The jailbreak was a success.

　The original was due to a rather lame glitch, "head-butting against an enslaved NPC will break slavery (*no problem with story progression)", which was never fixed in subsequent updates. It was an "unimportant phenomenon", so to speak. You can see how Mevion's storyline and the existence of slaves was an "extra element". It was so rare in Mevion that it was even more rare for players to advance the story in the first place.

　However, this jailbreak was a real breakthrough for players who were advancing in the story. In the storyline quests where the enslaved NPCs had to be taken to a specific NPC, when they were attacked by demons along the way, the slaves would not fight at all. However, when you break an NPC out of jail, the NPCs will somehow be able to fight against the demons. Hence, you can save the time and effort of guarding them and improve efficiency. It's just that, well, there's not much difference. Hence, it was probably not even modified. On top of that, since slavery magic never appeared afterwards, even the Mevion management must have forgotten about it.

　I said "head-butt me" for now, but I didn't think it would work as well as it did; even if the NPCs head-butt me, my servitude will be terminated, and just being able to confirm this fact is huge. If he buys another slave in the future, I'll make him butt heads as soon as I feel he's someone I can trust.

''Master, it's about time for the sun to set. Let's make it to the encampment.
Yeah.

　After that, Yukari had completely regained her usual coldness.

　The only difference was that this was definitely her true nature. Instead of the clerical, inorganic, cold words she had used before, they were cold words with some human tenderness.

''You don't have to call me master, you know?
No. I've made up my mind.
'Oh, yes ......'

　...... It's so cold.
　Huh?　At one point, I felt like you opened up to me: .......

'I'll take my turn tonight,'
Thank you. Thank you.

　I ate a quick meal and lay down.
　Sleepiness came quickly.

"............
............

Hmm?　Did you just see that?
No.

　I felt eyes on me, but it was just my imagination.

　I closed my eyes, trying to sleep again.

............

　No, I'm not imagining it.

'Hey, you're watching, aren't you?'
No.
You lied, and you distracted me.
I didn't see him. Just go to bed early, please.

　I don't get it. ......

............
You!　I'm looking at you!　And you laughed, didn't you?
No. I haven't seen it. Hmm.

　Yukari says with a chuckle.
　It's good that she's gotten so much better in half a day, but isn't she changing her character a little too much?

"d*mn it, remember: ......

　I gave in to the intense sleepiness that surged through me and decided to just go to bed, not caring if they were already watching me.

'Yes, I'll remember that. Be firm.

　Yukari mumbles to herself. I don't get it, this guy .......



　The next morning.

Good morning master.

　When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Yukari in the same position as last night, giving me the same stance and the same look.

'...... good morning,'

　............ No, no way.

　I'm like, "Have you been watching this the whole time? I swallowed the question, "What do you want to do?" and wished her good morning.

　We had breakfast and started walking.
　At this pace, we should be in the port city of Coola by the end of the day.


'Master. What kind of training do I need to do as a blacksmith?

　Along the way, Yukari asked me that.

''Yeah, you can gain experience and improve your blacksmithing skills.''
Gaining experience, huh?
'Peho's Limpophart dungeon rounding is the most efficient way to get around right now. I plan to make money there for a while.
'Is it possible for me to circumnavigate a grade B dungeon: ......

　Oops, I didn't explain that.

'We've teamed up, haven't we?　The team master can control the percentage of experience gained by team members. If we set Yukari to 100%, all the experience of all the demons we defeat will go into Yukari, and we'll earn a blast.

　It's called Carrie.

............

　Yukari, who heard me, is worried about something with her arms crossed. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to get your hands on a new one.

"I'm also ...... no.

　Yukari was about to say that and quickly denied it.

　I'd be better off fighting too, I guess ......?　Please don't do that if you can. It will increase the time it takes to reach the 9th level of the Blacksmithing Skill. Yukari knew that too, so she stopped speaking.

''...... Yes, sir. So this is what I need to do to become a great blacksmith as soon as possible? I apologize for the inconvenience this will cause you, but I would appreciate your help.
Well, never mind. I'm just looking for efficiency on my own.

In return, I will take care of your master's personal needs.

　Hmm?

I will do my best to serve you, sir.
Wait a minute. Huh?　What do you mean?
'I am my master's slave, so I thought it was only natural.
No, right?　I'm not a slave anymore.
No, I'm a slave. You are an absolute slave.
I'm not!
'The Maurice Chamber of Commerce is sure to be on our radar. Then I think it's best to maintain a perfect master-slave relationship and cut white.
............ Is that too?

　I don't feel like I'm being tricked, but Yukari certainly has a point.
　However, if it's an appeal that you're working well with the master-slave relationship, you just need to pretend otherwise--

'Master. The port city is in sight.
Hmm, oh. We're here at last!

　I can finally sleep in my bed!
　The joy of it blew away a lot of things I had been thinking about just before.



'...... It's beautiful. Very.
The sunrise is more beautiful. We'll get up early tomorrow.
Yeah.

　We took a room on the second floor of an inn with a view of the sea and looked out the window at the sea.

　For some reason we were in a room for two.
　Being a dark elf slave is very bad news. I was wondering what I should do at the reception desk of the inn when Yukari said, "We're a couple," and this is what happened.

　A comfortable silence passed between us. We've had this kind of silence before, but the clear difference is that it's a good atmosphere. The air was somewhat itchy.

'Thank you very much,'

　Yukari breaks the silence.

'What?'
I'm glad you're the one who found me. I'm glad I found you, now, with all my heart.
Well: ......

　Silence again. I'm lost in thought, listening to the sound of the waves coming in and out of the distance.

　Lady Lucia Aisin--was she really killed by the First Queen of White Castal?
　If that's how Yukari, the party involved, remembers it, then there may be no mistake. However, the reason for this is a matter of concern.

　I can't help but feel that there is something tremendously large and unreasonable swirling around.

　I know the first prince Klaus's crooked nature. His mother would not be uncomfortable doing dirty things.
　So what about his father, King Bawel Castal?
　In Mevion, as I recall, he was portrayed as a selfish worshipper with profit first. If he was a man as he is in this world, he would be doing something yucky. An NPC such as the king, who was never much of a concern in Mevion, is absolutely impossible to ignore in his quest for first place in this world.

　More than anything else, I was worried about the second prince, Mine. I can't stand the idea of my friends getting involved in a shitty political dispute.

　I need to check out ....... I felt like it.

　For the sake of my world number one, for the sake of Mine's future, and for the sake of--

I'm here about the First Queen.
...... Yes?
Don't worry. Not right now, but I'll take care of it.
............!

　When I said that, Yukari turned her eyes, which are usually so sharp, to look at me.

　When I stared back at her, Yukari quickly turned her gaze back to the ocean and slowly opened her mouth.


''It's best not to speak too frivolously.

　Her profile was as cold and beautiful as an ice-worker's.

　She hides her smiling mouth so that I wouldn't notice.
　Her long, slender, pointed ears are dyed so red that even her brown skin can see them.