As the sun cast its early rays over Lavender Town, a lively group of children bustled into the guild’s bar.

  Six of them—four boys and two girls—dressed in uniforms similar to mine. The boys wore white shirts and black pants, while the girls opted for black skirts.

  ““Morning!”” Their voices chimed in unison, their enthusiasm filling the room.

  “Morning! Ah, you guys have finally arrived. Gather around, we have a new member joining our team,” Sister Sasa beckoned them with a cheerful wave.

  I took a deep breath and gave them a slight bow. “Hello, I'm Freed. My role here involves assisting Sister Sasa. Please take care of me.”

  A red-haired boy, slightly taller than me, and seems the oldest—about 10 years old, stepped forward with a grin. “Hello! I’m Ray! And this is my little sister, Rei. We work with Brother Greg in the kitchen!”

  “Nice to meet you,” Rei, a shy girl with long crimson hair, nodded politely.

  She appeared to be around my age, though her demeanor was far more reserved. Since today is still early spring, I should be the only new member here. So, maybe she is around 7 years old and just started working here last year?

  “My name is Ryan, and I also work in the kitchen,” said an 8-year-old boy with slightly messy brown hair and warm brown eyes.

  “I’m Gill! I work with Sister Morin.”

  “I’m Kenya! I work with Sister Morin too.”

  Two 9-year-old boys with black hair and dark eyes introduced themselves. Gill’s curly locks made him stand out slightly, while Kenya’s more serious demeanor set a contrast.

  Finally, the last girl in the group hesitantly stepped forward. She had soft pink hair that cascaded just past her shoulders, her pink eyes darting nervously between me and the others.

  She clutched the hem of her uniform and glanced at me several times before gathering the courage to speak.

  “Umm... Hello... I-I’m Cheri... I just joined a few days ago... I’m also a waitress here…” she mumbled, her voice delicate, almost like a whisper.

  ...Well, it seems I'm not the only new member.

  Her fingers fidgeted slightly, twisting the fabric of her skirt. As I met her gaze, her cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink, and she quickly averted her eyes, looking down at the floor.

  Is she nervous?

  Before I could think too deeply about it, Sister Sasa clapped her hands.

  “Alright! Now that everyone’s acquainted, let’s get to work!”

  After a hearty breakfast prepared by Brother Greg, adventurers began streaming into the guild’s bar.

  The mix of warriors, mages, and even elves intrigued me.

  According to Sister Sasa, the highest-ranked adventurers in town were currently only C-Rank, with no B-Rank or above present.

  I stood atop a chair behind the counter, assisting Sister Sasa in managing the payments. Given my height, the chair was a necessity.

  Adventurers formed two lines in front of us, occasionally chatting with me as they paid for their meals.

  “It’s 55 copper coins,” I said to a burly man with a scar across his nose.

  The man chuckled. “Oh, you’re good, kid. I order the same things all the time, so I know the total. You got it right.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Next in line was a strikingly tanned woman, her confident smirk exuding charisma.

  She had long, wavy brown hair cascading down her back and sharp brown eyes gleaming with amusement. A tall wide-brimmed red mage hat adorned her head, the color matching the intricate crimson robe she wore—one that plunged dangerously low, shamelessly revealing her cleavage. The fabric clung to her body, accentuating her curves, while golden embroidery traced the edges of her sleeves and hem. She radiated the presence of a seasoned fire mage.

  Suddenly, her gaze changed into what you would expect from a naughty woman.

  Oops… Was I staring at her too much?

  【Pervert.】

  …Ignoring Aza, I informed that tanned woman,

  “It’s 35 copper coins.”

  She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on the counter, her exposed skin glowing under the dim bar lights.

  “Oh, kid, why don’t you give this sister a discount? In exchange, I’ll teach you something awesome.”

  My mind wandered around, thinking what the ‘awesome’ thing she meant.

  But then she ruined the mood, “For example, magic.”

  I quickly regained my composure and met her gaze with a polite smile, “Then please ask the receptionist to teach me officially, that way sister can get your money back.”

  She blinked before throwing her head back with a melodic laugh. “Hahaha! You’re so interesting, kid. I like you. What’s your name?”

  “Freed.”

  “Alright, Freed, here’s the money.” She placed 40 copper coins in front of me.

  I blinked. “Huh? Sister, you gave me 40 copper coins. Here’s your change—”

  “Keep it,” she interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. “Consider it a tip. I like honest kids.”

  “Thank you.” I bowed deeply. She chuckled again, ruffling my hair before striding away.

  Not long after, I noticed two familiar figures approaching the counter.

  “Sissy! Sis Celes!”

  “Freed! Since when did you learn how to count!?” Sissy asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

  “Hmm? Mom started teaching me how to write, read, and count a year ago. Didn’t she teach you two as well?”

  “Yes, we learned at five, but counting was so hard… Well, at least I wasn’t as bad as Daisy.” Sis Celes chuckled.

  “Hey! You don’t have to say it like that, sis!” Sissy pouted. “I only need to know how much money I have! I don’t need complicated calculations!”

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  I chuckled and informed them, “Anyway, it’s 40 copper coins in total.”

  “You're a genius, Freed. Your calculations are so fast. Here’s the money.”

  Sis Celes smiled and placed 50 copper coins on the counter.

  “Huh? It's 50, sis.”

  “Yeah. Initially, I planned to give you a tip if you served my food as a waiter, but rewarding my clever little brother works too. So, take it.”

  “Thank you!”

  As I pocketed the extra coins, I felt a warm sense of happiness. My sisters really cared about me.

  By 10 AM, the stream of adventurers slowed down.

  “It’s much easier with you here, Freed! Thank you!” Sis Sasa beamed. “Huh? Freed? What are you looking at?”

  Her voice barely reached me.

  My attention was locked on a particular table.

  A red-haired man sat alone, his massive greatsword resting beside him. He wasn’t too muscular, nor was he small, just… ordinary. But he wasn’t what caught my attention.

  But he wasn’t what caught my attention.

  My focus zeroed in on the two young girls accompanying him.

  They were around Sis Celes’ age, maybe slightly older.

  Clad in worn and tattered gray attire, they presented a stark contrast to the vibrancy of the adventurer-filled bar.

  One girl had thick, chestnut brown hair that cascaded past her shoulders, with ears standing diagonally atop her head—obviously not a human. A long, bushy brown tail with a rounded white tip curled slightly around her waist, twitching ever so slightly. Her brown eyes darted around nervously before quickly averting downward, as if afraid to meet anyone’s gaze.

  The other girl had long, unkempt blonde hair falling over her shoulders. Her light green eyes appeared dim and resigned. Her chest was slightly larger than Sis Celes’, and despite her delicate elven features, her posture was unnaturally stiff. Not the poised elegance of nobility, but something trained—conditioned. She didn’t glance around, didn’t react, didn’t even flinch. Just stared at the table, as if afraid to exist.

  Neither of them even reached for the food. It was clear—every dish on that table belonged to him alone. They were just there to watch.

  …And both wore black collars.

  The collars that I often saw in anime.

  Without a doubt, they are—

  “Slaves…” I murmured.

  “Freed!”

  Sis Sasa patted my shoulder, snapping me out of my trance.

  When I looked at her, she shook her head as a silent warning to not look at them.

  <”Aza, what are their races?”>

  【The one with the elongated ears is an elf. The other belongs to the Brown Cat race.】

  <”Brown Cat?”>

  【Correct. Various feline beastkin exist, and the Brown Cat is one among them.】

  <”I see.”>

  As I watched, the man finished eating and pushed his leftovers toward the girls.

  They hesitated before eating whatever scraps remained. Their movements were slow, exhausted. Moreover, the meager leftovers hardly sufficed, leaving them looking emaciated.

  The injustice before me wasn’t new—I had seen it in countless anime, manga, and novels. The bad treatment of those scenarios was too cliche, so I didn’t feel anything back then.

  But this was real.

  Witnessing their plight firsthand stirred a distinct emotion.

  A surge of anger bubbled within me as I clenched my fist unconsciously.

  Their dull eyes. Their stiff movements. Their barely concealed hunger.

  The man, treating the girls with disdain, echoed the mistreatment I endured in the past.

  It was the same feeling I had when I was bullied by classmates—powerlessness.

  <”Aza… You said my problems on Earth were nothing compared to hardships in other worlds. Is this one of them?”>

  【Yes, Master. In truth, this treatment is considered normal.】

  <”Normal…?”>

  I stared at them again..

  <”They wore shabby clothes, they also only ate the leftovers. They don’t seem to have any weapons either even though they should be adventurers.”>

  <”...And you said this is normal?”>

  【Correct. I had gathered some information. If it weren't because this guild rules, they might sat on the floor instead.】

  ...So, sitting on the chair is considered as a better treatment than normal circumstance?

  <”...What’s worse than this?”>

  Aza hesitated.【...Master, you are not in the right emotional state. I recommend you do not—】

  For the first time, Aza declined my inquiry. But, I cut off her words.

  <”Tell me.”>

  A brief silence.

  Then—she began to reveal the harsh truth.

  【...They are actually not really different from the slaves that you usually read in novels.】

  【Female slaves and handsome male slaves are often used as sex toys. Raped and forced to sleep on the floor while their masters rest on beds.】

  【In battle, male slaves are usually used as disposable shields. If a monster is too strong, their masters order them to fight while they escape.】

  …Basically, they were being ordered to sacrifice their lives to save their master’s life.

  【Some are worked to exhaustion, given barely enough food to survive. If they fail to satisfy their master, they receive no food at all.】

  【And in the worst cases… they are used for horrifying experiments.】

  A sickening heat coiled in my chest.

  My grip tightened on the counter, nails pressing into my palm.

  My stomach churned, a bitter taste rising in my throat.

  I had read about these things before.

  But reading about them and knowing they were real? Knowing they were happening in front of me?

  That was entirely different.

  【There are still more cases about slaves. But I believe that’s enough for now.】

  Aza gave a few examples about slaves, and yet she said there are still more.

  <”You knew all of them, yet you didn’t help them. Why? Libertas is the Goddess of Freedom, right? Why does she allow this?”>

  【It’s not that they don’t have freedom. It’s that someone else’s freedom stole theirs.】

  【We cannot impose divine punishment upon their masters due to the laws governing divine intervention. Direct interference in mortal affairs, even against malevolence, would infringe upon the very freedom we uphold.】

  【Instead, we provide guidance through oracles given to saints and apostles, hoping they can enact change.】

  【However, the sheer number of suffering souls far exceeds the reach of the few who are willing to help.】

  【And even among those who claim to serve righteousness, corruption festers—sometimes within the very institutions meant to protect them.】

  <"I see… So even if they regain their freedom, it's only a matter of time before their hopes are shattered again. With a corrupted church, there is no true sanctuary for them.">

  【Correct. That is the harsh reality in this world, Master.】

  I exhaled slowly, unclenching my fists and compose myself.

  <”Thanks for the info, Aza.”>

  【Master, don’t act recklessly. You are not strong enough yet.】

  It's evident she cares deeply for my well-being.

  <”Yeah, I know. I can’t do anything. I can't do much now. After all, I'm just a child.”>

  But still...

  Although I’m not fond of helping strangers, the powerlessness that reminds me of my past makes me want to help them.

  I believe there are myriad ways to save them without direct confrontation. The right time to extend my aid will reveal itself.

  Shortly after, they approached to settle their bill and leave with their master.

  “Freed, are you okay?”

  I turned to Sis Sasa. Her expression… was filled with frustration.

  “...Sis?”

  She sighed. “I know what you feel. Masters like that… usually have terrible personalities. But not many adventurers here can challenge him—he’s C-Rank, after all.”

  My eyes widened slightly.

  She was angry too.

  Outside my family, she was the first person I met who felt the same way I did.

  Maybe… not everyone in this world was indifferent.

  “…I see.”

  “Anyway, prepare yourself. Your training starts after lunch.”

  “Huh? Don’t I need to help during lunch?”

  “There’s no need. This bar is pretty empty at lunchtime—most adventurers are out on requests. You’ll start helping again in the evening.”

  “I see, okay then. Thank you, sis!”

  As I prepared myself for what lay ahead, I resolved to grow stronger.

  For now, I was just a child. Weak. Helpless. But that wouldn’t always be true.

  I had enough to just stand and watch in my past life.

  One day, I would do something.