It seemed that the king had suddenly said, "Starting now, I will be adding the
ability to manage your domain to the list of factors considered when deciding
promotions and demotions for the nobility and knights, so good luck with that."
(Though I doubt he'd said it quite so frankly.)
The ones who were panicking were the nobles and knights who hadn't given
much thought to their own lands, leaving the ruling of them to magistrates instead.
The bureaucratic nobles who had come to work in the city had seen participating in
the affairs of state their path to advancement, while the knights had believed
distinguishing themselves on the battlefield would lead to promotions. That was
why, now that they were going to be held to account for the management of their
own domains, they'd hurriedly begun to search for talented magistrates and people
to work under them.
The only things required of a rural bureaucrat were the ability to read and write
and the ability to do arithmetic, but few in this country possessed both skills. Both
required being taught, and those who had been taught (or rather, those who had
needed to be taught) were concentrated at the top of the social structure. Merchants
could probably do it, too, but they had their own businesses, so it wouldn't be
possible to hire them without paying compensation equivalent to their profits. In
other words, there was a truly limited supply of people willing to become
bureaucrats out in the rural areas.
Those who were low in social stature, but who had worked hard to study on their
own because they'd believed it would surely be useful someday, had been the first to
be called on. However, these people had all been hired by the nobles and knights
able to offer the most favorable conditions. The ones in trouble were the lowerranked nobles and knights.
They wanted people, but they couldn't offer conditions that were good enough to
attract them. The last thread of hope they had to cling to was slaves.
Come to think of it, slaves come from all walks of life, I thought. Slaves who can
write and do arithmetic cost more, but some have been sold.
It seemed that the nobles who had that thought were all rushing to the slave
traders. The slaves who could write and do arithmetic at the major slave traders had
sold out immediately, and now they were going around to the medium to small scale
slave traders. That was how they had come to our shop.
"Okay... I understand the situation," I said. "I have a number of conditions to
consider, so I will hold interviews."
And so, I interviewed each of the prospective buyers one by one.
Rather than focus on the purchase price, I was concerned with how the slaves
would be treated afterwards. There were quite a few who said, "I want to employ
them as bureaucrats, so I'm willing to release them from slavery." Those people
were given preference when I set them up with slaves. I didn't sell to those I could
see clearly had ill intent, and decided to keep relatives together as much as possible.
For the mother with the infant...
"I'll release her from slavery! The child can come, too! So, please, I'm begging you,
have her come to my domain!"
...is what one female knight begged me, half-crying, so I let her buy them. She had
apparently become a knight because she'd admired the gallant Princess Liscia, but
her abilities were completely biased toward the martial side of things, and she had
no idea how to manage her domain. That was why she was in a desperate hurry to
find good help. She seemed like a good sort, and I figured they'd be fine with her.
The slaves kept getting sold off one after another like that, but... the ones that
really surprised me were those two sister slaves.
It seemed one young noble was so enamored with them, he would not only set
them free, but also wanted to take them as his wives. What was more, this noble was
apparently from a fairly major family.
"Were you not here to look for potential magistrates and bureaucrats?" I asked.
"Of course that was my original intent, but I was smitten by their beauty and
intellect," said the noble. "My house is presently in a situation where it is best that
we do not form blood ties with other houses. I am sure that it would reassure His
Majesty if I were to take a wife of common birth. Besides, when I think of the posting
that awaits me, I cannot say that I see the daughters of any other house wanting to
wed me."
That noble's name was Piltory Saracen. He was apparently the young head of a
fairly major lineage in this country, the House of Saracen. He was passionate, and
seemed to be every bit the affable young man he looked like.
Why does a man of his stature want slaves? I wondered. Probably, his situation
and post had something to do with it.
"Um, I can't have you take them anywhere too dangerous..." I began.
"I want to assure you, I simply have to leave the country for a short time," he said.
"If they are to be my wives, I swear I will defend them with my very life. Let me
pledge here and now that they shall never perish before I myself do!"
"U-Uh... For now, let's hear what the two of them have to say about it."
I found myself overwhelmed by his passion and allowed Sir Piltory to meet with
the sisters. It turned out, the sisters were quite fond of the young man, too. He was
handsome, affable, and rich, all of which made him a real catch, but it seemed the
clincher was that the two of them would be able to stay together. They were a little
worried that Sir Piltory's posting was going to be in a foreign country, the Gran
Chaos Empire, but the two still decided to go with him.
Well, I can tell he's definitely a good guy, so if the two of them are all right with it, I
guess I am, too, I thought.
After that, even though I put some serious conditions on their treatment of the
slaves, buyers came in every day, and within a few days, the only one left with me
was San.
The reason San had been left for last was because she was helping me. It had
been too much for me to handle all of those people by myself, and San had been a
tremendous help to me.
Of course, with her beauty and shapely figure, there had been many buyers
who'd wanted to buy her under conditions no less good than the sisters Anzu and
Shiho had received. However, San herself said, "I will stay to help you until all of the
others have been bought, Master Ginger." So I'd indulged in her kind generosity.
We were in the shop before opening. While sitting at the counter, I looked to San
who was beside me offering me tea.
"San, you..."
"What is it, Master Ginger?" she asked.
"Um... Well... It's nothing..."
"Hm?"
San had worked hard for the slaves, and for me. It wasn't as though I hadn't felt
something when I'd seen her doing that.
Fortunately, everyone had been bought, and thanks to the nobles, I had some
financial leeway for the time being. If I were to release San from slavery, we could
start a new business together. I had started to wonder about the possibilities.
But... I'm sure someone better will come along for San, I thought. There's no
guarantee that my new business will succeed, and maybe San would be happier that
way, too.
While I was thinking about it, the door that I was sure I had a "Closed" sign on it
opened. When I looked up, wondering what it could be, there was a single young
man there.
"I have a request," the young man said. "Could I ask you sell that slave to me?"
The young man was dressed like a traveler from another country. He wore a
conical straw hat low over his forehead, as well as a traveling cloak. The way he
looked... Was he from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, perhaps?
"Um, we aren't open for business yet..." I said.
"I apologize," said the young man. "I was charmed when I saw that raccoon girl,
and I simply couldn't help myself. Is there any way you could give me that slave? Of
course, I intend to pay well more than she's worth. Once I've bought her, I will also
set her free."
"How much would you be paying, exactly?" San asked.
"San?!" I exclaimed.
While I was still surprised that San was trying to move things forward on her
own, she gave me a grin. "You did well for all of the other slaves, Master Ginger. I am
the only one left. That being the case, as one last service, I will sell myself for a high
price, and give you the extra money. Please, use it to start your new business."
"What are you saying?!"
Had San been thinking about that all along?
The young, foreign man dropped a small bag of coins on the table. "In this bag
there are ten large gold coins and fifty gold coins. Will this price be acceptable?"
Ten large gold coins and fifty gold coin was... 1,000,000G?! The average slave
went for 10,000G to 20,000G. Could he just plop down that kind of money?!
This young man... there's something strange about him...
He was acting like rich men often did, using the power of their money to get their
way, but I didn't get that same unpleasant feeling from the young man in front of me.
Unlike Sir Piltory, who had taken the two sisters, it didn't feel like he was in love
with San, either. If anything... I felt as though his attention was focused on me. Like
he was watching to see what I would do when presented with a large amount of
money...
While I was eyeing him cautiously, San bowed her head to the young man.
"It is enough. Please, take me."
"I told you, don't decide that for yourself!" I stood up and placed myself between
them, picking up the bag of coins and thrusting it back toward the man. "I'm terribly
sorry, but she's not for sale. When I start my new business, I want her there to work
for me."
"Master Ginger..."
San's eyes were wide with surprise. This was... my selfishness.
"I'm sorry, San," I said. "It may be better for you to be bought by this person. He
clearly has considerable finances, and I can't guarantee my business will succeed."
But, I couldn't do it. When San was... about to be stolen away from me, I finally
realized it. How strongly I felt that I didn't want to lose her.
"But, out of my own selfishness, I don't want to let go of you," I said.
"Master Ginger... I acted presumptuously..." San teared up as she said that. Then
she walked over to me and bowed her head. "Please... Let me stay at your side,
Master Ginger..."
"Yes. Of course I will." I gently embraced San.
After doing that for a little while, I recalled that we were completely ignoring the
young, foreign customer. When I looked at him, the young man had an awkward,
forced smile on his face.
I let go of San and bowed to the young man. "I-I'm sorry!"
"No, uh... I was wrong, too," he said. "I had just meant to test you, but I didn't
expect you two to suddenly start confessing your love for one another... Uh,
congratulations."
"Th-Thank you... very much," I stumbled.
H-How embarrassing. Just remembering that whole sequence of events made my
face feel like it was on fire.
...Wait, huh? Testing me? Had this guy just said he was testing me?
Out from behind the young man, an adorable girl in a hooded robe who wore her
hair in bunches entered the shop. That girl came up beside the young man with a
cheery smile on her face.
"See? He's an interestin' slave trader, just like Sebastian said, huh?"
"You can say that again," said the young man. "I doubt there's another like him
anywhere in this world. I guess, as the saying goes, it's always darkest under the
lamppost. Who would have thought there was still a talented person like this hidden
in the royal capital. This is why I can never get tired of head-hunting."
Then the young man removed his hat. That face... I had seen it on the Jewel Voice
Broadcast!
"Y-Your Majesty?!" I yelped.
There stood His Majesty, Souma Kazuya.
What was more, the girl standing next to him was Princess Roroa of the former
Principality of Amidonia, whose betrothal to King Souma had been announced
during the Jewel Voice Broadcast earlier! San and I hastened to bow before them,
but His Majesty said, "Ah, I'm here in secret right now, so none of that," and stopped
us.
"Um... Sire... What are you doing here?" I asked, my head still a mess of confusion.
Souma grinned. "I've heard good things about you. Like that you taught slaves
how to write and do arithmetic, and arranged for them to be bought by places that
would treat them well. From now on, slave traders around the capital will start
imitating you and educating their slaves. It seems the treatment slaves receive has
gotten better, too."
"I-I see..."
"From the looks of it, you don't realize your own incredible accomplishment," he
continued. "Well, maybe you were able to pull it off precisely because you're that
humble."
King Souma nodded to himself, seeming satisfied with that explanation.
"Ginger. You tried to improve the treatment of those in the weakest position in
society by giving them jobs. As a result, those slaves are slaves no more. This is
something that people at the top, like Madam Maria and I, couldn't have
accomplished so easily, even though we wanted to, you know? Yet you, out here in
the field, pulled it off."
"No... I was just... I was desperate to protect those in front of me, even if that was
all I could do..."
"I've been looking for people who can do things like that." His Majesty put his
hands down on the counter. "I intend to nationalize the slaving trade in this country.
Slave traders will become public servants, and there will be proper tests they have
to go through. That will make them easier to manage, after all. On top of that, to
ensure that the slaves aren't just used as manual labor until it breaks them and then
thrown away, we will also establish facilities to train them for jobs. At the same time,
I also intend to create an intermediary service to help people find jobs so they won't
be reduced to slavery in the first place."
"That's..."
"Yes," he said. "It's exactly the same as what you've been doing. That's what the
country is going to do."
That's incredible! Doing that will surely save people like San! I thought.
While I was thinking that, Souma extended his hand to me. "And I want to hire
you as the first head of the jobs training facility."
"M-Me?!" I yelped.
"You came up with the idea and implemented it yourself," he said. "I think you're
the best person for the job. You can take that money I showed you earlier to help
with the preparations. Why don't you use that money to set her free and start
working on it together?"
I looked over to San.
San nodded to me with a smile, then spoke these words: "'Every lull comes to an
end, and the tides can suddenly change.'"
...Yeah. That's right, San, Grandpa. This is that opportunity.
I nodded back to San, then took the hand Souma had offered me. "I'll do it! Please,
let me!"
"Thanks. I'll be looking forward to seeing your skills in action."
We exchanged a firm handshake. The contract was sealed.
Grandpa, I'm going to be serving the king now. You don't have to worry about me
anymore, okay?
While closing my eyes and reporting this to my grandpa, who had surely gone to
heaven, Lady Roroa said, "Looks like ya got that all settled then," and wrapped
herself around Souma's arm. "Well, let's leave it at that for work today. For here on,
I'm thinkin' it's time we had our date, ain't it? Right, Big Sister Ai?"
When Lady Roroa called out toward the door, a strong and beautiful dark elf
woman came inside. Wasn't this person the second candidate to become King
Souma's queen, Lady Aisha?! I remembered having seen her host the music program
alongside King Souma before!
Lady Aisha seemed slightly embarrassed, but she wrapped herself around the
arm opposite Lady Roroa. "Wh-Why, yes. We should do that."
"Um, you two? Could you not do this in public..." the king said.
""No!""
"...Oh, okay."
When they both shouted him down, Souma slumped his shoulders in resignation.
At first glance, he looked like he should be happy with a beautiful flower in each
hand, yet he was clearly feeling anxious. He might be the capable king who had
destroyed the Principality of Amidonia, but he was weak when it came to the women
who would be the significant others in his life.
"Maybe I should watch out, too..." I murmured.
"Did you say something, Master Ginger?" Perhaps imitating those two, San
wrapped herself around my arm with a smile.
That smile left me feeling fulfilled, and there was nothing I could say.
—It seemed that being no match for the woman you love was something that
affected king and commoner alike.