Merry Christmas to all my readers! To celebrate, I’m treating you to extra chapter updates. Please enjoy this special release of four bonus chapters! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

(Lurelia’s Christmas Bonus – Update 3/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before Christmas: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

“Um, I’d like to see slaves for household service.”

I spoke deliberately calmly, trying not to show my nervousness.

“For household service, I’ll show you our specially selected A-grade slaves.”

Nodding, I followed him inside, where we came to the living quarters of the slaves. I had expected a prison-like space, but it looked like ordinary rooms. However, all their actions were visible through the bars, leaving no privacy.

As we entered, slaves who were sleeping or resting sat up and stood at attention with tense expressions. The guide explained with a friendly smile.

“The slaves in this section are low-grade. You don’t need to pay attention to them.”

“Low-grade…”

It seemed really strange to me that they were smiling while referring to people as low-grade products, but I seemed to be the only one feeling this way here.

We passed through several doors. With each door we passed, even I could tell that the health condition and appearance were improving, indicating that we were heading towards where the ‘high-grade’ slaves were kept.

Finally, he opened the last door.

“This is where we keep our pride, the highest grade slaves. I thought this would be suitable for the young lady of the Epine Count’s family.”

The high-grade slaves all had individual rooms and were restrained with magic shackles on their necks, arms, and legs.

“This side is for beastkin. Especially this wolf beastkin is popular among noble ladies and young ladies. And this one was a knight from another country, brought here as a war prisoner with his tendons cut, so he’s completely harmless.”

He said while patting the cheek of the restrained slave.

“…I don’t think so.”

The intense glare suggested that if released, he wouldn’t leave things be.

“As he was a knight, he has a good body and excellent stamina.”

“Body? Stamina?”

My head tilted slightly. The explanation sounded as if the purpose of my slave purchase was for that kind of thing. Demian voiced my thoughts.

“That’s not the kind of service we meant. You seem to have misunderstood. We’re here to see slaves for mansion management.”

“Ah! I see. I thought the young lady seemed too young. I apologize. I’ll show you different merchandise right away.”

“What exactly did you take me for?”

“I’m truly sorry.”

“Anyway, seeing them in person doesn’t make me feel any better about this.”

Regardless of the guide’s mistake, actually seeing them made me even less inclined to buy slaves. I still didn’t like the idea of buying and selling people.

“I’m sorry for offending you. We have a separate room with carefully selected individuals who are good at cleaning and miscellaneous tasks. If you give me one more chance, I’ll guide you there immediately.”

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

“Young lady, are you really going to leave just like this?”

As I was about to answer Demian’s question, a faint voice leaked from the innermost room.

“…ease.”

“Huh?”

“Please take me with you.”

As I fixed my gaze, all I could see was silver.

A man with silver hair, silver eyes, and silver chains on his arms was looking at me pitifully. He was so beautiful that I wondered why I hadn’t noticed him before.

His arms were bound and fixed upward by chains, and he wore nothing on his upper body. Following his flowing, luxurious silver hair down, I could see a thin but toned body.

Raising my gaze again, I saw sorrowful silver eyes as deep as the sea, as if studded with stars. Wow, he’s really beautiful.

“Young lady, let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh, right.”

I came to my senses at Demian’s voice. After regaining my composure, I answered the man.

“You want me to buy you?”

“If you get me out of here, I’ll do anything, anything…!”

“Young lady, that slave was originally a gladiator slave and has a violent temperament. That’s why he’s been resold by several noble ladies. He’s a piece that needs more education.”

The guide’s mention of ‘education’ made the man’s face turn pale.

“What kind of education?”

“Young lady, I think it would be better to look around other places first.”

The guide smiled awkwardly, and Demian suggested indirectly. It seemed that whatever this ‘education’ was, it wouldn’t be pleasant for me to hear about.

The guide quickly moved to open the door for me to leave first.

“If you give me another chance, I’ll show you to where we keep the proper slaves.”

“Alright.”

I turned and took a few steps to leave, but then stopped.

Looking back, I saw the slave who had asked me to buy him staring at the ground.

“What’s wrong?”

Demian asked, puzzled.

“I’ll take that slave we just saw.”

“Young lady?”

“Why? Don’t tell me…”

Demian looked at me with an expression that said ‘surely not’, as if he was looking at a depraved person.

“It’s not like that! I was thinking, we need a bodyguard too. If he survived as a gladiator slave until that age, his skills must be proven, right?”

“That’s inefficient. High-grade slaves are expensive. It would be better to buy a guard slave.”

“I have a lot of money, you know.”

“Moreover, we absolutely can’t take a slave that’s had problems.”

“Didn’t you say slaves can’t harm their masters? That they’re the safest option?”

“That slave is meant to be used differently, isn’t he?”

“How is he meant to be used?”

Demian, who had been arguing back and forth, suddenly stopped.

“That’s,”

“Anyway, I’m taking that slave. And that one too.”

I said, pointing to the slave who had just been insulted by the guide.

“We need at least two guards to take turns, right?”

I smiled brightly at Demian and Irena, who were at a loss for words.

“An excellent choice, my lady.”

The guide beside me nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“Then I’ll have these prepared for you. Would you like to see more slaves?”

“Yes. It would be good to have about two more. Oh, and they should be good at cooking.”

“Certainly. Please follow me.”

Demian and Irena didn’t argue with my words anymore. Outside the Count’s mansion, they rarely talked back to me, probably considering my reputation.

However, I shuddered at the thought of the barrage of nagging I would hear back at the mansion.

As I followed the guide, I quietly shared my true feelings with Demian and Irena.

“I would have kept worrying about it even if we had just left. And…”

I also had a slight, shallow thought that it might be better for them to be with me than with another master.

“How could I ignore them when they’re begging me to save them like that?”

“Sigh, I understand.”

“Don’t worry. Butler, from now on, I’ll protect the young lady well!”

Demian’s sigh deepened.

“Young lady, you really are too soft-hearted for your own good.”

“Hehe.”

“Don’t laugh like a fool.”

“Demian, am I like a friend to you now?”

“I don’t want a friend like you, young lady.”

“What? That’s harsh.”

“Here, you can choose from these. Although they’re low-grade, they’ve been primarily taught cleaning and odd jobs, so they should be useful.”

As we talked and followed the guide, we arrived at the place where slaves for household chores were gathered.