Chapter 18: Travel Companions

"I feel like eating fish, so I’m thinking of heading to the sea."

It was a sudden declaration from Master while we were soaking in the bath after dinner. There aren’t any lakes or oceans around here, so it’s hard to get fresh seafood. For a Japanese person, not being able to eat things from the sea feels a little sad.

"Fish, you say?"

Yuria, who handles cooking, responded while pressing her bubble-covered body against Master. Lulu, soaking in the tub, looked rather uninterested. They were both raised in the mountains, so it’s probably natural that they’re not too familiar with fish.

"Every once in a while, I just really crave food with a rich seafood broth..."

Master looked a little dejected. The food here isn’t bad, but the idea of “dashi” doesn’t really exist. They do combine flavors, but the concept of “umami” isn’t recognized.

Maybe that’s why—if your tongue is used to Japanese cuisine, something always feels like it’s missing. I’m not asking for soy sauce or miso soup or anything luxurious, but I’d love to have a soup with that rich dashi flavor.

"Ugh, now I’m craving it too..."

As I pressed my bubbly body against Master's slightly muscular chest, the hand that had been caressing my thigh just moments ago slid around my back and pulled me into a tight embrace. As usual, he's a pervert.

"It’s probably going to be a long trip, and I don’t want to leave you behind. What do you think?"

That’s a tough one. For the past two weeks or so, we’ve been living with the luxury of having a bath. If we go on a journey, we might not get to bathe for a while. But being left behind is worrying. And besides, letting someone else have all the seafood to themselves is unforgivable.

"I'm coming. It’s not fair if you hog all the delicious food."

"I'm going too! I couldn’t bear to be apart from you, Master!"

"Me too, obviously!"

No one wanted to be left behind. All three of us readily raised our hands in agreement. And with that, it was decided that everyone would go.

"Alright then, it’s settled. We’ll all go. It’s a tourist spot too, so why not take a little time off and enjoy a seaside vacation?"

"Ooh~!"

Ah, travel always lifts the spirits. It’s not like an escort request—just a proper outing. It’s been a while since we’ve gone out. Time to enjoy it to the fullest!

"Hehe, I never imagined I’d get to go on a sightseeing trip."

Recreational travel is mostly a pastime for the upper class here. Just traveling is a major effort. There are even people who become adventurers just so they can pretend they’re traveling. That’s how strong the yearning for it is.

"I’m so glad I ended up as Shuuya-sama’s girl, nya~"

Lulu wasn’t an exception either—her tail was splashing about wildly in the tub. I really hope it turns out to be a fun trip.

"Glad everyone’s on board."

Master looked pleased to see how happy we all were—maybe he had been thinking about giving us some family bonding time. Seeing him like that, you really realize he’s a great catch. …Aside from the whole perverted and depraved part, that is.

As I frantically used my soapy hands to stop his big hand from migrating toward my rear, I let out a sigh in my heart.

---

Our destination was the seaside town of Port Dana, about a week’s journey by carriage to the south of Peteshe. Traveling alone efficiently is rare; most people hitch a ride with a caravan.

You usually pay a fee or serve as an escort to tag along. This time, we’re paying part of the fare and escort fee, so we’re getting treated like guests.

Even though we’re slaves, we’re still three girls, after all. Master seemed to be considerate in a lot of ways. …Why did I just lump myself into the “girl” category? Oh well, let’s not dwell on that.

On the day of departure, we met up with the other travelers at the gathering point south of town.

Master was wearing a black outfit with blue lines and a black cloak with red lining. He really looked the part of a traveling swordsman—cool and annoying. His rank had recently gone up to “upper,” and rumor has it he’s aiming for the highest tier. People in town call him “the Obsidian Magic Swordsman,” and apparently he’s quite popular with the village girls. Even though he’s a total pervert on the inside.

According to the two beasts in our household, that perversion is “part of a male’s charm” and “proof of being a top-class male.” Asking animals for opinions was clearly a mistake. Ugh.

I was wearing a navy-blue one-piece with a pure white cloak and a bracelet that serves as a magical conduit. It looks like regular gear, but apparently it was made from the feathers of a high-ranking monster called the “Dreamcarver Bird,” and cost a pretty penny.

Lulu wore a rather revealing two-piece bikini-style armor with vambraces and greaves. It wobbled whenever she moved, but she didn’t seem to care at all.

Yuria wore an apron-dress similar to a maid outfit, with gauntlets and a breastplate, and carried a battle axe with a blade of amethyst. Though not very revealing, her well-proportioned features and the distinct curves emphasized by her armor gave her a mix of elegance and sex appeal.

The men of the caravan were putting on pitiful expressions, their eyes practically glued to the girls, grinning like idiots. Honestly, men are such foolish creatures. Thankfully, none of those looks were directed at me, which was a relief. Apparently, I look decent enough, but once they hear I’m a half-goblin, people suddenly keep their distance.

...It’s complicated, being a half-goblin and getting that kind of reaction. Still, Master seems to think it’s better to introduce me that way when dealing with strangers.

It looks like there are a few other adventurers joining us on this trip. There was a friendly-looking young man paired with a demure woman in priestess robes. Then there was the brown-haired boy who first seemed to be blankly staring at Lulu, but then suddenly started glaring fiercely at Master. And the team of seasoned male adventurers who seemed to be chatting comfortably with that boy.

With so many people, I had a feeling this trip might not go smoothly—but for now, we’ll just hope for a safe journey.

◇

Maybe a “premonition” is just that—because surprisingly, the trip has gone smoothly so far. While the men handled security, the women, led by Yuria, were in charge of cooking. I tried to help too, but one of the others made a nasty face and said something like “don’t let the half-goblin touch the food,” so I’ve been quietly staying out of it.

There haven’t even been any of the usual bandit or monster attacks you’d expect on a trip like this. Even Master’s been behaving himself since we’re on the road, so things have been remarkably peaceful. Today’s journey also went off without a hitch, and now Yuria and I were in the tent handling, well, something that tends to build up in the chest area if left unattended.

“Urrrgh, that guy is so freaking annoying, nya...”

Lulu stormed into the tent and plopped down hard onto one of the cushions, growling under her breath—something you don’t see from her often. Master’s custom-made tent isn’t quite as comfy as our home, but it’s still well-equipped. Even in the middle of the wilderness, we can clean ourselves, get some real rest, and enjoy some luxuries like thick cushions, futons, and magical tools.

Apparently, it was inspired by one-touch pop-up tents and cottage systems from video games. It’s basically overtechnology. We’re not planning to reveal it to anyone, so for now, it’s ours alone—a little perk of being with Master.

“Did something happen?”

As Yuria straightened her clothes and tucked a bottle full of white fluid into the cooler box, she asked the question. Lulu responded by growling “Nggyaah!” and clawing at her head in frustration.

“That guy, he’s seriously the worst! He stares at my chest with these slimy eyes, mocks Shuuya-sama, and doesn’t listen when people talk!!”

“Maybe it’s because of the way you’re dressed...?”

Her chest is, admittedly, impressive. Right now she’s wearing nothing but that bikini-style leather armor, so it bounces with every step she takes. It’s only natural a guy would look. Still, I feel like it’s a bit unfair of her to start speaking in full rural-dialect cat mode just because someone ogled her.

“Like... it’s not like I mind being looked at, y’know? I’m actually kinda proud of my figure! But his eyes, man—they’re not admiring or pervy, it’s like... like he already owns me or something. That’s the vibe I get.”

I don’t really get it, but I guess it’s a different kind of unpleasantness. It’s not your usual pervy leer or sleazy grin—more like the look someone gives to something they’ve already claimed as theirs.

She must’ve really hated it, because now she’s even talking like some awkward junior at school.

“Ah... you mean the brown-haired one, right? He said some stuff to me too. I told him I belong to Master, but then he started going on about how ‘you shouldn’t stay with someone like that’ or something. So rude, honestly.”

Speaking of brown hair… oh, it must be that boy who was blankly staring at Lulu earlier. What is he even saying to someone else’s slave? In this country, only licensed merchants are allowed to buy or sell slaves.

So unless Master sells us back to a slave dealer, we’ll never end up in that guy’s hands.

Incidentally, rewriting the information on a slave collar is actually quite easy for a capable mage. However, the moment a slave is registered, their identity becomes an officially recognized status by the state. So even if I were to remove my collar or rewrite the owner data, the nation would still recognize me as “Sora, slave of Shuuya Kisaragi, a free citizen.”

If I walked around without a collar, I’d be treated as an escaped slave and arrested. After that, I’d be classified as a criminal slave. And if someone else were to rewrite my collar without filing the proper paperwork, they’d be committing a serious crime—illegal slave tampering.

Slavery is extremely tightly regulated. But it’s not all bad. While it’s the lowest class in society, treatment depends on the master, and there are actually some strong protective laws in place. If someone tries to harm a slave without the master’s permission, they can be charged with crimes like theft or destruction of property. If you’re lucky enough to have a kind owner, you can live a fairly happy life… as a pet.

As a pet, that is.

Also, unlike modern Japan, crimes like theft carry harsh penalties here. If it’s a lesser offense or the perpetrator shows remorse, they may be demoted to criminal slave status. But if the crime is deemed malicious, it’s a one-way trip to the “chop-chop”—fingers or even entire hands go first, then you become a criminal slave. Terrifying, right?

And since slave owners tend to be powerful people or skilled warriors, laying a hand on their property usually ends in disaster. Retaliation is fully legal.

Unless you're a proud, self-proclaimed outlaw like “We’re bandits and we’re proud of it!”, the unspoken rule is: even if a slave is cute, you just look—don’t touch.

“What the heck is wrong with him...?”

In other words, that brown-haired guy’s behavior was way over the line. Like, completely tone-deaf.

“And then he was like, ‘It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared,’ and just reached out to pat my head, tried to touch my ears and tail and everything! My tail fur puffed up like whoosh! Seriously, it was like whoosh!”

Ears and tails are incredibly sensitive areas for beastkin. If someone of the opposite sex who isn’t your lover tries to touch them, you’re totally within your rights to either go berserk and swing a weapon or burst into tears and flee. I mean, really think about it—what kind of guy tries to touch a girl’s ears or butt the first time they meet?

“Eugh. He really did that?”

Even Yuria looked disgusted.

Let’s be real: that guy’s a full-blown creep. I should probably ask Master to stay close and act as a guard, but… there’s something familiar about the way that guy acts. Like I’ve seen this pattern before...

"Sora-chan, you need to be careful too, okay?"

"I haven’t been approached so far, so I’d like to think I’m safe..."

Still, I need to report this to Master... We have to come up with a plan against that creep.

---

◇◆ ADVENTURE RESULT ◆◇
[EXP]
Total Battles: 3
◆ Sora Lv.42 → +2
◆ Lulu Lv.15 → +1
◆ Yuria Lv.12 → +1

◇――――――――――――――――――――
Sora Lv.44 [449] → Lv.45 [451] <<Level Up!!
Lulu Lv.17 [172] → [173]
Yuria Lv.15 [153] → [154]

[RECORD]
MAX COMBO >> 30
MAX HIT >> 30

[PARTY]
Shuuya [Lv55] HP 772/772 MP 1380/1380 [Stable]
Sora [Lv42] HP 50/50 MP 420/420 [Stable]
Lulu [Lv15] HP 602/602 MP 32/32 [Stable]
Yuria [Lv12] HP 1040/1040 MP 60/60 [Stable]

――――――――――――――――――――

[Comment]
“Pervert!”

“He must die!”

“No mercy for the wicked!”