"Urza's name is Urza! Nice to meet you, Goshujin-sama!"
"Ah...? Yeah."
As soon as I completed the purchase, Urza approached me with a cheerful voice and hugged me.
Urza, who appeared to be younger than me despite her actual age, was only as tall as my chest. She clung to my arm and gave me a wide grin.
"Urza will give her best for Goshujin-sama! So, please take care of me."
"......"
Is this the kind of character she has?
If my memory serves me right, Urza White Ogre in [Sacred Sea] was an emotionless girl with a porcelain-doll-like visage.
However, the Urza before me now is as friendly as a pet dog receiving affection from its owner, and her white hair sways back and forth like a tail.
"Hmm... could this really be Urza?"
"Is something wrong, Goshujin-sama?"
"No, nothing..."
Come to think of it, Urza White Ogre in the game was a girl that being forced to serve a cruel nobleman who mistreated her.
So, the Urza in front of me might be her true self. Perhaps this is how she acted before her mind break.
"Well... regardless, you are my worker from now on. You will serve me to the best of your abilities."
"Of course! I'll do my best to serve Goshujin-sama!"
"I'm counting on you... but first, we need to change your clothes."
Urza was wearing a worn-out white dress, resembling that untouchable's clothes. Additionally, she had a metal collar around her neck.
Such clothing might lead to misunderstandings with authorities.
"Is there somewhere private for her to change? ...Leybold!"
"Yes, how may I assist you, young master Baskerville?"
I called out the shop owner’s name, and immediately Leybold waddled in with his belly shaking.
"I'd like to help her change into different clothing. Do you have a suitable room?"
"Certainly. We have an unoccupied waiting room, please feel free to use it."
"Additionally, could you remove her choker necklace?"
"Her choker...? That might be a bit tricky..."
Leybold looked at me seriously and rubbed his bald head.
"The collar indicates she's your property. Young Master's name is engraved here to show you're the owner. Removing it might put her in danger as an unclaimed one."
"Danger...? What kind?"
"A property without an owner lacks legal protection. Mistreatment or victimization won't be considered a crime. Even if released, they hold value due to being part of the rare 'kijin' race. So unless it's clear she's yours, someone else might claim her."
"Hmm..."
I furrowed my brow in contemplation.
This situation felt familiar.
In Slayers Kingdom, the demi-human race is marginalized, with only indentured demi-humans residing in town. This strained relations with Elf and Dwarf nations, leading to scenarios aiming to prevent wars with demi-human nations.
The horns on Urza's head immediately identify her as a demi-human. Without her collar, she could face mistreatment as a runaway.
However, I didn't want to restrain her. What should I do?
"Goshujin-sama, Urza is okay."
Urza held onto my arm, looking up at me with her golden, expressive eyes, which mirrored my less-than-noble appearance.
"This collar shows that Urza belongs to Goshujin-sama. And Urza likes it very much!"
"Hmm... Alright. If it's acceptable to you, I won't worry about it."
I agreed for now, still unsure about my feelings on the matter.
Observing our exchange, Leybold chimed in.
"Now, let me show you the room. No one will enter while you're inside, so feel free to use the space."
The shop owner, seeming slightly misinformed, led us to the waiting area. I'd expected a dirty room, but it was surprisingly clean and simple.
Leybold pointed us in and shut the door behind him, leaving just Urza and me.
"Well, then..."
"Yes, desu no!"
"...Wait, hold on!?"
Urza began undressing without hesitation, removing her clothes and leaving only her undergarments. I was taken aback by the sudden exposure.
"Don't just strip like that! Are you out of your mind?"
"Um... Aren't we proceeding now? I can't change with clothes on."
"What are you talking about! No way!"
It seemed Urza shared Leybold's misunderstanding.
What were these people thinking? I had no inappropriate intentions.
"Just change your gear. You can't explore dungeons dressed like that!"
"Dungeon?"
"I got you to explore dungeons together. I'm not turning you into my plaything!"
"Dungeon, dungeon..."
Explaining dungeons to Urza, her face lit up with excitement.
"I'm thrilled! Urza loves battles! Being able to explore a dungeon as an adventurer is a dream come true, desu no!"
"I see... The Oni-jin race comes from a warrior clan. So they enjoy combat."
"Are we going to fight and loot? Count me in, desu no!"
"...Alright."
She really shouldn't talk about violence with such enthusiasm. It's unsettling.
After regaining my composure, I fetched the necessary equipment from my magic bag.
The gear I had collected from the treasure room was beyond my current rank, but I had some lower-level equipment for new female teammates.
"Here are your options: weapons and accessories to start your quest."
I carefully laid out the equipment on the ground.
"Try these on. Let me know if they need adjustments."
"Yes, desu no!"
In her underwear, Urza began dressing herself in the gear I provided.
Soon after, she stood before me as a fully-equipped adventurer.
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