Chapter 3

The girl I saved bowed her head slightly.

“I am Muzé. Thank you so much for saving me from that dangerous situation!”

I looked at the girl named Muzé again.

She was a bit shorter than me, probably around 160 cm. But for a woman, she seemed quite tall.

Moreover, her chest and buttocks were quite large.

Additionally, her facial features were well-defined. Her emerald eyes were as beautiful as jewels, and her flowing golden hair was like silk.

To be honest, she was a very beautiful girl.

I couldn't understand at all why she was walking alone in such shabby clothes.

“! Are you a slave?”

“That's right. Um... may I ask your name?”

“Me? I'm Hiraq Matou.”

“Hiraq... Matou!? Why is someone from the Matou family of the Sword Saint here!?”

“I drew a bad lot in the appraisal ceremony and was expelled from my family.”

“So that's how it is...”

Memories of the events at the mansion flashed through my mind.

The people who had been kind to me all turned cold when they found out I had drawn a bad lot...

“Sniff...”

“Huh?”

“That's terrible... To exile someone so kind just because they drew a bad lot...”

Muzé was shedding tears for me.

Seeing her like that made me happy.

Reality is harsh.

But perhaps it was premature to conclude that.

“Thank you, Muzé. So, what about you? Why are you here alone?”

“I was a slave being sold in the capital. I was attacked by the monster while being transported to another city.”

The carriage carrying Muzé was overturned by the gray wolves.

The driver and the other slaves who were with her all died.

It seems she was the only one left.

“But I can't understand. How could someone so beautiful end up as a slave?”

“A, ah... Thank you...”

“? What's wrong, Muzé?”

“To be called beautiful... it's the first time I've ever heard it...”

It's a strange story.

How could it be the first time for someone so beautiful?

Then I realized.

I noticed the pointed ears peeking out from the side of her head.

An elf, no, this is...

“You're a half-elf, aren't you?”

“That's right. As expected of the eldest son of the Matou family. You have a keen eye.”

In this world, half-elves are discriminated against.

Indeed, no matter how beautiful Muzé might be, as a half-elf, her beauty wouldn't be properly appreciated.

“What a ridiculous story. Muzé is so beautiful.”

“W, why are you being so kind to me? I'm a half-elf, you know?”

“I've always thought that discriminating against half-elves is ridiculous.”

I love books.

Half-elves are disliked because of the history where a half-elf witch tried to destroy the world.

But it's absurd.

The one who was wrong was the one who tried to destroy the world, not Muzé or other half-elves.

So, I decided not to discriminate against Muzé.

“What... such a kind person... uh... This is the first time anyone has been so kind to me...”

“By the way, what are you going to do now?”

I can't just leave a woman alone in a place like this and go to the city.

“I believe the law states that if a slave's current owner dies, the slave becomes the property of the person who finds them, right?”

“That's correct. And please, Master Hiraq! Please let me be your slave!”

Muzé bowed deeply.

Slaves are not automatically freed when their original owner dies (though it can be prearranged for them to be freed after the owner's death).

Since her previous owner is dead, the person who picks her up next will become her new owner.

“Are you sure it's okay with me? I'm someone who has been expelled from my family.”

“The Matou family doesn't matter. I want to serve a kind and merciful person like you.”

...If I refuse here, I don't know what kind of person might pick her up next.

Muzé is a beautiful woman with a good figure. Someone might pick her up for her body and do terrible things to her.

In that case, it might be better for me to pick her up first.

Besides, I was a bit anxious about traveling alone.

Moreover, it's convenient that as a slave, she will absolutely obey my orders. Then, she won't talk about the mysterious [Open] ability I have.

“Alright. I'll count on you, Muzé.”

“Yes! I look forward to serving you for a long time, Master Hiraq!”

And so, I set off on my journey with the half-elf slave I picked up along the way.

When my father expelled me, I was anxious.

But since the [Open] ability, which was considered a bad lot, seems to be incredibly powerful, I think my future won't be as bad as I thought.