Chapter 45

Meat’s Misguided Common Sense

“Come to think of it, even though we’re getting new clothes, what about Kehma?”

“I’ll be leaving the slaves’ work to Rokuko to handle. I’ll be going with the setting that a lazy adventurer reserved a room with gold to sleep in.”

“Uwaah, that sounds like a failure of a person somehow… isn’t it better to have a slave do it?”

Yep, even I think I’m a failed case. I’m not denying it, it’s a fact.

“So long as I can sleep, I don’t care about my reputation. Isn’t my reputation bad in Sia too? That I leave Meat to clean the restrooms alone in the restroom cleaning commissions.”

“I don’t think it could be that bad, seein’ how that’s usually a slave’s job… But for Meat-senpai to clean restrooms alone huh… It’s pretty rough, but well, I think that’s obvious for a slave.”

“Well, since I’m actually cleaning it in one go with [Cleanup], Meat doesn’t really resent me… that way, I can sleep comfortably. It’s perfect.”

“I-I would never resent Goshujin-sama!”

Fufufu, that’s right. I wouldn’t be able to have my way and sleep if I had to pay attention to my hug pillow having a grudge with me would I?

I patted Meat’s head. Her tail wagged adorably.

“I don’t think Goshujin-sama’s peaceful sleep has anythin’ to do with it… does Meat-senpai really just stand and hold the cleaning tools for the restroom? Sounds like a pretty easy job.”

“Right, she holds the tools.”

… Huh? Come to think of it, I don’t have any cleaning tools.

“… Meat, did someone come while you were waiting and ask if you had tools to clean with?”

“Yes, someone did.”

“How did you answer?”

“I answered saying that I properly cleaned with my hands, feet, and mouth!”

Meat responded, full of self confidence. Hooold up.

“Hold up, that’s a pretty intense response. Why did you say that?”

“Fueh? W-was that no good? I’m so sorry—”

When Meat’s face started turning blue as she was getting flustered, Ichika seemed to think of something.

“Aaah, Goshujin-sama, can I butt in a sec? … Perhaps, could Meat-senpai’ve been… sold by the dark slums’ slave dealer?”

“… … Yeah, I got her from a bandit that bought her from there.”

“So that’s it…”

Ichika was the only one to understand, her expression seemed a little sad. After that, she stood in front of Meat.

“Meat-senpai! … Normally, brushes’re used to clean restrooms! It’s fine to fetch water from a well too! Ya don’t need to use your own body to clean with!”

“” Eh—!? “”

What Ichika said with deadly seriousness surprised me. However, as for Meat, she seriously seemed to not know that. Double the surprise! That slum slave dealer, what a cruel person!

“Un, you’re safe and sound and have beautiful clothes now. The way slum slave dealers treats their slaves are the worst… if a young beastkin becomes a slave, it’s the worst of the worst. Most die before they’re sold. Of course they wouldn’t have somethin’ like common sense with lives like that… Meat-senpai, ya really did yer best…”

Ichika stroked Meat’s head while tightly embracing her.

… Having your face buried in that chest seems like it’d be kinda painful.

“The number of slaves that die from illness destroyin’ their health by doin’ things like restroom cleaning ain’t few. Even though they’re children, they’re beastkin so their vitality gets taken advantage of… it’s also natural for them to be hit or kicked to kill time. They get targeted by skills, cryin’ endlessly as their limbs or ears get chopped off. A beastkin kid is just a few copper coins, nothin’ more than playthin’s for ’em… Even if they luckily survived, there’s no such thing as an upright owner that would buy ’em in the slums, there’d only be hell left for ’em in the world.”

I don’t get it but I think I just heard something pretty incredible.

“… Meat, you’ve had an even worse time than me.”

“R-Rokuko-sama?”

From the opposite side as Ichika, Rokuko also embraced Meat.

“Even though I’m a dunce among dungeon cores, even though I’ve been bullied, it wasn’t that bad because I had Haku Ane-sama. Un, I’ll treat you more kindly from now on!”

“Rokuko-sama…”

“I-I’ll even give you some of my melon roll. A mouthful!”

… That somehow feels like a huge show of affection, coming from Rokuko.