Chapter 166: Revoke the Slave’s Status
The moment Gara finished speaking, he vanished. Hilda’s eyes widened in astonishment. The satchel slipped from where he’d been holding it and fell to the floor.
But, remembering his order, she didn’t move a muscle just stood still and listened to the silence.
Before long, Gara reappeared above the satchel.
"Alright, let’s move these supplies into the dimensional space. I’ve already told Mother and Della to help arrange things inside," he said, then glanced at Fian and Madha. "You two will go in and haul everything into the house."
Both young men nodded without protest.
With the satchel slung over his shoulder, Gara focused his mind. In an instant, Fian and Madha were pulled into the dimensional pocket.
He spoke again, this time directing his words so those inside could hear: "I’ll start sending the goods in. You should stand clear of the drop point."
A chorus of "Got it!" echoed faintly from within.
Once more, with nothing but a thought, the items in the storeroom were sucked one by one into the satchel.
As he worked, Gara had Hilda identify each item so he knew exactly what was being transferred.
Unexpectedly, the process dragged on for hours. Mostly because the only ones who could carry the heavy pieces inside were Fian and Madha. For the larger furniture, they had to wait until the two hauled it into the appropriate rooms.
Gara couldn’t help thinking it would’ve been faster if he could help from the inside. With his water, he could sweep up everything in a single motion. But if he went in, no one would remain outside to transfer the goods.
Hilda, at least, was efficient. Nearly everything Gara had ordered yesterday had already been gathered. Only a handful of items were still awaiting delivery today.
That left them with a single day to spare.
Even though they were pressed for time, Gara still needed both a recommendation letter and an official statement from the town’s mayor, Baron Danan.
He wasn’t sure if it could all be finished today, but by tomorrow at the latest it had to be done.
The druids stationed in the neighboring counties would still need several more days to reach this area. Leaving early would be far safer.
Once everything was moved into the right rooms—though still in need of proper arranging—Gara pulled Madha and Fian back out of the dimensional pocket.
With thick clothing and food supplies of all kinds stored inside, Gara no longer had to worry about the triplets, his mother, or Della.
"I’ll fill the babies’ bottles first, then we’ll head to the slave association, Fian."
Fian opened his mouth to object, but Gara had already turned on his heel and walked out of the storeroom, leaving Fian’s half-raised hand hanging awkwardly in the air.
...
Inside the slave association building, the staff stared at Gara and Fian in confusion. Only two months ago, the pair had come here with a very different purpose.
And now they had returned. This time with something entirely unexpected in mind.
Two clerks stepped out of the waiting room where Gara and Fian were seated, whispering to each other.
"In just a single month, the slave status was lifted. Something smells fishy... You think maybe... something spicy happened?" one of them nudged the other with an elbow.
"Well, the elf is handsome, and his master’s beautiful. Of course they must have fallen in love. Maybe the master decided to marry his slave," the colleague whispered back, eyes sparkling.
"They’d make a perfect couple. Their kids would definitely turn out gorgeous."
"Ugh, imagine waking up every morning next to someone that handsome... What a dream."
"Keep dreaming! You’d have to be as beautiful as that master before you could ever land a handsome slave like him."
While the two staff members whispered with starry eyes and overactive imaginations, Fian’s ears flushed red. He could hear every word.
Gara, however, couldn’t. The young man whose beauty was acknowledged by anyone who laid eyes on him was far too busy spinning plans in his head.
Before long, Fian was called in for an inspection. Since his case wasn’t ordinary, they needed to check thoroughly, making sure there had been no abuse or mistreatment behind his sudden release.
Sometimes, after all, masters freed their slaves only when they were too injured or disabled to be of use.
Gara wasn’t particularly fazed. His thoughts stayed tangled in his plans.
Ten minutes later, Fian returned. The staff member who escorted him looked back and forth between Fian and Gara with sparkling eyes.
When Gara turned his gaze toward her, the woman broke into a wide smile and excused herself, hurrying off to finalize Fian’s release papers.
"What happened?" Gara asked.
"Everything’s fine," Fian answered in his usual clipped manner.
Gara didn’t get any real information until the certificate of freedom was handed over and the two of them stepped out of the building.
As they walked down the corridor, Gara overheard whispers from around the corner. The staff there hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.
"I knew it! They’re going to get married soon!" chirped the same female staffer who had smiled so brightly at Gara earlier. Her voice was bubbling with excitement.
"Exactly! Did you see the elf’s expression? With everyone else, he’s cold, barely a flicker of emotion. But when it comes to his master—no, his fiancée—his eyes never leave his face. He even smiled a few times!"
"He can’t see anyone else but him!"
"Ahh! They’re so adorable! Every time he was asked a question, he praised his master—his fiancée—by name. When they asked if he was eating well, he said he’s skilled with herbs, so their meals are always delicious. He even said he eats so much he goes back for seconds, sometimes five times in a day!"
"Yes, yes! And when they asked if he was ever beaten? He said his master never raised a hand against him. He even healed his old scars. He makes bathwater with his water-based Talent and mixes in herbs, preparing it for him every day!"
...