She said it. Like that, I lowered my head and bit my lip. I had expected as much, but it still felt a little like being slapped. Of course, Faeyna had been with me the least. We barely knew each other. Why would she be dedicated to me after only a few days. She was nice, but that niceness was simply what she felt she had to be as a slave toward their Master.
In the end, that was all it was. These girls treated me as they would a Master. I remember when I was ten, I had bought a puppy. That dog would jump on me, lick my face, and grow enormously happy whenever I was home. We had him for six months when one day I left the door open and he ran out. That dog never returned. That was a dog, bred for loyalty from a few weeks old being given to me. Effectively, we were the only family he had ever known, and he fled the second freedom presented itself. If I combined the collective time, I had known all the girls, it wouldn’t even come to six months. They also weren’t puppies, but people who really ought to be free.
In short, this was the outcome that would happen for all of them. As I spoke, a priest had actually stepped out on the stage. Faeyna gave me one last look, her expression conflicted, but then she kneeled in front of the priest. He put his hand on Faeyna, and a moment later…
{Faeyna is no longer your slave.}
It had worked. The formation really did allow him to bypass my mark and free my slaves. Now, every one of them was fit to leave me. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at the faces of the other girls. My head was down and my hands were trembling. I don’t even know why I was so upset. This is what I wanted. I had taken those marks for those girls because I wanted them to live on their own.
The Prince looked at my haggard expression hesitantly, “I will… send you 3000 gold later. I’m offering a bit more in consolation. I’m sorry, my friend.”
I looked up as his hand rested on my shoulder. In the box just over his shoulder, the Princess was at the edge, looking down at me. For some reason, she was crying when she looked at me. It was the oddest thing. The prince turned to Lydia, and I lowered my head again, defeated.
“Lydia, do you wish to be free or a slave to Deek?”
“I… can be free?” Her words stung, and for a second I thought I might pass out.
“Mm… just say the word, and I will remove the slavery mark.”
“I’m sorry…” Lydia said slowly.
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I closed my eyes. So, It was that after all. In the end, this was a good thing. I had to remain strong.
“You don’t need to be.” The Prince said gently, gesturing to the priest to come over.”
“You’re wrong!” Lydia declared, her expression turning angry.
The Prince blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“You said… I could be free or be Deek’s Slave. That’s a contradiction! There is only one freedom for me, and that’s by Deek’s side!” Lydia declared with such certainty that I couldn’t help but look up in shock.
She wore a fierce expression on her face. In fact, all four remaining slaves had furious expressions. Rather than joy or happiness at the thought of freedom, they were angry.
The Prince scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Ah… you can still travel by his side if you were free?”
“What does that matter? Of course, I would follow Master regardless. That is a given! However, you wish to take the bond I have with him away!” Lydia shot him an accusatory look.
“Y-yeah!” Miki suddenly said, although her voice was much softer than Lydia’s roar. “My connection with Deek brings me strength and happiness. Because of my bond, I can smile every day! It is because I can always feel Master and know his love! How dare you try to take that away from me!”
“Master is Master!” Celeste burst into tears, “If Master isn’t Master, then Celeste wouldn’t be Celeste!”
As always, what Celeste said was either incredibly profound or completely nonsensical.
“Mm… Master is like a rising sun.” Terra declared. “If I wasn’t his, then I wouldn’t qualify to be by his side! Only when I am 100% Masters, in body, mind, and soul… only then can I show my true power! He brings out the best in me, in all of us. That’s why he will always be my Master!”
Under the assault of four angry women, the Prince didn’t know what to say. He was completely shocked as they cried and berated him. Even the crowd was starting to turn on him.
“Eliana, do it!” Lydia bellows.
There is a whistling of air and then a shoe pelts Prince Aberis in the back of the head. He spins to look up at his sister. She’s crying openly too!
“Wh-what did I do?” He said desperately trying to figure out what happened.
“S-stupid brother!” Eliana declared angrily.
Why did she suddenly completely change her mind? Women were truly something even a man of men like Prince Aberis couldn’t figure out.
As for me, I was just as stunned. “Girls… I thought… with you free…”
“And you!” Four angry glares suddenly locked on me and I gave a squeak.
“Wh-what?”
“You keep declaring you want to free us!” Lydia said.
“Did I ask to be freed!”
“If Master isn’t Master, then Celeste wouldn’t be Celeste!”
“Yes, Celeste, you already said that.” Terra patted her on the head, which made Celeste happy even though she had forgotten what they were talking about.
“You… you want to be with me?”
“Forever!” Miki snapped tearfully.
“Your slaves!” Terra declared.
“Eliana!”
Another whistling sound came, and a shoe suddenly hit my face. Those things were really painful. That was the only thought left as four women dogpiled me. Naturally, my preconceived notions were obliterated. Even a guy as dense as me got the hint. Crying, I hugged all of them in my arms.
“I won’t let any of you go, ever!”
“Hmph!” The Slave Master snorted, cutting into the mood. “That depends on if you win!”