Mezametara Chikashitsu!? ~Tensei Shoujo no Yume no Saki~ Chapter 58

When I woke up the next morning, there was Al’s sleeping face before me.
It’s the usual, when I was absentmindedly waking up while lying down without getting startled, Al opened his eyes.

「…… Morning~ Feli」

「Morning, Al」

「Did you sleep well?」

「Un, I did. What happened after I went?」

「The fellows from the Empire were carried in a jail and the slaves are resting in a room. Chase and others prepared the room and took a nap」

「I see. What will happen from now on?」

「That Bhutan and his two subordinates will be apparently interrogated. The slaves will be inquired whether they are illegal slaves and if they are, I was asked if you could break the slave collars」

「Got it」

「Are you going out right from the morning?」

「I’m going after the lunch. I have to contact Lewis-san first though」

「Lewis? Did something happen?」

I was asked by Al, so I told him regarding the ruckus from yesterday. He laughed at me for using magic on the Healer and forgetting to dispell it.

「Kusukusu…… Feli, you are so absentminded sometimes. Well, it serve as a good medicine for that guy」

「But, his mind might break down if it goes too far, so I have to contact him」

After connecting the communication while wondering whether Lewis is awake, I told him about the matter with the magic, but he was apparently informed by Meison and others, so he immediately dispelled the magic.
At that time, he told me “I’m looking forward the talk about the item rings. Is it fine to receive it just as he said? Al and I were troubled about it, but it was almost time for the breakfast so Al returned to his room while I dressed myself up and Olivia came calling for me.
It appears that Riley came for Al as well, so we went to the dining room together.
When we entered the dining room, Claude, Samantha, Austin, Angela, Chase and his team were having a friendly chat.
Performing the morning greetings and confirming today’s plans during the meal, Chase made a proposal about the slaves.

「Won’t you leave the slaves to us? They have seen mine and Lyle’s faces and I think it would be easier for them to talk with beastmen」

「You’re right…… we will leave it to you. Leave Bhutan and his people to us」

「Alright」

Finishing the meal, everyone commenced their plan.
I was pleaded by Samantha to let her eat a new dessert, so I left for the kitchen with her, Al, and Angela.
I found something like potatoes in a large quant.i.ty and it tasted like sweet potatoes when I tried it, so I decided to use that.

In the meanwhile, Chase and others who arrived at the slaves’ room unlocked the door with a key and went inside where the now awake slaves were watching them with a vigilance.

「It seems you have woken up. Let’s start with introductions. I’m Chase」

「I’m called Bard」

「I’m Roy」

「I’m Lyle」

Silence urged the slaves after Chase and others introduced themselves, so they reluctantly opened their mouths.

「I’m Bernardo, a Bear Beastmen」

「I’m Carlotta, Bernardo’s wife」

「I’m Lucas, an Elf」

「I’m Lucas’ little sister, Clare」

「So, what is your purpose? This is the Bailey House, isn’t it? Did you have an internal discord?」

「Ha?」

At Chase’s half-hearted reply to Bernardo’s question, Carlotta grew agitated.

「Don’t act stupid. It’s only faint, but I smell “that child’s” scent on you. There’s no doubt that this is the Bailey House」

「”That child,” who do you mean by that?」

「The child the Bailey House made us slaves look after! Even though she was his child, he said things like “taboo” and “filthy” without giving her even a bit of love」

「Three years ago, we were sold and taken somewhere else, so we don’t know how she looks right now, but Bernardo’s and Carlotta’s sense of smell can’t be wrong」

Chase was lost for words at what the slaves said.
Seeing Chase and others not responding, Bernardo pressed even further.

「That being the case, you can’t deceive us. What’s your purpose!」

Chase who recovered after hearing Bernardo’s words indicated Roy something, making him leave the room. Chase then answered Bernardo.

「Calm down please, this is not the Bailey House much less the Empire. We are in the Dianes Republic」

「What?」

「Think and see for yourselves, we are beastmen. If this was the Empire, it would be strange for us not to wear collars, right?」

「That’s…… certainly true but」

「Ah! By the way, we are beastmen from the Trust Kingdom」

When Lyle added because he thought they might not believe, the four were confused even more.

「Haa? That doesn’t make a sense! Then, explain that scent for us!」

When Carlotta said in a loud voice, Bard called out to calm her down.

「Please, calm down. We will properly explain, so…… Captain」

「Why me! …… Well, I have such intentions from the start though. Ah~ I will tell you this first but the reason you smell “that child” is because she’s here」

「Then, as we thought」

「Wait! Listen until the end. After “that child” separated from you, she has been locked up in a bas.e.m.e.nt all along. She was alone, her meals were leftovers of hard bread and cold soups only, she also had only a single lamp」

Chase looked at the four faces warped in anger and continued talking.

「That way of living lasted until she was four」

「Lasted? If this is not Bailey House, was she perhaps sold!?」

「That man, did he sell his own daughter just like us!? I can’t believe it!」

「No, he didn’t sell her. That child escaped by herself and ran away to this country」

「What are you saying? How could a four years old child do that?」

「This is not the time to be saying jokes. Can you swear those words on the pride of a beastman?」

「Yeah, I can. She escaped by herself, but she made a fellow traveler when coming to this country, she’s now being protected by him」

「Him? …… Perhaps, the man with the tremendous bloodthirst from that time?」

Chase nodded to Bernardo’s question.

「Not only him. There are many people protecting that child now」

「That’s…… what do you mean by that?」

When Chase was about to answer Bernardo’s question, there was a knocking on the door and Claude entered inside.
When they looked at Claude whom they saw for the first time with vigilance, he spoke up.

「I’m the Prime Minister of the Dianes Republic, Claude Faust. The lord of this mansion」

「Prime Minister?」

When Bernardo asked in bewilderement, Claude replied.

「That’s correct. I have one question for you before speaking about “that child”」

「What do you want to know?」

「”That child” was the Bailey House’s daughter. Do you have any resentment or hatred towards her?」

Carlotta was the one who answered Claude’s question.

「Resentment? Hatred? …… Don’t speak nonsense! I certainly thought “why do I have to take care of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d’s daughter” at first. But you see, it was one year. I have taken care of her for a year with everyone. There’s no way I wouldn’t get attached」

「She was treated worse than us, you know? There’s no way I could hate her. We were raising her with affection…… and yet they pulled us apart」

Hearing Carlotta’s and Clare’s words and seeing Bernardo and Lucas powerfully nod, Claude told the truth.

「I see. Let’s talk about “that child” then. “That child” is currently living in this mansion. As my daughter」

「「「「Eh?」」」」

「Her name is Felice, it was given to her by her guardian. I would like to verify, but you guys are illegal slaves, right?」

「「「「Yes」」」」

「Then, we will set you free」

「「「「Haa……?」」」」

「Felice will be the one to release you though. I will call her now」

「「「「What a moment!」」」」

When Claude was about to leave the room, they stopped him.

「What is it? You don’t want to be released?」

「We want to, but is that child really here?」

「Moreover, that child will release us?」

「That child…… she’s safe, right?」

「You are not making her do something unreasonable forcibly, are you?」

「Felice is living here and she also has the power to release you. She’s in a good health and we are not forcing her. If we were doing that, her guardian wouldn’t keep silent and she’s precious daughter to me and my wife」

When Claude finished speaking, Carlotta and Clare burst into tears while Bernardo and Lucas tried to comfort them while moved to tears.
After a little while, Carlotta made a request to Claude.

「I have a request」

「What is it?」

「Won’t you keep silent about us taking care of her in the past?」

「The reason is?」

「That child was just a baby so she surely doesn’t remember and it would be better for her if she didn’t know that she was treated like that since the beginning, right?」

「It’s for Felice’s sake, huh…… alright」

Claude left the room to get Felice.
Chase called out to the four who were slightly tense.

「Hey, I will tell you this before meeting her, but Felice was raised considerably outside the norm. Don’t get surprised」

「Outside the norm? What do you mean?」

Bernardo asked but Chase only grinned without answering.
Then, there was a knocking on the door and Claude entered but he only opened the door halfway and called outside the room.

「Take it slowly. You will drop it if you rush」

「Yes~」

Hearing the voice of a child, the four tensed up.
While staring at the door without letting a voice out, Felice and Olivia holding trays entered inside.

「Oops-a-daisy. h.e.l.lo, I’m Felice. I made sweets, won’t you have some?」

When Felice said while cheerfully smiling, Chase spoke to Felice.

「Looks delicious. You made it yourself, Felice?」

「Un. I made this because there were many tubers. They were sweet potatoes. I made it together with Okaasama, Al, and Angela-san. There’s plenty for everyone so eat up, okay? Ah! This one is for Otousama. Okaasama told me to give you the one she made」

「Is that so? Then, I will have one」

When Claude, Chase, and others each took one, they spoke with surprise on their faces.

「To think you could make sweets with that. Thank you Feli, it was delicious」

「Ehehe」

「This is delicious. Say, if you have some left, may I take some as a gift?」

「By all means. How about I write you a recipe so Selena-san can make it as well?」

「Is that fine? I will take it then」

「It’s tasty. The taste of potato also remains in the sweet taste」

「True that. Captain, please share with us when you make it」

「This is yummy! I could eat this without stopping」

Felice handed over the tray to Olivia who was behind her and approached the four who were silent until now.

「I will remove the collar before you eat, okay? ……『Complete Destruction』」

Felice extended her hand towards Bernardo’s collar and chanted the magic.

――Bakin

The collar made a sound and snapped.
Felice destroyed the collars one by one without minding the dumbfounded four.

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