"… So this girl is?" Lory worryingly asked.

"Ahsa. Before heading back here, I picked her up just a couple of minutes ago," I then pulled back Ahsa's hand that I had let go to take off my robe.

Life returned to her face and blood once again drained from her face like she's just been spooked.

"Ahsa, introduce yourself please," I said as I gently pulled her off her seat.

"…" Though she managed to stand up, she stayed quietly looking down at our intertwined hands.

I pulled her back down the bed and said, "Hmmm, she's quite shy so I'll do it myself. Her name is Ahsa, as it obviously is, and she is a slave I bought earlier before I decided to head back. She will be living with us from now on so be nice to her, alright? And also, never touch her without my permission," Unknown to myself, I've said the latter part in a slightly harsher voice.

Lory gave Ahsa a glance and said, "I-I see, as long as you're happy, I guess?" as she squatted in front of her.

She gently smiled and stated, "Nice to meet you, Ahsa," and reached out to her for a handshake.

"I guess I'll allow a simple handshake so long as it is with you or people I trust. If you feel like it then go ahead, Ahsa."

Ahsa who was offered a handshake was looking panicked as she alternately looked at me and Lory. After a moment, she stopped and stared at Lory's hand that is reaching out to her.

After a little more, she raised her trembling hands and held Lory's in a handshake and said with a trembling voice, "… I… n-nice to meet you… too," before she hurriedly let go of her hands.

I felt her hands tighten around mine as she warily looked at Lory.

"Alright then, Ahsa. Let's go to the bathroom and have a bath together. You are plenty dirty right now and you smeared some of that dirt on me earlier," I pulled Ahsa off the bed and headed for the wider bathroom.

We went inside and I noticed that there wasn't much in there. There was soap but that soap did not smell as good as the ones I made with magic. There was a wide circular bathtub in the middle of the room. It could probably accommodate up to ten people at once. There was also a statue of a lion at the side, but as expected there wasn't water flowing out of its mouth or nose.

"Come on, Ahsa. Take those rags off you. You can do that much while I hold your other hand, right?" I looked up to Ahsa whom I pulled by the hand and ordered her such.

"Y-yes, master…" She shyly said with a red face before she reached for the rope knot behind her waists and quietly stripped off the rag.

A grin crept up onto my face and plastered itself on it. My usual indifferent expression quickly replaced that grin after I looked at her body.

Bones. Her skin stuck to her bones like thin clothes to the skin when wet. Not only that but she also had some small bruises on her otherwise perfectly white skin. Looking at her like that made me want to go out and complain to the slaver. 

After that, I quickly cleaned her up. From her hair, down to her toes. Every single nook and inch of her body, I didn't leave untouched by the soap I made. I then carefully rinsed her body and lead her to the tub before I went off and cleaned my own body and sat beside her as soon as I finished.

I dressed her up with underwear of my choosing and covered it up with a simple bath coat.

"Ahsa, are you hungry? No. I shouldn't be asking that. Let me ask again, what do you want to eat? I'll cook."

"Uhm, why are your expression gentler than usual, young miss?" Lo who looked like she just woke up from a short nap asked as she put on her maid uniform.

"Oh, were you sleeping, Lo? Where's your sister?" I asked instead of answering as I didn't know the answer because I had no way of knowing.

"She's sleeping as usual… that girl is?" She finally took notice of Ahsa and asked.

"She's a slave I bought earlier. She would be living with me now for the rest of her life so be nice to her. I won't allow any mistreatment."

"I see… do you like her, young miss?" she asked and Lory butted in, "Yeah, what do you see on her that you're taking care of her so much?"

"What? Are you perhaps jealous, Lo? And big sis?"

I cheekily asked and watched as Lo lightly laughed at Lory's tomato-red face. As we were fooling around, I once again felt Ahsa's grip on my hand tighten before a little growl entered my ears. Lory and Lo didn't seem to notice so I pretended not to notice and pulled her to the kitchen.

"I am cooking, do you two want anything?"

"Ah, please let me help, young miss," Lo hurriedly stood off her chair and came walking beside me.

"We aren't eating down there for dinner?" Lory asked from under her blanket while lying on her stomach.

"I want to cook something for Ahsa to eat. I have to make sure she eats well-balanced meals. Just look at her arms, they're thinner than sticks," I said as I raised Ahsa's hand that I was holding onto.

After eating last night, we went straight to bed because apparently my cooking was too good and it made them drowsy after digestion. Ahsa slept with me, of course.

Morning came and I was the first to wake up. I didn't need to sleep, after all. Makes you wonder why I still need to eat despite not needing sleep.

I looked beside me, Ahsa, who was sleeping.

Maybe I will go on a little sightseeing with her when I still have some time left after doing my preparations for the Hyuu continent.

*****

"That woman… she gave thrice of what I would've charged her. Not to mention that I was planning to charge her triple her actual price… Well, illegal doers be doing illegal stuff. I am keeping this, thank you very much." The slave trader thought to himself before pocketing the silver coin.

SORAhasGONE

This won't go on for long. Probably just until they depart or board the ship. I'll try to post the other half of this chapter tomorrow or before Monday at least.