"Ugh ...... where am I?"

Lardus woke up. His body ached all over, and it was hard to breathe.

"Well, ...... I'm ........."

I remember the part where I was hit by that monstrous automaton.

"...... you lost."

Then a voice called out to me.

"Oh, Lardus, you noticed."

I turned my aching neck to see that it was Bemi Arusha.

It was Dogmaloud who brought you here after the automaton had killed you. You should be a little grateful."

"...... Oh, thank you. So where are we?

"In the northern part of the Laurentian continent. ...... Well, ruins."

Ruins?

Yeah, that's right.

Then Dogmaraud came out.

"I don't know, but there was a people who died out there."

"Hmm..."

"This place has a high concentration of free ether, isn't it comfortable?"

Well, yes.

There's still a light ward in place. We're still lightly warded. No one will be able to detect our magic here. Well, we're pretty far away from the place, so even that automaton won't be able to follow us.

"...... I see."

"I've been beaten up pretty bad. But neither I nor Bemiarouche can use healing magic. You'll have a good rest."

Well, I thank you.

Thus, Lardus, wounded all over, went to the ruins in the northern part of the Laurentian continent to heal his body.

The next day.

"I'm going to take care of him. Bemiarouche and I can't stay with you until your wounds are healed.

"What?"

Dogmaraud brought a woman. She was a skinny girl, fourteen or five years old. Her dark brown hair is shaggy and she wears worn-out clothes. Her brown eyes were lifeless and clearly under a slavery spell.

"I kidnapped her from a village about 200 kilometers away. I've put <> on them so they can't resist me. And we've taken plenty of food and water, so don't worry."

Hey, wait!

Hm?　Yeah, we didn't find any good medicine, so give it up.

That's not what I meant.

What, you still want something?

No, I don't, but ...... you want to leave me alone with him?

"No?　Would you rather have another slave?

"No, not exactly, but ......

"Then be patient. I'll see you later.

Hey!

Dogumaraud has shifted and vanished from the scene. All that remains is Lardus and the enchanted girl.

"May I bring you your food?

the girl asked in a flat voice characteristic of those under the influence of the spell of servitude.

"Oh, yes, if you have it, bring it.

"Yes."

The girl left the room and returned shortly after with a tray of porridge and water. This is what Lardus has been eating every day for some time now.

"Oh, okay. Leave it there. You can leave now."

"Yes."

He manages to move his right arm, so eating is not a problem. He also managed to use <>......<> to reduce his weight by a factor of 10, so that he was able to use the toilet by himself.

The next day.

The girl who brought the food wobbles and almost takes down the tray.

"Oops!"

She managed to prevent it from falling, but the cup fell over and water spilled out.

"I'm sorry. I'll get it back."

The girl bows her head, takes only the cup, and leaves the room. Her steps were clearly strange.

"Wait."

"Yes."

Lardus orders the girl to stop.

"What's wrong with you?"

"......"

The reply is silence. She cannot answer an ambiguous question.

At that moment, Lardus finally realized.

"You haven't eaten, drank water, or slept, have you?

"No, sir, I haven't been instructed."

"Oh my God. ......"

Depending on the way the slavery spell is cast, the subject may suffer from a severe lack of judgment and autonomy. Dogmaraud, who would have cast a spell of servitude on her, apparently did not care much about that.

Lardus lets out a sigh,

"...... order. After I fetch you some water, you will get what you need to eat and sleep."

"Yes, sir."

The girl came back with water with unsteady steps and then left the room again. This time she did not come back. She must have eaten and rested.

"......I'm going to clean up the mess? ......"

Again, Lardus managed to clean up the mess by using to reduce his weight and the weight of the dishes to one-tenth.

* * * * * *

And one month has passed. The date is June 17.

At last Lardus' wounds have healed.

"Ah, I finally managed to get myself moving again. d*mn you automaton!

Lardus swears and leaves his old hiding place .......

He noticed a girl standing there.

"Thanks for everything," she said.

With these words, Lardus left the room.

"Ah, it's been a while since I've been outside.

The sunlight and the wind made him feel refreshed.

"Well, what are we going to do now?"

Lardus took a few steps and suddenly thought about the girl.

(She won't get her will back unless we release her ......<>. In other words, he can't live alone.)

After thinking that,

"What's the matter with one or two humans?

Lardus said aloud, but he could not move his legs forward.

(......I guess I've grown attached to him while I've been taking care of him...)

Lardus stood still for a while, but then turned around.

"......It's just like a pet, a pet."

Lardus returned to his hiding place, making excuses to no one.

The girl is standing exactly as she was when he left.

"Hey."

"Yes, ma'am."

You come with me.

"Yes, sir."

With the girl still under the spell of servitude, Lardus disappeared into the distance.