Slime Reincarnation

Chapter 93: Let’s Eat Bread When You’re Hungry

"I haven’t heard your name yet."

I answered the shop owner’s question.

"I’m Yabe."

"I’m the owner of slave trading house De Gado. From now on, I hope you’ll remember me."

The shop owner bowed respectfully. He seemed surprisingly gentlemanly.

"For the slave contract, we perform the . Please extend your right hands."

The shop owner explained, and I and Rina-chan extended our right hands and overlapped them.

"Rina-chan is looking at me intently."

As the shop owner chanted the spell, magical power pierced my right hand and transferred to Rina-chan’s right hand. A slave crest then appeared on the back of Rina-chan’s hand.

"The contract is complete. The slave crest registered in response to Yabe-dono’s magical power is now active. From now on, in both name and reality, Rina is Yabe-sama’s slave."

"Ah... um... I’ll do my best! Please treat me well!"

This girl is adorable.

"Then please go bathe and prepare to depart. Please wait a moment."

The shop owner called for a female staff member and took Rina-chan to the back of the store.

"I look forward to working with you from now on. Please treat me kindly."

I left De Gado after the shop owner bowed politely.

"Fueeeh!? What an amazing carriage!"

Rina’s eyes were spinning as she looked at the Coluna Frontier Count house carriage.

"You’ll ride this from now on to the mansion."

"I can’t ride something this amazing..."

"No, anyone can ride the carriage. No need to worry."

I opened the carriage door with a wry smile.

"You’re back, Yabe. So?"

Irina’s eyes were slightly cold. She’s opposing the slave-addition faction.

According to Crusader’s report, Rina-chan would be sent to the mines in a few days if we didn’t buy her.

Umm, I didn’t think the shop owner would do that kind of thing.

Well, slaves who can’t be sold might be taken in bulk by places short on staff.

"This is Rina. Take good care of her from now on."

"R-Rina... please take care..."

Rina bowed deeply. But—

"Hyaa!"

When Flora-san saw the scar on Rina-chan’s face, she let out a surprised voice.

"Yabe, what is this?"

Irina also looked puzzled.

"Um... um... I-If I can do cleaning, washing, um... tucking in... I’ll work hard, so please don’t hate me! Master!"

Rina-chan gripped my robe hem tightly.

"Kyaa!"

Irina suddenly pulled out the handkerchief in her mouth and made a weird noise. What’s wrong with her?

It’s not like she’s going to say "The robe hem is mine, not yours!" or anything.

"Ah? Irina’s name is similar to Rina’s. If you add one character to Rina, you get Irina."

"Fueeeh!? Your wife’s name is just one character different...?"

"Ohh! Rina, you really have good taste! It might be tough at first, but try your best!"

As I said that, Irina stroked Rina’s head. She’s over the moon being called "wife."

"Yes, yes! Luciana-chan is also Yabe-sama’s wife!"

"Fueeeh! Two wives!? Master is too amazing!"

Yeah, that’s the usual level of "adorable" from Irina.

On top of that, she immediately lightened the atmosphere. I thought slaves might make her react badly, but these people are really kind.

Kuuu~

"Hyau!"

A cute belly sound came from Rina-chan. Is Rina-chan hungry?

"I-I’m sorry... I’m sorry..."

Rina-chan patted her stomach while apologizing.

I lifted Rina-chan onto my lap and stroked her head.

"Fueh!?"

"Rina, you don’t have to apologize so much. If you’re hungry, just say so. No one will get angry at you."

I spoke gently to Rina-chan with a smile.

"Rina... I don’t want to cause trouble..."

Rina-chan cried as she said.

"Rina. It has nothing to do with trouble. If Rina is suffering, I’ll suffer too. If Rina is happy and laughing, I’ll be very happy. So I want Rina to be able to live with lots of laughter."

As I said that, I hugged Rina-chan tightly.

"M-Master-sama..."

Rina-chan hugged me back, tears streaming down her face.

Irina, stop filling your eyes with tears and pulling out the handkerchief in your mouth to appeal. Hugging Irina can wait until we get to the mansion.

Now then, let’s have a quick meal.

I leaned out the carriage window.

"Chick Captain First in Rank Leopard, are you there?"

『Piyo~! (Haha! Here!)』

"Is the handmade bread shop Mamma Miya close from here?"

『Yes! It’s one block to the right on the back street.』

"Lead the way."

『Haha!』

"Lord Fenberg, while heading to the mansion, I’m sorry but could you stop by one more place? It’s a handmade bread shop called Mamma Miya. I’ll buy a few things. If Lord Fenberg, Flora-san, and Luciana-chan would like a share, could I hear your opinions on the taste?"

"Ah, that’s fine. It’s your thing, so there must be something."

"I don’t know what it is yet."

I answered with a wry smile.

"Is this the handmade bread shop Mamma Miya...?"

The back-street location wasn’t great, but there were still people around. Still, the shop looked empty.

"Hello~"

I entered with Rina-chan, who was clinging to my robe, and Irina, who was occasionally making weird noises by yanking out the handkerchief she had in her mouth.

"Welcome!"

The energetic young woman greeted us back. Is this the counter girl Mami-chan?

The shop was neatly clean, and several kinds of bread were on display. Black bread, bean-filled bread, bread in the shape of a cob loaf, and soft white bread. The white bread was the same size as the black bread but five times the price.

"Ehehe~! A customer came~!"

For some reason, the young woman was happily whispering and getting hyper. Rina-chan was glued to the white bread.

"Miss, I want to eat bread right now. Do you have any recommendations?"

When someone wants bread immediately, you should recommend the staff’s suggestion!

"You want it right away, right? The black bread is a bit hard, so it’s better to soak it in soup or something, but if you’re eating it as is, it will be a little expensive. I think the white bread is better. It’s very soft and has a slight sweetness, so it’s easy to eat."

"I see. Then I’ll buy one white bread. I’ll taste it."

I paid and received one white bread, broke it in half, and gave half to Rina-chan. I broke the other half in half again and gave it to Irina.

"Oh! It’s delicious!"

The white bread was extremely soft and fluffy. When you bit it, there was a hint of sweetness.

"Yeah, it has a very refined taste. It’s soft and delicious."

Irina also gave it her seal of approval.

"Fuooh! I’ve never eaten such soft bread before!"

Rina-chan stuffed white bread into her mouth with mogyu mogyu sounds and devoured it. She’s adorable. She’s more like a squirrel than Rina.

"The white bread is wonderful."

"Thank you very much!"

The young woman smiled brightly when I praised the white bread.

"By the way, what’s your name?"

"My name is Mami. Nice to meet you."

Mami-chan smiled brightly and bowed. I felt like buying up all the bread. I took out three gold coins.

"Hyeh! G-Gold coins!"

"Give me all the bread at this shop!"

"A-A-all!?"

"Yes, all of it — white bread, bean bread, black bread, and cob loaves too!"

I said it with a bright smile. ...Of course, since I was wearing a robe, the expression might not have been conveyed.

"But three gold coins are too much... Two gold coins would be enough, and the change would be a pain."

Mami-chan waved her hands frantically.

"No problem. If there’s any left over, it can be Mami-chan’s allowance."

"Hyeh! Allowance!?"

"Come on, come on, stuff it into a bag! Everyone will take it home!"

"Hahaha, yes~!"

While bustling around, Mami-chan stuffed the bread into bags. She came out carrying several heavily filled bags.

For now, the taste seemed fine, but what was the big emergency? I’ll have to ask Leopard later.