Translator: Bluestar-H
“Well done, it is unexpectantly done.
Nothing to say more, but I need a hand of volunteer proofreader for this chapter. Thanks, let me know in the comment.
Enjoy~”
Editor: khorinthian
ED note: “I took some liberty with some of parts, but all should be accurate between the raws and the original translation.”

—–

As soon as we got back home, I checked the bath tub. The tub is installed with magic stones to act as water heaters. Of course, using those costs money.

The magic fills the empty tub with hot water.

She"s dirty compared to ordinary people since she is a slave. And so, I urge her to take a bath.

「The hot water is ready, so would you mind taking a shower? Please, clean yourself up」

「A shower?」

Maria is looking at the tub with curious eyes.

「You don"t know about taking showers?」

「Yes」

「It"s to clean up your body. So, enter the bathroom to clean yourself up, but be careful with the water since it is hot」

「……Yes, I see. Okay」

Maria answered me and began to prepare to enter the bathroom.

She only makes minimal replies. I am interested in her, but she seems to be cautious around me.

Seeing her like that makes me wonder about what kind of person Maria is. The only thing that I know is that Maria has some points for the cooking skill.

I left Maria in the bathroom and head for the kitchen. I draw out the food that I bought earlier. Though I can use the fire magic stone in the kitchen freely, I instead just take some bread and vegetables and make a simple sandwich and salad.

However, even though I finished making the meal, it seems like Maria is still not finished taking a bath.

「Maria, are you done?」

「Yes, right away. But how do I wipe my body…」

「You may use the towel near you」

「Okay」

All the basic necessities have been prepared from the beginning. I will have to advise Maria to make use of them.

Before long the bathroom"s door opens, and Maria steps out from the bath.

She"s wearing new clothes. Maria stays silent and walks closer to me. It is embarra.s.sing to watch a girl who just got out from the bathroom, but I concealed my emotions and acted like nothing was wrong.

Her black, shoulder-length hair is still dripping with water, falling to her shoulders. I wipe Maria"s head with the cloth at hand and encourage her to sit on the chair beside the dining table.

「Sit over there. Though it is already late, please have the dinner」

「Yes」

Maria replied to me just like that. Perhaps to her eyes, this meal is somewhat strange.

I have Maria take a seat opposite to me on the dining table.

I start to eat silently, but Maria is frozen while holding the sandwich in her hand with a bewildered expression.

「What"s the matter?」

「It"s different from what I was told…」

「Hmm? What were you told, then?」

I"m curious about a slave"s perspective, so I decided to ask her.

「I was told that I should regret being born a woman, and one day I would bite my tongue to kill myself within a day.」

I regret asking as soon as I heard it. I almost spit out the sandwich in my mouth. This is a story about slavery-related fate after all.

「I"m going to be raped, toyed with and broken, right? 」

「I won"t do that. At least, you don"t have to worry about that」

「At least?」

「Yes, I might sell you again tomorrow. So at least you should prepare yourself for that. Honestly, it was a mistake that I bought you today. It"s because I fell to the atmosphere」

I wonder what kind of reply she"ll make.

Since it"s not possible to bring Maria over to the Labyrinth, the best way is for her to recover back the funds; I can just sell her again anytime. It"s the result of calm rationalization.

But contrary to what I said, I don"t think I can do it.

That"s because I"m weak mentally; and that"s why Maria is still here.

First of all, she actually resembles "her" too much… She is giving me other expectations aside from her ability to capture the dungeon.

「Ummm……Then why did you buy me?」

「…… That"s my line, why did you stare at me?」

I returned her question with my question. I don"t want to say my real reason, but if Maria didn"t stare at me, perhaps this kind of thing wouldn"t have happened. That"s why I didn"t respond Maria"s question.

「Because you have black hair…」

Maria answered me while chewing the sandwich.

What a simple answer… Right, black hair is rare in this world. This is a little bit anticlimactic…

「Really, just that? You have the black hair too, you know? 」

「Yeah, because I have black hair and eyes my clan kicked me out. Because I have black hair and eyes, my life became terrible. That is why I"m interested in you who has the same hair and eyes like me」

While saying so, Maria is touching her own hair.

I am convinced that she is not lying. Maria is telling the truth. So, I answer Maria"s question.

「Yeah, that"s a pity. But let me say this. Yes, I only bought you by coincidence. Looking at you pained me for some reason, so I didn"t have a choice but to take you. Really, my reason is only like that」

Honestly, the idea is really complicated to explain. But, if I told her the real reason it will make this conversation too long.

「Okay. But, you didn"t feel pained when you saw the others slaves? 」

「They pained me as well, so don"t make me recall that」

「……Is that so. You might not care about them, but I feel sorry for them」

Maria has started to become talkative with this conversation. Along that, her personality is becoming clear. But still, I feel kinda irritated by her words.

「…What a sa.s.sy slave. Don"t change my mind and stir me up, okay? 」

「I have confidence with my "eyes". It"s going to be alright. 」

Maria said proudly while eating. I don"t know of any slave that has that kind of att.i.tude.

Though just earlier she was so quiet. I wonder if after having that conversation with me she has obtained insight to my life.

「It will be alright? Why do you think so? 」

「You are the kind of person who, for example, if you saw a weak person, would feel pity and help them」

Maria answered my question without doubt.

I lost my words and froze.

「Saving weak people to satisfy yourself…. In general, you can"t treat me roughly, can you? You are really kind」

Maria"s eyes are fixed on mine.

Her eyes are not the same eyes that I saw previously when she was still in the slave market. It resembles the Palinchron eyes.

I take a deep breath while reviewing Maria"s character. No, it may be better to say that I also lost my breath.

She is confident that I won"t just throw her away. Even though we just met, she is able to understand me to that extent.

And then at that moment, I use my skill, Observe.

【Status】

Name: Maria     HP31/41     MP35/35     Cla.s.s: Slave

Level 3

Strength: 0.89     Vit: 2.02     Dex: 1.23     Speed: 0.73     Wisdom: 1.07 Mpw: 1.91     Quality: 1.52

State: Confusion: 0.42     Alertness: 0.89

Origin Skill: Insight: 1.44

Acquired Skill: Hunt: 0.67     Cook: 1.07

By my judgment, she has no high status at all. But, she has something that n.o.body has.

It is the skill "Insight".

Perhaps she chose me when I was in the hall of the slave market.

There is a possibility she used her skill to pull herself out from that predicament. I continue the conversation.

「Yup, I won"t do anything bad to you, but I could sell you anytime you know?」

「You may do as you please. No matter what I do, I can"t persuade you otherwise」

Right after me, Maria answered me naturally. I stared at Maria and sigh

After seeing Maria"s resolution, she has earned my respect. But compared to me, I"m embarra.s.sed despite her being just a slave.

Still, it"s different. Each individual has their own circ.u.mstances.

I have no excuse since from the beginning. I was the one who wanted to buy her.

「……Haaa, a slave, is just such a pain. Really, I don"t know anymore」

The look of defeat is plastered on my face, and Maria is staring at it.

「Though, I have a grudge toward the residents of the city…」

Maria put on a frustrated face while she muttered something.

「Hmmmm?」

「……Really, you have fetish for weak people, the worst」

「I would like a child who obeys and listens to me, though. Hah, I give up, I surrender. Do what you want. You may sleep on the bed over there, and I will sleep here.  And…don"t wake up early tomorrow, okay?」

After we had the dinner, without cleaning the dishes, I move to the nearby sofa.

For the time being, let"s take a rest.

But, Maria interrupt me halfway.

「Wai, wait a moment! You are not going to register the collar first? If you don"t, there is a possibility that somebody will steal me, you know?!」

Maria made a panicked face.

Ah, I remembered something that I heard when I was in Slave Market.  If you drop your blood on the collar, you will automatically become the official master the slave. With that function, it will secure the slave to you.

「Aaa, there was such a thing? Stand still like that!」

I get up and pull out my Treasured Sword of Aries.

「Hiii!」

Maria screams out.

「Ah, sorry. Are you scared of sharp stuff? Don"t worry. Stand still like that. Magic, Gladiate Dimension」

Right after I said that, I chant my magic.

And then I point my sword toward the collar with the intention to cut it

I"m enough for this. It"s not a good thing to just leave it as it is, so I decided to cut the collar which is the source of the problem.

「Kyaa!」

I swung down my sword and cut the collar.

「You can flee to wherever you want!」

I place the sword near the sofa and lie down again

It can"t be helped if Maria decides to run away. I should have used the 4 gold coins more wisely. Well, it best to not think about what I should do if she runs away.

The surprised Maria picks up the broken collar while babbling…

「…There is a limit to doing such things to someone, you know!」

「You don"t like it? Let me tell you, only weak people are scared over such small thing, but I"m the sort of sick person who can only trust the weak. 」

「……No, I was joking」

Well, I closed my eyes already.

While I am doing that Maria continued to talk.

「Is it okay to escape…? But even if I do, no one is willing to help me. Moreover, I don"t have a place to return to. That is why I became a slave. I don"t know where I should run.  Nothing will change」

「I know, but I don"t know about your circ.u.mstances. Well, let me sleep」

According to Maria, a slave"s purpose in life is to obey the Master who bought them.

Come to think of it even if I wanted to run away, there is no place where I can go. Since this world is not my original one, I don"t have anyone that I know. There no one who will want to help me nor is there a place where I could run away to. It is the same as me. Well there is a place, but not in this world.

That makes me similar to a slave.

A slave to conquer the labyrinth.

If that"s so, who is my master, then? Is it something from the Labyrinth or the System? I don"t know.

「Good night, My Master」

Inside the darkness of my closed eyes, I heard Maria"s voice.

She called me, "Master". Then I give her my response.

「That"s disgusting……」

I heard the sound of Maria getting on the bed. I feel relieved, and finally I am able get some sleep.

As usual, while trying to sleep, I think of a plan for the next day. But due to tiredness, I fall to sleep immediately.

A long day has ended. A new companion is added.