Chapter 444 Asuka’s Past and Adventurer Registration
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Gargantua’s POV)
”I was… a combat slave…”
After taking a sip of wine, Asuka spoke softly.
Combat slave──a slave specialized in ‘fighting’ in the literal sense.
Unlike regular hired workers,
’never betraying the master’
is what it means, used as a bodyguard or part of an Adventure Party.
”My father was a mercenary. He trained me from a young age, and I was confident in my sword skills. That father…”
Asuka gazed at her beloved sword leaning against the sofa.
”He got involved in a conflict between merchants. I received word that he died in battle due to a breach of contract. …Then, the master and some bodyguards came, and my mother was almost taken away to cover the penalty. I tried to stop it and cut down one of the bodyguards. ──That was when I was 12.”
Asuka spoke of her intense childhood with a bitter smile.
I tried to rise from the sofa to stop her, but… Asuka raised her hand to hold me back and continued her story.
”The employer seemed to like my skills. He said, ‘If you become a slave, I’ll waive the penalty. I’ll make sure your mother is taken care of. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything bad to her.’”
Her gaze turned distant, perhaps remembering her mother back home.
”This employer was quite reasonable. He wrote in the contract that he would ‘financially support and protect my mother.’ Also, it was purely a contract as a ‘combat slave.’ In other words… I wouldn’t be treated as a ‘s*x slave.’ He even put a contract magic on it to ensure I wouldn’t be treated that way after being sold.”
That was an exceptional treatment for a slave.
As a woman, she still had high market value as a ‘s*x slave.’
They must have seen something shining in young Asuka.
”I was sold to an imperial merchant right away. Here, I worked as a part of an Adventure Party made up of the same combat slaves, diving into the ‘Welnia Labyrinth’ and handing over the profits from our spoils to that merchant.”
It’s a common way to use ‘combat slaves.’
Hire slaves, form a party, and make money in the labyrinth.
”It was tough, but this blade my father gave me kept me going. Just thinking about it gave me strength.”
Asuka pulls her beloved katana close and hugs it.
”After working there for several years, I was almost violated by that merchant who owned me… At that moment, the contract magic on me activated properly. That merchant… lost his life.”
”Hm, that was quite a powerful contract magic, wasn’t it? ──So, your slave contract was also nullified, I suppose?”
”No…it didn’t quite work out that way.”
Asuka forced a smile and took a sip of wine.
Apparently, the merchant had debts and Asuka, as a contract slave, was treated as part of the merchant’s assets to be disposed of.
”The next one I was sold to was an adventurer named Otto. ──This guy was a horrible man, you know…”
Anger appeared on her face.
”Of course I was sold as a ‘combat slave’…He’s the owner of ‘Magic Eye’. He’s been nullifying ‘contract magic’ to protect me… he’s been disrupting my first time. After that, I was engraved on crotch tattoo… and was happily turned into ‘s*x slave’”
Asuka laughed with a hint of self-mockery.
”That’s terrible…”
Her first time is forced to take away.
In fact, she was even forced to be ‘sexually survivor’…
”While I was under this guy, I committed various evils. I kidnapped a woman and sold her as a slave. Slashed anyone who learned of Otto’s evil. ──After taking on such evil, Hiroya.”
Asuka spoke in frustration, but the word ‘were against Hiroya and the others’ was gently and squealing.
”Hiroya has killed Otto. I’ve finally been released”
”I see…”
”but…”
Asuka.
Putting her wine glass on the table and staring at the palm of her hand
That expression is once again distorted…
”The sins I’ve piled up… won’t disappear.”
”Asuka… you have no fault. All the foolish acts of the slave are the master’s responsibility.”
I’m pouring wine into the glass placed on the table.
Such generalities won’t comfort me, but… I wanted to say words to justify Asuka.
”The people here… in Famière… will carry my sins together. ── That’s what they told me.”
Asuka brings the glass filled with wine to her lips.
”It’s been a long time, but… perhaps you too might see something by being here. ──That’s what I wanted to convey.”
(For my lost way… she…!)
By revealing such a tragic past, did she give me light while I couldn’t move in the darkness…?
”Asuka…”
I rose from the sofa and embraced the ‘new friend’ in front of me across the low table.
”Ga… Gargantua…?”
”For now… let’s stay like this for a while…”
To avoid being seen with tears that suddenly overflowed, I continued to hold my friend Asuka for a while.
* * *
”To act together with Hiroya and… the people of ‘Famière’.”
I told the guild master, who asked, ‘What wind has blown you here?’
”Gargantua of Four Dark Heavens… in Famière…!?”
”No, it’s not that I’m joining the clan. I haven’t talked to the leader Liz about it. Just──”
I raised my hand to silence the surprised guild master and continued speaking.
”As an adventurer, I want to be with them for a while. ── Is that not a reason to be an adventurer?”
”Guild master? If you’re with Famière (those people), then… isn’t there nothing to worry about?”
The receptionist in black… was it Margaret?
──She was smiling and talking to the guild master.
”Yeah… if you’re with Liz and Hiroya, then it’s probably safe… right?”
”Then… could you please extend your hand this way?”
Margaret crouched down a bit and pulled out a crystal orb from under the counter.
As told, I held my hand over the orb.
Suddenly, the crystal orb emitted a pale glow.
After a while, the shine slowly faded away.
”Yes. That’s fine.”
”Rank… S… well, that’s to be expected.”
I see.
So this is how they measure my rank as an adventurer.
”Ah. It’s my first time registering as an adventurer… but I consider myself a rank S swordsman.”
”I know about your skills from the rumors. ──Well, coming unarmed means you have no hostile intent.”
”No… it’s like this…”
I said that my weapon is being sharpened by Mr. Toldo.
I appreciate the misunderstanding, but I need to convey the truth.
”Mr. Toldo…? Your katana…? “
”Yes. He accepted it without any problems…”
The guild master pondered for a moment.
”That’s right… if she’s the same as before, Mr. Toldo would take it… the lord wouldn’t stay quiet…”
”As for the lord──Shinji, I greeted him when I arrived in this village yesterday.”
I replied to the guild master’s not-so-small mutter.
”I see! …No, forgive my rudeness. I don’t know the circumstances, but if you’ve informed the lord properly, there should be no problem. ──I apologize.”
The guild master said this and smiled as he bowed his head.
”Here, your adventurer card. Please don’t lose it.”
Margaret, who was working beside me, handed me the plate.
”Gargantua Barurasa Antia…”
I read aloud the name written there.
”It’s your card. Welcome to the Raetia adventurers’ guild!”
Margaret offered her right hand over the counter with a smile.
”Please take care of me.”
Her hand that I shook back was soft and very warm.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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