8: Desire, but Out of Reach
Abruptly, there are those in the world known as the Ura-bito.
They are literally the inhabitants of the underworld, sometimes acting individually, sometimes gathering in organizations, or sometimes being hired or surrounded by superiors.
In general, they are referred to in various ways, such as grass, shadow, darkness, ninja, and spy, but they are collectively known as Ura-bito.
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Their activities are wide-ranging, from gathering information to assassination, doing things that cannot be done openly or are difficult to do.
Most superiors have them, and my father, the king, and my grandfather, Duke Zarood, definitely have them.
Probably even the merchant Jalnaar has a few, because such existences become more necessary the higher up you go.
What I’m trying to say is that I want an ura-bito too.
“That’s right…”
So I consulted Jalnaar, my only right-hand man, about it frankly, and he made a troubled face, which was unusual for him.
Well, I guess that’s to be expected. If it were that easy to get your hands on a skilled Ura-bito, there wouldn’t be any trouble. It’s not like hiring some random thief or ruffian.
Basically, Ura-bito have to be skilled, and the nature of their mission (ninmu) requires someone who is absolutely trustworthy.
This trust is also difficult. It’s possible to make a contract as an “employer and employee” in a business sense for money, but depending on the person, they might easily switch employers for money.
The easiest way is to give them a favor. If you can give them a favor that makes them want to be controlled by you, you can create an Ura-bito who will never betray you.
Or you can make them dependent on you. It would be best if there was something that made them think they couldn’t live or survive without you.
Of course, I don’t have anything like that, and in the first place, there aren’t many unaffiliated Ura-bito who fit that criteria.
It’s no wonder that even a seasoned merchant like Jalnaar would be stumped when his master asks for something like that.
“Well, I’ll just keep it in mind for now. I’m not really serious about it.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“But still, I wonder. You won’t have any problems with the profits at my place, will you?”
“Yes. I am making a steady profit elsewhere, and above all, I am making a sufficient profit just from what His Highness the Crown Prince buys.”
“Then that’s good.”
As I sip my tea, I still think that he probably isn’t making much of a profit. After all, he has been given a branch of a large store, not to mention the royal capital, so he must be handling dozens or hundreds of times the amount of money I usually handle.
That said, I can’t give him a reward in the form of a bonus. He is, after all, just a merchant. That doesn’t change even if he takes the role of a vassal.
Still, if I were to give him some kind of reward, there is only one way.
“What is the most valuable thing you have at your place?”
“That would be–“
When I asked, he told me all sorts of things. But regardless of the price, there was almost nothing I wanted. This way, I can’t make a big purchase. I’m reluctant to waste money on things I don’t want.
“–that.”
“I see.”
I listened to the end, but I still didn’t find anything to buy.
To be precise, there were some interesting things, such as weapons and armor with various effects, and magical tools that controlled or increased the power of magic (color), but there was no point in me having them now because I wouldn’t be able to use them.
I wonder what to do, and I realize that I haven’t mentioned one item.
“What about slaves?”
“That…”
Even after I first confronted him as an adult, it was a product that he never brought up in conversation.
It’s not like slavery is forbidden in this country. Technically, it’s forbidden to enslave people through robbery or kidnapping, but it’s not like all of those laws are being followed.
So, basically, slaves are rarely out of stock, and since this country loves war, there are always plenty of slaves available whenever a country or race is destroyed, so the slave market is still going strong today.
But still, Jarnall had never brought up the subject of slaves before. It wouldn’t have been surprising if a fallen noble or a rare race, or even a large store, had dealt in them.
When I asked Jarnall, who was hesitating, to explain, he said that it was true, now that I mentioned it.
If you buy a male slave, the only uses for them are combat, guarding, or menial tasks.
I don’t fight, and I have guards for protection. I have servants for menial tasks, so I don’t need them in the first place. offline, buying them for that role would greatly hurt their pride, so it’s something I should never do.
The same is true for buying a female slave, except that the only role that would increase would be for s*xual purposes, but in that sense, it’s already known that it’s the most forbidden act.
After all, the management of the crown prince’s descendants is thorough.
“Furthermore, Lord Zeel is the next head of a family that has served the royal family for generations.”
In other words, it would be bad if my father or Zeel’s family found out that he had sold me a slave. Well, they’re the royal purveyors. There’s no doubt that it would affect their credibility.
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
I leaned back in my chair and took a sip of tea. I was disappointed that I couldn’t give Jarnall a bonus and that I couldn’t get a slave.
As if he could see that, Jarnall opened his mouth with difficulty.
“However,”
“What is it?”
“If it’s under the pretense of being an ornamental slave, it might not be a problem.”
“Ornamental?”
“Yes. It’s not uncommon for royalty and nobles to purchase rare creatures as ornaments. For example, if the fairy race is a fairy species, or the demi-human race is a plant species, there would be no discomfort as ornaments.”
Both the fairy race and the plant race are famous for their beautiful faces. When they are sold as slaves, they fetch a high price, and when they are captured as slaves, it usually causes conflicts in various places.
The fairy race, in particular, has a very high sense of camaraderie, and they will try to get their comrades back or attack in retaliation. They are also very powerful, so there are always significant casualties.
Despite this, they are still frequently traded as slaves, which shows that human nature is endless.
“For example, what races are available as ornaments right now?”
“As ornaments, there are the flower race, or perhaps the weaker demon race.”
“That’s not very many?”
“There haven’t been any conflicts or wars in various places for a while, so unless someone attacks a settlement of various races, it’s quite difficult right now. The demon race is the daughter of a noble from another country.”
The flower race usually looks like humans, but they can bloom flowers all over their bodies and emit a nice fragrance. They are probably a species that is popular with noblewomen.
The demon race looks almost exactly like humans. Well, they’re probably just pretty.
Then it suddenly dawned on me.
“Even if it’s not for ornamental purposes, wouldn’t it be okay as a pet?”
“…Indeed, there are some people who do that. However, most of them involve s*xual aspects.”
“So it’s the same as a s*x slave, huh?”
“Yes… However, if you only act together in public and never approach each other at night.”
“Oh, that’s impossible. I’m going to touch her.”
“Is that so…”
Even though I have experienced s*xual pleasure many times, I am not allowed to touch her. If there was a woman I could touch, I would definitely touch her. Well, that’s why I’m having this conversation. This conversation is just a joke .
Since I gained intelligence, I have come to understand many things, but even so, I don’t feel any pity for slaves. I suppose that’s just the kind of sensibility I have because I was born and raised as a royal, as a superior .
Well, I can come close to empathizing. I mean, I’m just a tool of the state, being kept alive.
In a certain country, there is a saying that the king is the slave of the country. That’s because the king works the hardest to protect the country and its people. In other words, the king is the greatest slave in the country.
In accordance with that example, I am nothing more than a slave’s tool, or a slave to a slave, kept alive only to ensure the continuation of the royal bloodline.
In that sense, I can sympathize with slaves. Not that I would show them any particular kindness.
An incompetent crown prince has no freedom. He cannot obtain the things he desires.
It was only after I gained intelligence that I was able to fully understand my own pathetic and miserable state.