Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 11 - Chapter 2.1

Interlude:

Master/Servant Relations 

L ET’S GO BACK IN TIME a little. Before we tell the rest of this story, I want to mention something that happened about a week before Nanahoshi’s breakdown. 

“Master! Take a look at this!” 

The instant I set foot inside Zanoba’s laboratory that day, he called out to me, trotting over with a box in his arms. His face was shining with pride. 

“What is it?” 

“It’s an arm from that doll we’ve been studying.” 

Setting the box down on a nearby table, Zanoba took out its contents—a long slender object covered in cloth. Unwrapping it, he revealed the artificial arm in question. He’d sliced it up into sections like a carrot. 

“When I looked closely at the places where the paint had chipped off, I noticed what looked like seams in its surface. I tried cutting along them, just to see what might happen…and this is what I found.” 

Picking up one of the slices, Zanoba turned it so I could see the cross-section. It was covered in an intricate pattern that reminded me of a QR code. This had to be a magic circle of some kind, but it was a peculiar one, totally unlike anything I’d seen Nanahoshi make. 

It wasn’t just that cross-section either. Similar patterns were present on every single section of the arm, both the front and back surfaces, and they were all slightly different from each other. Even the ones that shared a section weren’t identical. 

“Wow. Okay. I didn’t expect the arms to be packed full of magic circles, honestly… It’s interesting that they’re all so different from each other, too…” 

Looking at them for a while actually got me feeling kind of queasy. It almost felt like we were studying the nervous system of a dissected human body or something. 

“I had no idea there even were seams on that thing. They must have been really subtle.” 

“Well, they were mostly hidden by the paint,” said Zanoba proudly. “It would have been impossible to notice them without first chipping it away.” 

“I see…” 

This was Zanoba’s first big breakthrough in his research, and he was obviously very excited about it. I wasn’t quite as jazzed, since I’d assumed from the start there had to be some sort of complex magical technology animating the thing. 

“Its movements were very smooth and coordinated, now that I think about it. I guess you need a lot of magical circles to make that possible,” I mused. 

“Oh? Can you tell what function these patterns would perform, Master?” 

“Nope. Never seen anything like them before.” 

Were all of these necessary just to move the arm? Maybe you needed to have a chain of magic circles all throughout the body to control and coordinate its movements? There was always a chance they served some totally different function, too. It was impossible to tell without further research. 

Until I encountered it, this thing had wandered around that house every night, cleaning up and attacking any threats that it identified. Once its cleaning routine was over, it returned to its home base for recharging. When you thought about it, those were some very complex behavioral patterns. It was smarter than your average robot vacuum…and significantly more violent. 

Not something you could create by etching a couple magic circles on its head or torso, I had to imagine. 

My goal here wasn’t just to create a magical Roomba. I wanted to make dolls that could move. I wanted some for myself, and I wanted to sell some for profit. They’d definitely command a high price on the market. 

I wasn’t looking to become a millionaire or anything, you understand. I just wanted some financial security. If I got myself a massive windfall, I’d probably just get careless and squander it. 

There was also that whole plan about using my work to improve the reputation of the Superd to consider. Although that was kind of a separate issue. 

In any case, this was all just a pipe dream for the moment. But maybe, one day I’d have the robot maid of my dreams. 

“I’m guessing the magic circles most directly responsible for its movements are probably in the head or torso, Zanoba. Try to be careful if you cut there.” 

“Of course, master!” Zanoba replied with a cheerful nod. 

In retrospect, I think this discovery was the reason Zanoba was able to come up with his helpful suggestion when Nanahoshi had her meltdown later. And, thanks to that suggestion, Nanahoshi succeeded in the creation of her own multi-layered magic circles. She even realized her goal of summoning things from a parallel universe, which she’d very nearly given up on. 

One day, we’d surely realize our own dream of creating the perfect maid robot. And maybe that day would come sooner than expected. 

Lately, that thought put a spring in my step whenever I headed over to Zanoba’s lab. 

“Coming in, Zanoba!” 

I knocked once at my friend’s door, then stepped into his chambers. I found myself face to face with a woman who stood by the entrance like she was on guard duty. She wasn’t a supermodel, but she had a kind face. 

“Oh! Hey, Ginger! It’s good to see you again.” 

For a moment, the woman studied me suspiciously. But when I greeted her, she relaxed and bowed her head slightly. “Hello, Sir Rudeus. It’s been too long.” 

Her name was Ginger York, and she was a former knight of Shirone and the loyal bodyguard of Third Prince Zanoba. Seeing her again made me feel a bit nostalgic. 

“I’ve meant to stop by and say hello,” Ginger continued, “but things have been a bit hectic…” 

“Don’t worry about it. I should have come over myself, honestly. You escorted my sisters here free of charge, and I didn’t even take the time to thank you.” 

“I ought to be thanking you. Miss Aisha saved us a great deal of time on our journey.” 

Ginger stepped aside with a smile, and I headed into Zanoba’s laboratory. 

Zanoba and Julie were hard at work at their own projects, as always. Zanoba was sketching diagrams of the magic circles he’d found inside the doll, and Julie was working on her latest figure with a small chisel. That project looked close to completion, so I headed over to inspect it first. 

“How’s it coming along, Julie?” 

“I think it…should be done soon, Grandmaster. What do you think?” 

“Hey, that’s not half bad. It looks a little too handsome to be Zanoba, though.” 

“That’s not true. Master’s handsome, too.” 

Her sculpting was still a bit sloppy, but she was starting to get a good grasp on the fundamentals. I could offer a few criticisms on the fine details, but since the kid seemed to have a knack for this, it was probably better to let her keep figuring things out for herself. 

I glanced over in Zanoba’s direction, but it looked like he needed some time to finish up. It was at this point that I noticed Ginger was staring at me. 

“What is it, Ginger?” 

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking…you’ve done a lot of growing up, that’s all.” 

“Well, of course I did. It’s been what, four years since the last time we saw each other?” 

I felt like a lot of people had been commenting on my appearance lately. Maybe I was starting to develop some sex appeal or something. If I hadn’t married Sylphie, maybe I could have built myself a harem? The idea had a certain appeal, but it would probably be kind of stressful in practice. I was satisfied with my sex life as it was, anyway. 

“By the way, Ginger, what are you planning to do next?” 

“I intend to stay here, at Prince Zanoba’s side.” 

“Oh. So you’re resuming your duties as his bodyguard?” 

“That’s right. I’ve completed my other mission, and my family back home is being taken care of.” 

The woman’s loyalty really was impressive. She’d protected Lilia and Aisha for years at her master’s command before finally seeing them to safety. Had Zanoba shown her any appreciation, though? Or even thanked her? Probably not. The guy wasn’t the most thoughtful of employers. 

“Hey, Zanoba. Don’t you think you should give Ginger a reward for all her hard work?” 

“Sir Rudeus! I wouldn’t presume to ask—” 

“Hm, I suppose you’re right,” said Zanoba, still focused on his magic circles. “Is there aught that you desire, Ginger? Speak freely.” 

The prince could sure sound pompous when he wanted to. 

Ginger seemed taken aback by this development. This was presumably the first time Zanoba had given her any sort of recognition for her efforts. 

After thinking it over a few long moments, she dropped to one knee, lowered her head, and spoke. “Well, then, my lord…would you allow me to see to Julie’s education? I understand that she is Sir Rudeus’ pupil, but her manner ill befits the servant of a prince.” 

“Very well. I shall allow it.” 

“Thank you, Prince Zanoba!” 

This really wasn’t what I’d had in mind. I mean, educating Julie was ultimately for Zanoba’s good, not Ginger’s. Then again, maybe there was some unspoken rule that slaves weren’t supposed to receive too much education? 

Humanity was driven out of the Garden of Eden because they ate the fruit of knowledge. Stay ignorant, and you might be perfectly happy to spend the rest of your life dancing around with a fig leaf over your crotch, singing, “Yatta,” all day long. That’s why kings prefer their subjects to be as clueless as possible. The less you educate them, the less likely they are to rise up against you. Of course, you’re also sabotaging their ability to learn new skills and become more useful, but that’s a trade-off lots of rulers are willing to make. 

In any case… I guess it would have been tricky for Zanoba to grant Ginger a more typical reward like land or treasure anyway, given his current position. She’d probably realized that and kept her request modest out of loyalty. 

“Well, all right, then,” I said. “Back to the grind, I guess. How far have you gotten?” 

“I was planning to work on the legs next, Master.” 

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that, and I feel like it might be better for us to thoroughly study the circles from inside the arms first. I mean, it’s not like you can piece the body parts back together once you’ve cut them open, right? Might be better to take it slow.” 

“Hmm, that is true…” 

“Maybe we can bring in Cliff and Nanahoshi to take a look. They might notice something that we’re missing.” 

Zanoba and I leaned over the table and discussed our plans at some length, before ultimately deciding to start dissecting the doll’s second arm for comparison to the first. Just as we were about to get started, though, I noticed Ginger standing next to me. It looked like she had something to say. 

“Do you need something, Ginger?” 

“Sir Rudeus…despite his current circumstances, Prince Zanoba is a member of the royal family of Shirone. I know he is your pupil as an artist, but the way you speak to him still strikes me as…less than respectful.” 

“Hm?” 

Now that she mentioned it, I’d been more familiar than usual with him today. I was usually a bit more formal in my speech, but after Aisha’s remark the other day, I’d unconsciously loosened up a bit. 

I could understand why a loyal retainer would be annoyed to hear their master addressed in that way. I’d just have to be more polite when Ginger was around. 

“I suppose you’re right. Sorry about that. Prince Zanoba’s been a good friend to me, so I guess I just—” 

Before I could finish my sentence, Zanoba jumped to his feet with fury in his eyes. 

“Gingeeeeer!” 

Springing toward his bodyguard, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her up against the wall. Julie flinched at the sound and dropped her chisel. 

“How dare you?! Master Rudeus was finally opening up to me, and now you’ve ruined everything! How could you? Take it back! Apologize to him immediately!” 

“Guh… Guhh!” 

Ginger looked to be in some serious pain. Was he actually squeezing her neck? This was escalating way too fast! 

“Zanoba!” I shouted. “Stop it! Let her go!” 

Zanoba immediately opened his hand and let Ginger fall. His fingers had left clear red marks on her skin. Ginger tried to reach up to touch her neck, but stopped halfway, grimacing in pain. It looked like he’d broken a bone in her shoulder when he slammed her against the wall. 

I quickly rushed over and healed her injuries with my magic. And as soon as I was done, she kneeled down in front of me and lowered her head. 

“Cough…cough…my sincere apologies, Sir Rudeus…” 

She was actually apologizing to me. After Zanoba had nearly killed her. 

I was speechless with guilt for a moment. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was she apologizing to me? 

Finally, I spun around and glared at Zanoba. “What is the matter with you?!” 

“But Master! She thoughtlessly interjected, knowing nothing of our friendship—” 

“Okay, maybe so! Why didn’t you just say that to her, then?!” 

Ginger had served Zanoba faithfully for many years. And she’d protected my family on a long, dangerous journey through unfamiliar territory. It couldn’t have been easy, but she’d come all this way out of nothing but loyalty for her exiled master. 

And when she made a single mistake, his reaction was to throw her up against a wall and start choking her? That was just awful. 

Our friendship was obviously very important to Zanoba. That was nice to know. But that didn’t mean I wanted him mistreating his most loyal guard over it. 

“Sir Rudeus, please… It’s quite all right,” said Ginger softly, her face calm and composed. “I’m proud to see Prince Zanoba stand up for a friend. He’s clearly grown as a person since the last time I saw him.” 

What? Seriously? Am I the one being weird here? 

Maybe it wasn’t my place to say anything, but Ginger obviously deserved much better treatment than this. 

“…Zanoba.” 

“Yes, Master?” 

“I consider you a good friend.” 

Zanoba’s face shone with happiness at those words. I paused for a moment to let him savor them. 

“But I owe Ginger a lot for protecting my family too. She stuck with them for…what, four years? I’m really grateful to her for that, and I’d appreciate it if you treated her with more kindness.” 

“Of course, Master,” said Zanoba with a serious expression on his face. “I apologize for my actions, Ginger.” 

“There’s no need to apologize, Prince Zanoba,” Ginger objected, rising to her feet. “I swore an oath of absolute loyalty to you, and I would willingly die at your command. My remark was thoughtless. I sincerely regret what I said.” 

That seemed to be her final word on things, and I saw no point in dragging this out any longer. This was evidently just how the master-servant relationship worked here. What if Zanoba ever made a serious mistake, though? Could Ginger even bring herself to disagree with him? 

Well, whatever. I was basically an outsider here. I didn’t understand how things worked in Shirone, and if I kept butting in, I’d probably just invite more trouble. 

That alarming incident aside, our research on the automaton was starting to make some real progress. 

“I know I suggested focusing on the arms for now, but it’s your call. Go with whatever you think is best.” 

“I appreciate that, but I agree with your suggestion, Master. Piecing the entire doll back together after we’ve dissected it might prove difficult. Let’s see if we can recreate its arm before moving on to the rest.” 

We spent the rest of the session focused on disassembling and studying the doll’s arms. I’d suggested bringing in Cliff or Nanahoshi to help out, but I was leaving those decisions entirely up to Zanoba. There were some things I wanted to try, of course, but it seemed like he was making good progress on his own so far. I didn’t feel the need to meddle. 

“I think you can leave the rest to me, Master. It seems I have some talent for this sort of work.” 

“Huh. No kidding?” 

“No. I was a bit surprised as well, but I find the work quite engaging. I’m enjoying myself quite a lot these days.” 

He got to spend the whole day on research that appealed to him, with a dedicated figurine artist working constantly at his side. This was probably as good it got for Zanoba. Still, what was he planning to do after he graduated? Would he keep hanging around this city, playing with his dolls? 

Well, that was another thing he’d have to work out on his own. It wasn’t really my problem to worry about…even if he was here, in part, because of me. 

“Well, okay, then. Keep at it, Zanoba! I’ll stop by again soon.” 

“I look forward to that, Master.” 

“Be nice to Ginger, okay?” 

“Of course!” 

At this rate, maybe we’d have another breakthrough before too long.