Vol 2 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3

Chapter 2, Episode 3: Zorosta

(TL note: Kanji provided is “demons” or “demon tribe”)

Imperial Year 1023, July 14

Having arrived in Links, Hiro visited Margrave Grinda’s mansion

This is Hiro’s second visit here This tiuest room on the first floor

The room is surrounded by walls on all four sides, and from theon the west side, you can look down on the north district where the upper class citizens reside

It can be gathered froures of people that those who evacuated have returned

Now that the flauished, it see back its prosperity

Looking back into the rooy sofa

Sitting across across a table fro behind hi his last visit

He regularly serves as Margrave Grinda’s aide, and is also the steward of the mansion who supervises all its employees

「Going to the Iecoach you say…」

Said Margrave Grinda

After gulping down soht by a maid, he smiles

「I’ll prepare one right away When do you plan to leave?」

「I’d like to leave today if possible…」

「Are you in that much of a hurry? I don’t think there’s a proble for one day」

「There’s so else I’d like to do quickly, too…」

It’s best to gain some distance from that woman, even if only a little

If she’s coet involved

(… But that was a presence I’ve felt somewhere before)

Seeing Hiro lost in thought, Margrave Grinda narrows his eyes and looks as if he’s probing for so

But he soon shtly clapped his hands

「Kult, bring me a pen and parchment」

「Understood」

Kult bows, exits the door to the hallway, and turns back around

After bowing once more, he quietly closed the door and disappeared

After watching hih his breast pocket

「Now… even if you use an express coach, it takes five days to reach the I without any food or drink, now can you?」

Margrave Grinda placed a plain bag on the table

「Use this to buy food and water」

「No, I can’t have you do all this for me…」

He received just a small amount of funds from Tris for his journey

Eight silver dratz coins

It’s not enough to keep him in luxury, but it’s plenty for him to reach the Imperial capital

Nowhich Margrave Grinda pulled out was even more than that

As he tried to refuse politely, Margrave Grinda reached his hands out

「No, no, there’s no need to hold back You’ve done a lot for us Andh to repay you, but how about it? Won’t you accept it?」

Though Margrave Grinda wore a kind expression, his eyes showed that he had no intention whatsoever of giving in

It seeuood will

「&

hellip; Thank you very much」

Hiro bowed his head, then put the s into the pocket of his uniform

Margrave Grinda watched hi pleased, but then…

「And if I consider how you’ll be cli the social ladder, it’s not a bad idea to take care of you while I can」

Unbecoentleman, he wore an expression which clearly exposed his ulterior motive

Seeing that, Hiro strains a smile

「I will do my best to meet your expectations」

「Haha, I’ll be waiting with high hopes」

At that moment, Kult returned He places a pen, ink, and parchrave Grinda

Margrave Grinda sest he is not new to this

「Hand this to the stagecoach attendant」

Because the ink was not yet dry, he handed him the parchment as is

「I’ll prepare the fastest coach The ride will be that h」

The road which the stagecoach runs on is ed by the country and is called the Imperial Way

Other than being regularly maintained, there are rest areas at fixed distances, and there are stalls at each one which sell food and water

There are forts in the vicinity of each rest stop and guards are constantly on patrol so that they are not attacked by bandits or monsters This allows for safe journeys, which the citizens appreciate

「Be careful out there」

Hiro heads for the station after being seen off by Margrave Grinda

Although the sun is glaring down and baking his skin, a cool, refreshi+ng breeze gently caresses him

While walking away froht him this far

It looks like it’s cooling off in the shade, so he leaves without calling out to it

He must rely on the shi+ryu’s aid once more when he returns from the Imperial capital

(I need it to rest up until then)

After passing through a ate hite walls on either side, he climbs down a slope and enters the north district where the upper class resides

From there, he passes by the relay station, turns the corner at the bar which is bustling with excitement from the victory the other day, and heads north

He co a lawn co into view

Within the fence were dozens of sturdy horses being raised for use with the coaches

A short distance fros painted red

(The Ied froo)

A visit to the Imperial capital after a 1,000 years

Back then, it was still called the royal capital He’s excited to see how it’s changed since then

Hiro felt his heart racing from the anticipation

Territory of the Lichtein Dukedom

There is a port city called Ilnis at its southern tip

It’s a port city bustling with fishere bounty of seafood harvested there However, there is also bloodlust mixed in the atmosphere

Reason being that there are boats with slaves from various countries which come to Ilnis

A little ways off from the port where many of the slave shi+ps drop anchor, there is a coast where the fishermen land their boats

In front of a rest area set up on a rocky space, there were soloomy faces

「That’s what I thought You can’t pick a fight with the Grantz Grand Empire」

「That’s right Sure enough, the heir to the duke fa」

「Even if we’re at the southern tip, if the Grantz Grand Eer」

「Even after having his first and third sons die, it see to attack the empire」

「How stupid Does he have to die to learn…?」

A voice interrupted the fishermen ere dejected about their futures

「Soirl!」

A plu across the beach

The irl

「Again,」 the fisherhed to each other as they shook their heads

This isn’t an unusual scene at all

This is because slaves who are sold off, or citizens who are stripped of their citizenshi+p, run away from slave traders from time to time

That dark-skinned young girl is probably another one of those cases

「Want to grab her?」

「All those slave traders do is argue They won’t give us any money」

「Forget it Let’s get some booze for now and watch the show」

「Thenaway—」

As they began to place their bets, the slave trader yelled out

「I-If you catch her, I’ll give you 20 silver dratz coins! But don’t hurt her!」

The expressions on the fishere

「Alright, I’ll catch her and buy you guys some drinks」

「My ants new clothes」

「Anyway, let’s go catch her」

As each rab her They soon catch up to the young girl

Being used to the beach andgirl

The young girl spoke while her face twisted in fear

「P-Please… step aside」

「Sorry Our livelihood’s are on the line here, too」

「What a waste You probably would’ve grown into quite a fine woman, too」

Having becoirl would not see adulthood

This is because most are unable to withstand their cruel lives and they die before they do

But they’re still treated the same way

In the end, they’re slaves If they die, the owner simply buys another one

「Haa… Haa… Haa… da me all this trouble!」

The frog-faced slave trader finally caught up

He recklessly grabs the young girl’s hair

「Ahh!」

He pushes her onto the beach and stomps down on her head

The beach with the sun blazing down on it is not a place to run on bare feet

Even the fisher sandals

Without a doubt, anyone would struggle if they had their face pressed against that sand

But with the slave trader as five tiirl could escape the heat

「Ugh!」

「The next time you run away, I’ll kill you! Remember that!」

「Hey, hey, weren’t you the one who told us not to hurt her…?」

The fishermen stare at the slave trader with shocked faces

「Hmph, it’s fine if it’s me Just me」

「If you say so We caught her, so hand over the reward」