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Chapter 6: In 10 Years, Far Too Many Things Can Happen with a Catgirl

It had been 5 days since Reiner bought Nora.

Because her right arm was injured, Reiner spent these days hunting slimes only around the village.

After spending time together, Reiner felt that Nora was a girl who appeared cold but was warm inside.

Although she did not like to talk, she was lively at heart and often curious about the unknown.

Most importantly, she no longer had any thought of running away.

“When I first brought you back you kept trying to escape; was it because you still had other relatives?”

Nora said expressionlessly, “All my family are dead; my father was bitten to death by a monster while hunting outside, and not long ago my mother fell off a cliff while gathering herbs and died too.”

Just as Reiner wondered why she was so calm, a few tears slid down Nora’s cheeks.

She wiped them away forcefully and said, “I cried again by accident; I promised Mother I would live on bravely. I wanted to run because my friends kept telling me that humans are evil; they like to bully the weak and are very lecherous, and if bad people bought me I would live a life worse than death. But you seem different from most humans; you are very polite and treat me well.”

Reiner nodded and comforted her, “It’s fine; from now on I’ll treat you well, and as long as I have a bite to eat you will never go hungry.”

Nora hesitated slightly and whispered a thank-you.

After a moment of silence, Nora asked cautiously, “Master… may I buy my own freedom?”

Buy your freedom?

Reiner chuckled and nodded. “Of course you can, but it will definitely cost a lot of money.”

“How much?”

“Let me calculate.” Reiner picked up a pebble from the ground and began writing on the wall. “The money I paid for you, room and board, the holy water for healing, clothes, weapons…”

After pretending to count for a while, Reiner said solemnly, “Friends’ rate… earn me 20 Dyast gold coins and I’ll set you free.”

That way he would not only recoup his costs but also make a hefty profit.

If Nora really could hand over that much money, he would release her immediately and then head to the slave market to choose another slave.

Nora tilted her head and asked doubtfully, “20 gold coins… how much is that?”

Reiner kept calculating. 1 gold coin was roughly equal to 432 copper coins, so 20 made 8,640.

“That’s about 4,300 loaves of black bread.”

Nora blinked and asked again, “And how much is that?”

Reiner slapped his forehead.

This world had no 9-year compulsory education; everyone’s literacy was limited, and the literacy rate was probably under 5%.

Those who understood arithmetic were perhaps less than 1%.

Whenever Reiner went into town to buy things, he often encountered vendors who miscalculated prices.

For instance, the price of a loaf of black bread was clearly 2 copper coins.

If he bought 10 loaves he should have paid 20 copper coins, yet he was often overcharged 22.

Human culture was already this backward, let alone the demi-humans whose lifestyle bordered on the primitive.

Reiner gave a rough comparison. “Picture half the village filled with black bread… that’s about right.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “That much?”

Reiner nodded and coaxed, “Save for 10 years or so and you’ll surely pay it off.”

“That’s not that long. I’ll work hard for you, and when I’ve saved enough you must keep your word,” Nora said earnestly.

“I guarantee it; if you want to leave I won’t stop you,” Reiner nodded.

To be honest, the odds were higher that she would not want to leave then.

After all, the world was turbulent for a demi-human.

With a steady meal ticket and a certain degree of freedom, who would be willing to walk away?

Reiner asked again, “If you really gained your freedom, where would you go?”

Nora thought for a moment, lifted her head toward Reiner without speaking, yet her inner voice drifted over.

(I heard there is a forest north of this city that suits our kind, with lush water and grass, a wonderful place to live; if I ever regain my freedom, I will definitely go there.)

Reiner was slightly startled; wasn’t that the Dawn Forest?

His next quest site was there.

He could conveniently take Nora along to see it and finish the quest at the same time.

However, the place Nora imagined probably didn’t exist.

Although the forest was huge… rumored to span over 100 square kilometers… it lay so close to the city that, if demi-humans were really there, it would surely become a favorite hunting ground for slave traders.

If Reiner were a demi-human looking for a safe settlement, he would definitely choose someplace remote and uninhabited far from any city.

Certainly not right next to one.

Unaware that Reiner had overheard her every thought, Nora apologized with a guilty face, “Sorry, Master, I can’t tell you.”

Reiner smiled and said, “There’s a forest north of the city where the dawn scenery is especially beautiful, and quite a few demi-humans live there; is that where you plan to go?”

Nora froze and stared at Reiner in disbelief.

(How does he know that? Impossible…)

After agonizing internally for a long while, she finally asked, “Master, have you been there?”

“No, I just heard someone mention it; the locals even gave that forest a lovely name… Dawn Forest,” Reiner replied with a grin.

Nora answered softly, then pretended nothing had happened and stood up to stretch her arms.

“Don’t move around; it will affect the healing,” Reiner couldn’t help advising.

Nora looked back at him and shook her head gently. “Master, my arm has healed; I can go out and earn money now.”

Reiner removed the bandage and took a look.

The spot the arrow had pierced now held only a dimple-like depression.

Her range of motion seemed unaffected.

He had to admit that a demi-human’s healing ability was several tiers higher than a human’s.

An ordinary person would probably need a month of rest for such a wound, yet Nora could move freely after only a few days.

In that case they could take on a quest.

“Then we’ll set off tomorrow and drop by the Dawn Forest.”

Nora fell into thought, then nodded.

(I can scout it out; maybe it really is good, and once I’m free I can go straight there.)

Reiner sighed inwardly.

Even if she truly became free, it would probably be 10 years from now.

By then today’s information might be inaccurate and virtually worthless.

Staring at her lively, adorable cat ears, Reiner suddenly felt an urge to touch them and after thinking a moment blurted, “I want to touch your ears.”

Nora froze, covered her ears with both hands, and shook her head emphatically.

(W-why does he want to touch my ears? No way.)

“Then at least your tail, okay?”

Her fluffy tail was both plush and agile; it had to feel amazing.

Nora shook her head even harder, instinctively slid to the side, and her eyes grew more vigilant.

(Absolutely not!)

Nora lowered her head slightly and said earnestly, “I promised to work hard and earn money for you, please don’t have strange thoughts about me, I’m begging you…”

Reiner narrowed his eyes at her.

This catgirl was rather interesting…

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