Yobidasa Reta Satsuriku-sha

Having an amount of gold coins, he hadn’t seen yet, being piled up in front of his eyes with a jingling sound, Swordland’s slave trader was stumped.
The person, who produced that mountain of gold, was a man, who had a hood pulled over his entire face, wore a mantle and strange clothes from the beginning. Only the mouth can be seen. Going by the pitch of the laughter, which causes the corners of his mouth to lift as if a crescent moon, he’s likely a still young man, the slave trader judged.
There’s a petite pair lining up in the back of the man, but although these two are also wearing hoods, they seem to be beastmen going by what can be seen. They are probably the man’s slaves.

“What’s up? Didn’t you hear my order?”

“P-Please wait! Even if you tell me that you are going to buy all of this shop’s beastmen…”

“What is it? Isn’t it enough money?”

“That’s not what I mean…”

Where did he take those out from? The person adding even more gold coins is of course Hifumi.

“If that’s the case, what do you mean?” (Hifumi)

“Although they might be called slaves, there are various ones. I will also be troubled by getting complaints afterwards, if you don’t choose them properly. There are even those, you can’t use for manual labour due them being sold as disposable waste by the castle due to their wounds…”

“I don’t care.” (Hifumi)

“Hah?”

“I don’t give a damn whether they have injuries or other problems. Hurry up and get them ready since I will buy the entire bunch.” (Hifumi)

Due to the far too pushy way of talking, the slave trader brought out more than 30 slaves from within the store while grumbling 「Don’t come complaining to me afterwards」.
All of those, who were brought out, were standing with an absent-minded facial expression having their hands and feet bound with chains.
As the slave dealer had said, there are some, missing legs and arms, mixed in-between and there are also those, who are showing an exhausted state to the degree of barely walking being supported by other slaves.

“These are all I have.”

“Fine, fine. Well then, everyone follow me.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi, who tries to hurry up and go outside having finished his business, was stopped by the slave trader in panic.

“No, if you aren’t registered in the slave tattoo…”

“Ah, that, huh?” (Hifumi)

Hifumi recalled the situation at the time he purchased Origa and Kasha.
He admired magic being something mysterious at that time, however having gotten used to life over here, he bitterly smiles to himself due to the fact of having completely accepted the existence of magic.

“There’s no particular need for that.” (Hifumi)

“B-But, customer, if you don’t register in the slave crest, you won’t be able to stop the slaves opposing you.”

“There are many precedents of owners being killed by their slaves as well”, the slave trader says while getting worked up, but Hifumi, stopping him with his right hand, has a nonchalant air.

“It will be very welcome, if they come assassinating me while I’m asleep or launch a surprise attack. If there isn’t at least this much tension, there won’t be an actual feeling of being alive either. If I get killed by these guys, that will only mean that this was my limit.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi, who turned around to the dumbfounded beastmen, checked the faces of all of them.

“You heard it. If you are up to it, it will be fine for you to aim at my life any time. But…” (Hifumi)

Hifumi draws the katana and mutters, while ecstatically gazing at the beautiful hamon,

“I will kill you, if you attack me with a half-hearted resolution. I will kill you, if you do it with a naive plan. I will kill you, if you do it half-assedly.” (Hifumi)

The light being reflected by the blade appeared to shine on Hifumi’s left eye.

“In short, you will die, if you fail. Do remember only that.” (Hifumi)

Everyone gulped and nodded weakly.

“Alright. Let’s go then?” (Hifumi)

“Thank you very much.”

At the end of the line of slaves leaving the slave trader’s shop to follow Hifumi, Reni, who waited silently, smiled at the slave trader.

“A-Ah…”

“Let’s go, Reni”

Leaving behind the bewildered slave trader, for whom it was the first time to have a beastman’s smile turned upon him, Reni left the store with Helen leading her by the hand.

☻

The place, the slaves were brought to, was the high-class inn lodging Hifumi’s group.
Without showing absolutely any manner of restraint or such, the beastmen are brought along and step into the building. Even the employees’ forced smiles were unreasonable by now.

“J-Just a second, guest-sama!”

“That’s right, they are guest-sama’s. Please prepare rooms for these guys. Also hot baths in order to wash their bodies. Since we will naturally go to the dining room to eat our meals, prepare plenty of food just like yesterday, please.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi, who handed over a large amount of money saying “It’s the inn fee”, passed further money to a single employee and told them to go buy a plenty amount of clothes and footwear for the slaves.

“Although I don’t have to tell you, but treat them properly. They are guests, who properly paid the money. And, you guys as well.” (Hifumi)

He turns his look towards the beastmen, he brought along.
Are they scared of Hifumi? Without matching his look, they cast their eyes down with terror in their faces.

“Violence and abusive language is absolutely forbidden. Wash your bodies obediently, wear your clothes and grab your meal. And then go sleep for today. There are plenty of things we will do, but all of those can wait until tomorrow.” (Hifumi)

“Hey, wait!” (Helen)

Helen chased after Hifumi, who quickly heads towards his room upstairs, in a rush.
Reni, trying to follow after Hifumi and Reni, stops, turns in the direction of the slaves and takes off the hood.
Reni, who lightly shook her soft, white hair and the grown, twirled horns, smiles sweetly.

“It will be alright. I was taught various things after I met Hifumi-san. I’m sure it was difficult for you until now, but undoubtedly it will be fun from now on.” (Reni)

“A-Are you a slave of that human? Considering that, umm…”

What Reni is wearing is the white one-piece, Hifumi bought for her.

“Following Hifumi-san, whom I met in the wastelands, I’m studying humans. And, for the sake of playing something called “Take the nation”?, we picked up all of you since it seems to be the type of game, which is more fun with many companions.” (Reni)

“Let’s do it! Surely it will be fun”, Reni says laughing. The slaves, in a state of not comprehending, washed their bodies in turns following the instructions of the employees and changed into the brand new clothes.

It may be because of the large number of people, but the inn is in a state of being close to booked out.
Even the dining room has almost all seats taken by beastmen. The dishes, being carried over, vanish one after the other.

“It’s delicious…”

Once one of the slaves showed their feelings by murmuring just those few words, the slaves, separated at the tables all over, raised their voices to a “Delicious, it’s delicious” as if in concord and not few were shedding tears.
Having obtained a decent meal after a long while and it even being different from the food in the wastelands, which was at best meat roasted to some degree, the slaves tasted intricately and variously seasoned dishes and digested being alive for the first time.
Eventually the slaves approach Hifumi’s seat in turns to express their gratitude with a “Please treat me well” and bowing their head.
Without even especially having the intention to make them feel grateful, he considers they will be likely useful, if they are my subordinates one way or the other. Hifumi, who only ordered them to wash their bodies because he wanted to eat a meal with that filthy-smelling lot, has a bitter expression.

“… How irritating.” (Hifumi)

Reni, being with him, smiles at the griping Hifumi.

“But, all of them are happy.” (Reni)

“Oh well. I can probably tell because I knew of it as well, but once you eat food made by humans, you will find it strange that you were satisfied with the meat you ate up until now.” (Helen)

“Though, rather than eating something cut up, I like to sink my teeth into a fruit”, Helen laughs, too.
Gradually it reaches the point that laughter can be heard in the dining room. With the stimulus from their fellow slaves, even different races talk together about their hardships and similar with a smile.

“Hifumi-san.” (Reni)

“What’s up?” (Hifumi)

Reni called out to Hifumi, who frowned due to it having become noisy.

“Is this “Take the nation”? Everyone’s enjoying it, right? It’s as Hifumi-san said.” (Reni)

Looking at Reni facing him with a pure smile, Hifumi smiled and said “That’s right.”

“It will probably be alright, even if this is just the first step of taking the nation with such kind of nation being the target. Let me teach you guys the absolutely magnificent concept of “Freedom and Equality.” If you are able to comprehend it, you beastmen will likely be able to create delicious dishes and sturdy homes without having to rely on humans.” (Hifumi)

“Is that so!? Not only is “Take the nation” this much fun, but it will even become such an amazing thing!” (Reni)

“Yea~” (Hifumi) (T/N: Ebil, he is way too ebil, that Hifumi)

At the side of Reni, who accepts his words upfront, Helen is looking at Hifumi with eyes full of doubt, but since she isn’t able to properly understand it either, she doesn’t go as far as objecting him.
Noticing the matter Hifumi is talking about, the beastmen turn silent and prick their ears to listen attentively.

“But you know, to get this far, your cooperation will be necessary as well.” (Hifumi)

“I, I will do my best! I want our fathers to eat something delicious, too!” (Reni)

“Well, if it’s for such reason, I wonder whether you know…” (Hifumi)

A single dog beastman stood up and got down on both his knees facing Hifumi’s seat.

“I’m a dog beastman called Gengu ~ssu. I was greatly impressed by master’s compassionate story ~ssu. Freedom and equality, aren’t those nice words? I will use all my strength to help with what master is trying to accomplish ~ssu.” (Gengu)

The other beastmen also swarmed to Hifumi one after the other due to Gengu, who made such drama-like speech. They told him that they will do whatever they can as well.

“I got it, I got it.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi, who shrank back from the beastmen with their excessive and sweltering enthusiasm, has everyone shut up by telling them “Calm down for a moment.”

“Doing your best or whatever, you guys are slaves though. Settle down since I will prepare a bed and food for you, if you properly do the things that have to be done.” (Hifumi)

Hifumi tells Reni and Helen to stand up. Once the two do as told, the gazes of the beastmen slaves focus on them.

“The sheep type is Reni and the rabbit type is Helen.” (Hifumi)

“Now then, I want you guys to do something very, very fun”, is what Hifumi told everyone with a well-carrying voice.

“I plan to make these two the rulers of this country. Being their vassals, you guys will attempt to take this country. How far will the beastmen be able to hold out? I want you to show me.” (Hifumi)

Listening until Hifumi’s final comment “Don’t worry. I will teach you the method”, the dining room abruptly falls into chaos with some roaring with motivation, laughter or astonishment.

“W-W-Wait a moment! If you say ruler, isn’t that the human country’s boss? It isn’t that simple for us beastmen to do that!” (Helen)

“H-Helen, what do we do…?” (Reni)

Ignoring the bewildered pair, Hifumi considered the movements from here on out.

“I want a little bit more numbers.” (Hifumi)

“If that’s the case, there’s a great place for that ~ssu.” (Gengu)

The dogman Gengu, who caught Hifumi’s murmur, got close to Hifumi while sliding.

“In the outskirts of this city there’s a place commonly referred to as slums ~ssu. There’s a rumour that there are quite a few beastmen, who were thrown away by the humans, there ~ssu.” (Gengu)

“Slums? I see.” (Hifumi)

“But, as it seems that many of them are injured as well, it’s uncertain whether they will be usable or not…” (Gengu)

“There’s no need to worry about that.” (Hifumi)

While looking at Gengu, Hifumi  spinned around a suntetsu in his hand and thrust it in front of Gengu’s eyeball within an instant.
Gengu had confidence in his eyesight, but he was shocked due to his inability to follow that motion.

“If they have at least a single hand, they will also be able to kill a person depending on the way of doing it. Including you guys as well, the problem is that it’s “unknown” to you. After I teach you that, I will have you execute it for your dear life.” (Hifumi)

“I’m no match for you”, Gengu prostrated himself in front of Hifumi once again.
(Now then, with this I gathered the pieces, huh? The troublesome aspect of the jindori game is that I won’t be able to play it by myself.) (Hifumi)
It will be fine if the opponent will eagerly fight to the utmost, at least in the future, though, Hifumi bit off a clump of the meat left while having a faint anticipation in his chest.

☻

Salgu failed to convince the beastmen of the slum, but that didn’t mean that he had already given up.
As result of thinking won’t they also change their way of thinking if our companions increase and if they get to know that it’s possible to oppose the humans, Salgu entered the area inhibited by humans to show his own strength.
Aiming to act at night, he confirms the houses and stores of many humans.
He creeped into the places where the owners had fallen asleep, in particular those which are employing beastmen slaves, and took out the beastmen slaves.
With the first night not going well, on the second night it’s one, on the third it’s four and on the fourth night it is five beastmen. The numbers taken out are increasing well. Shattering the poor quality chains, he gives them their freedom.
He leads the released slaves to the slums in order to take them all to the wastelands in one go.
Even so, Salgu’s plan failed at an unexpected place.

“I don’t want to return to the wastelands.”

A single slave refused the escape and opted to remain in the slums.

“Why? Don’t you miss the freedom?” (Salgu)

“Did you know how difficult that freedom is? I felt angry in the beginning to have been bought by humans. But I don’t have to even worry about aiming for a life different from the wastelands in the city. It’s a life with no hardships and food being prepared for you, too.”

Salgu was shocked hearing this argument.
Afterwards, some people of those, he planned to free, returned to the human houses, they had originally been at, and the remaining ones stayed in the slums.
Not a single one of them told him that they wanted to return to the wastelands.

“What’s this about!? We survived by hunting in the wastelands! We freely lived in the wastelands, that are spreading in all directions!” (Salgu)

After getting impatient as it’s not going well, Salgu’s words are gradually becoming rude.

“Well, that’s for someone as strong as you are. Young tiger beastmen and cunning wildlife people might not have been scared. But, we were already fed up with surviving in fright at a place, which is dangerous to our lives.”

The dog beastman, who called out to him previously as well, looked at Salgu and laughed.

“Didn’t I tell you? He is a reckless guy. Without looking at reality, he forces his own egoistical justice onto others. It’s simply annoying.”

“Get out of the slums”, is what the cold-hearted dog beastmen told him and the other beastmen also nodded in order to agree with his opinion.

“Such a… damn!” (Salgu)

Once Salgu gives the beastmen of the slums a glance, he leaves the slums at a quick pace.

“Why did something like this happen…? It’s the humans, eh? The beastmen were corrupted by humans and lost their freedom…?” (Salgu)

In the eyes of Salgu, who has been clenching his fists to the degree of blood coming out, the colour of insanity definitely began to manifest itself.