I gasped, my eyes opening. Everything hurt. It felt like I had been shoved through a strainer.
"M-master! Master!" The voice came distant but steadily grew louder and louder in my ears. "Master!"
My eyes slowly opened and I allowed the light to enter my vision. There were two people holding me down. No, rather, they were collapsed on top of me. With one of them, I felt something soft and comfortable pressed against me. The other was a bit flatter. I realized it was Lydia and Miki. They were both crying and holding me tightly.
"Did we… win…?" I asked, grimacing.
"Master!" They both cried out, smiles forming on their faces as they hugged me even tighter.
"Ouch…"
"S-sorry…" Lydia and Miki finally pulled away, the pair blushing.
"We defeated it, Master. I used a Spirit Well and then it finally fell. After that, we grabbed Master and came here. We… didn't know where else to go…" Miki's voice broke as she was flooded with emotion.
"Here?" I looked around and then my eyes widened. "Figuro? The slave caravan?"
Figuro stepped forward. "Ah… yes, the girls gave us quite a fright when they walked through our camp, battle-worn and carrying you. Fortunately, we were able to patch you up again."
I smiled wryly. "Yeah… it seems like the case."
"I was so worried. I thought you'd die." Lydia said, wiping her eyes. "I'm glad we were able to save you."
"You girls fought hard." I gave them both a smile and patted their heads. "Thank you for being so brave."
"Master… I'm so sorry… I slipped. You took that hit for me." Lydia said, sniffling. "That should have been me."
"It's fine." I smiled. "Can you girls bring me some warm water? I'd like to clean up a bit."
"Yes, Master!" Lydia straightened up.
"We will!" Miki nodded excitedly.
The two girls ran out of the tent in a rush, eager to do something for me. I felt a swelling in my heart for the pair of them. They had worked so hard in that fight, and afterward had to carry me all the way over here. It was no easy feat. My girls were truly amazing.
"You didn't tell them?" I asked, finally turning to Figuro.
Figuro froze for a moment and then laughed. "You know then?"
"Yeah… I died… why did you bring me back?"
"Dead men can't pay off their debts." Figuro smiled gently. "Your slaves were so upset, that I feared telling them you died would hurt them too much. Especially Lydia."
"Thank you for sparing them…" I sighed, but then I shot him a suspicious glare. "But I don't believe your reasoning for why you spared me. This goes beyond a 100-gold debt at this point."
Figuro laughed. "You got me. I've already said my reasoning though. I have a good feeling about you. I feel like you are a good investment. I don't need to look any farther than your slaves to know this is true. Look at them. Look at how much they flourish. The smiles on their faces truly move me. I never would have imagined it of Miki before she met you. I admit I was shocked when I saw her walk into camp while holding your lower half. Even I had written her off as dead just a few days ago… but look at her now, so bright and active. That was all because of you."
"Ah… so… the going rate still stands?" I asked, feeling embarrassed and wanting to just get to the crux of it.
Figuro shook his head. "This one is on the house. Just… try to be more careful in the future. You no longer are alone. Those girls depend on you."
I nodded slowly. "I understand. Until I free them, their fate is tied to mine."
"Free them?" Figuro asked.
I shot him a look. "Yeah? That's the plan, isn't it? Don't tell me you aren't willing to once I paid my fee!"
Figuro held up his hand. "It's not that I'm not willing… but I have to ask, are you sure that is what they want?"
I froze, not sure how to answer. Who would want to be a slave? That was the real question, or was it? Could I imagine my life any more without these girls as mine? Perhaps that was the real question. After a moment of getting nowhere thinking about it, I shook my head.
"Thanks, Figuro. I will pay you back. All of it. 105 gold coins. I swear it."
Figuro bowed. "I look forward to it. Then, I will give you some rest. You can stay here with the girls tonight."
My eyes followed Figuro as he bid me farewell and then left the tent. He was polite, proper, and smart. I was almost starting to like the guy, even though he was a slave trader.
A moment later, the girls pushed their way back into my tent. I couldn't stop myself from smiling when they walked in. Seeing their beautiful faces brightened my mood instantly. They still had bruises and cuts on their own bodies, but they hadn't even spared any time to care about themselves. However, before I could say anything, the girls surrounded me.
"Get his shirt," Lydia said. "I'll get the pants."
Miki nodded and ran over to my top, bringing up my shirt over my head. Meanwhile, Lydia grabbed my pants and started pulling them down. I let out a cry, trying to grab onto my clothing.
"Oi! What are you two doing?"
"Master must be cleaned. You're too weak, so it's our responsibility." Lydia declared, her eyes changing to be somewhat fierce like a tiger.
"Definitely, slave's job!" Miki's expression showed her usual mischievous smile as she wrestled my shirt off, a feat she would have been too weak to do if I hadn't just been resurrected and felt as weak as a baby.
"This… wait… stop! Not those! Ahh… it's cold! Ahhhhhh!"
Many strange noises came from our tent and filled the slave caravan that night. Whether I wanted to or not, I was cleaned thoroughly.