As we stand in front of the town, Rurika and Chris look pretty surprised.
“What is it, you two?”
“Ah, I’m just a little surprised at how much the town has changed compared to how it was the last time we were here.”
“Chris, I think this goes well beyond calling it a change.”
They say that before, it used to be a town surrounded by the same kind of defensive walls we generally see in other towns
But now it feels closer to the South Gate City in Elesya. There are farms all around town, but with one key difference, the lack of any walls or fences around them… If monsters attacked them, wouldn’t they all be taken out?
Looking at them more closely, I get the feeling that maybe they just can’t put fences around the farms because they’re still expanding.
“And those cabins near the outer walls tell me people are probably living there.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
As we walk through the main road and look at the farms, we notice what look like simple cabins close to the walls.
And we also see people working on the farms. Most of them have slave collars, and some are beast people.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many slaves in one place. Actually, I haven’t seen many people walking around with slaves period.
“What’s wrong, Sora?”
“I was just thinking that I’ve never seen so many slaves in one place.”
“Most slaves have been put to work in things related to the dark forest, but there were quite a few in the Beast Kingdom and Magic State.”
When I tell Rurika I didn’t see a lot in Majolica, she says she saw a lot in the other dungeon city, Prekes.
“There are probably more slaves in this world than you think.”
Says Sera, as she looks in the distance.
They say their safety is guaranteed, but all that really means is that their masters are prohibited from harming them. Their working conditions are definitely not good.
Criminal slaves are treated particularly badly, and the ones who committed more serious crimes aren’t shown mercy. Although in a way, they’re reaping what they sowed.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Hmph, a merchant?”
They’re checking my identification, but their eyes are on the girls.
One in particular is looking really harshly. The one handling me is very interested, but why?
“Don’t start trouble.”
We hear as we enter the town.
“That guy was really staring at Sera.”
“To the point of being scary.”
Rurika and Chris noticed it too.
Mia looks a little nervous, and Hikari is holding her hand and following her silently.
“We should talk about that later.”
Quietly says Sera, who was the one being stared at, and we stop talking.
The mood in this town is even worse than Drous. People’s eyes look distant when they’re pointed our way.
There are stalls along the main street, but it doesn’t look like there’s much activity.
“Should we stop by the guild? Or stop by an inn first?”
“…Let’s find an inn. Are you all right with that, Sera?”
We go to an inn, and tell the owner we’re doing business while traveling. When we’re casually asked where we’re going, we say we’re still deciding whether to go to the defensive city of Nove, or the imperial capital Heil.
The owner seems surprised, and asks more questions, so I say I sell potions, and that I think I can probably make some good money in the defensive city.
That means we probably won’t look suspicious if we follow the main road to the defensive city.
“So, is there something on your mind?”
I ask Sera when we enter our room, and she nods.
“That guard was one of the slave master’s cronies when I was fighting in the dark forest.”
“Didn’t that noble get punished for something?”
“That’s what I heard. He was removed from that post.”
He volunteered for the defensive unit in the dark forest to get clout, ended up failing, and took his anger out on slaves. Word got out that he’s gone because Sera beat him back.
“Could he be here?”
“If his cronies are, he could very well be. That was one of the ones that was always close to him.”
“…Then I’ll go with Chris to the guild tomorrow, and you can all stay here. How does that sound?”
“I’m staying. If people try to start something with me, that’d be a problem, and I don’t want to see him if he’s there. But I’m worried about you two, so I think Sora should go too.”
“All right. Mia and Hikari, are you staying too?”
They say they’re going to stay with Sera.
Hikari is always looking forward to checking out the stalls in a new town, but she’s still not back to her usual self.
On one hand, I’m worried about taking her to the dark forest like this, but on the other, it’s not like I can leave her alone either. Especially after what happened when I talked about undoing the slave contract in the Dragon Kingdom of Ruflet.
I hope something happens that helps her recover… But I don’t think there’s anything we can do but give her time.
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Thanks for the treat.
Looks like we could have some conflict with that bad guy from her past. Well at least they are prepared