Marius Tuban, Royal Court Magician of the Kingdom of Filat.
The reaction to this announcement was, at least on the surface, quiet.
For the citizens, their trust in the Royal Family outweighed any impression of it being fishy, and for foreigners, a being that could obliterate a swarm of Wyverns in seconds, leaving no corpses, was nothing but a subject of amusement.
Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Holdia to the west and the Kingdom of Ranleo to the northeast, who frequently clashed with the Kingdom of Filat over vested interests, intensified their intelligence activities to ascertain the facts.
This was because the strengthening of the Kingdom of Filat directly led to the weakening of their own nations.
Their true desire was for other nations to maintain a moderate national strength, as they did not want to become the foundation for another country’s rise to power.
Naturally, one might expect the Filat side to focus on counter-intelligence, but surprisingly, they mostly left Marius alone.
They trusted that he wasn’t foolish enough to be assassinated, and they judged that revealing his strength would serve as a greater deterrent.
However, the biggest reason was their assumption that Marius could not possibly be investigated. If, by any chance, they succeeded in investigating him, they intended to appropriate the results.
Thus, Marius found himself embroiled in inter-state machinations.
More accurately, while he had anticipated this, he was unconcerned.
Having been thrust into fame overnight, Marius, after finishing breakfast, was walking through the Royal Capital with a woman named Helka, who was in her early twenties and had been introduced by Lovisa.
Helka was the daughter of Lovisa’s wet nurse, and while they were foster sisters, their bond was even closer than that of biological sisters.
She had apparently been summoned to guide Marius, who had requested to see the Royal Capital, in Lovisa’s stead.
She was quite beautiful, with blonde hair and tanned skin, but Marius lost interest upon hearing she was married and had children.
“That is the noble district,” Helka said, pointing to an area near the Royal Palace where a collection of clearly high-class residences was located.
“It’s where the main residences of those in the inner circle, like Royal Court Magicians, and secondary residences of nobles are,” she explained to Marius in slightly stiff Firmiyan.
The nobles’ main residences were in their respective territories; the ones in the Royal Capital were like vacation homes used when attending court.
The fact that the Royal Palace walls were only about two meters high and there was no moat was, she explained, because the people and vassals had nothing to hide.
There was also the matter that powerful monsters could simply fly over moats and walls anyway.
“The Royal Family of this country is magnificent,” Marius murmured, his words laced with flattery.
“Yes!” Helka replied with the brightest smile.
Seeing her, Marius felt a pang of envy. He, too, wanted to be trusted and to have someone he could trust.
As they continued walking, they emerged onto a large, lively street filled with a din of activity. It had been quiet when they passed by in a carriage, but now many people were coming and going. Occasionally, they saw people wearing blue collars.
“This is Central Street. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everything available in this country can be found here,” Helka explained.
The variety of shops suggested Helka’s description was not an exaggeration. There were food stalls, street vendors displaying accessories, and shops with signs indicating weapons and armor. The entire scene was overflowing with vitality. At least, judging by this scene, King Bernhard III’s reign seemed to be going well.
What caught Marius’s eye the most was a tent-like structure with straw mats spread out, where people wearing blue collars were lined up.
“Are… are those perhaps slaves?”
“Yes. If slavery didn’t exist in your homeland, I will explain it to you?” Helka’s tone suggested she was somewhat aware of Marius’s circumstances. It was only natural, of course.
“Please do.”
Intrigued by slavery, Marius asked, and Helka promptly explained. Slaves were composed of debtors unable to pay taxes or debts, or criminals who had committed crimes. Slaves were assigned a “merit value,” and by working for their master and accumulating merit, they could become free once they accumulated the set amount. The merit value was determined by considering the amount of debt or the severity of the crime.
(Is it like a prison sentence?) Marius thought as he listened to the explanation.
“Those who become slaves only have the right to live, but most of their obligations are waived. The only exception is the obligation to obey their master’s will.” If this was violated, their required merit value would increase, and all previously accumulated merit would be reset to zero. Marius mused that slaves might be somewhat similar to prisons in his original world.
“But wouldn’t those who became slaves due to poverty fall back into slavery?” Unless one intentionally became a slave, there was a possibility of becoming a slave again if a stable income couldn’t be secured. Helka nodded at his observation.
“In the case of debt slaves, they are often put to work where they can acquire vocational skills, but still, a considerable number of them become slaves again.” Even with vocational training, not everyone could be saved. That was another reality of the Kingdom of Filat. The existence of people living happily here was only one facet of the truth. Marius barely managed to restrain himself from retorting. Since he hadn’t done anything or offered any superior solutions, he had no right to criticize. Perhaps it was better than starving to death with no work and no food. Regaining some composure, Marius asked about something else that had piqued his interest.
“Wouldn’t even heinous criminals accumulate merit value quickly if they are skilled?”
“Your thinking is understandable, but there is actually a trick to it.” The type of merit that could reduce one’s sentence was determined when they were enslaved. In other words, most wicked individuals had to accumulate merit in their weak areas, making their release take decades. *Surprisingly thorough,* Marius thought, and continued with his questions.
“Don’t they try to escape by committing suicide?”
“As I mentioned earlier, slaves only have the right to live… which means they do not have the right to commit suicide.” In other words, no matter how much they wanted to die, they couldn’t. Marius felt this aspect was more thorough than in his previous world. He was curious about the mechanism preventing suicide but didn’t ask since he had no intention of purchasing a slave at the moment.
“Would you like to purchase a slave?” Helka’s question was also met with a denial.
“I have no funds,” Marius replied.
While his basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter were now covered, his status as someone with no money remained unchanged. Marius wondered if this point had not been communicated to Helka, but she tilted her head slightly.
“With Marius-sama’s status, you could purchase one with expenses, and I could assist you, I believe.” He had never heard this before. It was perhaps his own fault for not asking anyone. However, he still felt that he should have been told at least once.
“But it’s fine. I don’t need one, and I can’t afford to waste tax money,” Marius replied, and Helka smiled.
“That’s admirable. It’s precisely because of such thinking that you were chosen as a Royal Court Magician.” It was an overestimation, but he didn’t deny it. Having a high evaluation wasn’t bad, and denying it might have been perceived as humility. He prioritized what he wanted to know more.
“Having only the right to live… does that mean they can’t complain even if abused?” The moment he asked, Helka’s expression vanished. It was a fleeting moment, but Marius noticed it clearly.
“The ‘right to live’ also includes not being abused or coerced into sexual acts. If that is violated, they become criminal slaves!”
“I see…” He understood that slave management was more stringent than he had imagined. He had been contemplating how to bring up the topic of sexual slavery, as it was not something one should typically ask a woman about, but since Helka brought it up herself, there was no issue. However, he was bothered by the fleeting expression she had shown earlier. It seemed as if she had misinterpreted something in a negative way, though he couldn’t pinpoint the cause. Praying that no strange reports would be made to the King, they walked past the slave market.
“What would you like for lunch?” When asked, Marius suddenly found himself in a dilemma. He would have preferred to eat out to learn about currency and prices, but he was unsure how long he could detain a married woman with children. If Lovisa and Helka were the only ones who spoke Firmiyan, one of them would have to be their teacher and would be detained.
(There probably aren’t any others, are there?) If there were, they wouldn’t have chosen a married woman with children, Marius concluded. He then answered the question.
“Somewhere inexpensive would be nice. More importantly, how long do you have?”
“The Royal Capital is generally expensive. After lunch, you are to return to the Royal Palace,” she replied. It seemed a long detention was indeed difficult. Seeing Helka furrow her brow, Marius’s desire to learn was ignited. He remembered what the children who had treated him to home-cooked meals had said when he found their offer of “anything is fine” most troubling.
“Then, how about your favorite restaurant and their recommended dish, Helka-san?” That way, he wouldn’t have to have the menu read to him. Helka seemed to agree, nodded, and said, “This way,” before walking off.
The establishment they entered was called “The Waxing and Waning Moon Pavilion,” facing the main street. It wasn’t very large, with ten chairs at the counter, two two-person tables, and six four-person tables. One of the two-person tables was empty, but all the others were occupied, indicating its popularity.
“I sometimes come here incognito,” Helka mentioned. Though she omitted the subject, Marius understood who she meant.
“In that case, the taste and prices must be first-class?” He didn’t think Lovisa would choose a restaurant based on price, but considering safety and other factors, the choices would naturally be limited.
“Yes. It’s about fifteen hundred to two thousand Duel per meal,” she replied. Duel was the currency in FAO. Marius was grateful that the currency was the same on this world, or at least on this continent. He had no idea what fifteen hundred Duel was worth on this continent, so Marius asked further.
“How much is it in the provinces?”
“Restaurants in the provinces are probably a little cheaper, but I’m not very familiar with them…” Seeing Helka’s apologetic expression, Marius realized his own oversight. Given that his mother had been chosen as the Princess’s wet nurse, her family must hold a fairly high status. Unless she was involved in managing their territory, it wasn’t entirely impossible for her not to be familiar with provincial prices. He suspected Lovisa would be the same. Learning the Taliant Language and investigating it himself might ultimately be the fastest way.
As they conversed, their meals arrived. It consisted of white bread, seaweed salad, potato soup, and tiger lobster with seven vegetables. Helka’s drink was rose water, and Marius’s was cocoa tea. Surprisingly, the portions were large, but even more surprisingly, Helka ate with gusto. Like Lovisa, it seemed many women in the Kingdom of Filat had hearty appetites.
The conversation lulled, so Marius decided to ask about the family matters that had been on his mind.
“By the way, are your husband and children alright?”
“My children are old enough to understand things and are not as needy, and they have escorts, so they are fine.” Her children seemed to be about five or six years old. He could imagine them having escorts, but he was surprised that her children were at an age where they understood things. Even outwardly, they looked no older than two or three.
“Furthermore, my husband fully understands my role. My husband’s name is Alvin.”
“Alvin?” The name was familiar to Marius. He recalled one of the knights who had guarded the King and Princess having that name. Seeing Marius’s expression, Helka chuckled softly.
“Fortunately, my husband was also saved, and I did not become a widow. It is my husband and I’s will to cooperate with you as much as possible.”
