"By the way, master, how many Unique Skills do you have?"
"You just want to know how many? Not what they are?"
"That's right. Honestly, Unique Skills are our trump cards, so it's best not to tell anyone what yours are."
"I was sure you was going to come at me with all kinds of questions, but surprisingly, you warned me firmly not to talk about it"
"What do you think i am master?" Arisa said with a sad face on her.
"Sorry, sorry, i will tell you. I have four"
"Oh my, that's remarkable. According to the god I met, the more skills a person has, the greater the caliber of their soul"
/Of course. And four is to few actually, because I'm a god originally/
"And for bonus, i will tell you one of the ability"
"Are you serious master?"
"Yeah, you want to know right?"
"Of course" Arisa said with glittering eyes.
"Listen carefully. My Unique Skill name is *Menu*. For it's function, it's the combine of your *Self Status Check*, *Status Check*, *Hide Skill*, and *Item box* with other plus function" Said Satou.
"What with that cheat like skill!" Retort Arisa after hearing Satou skill.
"It's not all you know. Like i said, it's have a plus function right"
"Yeah, so master. What's the plus?" Arisa curious.
"First, it's appear like a holographic menu in your typical mmorpg game"
"Master, did you get a system assistant like in the light novel or manga?"
"Maybe, because all of it's functions is like a mmorpg game" Said Satou with his usual poker face.
"The second. The status part, It's not just checking my own but other too. Like i can see your full name, your strength, intelligence, stamina, endurance, agility, even your skill. Basically all the thing that Yamato stone can see, my skill can see it too. but if there's something that's hide from Yamato stone, my skill will lost it as Unknown, the normal Yamato stone will list it as none or nothing right? And it's can hide my status too. Not just hiding it but actually it's alter my status. My original status and my status that you can see it's actually different. In your eyes how strong am i?" Satou explain his skill first function to arisa.
"Name Satou. Lvl 35. Status. Aren't you to strong master?" Arisa surprised seeing it.
"Hahaha, it's not my real status you know. I'm more stronger than that"
"Seriously?" Arisa didn't believe it. But Satou just nod and smile.
"Than master, Is it also work on item too? your skill" Arisa ask Satou with a seriousness.
"Yes, it's work on item status too. Even poison and potion ingredients and who's the maker also can be seen using my skill"
"Isn't that to much of an analyst skill function!" Arisa shout that make Lulu slightly open her eyes.
Satou immediately calm Lulu down to let her sleep again.
"I only list two function you know. The third is Inventory" Satou pause his explanation here.
"Master, don't tell me, that your inventory is..." Said Arisa with with open eyes.
"Yeah, its unlimited space. Not just that, time stop in there. And i can even dismantling automatically in there. If i have book inside, i can read it's without taking it out from inventory"
"Isn't it better than the hero's inventory!"
"Yeah, you can list and categories the item too"
"Yeah, it's basically game inventory right" Arisa start to resign from Satou explanation.
"Wait master, before you explain another thing. Let's me said something first. Did your skill also have a shortcut icon? Map that have radar like function maybe. Or did you able to change the graphics quality, the sound, or you can change to 3rd point of view?" Arisa list everything she know about game system.
"It's true for the map, and shortcut also exist for magic. And for the graphics quality and sound, i think it's not there. For 3rd point of view, i think it's not there too. I'm not that gamer you know"
"Ahh, so it's not that full game system" Arisa look relief hearing Satou explanation.
"But it's have log system you know, everything that happen to me got write down on it"
"Ahh, i forget about that one. Master, isn't your skill to much for this world? Are you really not a hero?"
"No I'm not. Just think of me as a person that accidentally crossed over the world"
"Heh, but if it's like that, why you have unique skill master? There must be a hidden god that deliberately sent you here. And you're not got called here, but send here" Arisa try to fine the reason Satou came to this world.
"Actually, i woke up in Dragon Valley. Maybe Akon Kagura want something from me"
"Ahhh, the rumors that Akon Kagura-sama want you to be her hero. Maybe it's Akon Kagura-sama that give you unique skill, master. And the story about your family is a lie than" Said Arisa after she realizing something from what Satou said previously.
"There's no way i can said that I'm a human that came from different world right? I will became a hunting target if that information is leak out you know" Said Satou with a sour face.
"Hehehehe. You're right master. In this world the one that can take human from another world is only a God. If you came here not because of the God, you will be seen as a demon"
"So, it's really is a good idea for me to make that story" Said Satou with a relieved face.
"Our talk it's already long enough. Let's just sleep" Said Satou after he see Arisa yawn.
"Can i hug you master? So that I didn't have a nightmare again" Said Arisa with a sad face.
Satou pull Arisa in his arm and sleep with her in his arm. Arisa smile and sleep soundly after that.
***
From outside the window, Satou could hear the sounds of hustle and bustle on the streets.
/Had I overslept?/
Fighting to resist the inviting warmth of the bed, Satou turned his thoughts to the events of the day before.
/I had gained a lot of knowledge the previous night and learned how Arisa became a slave/
/Just as Arisa was falling asleep, I had asked Dea about this *Geis* thing. And should I realest Arisa and Lulu from slavery. But she explained that the *Geis* that had been placed on Arisa is bounded her to being a slave for life/
/So, being freed from slavery would apparently mean she had opposed the rules of the Geis, and she would immediately start to bleed everywhere and die/
/This *Geis* skill really is like a curse./
/But Dea said, that place like the old capital or the royal capital, was bound to have someone with the skill to erase or rewrite a Geis, so I'd have to wait to free her until then/
After that quick moment of thinking, the door burst open.
/Could you at least knock the door please/
"Are you awake, Satou-san? Your lover's here to see you!" Martha said with very energetic.
"I-I'm not his…" Zena can only mumble Behind her, as she tried to cover Martha's mouth in a flustered panic.
"Good morning" Satou sat up and greeted the pair.
/Chilly?/
/Oh, right. My shirt was still off from that incident last night/
"Ooh, you've got a pretty nice bod...!" Martha looked at Satou bare chest with a great deal of interest. Zena cowered behind her and covered her reddened face with her hands, but she was clearly staring through the gaps between her fingers.
"I'm sorry you had to see this. I'll get changed right away." Satou put his hands on the bed to hoist himself up.
"Aaach…"
/Something felt warm/
Satou looking down, and he was greeted by the sight of two naked little girl hugging him. Satou hand had landed on Arisa bare chest.
/Oh, right. She just fell asleep like that last night and Lulu too/
Seeing that I was sharing a bed with two young girl, Zena's face rapidly changed color from bright red to a pale white.
"…Master…please, no more… I don't think I can take it…" Arisa mumble on her sleep.
"Ma...master. Thi...s my first time" Lulu also mumble on her sleep.
As if aiming to damn Satou further, Arisa and Lulu chose this precise moment to start talking in her sleep.
Satou looked at her bed to see that she had rolled over in her sleep and was hugging Satou lower body. And her shirt had gotten tangled up in the process, and her cute little bottom was in plain view. Right…and she's not wearing her underwear. On top of that, there was a red stain on the sheets…
/Huh? She wasn't hurt, was she?/
"H-h-how depraved! Satou, how could yooooou!" Zena fled the room, sobbing into her hands.
"Sorry to interrupt… Take your time…" Martha scratched her head awkwardly and shuffled out, closing the door behind her.
Wow, I'd never heard anyone say depraved out loud before. The first thought I could muster was decidedly detached.
"Master, would you happen to have a clean piece of cloth? It looks like Lulu menstruating" Said Arisa like she didn't have a sin in this.
Satou retrieved the cloth from my bag and handed it to Arisa without a word.
"Thank you. So, you're not going to go after her? If you don't hurry, she's only going to make things worse in her head, no?"
/Chasing her down half naked wouldn't help my case, so I threw on the shirt that had fallen on the floor. Needless to say, I had been wearing trousers the whole time./
Checking the radar, Satou saw that Zena had just left the inn and was heading toward Center Street.
/She's really fast… I guess, she is in the military alright/
At this rate, she'd be passing below this room in just a moment/
/This feature is definitely useful, but it'd be pretty terrifying in the hands of a stalker/
As his idiotic thought passed through his brain, Satou judged the timing and jumped out the window onto the street. And landed right in front of Zena, blocking her path. Startled, she tried to skid to a halt, and was caught by Satou in his arms, spinning her once like a dancer to disperse her momentum.
*Skill DANCING acquired*
"Zena, this is all a misunderstanding" Said Satou in the middle of their dance
Zena put both her hands on Satou chest, trying to push him away. But there was very little strength behind her push.
/I can't let her go now/
/If I did, she'd never believe me. She'd get caught up in negative thoughts and convince herself it was true, even if she didn't want to believe it/
"But you were sleeping with that adorable girl!" Zena said with watery eyes.
"She only have half asleep and hug me in her sleep".
"And there was the other girl with the black hair, too! W-waaah…" And now Zena start to crying.
"If you mean the elder sister with the poor sleeping habits, it's apparently her time of the month" Satou whispered quietly into Zena's ear.
Finally, the force of Zena's pushing was faltering.
"B-but Lilio told me that if a man buys a female slave, it can only be for services after dark…!" Said Zena with an innocent face.
/Damn you Lilio. What did you teach to Zena/
Lilio was one of Zena's guards and apparently one of her closest friends, so she was probably just trying to protect the pure and innocent Zena.
/I had to draw the line at baseless accusations/
"That depends on the person. Those two girls are will only work as my maids! Liza and the others can serve as guards, but they aren't very well suited to going shopping for me and such"
"…But…"
/Maybe she understands now, but her feelings haven't caught up yet?/
/Let's just give her a little push/
"If i really need that kind of thing. I will ask you first, Zena" Satou said with a seriousness.
Zena silent and her face became red slowly and eventually a smoke can be seen come out from her head.
'It's working host. You already learn how to take care off her'
'Urusai'
"Your outfit makes you look quite different from last time. The frills add a nice touch of style to your classic tidy look… It really draws out your charms"
/And at a time like this, called for vague compliments/
"Oh…this old thing…" Zena mumbled in an embarrassed tone, but she did look a little happier despite herself.
"It's lovely, but aren't you cold being so lightly dressed?"
"No, I'm well trained, so I'm fine" Said Zena with a confidence.
'That's not how this exchange is supposed to go, Zena-chan. You're supposed to take the guy's arm and say, *I'll be warm as long as we stay close!* or something playful like that!'
'It's your standard partner'
'But you will like it if she answer you like that right? So you have a reason to hug her'
'You know me the best, partner'
'uh..hum.. mochiron'
"Come to think of it, there's a stall near here that sells some beautiful scarves. Would you like to go see? I'm sure they'd look great on you, Zena"
"Really? I'd love to!" Zena answer with a cheerful.
/Perfect, I'd managed to change the subject!/
/On the first day that I came to Seiryuu City, I had noticed that Martha's eyes were locked on this particular boutique/
/After we had inspected dozens upon dozens of scarves and shawls, Zena picked out a pink scarf, and I bought it for her as a present/
/It took a little bit of a quarrel to get her to accept it, but by the time we left the store, her good mood seemed to have recovered completely/
/…Women sure take a long time to shop, though/
When Satou returned to the inn with Zena in tow, Arisa was standing near the entrance beckoning to Satou. There was an entrance to the inn's courtyard meant for horse drawn carriages right near where she was standing.
"Welcome back, master. I'm glad you seem to have cleared up the misunderstanding" Arisa said smoothly, as if she hadn't caused the problem in the first place.
Satou flicked her lightly on the forehead. "Oww…" Arisa rub her forehead.
"Thanks. What are you doing out here?"
"I was starting to get hungry, so I came to ask Liza to share some food with me"
"Did you eat already?"
"Yes, and Lulu is still eating with them. But she doesn't seem to have much of an appetite…"
"I suppose cheese and smoked meat wouldn't be very appealing if you weren't feeling well" Satou think a little bit.
Satou than gave Arisa a few coppers and asked her to go buy some fruit for Lulu
Meanwhile, Satou went back to the room to change clothes. Zena waited for him in the lobby on the first floor.
Back in his room, Satou poured some water from the Well Bag into the copper washbasin that was set against the table and used it to wash his face.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Zena" Said Satou greet Zena
"It's all right. I've been chatting with Martha here"
"I'll leave you two alone." Martha went back to her work right away.
Just as she left, Arisa appeared in the doorway. And Satou sent her to summon Liza and the others. Lulu looked awfully pale, so Satou let her return to the room. The maid, Yuni, happened to be passing by, so he asked her to bring some water up to his room, giving her a penny coin as a tip.
Satou than went back outside with Zena, where Arisa was just approaching with Liza and the girls.
"Use this money to buy clothes and daily necessities for everyone. I'll leave calculation and price negotiation to Arisa. Liza, please protect Arisa and the girls from any pickpockets or kidnappers" Satou handed a small pouch containing ten silver coins or so to Liza. Arisa got another pouch with two silvers and some change.
/It would be dangerous to keep all the money in one place, so I figured it would be best to take the same precautions as if we were traveling abroad/
Arisa asked Satou in a whisper if she could use skills and magic for concealment and keeping an eye on their surroundings, and Satou granted her permission.
"I'll protect us, too, nanodesu!"
"Me, toooo!"
"All right, you two can flank Arisa to guard her, then" Satou said while stroking their head.
"Yes, nanodesu!"
"kaaay!"
Pochi and Tama seemed excited.
"Oh, right. If you find a charmer who can use Everyday Magic, get them to use a cleaning spell on everyone's clothes." With these instructions, Satou gave the girls a few more silvers to use for cleaning magic.
"Excuse me, master. If we have money left over, can we buy ourselves some sweets?"
"Sure, as long as it's no more than a large copper. It'll be lunchtime soon enough, so make sure you don't just buy snacks."
"Yes, sir," With an enthusiastic Arisa led the charge down a back road toward Teputa Avenue.
Pochi and Tama flanked Arisa on either side, making her look like the ringleader of some neighborhood gang. Liza looked like their guardian as she followed close behind them.
"They seem quite informal for slaves, don't they?" Zena said with a little smile on her face.
"I know that might not be the typical way to handling slave, but I find it easier for me this way"
/I was sure I would have become absolute trash in no time if they ran around waiting on me hand and foot, so I definitely preferred this/
Even if Nidoren had taught me a lot about slaves, but I thought I was allowed to be a little informal if I wanted/
***
"Do you have the day off from work today, Zena?"
"Yes, the first stage of the investigation is over, so we were given one day off" Zena smiled happily.
'But if you asked me, giving them just a single day off in the time since we escaped the labyrinth seemed like an extremely sketchy business practice. What an intense work environment.
'She didn't seem to mind it partner, so I wasn't going to say anything, but I hoped she didn't collapse from overwork'
"Will you be going back to your unit tomorrow?"
"No, a newly established special labyrinth force will be taking over starting tomorrow. I won't be able to go back to my usual patrol unit for at least five more days" Zena explained to Satou.
There's two unit for patrol. Those that went on long patrols for two or three days at a time and those that went out for only one day. Units that included magic soldiers would usually be sent out on the longer ranging patrols.
/So once she rejoined her unit, I probably wouldn't be able to see her much/
"Zena, is the labyrinth closed to everyone but military personnel right now?"
"Yes, and it will probably stay closed for several months at least. Why? Is there someone you know who still hasn't come out of the labyrinth?" Zena Said with a little panicked voice.
"No, no, it's nothing like that. I was just a bit curious, that's all. I'm sorry if I worried you"
/Looked like I wouldn't be able to train them anytime soon. Especially given the situation with the beast folk girls, maybe we should head to Labyrinth City when we were done sightseeing in Seiryuu City?/
"Satou, do you have any plans for today?"
Because Satou lost in his thought, he responded to Zena's question without really thinking about it.
"Yes, I was planning to go to a general store to see if they could point me toward an inn that'll accept demi humans. I can't just let Liza and the girls keep sleeping in the stables, after all"
"U-um, in that case, would it be all right if I join you?" Wringing her hands, Zena looked up at Satou anxiously.
"I don't mind, but are you sure you want to waste your precious day off on something so boring?"
"Yes! I just want to spend my day off with you!"
Satou didn't think it'd be much fun for her to follow him around while he looked for a place to stay… But her smile was so bright as she replied, so he couldn't turn her down.
So with Zena in tow, Satou headed toward the general store across from the plaza at the main gate.