Chapter 22: If you're going to grill mochi, make it isobe-yaki.

"I'm really sorry about yesterday—!!"

Yeah. It's been a while since I've seen a full-on dogeza.

The next day, we dropped by the adventurers' guild—Dana Branch—to look for someone who might be Japanese. And wouldn't you know it, the guy was there, face swollen, and the moment he spotted Lulu, he dropped to his knees.

It was extremely conspicuous.

"U-uh...?"

Lulu, who’d been on high alert from the get-go, was visibly thrown off by the unfamiliar form of apology.

Well, dogeza doesn’t exist here as a custom. Bowing on the ground isn’t a gesture of apology, but of submission and obedience. So of course, everyone else around was just left confused and behind.

"I-I mean, uh, yesterday I got way too hyped up, and when I saw real cat ears, I just kinda reached out without thinking... I'm seriously sorry!"

"U-um... okay, so you're apologizing, right? Just don’t ever do that again, and also, don’t come near me."

Lulu snapped sharply. Even if it wasn’t done with ill intent, no one forgives a groper that easily. He really should reflect more deeply on what he did.

"I-I understand..."

He was still clearly hung up on Lulu, but for now, he seemed to be obeying her and keeping his distance. He looked totally deflated. Serves him right.

"And also, I belong to Master Shuya. So if you really want to apologize, you need to apologize to him too."

When he heard the word “belong,” he lifted his head with a troubled expression and stared at the choker collar around Lulu’s neck.

"Belong... as in?"

"We’re slaves. So we’re our Master’s property. Touching someone else’s property without permission is a crime, you know?"

Lulu puffed out her chest proudly—even though she was saying she was a slave. Meanwhile, the guy started panicking, visibly shaken.

"Slaves...?"

"All three of us belong to our Master, of course. He takes good care of us... or at least, I think he does, so you don’t need to feel sorry for us."

Just preemptively clearing things up before he goes down the same misguided path that brown-haired guy did. That guy went so far off the rails that he ended up buried under fines, penalties, and condolence payments for dead companions—doomed to a life working the mines. As a fellow Japanese, I can’t bear to watch that happen again.

Thanks to the worst timing imaginable, brown-hair’s little theft ended up costing way more than expected.

The guy, still looking bewildered, spotted our Master standing at the front and widened his eyes in shock. After all, Master does look exactly like a Japanese person. His facial features are totally different from the locals, so anyone from our country would instantly recognize it.

The reason Master wasn’t fazed was probably because he’d already heard rumors of another Japanese person around.

"You... you’re not..."

"Nice to meet you. I’m Kisaragi Shuya."

Master greeted him first, cutting in with his usual calm. The guy was still flustered as he returned the introduction.

"Y-yeah, I knew it... I’m Kasai Makoto, seventeen!"

Just as expected—he really was Japanese.

---

Kasai-san ended up in this world about three months ago, by local time. He said he opened the front door on his way to school and the next thing he knew, he was in an unfamiliar forest. I swear, there are so many ways people get isekai’d.

Since then, he’d survived by the skin of his teeth, made his way out of the forest, and eventually, with help from a kind adventurer he met along the way, arrived here after a long journey.

Once he started settling into this world, he spotted some rice, went berserk with joy, and then totally lost it upon seeing his first demi-human trio—culminating in a spontaneous act of groping.

It’s the classic “I did it ‘cause I was horny” defense. Look, I get that he regrets it, but he really doesn’t have to dogeza.

Anyway, all that was what we heard at the bar attached to the guild.

Sounds like he’s been through a lot. After venting and being consoled by Master, it seems like his lust has won out over guilt, since now he keeps sneaking glances at Lulu while asking about how to buy slaves and how they’re treated.

Just a little while ago he had this whole “poor slaves, what about their human rights?” face on. Ah, the fickleness of youth. Honestly, the two of them can both go explode. Freaks.

"I want a cat-eared slave too..."

"Man, that’s quite the turnaround."

Well, slavery is legal here. If treating one well makes you feel like you’ve done a good deed, then maybe it balances out somehow. Thanks to Master’s convoluted logic, Kasai redirected his guilt and was now fully committed to his fantasy plan of getting the ideal cat-eared slave.

"By the way, don't forget that there's a cat-eared slave nearby. We’ve accepted our situation, but that doesn’t mean we’re okay with it, you know?"

"By the way, for beastmen girls around 15 years old, the going price is 20 gold coins for a dog tribe, 12 gold coins for a cat tribe, and 8 coins for a rabbit tribe. If you're a mid-tier adventurer, you could save that amount in about 2-3 years."

"Adventurers have quite a lot of expenses. The fact that Master was able to save that amount in such a short time is extraordinary. But if someone can save 5 gold coins a year, that’s already quite impressive."

"The day we get to flirt with a cat-eared slave depends on his effort."

"Well, these three tribes are quite common, so the price won’t be as absurd as someone like Yuria. It should be within reach."

"The dog tribe is expensive because they’re diligent and loyal to higher-ups by nature, which makes them easier to train and very manageable as slaves."

"The cat tribe, on the other hand, will respect their master, but they have a free-spirited side that can make them a bit difficult to handle. As for the rabbit tribe, they aren’t very bright, so they’re only really good as sex slaves, though they do have excellent looks."

"I’ve spoken to a rabbit tribe girl back when she was with the slave trader… Even though she looked like she was in middle school, she was the type to say, 'Well, um, you know…'"

"Thinking about it now, it’s clear why Lulu fetched such a high price among the cat-eared tribe. She’s intelligent, quick-witted, and even has the physical ability to keep up with Master’s quests."

"As for my price, it’s not a fair evaluation, so I’m not bothered by it. Yep, not bothered at all."

"Men…"

Yuria sighs lightly as she watches two men at another table start discussing their ideal breast size. Lulu remains unfazed, probably because she’s come to terms with things. The difference, though, is likely the experience of being discarded by a man at some point. It’s a sad difference.

But I recall hearing somewhere that a strong man is also one of the male charms. What’s with this contradiction?

"Recently, Shuuya-sama has been showering a lot of affection on Senpai, so she’s pouting."

As I ponder Yuria’s reaction, a spy’s response comes through.

"I may need to remind the other slaves to be more attentive to their feelings. It's best to resolve dissatisfaction early. The tension in a harem (lol) is no joke. I don't want any awkwardness at home."

---

Master and Kasai-san seem to have bonded over an erotic conversation and have somehow turned our lodging into a drinking party.

I was wondering if underage drinking was allowed, but here, adults are considered to be 15 years old, and there’s no law prohibiting alcohol consumption. It’s not recommended to give strong liquor to young children, but aside from that, there’s no issue.

So, in the bar lounge on the first floor of the inn, we were served drinks that tasted more like juice. They were bitter but drinkable.

Well, I prefer juice.

"Ah, this is delicious!"

"Come to think of it, it feels like it’s been a while since I last drank alcohol."

Lulu and Yuria seem to be enjoying themselves. Actually, Lulu’s drinking quite fast, but I wonder if she’s okay. Our master seems to be handling it well too, casually toasting and enjoying himself like it’s nothing.

At some point, he starts getting excited over Japan-related topics. They look like they’re having fun. It’s odd, though… Even when talking with me, they always smile, but I’ve never seen them laugh so freely.

...It’s a bit hard to accept. Yeah, it feels a little frustrating.

"Se-Senpai, aren’t you drinking too much?"

"It’s fine, it’s fine. This is weak alcohol, after all."

I’ve heard it’s not too strong and easy to drink. Lulu’s just a worrywart. Even now, she’s perfectly fine.

"I think it’s only 'not strong' if you compare it to firewater…"

And anyway, Master is unpredictable. Sure, I initially tried to get him to buy me something, but that doesn’t mean he can ignore my will just because I’m a slave and then push me down like that. All the things he did, and made me do, and let me do...

Even so, I was happy to have someone by my side with whom I could talk about my hometown. I was glad to hear that I had made friends here too.

I thought the same for you, Master. That you’d be happy to have made friends who shared the same common sense, culture, and hometown. I thought you felt the same way.

Heh, so in the end, what you were after was just my body, was it? Is that it?

I gulped my drink in one go, and naturally, I felt a bit dizzy.

We talked about manga, school, sports, dramas, movies—just like we were unloading everything we had been holding in. They talked as if they were reminiscing about their hometown, sharing the past.

I could join in too, there were so many topics I could talk about. But I wasn’t needed in that moment. My feet moved restlessly, and the chair wobbled beneath me.

My chest felt uneasy, and I felt nauseous. What is this? You kept saying you loved me, throwing out those chilly words like "I love you" every day, but now, when someone who’s a "real" Japanese person shows up, it’s like I’m disposable?

Am I just a fake woman, a fake Japanese, someone you never wanted in the first place?

"Senpai, can we stop now?"

Shut up, Master! I’m going to have a good word with him. Wait, just standing made me feel terribly lightheaded and unsteady.

I fought through the dizziness and walked over to Master and the other guy, glaring at the newcomer, the one with the soy sauce face. What’s your deal, showing up out of nowhere?

"...Sora?"

"Uh, um... Shuuya, what’s going on here?"

What is this? You, Master, with that look on your face. Got a problem with me? You’ve tried so many times to put me on your lap, even when I hated it. So now that you finally found someone else, I’m the one who’s useless? Am I just going to be thrown away?

I won’t accept it. I won’t let go of the safe space I’ve finally secured just because some random person from the same hometown shows up.

"Master, I… I’m talking to you!"

I said it! His stunned face looks so foolish. The one who’s trying to take what I’ve fought so hard to protect is the one in the wrong.

"…Ah, what is this?"

Master suddenly hugged me tightly, and I, in turn, hugged back, wondering what to talk about. Should we talk about movies or dramas? I remember that Master seemed to like detective shows. I’ve seen most of them too, so I could handle it.

"Ah, Sora, I know I’m the one who hugged you first, but can you let go now? I’m about to lose it."

What’s with this all of a sudden? So, I really am just unwanted, huh? Am I just an inconvenience? Is that it? A fake, not wanted anymore?

"No, please… don’t throw me away…"

If Master abandons me, I won’t have anywhere to go.

I'm too weak to even protect myself. I'm not optimistic enough to think that someone kinder than Master would pick me up. I get treated to lewd things, and I’m made to feel embarrassed.

But I’m not hit, and I still get food. I get to sleep in a warm bed, and if I have a bad dream, he holds me. Just waking up in a warm bed and being able to eat a full meal feels like heaven.

In this world, I can’t think of any place more comfortable than Master’s.

"…Sorry, but my princess comes first. I’ll give her a break and be right back."

As I clung to him and buried my face in his chest, he gently stroked my hair and lifted me up. Master began to move towards the stairs while still holding me.

"Oh, oh…?"

"I’ll take care of the payment, so I probably won’t be back today."

"I got it... Lucky you, really."

I don’t quite understand, but it seems like Master chose me over him. That means I’ve won, right? Hehe. Every time Master steps up the stairs, my head shakes and I feel dizzy.

"Sora, stop being so clingy. I’m seriously about to lose control."

When we entered the bedroom and I nuzzled into his chest, I heard a strained voice. Unusually, Master sounded vulnerable. It’s about time he understands what it feels like to be on the receiving end of the teasing, right? This is just a little payback, haha.

I straightened my back and, without warning, bit Master’s ear.

---

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇

【EXP】

MAX Combo 33 <<new record!!
BATTLE TOTAL 33 <<new record!!
◆【Sora Lv.47】+33
◆【Ruru Lv.17】
◆【Yuria Lv.15】
◇―
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Sora Lv.47[476]→Lv.50[509] <<Level Up!!
Ruru Lv.17[176]
Yuria Lv.15[157]

【RECORD】

[MAX COMBO]>>33 <<new record!!
[MAX BATTLE]>>33 <<new record!!

【PARTY】

[Shuuya][Lv55]HP472/772 MP1380/1380[Light Fatigue]
[Sora][Lv50]HP20/50 MP220/420[Hangover]
[Ruru][Lv17]HP602/602 MP32/32[Normal]
[Yuria][Lv15]HP1040/1040 MP60/60[Normal]
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

【Comment】

"Hah, the lady and the master are really lovey-dovey, huh?"

"...Kill me, please kill me." ← A type who remembers everything perfectly.

"Senpai, here’s your water~"