Chapter 10

The room was spacious.

In it were the maids lined up against the wall, the young lady sitting on the sofa, the old man in a tailcoat, and the man sitting in the chair at the head of the room. Despite the considerable number of people crammed in, the room was so spacious that it didn't feel cramped.

"I have brought them."

The one who bowed deeply, bending his waist, was the only man other than the young lady who was seated.

Is he the master?

He appeared to be a middle-aged man in his early thirties. He had broad shoulders and a stern gaze. If it weren't for his neatly trimmed mustache, he might have looked even younger. He had the same blue eyes as the young lady, but his hair color was different. His black hair was cut short and neatly styled.

"No problem, come forward."

At these words, the slave leader started moving forward, so I followed and knelt when he knelt in the middle of the room.

"Is this him, Sherry? Sherry?! What are you doing!"

I kept my head down as I hadn't been told to raise it, but I could tell someone was looking closely at my face.

It was the young lady.

"Servant?"

"Yes, young lady."

Everyone here is the same.

"Aha! I knew it! That's right, Father. I was talking about... What are you doing, Father?"

"Ah, it will be over soon. Sebastian, I'll leave the cleanup to you."

"Understood."

When I secretly raised my eyes, the master was pulling out a longsword scabbard from somewhere.

What is this? Not only ten lashes, but also beheading?

Please spare me.

"Come on! Father, behave! Both you and Mother agreed, didn't you? Or was that a lie?"

"Mm, mm... However..."

"...Father?"

"I, I understand. So don't look at me like that..."

After the young lady finished sitting in her original spot, the master sheathed his longsword and cleared his throat to change the subject.

"Hmm, uh! Ah, ah, what. ...Oh, right, I don't even know your name. Of course, I should. Sherry."

"I don't know either."

"What? No, that's right. It's only natural. Then, Lanzats."

The slave leader, called Lanzats, raised his head.

I learned his name for the first time. The slave leader's name is Lanzats.

Does he even have a name?

"Ha, I haven't given him a name."

The slave leader's words made it clear that everyone in the room, except for me and the old man called Sebastian, was shaken. The maids lined up against the wall tried to suppress their shock, but I could still sense their gasps and held breaths.

Is it really that strange?

There were no younger slaves than me, so if I was called a brat or a child, it referred to me, and I didn't have any problems. The closest in age was still four years older, and most of the slaves were adults. The only minors who came in were female slaves, right? Recently, I've been called a handyman more often than a brat.

The master, with wide eyes, asked the slave leader.

"Y-You didn't give him a name? Didn't you say you would take him in? That baby, right?"

"I didn't feel the need."

No, not at all.

Unlike the slaves who were originally commoners with different jobs, I thought there was no need to name slaves born into slavery, like me and the slave leader. Well, the slave leader did have a name, but I had never heard him called by it.

"No, it's not that there's no need. A name, you know? I've always thought your sense of things is too unique. I can't understand it. ...Really. Ah, then, over there... No, wait. Not having a name is a problem. It's necessary from now on. First, I'll give you a name..."

"Is it from you, Master? That's too much."

"You didn't give him a name! What are you... Then, someone, anyone. Give him a name."

Do they always have conversations like this? The master's voice to the slave leader seems to contain a bit of ease.

Name him?

Suddenly being told this, no one spoke up. Well, of course. Even if you're told anything is fine, you hesitate. Would handyman be okay?

However.

In such an atmosphere, the one who broke the silence without a care was none other than our young lady.

"Zig."

That's right.

Our young lady.

"Zig is fine. Yes, servant, so... Isn't it easy to understand? Good, from today, you are Zig, the servant. Got it?"

"I accept, Master."

Is this okay? Isn't being named by a noble too much?

I bowed instinctively, a long-conditioned reflex, but no one called out to stop me, clearly showing the power dynamics in the room.

The young lady is the strongest.

I knew that.

"Then, Zig."

"Ha."

The conversation resumed. The master seemed accustomed and was not flustered.

"I will take you in as a commoner from today."

The announcement was a promotion.

For me, who had never doubted my lifelong servitude, it was a shock. Thinking about the former slave who worked tirelessly for over ten years to escape slavery, it felt like a moment.

I was shown the power of the nobles.

I understood Jurel's words that the wall of nobility is harder to climb than that of commoners.

Without waiting for a response from the former slave, who had just become a commoner, the master continued. It was already a decision. No one would speak up. Tataruk, what is freedom? I know. It's the young lady's break time.

"Accordingly, you will be a servant in the mansion in the capital. You will accompany the carriage next time..."

"No, that won't do."

There was someone.

"I'll take the servant to the capital."

The young lady, who was skilled at putting leaves in her hair, seemed to need to add something to be satisfied. I don't think the plans can be so easily changed.

Sweat formed on my forehead. Unlike the master, who didn't fully understand, I fully grasped the meaning of the young lady's words.

But I couldn't intervene. I had no position or power to stop the conversation between nobles. Please, God.

The master tilted his head.

"Hmm? I don't understand, Sherry. I said I would take him to the capital, didn't I?"

"That's not it. Father said he would make him a servant in the mansion."

"Yes, that's right. Isn't it reasonable for a commoner servant? What? You can't possibly want to make him a steward or a knight. There is a certain status as the Maristian Duke family."

"I don't want that."

"Then what?"

Please, stop.

"I'm taking him to school! We're going to the capital for school, right? If you say you're taking him to the capital, it means you're taking him to school. Besides, the school has a dormitory system. If you make him a servant in the mansion, there's no point in taking him. If the family is above a viscount, they can have a personal guard. I think that's a good idea."

Speechless. The master's mouth was actually open.

Even though I'm now a commoner, I'm still a former slave. The awareness of being a slave remains both in others and in myself. There's no way I can attend school with a noble.

The master, who had rebooted, shook his head.

"N-No! No, no! While there are commoners there, they are merchants or geniuses... No, to begin with! There's no way I can send you there! Normally, only women or knights with a verified lineage! In any case, no! It's worse than making him a steward or a servant! There are plenty of qualified guards!"

"There aren't."

"There a-aren't? The third daughter of the Asem baron family became a knight and is close in age. The second daughter of the Wenolings family aspires to be a knight. If you want a commoner, there are plenty among our attendants! I can even give combat training to your preferred maid!"

"There aren't. They're all Father's subordinates."

"They are! They serve the Maristian Duke family! What's wrong with that? Don't cause too much trouble, Sherry."

"They serve the house. Their master is Father."

"That's true... But Sherry is also a member of the Duke family, right? Sherry will eventually inherit this house. After all, she's the only daughter. The next head of the family?"

"What if a younger brother is born?"

"Uh..."

The master, at a loss for words, looked to Sebastian and Kaela for help, but received no response. That's right. This is a family issue. As a servant, it's not my place to interfere.

If a male heir is born, the young lady will likely be a candidate for marriage to another family. At that time, if the household staff is loyal to her personally, it would cause problems. Serving the house is a normal thing.

"Most of the slaves' masters are Father, and the maids and servants follow Father's orders, not mine."

That's right. You're a brat, young lady.

"But the servant is different."

I've never heard that before.

"It's free time. The time when Father shows mercy to the slaves. I studied. You can rest, eat, or do anything during this time. I don't fully understand the more complex aspects yet. But during this time, the servant follows my orders. This means he truly serves me, right?"

On the contrary, his heart is against it.

"It means he will serve me devotedly. There's no one else. Everyone has Father's slave mark and waits for Father's orders. No one serves me. Except this servant."

"That's not true. Calm down, Sherry. Let's talk, Papa. Sebastian, clear the room."

"I'm calm, Papa. This servant is—"

She grabbed my hair with a small, delicate hand.

Ah, I was trying not to be touched.

It's my hair again.

When I was lifted up, I saw the master, who was flustered, and the young lady, whose eyes were brimming with tears—

"—my servant."

—my new master.

Please, spare me.

"But, but—"

"Papa."

The young lady, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, glared up at the master.

"Are you lying? If so, I'll never call you Papa again."

Tataruk. Is liberation really a joy?