Estimated reading time: 4–5 minutes
Chapter 8
【Domingo’s POV】
I’m Domingo, a dwarf. I’m being sold as a slave at the slave market.
Dwarves are quite popular as slaves.
We have great strength and stout bodies, and can do anything.
Dwarf slaves are perfect for blacksmithing and combat.
But I was left unsold in a corner of the slave market.
I didn’t have any skills. I lost my arm in an injury before becoming a slave.
So I had almost no value as a slave.
Who would want an armless dwarf slave?
Plus, I’m a miserable old man. I don’t have value as a sex slave like the female slaves.
Even without arms, if the women had nice faces, perverts would buy them.
But I don’t have any value as a male prostitute either.
I had given up hope on my life.
Not just from becoming a slave, but having no demand even as a slave.
At least if someone bought me and gave me work, there may come a day I’m freed from slavery.
If I had work, there would be meaning. Meaning would give me will to live.
But as I was now, unwanted by anyone, I just waited in the corner of the slave market for the day I would be disposed of.
Then one day, a turning point came for me.
A slave merchant who would buy even me appeared.
「You’re going to work for me before you die.」
The boy said to me.
And he used healing magic on my arm.
「T-this is…amazing! My arms…!」
With the healing magic, incredibly, my arm was restored.
I couldn’t believe it.
Light returned to my eyes, which had been dead until now.
Even though I’d given up, now here I had hope.
Normally, to restore a lost arm, you’d have to pay a huge sum to a court magician doctor, or use an ultra-expensive elixir or something.
But no fool would spend that much money just to treat a slave.
They could just buy a healthy, capable slave for the same price.
Yet this Master Eld personally healed me with his healing magic.
I can’t believe this little boy has such talent.
And not only did Master Eld heal me, unbelievably, he said something outrageous.
「Alright Domingo. For the next few weeks, focus on training. Feel free to use the training grounds and practice weapons as much as you want.」
Then he handed me a sword and gave me access to the training facilities.
Giving a slave a sword…isn’t he afraid of rebellion?
Slaves cannot raise their hand against their master. But with a sword, they could take hostages or cause all kinds of trouble.
Yet he passed me the sword without hesitation.
He even provided training grounds, when he didn’t need to train a slave at all.
Slaves are disposable at their core. There’s always more coming.
So no one really cares if a slave dies. Just use a replacement.
Besides, you can just hire capable slaves to begin with.
Yet this person specifically tells me to train.
To train so I don’t die on a quest.
「Alright, it should be about time you can handle quests. Domino, head into town and register as an adventurer. Other than that, just do whatever it takes to earn money. You’re free to do as you wish otherwise.」
「M-me? A slave becoming an adventurer? And you’ll give me such freedom?」
「Just give me 80% of the quest rewards. Use the other 20% to fund your next adventure or for personal spending, whichever you prefer.」
「S-such kindness, even letting me, a slave, keep money…!?」
Master Eld granted me such freedom.
With this treatment, I’m less like a slave and more like a regular mercenary.
I probably couldn’t find such favorable working conditions even if I looked for a normal job.
For the first time since losing my arm, I felt I was being treated like a person.
The work Master Eld gave me was the best.
Taking on quests and handing over the rewards.
It was deeply rewarding to take on quests and clear them with my own ability.
Like this, I’m not a slave but a normal adventurer.
I had lost my arm and was in despair.
Earning with my own hands and eating food from that was supremely delicious.
Since Master Eld said I could freely use 20% of the money, I would stop by restaurants on the way back from quests.
Spending days like that was full of meaning, and I felt alive.
I thought no one needed me. But light shone on me again.
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