We finish eating, and encounter five more wolves on the way back. Sera and Hikari take care of them, and I put them as they are in the Item Box, taking only their magic stones. I decide to deliver these five, mostly because Hikari is very adamant about it.
âHold on a second, weâre going to deliver them.â
We reach the guild, and Sera and I walk towards the reception. When I tell them all I did was put the wolves in the Item box, Iâm taken to a storeroom, where I give them the wolves. I also donât forget to mention that I took the magic stones.
I receive the reward, minus the fee for taking them apart and for taking the magic stones, and give half to Sera.
Sera refuses at first, because sheâs a slave, but I tell her itâs not a good idea for all the money to be in one place, in case something happens to me. We might have to split up at some point too, like when we escaped from the holy city. Itâs also better to have her hold on to it than Mia or Hikari, but I keep that part to myself.
When we come back, I hear a lot of fuss in the guild. Then I see adventurers talking to Hikari and Mia, with more standing around them and watching.
âDo you need anything with our girls?â
I jump into this volatile environment. It feels like Hikari is about to explode at any moment.
âAhn? Are you their master or something? Donât you teach them any manners? Slaves should obey everything humans say.â
Whatâs this guy talking about? Half the people looking on agree, and half also look confused.
âThatâs right. Slaves are only half human, so they should obey full humans, shouldnât they?â
Is he his friend?â
âOu, so thereâs cattle lower than a slave here too. But now that I get a good look at you, youâre not that bad⌠Hey, come over here and service me. Think of it as a favor.â
He says while looking at Sera and letting out a sadistic laugh. My head is starting to hurt.
âSorry, but go mess with someone else. These girls are with me. If you keep insulting them, Iâm not going to let it pass.â
âHey hey, the kid thinks heâs hot stuff. Are you trying to go against Light Sword, B ranked adventurers?â
Is he famous? Other than the ones I think are his friends, every adventurer here looks like they have no idea what heâs talking about.
âIâve never heard of you. Are you famous?â
Ah, that turned his face red. I hear some snickers too.
âYou country bumpkins⌠Whatâs your rank kid? Câmon, tell us.â
Ooh, he bounced back. This guy can take a hit.
âIâm not even an adventurer.â
âHe says heâs not even an adventurer. Then what are you doing here?â
âI just followed along on a wolf hunt and carried the luggage.â
âCarried the luggage uh? Youâre looking weaker by the minute. So whereâs your boss? Iâm going to have him pay me for all the crap youâre saying to me.â
Three people that look like theyâre his friends nod. So itâs a four person party?â
âHum⌠Can you please stop fighting in the guild? Itâs prohibited soâŚâ
Says someone from the reception desk, with a weak tone of voice. It was said so quietly, that if the fuss from earlier was still going on, no one would have heard it.
Everyoneâs eyes focus where that voice came from, and the receptionist shrugs and looks around helplessly. It reminds me of a small animal.
But it does have an effect, as the four adventurers click their tongues and leave.
âHmph. Weâre going to be in a dungeon eventually. Remember this when the time comes.â
He says as they leave.
Youâre the ones who started trouble with us, you know? The nerve of that guy.
But he wasnât just talking to us. It spread to all the adventurers around us who have nothing to do with this.
âThat was unfortunate. But be careful, people like that are everywhere. You shouldnât let slaves come to the adventurer guild alone. I know you were just elsewhere doing something else, but donât take your eyes off them.â
Warns a veteran adventurer. I guess he has a point. It would be one thing if the slaves were guys, but this sort of thing is bound to happen with girl slaves. There are too many hot-blooded guys here.
âThanks for the warning.â
âNo problem. Itâs nice for a young guy to be sincere like that.â
He sounds like a cool-headed guy. I feel like in this world, a lot of people that look threatening are actually nice people. Those other four were more like pretty boys.
âAre you all right? Iâm sorry, I shouldâve stayed with you.â
âI was surprised, but itâs fine.â
âMaster, we should punish those things.â
âBear with it. But go for it next time they mess with you.â
Hikari looks happy about that. I wonât hold back next time either.
âThose adventurers are probably from the Borsheil Empire.â
Says Sera as we walk back.
âThey donât treat slaves like people, and care a lot about adventurer ranks. Itâs just like people from that country to do this. AndâŚâ
They called Sera cattle.
âIt would be better if we could at least do something about those slave collars.â
âThat doesnât matter. And Iâm pretty happy anyway. I get to see my friends thanks to this.â
Seraâs smile tells me sheâs serious.
Iâm actually scared of those twoâs reactions when they see her call me master. The slave contract is rescinded if Sera manages to earn five hundred gold coins, but can she do it?
I should have looked more into how to rescind slave contracts. Apparently itâs not as simple as canceling it if both parties agree.
Then I start thinking about how even though those people were acting so arrogantly, they immediately obeyed when a guild employee stepped in. Apparently the empire has a lot of people like that, so guild employees there tend to be fighters too.