Chapter 2 (1/2)
02.THE BEAST BORN FROM THE CRUMBLED PARADISE
In the next day, Arlette was bought by a n.o.ble family. All that remained from her was the money for Al to buy himself.
Since a few days ago, despite being refused many times, Arlette had been begging for money at a market she had never been to before and had been acc.u.mulating money for paying for Al´s freedom.
Everything was for the sake of Al´s happiness…
Al wasn´t able to stop her. He wasn´t able to stop his sister from being taken.
Al wasn´t able to tell her. He wasn´t able to tell her not to leave him alone.
Al became alone. All this in exchange for him being released from slavery and also some money so that he could live for a while without concerns.
“Yo, long time no see, freed man Al-kun.”
In the way back from Kail´s work, Kail and Havella visited Al´s house. Al received them with a dispirited face.
“…You are shabby like always… Properly clean your room, hey.”
Kail quickly started cleaning. Havella didn´t move to help. She wasn´t good at housework in general. To some point, Kail was good at that overall.
“Here, Al.”
Havella handed an apple to Al. Al sluggishly moved his hand to take the apple, but Kail hit it before he could take it.
“There aren´t apples dead fish can eat.”
“…The apple I stole…”(TL note: Not sure about the meaning here -.- maybe not with the accurate meaning, but it still is kind of the literal translation .-.「……私が盗んだやつ」I guess she is sad about the denied apple? 0.0)
Ignoring the murmured words, Kail glared at Al.
“I won´t tell you to go work. You aren´t anyone´s thing anymore, but a freed man. You won´t be treated as well as other people, but you can say goodbye to all the labor work. I am envious, d.a.m.n it.”
Kail grabbed Al´s collar.
“But you know, why the h.e.l.l are you making those dead fish eyes? Don´t go start living like a dead log. Who do you think you own your freedom to!? Aah!? Who do you think that sold her own life for you!? For all the unhappiness that person will have to shoulder from now on, you should at least become happy, or it is no good! You idiot!”
Kail´s angry voice echoed at the shabby small room. Havella doesn´t stop Kail.
“But, nee-san is already…”
Kail headb.u.t.ted Al, who was grumbling something. This made even Havella surprised.
“If you have the time to be talking about those meaningless things, then go work! Work, work and buy Arlette-san back. This is what you need to do to repay her!”
Al eyes became wide-opened. He had forgot that he could buy his sister himself. Something like that used to be something out of reality for him. It was the same as impossible… But that would only be the case for slaves.
“The limitations for people that used to be slaves are harsh, but people like that are still closer to normal people. The payment they receive has no comparison to the ones of slaves. It won´t be easy, but it also isn´t impossible. I can help you too if you need.”
“Now that all is said and done, what are you going to do, skinny knight.”
Al was embarra.s.sed of himself. He felt he didn´t have the face to look at his two friends anymore. They were thinking about him and his sister much more than he himself was. Al was filled with grat.i.tude.
“Thank you. I will work. I will work hard and buy nee-san´s freedom.”
The light in Al´s eyes were relighted. When, Kail saw that, he became a bit embarra.s.sed of what he had done and extended his hand to Al, who had fallen down with the headb.u.t.t.
“Sorry, I exaggerated a bit. But you know, as long as there is someone you can repay the favor to… you can´t give up.”
Kail didn´t have any relatives. He didn´t know if his family was dead or alive. They were probably dead. Even if he had lingering debts of grat.i.tude with them, he wouldn´t be able to pay them back for eternity. It was because Kail knew that that he faced Al seriously. Differently from himself, his best friend was still able to make it in time.
“Yes, thank you, my best friend.”
Al tightly grabbed Kail´s hand. Putting strength in his hand, Kail pulled Al.
“Havella too. Thank you.”
“Yes. I am your friend too after all.”
She had an expressionless face. However, it wasn´t like she didn´t have any emotions. Al was able to understand the feelings that were at the other side of her expressionless face.
“Then, can you treat your two friends that are tired after working.”
“I don´t have any decent food with me. There is only water and bread pretty much.”
“I have food.”
Havella took out a pouch from behind her. Inside the pouch, it was filled foodstuff to the point that it felt as if she had stolen all this specially for this moment. Looking at each other, Al and Kail smiled. Havella was looking at the two smiling like that without saying anything or without any expression, but even so, she smiled at the two.
“Ahaha, thanks Havella. Leave it to me. I will do to the best of my ability and treat you with the best cuisine… Well, that is something I learned by watching nee-san though, so…”
Tucking his sleves, Al headed to the very cramped and meager kitchen. Kail and Havella were looking at him from behind, watching him cooking.
It was fine even if he failed. The worth in doing this lied on the fact that it was Al who was cooking. Besides, they were slaves. They were lower than humans. Even if Al failed, they would put to use their prided ability of being able to eat anything.
“Ugeh.”(うげえ)
“Disgus… Tast…. Disgusting.” (まず、うま……まずい)
With how the result became a unrecognizable muddled mix of ingredients, Al´s first try in cooking became something that even surpa.s.sed the tastes in food of the three of them, who actually were capable of thinking of mudded water as something tasty.
“Ku, hahaha. This really tastes like s.h.i.+t. By the way, this fruit there really stinks.”
“It was the most expensive one. That stall is a fraud.”
“Like a thief can say something like that. Well, it is really a fraud that this s.h.i.+tty thing can sell for so much.”
“Even though it was so hard to peel that spiky skin… It´s cruel to me how its insides smells so bad.”
At the house that would already be cramped for two people, the three of them were messing around at the dining table. His feeling of solitude weakened, and for some reason, he became filled with energy. It was something a bit different than family; it was friends.h.i.+p. This peaceful feeling was filling the house.
“Ahahahahhaha.”
Al smile came back to his face.
It could be said that at that moment, perhaps it would be the last time he would be able to truthly smile.
In their way back to their homes from Al´s house, Kail and Havella were walking side by side.
“…For now, I will have Kail know about it.”
“Hm, what is it all of the sudden?”
Usually, except when the three of them were together, Kail and Havella wouldn´t really talk to each other. Besides that, it was rare for Havella to start the conversation herself.
“The n.o.ble that bought Arlette-san, that count Vrad… There is a problem with him..”
“Problem… Hey, are you saying that…”
“Al will need”
Kail was pulling his hair. Without having anywhere to release the anger he felt for his loved pme, Arlette, and his best friend´s misfortune, he could only vent his frustration by doing that.
“This is… unfair.”
The moonlight was being covered by the clouds, and the darkness of the night weighed upon them
Al was now working his mind off. In the end, the only work Al, who couldn´t read and didn´t have any education, was able to do was physical work and other simple works. If he was going to work at those kind of jobs, the payment he would receive then wouldn´t become much better compared to what he used to receive. However, a person that had set goals was strong.
“I will definitely take nee-san back!”
With indomitable determination, Al was resolved to save up money to extreme extents.
One day, a certain person came to the front of his house. It was a man that was carrying a sack. While wondering what he was doing there, Al called for him.
“Sorry, do you have any bussiness with me?”
The man looked to Al´s direction. His gaze felt like he was looking at Al like he was an insect. This kind of gaze was something Al had experienced many times.
“Hey there, dirt slave brat.”
The man threw the sack to Al. Al angrily responded to him.
“I am not a slave anymore.”
“Hmph. So does it mean you became a human now? Listen, slaves like you can´t become human as long as they live. A slave is still a slave. Freed slaves are nothing but slaves that aren´t being kept by someone.”
This kind of opinion wasn´t something rare. In this country, probably most of the citizens had the same thoughts. Al had already become used with this extent of sneering, but it still didn´t feel good to hear it.
“…What is with this sack?”
Even if he continued to argue with him, it would be useless. Al decided to ask the man what was going to have benefit to him instead of talking about useless things. Seeming like the man wanted to quickly get out of this town, which was much closer to being a slum, he didn´t show any signs of desiring to continue to argue about that.
“The toy became became worn out. It would have been fine if this was in the Count Vrad´s territory, but the agency for dealing with these kind of things here in the royal capital are a pain to deal with. That´s why I came here to give it back to the place it used to live at. Really, what a pain in the a.s.s.”