Volume 1, Chapter 27 – A Leisurely Stroll in Niru City (Part 1)

By the time we left the merchant’s residence, it was already afternoon.

No matter what I said, the merchant insisted that I stay for lunch before leaving. As a result, we ended up lingering until now—though it wasn’t without its benefits. The church had indeed noticed my escape from the estate and had begun a large-scale search. Fortunately, since I was busy enjoying lunch at the merchant’s residence at the time, I managed to evade their search entirely.

Tossing the money pouch lightly in my hand, I hummed a cheerful tune, my steps noticeably lighter. Now that I had money, I no longer had to just watch the vendors hawk their wares from a distance. Instead, I could walk right up, ask for prices, and buy things without hesitation.

“Onee-sama, you’re acting like a child.”

“Huh?”

Since when did Camilla say things like that?

My entire body stiffened for a moment before I turned to glance at Camilla, whose expression remained as blank as ever. Clearing my throat, I defended myself.

“This is a perfectly normal reaction. When you have money, you can buy things you like—of course you’d be happy!”

Just like how payday and the day your salary runs out are two completely different moods, I felt my behavior was entirely justified.

“Things I like… I don’t understand.”

“Well, given the environment you grew up in, it’s not surprising you never developed hobbies. You’ll understand eventually.”

Earlier, I’d noticed Camilla’s gaze lingering on stalls selling live animals. Maybe she had an interest in small creatures? Since I also needed to buy some lightweight clothes, I pulled up the Omniscient Map and headed for the free market with that in mind.

After about five minutes, Camilla and I arrived at a bustling square. Since Niru’s streets weren’t paved with stone and the autumn air was dry, the entire market was shrouded in a dusty haze.

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Still, that did nothing to dampen my excitement. Shopping was always a mood-booster, especially in an entirely unfamiliar world like this.

“There are so many people.”

Pressing a hand against her wind-tossed golden hair, Camilla narrowed her eyes slightly as she murmured this. Since she was half a head taller than me, she could see much farther ahead.

Though Camilla addressed me as “Onee-sama,” she was actually two years older than the eldest daughter of the count.

“Camilla, have you ever gone shopping before?”

“If you mean purchasing magic books and alchemical materials, then yes, once.”

“No, not that kind. I mean more… girly shopping.”

“Girly shopping?”

Tilting her head slightly, Camilla’s deep, pool-like crimson eyes filled with confusion.

I awkwardly averted my gaze. Truth be told, I didn’t really know what “girly shopping” meant either—I’d just said it offhandedly.

“A-Anyway, let’s just go buy something!”

“Understood, Onee-sama.”

Soon, I led Camilla into the crowd. Perhaps due to her training, she always walked half a step behind me.

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Before long, my attention was drawn to a tent by the roadside.

In front of it stood a line of children with sallow complexions, malnourished and short in stature, their wrists bound with rough rope. A wooden sign stood nearby, displaying crooked numbers, while a few obese men nearby loudly haggled over prices.

After a moment of stunned silence, I realized what was happening.

Slave trading.

Not some underground, secretive transaction—this was an open, blatant, and socially accepted practice.

So this happens in the human world too…

Unconsciously, I averted my gaze. This wasn’t a sight I enjoyed.

“Onee-sama, do you wish to purchase slaves?”

“No, I don’t have any such intentions.”

Shaking my head, I walked away without another word.

Since Camilla seemed interested in pets, I took her to the nearest pet shop. Of course, calling it a “shop” was a stretch—there weren’t many animals on display, and the selection was limited to dogs. According to the shopkeeper, higher-end pets could only be bought in the noble district. The ones here were for slightly wealthier commoners. In a world where even basic survival was a struggle, owning a pet was a privilege reserved for the rich.

“It seems to like you, Camilla.”

I glanced down at Camilla, who had crouched in front of a cage, her hand repeatedly extending and withdrawing. To me, it looked like she wanted to pet the dog but was afraid of being bitten.

Strangely, every time she pulled her hand back, the dog would bark wildly. But the moment she reached out again, it would obediently fall silent, as if begging her to take it home.

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At my words, Camilla stood up.

“It’s just trained to please customers. If it doesn’t, it’ll be beaten later.”

“Huh?”

That sounded almost like how prostitutes were treated. I couldn’t help but feel troubled by Camilla’s sudden remark.

“Didn’t Onee-sama keep many pets in the past? If they failed to satisfy their owner, they’d be killed, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Though the eldest daughter of the count had been cruel even as a child, she hadn’t yet reached the point of targeting humans or her own kind for abuse. At most, she’d take her anger out on pets. But as I searched through her memories, I suddenly recalled something else—the eldest daughter had also kept many girls as “pets” in the estate. And those girls had fully embraced their roles, obeying her every command without question.

Some rather risqué scenes flashed through my mind, making my head spin. Shaking it off, I forced myself back to the present.

Woof woof.

The dog in the cage barked again. Now that Camilla had put the idea in my head, even its yapping sounded like desperate flattery.

“Have you ever thought about keeping a pet, Camilla?”

“No. It seems troublesome.”

“But you looked interested earlier.”

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“I was wondering when they’d die, and what would kill them. Or if they’d ever disobey their masters, despite their training.”

Camilla’s tone was so cold that even the shopkeeper could only force an awkward smile.

I chuckled dryly.

“You’re not subtly referring to me, are you?”

“No. You asked, so I answered. Besides, I would never disobey your orders like these pets might.”

Her words drew sidelong glances from passersby. Hurriedly, I changed the subject.

“Alright, alright. Since we’re here, don’t you want to buy anything?”

“Only if you order me to keep one.”

“Then never mind.”

Pets were supposed to be a source of enjoyment. If Camilla had no interest but I forced her to take care of one anyway, it’d just become a burden for her.

Losing interest quickly, I waved a hand.

“Let’s go. Next stop—the clothing store.”

“Understood, Onee-sama.”