Rebirth Of The Strongest Worldsmith

Chapter 418: Darkness

Lyrian got quick to work, being dragged around to various places to help with smaller chores that people needed him for.

He dragged more carriages, loaded a bunch of dark rock from the mountain onto other carriages, helps clean areas for more digging and more.

’These people work oddly hard for being forced to do this as slaves.’ Lyrian curiously mused to himself in the midst of his work.

’But then again...’ His face turned to look at a large wooden post set up in the middle of the worksite.

On top of this post was a man in a Black Petal Sect uniform who also carried a whip in his hands.

The whip was long, reaching over 100 feet in all directions of him.

This man dared to show his ugly face, revealing a slightly fat, dirty temple.

’I guess they will get beaten if they appear not to be working.’ Lyrian finished his train of thought.

"Oi, brat!" A man in his mid-forties called out from afar, spotting Lyrian in the crowd.

Lyrian quickly over over at the 6-foot-tall man whose body seemed to be more developed than the others’.

"You’re new... come." The man dropped his pickaxe and began walking toward the campsite where the tents and tin houses were.

They entered the only somewhat large marquee that there was, and inside were a few other people.

They looked to be getting food rations to the left, and to the right, there was a group of grown men facing a single young kid.

The man who called Lyrian over told him to go in front of this small crowd of men, standing alongside the other kid.

That was what he did, and after, Lyrian a chubby 16-year-old that was short in stature sniffled as he cried.

Despair filled his eyes as he wiped the snot off of his face, "This can not be!" He yelled in desperation.

"It can, and it is! Bad things happen, kid, you just have to learn to live with them!"

A man from the crowd sternly shouted at the fat teen, making him flinch slightly.

"B-but... I come from a noble background! My entire life is set up for me! I know who I will marry, where I will live, and even how many kids I will have! I do not belong working here with slaves!"

The kid blabbered in his speech of distress, but accidentally blurted those last words.

As soon as he did his eyes widened and he gasped.

"What the hell did you say!?" One of the men exclaimed in anger at that moment.

"Don’t fuck around, fat ass! Do you think you’re greater than us just because you come from a noble family? Look at you now! You’re no greater than a slave!"

As the fatty began to get bombarded by the aggressive remarks, another voice broke through the chaos.

"Stop it, all of you!" It was the man who called Lyrian over here.

As he spoke, facing the ground, everyone stared at him and didn’t make so much as a peep.

They all groaned slightly, not noticing the man appear since they were blinded by their anger for the fat teen.

"You call yourself men? Teaming up on a little brat like this? I thought you were trying to prepare him for the Dark Lands, not bully him into depression!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

He said in a strict and loud tone, causing the heads of the other men to lower slightly.

"Look Jeol... what he said was too disrespec--" Another man tried to speak, but the man addressed as ’Jeol’ abruptly interjected.

"Of course, he’s going to be disrespectful, but haven’t you gotten used to that by now?"

No one could say anything. Jeol continued.

"We are slaves," He emphasized the ’are.’ "We are tortured every single day. The brat isn’t wrong when he calls us that."

Heavy exhales filled the room.

"But..." Jeol faced the fat teen, "You are no better now. Understand that, and you will be able to live a bit more freely."

The fat teen seemed to consider it, but simply couldn’t get himself to identify with such a soul-crushing reality.

"No! I can’t! I had a whole life before this, you don’t understand! All you’ve probably known is the darkness! Have you ever even seen the sun!?"

He wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, but it sure came off as that.

Lyrian simply sat back and observed as this conversation continued.

The other men got railed up once again, shaking with anger.

"You--!" A younger man amongst the crowd attempted to say, but quickly restrained himself, looking down and to the side. He respected Jeol too much.

"The sun? Yes, I have fond memories of it. It was when I was 8 years of age when I was stripped away from my family. They were slain before my eyes when the Black Petal Sect captured me. They thought I had some potential, but It turns out I did not, so I have stayed working here for 34 years on end."

Hearing these words, the fat teenager gulped, his eyes widening as his pupils danced with shock.

He tried to imagine that life and found it even harder to imagine than his own current circumstance...

’Clearly, It looks like he tried to gain power from the looks of his body. He must have trained hard for many years, but failed in the end.’ Lyrian thought to himself, looking at Jeol’s eyes.

’Yet...’ Lyrian looked at the eyes of the other men, ’He’s the only one who seems to still not have lost hope.’

"Lyrian Theageld." Jeol suddenly said, looking at Lyrian as the other men did the same.

"That is this new kid’s name. It’s unfortunate to have someone so young here with us again, but we must make the best of what we can."

The other men agreed and nodded.

’Again?’ Lyrian thought to himself on hearing those words.

"Was there another young person who came here recently?"

"Oh? Well... yes. It was a small girl whose name I’d forgotten by now. I think her last name was... crystal or something like that?" Jeol answered as Lyrian’s brows furrowed slightly in surprise.

’Crystal? Ranthor’s last name is Crysalis... could it be a coincidence?’

"Are you sure it wasn’t Crysalis?" He inquired.

"Oh!" Jeol’s eyes lit up, "Yes, I think It was, actually. Why? Did you know her?" He spoke in a slightly somber tone.

"Yes," Lyrian quickly made up a lie, "Could you tell me where she is? I’d like to go meet her."

"No can do. She was taken for her talent in a magical art."

"W-what?"

"Yes, it was on the week she arrived. After showing some talent, she was allowed to enter the Servant Sect."

"I-I see..."