Well.
　The master has entrusted me with the servants.

　What an honorable thing to do!

　This means that I am automatically the highest ranking servant. I am above the family order and above the steward, i.e., in the eyes of others: ......

Mrs.?　I don't know.

　I'm in such a good mood that I can't help but talk to myself.

　In my room, which is large and stylish enough for me to be unworthy of my master, I look through the list of slaves given to me by Philip, the Maurice Slavers Chairman, and mend the servants.

　The plan I have in mind at the moment is a total of three stages.

　First, I will recruit four men as candidates for the butler, head chef, gardener, and horse chaperone, and ten women as potential all-around maids who can do everything.

　Next, each of them will be trained to a high standard and their abilities will be raised to a level suitable to serve their master.

　And lastly, I will fill in for them as their subordinates as needed.

　Well, that would be better.

　It would be very, very unpleasant to let so many women get close to their master, but considering the ratio of men to women in the first test, it's inevitable to a certain extent. I'll try to restrain him from doing so through education.

　All the servants we employ, male and female, are slaves. I have no intention of hiring ordinary people. For some reason, I am afraid of betrayal.

　If you ask me, I am afraid of betrayal even if I have a servitude contract. Philip's jailbreak is not a skill known only to the master, I could tell from his mannerisms. In the current situation where there are so many enemies and we don't know who is instigating them, we need to be extra vigilant about this betrayal in order to protect our master.

　...... Suddenly, a word passes through my head.

　Brainwashing--maybe Lucia-sama was in the same state of mind as I am now. If there's someone I want to protect at all costs, I'll do everything I can with the means I have without regard to form. Yes, I would do that too.

　But I can't brainwash them. So I'll protect my master the way I do.

　It's my way of making him dependent. It's to rescue, to coax, to make him believe. I will take that mind away completely so that it will never betray me. And then it is dedicated to the Master.

　Probably, master must have thought that far and built a 'servant's mansion'. That's what master is all about. I have always admired his profound discretion.

　I picked out the slaves from the list of slaves with the most miserable pasts possible and applied them to the list of servants.

　--We have a master here. There is an environment where the weak can be saved. A paradise in this world, so to speak. All the miserable past, the sorrowful feelings, and unreasonable circumstances can be thrown away in the other world. Just like I used to be.


Phew, is this it?

　After I finished compiling my list, I cleaned the inside of the mansion while I waited for the master to return.

　............ It took me until nightfall and I didn't end up finishing it. I didn't expect it to take so long for a single mansion.

　This looks like we need to hire more servants as soon as possible .......




　The next day.
　The master gave me some time to go to Maurice's business office.

　There didn't seem to be any problems with my choice, and the contract of servitude is easily carried out in the presence of the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

　The content of the contract is simple and straightforward, and compared to my time, it just doesn't say "no attacks". In short, it's all about being a good steward and not a violation of humanity.

　After the contract was completed, the busy master lightly greeted the slaves and left for the slime forest.


　Now, we've got 14 servants, male and female, in total.

　Everyone was looking at me with a frightened or resigned look.

　Oh dear, I can't imagine what's to come. If you look at that innocent figure of the master and the situation where I, the object of persecution, the dark elf, am standing here unharmed, you should have realized that you don't need to be frightened or resigned.

　Apparently, there is no such thing as a clever and cunning curmudgeon who thinks to crush emotions with rationality. There was no madness in my eyes. This would be a second to no dependence and to faith.


　I took my fourteen slaves and headed first to the mansion in the east.
　As soon as we arrive, I get them all in line at the gate and then stand with the mansion in the background and look around at everyone.

　First impressions are very important. I open my mouth as comfortably as I can, remembering the sentence I had thought of last night: "You are blessed.

'You guys are blessed. Take the next day and realize that.

............
　Slaves gasping for breath. I'm ready to grab them, right?

'When you become aware of this, you will work hard for your master. That's the only condition for you to enjoy this privileged environment.

　I look around at the faces of the slaves. They all look uniformly puzzled. It must be so. It's hard to believe. Neither was I.

"Persecuted for the color of their skin, enslaved at the hands of their only believing parents, and condemned to death for a crime they didn't commit. A sister who was falsely accused of a crime she didn't deserve and who was divided up in her village. Those betrayed by their wives and enslaved as a form of debt. A woman in the body of a man who was enslaved for obscenity--

　I bared each person's past to the spot.
　Fourteen people were in an uproar. But not one of them complained. Why? Because they were curious about what I was going to say and what I was going to say about the rest of my words. Because, yes, you are blessed, according to me. And you want me to make you aware of that, don't you?　There's nothing to cling to, is there?　We can't help but expect it, can we?　To all of you who are so sad, I can offer you an answer.

Let it all go. Master doesn't care about the color of your skin. You and the master already know it's false charges. A lot of debt?　If you stay here, I can pay you back in less than three years. Oh, of course, master will not betray you. You're a man and you're a woman, it's all right, I'm sure your master understands, and you'll be able to work comfortably for sure--

　The past of all of us went straight into denial.
　The ripples of several people's minds overlapped and spread wide and wide. Gradually, the life in his eyes became more and more alive. The size of the vessel on his side, the preciousness of the one who believes, the fact that he is paid, the depth of his pocketbook. Even if you don't believe immediately, you can't stop the anticipation that swells in your heart.

'When you walk through these gates. That stain that has been tormenting you all this time will be an insignificant scum.

　I turned my back to the fourteen people and walked through the gate of the mansion in the east.

　They are all staring at me, waiting for me to speak.

　I want to reach out and ask them to save me, but I can't. I want to believe, but I can't. I want to believe, but I can't. Hence, they are waiting. I am a wretched being who can only wait. So I go around with handcuffs on each of its shrunken hands and force it to pull itself up. Just as the Master did. The only difference is that I will never unlock those locks, I guess.

'Go through the gate without hesitation. And come here. And I will give you a job to do. If necessary, we will educate you from the ground up. We will guarantee you more than enough food, clothing and shelter. You have no right of refusal.

　I pull fourteen people into the gates without saying a word.

　I turn around once and look at all of them. Okay, it's a good look. Deceived or not, we have no choice but to bet on this. They all have the faces of those who have made up their minds.

　Hmm, in this case, I'm already in control.
　Thus began my plan to become dependent on my servants.



　　* * * *



　The Day of Reckoning.
　We were purchased by an incredibly beautiful man.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.

　A dark elf maid ...... is also under that man's command?　Dark Elf is a representative of a discriminatory target in this shitty kingdom. The bad guys bought it. ......

"Elle sister ......
　Es squeezes my hand. You're anxious, aren't you?　It's all right. I'm with you.

　Fourteen slaves, myself included, of both s*xes, lined up at the big, stupid gate.

　It's an amazing mansion. I knew it. I mean, this guy is fabulously rich. I don't know what he's going to do with all these slaves at once, but I'm relieved to know that it doesn't look like he's going to sell them off in the back.

　Just as I was savoring a drop of relief in the darkness of my crushing anxiety, a dark elf woman stood in front of us. She was a horrible, beautiful woman. And she's completely flawless. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get away with it. Who is this woman?


　...... was just when I was thinking about it.
　Suddenly, the speech started.

　We are blessed to be here. We are blessed to have that in mind.

　I thought, "What the hell is this guy talking about?" and I made fun of the women. Otherwise, I couldn't keep myself together. We are not so naive as to be seduced by such glib words. We can't believe such a convenient story. Because I know this, I am more and more worried about what lies ahead. I can't help but imagine the horrible conditions from which we will never escape. What kind of harsh environment are you trying to trick us into?　And I can't stop thinking about it. That's why I swear in my heart. I'm not expecting anything from you, you idiot.

A sister condemned for a crime she didn't commit.
What?

　She knows about this?
　I mean, are all these people here wacky?　No, it's a done deal!　We are used up.

'You and your master already know it was a false accusation.

　--............ Heh?

　Well, wait, I don't get it.

　How do you "know" about the false accusations?
　What's the point in knowing that?
　Why did she look at me?
　Do I need to remember every single piece of information about each and every slave I'm going to use up?

　Could it be that we're not going to be used up ......?

'When you pass through this gate. That stain that has been tormenting you all this time will be an insignificant scum.

　.............

　Yeah, I know.

　How nice it would be if that were true.

　All right, all right. I'll take your word for it.

　You say I go through the gate, I go through the gate. If you tell me to come, I'll come.

　I'll keep my fingers crossed. We've been betrayed time and time again, but I'm going to give you one last chance.

　That's why I'm asking you to go to ...... and not betray us again. Don't betray us again.






　There was a time when I thought of ...... or something like that, too!

　What the hell?

　A mansion for servants!　Huh!　I've never heard of a mansion that's for servants!

　And I don't know what it means to be just a maid, or even a slave, one room per person!　And it's an unbelievably luxurious room!

　I mean, how much land do you have?　It's not right for us to be in a place like this.　I'm sorry to have to do this to you.

　And is the level of education too high?　How could you be so wrong?　Because a quality education isn't so easy for anyone to get, right?　If you keep this up, I'm going to end up with a first-class maid in a highborn family.　Are you sure?　What's that?

　Also, you know, the food is just too good to be true.　Not only do they serve three meals a day, but they taste so good that you're going to get fat.

　No, I lied. You're not going to get fat. It's hard to get fat if the head maid is showing us hell once every three days. Well, compared to before I came here, it's like heaven.

　I'm comforted by the sight of the master that I see from afar these days. I haven't been allowed to serve him yet, but for now my goal is to serve him someday. Just sayin'...

　The only thing I have to say about it is that the dark demon sergeant is a total pain in the ass. I've been blessed with this. I'm really blessed! I've been blessed with this. I don't know what I was thinking, but it was engrained in my brain.

　I mean, all 10 of us almighty maids haven't even gotten close to the master yet. That's strange, isn't it?　It just so happens that that demon sergeant--

Elle. Why are your hands stopping?
I'm sorry.

　I'm pissed!　This guy's an esper!

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

　He's laughing at me. I envy you your talent as a maid. I don't think my sister has any talent. It's not a pattern to begin with. ......

You can't get away with it.　The ten of you here now must reach a level that is worthy of the name of the elite 'All-Purpose Maid Squad'. You guys lack the cultivation, the spirit, and the experience. I will teach you one by one. So learn as you breathe. And eventually you will be in a position to teach your men.

　Whenever I'm sluggish, Yukari-sama encourages me as if she saw it coming.

　He's a very strict man, but after all, he's a very nice person.


　I'm not going to be able to get to the bottom of it.

　I want to work here for the rest of my life.