Chapter 18: Allied Forces and Slaves
I sat on the ground, still with a throbbing headache, and my consciousness was greatly clouded, perhaps due to the side effects of MP depletion.
While scouts searched the surroundings to make sure there were no remaining enemies, five or six energetic individuals were selected and seemed to be exploring inside the cave.
In the meantime, Karina and another priest were attending to the injured, but it seemed that some had already breathed their last.
The priest's spells seemed capable of healing significant injuries, but it appeared they couldn't regenerate lost limbs. And as for a spell to resurrect the dead, it was unlikely that a single-digit level priest would possess such magic.
Come to think of it, I vaguely recalled the God saying something like "no second chances after death." Even though this was a world resembling an RPG, life was still precious and different from a game.
A young mage girl came to check on me.
"Are you alright? Did you get injured anywhere?"
"No... I just depleted my MP, so I feel dizzy..."
"I see. So that wall that suddenly appeared was your magic, right?"
She figured it out. As expected of a mage. Probably, the others would think she, the only mage among them, was the one who did it.
"Well, it's a bit different from magic. It's a special skill that consumes a large amount of MP, so it's tough."
"But it's amazing. Thanks to you stopping its movement, I was able to hit it with my fireball. Until now, I couldn't hit anything in actual combat and became a burden to everyone... Thank you."
I ended up receiving gratitude.
I only kept it occupied; it was this girl's ability that finished it off.
"I also get headaches and nausea when I use too much magic. People who don't use magic won't understand."
Come to think of it, she seems less nervous than before the battle. This is better.
Her name seems to be Beth.
The level 8 slave warrior also approached us.
"So, that wasn't Beth's magic?"
"It wasn't me. I was surprised too."
They were having a conversation. They must be familiar with each other as fellow soldiers. I'm the only newcomer.
The slave warrior introduced himself as Gleyon.
"Thanks for the help. It was a bad situation. I didn't think I could rely on your swordsmanship, but it turns out that's your specialty. I can see why Lady Cecily favors you."
"When people talk about swords, it's tough... You were strong."
Indeed, this guy's way of fighting was reliable to have by your side. He must have taken down two or three of them.
I think I managed to hold my ground against the Level 4 Orc in front of me because my flank was safe.
He's a head taller than me, and his weight is probably 50% more. He definitely looks strong. A reliable vanguard in an RPG.
Eventually, the people who were inside the cave came out. They reported to Kalena and the others that they found the place that had become the Orcs' nest, but it turned out to be a dead-end, and there were no Orcs or any captive women there.
Seeing me with a puzzled look, eavesdropping, Beth awkwardly explained to me.
"The Orcs kidnap human women... and make them bear their children."
Damn it. Monster breeding was a mystery, but it seems that kind of thing happens.
If there were no women sacrificed for now, it's not a bad situation, but that's why we need to hurry and subdue them.
Another priest is purifying the Orc corpses and turning them into magic stones.
"Hey, anyone available, come over here!"
A scout who was investigating the surroundings called out.
Apparently, they found something that looks like another small cave. However, it's steep and difficult to investigate because the hole is deep, so the discussion was about filling it up with soil and sealing it off.
If Orcs suddenly attacked from behind through this place, there's a possibility it's connected to the labyrinth.
Considering the future security, sealing it off is the best choice.
Greon and other well-built warriors are trying to collapse the soil and rocks above the cave.
I quietly tried to see if I could fill it with clay, but my MP was already depleted, and I reached my limit after producing a clay ball about the size of a soccer ball.
I threw it into the hole and decided to contribute with physical labor like the other men.
Due to my usual lack of exercise, I'll probably have muscle pain tomorrow.
***
It was the time when the sun was beginning to set, and with casualties and a significant decrease in fighting power, the order to withdraw was given that day. The only remaining creatures within the territory were low-level monsters such as kobolds and demon boars, and they were to be exterminated from the early morning of the next day.
We were taken to a shabby building adjacent to the barracks, with a particularly dilapidated appearance. It was a single-story stone building with hardly any windows.
It seemed to be called the "slave quarters," and two level-2 slave warriors named Greon and Spino were also brought along.
Upon entering through the entrance where the guards were stationed, we immediately descended a staircase to the underground and were each put into a cramped space with iron bars, like solitary confinement. Perhaps because I was a newcomer, I was placed at the end closest to the staircase.
The room was too narrow to be called a room. About one meter wide and two to three meters deep? It was truly just enough space to sleep in. If the ceiling were lower, it would resemble a capsule hotel.
However, unlike a hotel, there were no futons. Straw was piled on the stone floor, as if that was supposed to serve as a bed. It felt like being in a horse stable.
In addition, there was a large earthenware jar with a wooden lid placed at the back. I can't believe it... is that the toilet? Of course, there's no toilet paper either. Could it be straw? What about someone with hemorrhoids?
I truly feel that I have become a slave.
I sat down on the pile of straw for a while, feeling down, when a small bucket of water, a tattered cloth, and food were brought in.
The water was probably for washing hands and cleaning oneself. Many people are covered in blood or dirt from the battle. I don't know if there's any concept of preventing infections or anything. Of course, I'm not expecting hot water like at an inn.
As for the food, well, it's more appropriate to call it a meal than saying "food." It was served in an overly large deep dish, and if I were to describe it in a Japanese way, it would be like a donburi with just a wooden spoon. It was a stew with plenty of porridge, vegetables, mushrooms, and meatballs.
The quantity was large, but the taste was unfortunately disappointing, to the point where the meals at roadside inns seemed like high-class restaurants. The meatballs had a strong, unpleasant smell, and the seasoning was simply salty. Even though there were mushrooms and vegetables in it.
As a Japanese person, I would like to teach them about the taste of dashi.
A level-2 warrior from the neighboring cell, who fought in the same squad as me today, called out to me from the other side of the wall. This man, named Spino, is apparently younger than me, but he has been a combat slave for two years.
It seemed that he didn't achieve any remarkable feats today either, but despite his low level, he managed to hold his ground without any trouble.
In these underground cells, there are rows of cells for male slaves, and it seems that besides us, there are also men who work in the mansion doing manual labor or gardening.
On the first floor, there's a guard room and a room for female slaves, or so I've heard. It seems the female slaves are used for menial tasks in the mansion. Generally, those who work in places visible to guests, like maids, are not slaves but rather free servants.
So, it turns out that slavery is a common thing in this world after all.
Spino was originally the son of a farmer, and his family used to cultivate fields outside the city walls. However, it seems that his father, who was a laborer, lost his life due to the increase in monsters. Their crops were also destroyed, and two years ago, when the family couldn't pay their taxes, Spino, who was not yet an adult, was sold.
He ended up being used in the lord's mansion, in a form similar to a tribute of people instead of goods, and he willingly became a combat slave.
"Joining the army allows you to repay debts faster."
Of course, slaves don't receive any salary, but in the case of economic slaves, their work is converted into money, and once the original amount is recovered, they can regain their freedom.
Combat slaves, who face the danger of losing their lives, are highly valued for their work, so many of them desire to become free as soon as possible.
Moreover, physical strength and health directly affect combat prowess, so their treatment is relatively good for slaves. They receive plenty of food as well.
Another person who fought together with me, Greon, seems to be the son of a blacksmith in Douglas. According to Spino, he is the most experienced combat slave here, as the previous Earl bought him from a slave trader for the purpose of conquering the labyrinth, and he has experience in other labyrinths as well.
I also thought about sharing a little bit about how I became a slave, but as soon as I tried to speak, my throat tightened violently. Well, maybe it was just a feeling, but I couldn't say a word.
Could this be the effect of the contract forced by the spell?
I tried various things to see what I could say, but the only thing I managed to convey indirectly was:
"I am under a spell that prevents me from disclosing the content of the slave contract, which was formed through magic."
However, Spino seemed to understand that much and didn't seem to mind.
I've heard that such cases exist as well, he said. Honestly, he seems to be the type who prefers talking about himself rather than listening to others. We're complete opposites in that regard.
As soon as we finished eating, the faint light that illuminated the corridor of the slave quarters was extinguished, and we had no choice but to go to sleep.
The patrolling soldiers politely performed a roll call for sleep.
They said we would be mobilizing in the early morning tomorrow, and even without that, I'm already exhausted. After a day of fighting and hiking, it feels like I, a weak modern person and a ronin, am completely worn out.
Therefore, I sleep. I lay down on a stack of straw and fall asleep.
However, the truth is I can't sleep yet. Just as my consciousness was about to fade, Rina finally came back.
I asked the mobile doll who could easily slip through the iron bars to gather information in the vicinity. It happened to be in the closest solitary confinement cell to the stairs, so I didn't have to cross paths with the others.
Rina in her dark blue tracksuit resembles my middle school gym uniform. Underneath, of course, she wears a gym suit and bloomers. This is essential. But the reason I made her wear a dark-colored tracksuit was to make her less noticeable.
Rina returned, stealthily hiding her footsteps, and slipped into the straw.
"Don't sleep. I was desperately trying to fend off rats."
She whispers in my ear.
"Sorry, sorry. It would have been troublesome if you were kidnapped. By the way, do you get hurt?"
"I don't know. Don't try to test it. Probably, it's game over if I die."
She casually says something dangerous. Well, it's a bonus from God after all, so I guess it means to take care of it.
Since going up the stairs is a big task for Rina's size, she was only able to go as far as this slave shack and the entrance of the adjacent barracks. So the information she obtained was trivial, like being likely to be woken up just before half past dawn or that the morning distribution consists of black bread.
"It seems female soldiers have rooms in the lord's mansion. Too bad, huh?"
It doesn't matter. Absolutely not, this is not reconnaissance.
Well, to be honest, the purpose of sending Rina for reconnaissance was to test if she could be used in such a way in the future, so I'm not disappointed even if we didn't obtain much valuable information. Really.
And also, in today's battle, I used "Clay Play" to the fullest, but I haven't used Rina much to level up her skills, so I aimed to use her before going to sleep. So it didn't matter what the content was. Of course, I won't tell Rina about it.
And then, as I fell asleep, I dreamed of that level-up space again.
With a click-clack sound, my adventurer level rose to 7.