Free Web NovelChapter 26: Ch 26: Southern Capital [2]
There were two entrance gates to the Southern Capital - one where the general people needed to stand in lines to enter the city and the other gate was reserved for the important citizens - the nobles and rich included.
Enzo and the other three were lightly surprised when the man leading them skipped the large line and broke the line by pushing back the person at the front.
Then brandishing the golden token of the Imperial Family given by Valerie, they were able to enter the city despite the cries of the people standing in the line.
"Heh. Must have wound their pride seeing slaves enter before them." Smut snickered.
By now, they have truly realised the peril they were in. Each of their resolve have diminished totally and more so, after they had witnessed the cruel murder of eight of their brothers and sisters.
"You do realise that with every step inside the city, you are only strengthening the shackles around yourself." The soldier’s solemn voice reached their ears like a bucket of cold water, rinsing away whatever ego Smut had been high on.
The group fell into silence soon after. Gazes followed the four slaves in chains, being led by a Sihapi.
Enzo felt like they were being paraded across the city as if reminding them through the pitiful gazes of the people that they were prisoners in this empire, beneath the status of a mere commoner.
He might have been overthinking a bit too much but his instincts told him otherwise.
It wasn’t long before they left behind the bustling markets and the residential areas. After a short walk through long, winding paths, they soon emerged into a different section of the city. freewebnσvel.cѳm
They were now closer to the luxurious establishments and buildings. The air here seemed more refined and the people wore elegant robes; nothing too shiny but it still screamed of wealth and status.
If previously the gazes of the people from the markets had been varied, here only hateful expressions covered the faces of people and their very self radiated hostility.
"Lord Carlos."
The soldier leading them halted and bowed deeply to a man who had been blocking their path. He was wearing a multicoloured robe, his hands clasped at his back.
"What’s your purpose here?" The man spoke with a stern expression, his eyes narrowing at the site of the four captives. Not just to him but to anyone else, the group of four stood out like a sore ring in a hand full of dazzling ornaments.
"My Lord, I have been instructed to escort them to the Annual Isikolo Test."
Upon hearing the soldier’s polite and composed answer, Lord Carlos’s eyes lit up. A grin spilt his lips as he spoke, "Oh good good, you have arrived at the right time. Come along with me."
The Sihapi’s brows created in confusion as he muttered. "Sir? I know the route towards the test centre though."
"Fool", Lord Carlos facepalmed, "I just need to borrow these four for a little while. Just a little help and they are free to go with you."
The soldier’s lips trembled as he looked upwards the tilt of the sun. freēwebnovel.com
"I fear sir, they might get late if you take them right now."
Carlos’s eyes suddenly turned angry as he looked at the man with bulging eyes.
"Sihapi! Know your place. Have you forgotten how to talk to a person of a higher standing?"
"B-but the princess herself ordered it..." The soldier still tried to fight the casual misuse of power as he reached into his pockets for the token.
But Lord Carlos raised an open palm and stopped him from bringing out whatever he was about to. His expression though had smoothed into a business like smile.
"Whatever authority you have is not a concern of mine. That is, as long as you have not been asked to bring them to the test centre with the maximum speed possible..." He looked at the hesitating eyes of the soldier and was satisfied upon seeing the reaction.
"Since that’s not the case, come you four. The more you spend your time here defying me, the more you waste your time."
The soldier spoke through thinned lips. "Follow him and try to complete the task as fast as possible. We need to reach the place within an hour."
Lord Carlos them led them to a luxurious carriage. A man, likely the driver, stood guard. His collar however, had the signature slave collar.
A slave.
All the four of them exchanged glances with each other, finding a flimsy comfort at being able to find someone else of their status who wasn’t a barbarian.
"Alright!" Carlos clapped loudly as the five of them looked at him. "You have a simple task. Help my servant take out the crates. Oh, also place them inside the room." He pointed at a small one storeyed building behind him. At a warehouse.
As Lord Carlos walked away, humming something under his breath, Shen clicked his tongue.
"Just where have we got stuck at? Why is everyone here so damn annoying!"
Enzo ignored their complains as well as the other servant looking at them with pitiful eyes and stepped in front of the loaded carriage.
"Look at this man." He pointed at Carlos’s slave and then added, "I would suggest you to come here and do the work fast it you don’t want to face his fate. He was probably sold to that Lord. But we have a genuine chance at being admitted to the Southern Isikolo and become those grey armoured soldiers."
He looked them in the eyes as he finished. "Our fate shall be less cruel."
Half an hour later, the four of them trudged back to the waiting soldier. They were out of breath, having unloaded atleast a hundred of crates in total. The other servant, who had already looked so impoverished, had collapsed in the middle of the work.
At the end, they were the ones who had to do that man’s part of the task. For completely free. Lord Carlos hadn’t bothered to pay them a single penny.
Afterall who pays a slave to slave?
"Let’s go now. If anyone of you struggle to catch up with me, it’s not my responsibility. My task is just to escort you to the centre."
They walked again but this time the soldier walked briskly as if afraid they wouldn’t reach their destination in time.
The others struggled to catch up with the man, their exhaustion from earlier only deepening further.
"W-why...?" Shen muttered finally, his feelings getting the better of him. "Why are people here treated so pathetically? Why are we sold and moved around like cheap labour? How do people remain silent...?
The soldier without breaking his stride, stole a brief glance before answering. "It’s the hierarchy, lad. This is the way of our Empire. To question it is to face death. Mere revolts change nothing because in this land, the unity of delusional dormants is nothing against the absolute pillars of the Empire. It’s like expecting a candle to not flicker out in the face of a raging sandstorm."
"So if you are still assuming the ways of your forest would be applicable here, remove that thought from your mind. And for you sake, I advice you to not do anything reckless. Having your head on a decorative spire would be the last thing you would be worrying about."
