Translator/Editor : Léabyss
“I went to a store in the East to buy food and cleaning supplies.”
Mintz, Doug, and I got together to talk about how I bought a child slave over tea in the living room.
“Oh, maybe … should we make him soup? It is better to nurture him naturally than to do it by engaging in magic.”
“Alright…”
Mintz starts struggling to make soup, but turns his face from time to time to keep up with my narration.
“I bought some fruit … But I found that I was missing some things, so I went back. I cut south.”
Compared to the eastern district, where there are shops selling food and sundries, the southern district is less safe. There are several dangerous corridors, bars and slave shops. Although it is generally an area I don’t stop at, there are shops in the southern area that carry magic tools that I wanted to replenish. I wasn’t going to find them anywhere else.
“Did you go to a store in Maldo?”
“Yes, and there was a slave zone in the middle of the square.”
“Recently the security of the area is getting worse. I heard they wanted to get rid of the most vulnerable slaves quickly.”
I didn’t want to see a slave zone.
I feel very sorry for the sold slaves, but as much as I want to, I cannot save them all. Usually I don’t stop at those places and I pass very quickly. Almost running.
I still don’t know why I was so interested in him.
I know that slaves in miserable situations are not going to heal with just my good wishes and that saying “I want to save them” is just hypocrisy.
But this time, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“When I saw him, immediately afterwards a slaver came and approached me … So he sold him to me at a really low price. I couldn’t say no.”
“I’m sorry.”
“When he looked up and I looked into his eyes … I realized he had the look of someone who had already given up on everything. I didn’t feel any vitality, no desire …”
“I get it, it must have been terrible.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I do not know why. I feel … I feel like I have to protect him.
It was true. Each word.
I didn’t know why, but because of him I couldn’t look anywhere else. I felt my instinct screaming at me to protect him and also screaming at me that he was mine.
“And you bought him …”
“Oh, I know it sounds a bit hypocritical. The beast that saves a human to bring him salvation. But even if it’s an insult to him or you, I couldn’t bear to leave him there. “
“But what you did was wonderful! Because even if it was an impulsive buying act, I feel like only Gale could have saved him.”
“You always hated slave sales more than others. You probably have a lot to think about now but you no longer have to worry about the sight of those painful eyes. Isn’t that why you did it in the first place?”
“Yes. You can free him from the slave state. You already did! You did it simply by being who you are.”
His words were a salvation for me.
All those who sell slaves, those who buy them and those who use them, are part of the same problem. I hate all of them … But now I have bought him as a slave. I used money, I took him with me. Of course, I never wanted to treat him as one of them, but still act the same as all the other masters.
The young man looked at me as his master.
“Thanks to both of you. I really appreciate it.”
“We are serious. You have to be a little more relaxed. Take all that weight off your shoulders, man.”
“Well then I guess already … AH!”
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
It seems that the Mintz soup was already ready from before he started listening to the story, it was about to burn because he neglected it … It is nothing very serious, because he smiles as if he was satisfied with his culinary skills.
“It is done. If this soup is chilled afterwards, just heat it in the oven until it is at a temperature suitable for humans. Let him drink it very slowly. If you are not conscious, it will be difficult, but you will have to force him. If he doesn’t drink it, he’ll only get weaker, so ask him a lot. Please do not add any other ingredients or you will spoil it.”
“I get it.”
“Mintz, it was a really bad situation. But thanks to you, now I feel much calmer. Thank you.”
“No it does not matter. If something happens, you can always ask me for help again.”
“Oh, of course.”
“Thanks a lot!”
“Now I’m sorry. But I have to go again. I will contact you later to see how the human is.”
After saying that, Mintz bowed and left quickly. He was obviously a very busy character for his own good.
“Now … how about we dedicate ourselves completely to his care?”
“Clear.”
Doug and I go to his room, so he can sleep properly. He lay there, all loose on the bed.
“It would be better to keep him fully guarded for a while.”
“Won’t it be very difficult? I mean, it’s about a human …”
“But he was in your arms all this time, what is difficult?””
Doug makes the gesture of cutting off his left arm at the root. Apparently he couldn’t feel it anymore.
“Well, I’m sorry to bother you.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I am not the kind of person who can live well by letting others die. I’m going to protect him with you.”
Doug wiped away the sweat that was already breaking out on his forehead. He has a bitter expression, but it is probably due to the heat.
“After giving him the soup, let’s try administering Mintz’s medicine. Meanwhile, Doug, you can take a shower if you want.”
I really wanted to be with the boy, in private.
“Okay, I think it’s a good idea to take turns. Call me if you need anything.”
“Alright.”
Doug heads to the bathroom and I stir the hot soup before starting to dose the medicine. After that, I take care to leave the bag that I bought in a suitable place. I make the soup, feel it with the back of my hand to see if it is suitable for a human tongue, and later try to arrange the necessary things to give him a medicinal bath.
Sitting next to him, I check his fever, his expression, the texture of her hands, and the pulsing pumping of his neck.
I can not control it.
Bears are originally a breed that has a strong instinct to protect the small, weak and helpless … But this feeling seems to be exceeded today. His dark hair, his small nose, those thin lips, those black eyes, and his beautiful white skin that is tanned with scars.
I want to make it all mine.
I want to devour him.
Own him …
I don’t want to be like this, but I feel like I’m dying.
When I looked at him for a moment while thinking about those things, I unconsciously ran my fingers through my hair. I couldn’t believe my mind was screaming at me to do that, so I forced myself to come back to myself and focus on what was important.
For example, the soup.
The soup made by Mintz has a piece of meat that was simmered with some potatoes, herbs and mild vegetables. The clear liquid is moderately salty, but the consistency of the ingredients is firm and aromatic. I sit next to him, lift his back a little to support him, and scoop the soup, with a small spoon, to his mouth. I parted his lips a little and poured it there as well as I could … But there were no signs of swallowing. It almost flowed cleanly over the edge of his mouth onto the mattress.
I hurried over and wiped him off with a towel, but obviously I can’t get him to drink as is. After thinking for a moment and analyzing in detail what was happening, I was forced to drink the soup to give it to him.
This is a very sick thing .
It’s weird in every way, but a part of me keeps saying it’s absolutely necessary too. How else was I going to cure him? I open the child’s mouth a little wider and pour the soup into his … Trying not to pour it out of mine. When the liquid flows down the back of his throat, there seems to be a gigantic desire in him to drink water so he begins to drink it on his own.
The gesture he makes when he tries to swallow liquids from me is adorable.
While I was feeding him, I felt that the boy’s tongue and mine were tangled and linked. It felt strange or even, it felt nice. But once again I told myself over and over again that I was just helping nurture him.
No strange thoughts, Gale. No excessive behavior!
If you drink too much from the beginning, it will be a burden on your stomach. Which is as bad as not eating at all. So, after making him drink about half the bowl, I give him a glass of water and a medicine bitter enough to die. Isn’t it better to mix something sweet with this? Next time, I’ll give you something other than plain water. Then, staring at the boy for a while, I hear Doug get out of the tub and then appear in the room with steam coming off his head.
“Ah, I am much cooler now. How is our sick child?”
“I gave him soup to drink, then medicine.”
“Was he able to drink soup while he was unconscious?”
” … It was word of mouth.”
“… We should wake him up.”
“I tell you, he already took it.”
“And I’m telling you I’d feel better if he was awake.”
I felt like he was saying something alarming, but decided to ignore it.
“I’ll take care of the child so you can take a bath this time. Then we will arrange your food.”
“I get it. Then I’ll do it like this.”
“Well then.”
BL snack 