A few days have pa.s.sed.
Every night the king calls me to his office. And asks me the same thing.

"Do you feel like becoming the tactician?"

―――― That.
Of course, I only answer no, but the King only says "I see" without giving up.
On such a day. For some reason, the soldiers guarding the door (surely standing watch so I don"t run away) conveyed the King"s words that I may freely look around the castle.
The life of being locked in the room with nothing to do is tiresome. Since I received the permission, I casually went around the castle.
There, by coincidence I saw a scene. A very cruel scene.
While I was walking down a corridor on the ground floor, I suddenly heard multiple voices. With my curiosity piqued I looked there, and in a place visible from the corridor I saw the beastman girl who always takes care of me being a.s.saulted by several boys and girls - probably slaves same as her.
In irritated voices, the boys verbally abused her.

"You"re real slow. You should just drop dead"
"Because you"re here, we all get punished. You can"t even do your job well! You dunce!"
"I"m sorry… I"m sorry"

The crowd ganged up on the girl and was kicking her. The girl crouched to protect her head. Other slaves did as they please and were kicking the defenseless girl in order like she was a punching bag to relieve their stress.

"You are only good for venting our anger! Well, when you grow a little, surely you will be released to a brothel as a s.e.x slave!
"What are you saying. Is there anyone who"d buy such a failure"
"Maybe there"s somebody with strange tastes in the worst brothels? Haha! Wouldn"t it be simpler if you disappeared while you still can?"
"…"

Without objecting to their spiteful words, she simply continued apologizing "I"m sorry".
Finally, I couldn"t stand watching anymore.

"What are you doing in such a conspicuous place"

When they noticed my voice, with "Ah, that"s bad!" they scattered in all directions.
The only one left was the crouching beastman girl who couldn"t move from pain.
I rushed to her hurriedly.

"Are you alright…? Any injuries?"
"I"m fine… Eh? Umm"

When I called out to her rubbing her back that had been kicked, the little girl slowly lifted her head.
She met my eyes, and solidified from surprise.

"Eh… Mister Guest?"
"I apologize, but I saw the exchange earlier… Is it always like this?"
"… Umm, no…"

From her appearance as she averted her eyes while speaking vaguely, I guessed such a.s.saults are an everyday routine.
Despite the same status of a slave, they despise her. While dropping her gaze to the ground, she said.

"… It can"t be helped. If I endure… everybody can vent off a little. I"m useless anyway"
"What are you saying…"

The girl was so pitiful, I hugged her. Of course, not out of love.
Regretfully, it was just my sympathy.
Unable to react to my sudden action, the girl"s body stiffened. Still, before long she relaxed and began quietly spilling tears.

"Sorry… I"m sorry… But, n.o.body has treated me like this until now… I"ll step aside immediately… I"m sorry"
"It"s fine"

I tightly hugged the girl who tried to leave. When I patted her back to comfort her, on the contrary the girl began to cry even harder. Wanting to somehow stop it, I said what came to my mind.

"… Actually, in my country there"s a cat breed called Scottish Fold. It"s very popular there. If you came to my country, surely everybody would rave over how cute you are"

These words reminded me.
Sakura liked cats. I didn"t talk with her about ordinary matters much, but still while we were talking it came up several times that she kept a cat at her parents" home. Certainly, it should"ve been a Scottish Fold.
The crying girl raised her face.

"Sukotish? What is that?"

When she asked the question, I became convinced that after all there"s no such breed in this world.
I slowly spun words.

"Scottish Fold, you see… They have bent ears like you and are very charming. My homeland is far away, but… my special someone treated one like her own family"
"Is, is that true?"
"Yeah, that"s why don"t be so hard on yourself"

I hid the fact that it was just a cat, not a beastman.
There"s no need to specially explain that.
Wiping her completely swollen eyes, the girl muttered "It"s like a lie…", and stared fixedly at me.

"Umm, Mister Guest too… came from a faraway place? Same as me?"
"Nn?"

I didn"t think she"d react like that.
While tilting her head, the girl continued.

"I… was brought here from the island when I was little… all this time I was alone"
"… Is that so. Then you"re the same as me. I"m probably… alone in this world as well"

While saying so, I stroked the girl"s hair.
I wanted to somehow help this girl who was all alone like me.
The little girl inside my arms weakly said.

"Umm, I have to go. If I"m late…"

Hearing those words, I stood up separating from the girl.

"Are you alright already? That"s right, if we don"t look after your injuries…"
"I"m fine. Those injuries aren"t that big, and I"ll be in trouble if I"m late. More importantly, truly thank you, Mister Guest"

I whimsically gave my name to the girl who bowed.

"I"m not Mister Guest… My name is Sion"
"Err, Lord Sion, right. I understand… Umm, then please call me Rena"
"Yeah, Rena. Take care"
"Yes, truly thank you"

The girl bowed her head again and ran off. Looking at her back, I made a decision.

"It seems you"ve finally decided"

As always summoned in the evening, I stood before the King.
The King laughed with satisfaction. I somehow understood that from his face.

"Your favorite is that beastman slave, right?"
"… I"m glad the talk can proceed quickly"

Probably it was the King"s plan to show me the scene of Rena being tormented.
But, even if I understand that, I can"t ignore it.

"Two years"

The King laughed. It was a very unpleasant laughter.

"If you can continue producing results as the tactician for two years, I"ll release that beastman from slavery… What I said before is an exceptional term"
"… I understand that"

Since then, I received the permission to visit the library, and examined this country"s law.
As a result, I ascertained that there"s no system of emanc.i.p.ation of slaves in Tarim.
Without receiving a special exception from this man, the King, it"s an impossible dream.
The moment I understood that, I resolved myself to be tied to this country.
Anyway I have no idea what to do with this life where only death awaits me.
I lost my beloved, I lost my homeland… Although unconsciously, I killed people. What"s more left for me.
I don"t have anything anymore. And if that"s the case, I wanted to do something that I can.
It"s not my atonement. Just an unsightly self-satisfaction. I feel like by saving the girl in the same situation I want to save myself.
It"s the lowest motive. But, even if I know that, I don"t intend to give up.

"Two years starting from now. I will work for your country as the tactician and produce results. And then, you will release Rena, right?"
"I won"t go back on what I said"
"I understand"

I made a choice. To obtain something you have to cast away something.
Slaughter many for the sake of one person.
That"s the path I"ve chosen.
Even if it"s wrong, it"s certainly the path I have chosen.

"Sion. I appoint you as the tactician of Tarim army"
"… I accept the appointment"

I resolved myself again - and bowing my head, accepted the King"s tactician appointment.