Chapter 02
This slave shop was, quite literally, the largest and most well-known luxury slave shop in the empire.
To systematically control high-quality slaves, they were divided into groups for communal living, with designated meal times, study periods, and playtime.
On the surface, it seemed like a well-managed facility, but to my eyes, the sight of children all dressed in the same clothes, wearing identical collars, and confined to the same space looked more like prisoners trapped in a concentration camp.
‘How horrible.’
I had thought the disasters sacrificed to the slave system in the novel were pitiful, but seeing it firsthand was even more harrowing than I had imagined.
Some children simply stared blankly at the walls during mealtime, not even bothering to eat.
Munch, munch—
Even amidst such a bleak atmosphere, Lizzie sat beside me, nibbling on a banana with surprising enthusiasm.
Feeling at least somewhat relieved by her appetite, I reached out and gently patted her head.
“If it’s tasty, do you want mine too?”
“B-But…”
Lizzie hesitated, seemingly flustered by my offer. Smiling, I placed my banana directly into her hands.
“It’s okay. I don’t really like bananas.”
Since I wasn’t particularly fond of bananas, it was easy to give mine away.
Lizzie glanced between the banana and me several times before finally blushing slightly and mumbling softly.
“Th-Thank you….”
Oh my goodness! What an adorable little thing!
If only I could give her all the bananas in the world, I would.
It was hard to believe that this sweet child would one day command an army of over a million undead as a necromancer.
As Lizzie happily ate her banana, I turned my gaze toward another child sitting nearby.
A red-haired girl caught my attention.
I had been observing her for days, and she hadn’t touched her food or even had a sip of water.
Her limbs were so thin that her clothes barely hung onto her, making it clear that she was suffering from malnutrition.
Her nails were cracked and peeling—her poor condition was painfully obvious.
‘That child’s name… was probably Cecil, right?’
In the novel, the only red-haired character who stood out was Cecil, the one who could control the Spirit King.
Cecil had formed a contract with the Fire Spirit King, a being capable of turning an entire empire into a sea of flames overnight.
After Lizzie, she was the next most destructive calamity—a spirit master of catastrophic power.
Even now, she was muttering to herself, staring off into space.
I could guess that she was talking to spirits that only she could see.
‘At this rate, she’s going to collapse.’
She looked no older than eight, and seeing such a young child in such a dire state made it impossible for me to just ignore her.
I wasn’t someone driven by a strong sense of justice, but I couldn’t stand by when she was clearly on the brink of collapse.
Leaving Lizzie to enjoy her banana, I walked over to Cecil and extended a hand toward her.
“Hi!”
“…!”
Startled, Cecil flinched and backed away, her crimson eyes—hidden behind her messy bangs—darting nervously in my direction.
As if trying to hide herself even further, she fumbled with her hair, pulling it down over her face.
“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Mary. What’s yours?”
“A…Ah… I… I’m…”
Cecil stammered, unable to answer.
I quickly glanced around for something to keep the conversation going.
Scattered beside her were several sheets of paper, all covered in drawings.
“What’s this? Did you draw these?”
“Ah… um… well…”
“Wow, you’re really good at this! Where did you see these? Are they imaginary friends?”
Sitting down next to her without hesitation, I picked up the drawings.
Cecil instinctively scooted away, but I acted as if I didn’t notice.
Looking at the sketches, I could tell that she had only used black, likely because it was the only color available.
Even though the drawings were simple, I had a strong feeling that these were depictions of spirits.
Since there wasn’t anything else she could express other than elementals, I simply gave responses that a child might like, saying things like ‘Cute~’, ‘Where did you see them~’, ‘I want to see them too~’ with a calm attitude, assuming they were spirits.
And sure enough, Cecil took the bait.
“They… They’re not… imaginary. I… I saw them… They’re right here….”
In the novel, Cecil had always been kept in isolation at the slave shop.
Now, I finally understood why.
Other children must have thought she was strange and avoided her.
But lucky for her, I wasn’t like the others.
“Really? So they’re actually here? Wow, I’m so jealous! I wish I could see them too!”
“Y-You… You believe me…? I… I just said something weird….”
“Huh? Of course, I do! You said they’re right here, didn’t you? That means they must be near me too! Hello~ Hello~ Nice to meet you~”
I playfully waved at the empty air beside me, greeting the unseen spirits.
I deliberately greeted the air and handed Cecil back the doodles I was holding. She had been tense, but as she straightened her stiff shoulders and looked at me with eyes sparkling excessively, I could tell she was halfway convinced.
“Hey, I’d like to hear more stories. Why don’t you come over there and eat with us while we talk?”
“O-okay…! S-sure…”
Cecil agreed more easily than I expected, so I quickly grabbed her tray and stood up, returning to Lizzie’s side. I patted the floor near me and gestured for her to come over.
“Here. Here~”
“O-okay…”
Cecil hesitated, fidgeting as she walked over. When she sat down, I placed her tray in front of her and handed her a banana. She widened her eyes in surprise and stared at the empty space ahead, hesitating.
I followed her gaze and looked around before speaking.
“Did the beings around you tell you not to eat anything? That’s terrible! So mean! Super mean! Go away!”
“N-no, that’s not it… T-they actually t-told me to eat… They… they asked me to… But I just…”
Luckily, it seemed like the spirits around her were worried, just like me, that she might collapse. Relieved, I simply pushed the banana into her mouth.
“They’re good ones, then. That’s a relief. Come on, let’s eat. Everyone’s worried about you.”
“…..”
Cecil hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the banana and carefully taking a bite. Seeing her eat made me exhale in relief.
But suddenly, a breeze strong enough to ruffle my hair blew past, making my eyes widen in surprise. I looked around, wondering where the wind had come from, but Cecil, still chewing, quietly explained.
“D-don’t be scared! …T-they just w-wanted to say thank you…”
“Oh? Are they still around? But I didn’t really do anything worth thanking them for. Tell them there’s no need~”
Ah—so it was a wind spirit?
I casually brushed my hair back into place and smiled softly in the direction the wind had come from. Honestly, I had only spoken to Cecil for my own peace of mind, so I didn’t think I deserved any gratitude.
A few more breezes stirred my hair, but I was too busy making sure Cecil was properly chewing and swallowing her food to pay much attention.
“You finished everything~ Well done~ Good job~”
Seeing Cecil empty her tray, I patted her head and showered her with exaggerated praise. For a moment, I wondered if I was treating her too much like a child, but she didn’t seem to mind. Instead, her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her gaze.
She looked so cute that I wanted to praise her even more, but just then, I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve.
“Mary… I… I finished mine too…”
Lizzie, clutching her stuffed rabbit, spoke in a small, trembling voice, pointing at her own empty tray. The way she waited expectantly, as if hoping for praise, made me chuckle softly. I lifted my other hand and gave her the same words.
“Our Lizzie ate everything too? Well done~ Our Lizzie is the best~! From now on, keep eating everything like this, okay? Understand?”
“Y-yeah…!”
What was so special about getting praise from me?
Her cheeks turned bright red, and she nodded eagerly, clearly delighted. I smiled back and ruffled her hair even more. Though it was now a complete mess, Lizzie just grinned happily and hugged her stuffed rabbit even tighter.
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