Do You Know How Much You Cost Me?

I sat in my secondhand, yet still fairly expensive, chair, rolling a few silver coins in my right hand.

The coins clinked pleasantly against each other.

Any merchant would… no, any human being would love that sound.

I deliberately let the silver coins clatter across the desk.

The silver-haired girl standing in front of the desk flinched at the noise.

Her tension was so obvious you could see it at a glance. Almost funny, really.

She wore light armor with a sword at her side, but neither suited her in the slightest.

Her pretty face and hair were both filthy.

I picked up a single silver coin and thrust it toward her.

"How much did you cost again? Azu."

"I-I'm… sorry."

"I asked how much you cost."

When I lowered my voice just a touch, Azu's already modest height seemed to shrink even further.

"Fifty gold coins… sir."

"That's right. Equipment and other expenses tacked on another ten. Meaning you're sitting at sixty gold coins, and you need to prove you're worth every last one."

"… I understand. Master."

Her expression, already dark before she entered the room, grew darker still.

Well, that was to be expected. A man buys her, straps her into armor, puts a sword in her hands for the first time, and sends her into a labyrinth. She somehow survives and makes it back, only to get this.

The four silver coins she'd surely worked hard to earn were sitting in my hand. She must have felt utterly powerless.

Personally? I'd hate that.

But unfortunately for her, this girl was a slave I'd purchased. She couldn't defy me.

She depended on me for food, clothing, shelter, everything. And she had nowhere to run.

"As long as you understand, that's fine. I'm not expecting you to rake in money right away. So, how was being an adventurer?"

Azu seemed taken aback by the shift in tone, but she must have figured my mood would sour if she kept me waiting, because she answered right away.

"It wasn't very good… They just gave me a quick training session and then sent me out to learn by doing. If I hadn't had the equipment you gave me, I probably would've died."

Naturally. Far too many people wanted to be adventurers.

The Adventurer's Guild couldn't be bothered holding each one's hand. "Prepare yourself." That lined up exactly with what my research had told me.

That was why I'd gotten Azu an enchanted lightweight sword and a set of light armor.

Completely overkill for the places beginners went. Even a child could make it back alive with that gear.

… Well, Azu was still a child herself.

"Also, people looked at me funny. They asked why I had such good equipment, or said it was dangerous for a girl to go alone and offered to come with me."

Azu was genuinely pretty. She was bound to get attention.

The slave merchant had warned me she wasn't cut out for adventuring, but if I was going to keep her long-term, I'd rather have good looks. And a girl had other uses.

"One more thing. Don't join any other parties. If you're going to team up with anyone, it'll be when I buy more slaves."

"Yes… I'll follow your orders properly."

"Good. I appreciate the obedience. Now, how long are you going to stand there looking down at me?"

I tossed a silver coin at Azu. It struck her face, and she went pale in an instant. I hadn't thrown it hard, but the intimidation worked.

Azu dropped to the floor in a hurry. Nice view. Worth putting her in that skirt.

For the record, the floor had carpet laid out so it wouldn't hurt to sit on. Discipline was necessary, but there was no need to cause her pain.

"I-I'm sorry."

"The correct phrase is 'I apologize.'"

I prompted her with a jerk of my chin.

"I… apologize."

Azu forced the words out, trembling, her hands clenched tight.

"You can keep the coin I threw. It's the first silver coin you earned. Makes for a good memento."

"Thank… you."

If she had any real backbone, this would've been the moment she protested that she was the one who'd earned it. But she didn't have much of a rebellious streak. She followed my instructions without question.

Azu slowly reached for the coin and tucked it away carefully.

I pocketed the remaining three silver coins.

The truth was, she'd done well.

Honestly, I'd expected her to fall apart in the labyrinth, break down crying, and come running back.

If nothing worked out no matter what, I could always sell her off to a brothel as a last resort. At least I'd recoup my investment.

But Azu had actually scored kills, even if her gear did most of the heavy lifting, and she'd even gotten lucky with a treasure chest.

Well, a beginner's earnings were this paltry even with luck.

As long as she didn't die, that was enough. Surviving labyrinths would make her stronger whether she liked it or not.

"I'll prepare whatever you need for adventuring. In return, you earn money and bring it to me. Don't worry. I take good care of my tools. Earn properly, and your treatment improves."

"… Yes, I understand."

Her reply came a beat late, but… well, she'd put in a day's work. I'd let it slide.

"Starting today, you'll be living here. I cleared out the storage room at the end of the second floor. Everything you should need is already in there, but if anything's missing, tell me when I call for you tomorrow."

"I get my own room?"

"Of course. Providing food, clothing, and shelter is a master's duty. I've prepared a meal in your room. It's cold, but deal with it. Go eat."

When I waved her off, Azu slowly made her way out.

She was hungry but exhausted. That much was obvious.

After Azu left, I set water to boil. I used to have a servant, but I'd let them go to cut costs.

I carried the hot water up to Azu's room. She needed it for maintaining her equipment.

She could probably use a wash herself.

I could let her use the bath after me.

When I opened Azu's door, she was sitting there in her undergarments, nodding off.

She was pretty, sure, but still too much of a child for me to feel anything.

She finally noticed me and opened her mouth to say something, but what could a slave say about her master entering her room?

She sat there, face burning red, eyes cast down.

"I'm leaving the hot water. Wash up, tend to your equipment, then sleep."

"…… Yes."

Her reply sounded like it had been wrung out of her.

The meal I'd set out had been cleaned off completely.

Of course it had. She was a growing girl.

I took the dishes and left the room.

Through the door, I could hear quiet sobbing. Unfortunately, the moment you became a slave and I bought you, your fate was sealed, Azu.