Chapter 134: 073. City of Slaves -1 (Part Two)
**
The slaves – no, hang on. Aslan’s subjects that had regained their freedom settled down nicely in the ancient ruin. While watching them get quickly acclimatised to their new home, I got ready to leave.
I, uh, stored the treasures, weapons of both hand-held and siege type varieties, as well as the Cyclops Golem statues in my item window for ‘safe’ keeping. Of course, I also didn’t forget to pack away some dragon scales as well as its meat.
“My lord, are you really giving us all these things?”
Damon made a stunned expression as he stared at the remainder of the treasure trove, as well as the dragon meat. Excluding its torso, a single leg was all that remained now in the ancient ruin.
I nodded my head. “Isn’t it going to be enough to feed you guys for months?”
“Well, yes. That’s true,” Damon answered with a somewhat stupefied expression. “However, there is a legend that has been passed down since the ancient times, my lord. It says that a knight or a magician who consumes dragon’s meat will grow stronger at a much quicker rate… Are you really giving such precious meat to us?”
“Even if there’s some kind of an improvement, how noticeable can it be anyway? Besides, you guys don’t have enough food in this place, right? And if you don’t eat the meat quickly enough, it’s going to spoil.”
Of course, the meat nicely stored away in my item window would always be perfectly preserved.
Damon was unable to refuse, and in the end, he bowed his head deeply to express his gratitude. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this favour, my lord. I swear that one day, I shall become a great source of strength to you.”
“I’m not so weak that I need to ask help from some people who can’t even look after themselves yet.”
Hans took on the duty of guiding me.
Since I couldn’t afford to waste any more time than I already had, I summoned skeleton horses.
“Oh, ohhh! Holy skeleton horses! To think that I’d get to witness one from so close by!”
While his eyes sparkled brightly, Hans studied the skeleton horse from this and that angle.
I summoned more skeletons and they connected the chariot recovered from the ruin to the undead horses. It was to ensure that we travelled at the fastest speed possible.
“Are you really going to leave us?”
Damon and Tina, as well as countless people, gathered by the exit and looked at me with rueful longing.
I stopped packing my things away and could only grin awkwardly at them. “Why, you want to follow me this time as well?”
Damon shook his head. “I must remain and look after these folks, my lord. However…”
He glanced at Tina next to him.
While holding a crude little wooden staff with both of her hands, Tina cautiously walked up closer to me. “May I… be permitted to accompany you?”
I stared at her in confusion. “Why? You now have a safe haven, don’t you?”
“The truth is… I’d like to learn magic from you, Lord Angel.”
“Eh?”
“I’m aware that it’s rude to request this, but I wish to receive your teachings as a believ… ah, no, I mean as your disciple.”
I got the feeling that she gave it her all to change the word ‘believer’ to ‘disciple’ just then.
Huh, so they still think I’m this angel or whatever?
“You know, I don’t have much talent in teaching anyone about magic.”
Tina nodded as if she had already prepared for something like that. “It’s possible that I may never be able to follow your teachings, Lord Angel. But I swear to give it my everything. I swear to never be a hindrance to you.”
What she just now said somehow reminded me of Charlotte. The girl with silver hair and red eyes who expressed her determination to serve under me.
…Now that I thought about it, she must be really worried about me by now. And I was kinda curious about how she was doing right now too.
A thin smile crept up on my lips after I began missing her. “I gotta say, it might get really complicated for you if you travel with me.”
The Imperial Prince of the Theocratic Empire and a princess from Aslan. Wouldn’t you agree that it’s a rather ill-fitting combination?
“How can that be? You’re the person who gifted us with renewed hopes and dreams, so how come…”
I tutted internally at Tina’s words that sounded like a flight of fancy. Hopes and dreams? Gimme a break.
Here was a group of slaves who continued to hold on even as they were mistreated and tormented by their so-called masters.
Some of these slaves used to be Necromancers. Not only that, others used to have a pretty scary-sounding job title such as a mercenary, hunter, or assassin, while the rest were experienced in various professions such as servants, maids, merchants, farmers, etc, etc…
Even without my help, these people would’ve survived perfectly well on their own.
“Besides, Lord Angel. You don’t know much about the kingdom’s ways, so allow me to guide you. Please let me serve you.”
When Tina said that, I glanced at Hans.
He made a troubled face while saying, “Ah, I’m merely planning to show you the way. I’ll be returning to this ruin right afterwards.”
Hans was asked to provide education to the people living here in return for Damon providing aid during the Alchemy research.
Of course, I figured that his real reason for sticking around would be for all those remaining treasures in this place.
I looked back at Tina. Having given this matter a brief contemplation, I did realise that a trustworthy guide was indeed a necessity.
“Do you know a way to reach the Theocratic Empire, though?”
Tina’s expression brightened instantly. “Yes! Of course. As soon as we reach the city, I’ll be able to guide you all the way to the border wall of the empire!”
“Well, I guess that will make this trip pretty short, then. I’ll be in your care until then.”
When I extended my hand, Tina gladly held it while her pointy ears perked up.
I turned my head towards Hans and asked him. “By the way, what’s the name of the city we’re heading to?”
He pulled out a map and a compass that seemed to be crafted through Alchemy. “We will travel north for a little while. When we do…”
He continued tracing his finger on the map before turning his head to me.
“…We should reach the city of slaves, Evelyum.”
**
(TL: In 3rd person POV.)
Crown Imperial Prince White Olfolse was currently walking on one of the streets found within the city of slaves, Evelyum.
There were innumerable tents set up here, and merchants selling slaves were noisily shouting out to advertise their ‘wares’.
“Oii, you there, good looking gent! How about this slave over here? She’s perfect for meeting your nightly needs! And her technique is an art in itself!”
“A boy? A girl? Regardless of what your taste is, we can meet it for you!”
The slave merchants all tried to engage White. Every time that happened, he could only smile awkwardly and wave his hands to declare his lack of interest.
He was sighing deeply at length.
It was proving to be quite challenging to travel in Aslan. Not only was the distance between different cities great, it was also uncommon to find small towns or villages along the way as well.
This country was so treacherous that if you got lost while traversing the barren wasteland, then you’d have to wander around for a few days until rediscovering the correct path if luck was on your side. If unlucky, though, you’d be left wandering until you died.
White stopped walking and stared at an flyer stuck to a wall. It was a notice of the list of merchant groups that would set off from the city in ten days.
If you paid them some amount of coin, they would guide you to the next destination.
White’s eyes drifted to another flyer next to the list.
[Coliseum, an arena of fierce combat! Challenge it with your martial prowess!]
He lightly tilted his head while reading the flyer. Now that he thought about it, Aslan seemed to have quite a lot of competition that utilised slaves.
When he stood there reading the flyers, an aged beggar squatting by the corner of the street cackled and began chatting to him. “What’s the matter, interested in that martial arts competition?”
White shifted his head to stare at the old man. The latter was begging the passersby with an empty bowl before him while his lower torso was covered in a dirty-looking blanket.
The old beggar was grinning at White.
The Crown Imperial Prince stared at the beggar, and while scratching the back of his head, pointed at the list of prizes for the winner written on the flyer. “I see that the reward is a Vampire slave.”
“Indeed it is. Isn’t it tempting? That’s basically the best magical energy source for a Necromancer after all!”
“Mm.”
“And also, a participant who’s not a slave receives some prize money every time he or she survives a round. Of course…”
The old man pulled off the blanket covering his legs. What showed up underneath was a leg wrapped tightly in bloodied bandages. It lacked any signs of vitality whatsoever. It was already a minor miracle that the leg itself hadn’t rotted away by now.
“…You might get greatly injured in the process,” the old man finished what he was saying.
White replied. “…Well, it’ll be good to interrogate a Vampire since I’m looking for someone, but unfortunately, I’m in a bit of a hurry, you see.”
“You’re looking for someone?” The old man tilted his head. “And you need a Vampire’s help to find this person?”
“Well, yes. The matters of my family are a bit complicated…”
White ruefully smacked his lips.
The old beggar stared at him with a puzzled expression before abruptly shifting his gaze towards the street over yonder. “Oh, looks like the new slaves that survived their recent rounds are going past us. They now need to survive nine more rounds to earn their freedom.”
White also turned his head after hearing the beggar. He saw the slaves being led away while chained to a bunch of skeletons summoned by the accompanying Necromancers.
The group was made up of all sorts of races. He even saw a Brown Orc amongst the old humans and young children. A few young men were also in the mix as well.
White stared at them and ended up smiling bitterly. He thought it was somewhat heartbreaking to see a particular young man getting led away. That young man just so happened to resemble one of his sons, that’s why.
“…Huh?!”
No, hang on a second – not just ‘resembling’, but that was really his own son!
The sobbing Third Imperial Prince, Ruppel Olfolse, was being led away by the Necromancers.
White stood there in pure stupefaction before urgently rubbing his eyes. He confirmed it several times, and without a doubt, that was definitely his son! A child he hadn’t seen in years!
The old beggar titled his head at White’s strange reaction. “What’s the matter?”
“No, well… The situation has gotten much more complicated, you see,” White groaned under his breath while replying. However, he still continued to glance at the slaves being led away. “Is it possible for you to tell me some things about this country? I’m not talking about the stories about the war, but… something more in-depth.”
“Well, what kind of stories are you thinking about? Not only some simple rumours, I happen to know other, juicier tales involving dastardly schemes that Aslan is trying to hide.” The old beggar grinned as his fingers began making a round sign. “However, it’ll cost you.”
“I only have enough for my travel expenses since I plan to travel a long, long way. However…”
White squatted down and matched his eye line with the old man. He glanced around to make sure that no one was paying them attention, and then, quietly placed his hand on the beggar’s broken leg.
He injected a little bit of divinity and the leg convulsed briefly.
The old man sucked in a deep breath as a sacred feeling coursed through his limb. He could feel his leg again.
The old beggar’s shocked gaze alternated between his leg and White Olfolse.
The leg that got diagnosed as crippled for the rest of his life was healed in the blink of an eye! How could there be such a miracle?!
White placed his index finger on his lips to signal the old man to pipe down. “And so, can you tell me those interesting stories now? Stories involving the martial arts competition, and all those schemes as well. I’m getting the feeling that there are some things I haven’t heard of before, you see?”
The old man animatedly nodded his head several times.
“I, I shall tell you anything you want. No, I shall tell you everything I know!”
< 073. City of Slaves -1 (Part One and Two) > Fin.
