It's been nearly two weeks since Cecilia came to our house.
But that didn't mean our relationship had made any progress.
After all, I'd bought her, but I hadn't shared any meaningful physical contact up to now.
'Well... there's no need to rush.'
Whether she liked it or not, Cecilia had to stay by my side.
She was a slave I'd bought with my own money, after all.
So there was no hurry. I could take my time with her.
If she were one of the other heroines, I might have worked to advance our relationship, but with her, we were in a clear master-servant dynamic.
I just needed to slowly ease her wariness... and leisurely build our bond.
Like gradually melting an enormous block of ice.
'That aside, I need to go buy a new sword today.'
After slightly ramping up my training intensity today, the iron sword I'd been using finally snapped.
I'd mostly just been swinging it around normally, but when I tried a proper technique after a while, it shattered.
Well, it was an old blade anyway, so this was a good excuse to replace it.
'...Might as well visit that guy while I'm at it.'
I scratched my head lightly and strapped the bladeless sword to my side.
Honestly, it was pointless now, but as a former Sword Saint, I figured I should at least carry a sword for appearances' sake.
"...Cecil. I'm heading out somewhere today, so watch the house. Don't cause any trouble. Got it?"
I called her by her nickname and announced my outing simply.
Soon, Cecilia's voice echoed from inside the house, where she'd been reading a book.
"Ah, sure! Have a safe trip!"
She looked my way with a bright smile.
I rarely ever got seen off by anyone in my past or present life, so my lips twitched upward without me realizing it.
"...I'll be back."
I muttered to myself in a voice too quiet for Cecilia to hear.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
If I had to describe my master's first impression in one word, it was sharp—like a veiled blade.
Just like a finely honed sword, there were no gaps to exploit, and his eyes betrayed no emotion whatsoever.
'Scary...'
He was truly terrifying.
Separate from his looks, the fact that he could casually drop 10,000 gold meant he was high nobility.
And it was said that many high nobles had peculiar sexual tastes.
So I couldn't help having irreverent thoughts like, Will he slice me up with a knife? Turn me into a lump of meat?
Even though I'd braced myself for him to toy with my body however he pleased, that resolve did nothing to quell my fear.
'But... what is this? Less like a slave and more like a maid?'
Regardless of the fear I'd felt, my master showered me with kindness excessive for a slave.
The plush bed—something I'd never experienced even before becoming a slave—gave me comfortable sleep.
And while it wasn't noble-level cuisine, he ate the same meals made with good ingredients as I did.
Above all, from day one until now, he hadn't laid a hand on me.
Just the occasional pat on the head with some praise—that was it.
Even though I'd thought my only value was this vulgar body of mine.
'Huh... maybe I'm not attractive enough?'
I considered that possibility, but it probably wasn't the case.
I was an elf, after all, and even during slave training, I'd received compliments on my looks.
So... was my master perhaps impotent?
It felt weird saying it myself, but to not touch a busty, beautiful elf girl...?
"...Cecil. I'm heading out somewhere today, so watch the house. Don't cause any trouble. Got it?"
Lost in thought, I heard my master's voice.
His voice, which had terrified me on the first day, now sounded pleasant to my ears.
"Ah, sure! Have a safe trip!"
I saw him off as he donned his coat and left the house, leaving me alone once more.
'...Well then, time for happy hour again...?'
I flipped open the book cover again after seeing him off.
[Reversal of Master and Servant: Former Sword Saint and Elf Slave]
A sequel to a novel I'd read before, this adult story featured the two leads with their master-servant roles reversed.
It resonated with me somehow and tugged at my heartstrings, so I'd been reading it in my spare time lately.
'What if I were the master...?'
I pondered that once.
If my master were the slave and I the owner, what would I have done?
'...I'd have jumped him right away, probably.'
I definitely couldn't have held back.
How could anyone resist pouncing on such an obviously beautiful man right in front of them—especially if he were their slave?
Even as a slave myself, I thought not doing so was strange.
My master had to be the weird one.
"Oh, right—I need to buy ingredients for dinner tonight."
As I thought about my master, I suddenly remembered we were short on food for the meal I'd make him.
Until yesterday, we'd had plenty stocked up, so I hadn't worried, but now it was gone.
'So... I need to go shopping today...?'
Fear outweighed curiosity.
I was an elf slave.
Elves alone drew stares, and a valuable elf slave might attract more than just looks.
In the novel I'd read, someone had even kidnapped and confined an elf slave for training.
'This feels uneasy...'
I was anxious.
But even more than that, I hated the idea of not having a meal ready when my master returned.
Having made up my mind inwardly, I donned the chestnut-colored coat my master had gifted me last week.
—Swish.
The warm coat draped over me perfectly.
Soft and cozy.
And clearly high-end at a glance—no way it was cheap.
'...Is there any other master like him out there?'
Someone who'd go this far for a slave like me.
Probably not.
Not even among fellow elves would it be easy to find such treatment.
"...Hoo. So I need to head to the market."
Basket in hand, I stepped out of the house.
I didn't know the empire's layout well, but recalling our walks with my master, I found the market without much trouble.
"Oho... Pretty young lady. Where ya from? Wanna buy an apple?"
I hid my pointed elven ears as best I could and walked through the market, gradually drawing merchants' calls.
It started with one, but more gathered as I went.
"Here! Field boar meat for just three coppers!!!"
"Whoa...! Smell this—makes ya feel good. Sellin' herbs here."
"Right here! Goblin-repelling incense for sale."
Voices rang out from all directions.
The deafening clamor created the market's unique bustle.
'These places must be the same everywhere...'
For some reason, my village's night market came to mind.
A harmonious spot where everyone sold and bought all sorts of goods.
It had felt much like this.
"Anyway, should I get some meat?"
Considering what my master had been eating lately, he favored meat-heavy meals.
Makes sense... with all those muscles, he probably needed the protein.
"How much was that field boar meat again?"
"Ah, three coppers."
"That's cheap. Six portions, please."
"You got it~!"
The male shopkeeper hummed cheerfully as he began slicing the meat.
—Slice slice slice
I stared blankly at the chunks being cut.
In my mind, I pictured my master eating it with a smile.
"Heh... hehehe."
Without a doubt, he'd pat my head tonight and say the food was delicious.
"Miss? What's got you grinning like that?"
"Oh, just something."
I couldn't stop my lips from twitching into a silly grin at the man's question.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
—Creeeak.
The old doorknob turned, and the house door swung open.
"...Huh?"
I couldn't hide my surprise the moment it opened.
'Where's Cecil?'
Cecilia always greeted and saw me off without fail whenever I left or returned.
But now, no voice called out.
'Must be sleeping.'
If she was asleep, it made sense she wouldn't come to meet me.
Less than five minutes after entering the house with that thought, I realized I was wrong.
'What the hell. She's nowhere.'
I expanded my senses around the house just in case, but I felt no trace of her.
Still, it didn't seem like she'd run away.
The slave seal prevented that—I could kill her anytime I wanted if she did.
"...So where did she go?"
My question was quickly answered.
Thanks to the note Cecilia had left on the dining table.
[Off to the market! -Cecilia]
It was unmistakably in her handwriting.
That wasn't the issue.
'...When did she leave? She should be back by now.'
The real problem was that she'd left ages ago—more than enough time to return.
Damn it.