Chapter 17 - Behind the Times
writer:Miki Nazuna      update:2022-08-22 15:34
  Morning.

  I was standing in front of my house with the DORECA in my hand.

  「Menu Open」
-

  Akito

  Type: Bronze Card

  Magic Lvl: 999,999

  Number of Items Created: 1,099

  Number of Slaves: 2-

  「I guess I wasn’t wrong after all.」


  The magic indicated in my menu was six 9’s in a row…just one short of a million.

  Yesterday when I completed Eternal Slave Re I received more than a million per person. I should’ve gotten at least 2 million.

  It should be that way but now look at this! I clearly have way too little comparatively. It clearly feels like I’ve hit some kind of limit.

  Just to test it out I made one magic circle for a pushinee.

  My magic became 999,998.

  No longer 999,999…but 999,998.

  So in other words, the surplus I had over the counter-stop was completely useless.

  The displayed number should be the catch and nothing can exceed it…I think.

  I guess I should’ve expected something like this.

  It’s a shame…but not much I can do about it.

  For now I’ll shelve this issue.

  I’m sure that there will be something that will increase the upper limit of my card.

  Something like raising my card’s rank or increasing the number of slaves.

  I don’t have any proof that I’m right but I’m confident.

  That somehow I’ll be able to raise it.

  Risha and Mira came out of the house.

  They were wearing the two green dresses that I made yesterday, they stood before me with cheerful smiles.

  「I wonder what we’re going to make today Master?」


  Risha said and Mira stared at me.

  It seems like we’re getting used to this routine question and answer.

  「Hmmm. I’ve got more magic than I need so maybe we should increase the number of houses all at once?」


  「More than you need so you’ll make more?」


  Risha looked doubtful.

  She didn’t know that my magic was right next to the counter-stop so it’s obvious why she had such a reaction.

  As I was about to explain…


  「What is this place!?」


  I heard a voice…it was a familiar one too.

  I looked and there I saw Seiya.

  He looked the same as always and had an iron sword hung on his waist.

  The slave he had with him was wearing the same clothes as when she was summoned.

  That’s when a thought flashed through my mind…It’s like he hasn’t grown at all.

  I approached the surprised Seiya.

  I faced Seiya and our slaves faced each other.

  They kept their mouths shut as their Masters were talking.

  「Yo.」


  「What’s going on here?」


  「What do you mean ‘what’s going on here’?」


  「It was really lucky of you to find a town like this. Was there really such a place left in this land?」


  「Hm? Oh, you think I found this? You don’t think I made it? I just used a leftover town?」


  「That’s obvious.」


  Seiya seemed stunned as he said that.

  「There’s no way you could’ve made all this. With this many houses……you’d need at least 50,000 magic. With everything all together……even 100,000 isn’t unthinkable.」


  Seiya looked around as he estimated.

  He had the same DORECA so his calculations were pretty on point.

  「Well, it’s about that much.」


  「Humph. If you didn’t have this much luck as a handicap then it wouldn’t be fair. Listen and be surprised…my magic has surpassed 10,000. I just need a bit more and I’ll be able to do something incredible.」


  「…………I see.」


  「When I reach it and make this item, I’ll be more efficient and practical. Just watch, my incredible growth will begin soon ya see?」


  I felt that Seiya was kind of pitiful with his 10,000 magic plan.

  But at the same time, I felt even more pity for the slave behind him.

  She still had her same slave clothes, a sad expression, and bruises on her body.

  With this kind of appearance it wasn’t hard to gather how he was gathering his 10,000 magic.

  「Oh yeah, I’ll teach you something good today.」


  「Something good?」


  「Yep.」


  Seiya had a proud look on his face.

  「Look at the DORECA menu. There should be something called an Eternal Slave」


  「Oh, yeah there is.」


  「As I expected, you knew. It uses an iron sword as an ingredient, but I’m guessing it’s a pretty incredible weapon. Why? Because it’s all in the name.」


  「Yeah, I agree.」


  Actually, I already knew.

  And why? Because I already have the Revised version of it already hanging on my hips.

  「I’ve already gotten the iron sword, now all that’s left is something stupid called a slave’s gift. That’s what I’m searching for now.」


  「You can’t find it?」


  I looked over at Seiya’s slave.

  She was an Eternal Slave that looked just like an elf.

  And she had long hair like Risha’s before she cut it.

  She should have enough hair.

  「I can’t find it. Well, I did think that it had something to do with this thing.」


  Seiya said and slapped his slave as casually as if he was breathing.

  There was a dry slapping sound as a red mark appeared and she started to cry.

  「Ohh, she’s crying. Tears give some good magic. Just that alone gave me 400.」


  「………………………I see.」


  「Oh right. I’ve never seen a weapon that looks like yours. What is it?」


  「Eternal Slave……Kai (Re)」


  I answered flatly.

  「……Wha?」


  Seiya blankly stared.

  「Eternal Slave?」


  「No it’s Kai. It’s what you make using Eternal Slave.」


  「Wh-whwh-wh-whaaaaaaat!?」


  Seiya’s calm and composed expression that he’d kept up until now…collapsed instantly.

  「What’s going on? Why can you make something like that?」


  「Why?」


  Now how should I answer him. As I was thinking,

  「……I see, you have two slaves.」


  「Eh?」


  「So that’s why. Hey tell me. Where did you get that other slave?」


  「…………」


  It seems like he’s already misunderstood.

  He thought I could make this because I have two slaves.

  Though he’s not necessarily wrong.

  「Tell me!」


  「Fine I guess…you know those monkey monsters?」


  「The ones with long claws?」


  「If you defeat them they will become human. That’s where she came from.」


  「I see, it’s fine as long as I defeat them.」


  「Yeah.」


  「I understand. Just you watch, I’m gonna get a ton of slaves.」


  「……_-」


  「Hey idiot, follow me.」


  Seiya took his slave and left.

  Right before she left his slave made a heartrending and sorrowful expression.

  …………


  「Risha」


  「Yes」


  「I’m going to make some panacea, go give it to that slave.」


  「Give it to her?」


  「Yes. It’s best if a slave is energetic…whether it be in sadness or in joy.」 (Note: If you’re wondering why he doesn’t steal Seiya’s slave…how would he at this point? He doesn’t know how and he personally witnessed a god giving Seiya that slave.)

  「Yes!」


  I hurriedly used the magic and made some emergency panacea.

  I then gave them to Risha and sent her after Seiya and his slave.

  「Oh right, tell him that if he doesn’t have a place to send the people he turns back, he can send them here.」


  「Alright~!」


  Risha took the panacea and ran after them.

  Then I realized that Mira was staring at me from the side.

  「What’s up? Why are you looking at me like that?」


  「I was just thinking that Master is a very tolerant person.」(AKA the bigger man)

  「Is that so?」


  「I mean, not just that girl…you even worry about the others.」


  Well I mean…I really don’t think Seiya will be capable of caring for the people he turns back.

  「Also…you understand your slaves.」


  「I guess?」


  「I…I’m really glad that I’m your slave Master.」


  Mira said that while making a guts pose and smiling.

  「I’m going to aim to become a sturdy, healthy, and energetic slave!」


  Her smile was magical.

  So once more I thought to myself…that slaves are indeed the most admirable and lovely existences ever.