You killed [*j&r!ss@xy#c? xen&@!)(w1] [Critical Error - data not found] [Level ???] You gained 1exp
[Digestation process] started.
If that would happen after killing every other monster I would most likely be at very least tilted.
But this time, I didn't really have the strength to raise my protest regarding injustice rewarding system. This time, it wasn't about exp or praises. This time, I felt empty inside.
Almost funny, I wasn't angry nor sad. Just... tired. As if something that I always had was suddenly gone... No, actually, as if something that I was always lacking finally filled me with emptiness.
Kim... how long were we together? Week? Two? And even in these two weeks... how much time did we actually talk to one another? Not enough - that's the only answer. I was busy with parties, potion-making, training or fooling out with Giselle, whenever I had some time to spare, you were the one who roamed the streets like a cat. Ha! I believe that you spend more time with Blanka or Lanele than with me. I was taken aback by your appearance, didn't how to approach you and end up not almost not approaching you at all.
... But it's fine now, isn't it? Now, we have a whole eternity to know each other.
- "T-the lord is gone... what will happen to us now?" the wolfman, probably the one who dragged Kim into this whole mess said aloud.
I wasn't mad at him, he only tried to save himself and those he treasured. If I was in his skin, I would most likely do something similar...
What about you indeed, my beloved slaves? I have stated numerous times while talking with Kim that I am definitely far from taking over Kim's place in this little "demon parade". I definitely wasn't going to leave everything behind to start a march full of smoke and fire setting free other camps of demi-humans and making a "beast paradise" in the heat of war.
No, I had other things to do. By now the information that some creature freed beast-men slaves and caused almost a war-state with one of the most secured cities in the country was bound to spread. Maybe, if I would go back and tell in the guild (of course knowing that guild would be quick to send the message further) that I got rid of that mons... of Kim, the situation would calm down?
It's at least worth trying...
But, in the end, the subject of ex-slaves safety wasn't meant to be abandoned by me, at least not just yet. Because when, if not now the third party had to make an appearance. I sensed it - the life forces. A small crowd entered the radius of my scanning field. Few dozen, no more, little to none magicians, weaklings - low scums and poor townspeople yet, as I would learn later, equipped in the weapon of quite decent quality - a gift from the nobles that Lanele was supposed to slow down?
Thought, work of Blanka was quite noticeable. They were exhausted. someone had to sabotage their movements for some time, and the identity of that someone was rather more than known to me.
- "Chief! Chief! Humans! Te humans are approaching the mountain! They are armed!"
- "Damn it! How many!?"
- "About fifty!"
- "Fuck! Most of our hunters and warriors are away! We send them to create fake leads... how did they found us!?"
That would be... most likely my fault. Mr. Chariman most likely attached to me some tracking spell and used that to coordinate movements of the crowd. In the end, they also wanted to get rid of the "annoying problem" that slaves were,
If they would openly talk about the dirty secret of slavery, the king would have to make an action as well as "repay" for the beast-men suffering. That meant the change in political force-layout. Nobles and merchants from the edges of the kingdom were either neutral pro-senate or pro-nobles (the king was smart enough to keep people faithful to him close), which meant that no matter who would be "punished" the royal fraction would benefit on it...
... that is unless the slaves wouldn't be marked as bandits and killed on spot, by "holding justice" townspeople that sought vengeance for the damage done to their home. That would be the end of the subject.
At least militia was not present. Good job, Giselle. Good job.
I felt gazes of a few demi-humans on myself. Their little society was made mostly of women, kids and injured. No one even stopped me as I walked toward the peak of the mountain. They were hoping for protection.
I didn't even bother to look back at them. Because, for fuck sake, how did they think that was going to work? They indoctrinated my clone and force me to fight, kill and eat it! Now I was supposed to say "Okie Dokie, no worries, I will protect you"?! Like hell...
I didn't want to fight - that would once again "spark" some silly ideas in their heads, like "we were not abandoned, we are still being lead by the devourer! We shall purge the world of impurity if humanity blah blah blah"...
Atop of that, I literally couldn't fight
You have forced your body and soul beyond your limits by accumulating and releasing excessive [mana] You will suffer a [Mana fever] in:
[00h 14m 48s]
Which means that I would most likely faint and be magically crippled for a day or two.
- "BROTHERS AND SISTERS! HERE WE STAND BEFORE THE GATE TO THE EVILS LAIR!" the zealot far below started yelling. His voice was resonating with echo across the area "... The criminals! Bandits! Murderers and incendiaries that set the fire in our city! That made hundreds of people die and suffer hide like maggots in these tunnels! It's our righteous duty to smoke them out! Justice is on our side!"
Should I just walk away... Not to speak that I won't deal with these many people in such a short period of time, and even if I could - these are indeed the townsfolk. If I would attack them the chairman could pull some nasty tricks against me.
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Something grabbed me by the edges of my robe and pulled me softly a few times. It was one of the kids I saved from Kim moments ago. A boy, his little sister was still hiding in shaman's embrace.
- "M-mister, are you the man grandpa told us that would free us? Grandpa said that if you would come neither me nor Mia would have to get hurt? P-please, even it that would be just for Mia that would be fine... so could you save my sister?"
All this time I kept on refusing. I knew it was happening, I saw it with my own eyes when Daralon took me via gates for a "men nights out" - the demihuman child being forced to hard, manual labor, being bitten for a slights mistake. Is this the time for me to make up my mind? To declare my side in the conflict?
... or maybe there was an option to deal with it without bloodshed?
- "Which one of you is your leader?" I asked in a soft tone one of the beast-men
- "E-elder Shaman is our spiritual guide, but since it all started Ravu been coordinating our group..."
- "That whole Rave, where is he?"
- "Here." a strong looking man of panther tribe approached
- "Was the huntress Maja someone of your tribe?" I asked reminding myself a hard time that mentioned demihuman and her squad gave me
- "She is my blood sister..." he quickly joined thread "... is she..."
- "Bruised, but alive, can't say the same thing about one of her companions thought..." He calmed down instantly "... how good are you with your sword?"
- "I have been using weapons since I started walking. Even in slavery, I was either a hunter or pit fighter - if it wasn't for their number and protecting the other people, I would kill them all alone... still, if it's for the sake of my these that followed me, blades of mine and my people are yours."
Three more men were quick to follow.
Four hunters. Not nearly enough to defeat the attackers.
- "You alone will be sufficient. Follow me..."
Once again I looked at the counter mercilessly measuring time till my body would say it had enough.
11 more minutes. Getting down took us another three, and even that mostly running.
- "... it's time lads! Let's pay these stinky sub-humans that they can't just bring violence to our city..."
- "Just as you are bringing violence to them right now?" I asked walking graciously from behind a mountain twist with panther man closely behind my back.
- "A human? What are you doing here with... it?" he addressed Rave "... wait, is it their leader? Did you bring him to us in advance? Good! That would earn you a coin and..."
- "I brought you no one with no intentions at all. My name is Zariel Whiteraven. B rank adventurer on a quest..." I lied, but not completely "... why are you interfering with my actions?"
- "You are lying! We checked - guild didn't start any investigation regarding this matter, otherwise we wouldn't be forced to take the matter into our own hands!"
- "Officially - no. The matter is too delicate to just nail the request to the quest board. In the end, not every day you hear about noble and merchants conspiracy regarding illegal activities... wait, you are here to clean up their mess, aren't you?"
Few of these people were here for money, few of them thought that they were heading for bandits. If they morales would be shaken, then from fifty maybe half would remain. Then I would have to keep on attacking their resolve till the crowd would disappear on its own. Or so I hoped.
- "No! We are here chasing the bandits that..."
- "Bandits? I didn't hear about any bandits around this area, in the end, its important trade route and guards patrol keep on dealing with them to secure the peace on the roads. How long it has been since last actual bandit hunting? Decade? Two?"
- "How would you call this half-human abominations behind you?! That we offered shelter in our city and they caused havoc with fire and flames?"
- "Victims. I was sent to take down a monster that used their anger and frustration to indeed start havoc. It was a medium rank demon that fed on fear. I exorcised it, unfortunately destroying the vessel it possessed in the process. Still, my job here is done, now, I have to start an investigation regarding slavery within the city of Sttotegard, and because you are clearly here to get rid of the evidence, I will have to question all of you. Return to your homes, you would be called in due time by the city guards... or royal guards, because I will have to inform the king about it..."
- "... that's not what i signed for... they were supposed to be bandits. Slavery? I mean, yes, I knew that it was going on among the richest but..."
- "Don't you see what he is trying to do?! He triest to shaken your resolve! I wouldn't be surprised if he was the devil he talked about! Come on lads! Did you already forget how many died in flames?! How much damage was done!?"
- "Don't get me wrong, I have no authority over you, if you decided to kill these people, I won't stop you I would just report in the capital that you are responsible for manslaughter. Genocide even. Then, I would let the legal authorities to deal with you."
- "And how would you know our names?!" I already saw the smirk on the crowd leader's face
You cast [Appraisal] skill
I raised my finger and point in his direction.
- "Thoman Henglew. The blacksmith..." I moved to the next person "... Richard Glejzy, the shop assistant; Stephan Konrard, Christine Sabez, Barthlew..." I kept on naming men and women alike with the power of cheat-skill.
- "I forgot to mention that we were investigating your group as part of proceeder, in the end, you are on the paycheck of the nobles suspected for treason against the crown. We send a mole among you, you families are currently being watched as well..." once again I mixed obvious truth with believable lies.
- "... I came here for action that was supposed to be legal. I don't intend to participate in any treason trial!" Someone yelled and turned away. Few were quick to join them.
- "But I won't..." some man around his forties said approaching the first line "... during that night, my wife was visiting her sister. She married a lower rank noble and were living in the lower nobility district. She died in flames caused by beast men! I... I have nothing left. And I don't care about treasons, about schemes nor punishments... I was walking to pick her up, so she wouldn't have to walk alone at night. I saw the beast-men setting house of her sister in flames. I heard her screams. I tried to save her but... But now... I have nothing left... I just want to...I JUST... I JUST!"
He was crying. Burn marks on his hands proved that indeed he was fighting with fire very recently.
- "Ravu? Do you want to say something?" I turned my head to the panther man
- "I, my sister and my people were born as a free tribe. We lived peacefully, hindering no one, until one night humans came, burned our houses, murdered everyone who resisted and captured rest. Last ten years I spend as a slave, in humiliation. Watched my sister and my wife being taken, raped and humiliated. That night a few days ago we were given the possibility to break free, and we used it, paying back everyone that we knew that was involved in slaver business. Killing your wife was never our intention... but, if it's only her death that had to be made in order to free my people of the life that your kinsmen force us to live - if I could go back in time I would do it again. Even more, I would personally strangle her to death while looking you in your eyes. You are all corrupted. You are evil. You are even worse than the actual monster. You want us to apologize? Do you want us to
- "Ravu..." I whispered in his direction making sure no one else could hear us "... if you would SHUT THE FUCK UP after first part, we had a really nice chance of dealing with it without drawing a sword, you know?"
- "Look in his eyes, oh elder being. No matter what I would say wouldn't change his mind. He came here to die. I just offered him a way to die with pure heart, thinking he was doing the right thing..."
Indeed. His eyes were the eyes of a man that lost everything and gave up his whole life. The man that was just looking for an excuse for death, because, according to the teaching of life - the suicide would deprive you of seeing your loved one after your death. And guessing by the sun pendant, he indeed was a worshiper.
- "Every act of aggression will be reported to his majesty... but, as long as matter in person, I will allow the one on one duels, are you fine with it?"
- "Aye." said Ravu approaching the center of clearing drawing his sword.
- "No! That beast-man is clearly a killing machine! We came to..."
- "Aye." said the man with dead eyes joining the Ravu in the imaginary arena.
The human wasn't a fighter, and even if he was, the pure difference in brute strength of a demi-human would be more than enough to dictate who would be a winner before the battle even started.
It was short, few slashes, few blocks, few dodges, and then two quick cuts - one to disarm and the other one to bring quick death. In didn't even last thirty seconds.
- "Go see your beloved, human, most of the beast-men never received the same generosity you just did." said Ravu uttering a quick prayer.
- "Anyone else wants to seek for satisfaction?" I looked at the counter.
1 minute. Not good.
The people started leaving the field,
- "Wait! Don't you see what's happening?! They have maybe five such warriors in total! If we all would move then..."
- "And risk dying as a traitor? Maybe you didn't check, but the punishment is either being broken by the wheel or racks! Not worth the money you offered us. Bah! The first thing I do is reporting to city guards and telling everything about you!"
Eventually, the havoc-maker was left alone.
- "You... YOU! My patrons will learn about it!"
- "It would be better if they wouldn't... even more, if you would happen to run away that would make it all even more suspicious, right?"
- "I will never betray my master!"
- "You don't have to betray anyone. All you have to do is to vanish and be never found again."
- "As I said, I will never do anything like that..."
- "I wasn't saying that to you."
- "Then to wh..." the blade came through his stomach from behind
- "To the person that was going to make you disappear, obviously. We will burn your body to the ashes and the official story would be that you went missing. Rest would be done by itself."
The man's body collapsed, behind him one of the remaining Ravu hunters was standing cleaning his blade.
- "T-thank you, oh elder one. I know that didn't want to get involved... and now I think I know why. Allow us to apologize for dragging you, and your brother in the blood into our mess... Still, we are grateful for what you did and... Elder being? Elder being?"
But I wasn't listening. Somewhere at the beginning of his speech, the counter hit 0 and the notification saying about [Mana Fever] taking its tool appeared. Then I fainted. Still standing on my legs.