on Sera. This is her natural physical strength.[Okay, that is enough. I confirmed it, and it is as I thought.]
Sera slowly puts the sofa down. And for your information, this sofa is too large to be moved by one person. At least three people are needed to move it.
[Why? I feel a lot of power inside my body…]
[Yeah, I can explain it. Do you want to hear?]
[Yes, please.]
Sera nods. Well, there is no reason not to tell her.
[I can explain Sera’s situation with one thing.]
[What is it?]
[The high physical ability of Sera. Or more accurately, your maximum performance.]
An ability to lift that sofa is the best evidence.
[For that performance… Is it because of the meal?]
[Yeah, that’s right. In short, Sera can show great physical ability when your stomach is full.]
Pondering this for a moment, there Sera suddenly gets the idea.
[Because my parents were worrying about me overeating, I didn’t eat enough food. Then, when I don’t eat enough food, my physical ability is low…]
Like a diet in my former world, you will gain weight when your muscle ma.s.s is increased. And muscle is heavier than fat.
[Is that also the reason when I grew so fast, to get the optimum body to show my physical strength…]
Perhaps, she will age slower, too, so she can stay at her maximum potential longer.
[Of course, you need a lot of energy to maintain that.]
[Is it food…? If that is true, then it connects all the dots…]
It seems she believes most of the story. I didn’t lie to her. I just didn’t tell her this is because of her skill.
[Come to think of it, why did Master buy me? I don’t think my appearance was popular…]
Sera asks as she recalled that.
Her appearance almost looks like a mummy. I think something beyond being a pervert is needed in order to be interested in something like this.
[Of course. Because your ability is useful for me.
[Eh?]
A large “?” appears on Sera’s head. Hearing something incomprehensible like that makes Sera think I’ve known this since the beginning.
[I will explain it later, but for now, you have a super power. I don’t have a solid background in this matter… But I’m traveling, and you can be my bodyguard.]
[Hmm… You will explain it later, right?]
[Yeah, I have to introduce you to my friends first, and then we can talk about the details after that.]
[Understood.]
I call the slave dealer to fix Sera’s appearance. Of course, I pay an extra 10,000g.
After a while, the slave dealer returns with Sera. She is wearing a long, black skirt and a white blouse which turned her into an extremely beautiful woman.
[I’m surprised! She wasn’t this good-looking the first time she came here… I would’ve fed her as much as I could if I had known this…]
The slave dealer is full of regret.
[Don’t joke about raising the price now, okay?]
[Of course not! Failure to judge a slave’s quality is the slave dealer’s fault. I can’t do this to a slave who has already been sold!]
The slave dealer shouts. It is hard to say this business is good, but it does seem to have some pride.
[By the way, how much would she be worth if I sold her now?]
[Wait, Master! That is extremely bad!]
Sera is about to cry.
[Let’s see. I would buy her at 500,000g and sell her at around 2,000,000g…]
[Wow! Fifty times more than my initial investment.]
[Before that, I have to take into account her meals, and the maintenance cost is really high.]
[*sob* My master is a demon…]
Sera collapses. Well, she still looks really beautiful like that.
[I’m joking. No need to worry about that.]
[Was it a joke? Well, I’m disappointed. Too bad it was a joke…]
Please stop, slave dealer. I was joking! I have no intention (at this moment) to sell her.
[Ughh~, I believe you…]
[Yeah, who will do something wasteful like that!]
[Uh… I feel different, somehow…]
I leave the slave market with Sera. With proper attire, Sera is really attractive, and I see that a lot of men are looking at her.
It is strange that no one has a purpose for this kind of girl.
A: It seems that due to her chronic meal shortage before she was sent to the slave market, her appearance looked unhealthy.
Eh? Is Help-sensei able to reply to a personal question, too?
A: Yes.
Hmmm… I thought and couldn’t be leveled up, but they are evolving somehow. I’m worried that if I can’t see it clearly, then it might give me a bad status report…
I return to the hotel and pay an extra fee for Sera. Since I contacted them with telepathy, everyone is in the hotel.
[I’m back.]
[[[>]]]Everybody says that together. Maria and Mio are wearing maid clothes. Come to think of it, Mio declared she is going to wear maid clothes as much as she can and welcome me when I return. But this time, her maid clothes consists of a mini-skirt although it has both a cla.s.sic skirt and this mini-skirt type. Of course, I like this particular kind of maid clothes because I can see their panties when they are working.
I stand in front of all the members and introduce Sera.
[This is the new slave, Sera. These are my traveling companions. Sera, please introduce yourself.]
[Yes. Nice to meet everyone. My name is Sera.]
Sera bows. Of course, the first person to react is Mio.
[Ohh~~, A former n.o.ble!]
[Yeah, but you don’t need to worry because I’m a slave now.]
[Then, everyone should introduce themselves.]
As I said, Mio is the first one to step forward.
[I’m Master’s first slave, Mio-chan! You may call me Senpai!]
(Nope) Mio declares with confident. I didn’t plan to intervene in the relationship between slaves, but to make Sera call her “Senpai” is a little…
[I’m Maria, Jin-sama’s first slave, the same as her. I’m happy Jin-sama picked more companions. Let’s be friends.]
Maria bows. This girl shifts the topic to me, somehow. Well, is it okay to have two “first” slaves?
[I’m Sakura. Err, I’m Jin-kun’s subordinate.]
Why does everyone state their relationship to me? Since I recently asked Sakura to create magic, it might be correct for Sakura to be my subordinate.
Sakura pushes Dora in front, and Dora raises her hand silently.
[This girl is Dora-chan. She is Jin-kun’s pet.]
uh… Hey! That’ll ruin my reputation, but it is a fact. I guess I’ll have to explain it later…
[Well, they are my traveling companions]
[Companions? Except Master, isn’t everybody else a woman? …Or should I say I’m the addition to Master’s harem army…]
Well, that is what you see from outside. I haven’t laid my hand on them. I’ve just looked and touched, at most. There is no point in denying that.
[I think you are right. Oh, don’t worry. Master won’t treat us badly because we are slaves. He just teases us about being a slave from time to time…]
[Oh~, I think he’s already done that to me…]
There is nothing I could say nor do I have any intention to stop it.
[Jin-sama is really wonderful. He rescued me on the verge of death at a slave market.]
[Uh… Me, too.]
Sera nods in agreement with Maria’s comment.
[The simple introduction has ended. Next is Sera’s circ.u.mstances. Do you mind, Sera?]
[No, I don’t. There is nothing to hide. Please give them a detailed explanation.]
After Sera agrees, I start talking.
The facts the [She was sold by her parents] and [Wastes the food for another] are startling to Maria. I sympathize a little, but it is unavoidable, in Maria’s case.
The fact [Her background doesn’t match her appearance] is also startling to Mio. Well, Sera’s pattern is opposite that of Mio’s.
[She weighs 120 kg.] makes Sakura touch her stomach. I know. Sakura always touches her stomach and complains, “I don’t have have enough ‘calorie consumption’ when we are traveling by carriage…”
After that, I tell them about the relation between the meals and her physical ability.
[I see, she is strong when her stomach is full, right?]
[Yeah, all food in almost ran out.]
I have to defend the rice desperately…
[No way!? If I’m not mistaken, it was enough for twenty people!]
[She ate the food by herself, right? I have to work harder.]
Maria seems to become more motivated. Well, I don’t plan to feed her like that. Sakura looks at me silently, without a word…
[Jin-kun, could you manage it with both of our special power — yours and mine?]
[Yeah. Can you make some food magic to change MP into nourishment?]
This is something Sakura has been expecting from the beginning because it is convenient. She remains silent for a while, trying to check whether or not her special power can do that.
[Hmm… I can. How about creating a nourishment pill from MP?]
[Isn’t that a “Food Pill”!?]
Mio reacts to Sakura’s proposal. That would be a portable ration for ninjas in the form of a pill, and its nourishment is enough to fill one’s stomach. Or something like that.
By the way, when I said about “provide her food”, you thought about dishes. The influence of real skill is unexpectedly huge.
[Understood. I will create that magic later.]
[Why not now?]
[Won’t she be surprised if I do it without explanation?]
[Yeah, she will be surprised, for sure.]
[I thought it was a miracle.]
Maria and Mio nod. They were surprised that time, too.
[By the way, Master. What is this girl’s secret? Skill? t.i.tle?]
[Why did you ask?]
Sera is confused. Well… I guess I should get to the main topic soon.
[Sera’s secret. It is physical strength due to her skill.]
[Ehh, what kind of skill is it?]
It is trival, I can show the status with , but I still want to explain.
[Her skill’s name is ! A vanguard who can mow down an enemy with high physical strength!][[[]]]
By the way, this was the reaction I expected, and I got it.
[What is it? Could someone give me…]
Sera is confused.
[Didn’t I tell you before? I will give a detailed explanation.]
[Eh?]
[Mio! Come on!]
[I know… Explanation is my job, after all…]
Right. I formally gave Mio a duty to “Give an explanation to the newcomer” yesterday. She is unexpectedly good at this. So I skip all of the explanation…
[Uh… That is all.]
According to Mio, the explanation about skill, status, special power and member’s details is over. Well, it was an easy-to-understand explanation.
[It is hard to believe, but with evidence like this, it is hard not to believe.]
Sera has to believe because with , she can see the status while Sakura used her to create [Energy Ball] magic. [Energy Ball]Convert MP(which is needed to use any magic) into a nutrient pill.
Can create enough nutrients for 20 people, at maximum.
[And this is my status.]
Sera
Female
Age: 14
Race: Human
General Skills:
t.i.tles: Jin’s slave, Former n.o.ble girl.
[What is this ?][A skill that nullifies incoming hostile magic. You still able to receive buff and heal, but attack and debuff magic will have no effect. It’s a cheat skill.]
[Facing an enemy with high physical strength and having high magic resistance. Uh, totally a hero.]
Mio nods. Her skill composition is perfect. The problem is…
[But… After we asked Help-sensei, we found out that everybody with this skill usually starves to death before becoming adult.]
[Really?]
[Yeah, really.]
It can’t be helped. The food situation in this world is not good. You can’t expect to have enough food to sustain a minimum body’s need if you weren’t born into a rich family.
[I was lucky. Although I was abandoned, I’m still able to live because Master picked me up…]
[You are right. We are lucky that we were picked by Jin-sama. Therefore, it is our duty to help Jin-sama.]
Maria declares. …Well, I have no complaints if they want to help me…
[Come to think of it, Master. There is something I’m worrying about…]
[What is it?]
[Sera-chan has , but why does slave magic work on her?]
It is not certain whether slave magic is considered to be a hostile magic.
[Maybe, it is possible to be enslaved after being abandoned because it lost its effect to some extent. Or this skill only protects the body, and this magic isn’t considered a hostile magic.]
[It is up to the owner’s point of view… A clever skill.]
[Or maybe being too hungry prevents this skill from activating…]
[Hahaha…]
There is nothing but awkward laughter. I don’t have high regard about this world’s balance. Advantage comes with disadvantage. No, I think advantage and disadvantage come in sets.
[Of course, I’m your slave, so I will do my best. For now, do you want me to take care personal needs, be a guard or partic.i.p.ate in combat?]
[Yeah, I have to make use of your unique ability.]
Why do I feel Sera is a little restless?
[I already know that. …It is about that. I’m okay with food pills, but… err… I want to eat normal food, too…]
Oh, is that so? Although food pill is enough, eating them entire time is boring. I have no intention of letting her be that miserable.
[Understood. But only one portion of food. You can eat normal food and then use food pills to fill you up the rest of the way. And I think you can eat leftovers, too.]
[Yes, thank you very much. I’ll gladly do that.]
I can’t guarantee the taste of the food pills. Anybody would want to have delicious food, after all. This idea is similar to portable rations, too…
A large amount of MP is needed — not just for Sakura to create magic or for Sera’s food pill, either. The food pills are Sera’s lifeline. It will be a problem if there isn’t enough.
After that, I bought a large sword, a large shield and a large spear for Sera. For Sera, who can swing heavy weapons easily, there isn’t much difference between swinging a weapon with one hand and swinging with both hands.
Great Sword
Cla.s.s: Large sword
Rarity: Common
Partisan
Cla.s.s: Large spear
Rarity: Common
Kite Shield
Cla.s.s: Large shield.
Rarity: Common
All jokes aside, I gave her enough skill and status to make her a vanguard. This is a bit of a disadvantage for me, but as in Maria’s case, the affinity with my special power is high.
Afterwards, I decide to buy new a staff for Sakura because I found a rare one.
Ruby Rod
Cla.s.s: One-handed wand
Rarity: Rare
Note: Increases magic power.
So… our business in this town has come to an end. Let’s register as adventurers in the next town… and start our adventure.
*************************************************************
Shindo Jin
LV 38
Skills
Martial Arts:
Magic:
[Revival][Room (new)][Warp (new)][Portal (new)][Energy Ball (new)] (ED: Should the last five skills be surrounded with <> instead of [ ]?)General Skills:
Body: