My mother taught me to read and write and my father taught me swordsmanship.
　However, her father just wanted to relieve his sorrow by practicing swordsmanship.
　At the age of fifteen, Rona began working as a mercenary.
　Not because she was confident in her skills, but because she couldn't find a legitimate place to work.
　No legitimate manager would hire someone who had a profligate family member, and Rona was too young to understand that.
　After five years of being a mercenary, Rona was known as a 'scrap picker'.
　It meant that he was doing the kind of scrap-like work that a fledgling mercenary would do.
　Rona didn't mind such mockery.
　Rona's goal was to earn enough money to live modestly with her family of three, and in fact, she was earning that much money.
　But life wasn't getting easier.
　Instead of making it easier, it spurred my father's profligate spending habits.
　I fought with my father about it countless times.
　I was miserable, arguing about money as often as we fought.
　After a quarrel, it was my father who would break first.
　Rona forgave her father when she had no choice, and, again, he repeated his mistakes.
　She never had a lover.
　There were people who took favors for her, but when they found out about her father, they left Rona.
　In that way, the most glorious period of my life passed, and when I was thirty years old, my mother died, and shortly afterwards my father died too.
　There were no tears in my eyes.
　Rona took the first step in her new life with a refreshed feeling that her father would never bother her again... and she fell into slavery because of the debts he left her.



　Once the bid was awarded, Rona was moved to another room.
　It was a reasonably large room, and the slaver and his men were with her.
　The slaver and his men didn't say anything, perhaps happy that they had sold for an unexpectedly high price, but the slaver and his men didn't say anything.
　After a while, the sound of a door opening sounded.
　Reflexively, Rona looked up, but her vision remained blurry due to the lack of glasses.

''Well you've kept me waiting.
No, no, no, not at all.

　The slaver responds with an uncomfortable cat-stroking voice.
　The man who seemed to have bought Rona handed the slaver a gold coin and signed the contract.

''Well you're squinting, but...''
'Oh, he has bad eyesight. If you don't mind, I'll give you a pair of glasses for one gold coin.

　'Huh,' the man let out a disgusted sigh.

'It's his anyway, isn't it?'
It's mine now.
No choice.

　The man took the glasses from the slaver and immediately let Rona hold them in her hands.
　As he put on the glasses, his vision brightened.
　The blurred world regained its contours and Rona looked at the man who had bought her.
　The man was probably over thirty years old.
　He wore clothes that resembled a military uniform, and even through his clothes, she could tell that the man's body was well-trained.
　His face was reasonably well-defined.
　He seemed crude, but the thin smile that floated around his mouth gave the man the impression of being frivolous.

'I'm Kane. Well, what the hell, I'll be your boss. And then your position will be... ah, you're going to be a fixture?

　The word "supplies" made Rona giddy.
　It is treated as an item.
　I'm not sure if that means I'm going to be raped by a man as an accessory.

You'll need to wear this for now. The carriage is waiting outside.
Yes, sir.

　Kane took off his jacket and handed it to Rona.
　The jacket was plain in appearance, but it was well sewn.

'Follow me,'
Yes.

　As soon as Rona put her jacket on, Kane started walking.
　He was trapped in the cage, and his body ached as his feet creaked with each step he took.
　As he stepped out of the building, the sunlight irritated the back of his eyeballs painfully.
　Rona looked around, wondering if she could escape, and quickly gave up.
　I don't know where I am now.
　I don't even know how much power Kane has over me.
　There was no way she could escape without knowing everything.

'That's my.......carriage, anyway.
....

　There was a fine box carriage parked a short distance away.
　Rona let out a breath of relief, glad he hadn't run away.
　Since he possessed such a boxcarriage, Kane's status must be high.
　At the very least, he must be in a position to move a lot of people.

'You'll meet my boss afterwards. My boss is called Crono, the lord of the Marquis of Erakis and the Count of Caddo next door... well, he's a good guy.

　At Kane's urging, Rona climbed into the carriage.
　It was the first time she had ever ridden in such an expensive carriage, which made her feel more than a little uplifted, but she felt depressed when she remembered that she was a slave.
　Perhaps I was being held by a man named Crono and then paid off by his men.
　Couldn't he manage to get in on it, Rona wondered desperately as he rocked the carriage.



　

''........I'm going in.

　Kane opens the door.
　The man ahead of him was around twenty years old, maybe even under twenty.
　That's how young he was, a young man with dark hair.
　His youthful face is in the category of cute from Rona's point of view.
　But it would be too early to call it cute.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.
　Perhaps the young man has experience of standing on the battlefield.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

Here you go. Her name is Rona, and she's an ex-mercenary of the Free City State Army.
Kane, let her change her clothes.

　Since he's reporting, the dark-haired young man must be Crono.
　For a boss, Kane's tone of voice is familiar.
　Maybe Kane and Crono are half-brothers.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

''I thought you'd have to report first.
I won't complain if I'm a little late reporting.

　Rona became impatient with Crono's attitude, which was too calming.
　
　Rona didn't have any male experience, but she did have experience of being on the verge of it.
　Overall, judging from the little experience and the knowledge I've overheard, a man is a beast of a creature.
　He is a creature that talks about love and breathes hard.
　No, if you think about it, Crono is a nobleman who governs two estates.
　He can choose any woman he wants.
　Couldn't such a man buying a s*x slave be considered to be due to a special.......bizarre preference?
　The fact that he went out of his way to buy an ex-mercenary could also be the result of him being judged to be difficult to break.
　A lazy and disgusting sweat gushes out.

''Oh, you look pale?''
The results of the physical are supposed to be good.

　Crono pointed out, and Kane looked at the parchment the doctor had apparently given him from the slavers...................and the doctor's diagnosis.

'Maybe he's tired.'
I just wanted to ask you to say hi.

　Rona cowered as Kane and Crono stared at her.
　'Greetings must be a cryptic word meaning to make them do something.

'I think it's important to say hello, though.
'Yes. We're going to be friends for a long time now, so you need to take care of your body.

　Long time friends........Kane and Crono don't plan to use Rona easily, but it's scary to think about what they're going to do to her.

'Get some rest today,'

　Crono's voice was kind, but that kindness was terrifying to Rona.

*

　The room that the maid calling herself Alyssa showed me to was more magnificent than Rona's house in the Free City State cluster.
　Since this was a servants' room, I was reminded of how poor I was living.

''If you need anything, I can bring it to you?''
No, I don't.

　Rona cowered.
　Alyssa is Crono's maid.
　If she asked something unwise, she would be reported.
　But if you don't ask anything here, you can't even be prepared.

''What kind of person is Crono-sama?''
...a fine man.

　There was a slight pause before Alyssa answered.
　The fact that there was a pause before she answered meant that there was something to it.

'Are there any inconveniences to women?'
I don't think it has been...

　Alyssa slurred her words, as if it was hard to say.
　'I'm not crippled, but I guess you could say I'm not satisfied.

'What will happen to me?'
'I don't know what Master Crono thinks, but I suspect he will be transferred after he's been trained through the process.

　Education ... is it to make them know their place?
　Is the destination to be moved to the basement, or is it the stables?
　No, if Crono is a man with bizarre tastes out of the ordinary, there is a line of torture in the dungeon.

''Please take a good rest today.
Yes.

　In the end, Rona was not prepared for any of this, and she hung her head.

*

　The moment the door opened, Rona reflexively picked herself up.
　Alyssa was stiff in the open door position, as if she had startled her, but she walked out and stood by the bed as if nothing had happened.

'Good morning. Are you feeling better now?
I'm a little hungry.

　Rona leaned forward and grunted.
　Her shoulders and back felt heavy, but otherwise nothing else.
　In short, it was a temporary illness.
　But when she said it out loud, she felt like her stomach wasn't feeling well for some reason.

'If you don't feel well, may I call a doctor?
No, no, it's not really worth it.

　Picking herself up, Rona hurriedly denied it.

'I see. It's your precious body, so don't take it easy.''
Yes.

　Rona thought she heard Alyssa's voice as if she had to entertain Master Crono for forty-one gold coins.

''If there's no problem then after you bathe in the hot water, Master Crono will explain to you about Master Rona's work.
In the morning?
Don't worry, we'll have time for you to eat.

　Oh, I don't feel safe at all, Rona said as she got out of bed, feeling melancholy.

*

　Bathing in hot water ... literally, bathing in hot water.
　Naturally, in order to bathe in hot water, you have to carry water and boil it.
　Soaking in a bathtub requires more effort than bathing in hot water.
　Even in the free city-states, only the wealthy could spend that much effort on getting rid of dirt.
　In Rona's case, as a poor man, he was limited to washing himself by drawing water from a nearby well or occasionally using the public baths.
　So it was new to Rona to bathe in the bathrooms set up in the nobleman's mansion, or to use soap laced with fragrance.
　Scared, Rona stood in front of her office with the smell of the fragrance in the air.
　I've given them this much luxury.
　What would they do to me after this?
　I was scared and scared to death.
　Looking to the side, Alyssa was waiting for Rona to open the door with her back straightened.
　Oh, I'm sorry.
　My stomach really hurts.
　Could you let me rest in my room for a little while longer?　Eh, no?
　Right, Rona plays a monologue in her mind.
　When she opens the door at will, Crono is sitting in a chair and Kane is leaning against the desk.
　Rona stands in the center of the office.

'It looks good on you,'
Yeah.
.....

　Rona cowered and twisted her head.
　The clothes that wrapped around Rona's body were not the clothes given to the slavers, but a knee-length skirt and an unadorned jacket.
　By the way, the underwear is also unadorned.

''Well Rona, about your business.

　It was Crono who opened his mouth first.

'Wow, I can handle a sword!　In the Free City State group, my rank wasn't high, but I was a mercenary!
"Rank?
''It's like a mercenary rating. The guild judges the number of times you've done the job, the success rate of the job, and so on, and then they rate you.

　When Crono looked up, Kane briefly explained.
　Apparently, Kane had a certain amount of knowledge of the mercenary guild system.

''It's not hard to understand how you feel, but the reason I bought you wasn't to make you do those things.

　Crono leaned his weight against the back and smiled bitterly.
　Rona scolded herself for seeming to be trapped in despair.
　She listened to him.
　If she could show him how to use it beneficially rather than using it up, she might be able to survive.
　But Rona was unable to speak.
　At the very least, she was educated.
　She'd chosen a safe job, but she was used to roughing it.
　But she didn't know what to appeal to.

''I'll do anything.''
You have a great work ethic.

　'Mm-hm,' Crono nodded with satisfaction.

'At least, gently.'
'It depends on whether you find it kind or tough, because it depends on the individual. I honestly don't even know how much work I'm going to have to do,

　I don't know how many people I'm going to have to deal with.
　That alone makes it tough for Rona.
　It's hard not to be judgmental.

'I thought an ex-mercenary would be fine.
No, I've never done anything like this before and, well, I don't know if you can believe it, but I've never been a man before.
No, no, no, I don't need to have any male experience.

　Oh," Rona croaked in despair.

'....Hey, Master Crono.
What?

　When Crono asked, Kane tilted his head suspiciously.

''Am I the only one who feels like we haven't been having a subtle conversation since just now?
'If you ask me ... that last part in particular doesn't really mesh.

　Kane and Crono looked at each other and stared at Rona.
　As they stared at each other, Rona let out a small scream.

'My question is, Rona what do you think they're going to make you do?'
...with a man.

　Ahhh," Crono croaked, and Kane looked up to the heavens in confusion.

'Kane, did I explain it to you?'
I didn't. I mean, I know you were trying to explain it here.
Yeah, but...

　Crono cleared his throat awkwardly and straightened his residence.

'Rona, what I want to leave you with is paperwork.
Is that some kind of code word?
Yeah, yeah, actually... it's just not true!

　Rona cowered at Crono's exclamation.

''Well Master Kane says I'm a fixture.
Kane?
'I couldn't find a better way to describe it. You, too, have positioned your slaves as the property of their owners.

　When Crono glared at him, Kane said excusingly.

'No, well, I don't want to treat it like an object, but there's the laws of the empire and slavers and... things, you know.

　Gogol and Crono are also excused.

Anyway, Rona's job is office work. I'll pay you a decent salary and if Rona wants to buy herself back, I'll comply. Then you'll have to sign an employment contract...

　Crono took a bundle of paper from the drawer a contract.

*

　It's something~, Rona brought a piece of bread to her mouth in a corner of the cafeteria.
　It's a good thing that you didn't become a s*x slave, and since you got a legitimate job, it would be nice to feel a little more comfortable, but it's just a feeling.
　I know why.
　Rona longed for a straightforward job, but that was before she became a mercenary.
　After spending nearly fifteen years as a mercenary, she gave up on the idea of getting a straight job.
　That's why he was more confused and anxious than happy.
　Huh~, Rona let out a sigh.
　Forty-one gold coins.........Even if she paid back one gold coin a month, it would take three years and five months to repay.
　She had given up on marriage.
　No, I was a little hopeful that if it wasn't for my father, there would be someone old enough to take me to wife, but I don't think there are any men who would be willing to take me as a slave.
　I looked over and saw that the elves were eating their breakfast.
　No, there was one elf with an eye patch and the remaining two were humans.
　Even for that human, he was younger than Rona.
　If he was that old, Rona let out a sigh.
　If he was ten years younger, he could have found relief in his current situation.
　Ah, I hate youth, Rona said, bringing the soup to her mouth.

''...Rona-san, is that all right?''

　Rona finished her meal, and after a moment, she was approached by a reserved voice.
　When she looked up, she saw a small, fat, middle-aged man standing across the table.
　He was probably a little over forty in age.
　His hair, which was a mixture of gray hair, was thin and dense, with much of the ground showing.
　His face is greasy, but he looks good...no, he looks frail.

'My name is Sitter. I am in charge of the affairs of this, Master Crono's estate.
Thank you.

　For being in charge of the office, the sitter was low profile for being in charge of the office.

''Since Rona-san is going to be working as an administrative assistant at Count Caddo's territory, it was Crono-sama's intention to have her work as an apprentice until then to get the big picture.
Oh, yes, I understand.

　Rona stood up, hiding her anxiety.

*

　That night, Rona collapsed into bed as soon as she returned to her room.
　She had thought she could be of some use until she was transferred to her workplace, but her first day had made her realize her inadequacies.
　It was already a mess, from carrying documents to the wrong place, to standing in front of the merchant who came to apply for the documents.

''When ... when I became a mercenary...''

　No, it was worse than it is now.
　Back then, Rona had an unfounded confidence that she could be dashing and active, and like now, she was struck by the gap between image and reality.

'Let's stop being so depressed,'

　Rona sat on the bed and stared at the stack of papers.
　Written on the paper was a reminder to do the job.
　Rona relied on its contents and her memory to visualize the whole job.
　She didn't wish she'd explained it to him first, but that's where she'd be groping.
　Rona smiled, saying that if she had the chance, she would give him a concrete description.