Thudding sound waves entered Rupert's ear canal and soon hit his eardrums, causing them to vibrate and shake the bones in the middle ear. These vibrations then continued traveling through the fluid-filled part of the inner ear, transforming the outer world's energy into brain signals, giving Rupert the ability to interpret the world he lived in through the pitch, volume, and direction of the sound.

He woke up and looked around. A dozen people sat cramped together in the carriage, murmuring and whispering, looking gloomy. Shadows were cast upon their faces. There was a stench of sweat and piss in the air. The carriage body was metallic, and the rear—the opening—had metal bars. Confused by the situation, Rupert turned to the gorilla-looking lady beside him. Her muscles were well-developed, her face slightly round with big ears, nose, and lips. Her hair was neck-short, with a headband preventing her bangs from covering her face.

"What's going on? Who are you guys?"

The lady, deep in thought while staring at the carriage floor, didn't register Rupert speaking to her. He was ignored, so he asked once again.

"Hey lady, can you tell me what is going on?"

"Hmm? You talking to me, kid?"

"Yes. Why am I here, cramped up with you guys?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Have you lost your mind or something?"

"What do you mean? I'm sure I was tied up in some basement, and then the entrance opened up, and I crawled out, but I don't remember anything after that." He ran his hand through his hair, frowning as he tried to recall the events that had led him to this situation.

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"Huh? You were tied up in a basement? For how long?"

"I don't know, but I slept around two or three times, I think. It was dark, so I couldn't tell the time."

"Why were you tied in a basement in the first place? Were you kidnapped or something?"

"Yeah. I was naive and got robbed and left for dead."

"So you don't know what happened last night?"

"No... What happened last night?"

"Boy, I don't know if you're lucky or not, but it seems like you were saved by the very people who robbed you, while everyone else was massacred. You were lucky to have been tied up in that basement... Last night, the Elvian Empire attacked our town. We're the farthest town in west, and yet the elves' attack still reached us. Everyone here thinks the kingdom is dead, but I don't believe so. You were probably saved by the Elvian soldiers going around and dragging survivors out of basements. We are all the survivors of the attack."

She continued, biting her lip, closing her eyes in regret, her face wrinkling and her hands trembling.

"We survived by hiding in holes. How shameful and pathetic is that? I'm ashamed of myself... I hid away while thousands were blown up and ripped apart by explosions, I could hear their screams... I will not forgive the elves, no matter the reason"

Rupert took in all the information and sat in silence for a moment, thinking and sorting it out.

We were attacked by elves last night, and they killed everyone in town? How cruel... I was saved because I was in the basement? Me getting kidnapped turned out to be a good thing? Don't make me laugh. It was just a coincidence... But if I hadn't been trapped, I would have died in the explosions. I thought those vibrations were too much for a simple student brawl, turns out it was the sound of a massacre. I was far from the crowd, so I couldn't hear their screams of death... It must have been an awful sight to behold.

"So... are we like prisoners now?"

"Prisoners? Give me a break. We're no prisoners. We're going to be slaves. Why would they imprison such easily obtained slaves?"