Liza's Worries

"Sorry Liza, I'll find an inn that will take in demi-humans as soon as possible. You'll have to manage out here until then."
"Master, this is more than enough for us."
Master seems to be hesitant about this, but it is very common for us slaves to sleep on the ground.
Some of the kinder masters give a thin patch of straw to sleep on. However, our previous master gave nothing, not even to the human slaves.
To be given a neat bundle of fresh straw was beyond my wildest dreams.
The innkeeper's daughter standing behind Master mutters her surprise as well.
"So soft~?"
"This is so great nanodesu! Master can sleep here too nanodesu!"
Tama and Pochi innocently jump up and down as they invite Master to stay with us.
These two certainly love their kind and unprejudiced master. I do as well.
"You two, don't make unreasonable requests."
"Aye~"
"Okay nanodesu."
Master bought those female humans earlier today, so he will likely be bedding them tonight.
He doesn't have the time to babysit these two.
"Good night. I left some food in that bag. Feel free to eat some if you get hungry."
"Thank you for the thoughtfulness."
Master waves at us as he leaves the stables.
Immediately afterward, I hear a rustling sound from behind me. I turn around to see Tama and Pochi taking jerky and cheese out of the bag.
"Put the food back in the bag."
"Why~?"
"Master said we could eat nanodesu."
It looks like these two have the wrong idea.
"Listen up you two."
I sit them down on the straw bed and tell them about the meaning behind Master's words.
He intended for the food to be saved for an emergency, when we are unable to get a normal meal. We shouldn't eat it without a good reason.
Not to mention that we just ate the extravagant dinner meant for humans a few moments ago.
"And also..."
No, telling them about this will just worry them.
We were trained by Master in the Labyrinth and became decent fighters. Yet still, Master clearly has no use for us.
Back in the labyrinth, and back in the castle, Master has always treated us as if we were human. But, if he were to change his mind, he could sell us back to the slave traders at a moment's notice.
Even now, we are holding him back from finding an inn.
That purple-haired girl managed to help him out of a bad situation, but we can't do anything like that.
If Master was the kind of person to have sexual desires for non-humans, then maybe... No, such thoughts are just rude to Master.
"Liza~?"
"Does your stomach hurt nanodesu?"
It looks like my thoughts were written all over my face.
The two have grabbed my hand and are looking up at me with worried faces.
"It's nothin--"
I try to tell them that it's nothing, but I have second thoughts.
They might be able to come up with a good idea to be useful to Master.
"I was thinking of some way to help out Master. Can you two think of anything?"
"Fight enemies~?"
"Pochi can fight too nanodesu."
--Fighting won't help much in the middle of town.
"Gather rocks~?"
"Grabbing cores nanodesu."
--Unfortunately, those will only help in the Labyrinth.
"Washing back nanodesu!"
"Tama too~"
--Baths? Indeed, those were very good. It would be nice to enter one again.
"Finding enemies~?"
"Pochi will grab snacks from the fruit tree nanodesu!"
"Tama will catch rats~?"
--Master doesn't seem to have any issues with money, but maybe it would help if we can secure our own food?
In the end, we weren't able to come up with any good ideas, and these two are starting to fall asleep.
A nearby horse snorts and the two jump awake.
"P-Pochi is not asleep nanodesu!"
"Tama too~. Tama not asleep~?"
I pet the half-asleep Tama and Pochi and lay them down on the straw bed.
"Liza, horsey~?"
As I lie down on the straw bed, I hear Tama mutter something.
I gently caress the pair's hair as I listen to their soft breathing.
Something keeps bugging me about Tama's words and I can't quite fall asleep.
What could it be?

...That night, I had a dream.

We were saved by a female mage. Then, Master saved us from being stranded in the labyrinth. Then, we fought monsters alongside Master. Then, we lived wonderfully in the castle. Then--
"--Travel!"
As I spring awake, I see a few rays of sunshine coming through the stable walls.
Pochi and Tama jump in surprise at my voice. They start rubbing their eyes and stretching their bodies.
"Good morning~?"
"Good morning nanodesu."
I fail to respond to their greetings as I am too focused on the answer I found in my dream.
"That's it, travel."
"Travel~?"
"Isn't it good morning nanodesu?"
--I remember now.
When we were staying in the castle, Master mentioned that he wanted to see the waterways of Oyugok.
In that case, we must study how to travel.
Luckily, there are horses right here.
We should go to the horse caretaker and beg them to teach us.
They will likely refuse, but we can take on any kind of dirty work or mundane chores.
We'll learn as much as we can, and prove our usefulness to Master.
I lead Pochi and Tama to the entrance of the stable with new determination in my heart.