Who could have imagined a future where I could spend holidays with friends who know each other well, talk about love, and choose what to get for our loved ones while discussing their gifts together? I myself could not have imagined it. Even before I got sold to the slave trader, I could not have imagined that I would be able to live such a happy life. When I got sold by my parents due to crop failure caused by a prolonged drought, I had no idea what my life would be like, and I still think I have no idea what my life will be like now. Now, with Master’s permission, I even send a letter to my parents once a month, so I don’t know what will happen in my life. Fortunately, my sisters have not yet gotten sold because of the recent good harvest, but even with it, we could barely eat for the day, which is why they had to sell their children because they could not accumulate any assets. It is easy to imagine that my sisters would also be emaciated, just as I was, and wouldn’t get considered by any other customers except Master. For that reason, I told Master I wanted to send them money, but he refused, saying, “Money can easily drive a person mad, so don’t send it, but goods. If you start sending them money, your parents will probably depend on it for their livelihood, and the letters they write back to you might be begging for more. You don’t want that, do you?” So, I started sending them dried potatoes and food that would last a long time, along with my letters.
I hope they will be nourished a little and grow up big and healthy.
Incidentally, Master asked me if I resent my family, but I don’t. This is common for farmers, especially in villages where the land isn’t bountiful. If they had not sold me, my whole family would be dead, or they would have killed someone to make ends meet. That ‘someone’ was undoubtedly me, and my parents did not have the guts to kill me, so they sold me into slavery with a chance of survival. I know this is proof that my parents loved me, and I cannot hold a grudge against them. When I told Master about it, he replied, “So, different places have different values, huh? Thank you.” while patting me on the head. I am sure that for Master, who is of noble since birth, this is a world he will never understand, but I was honestly glad that he was still trying to understand our situation.