Aldis. I'll get Ted and the others. Why don't you wait here for me?

'Uh, ...... got it.'

　That would mean that he would have to watch these two girls to make sure they didn't do anything strange.

　Aldis looks away from Norris as he runs to the other carriage and observes both girls.
　They were about seven or eight when they were older.
　They were dressed in shoddy kantoui to look at, and they were huddled together and trembling, as if afraid of Aldis.
　There was an obvious hint of caution and trepidation in their eyes.

　If you look closely, you can see the resemblance in their appearance to each other.
　They might be sisters close in age, but perhaps they were twins.

　At first Aldis speculated that they were relatives of the merchant, but she quickly shook off the idea.
　The clothes they wore were too shabby for a merchant's people, and it was easy to imagine from their scrawny cheeks that they were not well fed.

'You have a child?'

　Ted and Orphelia arrived shortly after Norris took them in.
　As soon as they turned up the top of the carriage and looked inside, they each raised their eyebrows, "Wow, are you serious ......" and "I'm in trouble ......".

　Aldis asked the three of them with their heads in their hands.

'What are we going to do, those girls?　If I'm going to take you to town, you'll have to walk, but you'll have to walk: ......

'Wait, wait, wait, I'm just thinking. Haha ......, things (monobito) are good, but twins of all things?

　Ted lets out a sigh as he holds his head in his hands.

'Mononobito?'

Yeah. Look at the hands and feet. You see the bracelet and the ring of an ankle. That is the circle of the human race.

　Ted was right, both girls have identical shaped rings on their limbs.
　But that's not the question that came to Ardis' mind.

'What is a real person?'

What?

　Not only Ted, but also Orphelia and Norris look at Aldis as if they are looking at something incredible.

''You, are you serious about that?''

Ha-ha, I knew Aldis was different.

'Hmm, I knew you were naive, but ......, I honestly didn't think you'd make it this far.

　As expected from the three of them, Aldis seems to be in a bad mood after the terrible things they say.

''So, what is it with the people after all?

　I guess I can't help but feel the spikes in my words.

'I'm sorry, sorry. Don't be angry. I'll explain it to you.

　Norris soothed in a rush.

'Just so you know ahead of time, it doesn't feel too good, does it?

　Seeing Ardis nodding in silence, Norris begins to talk about people.

It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends. I don't know what to call it ......, I guess it's like the name of a product when a merchant deals in it. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work for you, but I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work for you. Property and freedom of movement are not available to them. They cannot receive the protection of the law as human beings. After all, they are property.

Like slaves?

'Well, I guess it's close. But it's probably a little better to be a slave. Even though they are the lowest class, they have the status of slaves, and they are treated as human beings to a point. Of course you have to obey your master's orders, and you have few social rights. But depending on my master's policies, I'm allowed to own property and even have a family.

Not the people?

Property is not treated as a human being. If you kill a slave, it's murder, but if you kill a property person, it's only punished as damage to property. If you mistreat a slave, you get a bad reputation, but if you injure a property or don't feed it, that's just a reputation for poor management of your goods. As a merchant, you'll get a bad rap, but that's all there is to it. Those kids are still treated better for being clothed.

......

　Ted takes over the explanation.

If a buyer is found, you will become a slave and will no longer be a property owner. When you become a slave, you will be treated as a human being to the extent that your master allows you to be treated as a human being. Of course, even a slave may not be happy, but compared to a real person, it's still better. But in their case, they're twins: ......

Is there a problem with twins?

'What?　You don't know that either?　What kind of countryside did you grow up in, that you don't know anything about people or abominations?

I don't know. Where I was, I've never heard of people or twins or anything like that.

"Hey, Aldis. Have you ever seen twins in this country?

　Suddenly, Orphelia asks from the side.

'The twins at ......?'

　Aldis dredges up memories. This country - or rather, the memories of the first year in this world.

'That being said, I haven't seen a twin in my life. I suppose it's just a coincidence that you happen to be at ......?　Twins don't come around that often, do they?

Well, maybe in a country of a hundred people, but in a city as big as Tria, you don't see them at all. Didn't you think it was strange to see them at all in a city as big as Trier?

......

Twins, you know, are an abomination. They're said to be the messengers of the evil one who avenged the goddess.

　As soon as I heard the word "goddess," a killing intent dwells in Ardis' eyes.

It's a good idea to have a look on your face. You really don't like the goddess, do you?

　Ted hesitantly says a few words to Aldis, who has changed in an instant.

'We're the only ones around, so that's fine, but be careful on the streets.

"Oh, yeah, ...... sorry.

Especially if someone in the church sees it?　You're being eyed by the church because you said something in front of a priest that was critical of the goddess, right?

Norris is right. You may have something against the goddess, but you shouldn't criticize her in broad daylight.

"Okay, ......, I'll keep that in mind.

　Orphelia heard Aldis's reply, let out a breath of relief and began to talk about the abomination's sayings.

In the past, in the divine war, the evil god Grace tormented the goddess to the end. It is said that the twin demons were the only ones who tormented and injured the goddess as the evil god's senpai,

　Aldis' fist clenched tightly the moment she heard the words "twin demons".

'The church says that the twins are born with the unforgivable sin of being linked to the demon who hurt the goddess.

Orphelia is ...... and you think that's true?

　Ardis asks in a strained voice.

'I don't know if it's true. No one else has ever seen or heard of an event that took place in a faraway mythical time. Just .......

"Just?

This world is too hard for twins to live in, that's a fact.

In fact, it's not uncommon for twins to be disposed of immediately after they're born. In some areas, though, it may be possible to keep one of them and raise them. People look at them with disdain, they can't be blessed at church, and when they get sick, the doctors won't treat them. Of course they can't even get a decent job. I heard that sometimes their parents are more depressed than they are. I think that's what happened to those kids. They either lost their parents or were sold. ......

　There was a hint of pity in Ted's eyes.

Most twins die as children anyway. Most of the twins will die as children either way, and even if they are lucky enough to survive, they will end up with a person or at best a slave. Otherwise, they'll have to become outlaws.

So. What do you want to do, Ted?　You can't stay here forever, can you?

　Norris was right.
　Even though Aldis and the others were not to blame, there was no one to prove it.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what you're looking for.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's not a bad idea to have a good time. Well, let's just move on.

　Aldis and the others cleaned up the corpse for now and took out what they could.

Norris. Did you find anything that would give us an identity?

Hmm, looks like a merchant with a shop in King's Landing. He was on his way to deliver something to a trading company in Thoria.

　Norris, who was checking the documents left in the merchant's pocket and in the carriage, concluded that.

'Then what's the point of bringing back the relics ....... What about Orphelia?

Looks like it's mostly textiles and clothes. You can only take a few out. It's just too bulky.

d*mn, it's your lucky day. If the horse was safe, we could take the whole thing with us!

　That evening Aldis and his men decided to build a fire in a hollow a short distance from the road and spend the night.
　Fortunately, the wagon was loaded with wood and tools, so they had no trouble making an unplanned camp.
　Looking up at the sky, the night was already beginning to unfold.

　Surrounding the fire were Aldis, Ted, Orphelia, and Norris. And two people huddled together in the faint light of day.

'You brought them here after all: ......

　Ted alternated between looking at the objects and Aldis and sighed.

'We can't just leave him there, can we?

　The first thing to do is to frown at Aldis, to which Ted responded with a look of embarrassment, "That's not a good way to wake up," he said.

It's true that it's a bad idea to leave them behind,......, but they're twins. If it were a normal person, you could sell them at Tria, but you wouldn't get a buyer for them because they're twins: ......

What happens if you don't get a buyer?

　Ted, unusually stammering at Aldis's question, said grimly.

'I suppose any product that doesn't sell will be ...... discarded.

Are you going to kill him?

You won't kill ......, but ...... well, it's a lot like that. All I can say for sure is that it won't be a bad idea.

Like what?

　Orphelia interrupted Aldis from the side as he pursued.

'It's better not to ask. It's not a pleasant one.'

　I'm sure you'll be able to get a good idea of what's going on," said Norris to Ted, despite Aldis's gutless face.

So, you're going to take me there after all?　Honestly, he's holding you back, isn't he?　It's a hassle just to be a kid, but I'm a person, and I can't even walk. Even if I took him to Trier, it would be a two or three dollar bill anyway, right?

　That, of course, is something that Ted knows, and he knows that he knows what he's doing.
　He's a kid's person, and they're twins. Even if you sell it, the money you get is apparently very little.
　If that's the case, it's much more profitable to take home some of the merchandise.
　In fact, as Norris says, they are certainly an impediment.

'Why don't we let them carry food and water and have them go to Tria on their own?

　But as expected, Norris didn't seem to be able to be as cold-hearted as he claimed.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

　Both Ted and Orphelia probably have pity for the girls.
　If it weren't for the twins, they might have taken them to Tria as a matter of course.

'I'll take those two with me.

　The hand that had been scratching Ted's head, the fingers that had been rubbing Orphelia's brow, and Norris's hand that was about to burn wood anew, stopped as if frozen by Aldis's words.

'You know what, Ardis?'

'I'll give up my share of the goods I got from the carriage. If it causes you any delay, I'll carry it. You won't have a problem with that?

　Aldis interrupted Ted's words mid-sentence and said.

'Yes, that's true, but ......

　There is no denying the proposal itself. If it doesn't reduce your share and doesn't affect your walk, there's little reason to oppose it.

'So what's in it for you?　We're strangers. We're twins. You can't make good money taking them in. You don't even know if they'll let you into town in the first place, do you?

'There is no merit to it. It's just that if what Orphelia said is true--

　He murmured in his mind that it was too irresponsible for him to abandon those two.
　Orphelia asks Aldis, who closes his eyes and is silent.

''What if it's true?''

No, it's nothing. It's just a whim.

　Aldis slurred his words, but Ted seemed to have given up.

All right, suit yourself. It's not like I'm going to give up on those guys just because I want to.

I'm sorry, Ted.

'But even if I took you to town, I don't know if you'd let me in like Ted said you would, you know?

Then I'll sneak in at night.

'Haha. I knew Aldis was funny!　Then I'll help you with that!

　In contrast to Norris, who is smiling with amusement, Ted and Orphelia do not even try to hide their faces of dismay. In other words, they may be in a state of 'resignation'.

　The twins did not react at all to what Aldis and the others were saying, they just hugged each other and looked at each other to see what was going on.
　When night spread over more than half the sky, they began to breathe quietly in their sleep, as if they were tired from the tension they had been experiencing.