"Hi! My name's Daisy. What's your name?"
"Kit, my lady. I have been assigned as your attendant from this day forth."
"Does that mean we're friends?"
"Only half, my lady."
"Why can't we be complete friends?"
"Because we would have to be equals in standing, but I am merely a slave, whereas you are a noble's daughter."
"Hmm… I don't see the issue…"
"That is because you have a kind heart, my lady."
"Hmm… okay then. Do you want to play?"
"As my lady wishes."
It had been half a year since I became a slave, and throughout that time I was trained to be Daisy's attendant. I was taught the layout of the mansion, proper household hierarchy, and who to report to for specific issues. I was drilled in basic service duties such as serving meals, room upkeep, and maintaining cleanliness, along with strict etiquette rules covering speech, posture, and how to address nobility. I was also instructed in Daisy's personal routines and preferences, as well as how to prepare her clothing and assist her dressing without direct contact.
Nakedness wasn't considered much of an issue in this kingdom, since everyone had fur, with the sole exception of grooming, which was either done personally or, in the case of nobles, by specialized groomers. Because of that, it wasn't considered inappropriate for a boy like me to see women changing. They weren't really "naked," after all.
As for the possibility of myself attracting the noble's daughter while acting as her attendant, it was considered nigh impossible. I was a slave, a beggar, an orphan, a common orange tabby, and I was commanded never to groom myself with anything more than cold water, leaving me to smell noticeably worse than the average cat. It was all intended so that, when she eventually met her Prince Charming, she would understand the difference and be properly impressed. These conditions didn't seem to affect Daisy, though.
"Why do you always smell so sweet, Kit?"
"I believe that is my natural scent, my lady."
"Really? I like it."
"Are you sure it isn't because you've developed a sweet tooth from all the sweets I've been giving you?"
"No… maybe a little."
"No more candy for a month."
"No! Please, Kit! Don't take my candy away!"
"Then brush your teeth properly. And I mean all of them."
"But it's hard to brush each individual tooth all the way around. At least my fangs are clean."
"All of them, my lady."
"Ugh, fine!"
She was a handful, always asking me to play, begging to skip lessons, or throwing tantrums when I tried to get her to do anything. As she grew older, I had expected her to improve or mature, but she only grew worse.
She hated grooming, hated nearly every lesson she was given, and she didn't have any aspirations either. If I were to name something, anything that she didn't hate, it was painting, and she was really good at it.
She was cute when she concentrated on painting, the way her brows tightened and her posture slackened like everything else stopped mattering, how she tilted her head adorably when she wasn't sure about a stroke, how she would quietly redo a line until it felt "right," even if no one else would have cared, like she was only trying to make it perfect for herself. At some point I realized I was staring at something beautiful, passion.
She was just like me, someone whose interests mattered above society, someone who was lonely deep down and needed more from the world. Right there and then, I decided I wanted to be part of that, to understand her better and stay close to her. I wanted to be someone who would fill that void while supporting her in what she loved. I decided to be the person who was never there for me in my old life.
"What's the lower districts like, Kit? You're always leaving and coming back. What are you doing out there every time you leave?"
"I'm financially supporting the orphanage where I grew up. As for your question about what it's like, it's dangerous and chaotic, my lady."
"Dangerous how?"
"I am sure you are familiar with the upper district and how people act."
"Please don't remind me. I hate going to those stupid noble parties. Everyone is just so stuck up and full of themselves. And they always have a hidden agenda whenever they do anything. One moment you're having a nice conversation about flowers, the next, they're trying to get you to marry their brother."
"The lower district is exactly the same, except no one is pretending. They try to take advantage of you at every opportunity, and they won't hesitate to kill you if they think it will get them what they want. At least in the upper district, they only resort to violence if they can afford it."
"I like that they're blunt with it, though. It makes the world much clearer if everybody simply did what they intended. I think I'll like living in the lower district."
"You'd be eaten alive for your naivety."
"You'll protect me though, right, Kit?"
"With my life, my lady."
In an effort to save up as much money as possible by the time I finished my 10-year servitude, I spent my free time in the mornings selling candies to the children in the orphanage. Of course, I split the profits with them 50-50, and I also made sure they couldn't earn more than a gold coin to keep the gangs off their backs.
None of them could touch me, considering I was a noble's servant, and no one would kill orphans for petty change. This way, I was able to save up the capital I needed and help the orphanage in one fell swoop.
Everything was going well until the inevitable day when Daisy and I were tortured by our own hearts.
"Father says I am to be married off in a year, when I turn 18."
"It was quite obvious, given how you were raised."
"What does that mean?"
"Children with prospects are trained in combat first and foremost from the time they turn 5 until they're 18, when they receive their class. This ensures they start with a powerful class, as well as the greatest chance of survival and efficiency once they begin leveling up. You, on the other hand, were raised as a wallflower, a pretty little thing to look at and admire. Even if you manage to convince your future husband to allow you to level up and extend your lifespan, you'll do so while being escorted, without ever having to fight for your life."
"Kit, what's wrong with you? Why are you saying it like that?"
"Because…"
"Kit, what's wrong? Tell me…"
"Because I'm in love with you, and there's nothing either of us can do about it!"
"…"
"You can't run because I was ordered to prevent that. Even if you managed to escape from me, I was ordered to alert them at the first sign. And even if you somehow got out of the capital, what would you do to survive? You have no chance out there in this dangerous world, while I'm stuck here as your father's slave for the next three years. Daisy, I—"
Daisy reached out and hugged me tightly, nuzzling her muzzle against my neck. It was the demihuman equivalent of a deep, longing kiss.
"Daisy… I… I'm not allowed to touch you…"
"But I can do whatever I want."
"No… I mean, they'll be able to smell my scent on you."
"I'll take a bath afterward."
"But you hate bathing…"
"Not for something like this."
The year that followed was both the best and worst year of my existence. Daisy continued to nuzzle against me while I simply stood there and let her. We talked about everything except my secret and spent as much time together as possible, all while fully understanding our positions.
Daisy couldn't escape. She would die if she made it to the lower district. They would chew her up and spit her back out with her spirit broken. She understood this after the long lecture I had given her about it. The world was a dangerous place that wouldn't allow a delicate flower like her to survive.
So we made the most of the time we had while I continued making promise after promise about how I would get her out in two years, while Daisy simply smiled at me with that broken smile, sadness lingering deep in her eyes. The more we fell in love, the worse it became, until she was little more than a shell of her once energetic self. It was pure torture watching her slowly deteriorate while I undoubtedly looked even worse, given the pity she would occasionally show me.
A year later, she began receiving visits from men both young and old, as if she were a slave being inspected for sale. Eventually, a particular merchant arrived with his wife. Apparently, they wanted to take her as his concubine so they could play with her fur. As far as I was concerned, they were the best chance Daisy had, the only problem being that they were merchants. I didn't know when they would leave, but if it was anything less than two years, there was a high chance I would never see her again.
I was on the hook in this kingdom for a thousand years, and I didn't know what would happen if I left or failed. Either way, our situation was looking quite bleak.
"What did that merchant discuss with Daisy?" the Viscount asked after their visit.
"They just asked about her upbringing and told her stories of their adventures, my lord."
"Are you sure? They were in this room for a very long time."
That's odd. They weren't here for very long at all, a few minutes at most.
"I'm sure, my lord."
"Very well."
The next thing either I or Daisy knew, she had been sold to the merchant, and we were walking through the open market before boarding an ordinary-looking carriage that opened into a magnificent modern space, complete with a TV and a holotable. As suspicion slowly began to grow in my mind, Daisy's new husband snapped his fingers and memories began flooding into me.
"Now," the handsome human with long hair that sparkled like diamonds said as he flicked his hand, knocking Daisy unconscious. "You must be the hero from Japan."
"What have you done with Daisy!?" I shouted, before I realized what he had said. "You… know about Japan!?"
"Relax, it's just a sleep spell. She'll be fine. And yes, I know about Japan. My wife came from there."
"Hi!" his beautiful wife, with long red hair and a fierce glare, said cheerfully, waving her hand.
I stood there flabbergasted, my mind reeling. No doubt, they found me through my candies but what does this mean exactly?
"What do you want?" I asked sharply.
"To help you complete your mission. I get points the more I help heroes which is why I search for them. Would you mind filling me in?"
I couldn't trust them, not like this, not when I knew nothing about them and they were primed to take Daisy away from me. It was shaping up to be a dire situation, one that could leave me serving them as a slave forever. Still, I couldn't outright resist with Daisy's future on the line so I told them what I could while hiding my secret.
"Food culture, huh? It's a bit difficult, but not something money can't solve. Alright, you've got yourself a benefactor," he decided, before asking something I couldn't have seen coming. "So, tell me about your powers."
"P-powers?"
"Or advantage, something that would give you the means to accomplish the goddess's task. My wife had future knowledge, so she was able to breeze through her fated mission, while another hero we met was an archaeologist who uncovered the secrets of his tribe. What about you?"
"I-I'm from Japan, so obviously I have a strong understanding of proper food culture."
"Hm… You're lying to me. Well, that doesn't matter. I will have you as a slave anyway. Let's continue this conversation later," he said, snapping his fingers and bringing me back to the luxurious modern carriage.
"Now," he said. "Tell me about your powers or advantages. I command you!"
I spilled my guts out, every single secret I held close to the chest spat out with Daisy within earshot. Fortunately, setting the truth free had been the catalyst for a new beginning, one where Kenta Yamashita's relevance slowly faded and Kit, the business manager, took center stage, beginning my own adventure in this new life.
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