>Do we know of any social strictures about romantic involvement with one's slaves? Would it be complicated and/or scandalous if Rin and ourselves kissed in public, for example?
>There is no law against it in Oni culture, and no specific laws pertaining to those matters in any other races' laws. Social convention, as is usually the case, varies a bit. Certainly public displays of affection between master and slave are not frowned upon in general, Nazrin and Yuugi are proof of that. But as for more intimate displays of affection, there is some discrepancy from region to region. In some parts of the world, the assumption among outsiders if they saw a master kiss a slave in public would be, in the bluntest terms, that the slave was a sex slave. But that conception is mostly limited to more wild parts of the world nowadays, given the downturn of that area of slavery brought about by changing rules and changing times. Other regions do not have this stigma, and Yamato is one of those. In this country, such a public act of affection would likely raise a few eyebrows here and there, but it would only be looked down upon by old-fashioned people who still hold to the aforementioned prejudice. Yamato is a progressive country.
>Here in Mayoiga, the greater reaction would likely be more in response to 'Byakuren kissed someone' rather than 'that master just kissed her slave'. For every one person who might think it odd that you kissed a slave, there'd me at least a dozen more who wouldn't think that at all.
>Optimistically, the scene could have a certain romance to it. After all, in the eyes of the public, you saved a damsel in distress from a rather evil demon. And the hero always gets the girl. People love that sort of Good End. Obviously you wouldn't put it that way yourself, but you've heard the event described that way for a long time.
>"Perhaps so, but I think that is more about forging forward despite my uncertainty than about having none to start with. I apologize if I'm getting a bit too serious here, but I want to make sure you feel comfortable with whatever uncertainties you have and whatever you want to do with them. I cannot tell you how you should feel, and I would not. But I greatly enjoyed what we did last night - all of it - and have no regrets. If that kind of intimacy is something you would like to share with me again, then I should also like that very much indeed."
>"But what matters to me most here is your feelings. And if you aren't altogether sure what they are, then please take as long as you feel you need."
>Rin's smile loses some of its tension. "Is there a selfish hair on your head?" she asks gently.
