I see... it's pretty bad.

"Still, what on earth has to happen for a bard to lose both arms, her beauty, and her voice?"

Arms to play instruments, beauty to draw eyes, and a singing voice — the complete bard package.

If you're a bard, those are exactly what you'd protect first, right?

"She was a slave owned by a merchant from Alchemia… Apparently she spread rumors damaging to the firm. They kept her alive as a warning to others."

"I see, a warning. That's nasty."

So they deliberately destroyed her most prized assets.

"But if I heal a slave like that, won't I be targeted?"

"Rest assured. She was sold just last month, and the firm that used her as an example seems to have gone under along with Alchemia."

Apparently she was leftover stock inherited from the previous slaver. I see. If that Alchemia firm's gone too, we should be fine.

Alright, let's see her in person.

The merchant brought in the slave… She could walk, at least. That meant her legs were intact — already my hopes were rising.

She was smaller than I expected, a girl about a head shorter than me.

Both arms were gone from the shoulders down and her face was wrapped in bandages.

Her clothes were shabby, with old scars peeking out here and there. Oh, she even had tattoos.

"Cuter than I expected. How old?"

"Over twenty. A half-dwarf."

Half-dwarf? So that's a thing. Huh.

"Can I take off her bandages? … Hmm, hmm. Yeah, this is bad."

"Ugh…"

Dea-kun beside me went pale. Ah, Dea, you're bad with scars and burns?

I got shown far worse in the tutorial, so I'm used to it. Haha…

"How about her voice… It'll be a pain if it's psychogenic aphonia… Alright, open wide… Ahh, looks like they made her drink something caustic and burned her throat raw? I see."

Yeah. This I can probably fix. That old man got revived from worse and pulverized again and again, so this should be easy in comparison.

She might look a bit different when all's said and done, though, since I don't know what she originally looked like.

Which means the rest comes down to her personality… No — that's irrelevant and something I must not factor in!

Anyone desperate enough can fake a personality!

Even Shieldon-senpai healed a badly injured slave with expensive potions and still got his assets swindled in a marriage scam!!

Do not forget the lessons of those who came before, me!!

Do not be swayed by a slave!! Treat personality as a non-factor!!!

"Alright, I'll buy her. Dea-kun, lend me one gold coin."

"Eh? Can you really heal her from this state?"

"Oh, that person can definitely heal her!"

Yes, that legendary underworld doctor, Damiina Niseisha (temporary) — wait, hold on.

… If I have this girl play Damiina (temporary), then who's going to play the one who healed her?

Ugh, so the first time I have to do it myself. Fine.

"A-are you really going to buy her?"

"Yup. Cash payment."

I take the gold coin from Dea and pay the slaver.

"… If you can't heal her, we'll accept a full refund as-is."

"Oh, how considerate. Alright, please handle the paperwork."

"Certainly. We will now perform the slave contract."

With Contract Magic, the girl swore absolute obedience to me. Even without arms and unable to speak, simply nodding of her own will was enough. Contract magic is pretty impressive, huh?

Also, apparently there's no particular need for a collar. Good. A legendary underworld doctor wearing a collar wouldn't look cool.

… Though maybe it could've worked with some sort of chuunibyou vibe?