Volume 3 Chapter 20 (1/2)

Chapter 20 – Demon Continent

Author’s Note

After reading 19 chapters of Gun-ota there are some who were worried of it getting a “BL development”, “depression”, “dark hero”, “t.i.tle fraud”, or somesuch, so firstly allow me to say no to that. Please rest a.s.sured that I will not develop the story in that way. Chapter 19 was done in preparation of getting new heroines and weapons, but conversely it became a source of worry. That said, I think we will be welcoming the appearance of a new heroine within the next 3 chapters.

There are 6 continents in this world. The North Continent, where the White Wolf Clan lives. The Fairy Human Continent, where the Fairy Races (Elves and suchlike) and Humans live. The Beast Continent, where the Beast Races live. h.e.l.l Continent, where the Demon Lord is said to still live, sleeping. The Dragon Continent, where the Dragon Race lives. And lastly, the Demon Continent, where the Demon Races live.

Putting them roughly, if you put the North Continent at 12 o’clock, the Fairy Human Continent will be at 10 o’clock. The Beast Continent at 8 o’clock. h.e.l.l Continent at 6 o’clock. The Dragon Continent at 4 o’clock. And the Demon Continent at 2 o’clock.

About 1000 years ago there was a war between the union of the Fairy Races, Beast Races, and Humans against the Demon Races. The cause of the war was discrimination and hatred towards the Demon Races.

The customs of the Demon Continent are very different from that of the Fairy Human Continent or the Beast Continent.

There are many races that can’t be distinguished from monsters, like Two-Legged Lizards, Four-Arms, and Centaurs. The discrimination against the Demon Races (especially against the Demon Races with strange appearances) was deep-rooted at the time, and as a result the war escalated into a worldwide scale.

Though there are some lingering resentment, nowadays discrimination against the demon races is not so openly done, and relations between the continents had cooled down enough to do trade.

As an example of the goods being traded, ‘From Demon Continent to Fairy Human Continent’ would be minerals like gold, silver, copper, iron, and magic stones. ‘From Fairy Human Continent to Demon Continent’ would be foodstuffs like sugar, wheat, and so on.

The Fairy Human Continent also exports slaves to work the Demon Continents’ ore and coal mines.

I was sitting, hugging my knees in the hold of a s.h.i.+p, together with those coal mine slaves.

There are of course female slaves, but since the male and female quarters are separated there is not much conversation between them.

But I had never even in my wildest dreams ever imagined I’d be sold as a slave. I was having my just desserts for overly relying in my modern weapons: “whatever happens I’ll be fine”―――but this is too much for just one failure.

“If I could, I want to smack the me that got too c.o.c.ky that day….”

But no matter how much I mull over what’s past, nothing would change.

I stopped moping over the past, and tried to escape from the s.h.i.+p. But the s.h.i.+p left no openings to escape.

The s.h.i.+p we were in travelled straight, as if crossing the central sea. The s.h.i.+p went by way of the Beast, h.e.l.l, and Dragon continents, dropping off goods for sale at those continents. Then it picked up new goods to fill the empty s.p.a.ce, and went on to the next continent.

Upon reaching each port and exchanging goods, the s.h.i.+p anch.o.r.ed for up to 20 days, letting the sailors rest.

I thought to escape while we were at port, but there was absolutely no chance of that.

Magic prevention chokers were well attached to our necks. Thanks to that it became impossible to use body strengthening to slip out, if we try to pick the lock without sufficient skill it will cast a fatal spell on us. It will kill us unless we unlock it with a special key.

The entrance to the s.h.i.+p’s hold was constantly manned by 2 sailors, standing guard in s.h.i.+fts. Even if all the slaves were to tear down the door, the sailors would say the keyword and the chokers would tighten, suffocating all the slaves.

Once we were out at sea, we were allowed to go up on deck. In fact, we were recommended to get some sun in order to keep us healthy.

Even if we chatted while sunbathing on deck, the sailors won’t get abusive or rough us up. On the contrary, we could get friendly with the sailors and get a share of luxuries like tobacco or booze.

Basically, slaves are treated well. It seems they don’t want our prices to go down because of wounds.

For food, we would mainly get bread twice a day, accompanied by salted meat and something like pickled vegetables.

At first it was hard for me, because of having gotten used to three meals a day. But once I had gotten used to it, it was no longer distressful.

The number one most inconvenient thing was the rationing of fresh water. Though they can conjure up fresh water since there’s a magician on board, the slaves basically get no more than a washbasin’s worth of water a day.