The Necromancer Commands Slaves, Not Undeads

2 – Translation (2)

I looked at the trembling slave girl on the ground. I had no idea how accurate the translator’s performance was. But looking at the reaction of the slave girl, it looked like we could easily communicate with each other.

The slave girl had thrown a curse at me. But I wasn’t particularly upset about that fact. I don’t know what the other people she came across were like…

“Please, get up.”

I stood up the trembling slave girl, Dorothy Richmond. Then she looked at me cautiously. I started a conversation with her through the translator.

“I’m really sorry. Please forgive me just once.”

“It’s okay. I think it can happen.”

“Thank you. Thank you.”

If I weren’t an old man, I would have been sold or starved to death like that girl.

Whether she became a slave because she was bad, or if she became a slave because she was unlucky, I didn’t know the details, but I had no intention of persecuting Dorothy.

The reason I don’t treat her lightly is simple. I was the only one in this house. I didn’t have the ability to control her by myself. It was a no-go to get stabbed while sleeping due to careless orders.

But giving Dorothy back to the slave master as it was, was a waste of the money the old man gave to the slave master. More than that, it reminded me of the contents of the Necronomicon.

Honestly, I felt a little sorry… If it’s money from selling the old man’s magical items, I can afford at least one slave.

“From now on, I will tell you a few things. First, listen to this.”

I raised my index finger.

“First, if you work for the amount that you were bought for, I will free you from slave status.”

When Dorothy heard that, she looked at me strangely for a moment, hiding her fear.

“And secondly, you said your name was Dorothy. I need Dorothy’s blood. Even if it hurts…”Please cooperate with the blood collection.”

Her expression was slowly becoming more skeptical.

“Third, your room will be there from now on. Is there anything you don’t understand among these?”

I pointed to the room of the elderly man. As soon as my explanation ended, Dorothy cautiously opened her mouth.

“I am curious why you are treating me this far… “

The interpreter was demonstrating its performance. It’s like a conversation that smoothly continues.

“First of all, it’s because I can’t manage Dorothy. If you treat it well, you won’t think about wreaking havoc on me. Do you understand?”

To relieve her tension, I smiled awkwardly.

“And I feel sorry for the money paid by the elderly man. I thought it was reasonable to use as much as I could.”

Dorothy, who was nodding her head. I opened my mouth to give her one last warning.

“Will you show me your slave sign?”

At my story, Dorothy looked at me with a surprised expression. And she averted her gaze with a slightly embarrassed expression and whispered.

“I can’t show you directly because I have shackles, but it’s underneath my right chest.”

“Well, then, excuse me for a moment.”

When I revealed her rag-like top, her body was filled with blue bruises and red swollen wounds. It seemed that she had been whipped and beaten continuously during her slave life.

I squinted my eyes to confirm the wounds.

“This will leave a scar.”

I slowly lifted my gaze from Dorothy’s white and smooth stomach. The bottom of her chest was slender enough to reveal ribs, and as she said, there was a slave sign engraved underneath her right chest.

“Just wait a moment.”

Then I brought ointments, a water towel, and alcohol.

“It’s an ointment made from the yolk of a black nightingale egg and rose oil. It will help relieve swelling.”

I disinfected the wound area with a water towel and alcohol, and applied the ointment to her.

Dorothy let out a shallow moan as if it was stinging, and I whispered to her.

“As long as there is a slave sign, it will be difficult to survive within the empire even if you run away. Work fairly, pay for your body fairly, and be released. It’s said that the owner and the slave can erase the slave sign if they request the governing lord.”

Dorothy nodded her head.

“Well, then, rest for now.”

I unlocked her filled shackles. She looked baffled. Watching the back of Dorothy who cautiously entered the old man’s room, I headed for the yard.

I casually left the shackles in the yard. I had a thought that she might run away, but she would not dare to execute it since I warned her this much.

I wanted to rest in the hut too, but I still had work to do today. I had to organize the old man’s things.

From the items classified yesterday, I put the heavy ones in a backpack and went down to the city.

***

Elliaring was the most active commercial city in the empire. My shack where I live is located in a forest slightly apart from Elliaring. It’s a two-hour round trip on foot. Therefore, I had to make a decision on the day I went to the city.

When I arrived in Elliaring with a backpack, I saw two-story buildings built tier by tier with white bricks. A medieval city with an impressive brown wooden roof.

At the center of the city, there was a gray castle. It looked solid and firm, unyielding to any attack. They say that the Lord lives in the gray castle, but I haven’t seen him yet.

This is not my first visit to Elliaring. I have lived in the slums of Elliaring since birth, and after becoming an assistant, I have visited the shops here whenever I went shopping.

I headed to the general store with familiar footsteps.

“Hey, kiddo. What brings you here today?”

“I’m going to dispose of the magician’s items.”

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When I arrived at the general store, a chubby old man with a friendly expression greeted me.

“Huh? You’re selling the magician’s stuff?”

It was rare to see a magician in this world. Therefore, those who were called magicians were also very few, and in Elliaring, the name magician was talking about the old man one hundred out of one hundred.

“He passed away yesterday.””Is that so?”

At this, the shopkeeper’s eyes widened, followed by a quiet sigh.

“Ah, I thought it was about time for you to go… So that’s how it happened… Is the child okay?”

“He’s fine. We were on our way back from the funeral yesterday.”

“Do you by any chance know where the grave is? I’d like to pay a simple homage.”

“Would you hit me more if I told you?”

“Ah, look at this child… The magician did well in raising one person.”

He then smiled cheerfully and spoke.

“Show me what you got.”

I took out all the heavy items from the bag and placed them on the shop’s table.

“There are potion crystal flasks, everlasting preservation oak barrels, various gemstones and so on.”

The shopkeeper began counting carefully, tapping the abacus. It took a while to calculate because of the high price and quantity of the items.

“It adds up to 70 gold.”

The high-end hostel of Elia Ryung costs one silver for a day’s boarding. This money would be enough for me to play and eat until I become an adult.

I couldn’t help but smile at the enormous amount.

“I have more items. I’ll bring them later.”

A large sum that I didn’t even think of bargaining with.

“You’re trying to trick someone… I’ll only accept up to these items. You should dispose of the remains in another city.”

He handed me a bulky purse of gold coins. I accepted the purse and put it in my backpack.

“Thank you. I’m always grateful.”

After saying that, I left the general store. I then bought fresh trout from a fisherman and various spices from a trader.

I’m thinking of indulging in a feast after a long time. Lastly, I bought a few loaves of rye bread from a bakery and returned to the hut.

When I returned to the hut, I found Dorothy wandering around the living room like a curious cat.

“Welcome back.”

I came back and looked at Dorothy, who courteously greeted me.

Although she was a slave in rags, her mannered behavior showed that she was from a decent family and was well educated.

“I’m back.”

I turned on my translator app and said that to her as I started to tidy my things.

I put the purse of gold coins in the storage and placed the bread and trout on the table.

“I’ve earned a good amount of money this time. Let’s have a decent meal today.”

Upon hearing this, she cautiously nodded. Dorothy was still very cautious.

“Do you know how to cook?”

She shook her head.

“How about preparing fish?”

She shook her head again.

“Once your condition improves, I’ll teach you everything slowly. Go and rest in your room.”

As I said this, she looked unsure and shook her head with a worried expression.

“I’ll do something.”

“In that case, can you bring some firewood from the yard?”

I felt nostalgic as if I was seeing myself when I first became an old woman’s assistant. When I asked this, Dorothy headed for the yard.

I prepared the bread by cutting it into easy-to-eat sizes and also prepared the fish.

Once Dorothy brought the firewood, I lit the hibachi in the kitchen. I melted some pig lard on a pan and put the prepared trout on it.

As the trout was sizzling and cooking, I sprinkled various spices including pepper.

With the nicely cooked trout on the table, the meal was ready. Dorothy silently watched me do the cooking.

“Shall we eat now?”

As I sat down at the table, I heard Dorothy swallowing her saliva. Dorothy finally smiled. We had our meal in a relaxed atmosphere.