There were children at the back of the store, and Leticia was washing her dirty clothes.

　The children are laughing at each other and hanging their washed clothes on the clothesline, while Leticia is reprimanding the children who are playing with the laundry.

　Gray looked around, puzzled by the peaceful scene that didn't seem like the back of a slave shop.

　Then he noticed that there were Taiki robots standing on either side, one on each side.

''Golem........! I didn't think that was going to fly...

　While Gray was muttering that with an openly alarmed look, the girl who was working as a clerk called Leticia in a loud voice.

'Leticia-san! May I have a moment?

　At the sound of her voice, Leticia turned around and tilted her head slightly when she noticed Gray's presence.

''Oh? Are you a guest?

　Leticia muttered, and as she walked up to him, wiping her wet hands on the hem of her apron, Gray's expression changed subtly.

''Leticia-san. This one wants to ask you about the treatment of slaves. Also, about the people who work here.

'About slaves? The merchant would be better at explaining it to you than I would be at explaining it to you...

'Then I'll take care of it! So long!

　After telling a puzzled Leticia and Gray just that quickly, the girl quickly went back to the store. At that, Leticia let out a sigh with a troubled face and looked at Gray.

''I'm sorry, sir, even though I've been told I shouldn't be out in the open. I am assisting you with the behind-the-scenes work, my name is Leticia.

　When he bowed his head while greeting her, Gray looked at Leticia's face and gasped.

You.........why are you.......like a servant here.......I, no, I'm sorry for saying it......

　Leticia gave a strange look to the slumbering Grey, and then laughed.

''I was once a slave. There's no mistake about it, I'm a servant. However, I have enjoyed excessive treatment for me, but........''

　Smiling at that, Letitia clasped her palms together in front of her.

'Well, the slave and us, right? By way of contrast, I will speak to you to the best of my knowledge.

　Cut to the chase, Letitia told him what had happened so far and what the new slave contract was. And also how this store was created.

　Gray, who listened to them and pondered them as if he was examining them, uttered words of doubt as if he was squeezing them out.

''........Where is the guarantee that the person who signed that top-tier slave or something like that contract is really being treated according to that contract?''

　As she uttered the word, Leticia formed a small vertical wrinkle between her eyebrows and held her mouth shut.

　Gray's eyes narrowed in response and he continued.

I'm sure the people who work in this shop, whether they are slaves or not, are blessed with a good life. But is that not the case for those who have left the store...?

　Just as Gray said this, a high-pitched electronic sound rang out from somewhere.

''What! From those golems!

　Leticia clasps her hands together in front of her chest and raises her voice as Grey glares at Taiki's robot while reflexively turning around.

'That was a signal that we received something called a rescue signal from the person who was sold as a slave. I don't know how it works, but I've heard that sound ring when someone violates their contract.

　When I tell him that, Gray blinks his eyes.

''Kyu, rescue signal...?

　Gray groaned as he ruminated over the words that were on his mind, but when he saw Leticia raise her voice, he turned his head to look out of the corner of his eye.

'Oh, look. Look.

Oh, you didn't really fly.

　The two of them looked ahead to the scene where the very same robot began to emerge.

　Gray's eyes were black and white as he looked up at the robot taking off into the sky, but he quickly raised his eyebrows and clicked his tongue.

'd*mn! I can't believe I'm stunned...!

　He yelled and ran off. Leticia blinked her eyes as she saw that Gray's back was out of sight as he ran off.

''Well you don't seem like a bad person, but you seem to have a lot of assumptions.

　After muttering that much, Leticia suddenly looked at the children and began to panic.

''Ah! Where are they going?

　Leticia looked around, noticing that the children who were supposed to be hanging up the laundry had disappeared.

　Then she saw the children running with their freshly washed laundry on them like a cloak, and her corner of the eye was fished up.