The girl who was brought down from the carriage had blue hair.
It was a shining blue, somewhat tinged with gold, different from the deep blue of lapis lazuli. Combined with her intelligent-looking features, she exuded a presence far from that of a typical slave.
Her expression was rigid, and her gaze sharp.
“Hey, what kind of look is that! This man is the lord of this land, show some respect! Aren’t you going to greet him?”
When the head of the trading company shouted, the girl reluctantly performed a slave’s bow.
“…My name is Christy.”
Her voice, which sounded like a murmur, was as stiff as her expression.
“I deeply apologize, Your Excellency. This slave used to be the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the Galdwin Marquisate in the southwest, but when the economy worsened, her family went bankrupt, and she was sold off to settle their debts. Because she comes from a good background and has only recently become a slave, she’s not yet fully trained…”
The head of the trading company explained awkwardly. It seemed that, in an effort to meet Noein’s request, they had prepared her as a knowledgeable slave, but she was not yet fully refined as a product.
“Don’t worry about it. Finding an educated slave must have been hard enough… In terms of ability, she’s competent, right?”
“Of course, Your Excellency. She received an excellent education as the daughter of a wealthy merchant and even graduated from high school on a commoner’s scholarship. She’s a top-class product as a knowledgeable slave.”
High schools located in several major cities of the kingdom are educational institutions attended by the children of nobles, wealthy merchants, and prosperous farmers. Graduating from one of these schools is proof of receiving a top-tier education within the kingdom.
For someone of such a background to end up as a slave, she truly had bad luck, Noein thought, feeling a slight pang of sympathy for her, though he didn’t show it on his face.
“That’s wonderful. She’s exactly the kind of person I’ve been looking for. How much is she?”
“A slave who has already graduated from high school would normally go for about 300,000 Rebro. Considering her lack of proper training, how does 280,000 Rebro sound?”
The amount proposed was the equivalent of 28 gold coins. Given that an ordinary labor slave costs just a few gold coins, this was an extraordinarily high price.
However, the price matched the market rate for educated slaves that Noein had researched beforehand. As expected from the leading slave trading company in the Viscounty of Keinitz, they weren’t attempting to swindle him in this transaction.
“That’s acceptable. I will buy her.”
Though it was an enormous sum, Noein judged that Christy, with her high level of education, was worth the price and decided to purchase her.
By the time Noein had finished his transaction, the other retainers and villagers had already decided which slaves they would buy.
Yuri and Mai purchased a young couple of farm serfs, and Pence, Radley, Bart, and Edgar each chose one or two strong-looking farm serfs. Additionally, Dimitri selected several sturdy male slaves.
The head of the trading company, having sold more than 30 slaves in a single day, was in high spirits as he politely thanked Noein before departing with his employees and the remaining unsold slaves.
・・・・・
Noein had already built a longhouse next to his mansion to accommodate the slaves. Although each room was small, every slave had their own private room, and the structure was sturdier than most poor people’s homes. It was an extremely favorable treatment for labor slaves.
Separate from the labor slaves, however, Christy was given a private room inside the mansion, akin to that of a live-in servant. This was also an extraordinary treatment for a slave and something she should have been grateful for.
However, Christy’s response to Noein was far from what he expected.
Once Christy had settled into her room, Noein went to explain her future tasks, but—
“Don’t come near me! Don’t touch me!”
She fiercely rejected him. Even though he hadn’t approached or touched her, she was acting as if he had.
“I considered your background and skills and welcomed you with the best treatment possible… Are you dissatisfied?”
“I’m a person who should never have become a slave in the first place! This is all wrong! Let me go!”
Christy angrily yelled down at Noein, pointing a finger at him. Given that Christy was tall (or rather, Noein was short), it was inevitable that she looked down on him, but pointing at her master and demanding to be released was a grossly inappropriate act for a slave.
“…Lord Noein, if you’d like, I could teach her her place?”
Mathilda, who stood beside Noein, directed a cold glare at Christy as she made the offer.
“No, Mathilda, that’s fine. If we try to make her understand by force, she won’t be able to show her abilities.”
Christy’s work was not physical labor, but intellectual. No matter how much she was beaten or punished, it would be meaningless if she didn’t willingly want to work.
(What matters is whether she’ll eventually accept her position as a slave or if she’ll need a more… thorough ‘education.’)
Thinking this, Noein casually sat in a chair in Christy’s room.
“Christy, I know this must be incredibly unfortunate for you, but unfortunately, you have become a slave, and I am your master.”
“This is absurd! I graduated from a prestigious high school! Why should I be a slave?! And in some backwater, bought by a spoiled noble brat like you!”
Christy continued to yell hysterically.
“It’s tough, isn’t it? It’s unfair. But harsh as it is, this is reality. Starting today, I’m your master. From tomorrow—”
“Ha! There’s no way my advanced education or knowledge would be needed in this rural place! You just want to use your power to humiliate and degrade an intelligent woman like me for your perverse desires, don’t you?! You disgusting noble!”
“Wow, what a troublesome girl.”
Although Noein said this, he laughed as if enjoying the situation.
“What’s so funny? Are you mocking me?!”
“You seem to be under the impression that you’re quite attractive as a woman. Did they teach you arrogance along with your studies at that high school? I already have Mathilda here. I have no interest in your scrawny body.”
Noein, deliberately sounding as sarcastic as possible, pulled Mathilda close to emphasize his point.
While Christy was beautiful enough to be considered attractive, Mathilda was on another level entirely. Moreover, in terms of physical attributes like chest size or body shape, most human women couldn’t compare to the rabbit beastfolk like Mathilda.
In terms of sheer physical attractiveness, Mathilda was objectively superior.
Christy, enraged by Noein’s crude remarks, fell right into his verbal trap.
“Wh-What?! You’re comparing me to a beastman!? Don’t be ridiculous!”
“You’re noisy. Anyway, I didn’t buy you to serve as my concubine. I bought you to help with administrative and financial work. Even in a rural domain like this, desk work can be quite demanding. You, who’ve only done schoolwork, wouldn’t understand.”
Noein shifted the conversation back to her work responsibilities, dropping the playful banter.
“Starting tomorrow, you’ll be working under my finance steward, doing intellectual tasks. If you can deliver good results, I’ll overlook today’s rudeness.”
Faced with this explanation of her future, Christy reluctantly began to listen to Noein.
“But if you fail to produce results, I may have to reassign you. Can you, with your weak body, handle farming or mining work?”
Noein smiled wickedly as he said this.
“…Hmph. Don’t mock me. Of course, I can handle some rural office work.”
Christy glared at him, her face full of hatred, as she replied.
