As I paid the money and left the room, asking the slave trader to wait for a while, Seri praised me. It seemed she didn’t dislike the bargaining as much as she did with the brokers.
"Well, thank you."
"Especially, I couldn’t understand at all why the merchant lowered the price so much at the end."
...Uh.
It was because the 30% discount skill worked.
"Indeed, Master, your character is admirable."
"Thank you. But it’s not that great."
I decided to ride on Roxanne’s words. Maybe skills and character are similar in a way. The merchant must see me as a big customer who can still make a profit even with a 30% discount.
"No, it’s wonderful."
"Apparently, he violated a sacred area, but there should be no problem."
"If you say so, Master."
"Divine punishment is a superstition. If it really existed, it would have been inflicted when he fished in the no-fishing zone."
Seri is indeed reasonable. Roxanne nodded in agreement, so it should be fine. After a while, the slave trader returned with Miria.
"××××××××××"
"Thank you for the fish," she apparently said.
I haven’t even given her any fish yet.
I was unexpectedly bound by tonight’s dinner plans. Surprisingly good at negotiating?
"Later."
"××××××××××"
When Roxanne translated, she stared at me intently. I didn’t say I wouldn’t give her fish.
"Then, I will rewrite the Intelligence Card."
I stretched out my arm as the slave trader spoke. Miria also extended her arm reluctantly after being told to do so. After making Seri extend her arm, the slave trader rewrote the Intelligence Card.
Kagatou Dofu, Male, 17, Explorer, Free Citizen
Owned Slaves: Roxanne, Seri (Posthumous Release), Miria (Posthumous Inheritance)
The Intelligence Card was updated, and Miria became my owned slave. The posthumous handling was set to inheritance, but it didn’t show who would inherit her.
I took Miria and left the merchant’s office. As expected, Miria was barefoot. Once outside, I first gave her leather shoes.
"Put these on."
"××××××××××"
"It’s very kind of you to give me shoes on top of the fish," she apparently said.
She will take the fish.
"Since we’re going into the dungeon, these are also part of the equipment."
Roxanne translated, and she obediently put on the shoes. I added her to the party and returned home from the Imperial City’s Adventurer’s Guild. On the way, Roxanne was already teaching Miria something.
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says you’re amazing for being an explorer."
I thought the conversation would continue about the teleportation.
"Just tell her it’s fine. And to keep it confidential."
"Understood."
I left it to Roxanne to handle, as it was troublesome. After listening to Roxanne, Miria looked at me with respect. I have no idea what Roxanne told her.
Well, if she respects me, that’s fine. Even if it’s scary when she finds out later.
"Let me introduce myself again. I’m your master, Michio. Please take care of me."
I placed my hand on Miria’s head. Confirming that she didn’t mind, I patted her. I also touched her cat ears a little. They were quite soft.
I thought they would be a bit harder, but they felt good. The white fur inside was soft and acted as a cushion. It felt very pleasant.
"××××××××××"
"Yes, she says she will take care of you too."
"Say 'Yes' in Brim language. Try it. Yes."
"…Yes."
When Roxanne translated my command, Miria moved her mouth awkwardly.
"Wow, you can say it."
"××××××××××"
"She’s amazing."
Roxanne, Seri, and I praised her together.
If you don’t show, tell, let, and praise, people won’t move. (by Yamamoto Gonnohyoe)
"Yes."
Miria smiled happily. Teaching her Brim language should be fine if we take it step by step.
"This is Roxanne. She will also translate for you, so you’ll be in her care. Think of her as a sister."
"××××××××××"
"Yes."
Roxanne translated, and Miria bowed to Roxanne. She must have translated it quite accurately.
"Try saying it. Big sister."
I taught Miria. Big sister. Once she can say big sister, next is...
Hehehehehe.
The pleasure of being adored as an older brother by a cat-eared girl is irreplaceable.
"...Big sister."
"Yes, Miria."
Good. She can say it.
Next is o... When I was about to teach her, Seri looked at me with a disdainful expression. Why?
No, it must be my imagination.
It must be.
It has to be.
It’s just paranoia.
"This is Seri. For now, the party consists of these four. I plan to expand our forces, so please get along with new members."
Damn.
What’s wrong with that?
At least, I’ll declare the expansion of the harem. The beginning is crucial.
Strike while the iron is hot.
It’s better to lay the groundwork before they get used to it.
"××××××××××"
"I have a brother, so it’s fine," she apparently said.
Miria stood up straight. I don’t plan to add a brother, though.
"Next, about your job. Is there any job you want to do in the dungeon?"
While asking Miria, I used the party job settings.
None of the levels were particularly high. The Pirate job was probably obtained for breaking the no-fishing rule. Cat people become pirates instead of thieves, it seems.
"It’s fine as it is," she said.
"Then, Diver?"
I’m glad she didn’t say she wanted to become a Pirate King.
"By the way, the guild contract restricts her to being a Diver for ten years after becoming one," she added.
"Is that so?"
I tried changing her job to Villager Lv5. It worked.
Oh.
"When she tries to change to another job, the contract is broken, and she becomes a Pirate," Roxanne translated.
After finishing the party job settings and checking, her job had changed to Pirate Lv1. I quickly restarted the party job settings.
...
Good.
I managed to change it back to Diver Lv2. Even after finishing the party job settings, it remained Diver Lv2.
Just to be safe, I tried changing it to Warrior Lv1. It was fine.
She didn’t become a Pirate.
"It seems that contract is now invalid."
As Roxanne translated, changing the job was considered breaking the contract. The job settings didn’t consider changing jobs at all.
Of course, it makes sense, but maybe it doesn’t.
I’m not sure.
"××××××××××"
"Is it divine punishment?"
Miria said something worriedly, and Roxanne asked with concern. That’s a bad question.
It’s entirely my fault.
"N-no, it’s not divine punishment. I just... did something."
"You can do such things?"
I hastily denied it, and Roxanne looked at me with respect. When Roxanne translated, even Miria did. They seem to have misunderstood something.
Well, what’s done is done.
It can’t be undone.
I’ll pretend I didn’t do it.
"Seri, what is the Diver job?"
"It’s a race-specific job for female cat people. It’s supposed to give strong attack power against water-dwelling monsters."
Diver Lv2
Effect: Moderate HP increase, Small HP increase, Small Strength increase
Skill: Waterborne Enhancement
The Diver job has a skill called Waterborne Enhancement. This must be the skill that gives strong attack power against water-dwelling monsters. It’s probably a passive skill.
Is it okay to keep the Diver job?
If it’s strong against water-dwelling monsters, it could be useful.
"What weapon will you use?"
"She says she used a spear when fishing."
That’s all she knows.
Shouldn’t it be a harpoon instead of a spear?
"Is a spear okay in the dungeon? Will Roxanne be fine with two spear users in the front line?"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"She says a two-handed sword for offense and a one-handed sword with a shield for defense are fine."
Roxanne and Miria discussed and came to a conclusion. A one-handed sword with a shield should be fine. Eliminating enemies is my job anyway.
"Then, a one-handed sword. We’ll enhance it later, but a dagger should be fine for now."
"Yes, it should be sufficient."
With Roxanne’s approval, I went to get a dagger. I had a skill slot-equipped dagger made by Seri, which I kept aside. You can’t get a 30% discount unless you buy multiple items. For now, the remaining weapons should be fine.
I took the dagger from the room I use as a storage and gave it to Miria. She took it with a cheerful "Yes."
"Next is armor. We still have leather hats and gloves, so those are fine, but a leather jacket might be too tough."
I exchanged a leather jacket for a Green Caterpillar Lv11. A leather jacket would be too tough for the lower-level Miria.
"A leather jacket should be enough to fight."
That’s only for Roxanne.
"Better to be safe. Let’s go to the armor shop. If there’s anything else you need, we’ll buy it together."
"Understood."
We teleported to the Cooltar Adventurer’s Guild. Miria seemed surprised, but I left it to Roxanne. We didn’t use a chant to teleport from inside the house, and Miria didn’t cause a commotion outside.
We entered the town center and went to the armor shop... but Miria stared at the fish shop.
I expected that.
The fish shop didn’t have many fish.
Three or four types of carp or trout, probably caught nearby. Cooltar isn’t close enough to the sea to transport fish.
"××××××××××"
As we passed the fish shop, Miria reluctantly muttered something and followed.
I thought she wouldn’t budge, but she’s surprisingly obedient.
"What did she say?"
"××××××××××"
"××××××××××"
"Hemichana, Roxsler, Bagiji. She says these are the names of the fish at the fish shop."
Miria confirmed, and Roxanne told me. Names, huh.
She really knows them well.
"We’ll get fish later."
Roxanne translated, and Miria looked at me with wide eyes. She seemed full of surprise, expectation, and joy.
"Yes."
She answered and eagerly took the lead. Does she know where we’re going?
Ah. Roxanne scolded her, and she came back. She didn’t know, after all. Miria stood next to Roxanne. Roxanne said something to her.
"What’s she saying?"
"Probably about formation."
I was curious because she was being lectured for so long, and Seri told me.
"Formation?"
"Yes. Until now, Roxanne and I guarded you from the front and back or the sides, but now there are three of us."
She’s being told not to rush ahead and to stay alert. Or, did we have a formation before?
I didn’t notice.
"I see. Sorry. Thanks, Roxanne."
"No, it’s my duty."
Of course, she’s guarding me. I should give proper orders, but I didn’t, so Roxanne must have been covering for me. I’m a terrible master.
We went to the armor shop and first chose a shield. I let Roxanne pick an iron shield, which is an upgrade from the wooden shield. It has two empty skill slots and isn’t much heavier than the wooden shield due to its small and thin design.
"Miria, do you want a hard leather jacket or chainmail?"
I asked as Roxanne finished choosing the iron shield.
"Chainmail is fine unless she’s going to fish in the sea."
Wearing chainmail in the sea would make it impossible to float. I picked a few chainmails with empty skill slots. When I let Miria choose, she pointed to one instantly.
"Is this okay?"
"Uh, she wants to go to the fish shop quickly."
Fish is more important to her than her armor. I don’t think it matters much which one she chooses. Roxanne didn’t need to lecture her so much.
We bought the iron shield and chainmail and left the armor shop. Miria quickly decided on clothes and other items without much hesitation. Shopping with Miria is easy. I’m not sure about the fish shop, though.
"Miria, do you want grilled white fish?"
I asked in advance because I was scared. Roxanne translated, and Miria looked at me happily and nodded.
"It’s fine."
"Then, I’ll get grilled fish. Roxanne and Seri, let’s get one more dish for dinner each."
"I’ll make soup."
"I’ll make a stir-fry."
Roxanne will make soup, and Seri will make a stir-fry. It’s the first day, so Miria doesn’t need to cook. Miria looked at me with a passionate gaze. Is she in love?
"××××××××××"
"Thank you for the fish," she apparently said.
I thought as much. After buying clothes, daily items, and magic crystals, we went to the fish shop to get white fish. Miria stuck to me closely. I received the white fish from the old explorer.
Incidentally, this is why there’s a fish shop in Cooltar. White fish is a drop item from higher-level monsters.
Drop items can be stored in the item box. It’s a good part-time job for retired explorers. There’s a cashier and a merchant managing the shop, so the 30% discount applies. The fish shop in Cooltar mainly buys fish rather than sells them.
"Can Miria clean fish?"
"She says she can handle it."
Yeah.
She stood up straight, so I knew the answer before Roxanne translated. She can do it. Unlike me, who only buys pre-cut fish from the supermarket. It should be fine to buy fish from the fish shop from now on.