Chapter 4: Prologue

It had been three years since I, Lunois Styler, had started working as an adventurer.

Now eighteen years old, I was an S-rank adventurer based in the town of Ludlow. …Today, for the first time in a while, I came to the royal capital.

If you reached S-rank, you might even receive a request at the level of national disaster.

In the first place, the reason I’d been able to reach this level of accomplishment was most likely because I had been trained from a young age by a girl who was my childhood friend.

She was a girl a year older than me, Aine Crossint. Both her parents were adventurers; her father was often out working, and her mother was focusing on housework.

And I used to accompany Aine in her sword training. Aine’s skill with the sword was just terrific; and to be honest, to the point where someone like me would not be a match for her.

At first, it felt like I was being made to accompany her, but I remembered that I gradually came to admire Aine’s strength. …And at the same time, I felt like I wanted to get back at her for being so mean to me at every turn.

I was told things like: ‘you’re a man but so pathetic, huh’ or ‘can you protect a girl with that arm?’.

And that me, now was the youngest S-rank adventurer—I’d even come to be called ‘The Second Sword Saint’ on the street. …Well, I’d never even met an adventurer called the Sword Saint and I didn’t yearn to be a Sword Saint myself.

The one person I always wanted to win against was the girl who was my childhood friend—Aine.

She hadn’t chosen the same path of an adventurer as her parents, but had gone to faraway country.

Back when I’d returned to the village, I’d heard that she had become a knight in a country called ‘Laveira Empire,’ albeit not a big place.

Perhaps she had had something on her mind when choosing the land of the Empire instead of the Kingdom where we lived. Aine was not originally from the Empire, but in that country, it was possible to become a knight even if you were from another country, as long as you could prove your ability.

So, I was thinking that if I were to meet her someday… I’d like to have a bout with her again.

Perhaps, she’d even heard my stories as an adventurer.

As I walked through the royal capital, I looked in the direction of the Empire. 

…Let’s go there sometime soon when this work is done—and at the same time, a carriage came along, rattling loudly.

Behind the carriage were iron bars, and inside were girls tied up in chains.

Slaves—criminals from some other country or people who had been sold for lack of money were sold according to their use. Some would be used as servants, others bought as adventurer combatants. …Some would also be bought as toys for the nobles, or as sex slaves.

If there was anything that seemed to be a crime, of course I would step in, but being a slave merchant—although not a respectable one—was approved by the country.

The—maybe influential—merchant wearing tacky jewels was sitting side by side with the coachman.

They must be heading to the slave market that’s about to open. ...Trying not to look at them, I went to walk past them—was what I’d intended to do, but I stopped myself when I spotted a girl.

“…Eh?”

A blonde girl, the most tightly bound among the girls. Although a slave, she was still a commodity so she was well-groomed. Long beautiful hair, and beautiful skin despite having scars. It was obvious to anyone that she had originally been an adventurer or a knight. …And then, I also knew who she might be.

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“Aine…?” facing Aine—the bound girl—I called her name.

Perhaps also recognizing me, Aine raised her face in surprise; and her face, which previously had been downcast and looked frustrated, now blushed.

“Lunois…!? No, do-don’t look…!”

“The hell!? Keep quiet!!”

Bang! The bars were hit.

The slave merchant slammed the bars as hard as he could with a baton. The surprised girls were frightened, and Aine, who was among them, showed a frightened expression as well—half by reflex, my body was moving.

 

“Stop”

“Eep…!”

Getting on the carriage, I pulled out the sword hanging from my waist and placed it around the slave merchant’s neck. The slave merchant raised his hands, looking surprised.

With a teary expression, Aine looked embarrassed and averted her gaze from me.

I had no idea what was going on, but at least it did not look like I would have time to be joyful in my reunion with her.

“U-umm… Sir? He-heheh, for now, how ‘bout calming down?”

“…I got a little heated.”

Apologizing to the slave merchant, I lowered my sword. In this situation, it was totally my fault.

I must’ve looked like a still-young man who snapped at the treatment of slaves. With a grin, he said, “heheh, this much ain’t nothing to be angry about. Someone as young as Sir might have prejudice towards slav──”

“No, it’s not that I’m prejudiced. I suppose it’s because you’re a legitimate merchant who followed the proper procedures that you’re being brazen like this and not trying to hide in this town.”

“If you do understand, would you mind stepping down the carriage first? We have to go to the slave market now, so──”

“How much?”

“…Heh?” Hearing my words, the slave merchants tilted his head.

The one who showed a surprise expression was Aine. She must’ve understood my words quickly.

Before she could say anything, I told the slave merchant again.

Pulling out the gold coins I had just gotten after finishing a work, I handed them to the slave merchant, and declared clearly: “Her—how much is Aine? No need to bring her to the market. I will pay all the money necessary. I will buy her.”

—A slave, which I thought I’d never buy in my life; the first slave I purchased was a girl I grew up with in the same village—

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