Record of Wortenia War: Volume 1

by Ryota Hori

  “Looks like that boy there filled their heads with nonsense and now they’re getting cheeky with us.” One of the bodyguards shot a nasty glare in Ryoma’s direction.

  “Oh, I see, so you’re the one who put those dumb ideas into the girls’ heads, are you? Some white knight in shining armor you are. Well, so be it. We took some pretty big losses from the bandit attack, so I could use an extra slave. Capture the boy alive, men! He’s got a good physique. He should fetch a good price as a manual labor slav— Ghrck!”

  A splash of blood spurted from the merchant’s mouth. A shiny ring had lodged itself into his girthy neck at some point. Ryoma had silently fired off a chakram, which tore through the slave merchant’s neck and cut off his sentence.

  The bodyguards stood frozen in place, unable to process the sudden attack that had just transpired.

  Seriously. What a blithering idiot.

  Ryoma couldn’t see him as anything but a fool for going on endless tirades in front of someone who was clearly bent on killing him. There were no rules in battles to the death; there was only the question of who survived and who didn’t.

  Just go ahead and hand me the chance to kill you on a silver platter, why don’t you...

  Some corner of Ryoma’s heart filled with scorn at the dead pig, but now he was in the middle of a battle. Stifling his mocking, he focused on what had to be done.

  “Now!”

  Responding to Ryoma’s call, the twins rushed forward from his side, with their swords brandished. They passed by Ryoma’s sides, charging the stunned, uncoordinated bodyguards.

  Like I thought.

  The result he expected was playing out before his eyes. Each of the girls had their own particular style of swordplay. Laura’s was one of force. Her sword swung down rapidly on the opponent’s blade, snapping it at the root, and sinking into the man’s head with that same momentum.

  Sara’s skill, by comparison, lay in her technique. As the opponent thrust their own sword out instinctively, her sword clashed with it and drove the opponent’s own blade into their throat.

  Their styles juxtaposed strongly with each other. But Ryoma could tell they had both gotten to this point owing to long and arduous training.

  “Wh-What the hell are you... How are you this strong?!”

  The brains of the group, the slave merchant, was dead, and the surprise was enough to throw off the bodyguards, leaving them open to attack and allowing the twins to easily dispatch them. Only the man who’d rushed out to the road first remained in front of Ryoma.

  “Hmph! So you’re the only one left.” The girls’ cold gazes fell on the remaining man.

  “W-Wait up... Hey.” He seemed to have finally understood the position, as his eyes filled with panic. “Wait, how? How can you use your power...? You can’t use it without a master!”

  The bodyguard’s words made the girls’ lips curl with smiles full of scorn; the smile of a beast confident in its victory. And yet, they remained as alert and ready for battle as before, with their muscles strained and at the ready to deflect any attack the bodyguard might send their way.

  “This man is our Master!” The girls’ gazes fell on Ryoma.

  “That’s bullshit. Slaves can’t just... make a blood pact with someone on their own...”

  “We learned how to bind a blood pact when we were young. Have you forgotten where we descend from? Our father taught us.”

  “What?!” The man went pale at Sara’s words. “Then why haven’t you done it until now?!”

  “We don’t owe you any explanations!”

  As Laura said that, Ryoma approached the man slowly.

  “Kuh. Shit! I won’t forget this, you bastards!”

  The man decided to take one last gamble. He turned around and took off as fast as he could.

  Not a bad call... But he screwed up. Ryoma thought to himself as he watched the man’s retreating back.

  He wasn’t running into the forest, but rather down the road. There were monsters in the forest, and that threat eliminated it as an option of escape. But Ryoma took out a chakram and wordlessly flung it into the back of the man’s head. The sound of the chakram cutting through the wind and sinking into the man’s skull filled the forest.

  “Now, then. I have a lot to ask, but let’s get to Alue first. We can talk then.” Ryoma told the twins after retrieving his bloodied chakram.

  ““As you wish.”” They bowed their heads, and proceeded to put the dropped valuables into order.

  It showed they knew what they were supposed to do.

  I only wanted to help them out, but somehow it looks like I ended up getting in way over my head.

  Ryoma sighed, watching the two girls obey his orders.

  After carrying the corpses of the slave merchant and his entourage into the forest, Ryoma and the girls took all the jewelry and valuables they could find and made their way to Alue. Thankfully, they didn’t run into any more bandits or monsters, and arrived after 10 in the evening. All the eateries were already closed, and so Ryoma decided to stay at the single inn at town.

  “Right, let’s talk while we eat. Come on, don’t stand around, go ahead and take a seat.”

  Sitting before them was some stew and bread the innkeeper had graciously heated up for them. Ryoma thought he’d made a fairly simple request of them, but the girls eyed the chairs he motioned toward with confusion.

  “What’s wrong? It’s gonna go cold.” Ryoma asked the girls dubiously as the twins exchanged glances.

  “It is not permissible for slaves to eat at the same table as their master. We will eat later.”

  “Huh?” Ryoma asked back at Laura’s answer.

  “It is not permissible for slaves to eat with their master.” As Sara repeated the same words, Ryoma gazed at her face intently.

  Is she serious?

  It was far too foolish of a statement to believe.

  “Um... Not permissible, you say...? You’ve got stew right in front of you. It’ll go cold.”

  “It is not permissible for slaves to eat warm food.” Laura replied, as if she were stating some obvious truth.

  What the heck’s up with these girls... Are slaves really that concerned with what their master says? But I’m their master... I guess that means... Hey, hold on a second!

  Ryoma, who had no experience with subjugating people, found the twins’ attitude to be all too heavy.

  “So let me get this straight. You have to obey your master, correct?”

  ““Yes. It is the duty of a slave to serve their master.”” They answered Ryoma’s question in unison.

  Their words didn’t have so much as a hint of hesitation. They believed that from the bottom of their hearts.

  “And I’m your master, right?”

  “Yes. You are the Master we’ve formed a blood pact with.” Laura said, with Sara nodding silently in agreement.

  “Right. In that case, this is an order from your master. Sit down and dine with me!”

  ““Huh?!”” The two exchanged surprised glances.

  “Food’s only half as good if you’re eating it alone, you know? Plus, I want to discuss what we’re doing next. So sit down!”

  In all honesty, he could hardly stand to eat a lavish meal alone with the twins gawking at him like this. It was unbearable. The sisters fell into contemplative silence for a moment.

  “...Very well. Our apologies. Come, the Master has spoken. Let us sit down.” Laura, who seemed to have steeled herself, urged Sara to sit.

  “All right, let’s talk over dinner, then!”

  ““As you wish.””

  Ryoma was of the mind that eating together would be more fun, but the girls seemed to be uncomfortable with the idea. After eating a spoonful or two of stew, they put their utensils down.

  This is awkward... Well, from what I’ve heard so far, it looks like slaves get treated worse than I imagined. I’m not gonna get them to change immediately.

  Old habits die hard, as the saying goes. Putting
that matter aside, Ryoma decided to ask about the blood pact. Perhaps it wasn’t an ideal topic to discuss over dinner, but Ryoma couldn’t leave that loose end untied.

  “So, let’s recap where we stand right now. I know I’m repeating myself by asking this again, but I’ve become your master now, right?”

  “Yes. The blood pact we forged earlier has placed us in a relationship of master and slave.”

  “Yes, about that! Tell me more about that blood pact thing.” Ryoma asked, furrowing his brows as he chewed on some bread.

  “The blood pact has two purposes. The first is a ritual of loyalty, done between a knight and their lord. In that case, it is merely a formality, and it has no binding power. The other one is done between warrior slaves and their masters.”

  “Warrior slaves?” Ryoma returned the bread in his hands to its prior position on the table and looked at Laura.

  “Yes. In addition to labor slaves and sex slaves, there is a unique type of slave known as a warrior slave. As the name implies, they are slaves used to fight battles, and since they naturally possess the power to fight, they have the means to revolt against their masters. As such, all warrior slaves have a seal placed on them, forbidding them from all hostilities without explicit permission from their master.”

  Laura’s explanation made Ryoma’s heart wash over with disgust. Ryoma couldn’t stand the idea of people violating the wills of others. Everything Laura was telling him right now came off as nothing more than people forcing their wills on their slaves. If they feared the thought of slaves revolting against them, it simply meant they were treating them in ways that would cause the slaves to revolt.

  “I see. Next question, then. How were you able to make that pact?”

  If Laura’s explanation was true, there was no way for slaves like them to know how to make a blood pact. If all of them could, the whole system of managing slaves would collapse under its own weight. Ryoma asked this question for one simple reason; this could have been a trap by the Empire. Perhaps they were sent for Ryoma to save them, so they could build up his trust until he left himself open to attack.

  “Th-That’s...” Sara stuttered. It seemed that, for whatever reason, she didn’t want to answer Ryoma’s question.

  But after exchanging a glance with Laura, she fell silent.

  “It is fine, Sara. It is only natural that he would be suspicious. Very well, I will tell you. We only ask that you keep this story to yourself and tell no one else, Master.”

  Seeing the grave, unyielding resolve in her eyes, Ryoma nodded vigorously. He wasn’t the type to spill other people’s secrets, anyway.

  “Our surname is Malfist. It is the name of a lineage of knights that was in service to the kingdom of Quift, which once existed along the central continent’s western coast.”

  A lineage of knights? So they’re nobles, from the higher echelons of society. They’re definitely pretty and refined, but how did these noble princesses become slaves...?

  Laura’s somber story went beyond Ryoma’s imagination.

  “So your real name is Laura Malfist, right?”

  “Yes. The Malfist house was a long-running clan of warriors that has served the Quift royal line for generations. We were greatly trusted by the royal family, and our lineage often stood as the crux of national defense. But that ended roughly five years ago. A dispute with a long-running neighbor and trade partner, Shadora, led into outright war, which brought the kingdom of Quift to destruction. Our father’s land was an island off the shore of the kingdom, but even that place was not immune to the spread of the fires of war.”

  Tears glistened in the girls’ eyes, perhaps from the memory of what had happened.

  “Our father fought desperately to defend the citizens and the kingdom. But when the king was assassinated due to betrayal from the prime minister’s faction, the war was turned in Shadora’s favor, and Father was forced to abandon our territories.”

  “And that’s when you both managed to escape?”

  “Yes.” The twins nodded. “He assigned us several soldiers as guards, and sent us to the border to flee to another country.”

  “But if he gave you guards, how did you end up slaves?”

  “That is because all of us... including ourselves, were poor judges of character.”

  “Laura...”

  Ryoma’s question made the girls’ faces distort in anger, humiliation and regret.

  “We failed to see just how weak people’s hearts can be. It happened one night, as our boat, disguised as a trade ship, crossed the border to a neighboring country. Our guards tied us up, and sold us to the slave merchant Azoth. Despite all of them being well trusted knights, who had served us well for years...”

  The guards they had trusted betrayed them and sold them into slavery. It really did sound tragic. And as they say, misfortunes never come singly, and one bad thing leads to another.

  I feel for them, but I can’t exactly blame the people who betrayed them, either...

  That thought surfaced in Ryoma’s mind. The bodyguards who sold them were trying to cling to their own lives. Having the family line collapse was like having your company go bankrupt. If you were to ask the employees to care for the CEO’s family after the company went under, it would never happen.

  That kind of bond could only last for as long as money flowed. That was what Ryoma thought, but he wasn’t so foolish as to put that thought into words. Staving it off, Ryoma progressed the conversation.

  “So that slave merchant, Azoth, was the guy we met this afternoon?”

  “Yes. We knew how to read and write, and had basic training in martial arts and thaumaturgy, so he had us trained to become warrior slaves.”

  It made sense that they learned how to fight if those were the circumstances. Ryoma could see why they would be made warrior slaves, too.

  “I see. So, how did you know how to make a blood pact?”

  Ryoma’s eyes glimmered. That was the biggest question.

  “When we were younger, our father taught us how to perform the blood pact. He said it may come to be of use to us.”

  “He did that... in case you gained your own slaves?”

  They’d originally been in a social position that would employ slaves, so they knew how to bind slaves in a contract.

  “Yes. However, slaves cannot perform a blood pact with other slaves. We needed to find someone who was at least a civilian to form the blood pact with.”

  Ryoma nodded. That made sense. If slaves could form blood pacts with other slaves, the whole system wouldn’t be able to bind them. And it wasn’t like any random commoner would do. They’d have to pick the right person.

  “You were looking for someone trustworthy... So, that means you trust me?”

  “Of course. You fought all on your own to protect us, and I thought you were a worthy man for us to serve.”

  “I felt the same way.” Sara nodded gently, reinforcing Laura’s words.

  “Aaaah.” Ryoma sighed heavily, having heard their explanation.

  Well, what do I with them now...

  Those were Ryoma’s honest feelings. The twins’ gazes were fixed on him.

  “I understand your story. But if that’s the case, I’ll just set you two free. We got the money from the slave merchant, so you two can use it to start your new lives.”

  Ryoma was on the run from the empire; having to care for the two of them would only be a hindrance.

  “We cannot!”

  However, Ryoma’s words were met with clear rejection from Laura.

  “Even if we have become slaves, we still have the pride and blood of Malfist running through our veins, and you protected our lives and chastities despite risk of death. Let us serve you, until our lives are at an end.”

  The girls’ eyes were alight with strong resolve.

  “No. Listen, I didn’t save you just so you’d be grateful to me. You don’t have to go this far.”

  Of course, he didn’t mean they shouldn’t feel grat
eful at all. He expected at least some words of gratitude at the bare minimum, but this was going too far.

  “No! Let us serve you!” Laura said, as Sara nodded in agreement.

  “Well, damn... I’ve got my own circumstances to consider, you know.” Ryoma said vaguely, only for Sara to cut into his words.

  “Is that... related to you being an Otherworlder, Master?”

  “What’s that?” Ryoma said, the smile persisting on his face.

  Still, the twins picked up on Ryoma’s agitation from the minute changes in his demeanor.

  “You’ve nothing to worry about. We have no intent of telling others. We simply want to learn of your circumstances.”

  A brief silence fell over the room.

  “Why?” Ryoma eventually asked.

  “If we are to serve you, Master Ryoma, we need to know of your circumstances. So we ask that you share your situation with us.”

  Another long silence lingered.

  What do I do? I could kill them to prevent them from talking, but... No, that’d be stupid. I’ve already gone to all this trouble of refusing to abandon them. I’ve been prepared for this the moment I chose to save them... Right.

  Conflicting emotions ran across Ryoma’s mind.

  “Alright, fine.”

  ““Do you mean it?!””

  Ryoma’s words prompted the girls to lean over the table, and Ryoma raised his hands to stop them.

  “I understand how you feel, but personally, I don’t need slaves. So if you choose to follow me after I tell you everything, I want you to do it not as slaves, but of your own free will.”

  He didn’t want them to come along out of their obligation as slaves, but as people with their own wills and choices. That was the optimal conclusion Ryoma decided on. The sisters exchanged a glance after hearing his decision, and then, Laura proclaimed in a loud voice.

  “Very well. If that is our Master’s will!”

  Their way of thinking hadn’t changed much, it seemed.

  Ryoma told them of that fateful day when he’d been summoned to this world; how, after being summoned, he slew the thaumaturgist who summoned him; how he was on the run from the Empire’s pursuit; how he had the advantage of them not knowing what he looked like; and how he was now planning his next move.