It Seems That the Slave Girl Is Actually a Count's Daughter. - Episode 20: Honest Feelings

Episode 20: Honest Feelings 

After finishing our meal, we headed to the forest as we did yesterday and began magic training. We practiced until the sun went down. 

After days of this routine, Pamela finally succeeded in summoning a Fenrir. 

A loud, unladylike voice echoed across the usual clearing. 

“I-I did it! I finally did it!” 

In front of the jumping Pamela lay a creature. It resembled a large dog, with fluffy, slightly bluish fur—big enough for a person to ride. 

So this is a Fenrir. This was actually my first time seeing one in person. 

“You did great, Pamela. Now all that’s left is to give it a name to complete the contract.” 

“A name… Hmm, let’s see.” 

Pamela pondered, occasionally glancing at me. Don’t tell me she wants to name it after me? 

After much deliberation, she finally made her decision. 

“I’ll name you Orto.” 

As she said this, a small whirlwind formed around Pamela and Orto—proof that the contract was complete. 

As expected of Pamela. If it were me, I probably would’ve gone with something like “Fel”. 

“My lady, I await your command,” 

Orto said, bowing his head respectfully. 

Pamela happily stroked his head. Shiro’s fur was nice, but Orto’s looked just as pleasant to the touch. I’ll have to ask to pet him later. 

“El-sama, what should I have Orto do first?” 

“The first thing you need to do is learn how to ride him. If you’re summoning a creature specialized in movement, you need to be able to use it for transportation.” 

“I see,” 

Pamela nodded before mounting Fenrir. 

I was relieved that she was wearing pants instead of a skirt. Otherwise, her underwear would’ve been completely exposed. 

Not knowing where to hold on, she clutched the fur around Orto’s neck tightly. 

Orto confirmed her grip before slowly starting to walk. However, since Pamela was pulling on his neck fur, his head was slightly tilted upward. She should grab onto a different spot. 

“Pamela, try holding onto the fur closer to your legs. Orto looks like he’s having trouble moving.” 

“U-Understood!” 

Pamela adjusted her grip. But now her balance was off. As Orto walked, she wobbled from side to side. 

This was going to take time. 

It seemed that riding a dog was quite different from riding a horse. Especially since Orto didn’t have a saddle. 

I needed to come up with a solution. 

What if we put a collar on Orto with a handle attached? But when a summoned beast is dismissed, any equipment they were wearing remains in this world. That means Pamela would have to carry the collar around all the time. Or we’d have to keep Orto summoned like Shiro. 

As I was mulling over this, Pamela and Orto returned. 

It looked like she was still struggling just to walk with him—running was out of the question for now. 

“Pamela, let’s keep Orto summoned like Shiro and put a collar on him.” 

I explained my reasoning. And she agreed that this was the best option. 

We also considered using magic to keep her stable. But maintaining the spell would be too difficult for Pamela. 

Orto seemed slightly displeased but had no choice but to obey his master. 

“Sorry, Orto. I’ll make sure to get you a nice collar,” 

Pamela said, burying her face in Orto’s fluffy fur and running her fingers through it. From the way she melted into his fluff, it was clear she was absolutely loving it. 

When we returned to town, the gate guards were understandably shocked. But since I was a Platinum-ranked adventurer, the commotion quickly died down. 

We needed to get a collar as soon as possible to prove that Orto wasn’t a monster. 

The collar needed to be fairly large. So the best place to find one would be a slave trader. 

I really didn’t want to go there. But if they didn’t have what we needed, we’d have to settle for a sturdy, thick belt instead. 

And so, we made our way to Maini’s slave trading shop. 

The last time I was there, I was guarded straight through. But this time, I could browse the store properly. 

I had only been here once. But since I had “bought Pamela,” the place left a strong impression. 

Navigating the town without getting lost, we quickly arrived at the shop. 

When we entered through the front, we saw collars, clothing, and even whips and thick candles—probably meant for discipline. 

Were these used to torment slaves? 

Just thinking about it made my stomach churn.

To be honest, I still feel uncomfortable knowing that slavery exists on this continent. I don’t know the reasons behind it, but I firmly believe that using magic to forcibly control people should never be allowed. 

Ever since I gained my freedom, that belief has only grown stronger. 

“El-sama, is something wrong?” 

Pamela must have noticed my sudden stop and looked at me with concern. She cautiously studied my expression. 

I forced a smile to reassure her and gently patted her head. 

“It’s nothing.” 

“…That can’t be true. You look pale. If you’re not feeling well, you can go home first—I can handle this on my own.” 

“I’m fine. There’s no problem.” 

I cut her off before she could finish. My voice came out sharper than I intended. Pamela flinched slightly. 

Damn it. She saw through my poker face, and I let my emotions slip. Taking my frustration out on Pamela—what kind of horrible person am I? 

I pulled her into a gentle embrace. 

I felt the tension leave her shoulders. 

“Sorry, Pamela. It’s not that I hate slaves… I hate the institution of slavery itself. The truth is, I never wanted to buy you as a slave. I wish you could have just come to me directly, without any of that…”