And now.
.
Maeri has finished preparing our dinner after the conversation we had with the young girl.
.
It can’t be anymore obvious but this girl really looks to be someone who’s constantly living in hunger.
.
That’s why Maeri’s getting fired up too just looking at her.
.
[I gave it my all to complete these dishes!]
.
And so she proudly declares while she serves the food she had made.
.
Oh before I forgot, this young woman is called Em.
It’s not her real name per se but it’s what the Ald family is used in calling her instead.
.
Apparently, the young girl doesn’t even know what her real name is.
Moreover, she doesn’t even know who her parents are or where in the world she was born… In short, she doesn’t have the slightest bit of idea where she really came from.
.
I can’t help but find it strange.
However, Em felt like her story was ruining the atmosphere so she ended it up from there while saying sorry.
.
…Well, it’s time for the meal after all so let’s let it go for now.
I’m feeling quite hungry as well after all.
.
We move towards the dining table to have our dinner but Em just stands by the wall and just keeps on looking to us all over.
.
[…What are you doing, Em?]
[Uhm… I am doing what I am supposed to do during meal times.]
[But, your meal…]
[This is a custom for me so please don’t mind me. Please enjoy your meals.]
.
Oh.
.
This young girl mustn’t have had the chance to have a proper meal at all.
I am not really familiar with how slaves are being treated but just one look at her tells enough that she isn’t being fed enough at all.
.
Most probably, even though they are already hungry, they’re just being commanded to stand by and stick close to the walls…
.
[Em-chan, don’t trouble yourself any further and come join us here on the table.]
.
Maeri invites Em once again with a gentle smile on her face.
.
[You know, I’ve put my very last effort to work for your portion as well, Em-chan. So if Em-chan won’t even grab a bite… I’ll definitely cry.]
[Uwaa.!? Yo-you’ll cry, really?]
[What kind of threat is that supposed to be…]
.
My thoughts leak as I sigh and pull out a nearby chair that doesn’t have anyone sitting at.
.
[Well, I honestly think that Em should just eat already. Be honest, you wanna take a seat and eat your fill, right? You don’t really need to hold yourself back.]
[N-no, that’s not the case at a—]
.
*rummblllesss*
.
Contrary to her words, Em’s stomach is already protesting as it makes a loud noise.
.
[Th-that’s not it! Th-this is a… uhm…ugh….]
.
To be frank, Maeri prepared a lot of dishes even for the four of us. Looking at the several dishes must have made her appetite rise.
.
[Just as we said, you don’t really have to worry. Afterall, we are not your <Master> you have to serve you know.]
[N-not my master… that I have to…]
[Yep. No one in this house will lord over you, so… calm down and please have a seat with us.]
.
*sits*
.
Em nodded a little before she carefully sat herself towards the chair. However, once she’s fully seated, her gaze immediately falls towards the dishes and her eyes start to sparkle.
.
[**Gulps**]
[Hahaha… You don’t have to be so stiff and all.]
.
I can’t help but smile wryly as I grab a sandwich and give it to Em. There are lots of meats and veggies inside of it as the sandwich itself can be considered a whole meal prepared by Maeri.
.
[I-is it really alright for me to be…?]
[Yeah. Still, you don’t have to ask the same question every time.]
.
Em’s expression starts to harden as if she finds herself fully convicted as she took a bite of the sandwich in her hands.
.
[*nom* *noms*…]
[….]
.
*chews softly*
*nom, nom, nom*
.
[Uhh….. *sobs*]
.
Droplets of tears then suddenly fell from Em’s eyes.
.
[I-i’m sorry. It’s just that… I…]
[You don’t have to hold yourself back. It’s alright, just eat everything until your heart’s content.]
[Thank you… Thank you so much… and I’m so sorry…]
.
Em then finds herself fully occupied with eating while she continues with her apologizing.
.
We don’t really know what she is feeling sorry for but me, Rei, and Maeri just watch the girl eat her fill with smiles on our faces.
.
Quite a few minutes have passed since then.
As I said, Maeri made quite a lot of dishes even for the four of us so I had my own fill as well.
.
[Thank you so much… everyone… I-it was delicious…]
.
Em once again expresses her gratitude to us as she bows her head.
.
She looked really happy just then.
She was quite awkward though but it must have been the first time she was able to have a ‘proper meal’.
.
[Fufu… As long as you’re fully satisfied then all is well.]
.
Maeri happily responds to Em’s gratuity.
.
[…Is the food you’ve been having in the Ald family quite lacking compared to the dinner we’ve just eaten?]
[Yes. We slaves are far inferior compared to horses and livestocks so… The food being provided to us is always in a pitiful state…]
[How awful… I can sympathize as I had my own experience of serving a horrible master as well.]
[…..]
.
I just kept my mouth shut while I listen to them.
.
-Em, a slave from the family of nobility, the Ald family.
I took her under our shelter just to take care of her temporarily but… after hearing more of her story, I find myself reluctant to just let her leave and let things be.
.
Even as slaves, they are not being even fed properly.
They’re like prisoners or captives living their lives as if atoning for sins they aren’t even aware of doing.
A life where you are worked to the bones until you can’t and find yourself dead.
.
—Can I really just watch and allow this young girl to return to such a place?
.
I mean, the Ald family has its own prestige even amongst nobility. If I decided to hide away their “property” without even asking, then I can’t even dare to imagine what kind of troubles and problems they will throw at me.
.
If things end up hidden in time then that’s fine but once the news blows up… The backlash might not just fall on me. Atworst, they might find everyone else in this village guilty.
.
But
–As a true sword saint.
If Faruas Makuba is in my place, then, I’m sure…
.
[How is it, Em? Would you like to live in this place from now on with us?]
[eh…?]
[We have to hide your identity though. But I want you to be honest, you don’t want to go back to that place anymore, right? That’s why you ran away in the first place.]
[Y-yes. But… If I do so, you all would be…]
[Fufufu, it’s fine. If we allow you to leave at this rate it will just leave a bad taste to our mouths.]
.
Rei affirms Em as her lips curl up into a gentle smile.
.
[That’s… Arios-sama, everyone too… Yo-you’re all too kind…]
.
And so Em has started to cry once again.
Translator’s Notes:
- Release 1/5(?)
- I remember when Bell looked for justification on himself why should he saved Wiene. Still pretty touching to me. Heroes really do work well with sufferings and hypocrisy. Just my thoughts.
Coffee for Simply~.
Appreciate the post? Maybe you can buy me a cup of coffee?~
$2.00
Thanks for the chapter ~
Why are they going to the trouble of hiding her identity when this is a simple problem that can be easily fixed with money? Just go with to the mansion and buy Em from Euphias Ald. Take Rei along so that it would be difficult for him to refuse the sale.
You really think an arrogant aristocrat family that treats slaves WORSE than livestock will be satisfied with money?
Nononono! They have an inherent “need” to abuse and humiliate people “beneath” them. They wouldn’t DARE let Em escape their vile clutches. That might just set an unwelcome precedent where their victims might get the idea that they can somehow escape too, and that just won’t fly in their rotten empty heads.
They have to be utterly humiliated and destroyed to make them stop.
Hiding Em’s identity until they’re ready to do that is the best path Adrios and company can take at the moment.
I hadn’t thought about the similarities between this and the Bell and Wiene situation. It’s nice to learn what motivates these heroes to do what they do. I really am sucker for these type of situations.
Thanks for the chapter!
thanks for chap
am i the only one who finds her name to be maybe the letter ‘M’ as in all the slaves are named letter wise?