Revised on 12.23 of H27.
Revised again on 3.19 of H28.
Revised again on 3.25 of H28.
Revised again on 4.13 of H28.
Reduced kanji a bit.
Revised on 5.26.2019.
*Knock, knock*
“Excuse me, Young Master Hal.”
An elderly man, looking like a butler, entered my private room.
His name was Gaspar Daro, an executive of the Raymond Trading Company, founded by my father. He looked like a suave, dashing young man on the outside, but beneath his clothes lay a sturdy physique and well-developed muscles. When necessary, he exuded a formidable presence that belied his age, transforming into a hardened warrior. He was not a man to be angered.
“Gaspar, do you need something?”
I asked Gaspar, who had come all the way to my private room in the Raymond Mansion, what he wanted.
“Today, by Master’s orders, I have been instructed to show you the slave purchasing site, Young Master Hal. We will depart this afternoon, so please keep that in mind. Also, as the client is a noble, please wear appropriate attire.”
Gaspar informed me of the afternoon’s schedule with an obsequious attitude, like a butler.
My name is Hal Raymond. I am a mischievous 14-year-old boy. I am also at a delicate age, about to celebrate my 15th birthday next year, after which I will be considered an adult. My hair is black, and my eyes are brown, giving me a rather inconspicuous and plain appearance. My family runs a major “Slave Trader” business in the Espana Imperial Kingdom, and having been raised in a wealthy household, I was considered a pampered rich kid.
Meanwhile, Gaspar is one of the executives of the Raymond Trading Company, holding the position of “Head of Slave Purchasing.”
“Hal, you will also turn 15 next year and be recognized as an adult by society. Therefore, I intend to start teaching you about the family business soon. Specific details will be given in a few days.”
A few days ago, my father summoned me and told me this. My father’s name is Dalos Raymond. He is a loving father to our family, but he is also a titan who built the Raymond Trading Company, a major slave trading firm, from scratch. He also serves as an executive of the Slave Merchant Guild, making him a prominent figure in the slave trade industry.
My mother’s name is Shakura Raymond, and she and my father are still very much in love. Apparently, my mother was a slave brought from a distant land in the East when she was very young. My father, who fell in love with her at first sight, even though he was then a fledgling slave trader, spent almost all his money to purchase her. At that time, my mother was suffering from severe misanthropy due to her harsh circumstances, but my father’s sincere love and their peaceful daily life helped her recover. She eventually accepted his proposal, was freed from slavery, and became the legitimate wife of House Raymond. For this reason, the Raymond Trading Company is known for treating its slaves more gently than other slave traders.
My younger sister, Miuuki Raymond, who is 10 years old and four years younger than me, is also an important member of our family that we cannot forget. My mother named her Miuuki, an unusual name. I dote on my sister. When I asked my mother about the origin of her and my sister’s names, she told me the following: My mother’s name, Shakura, is actually pronounced “Sakura” and refers to the beautiful flower that blooms in spring. The origin of “Sakura” is divided into “Sa” and “Kura.” “Sa” means “early,” and “Kura” refers to a “place where gods descend.” Therefore, “Sakura” means “a sacred place where deities descend and reside in early spring.” Similarly, my sister’s name, “Miuuki,” is apparently also meant to be pronounced “Miyuki.” Although I’ll omit the detailed explanation, the conclusion is that it carries the wish for her to “walk a happy life.” By the way, my name, “Hal,” was apparently given to me by my father. However, my mother told me, ” ‘Hal’ sounds similar to ‘haru’ (spring), the season when ‘Sakura’ flowers bloom, so it’s related to my name,” which made me happy.
The world I live in is a dangerous place where numerous small and medium-sized nations clash for dominance. Although robust castle towns have been established, production activities rely heavily on manpower, with slaves bearing a significant portion of this labor. There was a time when efforts were made to establish a “Unified Human Nation” to prepare for the invasion of the Demonkin, but this collapsed due to a lack of consensus, with everyone agreeing on the principle but disagreeing on the details. Furthermore, this failure became a pretext for invading other nations. Honestly, human life is cheap in this world. Not only ordinary citizens but even royalty and nobles can be disgraced and die young due to revolutions, rebellions, or schemes, or fall into slavery as in this case. Moreover, beings such as mages, demi-humans, and Demon Kings coexist. It’s a world that presents a chaotic mix of everything.
And to top it all off, I awakened with memories and skills from my past life. The trigger for this awakening was when I was 10 years old, and my father took me to the Raymond Trading Company for the first time. I witnessed the shocking scene of a beautiful older girl named Seira undressing for a “slave purchase appraisal.”
In my assessment, my mother possesses the qualities of a “Saintess.” However, her abilities are undeveloped, and she is unaware of them herself. I realized this because in my past life, I had close relationships with several individuals known as saints and saintesses. My past life name was Lester Adamon, and I was a capable cleric who could not only wield high-level “Healing Magic” but also “Resurrection Magic.” However, even though it’s a past life, the Lester Adamon who was born just 26 years before my reincarnation was a stubborn, ordinary cleric. The current situation is complicated, as both of us exist in this world. He is currently 40 years old. Since the average lifespan of humans is around 50 years, it’s not an exaggeration to say he’s approaching old age. Of course, there are rare individuals who live to be nearly 100 years old, and elves are said to have lifespans of several hundred years.
And soon, the former me, Lester the Cleric, would be discovered by the prophesied Hero Albert Sandia and depart on a quest to defeat Demon King Gandaro. When Lester the Cleric joined, the Hero Party consisted only of Hero Albert and his childhood friend, the shield warrior Johan Tozotto. It was only when Lester Adamon, who served as both healer and sage, joined that the Hero Party truly took shape. Later, the beautiful elf Edelgard Tinde Tintar, an archer and water elemental mage, joined as the sole female member. She was also the fourth princess of the Tintaal Kingdom, the largest faction among the elves.
On their journey to defeat the Demon King, the Hero Party saved many people along the way. Lester the Cleric also used his adept “Healing Magic” to save numerous individuals, but he had one significant internal complaint. The complaint was that among the people they saved, all comely women became infatuated with Hero Albert, and Lester the Cleric’s contributions were overlooked. Ultimately, in his previous life, he succeeded in defeating the Demon King and rose to the rank of Cardinal, but Cardinal Lester remained unmarried his entire life.
In this life, I harbor the ambition of somehow finding a girlfriend, or rather, building a harem. However, for now, honing my skills as a slave trader in my family business is the priority.
