INK Chapter 1: Slave girl.

“From today you will be managing this orphanage.”

The building gives a church-like feeling, though it is worn out. The roof’s and walls coating is falling off, the windows have cracks, anyway the place is dirty even the grass has grown alot.

If I try to open the door, it would fall.

The castle guard that led me to here, said that sentence and left.

“Haa” While sighing, I Naomi Masatsugu am trying to remember how it became like this.

In short I, no rather we were brought to this other world by summoning magic.

I don’t understand well, but the class came together.

In the environment that were summoned there were countless number of dark robed magicians. We asked politely for an explanation but it was ignored and the king of the country brought us somewhere.

Whatsoever, we who knew nothing we were told to place our hands on a crystal and do a “Status Check”. For some reason, when my check finished their attitude changed.

“We don’t need this guy” they quickly said that. On one side, they said hero and on the other legendary magician, and so on, a fuss was being made.

My skills were only these two “Protect” and “Elementary Appraisal”, but anybody that becomes a “soldier” has these skills.

It’s a protection skill for myself and my friends against attacks but compared to the holy knight ressurection and indomitable fortress, it cannot even come close to them.

It looks like their power can increase, but in the end they are elementary skills I didn’t have recovery skill either so they came to the conclusion not needed.

That’s why I was brought here and left to starve to death. The orphanage is like that because the world is being ruined.

My numerous objections were rebuffed and being at the bottom of the class caste, my classmates saw me off with spite in their eyes.

I had no choice but to abide as it was said.

Though, I’ve been getting a person’s presence for a while. Was there a vagrant or something living here? I carefully went inside

And…

“Who.. is it? *cough* “

At the place of the voice there was a little lady with cat ears growing on her head.

But the lady’s condition was horrible. Half of her face has been bruised, hoarse sounds could be heard from her throat. Above all, her body was languid. It seems she has a fever.

“Are, are you alright?”

I called out to her. But the girl

“I, I’m sorry. There is nothing left anymore. I’m begging you that’s why please stop hurting me.”

“Ou, what’s wrong?”

“Hyuu”

She exclaimed shortly while shivering in fear.

Carefully looking her , I can see traces on her whole body of whip lashes.

“It’s all right, I won’t hurt you.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“O-Okay.”

At first she was half-dubious but after a while, I made her somehow believe me and she told me her name was Lucia.

“I’ve calmed down. I’m sorry.”

“How did this happen?”

I listened. It seems that few days ago she was a slave of a merchant, but apparently that guy had violent tendencies.

So he punched and kicked her, and looked like he whippered her as a punishment aswell. There was no sexual part involved in it due to being young, she was abused in a terrible environment.

And when her body became weak she got ill and her face formed like that, she was thrown aside. She was waiting for death here.

“But, being alone is sad. My beastpeople father and mother both were killed. Atleast I wish that you would stay with me out of pity until I die. I don’t want to be alone. *sniff sniff*”

“I understand.”

I quickly replied.

“You will stay with this girl who is ill and her face is ugly?”

“Ofcourse.”

I immediately nodded.

“Thank you very much. Dying is fine now.”

To the girl who said that to me, I comforted her.

“You’re a very cute girl.”

“Even if it’s a lie, I’m happy.   I want you to see more of my original state. If only the bruises are gone, perhaps?.”

I see, If only I had better skill would’ve been nice.

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing other than Protect skill.”

“Don’t be, when I became ill I was brought to the physician. However, it was diagnosed to be unable to the cured when even the highest medical spell “Ressurection” couldn’t do it. Probably it is a disease nobody can cure.”

She said that while hanging her head down.

I was unable to say anything, so I extended my hand to pet her head gently.

In that moment, the hand that I extended began to shine tremendously.

And then, as soon as the light lessened, the girl raised her voice in surprise.

“That, that can’t be. The resurrection spell wasn’t able to do it, but the bruises on my face and even the traces of the whip were healed.”

Ehm, what is this? Without a doubt the light was released from my hand.

But, that’s strange. For certain my skills were only “Protect” and “Elementary Appraisal”. Wait, there was (Improved) aswell.

I started focusing to make “Status” terminal appear and when it did I clicked on the skill to see for details. Let’s see.

“An skill that protects nearby targets in every way. A skill that 1 out of 100 million people have. Only the truly chosen people can manifest this skill” is what is written on it.

Eh, basically what does this mean? Is this my true power despite I can pass off as any dull student?

While I was thinking the little girl started talking during crying.

“ *sniff sniff*, thank you wery much, *sniff* I thought I was gonna die, it was weally wonely.”

It looks like she cannot make out words.

I started petting her head gently.

“E-Ehm…”

“Is it bad?”

“No, it’s not bad. The ones who can pet the heads of beastmen are parents and their masters.”

“But I am neither your parent or master?”

“ Master! Please become my master!”

At the sudden behest of the girl, I was startled.

“No,  even if you say it like that”

“Please! Please become my master. Please keep me. As I thought, you don’t like me.”

“That’s not true. I understand then, tell me when you stop liking it.”

“Such thing will never happen!”

After she said that, she started talking slightly more formal.

“Ehm, master. Thanks for saving and taking me in!”

“Yeah.”

“But, I’m anxious that you’ll throw me someday.”

“I won’t do such a thing, though?”

“That’s why I want proof that I am master’s thing.”

After saying that, she started taking off her clothes before long.

“I plead. Please give me proof!”

“No, I won’t do such thing.”

And I immediately refused. As expected of a girl like this, I won’t take any advantage of her.

“Next time, when you’ll become an adult.”

I dodged it with sweet words, but

“Really!? You’ll make me your bride when I become an adult!? It’s definitely a promise!”

Huh?

“You’ll sure like a different person by the time you become an adult.”

The girl didn’t listen and she was grinning and saying “wife, wife, I’ll become master’s wife”.

Huh? This is strange.

I’ll have to report to them that this orphanage is open. For now, Lucia is the first orphan to live here together with me.