"Our names?" The older sister asked, while setting up the camp on our first night of traveling.
"Yeah, it's going to get annoying really soon just calling you two 'cat girls' all the time. Spill it." I answered.
"Yes, master, I was given the name Elizabeth and she…" Elizabeth pointed to her little sister. "She's Lilia."
"OK, Elizabeth and Lilia, you can call me Adam. Actually, you can call me anything as long as it's not master, being called that makes me feel weird."
"Very well, sir Adam, no, lord Adam, is that okay?" Elizabeth asked, blushing.
"I don't care either way, but… Why the hell are you blushing?"
"Well, I…" She looked around, saw the pot with food and blatantly changed the topic. "The food is ready, sir Adam, you should eat now."
I sighed. "Well, whatever…" I took three bowls and started filling them up with stew. "Lets eat."
"Are we going to eat together?" Lilia asked, surprise evident on her face.
"Are you not hungry?" I asked.
"What she means is that master and servants don't usually share the table." Elizabeth answered in her sister's stead. "We'll wait for you to eat first. It's already a real treat for us that we get to eat meat."
"I really don't care about the customs of this world, just eat before it gets cold, if you wait for me to finish, there won't be anything left." I handed Elizabeth a bowl of stew. She reluctantly took it in her hands. Lilia followed her sister's example. They both held the food and waited just staring at me.
Oh, I get it, they're waiting for me to start eating as a sign of respect. It shows how bad I am socially if literal slaves have better table manners than me. I sighed, lifted my mask slightly and started eating. The cat girls followed suit. The two ate surprisingly well, savoring every bite. After finishing, Lilia looked as if she wanted to ask for something, but Elizabeth stopped her with a simple shake of her head.
"You two, want some more?" I asked, trying to hide my annoyance at their timidness.
"No, sir Adam, we're quite alright, it's a blessing already to…"
"Stop this stupid charade…" I interrupted. "I hate those that don't even have the strength to express their opinions and wishes freely. You two aren't slaves anymore, you have no slave contracts, I had to pour an immense amount of mana into them to destroy them and, right now, you're spitting on the freedom that I gave you with all that effort, in essence spitting on my effort. If you want something - say something, doing that pleases me more than your meek subservience."
The two were like this the whole day, they did their jobs quickly, silently and obediently, never questioning the order or making any complaints - machines designed to serve and obey. It seems that it was ingrained deep into their bones that their place was far below their master. If they wish to travel with me, that has to change.
The two hesitated, then Elizabeth said. "Very well, We'd… Like some more, please."
"Good, you finally sound like someone I might respect." I poured them seconds. After having our fill of food we retired to sleep. Since I always sleep in my tent while camping out of town, I left the wagon to the cat girls. The older one vehemently opposed the idea of sleeping in the wagon while the master slept on the ground until I explained that I was going to sleep on the ground either way and that they were welcome to join me and leave the comfy wagon empty for the night.
Honestly I didn't really care where they slept, I just wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible. After some time and hesitation and after I reminded them of their status as free cat girls, Elizabeth agreed to take the wagon. It's going to be annoying traveling with these two… Finally, I could get some sleep. I stuffed as much pesticide as possible into my stomach and fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.
I awoke the next morning just after dawn to noises outside the tent, got out to see the cat girls working diligently. They had already fetched water and started breakfast, the horses were fed and the fire started. This feels familiar… I was greeted the moment I stepped out.
"Good morning, sir Adam." The little one said. "Breakfast is almost ready."
"Good morning, we're sorry for waking you, we'll try to be more considerate the next time." The older one chimed in.
"It's fine, it's just that I had already forgotten what it's like waking up before noon. Carry on, don't let me interrupt your work." The two agreed and returned to work. Having someone do all the heavy lifting is sure nice, I had almost forgotten what it's like to travel with someone, to rely on someone…
The breakfast was simple, but delicious, proving that Elizabeth was indeed an exceptional cook (or that I really sucked at it). Either way, having something nice to eat on the road was sure nice. The other nice thing was the fact that the girls mustered up the courage to ask for more food on their own. Lilia even asked to try and scoop more meat from the stew for her and was reprimanded by Elizabeth, saying that it wasn't healthy eating only meat.
We traveled for days without any incidents, I was beginning to enjoy their company, the distance between us shrinking as the days went by. They opened up to me more and more, spoke about their family, their former home. The hardships that they endured were severe, but they shared them with me, not because they were looking for pity, but because they trusted me. We began to bond and I slowly started to care for them.
This was a problem. I knew that if they got close, it would spell disaster for them. I knew that I had to keep my distance if I cared about them, but it was becoming harder and harder. until one day, disaster almost struck.
We were traveling as usual when I sensed around ten mana signatures around the road ahead - human mana signatures. I looked around and saw nothing, they were hiding, that ment bandits.
My blood boiled with excitement, a hunt was about to begin, a hunt that left no survivors, no bodies, no bones, no blood, just screams of agony and despair. Just how I liked it.
I ordered Elizabeth to stop the wagon and got out of it. I walked straight to the middle of the ambush and just stood there waiting for my prey to make the move. They took the bait and jumped out.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A bald man with a scar over his right eye said. "A couple of ducks have wandered into our woods. Well, boys, let's be hospitable and show them the way out, for a price of course." The other bandits laughed.
"For a price, huh? Whatever do you mean?" I asked, acting the part of a rich, naive merchant. "Are you volunteering to become our guides? Or are you guys just some scum that wish to rob us?"
"Robbing is such a vile word, I'd prefer calling it a forceful relocation of funds. Well, either way you're left with nothing and we take everything…" The man looked at the wagon and narrowed his eyes. "Including the girls."
I laughed. "You're free to take anything you like as long as you have the guts and the strength for it."
Another man laughed. "Don't mind if I do…" He began approaching the wagon, grinning ear to ear with anticipation.
"Hey, wait for me! I want some of that too!" Another man shouted and began following the first. I just watched them go. My eyes then drifted to the cat girls, they looked terrified, Elizabeth was shielding Lilia and watching the men approach with fear evident on her face.
"Are you not going to do anything about this?" The man with the scar over his eye asked. "You seem very calm given the situation."
"Just a little more…" I answered.
"Little more for…" I disappeared from sight and appeared near the wagon. The men approaching were lying on the ground, their legs severed cleanly off. It took them a while to understand what happened and why they were on the ground suddenly. They started screaming as soon as the realization hit them.
"A little more and they lose their legs." I answered. "This is what happens to all that wish to take from me, no exceptions."
The bandits looked startled. The man with the scar began calming the rest down. "He might be fast, but that's about it! Just keep your distance and pummel him with arrows!" The others obeyed. They drew their bows and released a volley aimed at me.
"How cute." I spread my arms wide and prepared for the shower. "Do you really think that that much would be…" A head of red hair appeared in front of me. NO! Not again! NEVER!!! I hugged Elizabeth and turned my back to the bandits, shielding her with my body. After the volley had ended, I looked at Elizabeth, she had her eyes closed and was shaking, but wasn't injured. I sighed a sigh of relief. She's safe, at least for now.
She opened her eyes and looked at me, not believing that she was still alive. I pushed her to the ground and said. "Stay here and don't move, we're going to have a little chat about your heroics a bit later." I turned to the bandits. "Play time's over, prepare to die…"
"How are you still al…" He was split in half before being able to finish.
"Greg!" The other man shouted, but was impaled shortly after, blood gushing from his mouth. The bandits began to run, I wasn't going to let that happen. One by one, all died, none were spared.
After finishing them off, I turned to Elizabeth, my mask splattered with blood. She was still shaking, I approached and picked her up by her shirt color and raised her towards the sky. "Are you that eager to die?! If you wish for death, I'll gladly grant it to you, you've seen just how capable I am."
"I… I just wanted to…"
"What? Did you want to help me? Someone like you, helping someone like me?! Do you think that I want your help? Do you think I need it?"
Lilia jumped out of the wagon and rushed to us, she hugged me around the waist and pleated. "Release her, please, release my sister!"
"Shut up, you little shit, since when do I take orders from you?" Lilia started crying. "This has nothing to do with you, so let go." She clung to me with every fiber of her being. I sighed, "Fine…" Then dropped Elizabeth to the ground, she coughed, then stood up. "Why the hell did you do that?" I asked, still irritated.
"You said it yourself, I'm free now, meaning that I can decide what to do and what not to." Elizabeth answered.
"I'm also free, meaning that I can dump the two of you at some crossroads and go on my merry way." I said. "Let's make one thing clear, if any one of you does something this stupid in the future, it will be a clear indication to me that you don't value your life, meaning that I don't have to value it either. If that ever happens, we're done, we'll go our separate ways, never to meet again. Is that clear?"
"But I…"
"Is that clear?"
"...Very well…"
"Good, I'll keep you at your word."
Join me on patreon at patreon.com/BonsaiCat for early access to new chapters or buy my book 'How to rule a fantasy world' on Amazon. It's the same stuff that you read here, but I fucked up with the naming and the book is already out, so fuck it, let's go with this name for the book. I appreciate all of your support and your forgiveness for my utter incompetence. Best regards, BonsaiCat.