Chapter 1: Slave girl
「This will be the orphanage you will manage from today onwards」 (???)
The building appeared like a church, but was very ragged. The paint on the roof and walls was peeling, the windows were broken, the weeds were overgrowing and it was all very dirty.
It also looks like the door will collapse if I try and open it.
The soldiers from the castle who had escorted me here returned immediately after leaving a few words.
Haa, I Shinji Masatsugu breathed out a sigh as I thought about how I ended up in this situation.
Simply put, I…no, we were brought to another world using summoning magic.
Although I don’t fully understand how, I was brought here with my classmates.
There were many humans who seemed to be wizards surrounding us, wearing black robes from head to toe. Although their attitude was generally polite, they refused to explain anything and immediately brought us before the king.
I was made to place my hands on a crystal ball and recite the word 「Status Confirmation」 then as soon as my confirmation ended, their attitudes took a drastic turn.
「He is unnecessary」 such words were suddenly said. Compared to me, apparently others got such jobs as Hero and Legendary Wizard.
In addition, my skills are 「Defend (Reform)」 and 「Beginner Status Appraisal」.
The 「Defend」 skill is one that anyone can have as long as they have the beginner warrior job.
It is a skill which defends the user and his colleagues from an enemy’s attack. However it seems that the iron wall of the holy knight is stronger.
Well, supposedly (Reform) adds a little bit of extra power but…it is still a beginner skill so the increase won’t be much. Other than that, I don’t have any attacking or recovery skills at all.
That’s why, since they couldn’t throw me out to starve to death, they had to find somewhere to put me so that I could at least live. Naturally, since the world was devastated they put me in charge of an orphanage.
Even though I protested a lot, they would not listen and since I was at the bottom of the class’ social ladder, even my classmates sent me off with looks of contempt.
I had no choice but to do as I was told.
…I wonder what the current state of the orphanage is…has a homeless person settled here?
Then.
「Who….are you? KOHOKO」 (???)
The voice belonged little girl with cat ears.
But her situation was miserable. Half of her face was ruined and her breathing was labored and poor. She also seemed a bit languid, likely due to a fever
「Hey, are you okay?」 (Shinji)
I call out to her, however the girl…
「I’m s..sorry. I don’t have anything else. Please don’t hit Lucia anymore」 (Little Girl)
「What do you mean?」 (Shinji)
「Hi~u」 (Little Girl)
Screaming, her body began to tremble.
Looking closely, there seems to be traces of whip marks on her body.
「It’s okay, I won’t hit you」 (Shinji)
「I…is that true?」 (Little Girl)
「It’s true」 (Shinji)
「Ye, yes…」 (Little Girl)
Although the girl…Lucia…doesn’t seem to believe me, she still calms down somewhat.
「…I have calmed down, I’m sorry」 (Lucia)
「How did you get here?」 (Shinji)
I asked her. Apparently she was a slave of a large merchant, his hobby was to act violent towards his slaves.
So it seems she was hit hard with a whip. Though there was no sexual abuse due to her young age, she was still physically abused in a poor environment.
She was also sick and weakened, leading her to await death here.
「But being alone is lonely. My parents who were also beastmen were killed. I want at least you to be with me until I die. The other person was not as nice as you. Gusu~ Hiku~ Hiku~」 (Lucia)
「I got it」 (Shinji)
That’s right, I understood it easily.
「Even though I’m a beastman and my face is ugly and sickly, you will still stay?」 (Lucia)
「Of course」 (Shinji)
I nod my head as well.
「Thank you, I’m satisfied even if I die now…」 (Lucia)
I comfort the little girl who says such things.
「You are a very pretty girl」 (Shinji)
「Even if you lie I’m happy. I would have liked to have met you with my original body. If you had some healing skills…」 (Lucia)
If I had some good skills like that, maybe I could save her.
「I’m sorry, I only have skills to protect」 (Shinji)
「Even when I was taken to a doctor, the diagnosis was that it was impossible to cure even with the highest level of healing magic, Resurrection. Perhaps it’s a disease that no-one can cure.」 (Lucia)
She looks down as she says so.
I could say nothing and only increased the strength in the hand I was stroking her head with.
But at that moment, a tremendous light was released from my hand.
As soon as the light appeared, the girl raised a surprised voice.
「This is…no way…my sickness and my face that were impossible to heal even with resurrection…the whip marks…everything was cured by you…」 (Lucia)
What do you mean…? Certainly the light was released from my hand.
However it’s strange. My skills should only be 「Defend」 and 「Status Appraisal」…Wait, what about (Reform)…
Right, you can bring forth your status by concentrating you consciousness. As I attempted that, a detailed screen appeared in front of me. Wait, what!?
…『A skill that provides absolute defense to those close to you. In 100 million years, only three people have ever possessed this skill. It is manifested only by a chosen few』
What does this mean? I’m just a boring, average student, is this really my ability?
Whilst absorbed in my thoughts, I was brought to the real world again by a girl’s crying.
「Gusu~ Gusu~. Thank you very much…even though Warabi is already dead…」 (Lucia)
It seems hard to get a word in right now.
I slowly stroke Lucia’s head.
「Eh, what…?」 (Lucia)
「Do you not like it?」 (Shinji)
「N, no that’s not it. For beastmen only their parents or master can pat their heads」 (Lucia) (TLN: She uses Goshujin-sama for master)
「Hm? I’m neither your parent nor master though. I should stop..」 (Shinji)
「Master! Please become my master!」 (Lucia)
I’m puzzled by the girl’s sudden offer.
「Even if you say that…」 (Shinji)
「Please! Please become my master…no, maybe you don’t like me as expected…right?」 (Lucia)
「That’s not true. Fine, but if you don’t like it then please tell me」 (Shinji)
「I will never not like it!」 (Lucia)
After saying so, she began to talk to me in a formal tone.
「Ano, master. Thank you very much for helping me」 (Lucia)
「Un」 (Shinji)
「But I’m worried I’ll be thrown away」 (Lucia)
「I won’t do such a thing」 (Shinji)
「That’s why, I want proof that you’re my master」 (Lucia)
「Eh? Thats…」 (Shinji)
After finishing speaking, Lucia immediately took off her clothes.
「Please give me that proof」 (Lucia)
「No, I can’t do that」 (Shinji)
I decline immediately. It would be impossible for me to take advantage of such a little girl.
「Later, when you become an adult」 (Shinji)
I tenderly attempted to avoid the topic, but…
「You really mean it!? When I become and adult I’ll be a bride! It’s a promise absolutely!?」 (Lucia)
Eh?
「Certainly when you become an adult you can marry someone you love」(Shinji)
However, the girl didn’t seem to hear me. She just repeats the words 「Bride Bride Bride Bride」 whilst smiling.
Eh? This is strange.
For the time being, I told her that I will open an orphanage here. From now on me and Lucia would live here together, with her as the orphanage’s first orphan.