Today was the day of Gazaru’s monthly report to the Merchants’ Guild. After he awoke, he quickly washed up and got ready. While his living space was very small, Gazaru was lucky enough to have a private room with a well close by. He’d lived here for over a year already, so he’d long since grown used to it.
“Oh, you’re up already? You’re early, Gazaru.”
“Good morning. Today is the day I go to the guild, so that’s why,” he replied politely.
The man who’d just spoken to him was the government official in charge of this particular mine—and the highest-ranking person here. He was also the one who supervised the slaves, and Gazaru knew not to defy him in any way, shape, or form.
When he’d first been brought here, Gazaru had been convinced that he’d die before he could ever earn enough money to buy back his freedom. However, contrary to his expectations, he hadn’t been sent inside the mine to work in perilous conditions.
The dwarves were of the opinion that mining was better left to experienced miners. Letting amateurs dig around blindly could only lead to tragedy. And so, Gazaru’s job was to catalog the ores that were mined and help out with the administrative side of things. It was mostly desk work with some errands on the side. Gazaru got to eat three meals a day and his safety was guaranteed, which was more than most criminal slaves could ask for. He’d lost a little weight, but he was even healthier overall than he used to be.
“Please excuse me, sir. I must start working,” Gazaru said.
“Sure.”
After bidding goodbye to his supervisor, Gazaru greeted every miner and administrator he crossed paths with on his way to the office where he worked. Despite his condition as a slave, Gazaru was surprisingly fulfilled. He felt as though he’d gone back to the days when he’d first started his business, and his greatest joy was the smiles on his clients’ faces—not the endless pursuit of profit.
Gazaru spent the morning dutifully completing his work. After his supervisor gave him the documents he had to bring to the guild for his report, he once again tidied up his appearance before leaving the building. He worked right next to the mine, but the city wasn’t very far away, and wagons often came and went between the two places. Heading to the guild wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Oh, hey Gazaru. Going to the Merchants’ Guild?” a miner asked him as he hopped into the wagon.
“Yes. Sorry to trouble you.”
It was the miner’s day off, so Gazaru assumed he was most likely heading to the city to drink. The wagon rattled rhythmically for an hour before arriving in Hephaest. The miner headed straight for his favorite bar while Gazaru walked to the Merchants’ Guild.
Gazaru stated his business at the guild’s information counter. The employees, who were used to his monthly visits, immediately brought him to the man in charge of the ores.
After giving the section chief the documents and answering his questions, Gazaru politely excused himself and left his office. When he turned around, however, he saw a woman he knew. He couldn’t stop himself from freezing in place.
“Huh?”
“Oh my,” said the beautiful woman with silver hair, looking at him in surprise. “It’s been a while. I believe the last time we met was at your trial, Mr. Gazaru.”
The woman was Ellie Leis, chair of the Traitre Commercial Firm, and the reason Gazaru was now a slave.
“It has been a very long time indeed, Miss Leis. Please, just call me Gazaru. There is no need for such formality,” Gazaru answered, pushing himself against the wall to make room for her to pass. He bowed.
“I certainly did not expect this.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to contemplate my life.”
When he had first become a slave, Gazaru had deeply loathed her. However, as word of her achievements had spread, he had realized how different the two of them were. Thus, his hatred had gradually faded.
Gazaru had spent a lot of time thinking of his encounter with Ellie, and he’d eventually understood that she’d tricked him on purpose. She’d focused on snatching his client base, lured him into stealing the faulty soap recipe, and built ties with the Church of Ibris in advance to put the nail in the coffin. It had all been a carefully crafted plan. When that realization had dawned upon him, he’d understood that bearing a grudge against her was entirely pointless. If Ellie had so wished, she could have simply killed him and taken over his company in a heartbeat.
“Do you work as a slave in the mines now?”
“No, I do office work.”
“I see. Well, keep at it. Good luck,” Ellie said noncommittally, as though she didn’t care much. She walked past him without sparing him another glance.
Gazaru watched her enter a drawing room and then returned to the lobby. He still had some time to kill before the next wagon left for the mine. He was pondering getting a meal somewhere when a merchant walked up to him.
“Excuse me,” he said to grab Gazaru’s attention. “You just came from the guild, right?”
“Huh? Well, yes.”
“Did you see the woman who just entered, then?”
“Are you talking about Miss Ellie Leis?”
“Yes! Yes! Her! Ellie Leis of Traitre! Did she say anything? I’d love to hear about it!”
The merchant offered to treat him to a meal, so Gazaru followed him. The two men talked while eating rather expensive food. Gazaru had no idea why Ellie had been at the guild, but considering the location of the drawing room to which she’d been shown, he figured she most likely had wanted to buy ore. He told the merchant as much.
Since Ellie Leis had a Special License, there were likely countless merchants hoping to make money off her one way or another. Gazaru realized this, so he only told the man relatively harmless bits of information and conjectures. Eventually, though, he started feeling like something was off. Although the merchant was making it sound like he was curious about Ellie’s business, it seemed to Gazaru like he was more interested in her entourage. Convinced that something fishy was afoot, Gazaru wrapped up the conversation as quickly as he could and left.