The day after being shown the house purchased from Schmidt.
Kousuke visited the house again with Shurein and Mitsuki.
The day before, they had only come to see the furnished interior, but from today on, they intended to use it in earnest. However, this did not mean they were moving their base to the Fifth Floor. The house on the Fifth Floor was more of a vacation home, with their main residence still being on the Management Layer. This time, they planned to stay for about a week.
As Kousuke walked through the town towards the house, he felt the gazes of those around them directed at Shurein and Mitsuki, who had altered their appearances to avoid drawing attention. It was understood that appearing in their usual forms would lead to troublesome consequences later, so when visiting the Fifth Floor house, they were expected to come with a certain degree of disguise (?). Kousuke himself, however, did little in the way of disguise. Such measures were primarily for the women, whose appearances were inherently conspicuous. Furthermore, the “disguise” involved minor adjustments to hairstyles and makeup to alter their initial impression, not any magical alterations. Peach had been guiding the women in this regard. Honestly, to Kousuke, who was accustomed to their appearances, they hadn’t changed much, but it seemed to be a remarkable technique for them. This was, of course, a testament to Peach’s elite skills as a shadow.
Upon arriving at the house, Kousuke opened the door and entered. The sound of the door opening seemed to alert someone, as the door leading to the living room opened, and a woman appeared.
“Welcome back, Kousuke-sama.”
“I’m back, Sarasa-san.”
Kousuke gave a slight nod to Sarasa, who bowed her head with a slightly tense expression. Since Kousuke and the others were not always at this house, someone needed to be there to clean and maintain it. Deciding who would take on this role had been one of the most difficult decisions for Schmidt and others involved in this matter. This house was to be used by Kousuke and a group of women who, for various reasons, could not openly reveal their true positions. Finding someone who could manage it properly while knowing all these underlying circumstances was extremely difficult. They had even considered searching for candidates without disclosing the situation, but fortunately, Sarasa, who was chosen, readily accepted, so that plan was abandoned. Sarasa knew Kousuke, and she had earned considerable trust due to her long tenure and achievements at the Crown. More importantly, since she possessed Kousuke’s blessing, there was no one more suitable. While Sarasa held a significant position at the Crown, and her serving Kousuke might draw attention to him, it was far better than revealing the truth.
This was the first time Kousuke and Sarasa had met directly since he had bestowed his blessing upon her. To the still-nervous Sarasa, Kousuke said with a smile, “You can relax more, you know? And could you please stop calling me ‘Kousuke-sama’?”
“Eh, but… I can’t possibly…?”
“No, because when I come to this house, I’m not ‘Kousuke.'” If the women went to the trouble of disguising themselves to come to this house, it would be meaningless if they were identified by Kousuke’s name. While the name Kousuke was not entirely unique in this town, making immediate association with the Tower’s manager unlikely, Kousuke wanted to be extra cautious.
Perhaps sensing Kousuke’s thoughts, Sarasa looked troubled. To her, Kousuke was her benefactor who had saved her life as a slave, and also an object of faith who had bestowed his blessing upon her. As if to offer her a lifeline, Shurein shrugged her shoulders and said, “It’s no good to be called by your name, right? How about ‘Master’ or something?”
“No, wait, please…!”
“Yes. Then, from now on, I will call you ‘Master’.” Sarasa, speaking over Kousuke’s hasty attempts to stop her, nodded in agreement. Speaking over their Master could be considered disrespectful, but Sarasa’s deliberate action signified her refusal to back down further. This could be an act punishable by death (even physically), but Kousuke would never do such a thing.
Before Kousuke could say anything else, Shurein’s face lit up with amusement. “Yes, that’s right. And if that’s the case, does that make me ‘Mistress’?”
“Of course. Mistress.”
“Hmm. Then, I suppose that would be fine, wouldn’t it?” The conversation concluded between Sarasa and Shurein, leaving Kousuke with no room to interject. Furthermore, the moment Shurein looked genuinely delighted upon being called “Mistress” by Sarasa, Kousuke realized he could no longer do anything about it. When they were on the Management Layer, no one addressed the women with such titles, so Shurein was exceptionally happy. Kousuke, too, wasn’t so averse to being called “Master” that he would disappoint Shurein. Ultimately, it was decided that Sarasa would henceforth call Kousuke “Master.”
One of the reasons Kousuke sought a house on the Fifth Floor was to give Kouhi and Mitsuki a chance to rest. While coming with Kousuke meant they would be on guard duty, at least they wouldn’t have to do housework, which would somewhat lessen their burden. By now, Kouhi was likely enjoying her downtime on the Management Layer. However, Kousuke couldn’t quite imagine Kouhi slacking off. Regardless, Kousuke, Shurein, and Mitsuki had come to the Fifth Floor and were on their way to a restaurant recommended by Sarasa for lunch. This restaurant, established about ten years ago, was a well-known establishment in the area, known to almost everyone.
“Mmm. I see. As Sarasa recommended, it’s quite delicious.” Kousuke had chosen a standard set meal, a common menu item in this region. He nodded with satisfaction after taking a bite. Indeed, the taste was worthy of its popularity.
“… Hmm. You’re right.” Shurein, who had ordered the same set meal opposite Kousuke, had a similar expression on her face. Although Kousuke and Shurein regularly ate food prepared by Mitsuki, the best cook, they never harshly criticized dishes made by others. Besides, they didn’t eat Mitsuki’s cooking every single day even on the Management Layer. Mitsuki, however, seemed to have something on her mind and was eating her food with a serious expression.
During their meal, Shurein and Mitsuki naturally drew attention from those around them, but as expected from such a popular establishment, no one dared to bother them while they were eating. Sarasa later mentioned that when the restaurant first opened, there were such individuals. However, as the restaurant gained popularity, they naturally dwindled. One person who caused a disturbance in the restaurant early on was banned from entry, forcing them to miss out on the restaurant’s cuisine. Since then, an unspoken rule had been established at this restaurant: do not cause trouble. Of course, such rules were of no consequence to those who simply enjoyed their meals. Regardless, thanks to the rule established over time, Kousuke and the others were able to enjoy the restaurant’s food without any incident.
Sarasa’s method of addressing Kousuke has been decided as “Master.” Do you sense that the other slaves will follow suit in the future? (Plans are undecided lol)
