Published at 15th of July 2022 8:25 am

Chapter 169: Liberty

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“Because tomorrow will be the initiation ceremony at the Empire Liberation Society, we will only be going to the labyrinth early morning after which we will be having the rest of the day off.”

During the dinner, I announce tomorrow’s schedule. I heard from Baron Ester that the appointed day for the admission courtesy would be tomorrow. The admission courtesy doesn’t require anyone but me to be present, so it’s better for the four of them to take a day off.

“Thank you very much. A day off, huh?” “That’s right. What do you want to do, Roxanne?” “What do I want to do……” “What’s this ‘day off’?”

When Roxanne was brooding over it, Vesta asks. Which reminds me, it was my first holiday when Vesta joined us.

“Tomorrow, we will be going to the labyrinth before the breakfast after which you’ll be able to spend your time freely.” “Such a thing. Is it alright?” “It’s necessary to refresh yourself every once in while.” “Thank you very much.”

Vesta bows.

“Although it’ll only be half a day, please do whatever you like to do.” “What I like to do?”

Following Roxanne, Vesta pulls a contemplating face, too. After learning of the day off all of a sudden, she seems to have gotten confused. Unlike two certain someones.

“As for Sherry, it must be the library or the liberation society’s reference room, right?” “Yes. It’s rare, so I would like to go to the reference room, I think.” “And Miria will be fishing?” “Yes, desu.”

I didn’t even need to hear from these two. Miria’s face is gleaming already. She seems to have started fishing right away.

“I will be spending some time shopping and rest of the time leisurely at home, I think. To be honest, though, I would like to go the labyrinth.”

In a way, Roxanne is the same as them, huh? That she wants to do the usual. Even though it’s a day off, Roxanne wants to spend the time in the labyrinth. Having rest is better than spending the day off in the labyrinth, isn’t it?

“The initiation ceremony will be around noon, so it’ll be possible for us to go to the labyrinth together in the morning for a bit.” “Really?” “Yeah. Do you want to partake in boss hunting? If it’s Roxanne and me, we should be able to go to a somewhat higher floor.”

On 22nd floor or below, only two monsters appear in the boss room. While Roxanne takes on one, I can finish off the other. There’s another option; borrowing the Estoc of Petrifaction from Miria, that is.

I’ll be using Durandal, of course. Even though Roxanne’s objective is to train. From the standpoint of experience points, I should better use magic and not bring Durandal out but there’s no need to be fixated over it. I won’t be able to earn that many experience points anyway.

“Black Diamond Tuna, desu.” “Black Diamond Tuna should be on Haruba’s 22nd floor but I’m not sure if we will be going that far. Quratar’s 17th floor should do.”

Suggests Miria but I’m not sure if we should take on Black Diamond Tuna. In the boss room, there’ll only be two monsters. However, outside the boss room, we will have to take on a large number of monsters. 22nd floor may be a far cry for two people.

It’ll be foolish to Warp directly to the boss room or the waiting room. And I’m not even sure if I can do it for

With Roxanne, we can avoid the monsters on the way. However, there’ll be situations where we won’t be able to avoid confrontation. Because there’ll be two of us, I don’t want to go to an excessively high floor.

“Quratar’s 17th floor should be better for training, I guess.” “If we chance upon a lean tuna or a fatty tuna, I’ll gift it to you.” “Nn. Fishing…… Nn. Black Diamond Tuna……”

Miria looks troubled. Even though I said that I would gift it to her, she didn’t seem to hear it. If we decide in favor of Black Diamond Tuna, will Miria be tagging along? Does she rate a fish monster higher than a day off?

Currently, the Cape Carp floor is still unexplored. However, isn’t there a difference between entering the labyrinth and taking a day off? Isn’t there a big difference? However, Cape Carp doesn’t drop any ingredient.

There’s a pleasure in catching an ingredient by one’s own hands. Isn’t watching a seine catch fish frustrating? It’ll be dangerous if it’s a monster, though.

“Miria, how about you come with us?” “You won’t be able to go fishing before the sunrise anyway, so how about you enter the labyrinth for a while and go afterward?” “Go, desu.”

Upon my and Roxanne’s suggestion, Miria decides to join in. It’s kinda sad to explore the labyrinth on a day off, though. Oh well. Since they want to do it of their own will, what can I do?

Vesta is the only one left. She tilts her head. She has yet to decide, it seems.

“Vesta, isn’t there a place you want to visit?” “A place I want to visit?” “Like a place you wanted to visit in the past but you couldn’t?” “If there were, I would have visited in the past. No, there’s no such place.”

Vesta declines my suggestion. How come? If you don’t want to visit, that’s fine but there’s always a place one wants to visit.

Ah, right. Like my late grand father’s house. I always wanted to go there but I can’t go now. Rather, I don’t know where to go.

“Ah, did I make you recall unpleasant memories?” “No, not at all.” “There was a place I wanted to visit in the past, but.” “Umm, it’s alright, really. I don’t want to go there now.”

I’m a little curious now but she says it’s alright. So I can’t delve too deep.

“Is it perhaps Stella?” (TN: ステーラ Can also be translated as Steela/Steeler or Steala/Stealer. If it is required at some point in future, I’ll change it)

Although I intended to withdraw, Sherry cuts in. She read the mood.

“It is, indeed, but I don’t want to go there now.”

However, Vesta shakes her hands and declines.

“Stella?” “There’s a temple in Stella that buys slaves. If you have enough money, you can buy your freedom by yourself. However, if you don’t have money, you can take refuge in the temple. They will buy you through the donations from others.”

Explains Sherry. I see. So there is such a place, huh? Like a sacred shelter from the middle age called asylum. It seems to be a refuge temple.

“Therefore, there’s no need now.”

Vesta declines, flurried. So, if she said she would like to go to Stella, it would mean she wanted to be freed from me? In the past, when she became a slave, she wanted to go to Stella.

If one goes to Stella, they can be freed from slavery. Actually, won’t their status be that of the temple’s slave? One benefit of such an arrangement is tax.

“I don’t believe you’ll run away, so don’t worry.” “Yes, I’m grateful that I was purchased by such a kind master. I would like to work for you all my life.” “Please don’t.”

Thus far, I let everyone do as they please on their day off. It’s fine, isn’t it? Sherry should be conscious of the reason, at least.

Even if you run away but you don’t have a way of earning money, it’s futile. Even if you successfully escape but you don’t have a way of gaining freedom, you’ll revert from a slave to a thief. If it’s Roxanne, she can enter the labyrinth. But I can’t imagine Roxanne running away.

Sherry can somehow manage, too, being a Master Smith. However, if she planned on escaping, she wouldn’t tell me about Stella.

“I-I think I would like to go to the labyrinth, too.” “No, it would serve no purpose if all us of went together. Vesta, you should rest. Or you can tour Quratar or the Imperial Capital.” “Then you rest at home in Quratar. Later, in the afternoon, let’s go to the Imperial Capital together.”

Roxanne suggests Vesta.

“Yes, I think I’ll do just that.”

With Vesta agreeing, everyone now has their plan set. For the time being, I don’t have anything in particular for Vesta to do. I will find something soon.

The next day. It’s hot right from the morning. It may be the hottest day this year. Over the buckets surrounding the bed, there was not the slightest of cold air. All the ice had already melted.

I’d rather spend such a day entirely inside the labyrinth which doesn’t tend to be hot. Even if I complain, nothing can be done about it. After entering the labyrinth early morning, buying bread and miscellaneous ingredients, I return home. Even though it’s not that late in the morning, the sun is shining hard on the town of Quratar.

“It’s so hot today.” “Yes. I have already instructed Miria, so it’s alright.”

If she went fishing on such a hot day, she would definitely try to jump into the water. Roxanne seems to be well aware of Miria’s behaviour. By the way, the concept of bathing in the sea doesn’t seem to exist in this world. Besides, there’s a risk of monsters appearing.

“Since I’ll be away, I’ll give you guys some money. I’ll hand out a bit more this time — 10 silver coins.”

I hand money to everyone after the breakfast. The lodge, where Sherry will be going to, is expensive, so she needs more allowance. Since it won’t be appropriate to increase just Roxanne’s and Sherry’s allowance, I increase everyone’s equally.

“Thank you very much.”

When I hand 10 silver coins to Roxanne first, she receives with pleasure. The order is inviolable.

“Roxanne buys something for others all the time. This time, you should buy something for yourself.” “Okay.”

Although I handed out equally, there doesn’t seem to be any dissatisfaction.

“The lodge seems to be expensive, so it may not be enough, Sherry.” “Thank you very much. It’s alright.”

Sherry puts the silver coins away in her Item Box. Since Master Smith’s Item Box can hold ten of the same item, it’ll take only one row. In any case, I’m going to the lodge, too, in relation to the admission courtesy. If something comes up, I’ll manage it.

“Please use this money to cover for fishing tackle and other necessities. After we leave the labyrinth, I’ll take you to the fishing tackles shop.” “Yes, desu. Thank you, desu.”

Strictly speaking, I should be paying for the fishing tackle myself for I will be eating the fish Miria catches, too. But Miria isn’t demanding that. I’ll buy her a new fishing rod soon.

“Vesta will be getting, too. Please use it freely.” “It’s so much. Is it really alright?” “Use it as you like.” “Thank you very much. It’s my first time holding so much money.”

An owner has to provide for their slave’s food, clothing and shelter. So there shouldn’t have been an opportunity for Vesta to carry money.

“Well then, I’ll first take Sherry to the lodge. Sherry?” “Excuse me. Can you please wait a moment?”

Sherry vanishes into another room. Judging from the situation, she seems to be preparing the papyrus and the writing instrument. She purchased those with her allowance. She didn’t flush all her money in the drinks.

“Vesta, if you want to leave right now, I can drop you at the Adventurer’s Guild.” “No, it’s alright. I’ll go there on foot.”

Vesta intends to walk to there. Now that I think about it, I always use Warp between the Adventurer’s Guild and home. I wonder if she knows the way. Because it’s a straight road, it should be alright, no?

“I kept you waiting.” “Let’s go then?” “Please take care.”

After Sherry returns, the three of them see us off. In the lodge, we meet Sebastian right away.

“You- Michio-sama, Sherry-sama, welcome.”

The angle he bows his head to is too deep. He seems to remember our names. Or is it perhaps because I was supposed to come here today?

“I would like Sherry to use the reference room. Is it alright?” “Certainly. For I have to call the person in charge, please wait a moment.”

Sebastian gestures a man. The man leaves in quick strides. Although he’s not running, he’s pretty quick. He disappears in no time.

“Do we need something?” “Not at all, nothing in particular. If you need parchment, writing implement or meal, just order it; I’ll have it arranged right away.”

I have parchment with me. Are 10 silver coins enough then?

“But we brought writing implement.” “If you have one, that’s better. Do use it, please.”

Upon Sherry’s enquiry, he gives a ‘carry on’ kind of ‘OK’. He’s honest.

The man, who left earlier, brings a woman along. He really is quick. As for the woman, she’s trotting.

“Sherry-sama here wants to use the reference room. Guide her.”

Sebastian orders the woman. The woman bows to Sherry.

“Certainly. Then Sherry-sama, this way, please.” “If you need me for something, just call for me.” “Okay.”

I see Sherry off. The woman turns around and leads. Sherry follows behind her.

“Because today is the admission courtesy, I’ll be back later.” “Very well. We’ll be waiting for you.”

I give Sebastian a heads up and return home. Since we are a party, Sherry will be aware of my direction even if we separate. The lodge is supposed to be private. Can’t its location be figured out this way?

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