That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us - Volume 3 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The Slave Market

ALTHOUGH SLAVES WERE SOLD at an enormous, gated trading firm in Holfort’s capital city, its proprietor didn’t take kindly to his company being referred to as a “slave market.”

That proprietor was currently guiding a few customers who’d reserved his services for this particular time slot. He gestured exaggeratedly as he spoke to them, explaining his firm’s situation. A large man with a portly figure, he wore his finest suit, and gold and silver accessories covered his neck, wrists, and fingers. That opulence hinted at his business’s prosperity.

“Fools refer to this place as a slave market, but that was only true in the past. What our establishment does now is oversee employment contracts for workers. You could say we’re something of an intermediary.” Despite the fact that none of these visitors had even uttered the words “slave market,” he still went out of his way to address the matter, hoping to improve his patrons’ impressions of the place. 

This group of customers consisted of three people, all of whom trailed behind the proprietor. The most important among them was the crown prince, Julius Rapha Holfort. The man accompanying him was his foster brother, Jilk Fia Marmoria. While Julius was the future king, Jilk was a viscount’s heir. Dealing with such important people made the proprietor sweat profusely, carefully considering each word that left his mouth.

Following several steps behind them was Olivia. As they traversed the gaudily decorated corridors, she noticed that the proprietor only gave her a single brief glance before practically ignoring her.

This place looks like the inside of a castle, she thought.

For a commoner like her, raised in the distant countryside, the extent of the luxury was intimidating. And Olivia could tell clearly that there were differences between the proprietor’s treatment of her and of the two men. That wasn’t obvious—he behaved politely enough toward her—but he was nowhere near as deferential and attentive as with Julius and Jilk.

Tired of the proprietor’s rambling defense of the company, Julius responded, “I understand. The past is the past, and you now comply with the established system of employment contracts. Nothing you do is illegal; everything’s aboveboard. Correct?”

The proprietor was visibly relieved. “I’m glad you understand, Your Highness. Men habitually misconstrue our business practices, which has often created great enmity toward us.”

Olivia, who was listening to their conversation, found the whole situation odd. She couldn’t tamp down her curiosity. “Um,” she said hesitantly, “how come men aren’t allowed their own personal servants at the academy?”

She was ignorant of the aristocracy and its many unspoken rules, and her question was a natural one, but it still earned her a brief glower from the proprietor. Then, before Julius or Jilk could notice the expression, he feigned uncertainty.

“I suppose you could say it’s historic precedent or custom. Signing a contract with a personal servant reflects poorly on a man’s reputation.”

“It affects his reputation?” Olivia asked in disbelief. “But that doesn’t—”

Before she could say what was on her mind—that the idea of a personal servant affecting a man’s reputation, but not a woman’s, was nonsensical as far as she was concerned—Jilk interrupted. “Miss Olivia, you mustn’t antagonize the proprietor. This has been customary for many, many years. Pushing for more nuanced answers will only place him in an awkward position.”

“Oh. Um, all right.” She still wasn’t satisfied, but since Jilk had shut the conversation down, she couldn’t pursue the matter.

The proprietor sagged with relief. “Thank you for your understanding.”

“At any rate, where are these personal servants you promised to show us?” Julius asked, anxious to move the whole appointment along.

“Right this way—over in this room here!” The proprietor motioned to a door and led them through. Inside, demi-humans dressed in suits were lined up. No metal bars or barriers separated them, nor did they wear any kind of restraints. There was a great variety of elves and beastmen alike. Each was incredibly handsome. Some were slender and androgynous, while others sported bulging muscles. They all held their heads up proudly.

“All our workers are top class, but these are the cream of the crop,” said the proprietor. “They’ve been taught the requisite etiquette to adapt to any situation. In fact, they can act as a tutor for their mistress, if required. Should you wish it, they—oh, pardon. Never mind that part.” He stopped short, censoring whatever he was about to say.

Julius gently nudged Olivia forward with his hand, making her stand in front of the demi-humans. “You can choose whoever you want. They’ll be your personal servant, after all.”

“Um, uh…” Her eyes wandered. Each servant wore a tag on their vest that noted their race, name, and the cost of a contract with them. They all smiled at her.

Olivia couldn’t possibly choose. I know His Highness said he would pay for me to have a servant, but these are absurd salaries for only a year of employment—so exorbitant, they’d cover all three years of my schooling. Still bound by the monetary values she had learned as a commoner, she was paralyzed in front of the prices she glimpsed.

Jilk noticed her hesitation and glanced at the proprietor. “She’s really looking for someone who can support her daily life. She’s in a bit of a unique situation at the academy and has a complicated relationship with her female peers, which has left her feeling somewhat isolated. She wants a servant who can help support her emotionally through that. She doesn’t really need anything else, so we’d appreciate your taking that into consideration.”

Olivia had no quibbles with what Jilk said. He’d hit the nail on the head.

The proprietor studied Jilk and Julius for a moment, stealing occasional glances at Olivia. He seemed to grasp the situation immediately. “In that case, I have someone in mind who’d be perfect for the job. He fits your criteria exactly. That said, he does have a bit of a…problem.”

Olivia’s stomach twisted with worry. This would be her first time signing a contract with a personal servant, so she was anxious to begin with. If the other party had issues, she’d feel even more nervous. “What problem, exactly?” she asked.

“He’s not always considerate with his words, although he does his work impeccably. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s rude—but he might be a bit insensitive.”

Jilk nodded thoughtfully. “Hm. If I understand right, he’s a bit rough around the edges but still fully competent as a servant. Correct?”

As Jilk looked at him, the proprietor tensed and became flustered. “Y-yes, of course, my lord. His previous contracts were annulled due to his lack of politeness and flexibility, but not for anything egregiously inappropriate. Beyond those few flaws, he’s exactly what you requested.”

Jilk placed a hand on his chin, turning over this new information in his mind. Finally, he turned to Olivia. “I recommend choosing him, then.”

***

Contracts were official documents agreed upon by employer and employee. No magic bound either party to the terms and conditions listed, but both were protected under the law. 

After the proprietor brought out a contract for Olivia to sign, he reiterated, “You mustn’t mistake a personal servant for a slave. He doesn’t belong to you. This is an employment contract, and it details the duties both parties should fulfill in this arrangement.”

“Duties?” Olivia echoed, confused.

“Yes,” he said. “A personal servant will attend to you as stipulated, but only by performing the type of work specifically named in the contract. If you want them to do something they aren’t legally obligated to, you must either befriend them or offer additional compensation.”

“I-I see. All right.”

Olivia thought the younger, more immature Kyle would be easier to talk to than any of the adult men she’d seen. That was the only reason she was signing this contract. She didn’t have many—or really any—people in her corner at the academy, so she just wanted someone she could be more relaxed with.

“Now, since you’ve signed the contract, you have duties to your servant as well,” said the proprietor. “You must cover Kyle’s room and board, Miss.”

“Of course,” Olivia said.

“Your obligations don’t end there. You also need to pay him a salary and give him days off. That’s part of your role as his employer.”

Olivia froze, her jaw dropping. “What?”

She’d been aware that she would have to provide Kyle with room and board, and she didn’t mind giving him days off. A salary was more than she’d been prepared for, though.

“B-but we’re already paying so much for the contract,” she protested.

“Yes. That’s only for the contract. The salary is separate. Now then, should you fail to fulfill your obligations, you’ll be in violation of the law and punished accordingly, so please keep that in mind. There have been cases of ladies who were expelled from the academy for their inability to hold up their end of the bargain. You should pay Kyle at least a thousand dia per month.”

Olivia wanted to hold her head in her hands. This had completely blindsided her. What am I going to do? There’s no way I can pay him such a ridiculous amount every single month.

With no other recourse, she told the proprietor honestly, “That’s more than I can afford.”

“Aren’t the men you brought with you going to pay it for you?”

She shook her head quickly. “I-I couldn’t possibly ask them to cover his salary on top of the contract payment.” She wasn’t so shameless that she could request more, least of all after how much this had cost already.

“This isn’t something I would personally recommend, but as a student of the academy, you could cover Kyle’s salary by dungeon diving. I hear a person can easily net a thousand dia a month doing that.”

“Dungeon diving?” she repeated dubiously.

“Yes,” the proprietor said. “That said, your best option would be using your position to your advantage. Entice men by dangling the possibility of marriage in front of them, and have them fund your expenses. That’s how most aristocratic women afford their servants’ salaries.”

“Oh. Um…” Olivia stopped herself from saying anything more. She hadn’t realized most aristocratic women made money that way. For the proprietor to recommend the same to her, he must have assumed she was a noblewoman as well.

Olivia lowered her gaze. I could never do something like that. It wouldn’t be an option for me, even if I wanted to. That only leaves me with one choice: to venture into dungeons. But if I do, it’ll cut into my study time.

As she worried her lip, debating this in her head, the proprietor said, “Your companions are awaiting you.”

***

Julius and Jilk were outside, waiting for Olivia. Their backs turned to the building, they discussed the matter of her personal servant.

“Jilk,” said Julius, “are you really sure this ‘Kyle’ person will be a good fit? If you ask me, he sounded like a problem child that they pawned off on us.” He frowned. “We should’ve picked someone else.”

Exasperated, Jilk smiled. “No, trust me. It’ll be a much greater relief for us to have Kyle at her side than anyone else.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Jilk shrugged. “I’m glad you’re so innocent, Your Highness. I’d prefer you stay that way, at least for now.”

“That’s your way of dodging my question, isn’t it? You’re always like this.”

Jilk grinned at his sulking friend.

***

“Leon, look over there.”

“Hm?” I craned my neck to follow Marie’s gaze, and my eyes landed on Olivia. “Ooh! She finally got hold of him!”

Olivia’s flaxen hair was cut in a short bob around her chin. Her eyes—though full of anguish—were aqua-blue. Her beauty was a simple, straightforward kind, enhanced by the delicious swell of her chest.

At Olivia’s heels was a handsome blond boy. He wore a three-piece suit, and two long elf ears jutted from his head. Marie and I both recognized him instantly as the game protagonist’s personal servant. He’d served a support role, offering information and updates about each love interest’s affection level. Kyle was something of an impudent brat, but I was relieved that he was at Olivia’s side now.

“Looks like the game plot is proceeding smoothly,” I said. “On their end, at least.”

That was the best we could ask for. I’d been worried that defeating the Offreys ahead of schedule might cause a ripple effect that impacted the protagonist, so it was reassuring that she’d met and employed Kyle successfully.

I nodded to myself, satisfied with this development.

Marie shot me a dubious look, almost like she was suspicious of me. Or annoyed with me. I couldn’t really tell; her expression was a mix of emotions.

“Uh, why’re you giving me that look?” I asked reluctantly.

“You were checking out Olivia’s boobs again.” If the furrow in her brow was any indication, Marie wasn’t about to forgive me for that, either.

Oh, come on! I can’t help that they were right there and my eyes happened to focus on them! Will she really interrogate me every time my eyes wander even a little?!

“I-I didn’t,” I lied.

“Admit it.”

I hesitated, then finally said, “I did.” I was too intimidated to double down.

Marie’s cheeks swelled as she glared daggers at me. Eventually she burst out, “Why are breasts the only thing you care about?!”

“It’s basic human nature. I can’t help it.”

“Don’t assume I’ll let you get away with it just because you use that as an excuse,” she grumbled.

“Ahem.” Clearing my throat, I tried to change the subject. “Moving on, it’s good to see the plot proceeding smoothly. But before we can enjoy our relaxing school trip, we’ve got our own annoying problem to wrap up.”

As Luxion suggested, we were going to make the most of our knowledge of the game and take out the last boss before it ever got a chance to appear. That option was only open to us because we’d reincarnated here with our memories intact.

Marie pressed a curled finger to her lips, thinking. Her attention was still focused on Olivia. “I hope you’re right about it ‘proceeding smoothly,’” she said, then shook her head. “Either way, I guess it isn’t my place to worry about it.”

She didn’t seem as convinced as I was that everything was going well with the protagonist. Regardless, the last boss was a bigger priority. There were other problems, but that came first.

“Wrapping this up will be a huge load off our shoulders. As soon as we’ve got that single Magic Flute, there’ll be nothing more to worry about,” I said.

As long as the last boss was dealt with, Luxion could take care of everything else. I did feel like we relied on him a little too much, but we really didn’t have a choice. We needed his help to do this, so we were going to have him pitch in.

Marie stared at me, brows knitted.

“Wh-what? Did I say something weird?”

“Leon, in case you didn’t know, there are two Magic Flutes.”

My eyes went round. “What?”

“The Magic Flute doesn’t just appear in the first installment of the series. It also shows up in the third. So there are two flutes, not one,” said Marie.

I slapped both hands over my mouth. “The hell?! You never mentioned that before.”

“You never asked, so why was I supposed to? By the way, it’s Hertrude’s little sister, Hertrauda, who summons the third game’s final boss.”

Wonderful. Not only were there two flutes, the princess responsible for summoning the first boss had a younger sibling.

Luxion, who’d listened to our whole conversation, dropped his cloaking device and fully materialized.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Given what we now know, this means that retrieving both flutes shall resolve the majority of our present issues, correct?”

Marie and I exchanged looks. “All that’s left afterward will be the issue with the Saint’s relics.”

“Yes, indeed,” Luxion agreed. “We should resolve that problem promptly as well. Something about that specific subject has been bothering me, too.”

Bothering him? I tilted my head in confusion, but he ignored me, reengaging his cloaking device. He apparently had no interest in explaining further.