Chapter 305: A Trustworthy Person
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou and Onionpi
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com
Erm, so it turns out that way back chapters 290-291 is supposed to be a double bonus but somehow or other one of them was left out, so… anyway, this chapter is sent out to fix that weird tic in the count.
Enjoy~~
^_~
The next morning, I bought jars and wooden crates for the soaps and shampoos.
As mentioned before, I can’t let people see the colourful plastic or cartons from the other world items, so everything had to be transferred into locally made jars and crates.
I devoted the whole morning to the mindless task of filling jars and peeling wrappers off soaps. [1] If I don’t do this, I’d end up wallowing in all kinds of unwanted thoughts.
[8] Thoughts such as:
What the heck am I doing with such a huge place?
How the heck am I going to keep it clean?
How do I take care of the garden?
[6] The trees! The weeds! The dust! The bird droppings on windows! The dead flower heads! The toilets!
[6] Even if I devote my whole life to the care and cleaning of this place I’d never be able to stay on top of everything. My life would be a living hell!!
I finally understood why this palace has three houses just for servants.
For a long moment, I stared at one of the servant’s houses. These one storey buildings actually look very nice.
Maybe I could just live here…
[6] Haahh… but it doesn’t make sense to pay so much money for a nice palace just to live in the servant’s quarters.
I want to get a nice house and enjoy life a bit, maybe hire a couple of people to manage the house and transfer the wholesale soaps and shampoos. However, it’s clear that just one or two people won’t be enough to take care of this monstrosity.
Aaarrggh!! Even mindless refilling work isn’t really mindless, damn it! [5]
While I’m worrying over various things here, Fer, Sui and Dora-chan were frolicking around the garden…
[5] The really huge garden with lawns and trees with lots of leaves and…
“Looks like I have no choice but to hire people. A whole bunch of people would be needed just for the garden… Maa, luckily the one thing I don’t have to worry about is money…”
[6] I never thought I’d face a first world problem like this.
“I’d have to get someone trustworthy. Able to keep a secret…” It would have to be someone I can have complete trust in. My [Net Super] skill would most likely be exposed. Even if they don’t know about my skill, they’ll know that the special products come from me.
They would also be left to look after the house when I travel. [6] Just thinking about the expensive stuff left inside the house made me anxious… [5]
“Getting someone trustworthy aside, how does one hire help here? I guess I can ask Lambert-san about it tomorrow or make a trip to the Merchant’s Guild and inquire there…”
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~
The next day, after I handed the stocks to Lambert-san, I opened the conversation with… [5]
[4] “Um, Lambert-san, I’m going to need to hire some help to upkeep the place. You see…”
I listed some of my concerns and ended with my hopes of getting people I could trust.
Lambert-san’s answer was immediate, “In that case, you might want to consider getting yourself some slaves.”
“S-Slaves?!” the word shocked me.
I mean, I know that slaves exist in this world. I’ve seen them before but I never thought of buying one…
“Oh, that’s right. Mukouda-san is not from this country. Well, the slave system here is quite established. There are lots of advantages for both buyer and slave.”
[9] “Advantages? What kind of advantages could a slave have?!” surely this goes against all humanitarian rights?
[4] “Well, hmmm, how should I explain this. The slavery system here is part of a relief effort for safeguarding the interest of the weak. So it has a fairly solid foundation.”
[9] “Safeguarding the interest of the… weak?” isn’t that kind of counterintuitive? Isn’t slavery just exploitative?
[4] “First, there’s the registration system. When a slave is purchased, the master must be registered as well. [1] As the master, you must guarantee minimum living conditions for the slave.
Second, a contract is signed between master and slave. [2] As a slave, they have the right to buy themselves out of the slave contract. A minimum wage must be paid but otherwise, everything else can be negotiated freely. A confidentiality clause is usually one of the terms most masters would want as a way to protect themselves so that their secrets could not be leaked out.
I say that secrets of the master are kept but it also keeps the slaves safe too because it is useless to go after the slaves to get their master’s secrets. This confidentiality clause would remain even after the contract ends or the slave has freed himself.”
[9] “I see…” that certainly sounds reasonable. I mean, I’ve seen corporate slaves back in Japan with less favourable contracts.
[4] “Moreover, contracts are bound by powerful magic. Once a contract between the slave and master has been decided, a black circle would appear at the base of a slave’s right thumb. If the slave violates the contract, their whole hand would turn black.”
[9] “… that sounds quite disadvantageous for the slave…”
“Huhu, you’d think so, right? Well, if the master violates the contract, the slave could run away to the closest Knight Station and report their master. If the master is found guilty of violating the terms and conditions of the contract, the master would be subject to thorough investigation.
This is why both registration and contracts are very important. If either side is found to be in violation of the contract, they could be charged with a crime. In some cases, the master might have to pay a huge compensation, face the death penalty or even criminal slavery if he had forced the slave to do things that are not part of the contract.
On the other hand, if the slave runs away, he will be punished according to the law since both the contract and registration are still in play.”
[9] “Erm,” I said. “What’s… criminal slavery? Is it very different from regular slavery?”
[4] “Criminal slavery is a punishment imposed on criminals. Most criminal slaves are not given any human rights, so they are often abused,” went on Lambert-san. “Slavery is basically a contract system between two parties where one is obliged to render a certain amount of duties over a given time under very strict terms and conditions. By the way, anyone who violates the contract would face a high risk of becoming a criminal slave.”
“I see,” I guess it made sense in [9] this world where people could be magically enforced to keep secrets. This is certainly different from my understanding of the word ‘slave’. Criminal slavery sounds more like the type of slavery I’m thinking of.
“Speaking of which, since Mukouda-san can afford it, it’s better to buy a whole family.”
“A family of… slaves?” [5]
[4] “Yes, it is unfortunate but whole families are sometimes sold into slavery due to debts created by one member of the family. Naturally, families would like to stay together but slave traders are also businessmen. They might be sympathetic but it’s not always realistic to keep families together.”
[6] “Th-that sounds harsh,”
[4] “It’s unfortunate but they do try to sell a family together for the first three months. If no buyer comes forth, the family would be split apart.” [5]
“I see, to think that the traders would even consider such things.”
“It’s generally good business sense to get a family if you can. It lessens the chances of runaways, which people might do if they miss their family members too much. A family would also work harder together as a group to buy their freedom quickly.”
“I see…” I said vaguely. I wonder if I could get a cute girl…
…n-not that I plan on doing any weird stuff or anything but it would be nice to have someone good looking, right? Right? [5]
[8] I-isn’t it natural for a man to want to look at cute girls?!
“Oh, speaking of which, you might want to consider getting slaves that could fight too,”
“Eh?” [5]
“Yes, the truth is…” said Lambert-san with a grim expression.
[Gumihou: … Mukouda-san, you disappointed me.]
[1] Structural Change: Combine 2 paragraphs
[2] Structural Change: Combine 3 paragraphs
[3] Structural Change: Combine paragraph & dialogue
[4] Structural Change: Change passive sentence to dialogue
[5] Delete Repetitive or Pointless Information
[6] Additional Information for Aesthetic Purpose
[7] Add Dialogue Tag
[8] Creative Licence Taken
[9] Slave System – while it may seem despicable to the modern person. The actual slave system is quite complex and the term ‘slave’ could be used on anyone who is indentured to the master. From the typical slaves in most manga where slave = dirty person in chains and have no freedom, to slaves with special skills as cooks, teachers and even business representatives who could command lower level slaves and travel to other countries and represent their masters.
For more information on slavery, please click on the link below
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_ancient_Rome
Gumi is by no means advocating slavery. However, it is important to understand the concept of slavery and not dismiss the matter with slavery=eww.
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They are more like serfs than slaves. Still bad but not as bad as slaves.
I don’t know what to say, but some people have a game or not so game of playing their hand at slavery auctions. Some fantasies are too strange for me. One thread on it is at: https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/profits-mainly-data-tracker-for-the-auction-house.141015/
Wow. Everyone throwing weighty condemnation of slavery and all I’m thinking is GOD DAMN CLIFF-KUN!!!! with that dangling we’ll the truth is….
Shadow, that’s why those people living like slaves demand “equity” from others whenever human rights type legislation appears. Equality is having equal opportunity to prosper, but as you said, if they don’t have the brains, ability, or desire to persevere beyond a half-hearted effort, then “Equality” doesn’t work. Hence, the “Equity” system occurs where the law tries to create an Equitable outcome for everyone. This way, regardless of brains, skills, or effort, the outcome has a similar result for those who work hard and pay taxes and those who do not work or pay taxes.
Well, you are right. And today we have equity in general and equality in social behavior (in Europe, North America and a little bit more).
Thanks for the treat.
Why’d this dude’s hormones kick in for the last 30 chapters to the point that he’d even consider this
Even today there are people who lives like slaves, ’cause they lack talent or brains. Thus, developed debt slave system doesn’t sound too bad (well, selling all family into slavery isn’t a good thing from humans rights perspective, so, it still lacks). Considering our protagonist, he should be very generous.
I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to not get offended/aggravated by your “lack talent of brains”. Ppl don’t get into those conditions because they want to, they get into it cause they’ve got no choice and there’s a whole unfair system fully developed and stacked against them.
And it’s not even “ppl who live like slaves”, there’s actual, de facto slavery till this day in many parts of the world in many different forms. Especially in remote places and in places where parallel power exists. Many ppl with enough power/money, and connections in the right place (politicians, businessmen with good lawyers or bought judiciary, legal system or connections in the police) can buy weapons and employ henchmen to do their bidding.
What is not to say about slavery through debt (some completely against law, with harsh terms, taking adv law can’t reach them) or even legal slavery through harsh or lack of work/labor laws + soft coercion and social pressure (ofc I got to stay and work 16h straight. If I don’t, someone else will, and I’ve got a family and kids who depend on me to feed).
Plus it’s not a matter of lacking brains or talent. It’s really easy to call someone so without taking in consideration their whole social condition, sometimes historically passed through generations to generation. If someone was born somewhere where law can’t reach, much less information nor education, what else can you expect of them?
Some ppl don’t have access to drinkable water and struggle day to day survival. They don’t even KNOW they can live different lives and that many ppl have a different reality.
These ppl don’t lack talent or brain. They lack access to very basic rights and living conditions, to resources and opportunities. They lack other ppl knowing and having conscience and enough empathy/interest to do something.
How can you someone judge if someone else has enough talent or brain if they didn’t go through the very same conditions and got the same chances/resources and to whoever they are being compared to?
How can someone learn anything, if everyday they’re starving and can’t concentrate on anything? If every waking hour is devoted to mindless, drone, labor to get a plate of food?
Oh, girl. The problem with your thinking is, that you think, that human rights are something inborn. The point is, your ancestors fought for it and a lot blood was spilled. Of course, today’s system is way better than it was then, it provides more possibilities to way more people. But it’s always the same, you need fight for it. If you are weak, lack brains, lack imagination (what you lack depends on social circumstances too) then you are doomed. There are few shows about surviving in the wild. Do you want to talk about your rights to some predator? And remember, even in today’s socium you can find them lurking around.
Mukouda’s secrets won’t be discovered if he sets up an alchemical lab area. Servants and slaves would be instructed to not go in there or interfere with it. It’s already disappointing that the author is so lazy that he’d have Mukouda let the slaves know his secrets about the Net Super items. But it would make the author’s job easier than writing three sentences. It can simply be dismissed to be “mukouda has the slaves repackage the net super materials” in one chapter and then ignored in future chapters since the author converts it into an automated revenue stream income for his MC.
Not really… He wants trustworthy people because he wanted them to help with the soap and shampoo production. Obviously, alchemical lab won’t help.
Setting up a ‘lab’ means extra job for Mukouda, which defeats the purpose of ‘getting people to do stuff for him’
“Dreams fall apart”, sure it’s Mukouda dream of get a cute girl…
Since the summoned heroes were given those bracelets that basically turned them into mindless puppets (or something like that) it was obvious this world had at least at some point a slavery system. And this way is good, they make distinction between indebted and criminal slaves, and conditions and rights are enforced by law.
Thanks for the second chapter today! Awesome translation! May God bless you!
The bracelets are an example of bad slavery practice!