantly killing flock of Wyvern without leaving a single carca.s.s, couldn’t even became material of joke story.
Even more to the interest of Countries that directly bordering around Firat Kingdom, on the west the Hordia Kingdom and on the northeast the Ranreo Kingdom, putting effort in their Intelligent activities to investigating the fact.
The power inclining of Firat Kingdom directly proportional to their Countries power declining.
Because others Countries getting foundation from their inclining power would become troublesome, ‘Would you mind having national power in moderation’, are their real intention.
Of course, Firat side also putting effort to their counterintelligence…with that kind of sentiment, regarding Marius himself was almost being left to self responsible.
Beside believing that there is none of peoples dumb enough to try an a.s.sa.s.sination, there is also decision leaving threat to the person himself knowing his abilities.
But the biggest reason was Marius shouldn’t be left uninvestigated, if by chance this act made the investigation successful, they gladly accepting the result.
With this Marius had been caught in strategy warfare between countries.
However, even it did cross inside the person in question mind before, he doesn’t care.
Marius who became a celebrity in over night, after finishing his breakfast, been introduced by Loviesa, was a woman over twenty, Helka, now walking with her around Imperial Capital.
She was the daughter of Loviesa wet nurse, to Loviesa she was her milk-sister, that had good relationship more that a real sister.
To Marius who want to look around Imperial Capital, she was offered as a guide, seems she had been called upon instead Loviesa.
Blond hair with a tanned skin, quite a beautiful woman, but he heard that she was married and was a parent herself, Marius put her out of his love interest.

“That is aristocratic street.”

said Helsa, the thing she pointing to was near Royal Palace. location where high cla.s.s mansion gathered can be seen.

“There including Court Magician`s, honored person main residence of central figures in Kingdom, second residence of n.o.ble`s.

She describe it with some awkward Famia`s Language to Marius.
The main resident of n.o.bles was in each of their own territories, the resident in the Kingdom Capital was used when reporting to Royal Palace, something like a resort house.
The Royal Castle wall only about two meters tall, no moat around like saying ‘they wouldn’t left them in the dark` to peoples and va.s.sals.
Beside powerful monster can just jump over moat and wall, that also the other reason to not made it.
(NEETnote : Helka speak figure was like my awkward translation. Just image it she spoke without tenses and forcing polite word in the end of her speak, exp -masu, -desu, etc)

“The Royal Family of this Kingdom was splendid.”

“Yes!”

To whisper contained compliment of Marius, Helka answered by giving her best smile.
Looking such a figure, Marius feeling envy.
He also wanted to be trusted, and wishing for a trusted partner.
Continue to walking they went to large street crowded with peoples walking past each other.
It was been quite last time when he was pa.s.sing it in the carriage, but now it was filled with many lively peoples.
Occasionally, he saw persons wearing a blue choker.

“This is the main street. It is not an exaggeration to say every thing that you can get here was thank to the Kingdom.”

Helka description isn’t overstatement. Look like there are many variety of shop here.
Stall that selling foods, street vendor that lining with ornament article, Shop that showing their signboard marked with weapons and armors.
As far as eyes can see it filled with vitality.
At least seeing this scene, the reign of Bernhard III seems going well.
What the most attracted Marius eyes was, a building look-a-like tent, thing that laid on mat look-a-like, a sight where humans wearing blue choker lined up.

“Over there…could they be slaves?”

“Yes. If by chance there is no slavery in Marius-sama came from, would you like me to explain it?”

Helka somehow had been informed about Marius situation to some extent.
Of course it was a matter of course.

“Please do so.”

Once he asking because there is concern in slavery, Helka explanation immediately came to him.
Slaves consist of people who couldn’t pay for taxes and debt that called as Debt Slaves, the other were people who became criminal as Criminal Slaves.
Achievement Points was set upon the slaves, raising their achievement by working under their master, acc.u.mulating the point that had been set upon them to become free.
Achievement Points determined by taking into account their debt amount and nature of crime.

(Isn’t it like a prison term?)

While thinking that the explanation were heard.

“The person who become a slave doesn’t had right other than to live, but most of obligation will be exempted, the exception only the obligation to obey their Master will.”

In case they disobey it, more than the needed achievement will be increased, the acc.u.mulating point they had now could be returned to zero.
Slavery compared to his Original World almost similar to prison sentence.

“But, for people who become a slave because poverty, could fallen again to slave, aren’t it?”

Unless they intentionally want to be a slave, if they couldn’t ensure them-self to had a steady income, the chance they once again becoming a slave still exist.
When he pointed that out, Helka nodded.

“In case of Debt Slaves, in case their occupational skill was using their body, it aren’t few who became a slaves again.”

Even an occupational training had been done, saving all of them couldn’t be done.
It was one of reality happened in Firat Kingdom.
Thus, the peoples who look content with their life, essentially only on one-side of the coin.
Marius barely endure to retorted.
More than he didn’t had a necessarily better alternative, he didn’t qualify to criticize them.
Rather than wanting to work but couldn’t find employment and left out nothing to eat, no one starve to death perhaps was more better.
While thinking so, Marius who little by little gained his composure asking another thing that taking his interest.

“What becoming of a competent people who was a criminal, didn’t he could acc.u.mulating his Achievement Point immediately?”

“Majority people will thinking it so, but there is a trick in it.”

What kind of achievement that could reduced their crime, was determined when they fallen to slavery.
In other words, for atrocious fellows they must acc.u.mulated their achievement from thing they bad at, in most cases they need few decades to be released.
Surprisingly had been done firmly, Marius who regretting his judgement piled up further question.

“Didn’t they could just escape by suicide?”

“As I mentioned earlier, slave doesn’t had right other than to live… in other words they don’t had right to commit a suicide.”

Its mean that even how much they want to die, they couldn’t die.
Can be said around this field was more firmly done than his Original World.
What kind of mechanism to prevented suicide was taking his interest, but he didn’t intended to buying slave for now so he didn’t asking more.

“Do you want to have a slave?”

As denied him, Helka question came.

“I don’t have means to hold it in possession.”

He answered.
He didn’t worry about necessary of life (about food, clothing, and shelter), but in respect being penniless doesn’t change.
Marius thought perhaps this matter hasn’t been informed to her, Helka is tilted her little neck.

“With Marius-sama status you can buy slave, I think slave also could be bought in form of loan.”

It some thing new to him.
The day to not asking question to anyone must be come to Marius.
But still, he wish someone to teach him, that kind of feeling dud exist.

“But it is good. I don’t necessary need slave, I also shouldn’t doing thing like wasting tax.”

When Marius answered so, Helka brightly smiling.

“What a great answer. I guest, precisely because that kind of thought you had been selected as State-Guest Magician.”

It was an over evaluation, but he didn’t denied it.
High evaluation didn’t make thing worse, because if he try to denied it was likely to be received as humility.
More than that, he also giving more priority to thing he wish to know.

“About only had right to live, did couldn’t complain to being abused also included?”

The moment she heard it, expression from Helka face disappeared.
Although it was only a split second, Marius perfectly noticed it.

“Right to live, was also includes the sense to not being abused and forced to had s.e.xual intercourse. The one didn’t been protected was Crime Slaves, right?”

“I see…”

He had found out that slavery management is more rigorous than he had imagined.
s.e.x Slave and so on was essentially not something should be learned from a woman, he in the middle of pondering how to bring it out, but its not a problem when Helka brought it out herself, right.
However, her expression that she worn for a moment was made him worrisome.
For now the thinking that had been interpreted toward bad side wasn’t cross his mind.
While praying that there is no strange report goes to the King, they walk-pa.s.s slaves market.

“What your plan for lunch?”

Asked so, Marius suddenly troubled.
He wish to know the currency and price, if possible he would like to lunch outside, but he unable to decide immediately how much the restriction for a wife with kid.
If the one who could speak in Famia`s Language only Helka and Loviesa, either of them will chosen as teacher-role for him, that will become his bond with them.

(Perhaps, neither of them.)

Even if its true, they wouldn’t specially chosen a wife with kid. When Marius reach that conclusion, he answer the question.

“Its good if we goes to cheap place. More than that, it is still okay with the time?”

“Thing in Kingdom Capital basically expensive. After we had a lunch we should goes back to Royal Castle at once.”

Like he had thought taking time in constrain was difficult.
Looking at good knitted brow form of Helka, Marius learning intention was burn-out.
Then about cuisine, he remember “Everything okay” was the most troublesome answer came when giving home-cooking treat to children.

“Then, how about if we had cuisine in the favorite store Helka-san recommend?”

Like this he wouldn’t need her to read each thing in the menu list.
Helka must be also thought that, nodded saying “This way, please.” and start walking.
The store two of them entered was facing main street named by ‘Tsukinomichikake-tei’ (AhoNote : The store mean Phases of Moon Pavilion)
Ten of chairs at the counter, two of two-seater table, six of four-seater, and the size isn’t too much.
Although one of two-seater table do vacant, other than that was fully occupied, showing it impression of popularity.

“In here sometimes, did visiting incognito.”

Even there is no subject in Helka words, but Marius could guest who she is.

“When come to it, taste and price also first-cla.s.s, isn’t it?”

When thinking about Loviesa, she wasn’t a person who decide store based on price, but a store that had some safety also a matter of course, come cross his mind.

“Yes. One meal about one thousand five hundred Diil to two thousand Diil.”

Diil was the thing used as currency in FAO.
In this World, using the same one even in other Continent, for Marius it was something to be grateful.
Couldn’t guess the value of one thousand five hundred Diil in this Continent, Marius tried asking further.

“How much if in other local area?”

“I think it will be more cheaper in local shop, but I didn’t know the detail…”

Looking at apologetic look of Helka, Marius realizing his carelessness.
Because her mother had been chosen as princess wet nurse, her household must be had having a quite high status.
Unless she in position involved in territory management, in isn’t impossible thing to not knowing local prices.
About this case, Loviesa should be the same.
He should mastered Tariant`s Language, after all investigate it himself might be ideal one.
Around that time, the cuisine came being carried.
White bread with Seaweed Salad, Potato Soup, Tiger-Lobster served with seven green-vegetable, Helka drink-order was Rose-Water, Marius was Cacao-Tea.
Surprisingly the portion quite large, more surprisingly Helka easily eat it.
Not just Loviesa, at least in Firat Kingdom seems to had many strong appet.i.te woman.
Since the topic interrupted, Marius continue by asking about her household that he takes interest.

“By the way, is it okay with your husband and child?”

“Our child had come old enough that could be left out of hand reach, there also guardian for the child, so it was okay.”

Seems the child had already turned five, or six years old.
He could imagined that she had guardian for her child, but old enough to be be left out of hand reach were surprised him.
Because looking her appearance at most she at twenty, didn’t look in her thirty at all.

“Moreover my husband had fully understand my responsibility. My husband name are Alvin.”

“Alvin?”

For Marius it was also a familiar-sounding name.
One of Knight who was guarding Father-Daughter Kingdom Royalty should had that name.
Looking at Marius expression, Helka snickering and smiled.

“Thank to you my husband had been saved, I also not left-out as a widow. As much as possible cooperate with you, was our intention as a couple.”

End of Episode 1.