Chapter 28 : Chapter 28
Chapter 28: A Lotus Rising from the Water, Nika’s Past
“Then let’s go.”
After leaving the Slave Merchant Guild, Ryan spoke to Nika.
“Yes, Master.”
Nika answered timidly.
Ryan looked over what Nika was wearing and frowned.
At the moment, she was still dressed in rough linen clothes.
That made sense. No matter how wealthy the Slave Merchant Guild was, there was no way it would provide its slaves with especially good clothing, much less equipment.
But now that she was his slave, how was she supposed to accompany him in hunting monsters with gear that poor?
“Nika, do you have any luggage?”
“Master, I do not have any luggage. While I was at the Slave Merchant Guild, everything I needed was provided by the guild.”
“Is that so? All right, I understand. Come with me.”
Ryan led Nika toward an armor shop.
Nika followed closely behind him.
A short while later, Ryan brought Nika to the armor shop.
“Boss, prepare a set of adventurer’s equipment for her. D-rank gear will do.”
Ryan had no intention of buying Nika a set of mithril armor right away.
Once she had proven herself in the future, he would consider buying her a full mithril set.
“Oh, young man, it’s you.”
Ryan had bought a full set of mithril armor here before, so the shopkeeper remembered him very clearly.
The moment he saw the collar around Nika’s neck, he understood that she was a slave Ryan had purchased.
“Right away. Here’s a full set of D-rank adventurer’s armor. That’ll be twenty Silver Coins.”
Ryan paid, took the armor, and stored it in his spatial backpack.
After that, he brought Nika to the weapon shop.
“Nika, what weapon are you skilled with?”
“Master, I’m skilled with a short sword.”
“Good.”
Ryan then bought a D-rank short sword from the weapon shop.
This was standard equipment for an ordinary D-rank adventurer.
Ryan felt that, for now, this set of gear was more than enough for Nika.
But from Nika’s point of view, this master of hers was simply far too good to her.
She had heard at the Slave Merchant Guild that whether a slave lived well or badly in the future depended entirely on the temperament of their master.
If the master had a decent personality, then the slave’s life would be somewhat better.
But if the master was violently cruel, then the slave would be beaten at the slightest provocation, and life would become unbearable.
After buying slaves, many adventurers did not even bother purchasing equipment for them.
They would simply work their slaves to death, using them until they collapsed from exhaustion. It was a truly miserable end.
Yet for the people of this world, such things were all too common.
Once an adventurer bought a slave, they naturally wanted to make back the money they had spent on them. That was why they used slaves so recklessly.
There were many cases where slaves were used as bait to lure in monsters, while the adventurer attacked once the slave had drawn the monster’s attention.
But today, the moment her master bought her, he had already prepared so much equipment for her. He was treating her unbelievably well.
She remembered what one of the older women at the guild had told her before she left the Slave Merchant Guild.
If she wanted her master to treat her well, then the most important thing was making sure her service at night satisfied him.
Her service at night!
As Nika recalled the things the woman had taught her, her cheeks immediately flushed red.
She had never experienced anything like that before. The woman had taught her many different methods and positions, leaving her with the feeling that an entirely new world had been opened before her.
So there was actually that much to know about serving a master at night.
It felt as though a brand-new door had been opened for her.
She believed Ryan was a master worthy of her wholehearted service.
Otherwise, even if she could not refuse his demands at night, at most she would only comply without resistance. There was no way she would actively try to please him.
There was an enormous difference between not refusing and willingly catering to him.
But now, she felt that she should do everything she could to please her master.
“Nika, what’s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you sick?”
Noticing that something was off about her complexion, Ryan asked.
“Master, I’m fine. It’s just a little hot.”
At once, Nika shook her head and hurried to explain.
She did not want Ryan to think that there was something wrong with her.
After finally meeting such a kind master, she was delighted beyond words.
“That’s good, then.”
Ryan looked her over and, seeing that there did not seem to be any problem, relaxed.
Soon after, Ryan brought Nika back to the inn.
“Nika, take off the clothes you wore from the Slave Merchant Guild and throw them away. Then go take a bath and change into these new clothes.”
Ryan gave the order.
He took out the everyday clothes and combat gear he had bought for her along the way.
“Yes, Master.”
Nika was overjoyed when she received the new clothes.
She had no intention of avoiding Ryan at all, and was about to change right there on the spot.
Ryan had never seen a scene like that before. He immediately raised a hand. “W-Wait a second. Go change in the washroom.”
“Ah? Oh, yes, Master.”
Hearing that, Nika slowly walked into the washroom.
“Hoo…”
Once Ryan saw her enter, he let out a long breath.
He had been in this world for eighteen years, and this was the first time he had encountered something this stimulating.
To say that he did not want it would obviously have been a lie.
But Ryan also wanted to take things step by step.
Back at the Slave Merchant Guild, the staff member had already told him that slaves would not disobey their master’s orders.
If Ryan wanted to, he could simply order Nika.
But he also knew that there was a huge difference between forced obedience and willing participation.
So he intended to treat Nika well and wait until she could accept him before truly enjoying himself.
What he did not know was that Nika had already prepared herself mentally on the way back.
Ryan had missed that chance for nothing.
The sound of splashing water from inside the washroom made Ryan’s thoughts run wild.
It could not be helped.
He had only just turned eighteen, after all. He was at the age of vigorous youth, when his blood ran hot.
Hearing those sounds, it was naturally hard for him to stay calm.
For now, though, he could still hold himself back.
“A calm heart brings coolness… coolness… coolness…”
He muttered the words over and over, and only after who knew how long did he finally manage to push the distracting thoughts out of his mind.
But in the very next moment, the washroom door opened.
All of Ryan’s previous efforts instantly went to waste.
A single question arose in Ryan’s heart: Who is this beautiful girl?
Before, Nika’s face had been smeared with dirt, making it impossible to see her features clearly.
She had been dressed in worn, stained linen clothes that concealed the lines of her body. All one could tell was that she was thin and frail, with long limbs and skin that looked rough and dull from constant sun exposure and grime. Her original appearance had been completely hidden.
But after bathing, her damp hair hung down her back, dark brown in color, smooth and soft, with faint curls at the ends. Droplets slid from the tips of her hair, leaving tiny wet traces across her shoulders.
The fox ears atop her head stood upright, their fur now clean and a light brown in color. The black tips were clearly visible, and the ears swayed gently with her movements.
The tail behind her had also been washed clean. Its brown fur was fluffy, while the black fur at the tip gleamed faintly under the light. It hung naturally behind her.
Her face was clean now. Her forehead was smooth and full, and her light brown skin carried a moist, healthy sheen.
Her eyes were amber, round in shape, with slightly raised corners. The timidity that had once filled them was gone, replaced by a faint trace of confusion and curiosity. When she looked straight ahead, the whites of her eyes were strikingly clear.
Her nose was small and delicate, with a pale pink tip. Her lips were thin, naturally light red, and the cracked corners of her mouth were gone, leaving them smooth.
She wore a new white linen dress with a round neckline that revealed her slender neck and clearly defined collarbones.
Her shoulders were narrow and softly rounded, her arms slim, and her skin smooth. The marks and blemishes that had once marred it had faded, so much so that they were almost impossible to notice without looking closely.
Her wrists were slender, her fingers long and elegant, and her nails neatly trimmed, a pale pink and perfectly clean.
A thin cord tied around the waist of the dress outlined her figure. Her waist was neither too narrow nor too wide, but just enough to reveal its graceful curve.
The hem of the dress fell to her knees, revealing thighs with smooth, flowing lines and evenly toned light brown skin.
She was about one meter fifty tall. When she stood, her back was straight now, no longer hunched.
Her legs were pressed together, her knees softly rounded, her calves slender, and her ankles delicate.
On her feet was a simple pair of leather sandals, exposing neatly arranged toes with pale pink toenails.
Taken as a whole, she was no longer the dirty, frail, and haggard girl from before.
Her proportions were harmonious. The places that should have been slender were slender, and the places that should have had curves had clear and enticing lines, giving her a balanced, lively beauty.
The fear and shrinking timidity she once carried were gone. In their place was a touch of ease, mixed with a little awkwardness from wearing new clothes. Every now and then, she lowered her head to look at them, her fingers lightly tugging at the hem of her dress while her tail brushed softly against her calves, lending her a natural, lively charm.
The contrast before and after was impossible to ignore. Before, she had been unremarkable, buried beneath dirt and ragged clothes. Now, once cleaned up, the alluring beauty that had always been hidden beneath them was plain to see.
Ryan had only one thought in response: He had struck it rich.
He guessed that even the Slave Merchant Guild had not realized just how beautiful Nika would look once she was cleaned up.
According to what the staff member had said, female slaves with exceptionally beautiful appearances were extremely expensive.
And yet Nika had cost only 200 Gold Coins.
Without a doubt, Ryan had found an incredible bargain.
“Nika, you’re really beautiful!”
Ryan praised her.
“Hehe, I’m glad you like it, Master.”
Nika lowered her head shyly.
“Nika, come here. Sit beside me.”
“Yes, Master.”
Nika walked over slowly and sat down beside Ryan.
Ryan could clearly feel that her muscles were slightly tense. She was obviously still a little nervous.
That did not matter. Once she became more familiar with him in the future, she would naturally relax.
Things like this could not be rushed. Only time could allow Nika to gradually grow accustomed to him.
“Nika, tell me about your past.”
Ryan asked about her experiences, hoping to understand her better through what she had lived through.
“Yes, Master.”
Nika nodded and slowly began to speak. “My mother died in childbirth when she gave birth to me and my younger sister. After that, it was my father who raised the two of us, and my sister and I relied on him for everything. In my eyes, my father was always a real man.”
“But one month ago, while my sister and I were out buying things, the son of a noble took a liking to us. He wanted both my sister and me to marry him, but neither of us agreed. So he had someone frame my father for owing him money. Then, while my sister was out alone, he had her forcibly taken away and sold as a slave.”
“When my father learned what had happened, he immediately understood that it was all done at that noble’s son’s command, so he went to confront him. But my father had no evidence. In the end, he was beaten to death by that noble’s guards. Perhaps that man did not want to keep someone who hated him by his side, so he sold me to the Slave Merchant Guild as well.”