"She just won't sell, will she..."

"Everyone is blind! Honestly, what is wrong with all of them?!"

"Hey, keep it down, the customers are right there. Easy now, easy. Whoa, whoa."

"What am I, a horse?"

The second day was the main event of the festival.

Many customers visited our slave merchant house, and perhaps because their purse strings were loose, slaves were selling reasonably well.

However, Marina the Turk remained unsold. Far from selling, I was even forced to endure snide remarks from people asking why I'd even bother displaying a Turk in the first place.

"...I don't want to go to the Mountains... Marina... wants to be a knight."

I had told Marina about my Guidance. Because of that, she truly believed that the Great Spirit would lead her to a fated encounter, but seeing things turn out like this, her spirit was utterly crushed.

"It's okay, the festival lasts for more than a week."

"But everyone looks at me like I'm disgusting. Because I'm a Turk de-arimasu..."

"It's just because they've never seen a Turk before."

Trying to offer such comfort didn't change anything. The reality was that she was still sitting in inventory.

That said, the Guidance was still active. The Great Spirit wouldn't issue such a task without reason. Someone who wants her must eventually appear.

...And yet, even I was beginning to lose heart.

For the past six months, I had convinced myself that because of the Guidance, Marina would sell the moment the festival began.

"...Proprietor, sorry to interrupt, but do you have a moment?"

"Oh, Efta-san. What's the matter?"

Efta-san, who was supposed to be at the ceremony attending to business with the Mayor, had returned and spoke to me.

"A master has been decided for her. I'd like to use a room."

"A master? ...Wait, by 'her'... do you mean Diana-san?"

"That's right."

"No way..."

Having looked after Diana-san, I knew she was no ordinary elf. I have handled elf slaves once or twice before, but Diana-san—from the radiance of her hair to her divine aura—was in a different league entirely.

Like subjects who naturally bow their heads before a king, it felt as though this merchant house belonged to her the entire time she was here. Even my wife, who never backs down an inch against the toughest slaves, was completely overwhelmed by Diana-san.

Yes. She was a being of a higher order. Someone closest to the spirits. Even among the elves, who are already called such—she was likely royalty.

And a person had been chosen to enter a slave contract with her... that is what Efta-san was saying.

"B-But, how can that be? Was she—was Diana-san a slave?"

"No, not strictly speaking... well, there's no point in explaining the details. Diana-san will be entering a slave contract now. All of this is the Great Spirit's Guidance. It's not something for us ordinary citizens to understand."

That was a clear signal not to pry.

Well, it didn't matter to me anyway. For my wife and me, the real issue was whether Marina would sell.

I don't know what was discussed inside the room I lent them, but the man Efta brought—the one who was to be Diana-san's master—was an ordinary young man who defied all my expectations.

His clothes looked well-tailored, but he looked around restlessly as if it were his first time in a slave merchant house; he didn't look like a rich man capable of purchasing an elven slave at all.

"Proprietor, I'll be purchasing a slave as a guard for Diana-san on his behalf. Could you prepare some candidates?"

"Will you be paying for this, Efta-san?"

"Yes, I made a bit of a bet with him. It's a gift for him."

Giving a slave as a gift... Efta-san truly is wealthy. But my interest had shifted to the young man who had won such a prize.

"You say a guard, but since it's for Diana-san, would a female slave be better?"

"...I suppose so... No, just bring out the male slaves."

For a split second, Marina's face crossed my mind. But I couldn't possibly recommend a Turk like Marina to someone who was about to take a high-born elf as a slave.

I've heard that Turks have ears like elves and are looked down upon as "fake elves." I didn't know how he would feel, but in any case, there was no chance Marina would sell. Even I couldn't bring myself to suggest her in this situation.

"This way. Please, take your time choosing."

"Ugh..."

When I led them to the room where the male slaves were gathered, the young man called Jirou let out a small groan. It was the reaction of a noble's son who had never seen a slave before. Perhaps he came from a country where slavery didn't exist.

"How do they look? If you'd like, I can explain the Vocation and guard experience of each one."

Even when I asked, he seemed to be miles away. Efta-san tried to help by explaining the merits of a dwarf warrior, but the young man didn't seem convinced.

Then, scratching his cheek awkwardly, he spoke up as if it were hard to say.

"Um, well. To be honest, having someone with guard skills is the first priority... but I also want to ask them to handle her personal care. So, if possible, I'd prefer a woman close to her age. It would be a bit awkward asking a rugged man like these guys to look after a young lady. So, I'm willing to compromise a bit—as long as they have a combat Vocation, do you have any young female slaves?"

"Oh, so that was it!"

I see, a female slave was indeed the better choice. I didn't quite get why Efta-san was smirking, but as long as a sale was made, it didn't matter if it was a man or a woman. I excused myself for a moment.

I gathered the female slaves in a different room. This was Efta-san; money would be no object. This was a chance to sell a high-priced slave.

"This customer is looking for a guard for Diana-san, who was staying here until recently. This is a chance for anyone with a combat Vocation!"

During her stay, Diana-san had wandered all over the mansion observing everything, so she was already an acquaintance to the slaves. If they could become her guard, many would jump at the chance even if they weren't slaves.

"U-Um... may I go as well, de-arimasu?"

Marina timidly raised her hand. Even she probably didn't think she'd be chosen for a role like an elf's guard. But she hated the idea of just waiting here. That was it, wasn't it?

"Marina's Vocation is technically combat-related, so I suppose..."

Still, to be honest, it was a long shot. She was a Turk. I felt like Diana-san had spoken to her, but I didn't know how that Jiro fellow would feel. Besides, it was hard to recommend Marina in this negotiation. Efta-san was a client I couldn't afford to offend, and I felt bad putting her in a situation where she'd just get hurt.

Even without that, Jirou wasn't the one paying, so he'd obviously pick the most expensive slave. Marina's price had been slashed to 20 gold coins. The chance of him choosing her was zero.

"Marina... Marina is going to be a knight de-arimasu... I promised the Princess..."

"A promise? By Princess, do you mean Diana-san?"

"Yes, de-arimasu. She watched my knight training and we talked a little. I told her I wanted to be a knight but that I'd be sent to the Mountains at this rate. Then she said she'd make me her knight."

"To think that happened..."

Still, that was likely just a platitude from Diana-san. Or was it? If I put Marina in that room, would Diana-san actually nominate her?

"Fine, I'll include you... but we are in front of an important guest. If you aren't chosen, you stay quiet. A buyer will surely appear during this festival."

"U-Understood, de-arimasu!"

Well, if I stood her at the very end of the line, it wouldn't cause any unnecessary friction. For me, including Marina was just a "hail Mary". After all, Marina was the one who had been passed over by hundreds of customers. Marina was the one who had never even been a candidate.

* * *

--A few hours later.

In my hand, I clutched a Spirit Stone that glowed with the same vibrant purple as Marina's hair.

In other words, that Marina had been chosen and sold.

I was so overwhelmed I nearly sank to the floor.

When I had led them into the room where the female slaves were lined up, that young man, Jirou... he didn't hesitate for a single second. He didn't even glance at the "top-tier" slaves I had placed at the front; he walked straight to Marina. It was as if their meeting had been ordained from the beginning.

A meeting guided by the Great Spirit. There is no other way to describe it.

My heart nearly stopped when Marina, clearly flustered by being chosen so directly, started blabbering nonsense, but Jirou simply smiled and forgave her with eyes full of affection.

Because I truly hadn't expected her to sell, I was honest with Efta-san. I told him she was "old stock," that I had received Guidance regarding her, and that her price had been slashed to 20 gold coins.

At that, Efta-san said, "If I'm going to do him a favor, 20 gold coins is a bit weak. I'll pay the fair market price. Shall we say... 60 gold coins?" and he paid the amount in full.

Far from a loss, if I included the value of the Spirit Stone, I had made a fortune... Though, to be fair, even 60 gold coins is technically bottom-tier for a slave's price.

My wife and I gave Marina the highest-quality dress we had. We knew that young man wouldn't treat a slave cruelly. It was a wedding gift of sorts from us to Marina for finding such a good master.

"W-Waaaah~ Thank you both for everything, de-arimasu~~!"

"Serve him well and make sure he treasures you. Don't you dare come back here as a return!"

"Yes, I'm so relieved you found a good master. If you make sure to keep him satisfied, I'm sure he'll never want to let you go. Give it your best, girl!"

"Marina will do her best! I'll fulfill my duty as a knight, de-arimasu!"

Wiping her tears, Marina fired herself up.

I wasn't sure if there would actually be "work as a knight" for her, but I wanted her to succeed regardless. If she had been returned, my wife and I would have had no choice but to adopt her. We had long since lost the ability to ever send her to the Mountains.

And so, after more than a year in our slave merchant house, she departed with a new master close to her own age.

I didn't know what kind of life awaited her, but I couldn't help but pray for her happiness. As the owner of a slave firm, I suppose I have a temperament that is far too sentimental.

...I'll never keep a slave in stock this long again, I vowed to myself.

* * *

Afterward, it seemed Jirou-san settled in Erishe, and I occasionally saw him walking through town with Diana-san and Marina.

Marina always looked so happy, clinging to the young man's arm as they walked. She looked like a girl in love—not a look you'd ever expect from a slave. She carried a long-handled weapon that stood out in the streets, truly protecting Jiro-san and Diana-san as a knight and guard.

Erishe is a peaceful town, but that doesn't mean it's crime-free. While I doubted anyone would be foolish enough to lay a hand on an elf like Diana-san, a guard was still necessary.

Marina would stop by the merchant house every now and then to tell us how she was doing. To say she was like a daughter might be an exaggeration, but she was certainly a girl we had raised and sent off. Seeing her living such a fulfilling life, even as a slave, brought me immense joy.

* * *

"Dear, did you see the newspaper? How terrifying. A monster outbreak, and it wasn't even Hitotsuzuki yet."

"Yeah. I heard the Knights of Erishe suppressed it."

"That's right. They're holding a triumphal parade, aren't they? It's right nearby; I'd love to see it."

The incident in Lucraella happened shortly after Marina became Jirou's slave. I hadn't heard much about "Knights of Erishe"—perhaps they meant the Gendarmerie? Either way, if there was a parade, we had to go.

The city had gone all out for the parade, and a massive crowd of onlookers had already gathered.

"It's like a festival. Still, I didn't know Erishe had a knight brigade."

"They say it's a kind of vigilante group. I don't know the details."

"Heeh."

Regardless, they were an organization capable of putting down a monster outbreak. That's quite reliable. Erishe is peaceful, but that peace won't last forever. There are always Hitotsuzuki to worry about.

"Look, they're coming! Wait... is that a dragon?!"

"W-Whoaaa! That's incredible! I heard there were dragon riders in the North, but I've never seen a real one!"

"It's rare to see you get so excited, dear."

The red-haired woman at the front was actually riding a dragon. She sat atop it as naturally as if it were a horse... I suppose she was one of those "Dragon Knights" I'd heard stories about.

Behind her followed several very impressive warhorses.

From a distance, the brigade looked to be about ten people. They were all... women, clad in shining white armor.

"Female knights...? Are they Valkyries?"

"L-Look! Dear, look there!"

My wife was pointing at Marina, who was marching forward with her head held high, looking straight ahead with a dignified air. It was the same Marina who used to mess around with laundry poles in our courtyard, calling it the "Laundry Pole Style".

"Marina! She was part of that knight brigade?!"

"She was! She really was! I mean, look at her—she's a knight through and through...!"

Perhaps she heard our voices, because Marina smiled and waved at us.

The submissive, downcast girl from the slave merchant house was gone. Clad in brilliant white armor and a flowing cape, a circlet sparkled atop her purple hair. She was the very image of a beautiful, gallant knight.

"She's beautiful... That girl is so beautiful..."

"Yeah... She really... she really became a knight... It feels like a dream..."

Jiro-san was nowhere to be seen, but he had truly made Marina a knight. He had swept away the tradition that women couldn't be knights and proved to the world that they could fight—that they were knights, too.

"Ah. Look... she doesn't have a slave crest."

"A freed slave... I see. Marina... you're free now, huh..."

I couldn't hide my surprise.

Falling into slavery is easy, but rising out of it is not.

Convention dictates that buying oneself back requires an immense, lifelong effort.

Whether it was Marina's own hard work or Jirou-san simply choosing to free her, I didn't know. Either way, she was no longer a slave; she was a knight.

Marina, looking straight ahead with her chest out, was truly magnificent. Seeing her like that, no one would dare laugh at her for being a "Valkyrie".

* * *

Later, they held a combat demonstration in the plaza

The female knights cut down monsters summoned by a magician with single strikes. Marina, too, defeated a massive pig-like monster with blinding speed.

'Female knights can't fight.' They showed a strength that sliced right through that prejudice.

* * *

A while later, as the air grew thick with the scent of winter, the Hitotsuzuki arrived.

Word was that the monsters this year were far stronger than usual.

Once again, it was Jiro's knight brigade that suppressed them. The newspapers claimed Jirou-san himself defeated the Last Monster, though I couldn't be sure of the truth of that—the man I saw in town never looked particularly "strong".

Soon after, the long winter began. Erishe becomes buried in snow during the winter. This year was especially heavy, so I sold off all my stock before the season started and spent the winter alone with my wife for the first time in years.

* * *

The seasons passed, and it was summer.

A man came to my shop bringing a female slave. He told me he wanted me to buy her, and that any price would do.

She was an older woman, not the kind you'd typically take in as stock... normally, I would have refused her flatly. That is, if she hadn't been a Turk.

"Excuse me... do you happen to have a daughter?"

"Eh?! How did you know?"

"Well, I know a young lady whose features look very much like yours."

"You know her? Marina? Is my girl alive...!?"

"I knew it...! Yes. She's doing very well. Very well indeed."

Even in the slave trade, such coincidences are rare. It's not uncommon for a parent and child to both be slaves, but for them to be reunited? Never.

I paid the man his gold coins and bought her.

The next moment, a Spirit Stone appeared in the man's hand. The stone was a brilliant purple—exactly like Marina's hair.

* * *

I immediately had Efta-san arrange for Jirou-san and Marina to come to the merchant house.

When Marina showed up for the first time in a long while, she was cradling a tiny new life in her arms. My wife and I had been invited to their wedding, so the baby itself wasn't a surprise.

"So, who is it you wanted us to meet?"

Jirou-san asked. I hadn't given them details because I wanted it to be a surprise.

"I'll bring her in now. Jirou-san, it might be best if you hold the baby."

"Eh? All right."

I left the room and returned with Marina's mother.

When they saw each other, the resemblance was undeniable; they were clearly mother and daughter. Marina's mother's eyes went wide, and then tears began to stream down her face.

"...Marina! It's really you, Marina...?! You've grown so much... and you look so happy..."

"Eh...!? E-Eh... Mother...? Is it really you, de-arimasu...?"

"Yes... When we were separated, I thought it was a parting for this life and the next... I suppose this, too, is the Great Spirit's Guidance."

"Mother! Waaaahhhhh!"

Marina couldn't hold back and threw herself into her mother's arms. The sight brought heat to my own chest. Watching the two of them embrace and cry, I quietly slipped out of the room.

A moment later, Efta-san stepped out as well, likely feeling that family business should be left to the family.

"...Efta-san, could I ask a favor of you?"

"I'm listening... what is it?"

"Marina's mother only came to me by chance; she isn't 'merchandise'. Could you tell Jirou-san to just take her with him?"

"Are you sane? This is a business, isn't it? I'm sure he'd pay 1,000 gold coins if you asked."

"Good heavens, no... After seeing that, I couldn't possibly take his money."

"I see. Heh, you really are completely unsuited to being a slave merchant."

Efta-san laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

It's true... I'm not very good at this job. Because there's no competition in Erishe, I've managed to stay afloat, but in any other city, I would have gone bankrupt long ago.

"Proprietor... actually, I'm gathering trustworthy people to start a new business soon."

"Eh?"

"If you're willing, would you consider closing your shop and coming with me? I'm establishing a new means of transport that will cross the Empire. Of course, I'll pay you double what you earn here."

"B-But, I'm nothing special as a merchant."

"No, no. Being a slave merchant isn't as easy as people say. I've watched you for years; I know. You're a trustworthy man who understands the hearts of others. I want you to come with me. Your wife, too, of course."

* * *

Who could refuse an invitation like that from a member of the Solo family?

I decided to spend the rest of my life working on his new venture—apparently called "railway."

Either way, this incident made me realize I'm not cut out for the slave trade.

This, too, must be the guidance of the Great Spirit Le Baraka.