Despite any reservations I may have about all of this, the papers get signed, bags packed, introductions made, and we all head out of town soon enough.
As it turns out, all thirty two of us are in one party. Because when party size limits aren't artificially enforced for game balancing, party sizes are... sort of meaningless, now that I think about it... Not to mention parties are just a vague concept, nothing enforced by any celestial magic outside of my party window, which I suspect is just a fancy way of displaying Scan results-
When it hits me, I practically trip over my own feet, to the jeering of a few nearby altraskans, especially one who has a slave of his own, just to carry his things. Fuck I'm dumb!
Facepalming, Master Liina is already asking what's wrong.
So I explain. How I've been trying to push the Scan magic to get more out of it this whole time, but as soon as I stop to think about it, I've already done that.
Master Liina looks really amused as I finish. “So what, you just need to try Scanning the same way that you did when you got the Party info?”
“Yeah, if I could practice with that I think it would help, but...” I lower my eyes a little. “I don't really remember what that was like because I wasn't focusing on it at the time. I would... probably need to do it again...”
“Hehe, is that all?” Huh? But that means I would need to Scan her again... How is she fine with that? It feels terrible... “You still worry too much, I'm fine with a couple Scans if it lets my precious slave figure out her magic better.”
“Master...”
My response makes Master Liina laugh and rub my head. “So, are you going to do it now?”
“W-well...” I glance around, then shake my head. “I don't know how Parties really work. We're in a party with all of these other people now, so I don't know how that might interact with Party magic. It could...” I gulp nervously at the thought. “...Scan all of them...”
Master Liina grimaces at the thought too. “Yeah, that would be a major transgression, do not do that.”
I nod stiffly. “Yes, Master.”
“We'll just have to give it a go later, after the quest.” She gives me a consoling pat.
“My my, a talkative one, isn't she?” a man's voice suddenly interrupts. We both turn to see... ugh...
It's the other slave owner. He's a cat-altra, the very furry kind with an animal face and everything. He's kind of mottled gray, with gear similar to Master Liina's, so he's probably a fighter, but... I eye some of the runic markings here and there, especially on the hilt and sheath of his sword. Are they just enchanted or is he some sort of magic-fighter class?
While the conversation begins to unfold, I throw a few Scans at his gear and based on the magic bonuses here and there, my guess is correct.
“I don't see the appeal, enslaving one of those high and mighty humans, just to let them continue yammering on like they do,” he shakes his head sadly.
“Ahh, I don't have to worry about anything like that from mine. She's a good girl.”
“Hmm...” The man looks unconvinced, but Master Liina doesn't seem to mind. But it's the man's slave, the woman carrying a big pack with all of his things, that catches my eye. Why is she glaring at us...? “I guess she's a high rating then? What is she?” the cat-altra asks.
Master Liina smiles thinly. “Yes, she has a high rating. Yours?” she asks, directing his attention at the glaring slave. I guess Master Liina caught it too.
When the man turns to see her, he swings. We both flinch, then the blow lands, a slap across the face that sends her staggering a few steps away. While I'm still cringing, I notice a few eyes turn our way at the sound, who... start grinning...
“That's rude, Tess! If I catch you glaring at strangers one more time, so help me...” he threatens. She's shaking and grimacing, eyes on the ground, but the fire in them, is she scared or angry?
Either way, she answers, “Yes, Master,” like she's spitting the words at him.
“Sorry,” he huffs, turning our way again. “Just enslaved her on my last quest. Was a hell of a fight to bring her down, so she's willful, might take a while to break her.” He offers a shrug, but his words... I gulp. No one ever put the process of taking human slaves in this world so plainly before...
Based on his description, she was a powerful adventurer until she lost a fight to him, and now she... carries his bags...
For someone so strong, the resentment and shame must be unbearable...
I can hardly bring myself to listen through the rest of their small-talk. This reminds me of all my problems with slavery in general. I may be a good fit for it since I'm so broken, but how could you do that to a normal, willful person with pride in themselves and their own strength?
And he said he hasn't broken her yet. Like what, her mind? Body? Her will? I... don't know if I want to know...
The other thing that bothers me is... none of this seems to bother Master Liina. She treats me so well and protects me. How do I square that with her ambivalence toward human suffering in general? Does she only care about me? Does the suffering of other humans not matter to her?
I... guess it wouldn't. I'm an otherworlder, and I'm hers. They're her hated enemies. Why should I expect her to care about them?
Because... I don't know, because it's basic decency? Caring about the suffering of others!
I think I'm still applying my own cultural values here, I remind myself. I have to remember, this is a very different place from where I grew up. The people here have a blood-deep grudge against humans. I can't keep expecting them to feel empathy for the human slaves. They don't, explicitly because they hate them and enjoy seeing their hated enemies suffer...
That brings my attention back to Master Liina. Her father was one of those hated slaves.
And her mother... Her mother had children with that man. Even though he was her slave? What did Master Liina's mother think of humans...?
Thankfully, the man and his slave eventually move away as we all walk.
It isn't long after that, Master Liina asks, “Yumi, what are you thinking about?”
I bite my lip. Talking about this feels awkward. But I already know I have to tell her, so I speak before she makes me. I tell her what I was thinking about. Her, her father, her mother.
It feels weird, asking about someone else's parents. I keep having to remind myself that normal people can have decent relationships with their parents, and not to project my own biases onto their families. From the sound of it, Master Liina's mother loved her and taught her well. At least, in her treatment of slaves...
By the time I'm done awkwardly mumbling through my thoughts, she has a look somewhere between confusion and amusement.
“Yumi, you worry about the silliest things sometimes.”
“I'm sorry, Master.” I lower my head a little, but she gives me a pat.
“It's fine. You're right, I hate humans as much as anyone else. But that's because humans are terrible, vile creatures who mistreat my people.” Hearing her put it that way makes me wince, even though I know she's referring to Verilz humans.
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“But once they're slaves, it's fine, because they can't harm my people anymore. Slaves are fine as long as they act properly. That's why I took you, I knew you would be a good, proper slave because of your high rating. Of course I didn't know at first, but you being an otherworlder means I never need to worry about you looking down on my people either.”
I've never seen this side of Master Liina before. She's always shown me how caring she is and how important it is that there's a good master-slave relationship between us, so I never saw just how much she hated humans. Like a switch flipping between her reactions to them.
I'm still scared to ask, but now I have to know. “M-Master... Why do humans and altraska hate each other?”
That catches her off-guard. “Huh? What do you mean, why?”
“Well, you've mentioned before that humans mistreat your people. Is it just that both sides enslave each other? Or is there more to it than that?”
“Oh, I'm surprised you don't know about this yet,” she notes.
“I... never worked up the courage to ask before...”
“Heh,” she chuckles deep in her throat and rubs my head. “So, here's how it is. The sun-races and the moon-races have hated each other since longer than anyone can remember. And it all comes down to arrogance. The sun-races are gifted with longer lives than the moon-races.”
I nod a little. I know about that, but... are they arrogant just because they live longer?
“Besides living longer, they claim to be more intelligent than us moon-races, though we don't believe it. They look at us like uneducated animals.”
“Oh.”
Now I know why calling them 'animal-people' is so offensive.
“That's why they're vile. They arrogantly look down on us and claim to be superior, and use that as a reason to kill and enslave us. So we do the same right back.”
So... the altraska – and other moon-races, I remind myself – they're all just defending themselves from the sun-races? Just responding to hatred with hatred.
As a third party looking in, I can see that there might be another side to the story. The humans and elves might actually have their own reasons for hating altraska, likely because the altraska also kill and enslave them. There are way too many stories like that from history. Two sides that hate each other because they hate each other. The origin of their conflict long since forgotten.
I don't know for sure, not without getting more information. Are humans here really that arrogant? Is it an altraskan prejudice? How could I find out?
By talking to a human, of course. But the only humans around are slaves. Like that one...
Nearly choking on my trepidation, I ask, “M-Master...?”
“Yes?”
“C-could I, umm....” I shiver, having trouble meeting her eyes. I feel like asking will make her mad, so I start fumbling my way through an explanation. “It's, it's umm, not that I don't believe you, but there are a lot of Earth stories about cultural clashes fueled by hatred and prejudice of both sides. So, umm, I sort of wanted to see if I could get the other side of the story if there is one...”
“Mmm...” she's already frowning. She doesn't like where this is going.
“No, no, you're right, I'll just...” After that displeased look, I give up on the idea and stare at the ground.
Her voice is still wary. “Yumi, I know how much you care about gathering knowledge. Tell me, do you really want to know?” With her direct command, I know I can't lie to her now. I nod stiffly. “What do you have in mind? What do you want to do?”
I'm practically shaking. Of course no one's ever said it explicitly, but I know this is a terribly improper request to make. “I... want to talk to that man's slave...”
She sighs. She doesn't even scold me because it's clear I already know. “Just this once. I won't have you making a habit out of something like this.”
“Yes, Master.”
“And expect to get punished for being selfish later.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Now, come on.”
For the first time, we're the ones to approach another slave's master to talk.
“Hey, I've got a weird request,” is the first thing she says to the cat-altra.
One eyebrow quirked, he asks, “What kind of weird?”
“The inappropriate kind,” she sighs, then says it. “I would like you to allow my slave to talk to yours.”
He scoffs. “Let two of those monsters talk to each other? Why?”
“She has a good reason for it. I'll give you thirty silver too, if that helps.”
“Master?!” I didn't think she'd have to pay him for this! She plops a big hand on my head to silence me.
“How does that sound?”
The man considers for a few seconds before shrugging. “Fine. May as well make something off of her when I have the chance.” He jerks his head at his slave to get her to move.
“Alright Yumi, go right over there to talk,” Master Liina instructs, pointing to a spot just off to the side of our traveling caravan.
“Yes, Master.”
Wordlessly, we pull away from the group, just the two of us. Far enough not to be overheard, but still within line of sight.
Then the slave woman speaks. “Hah! Your good little slave act really has that mutt wrapped around your finger, doesn't it?” My mouth falls open. “Maybe I should try that out, see if I can get the cat to lower his guard.” She rubs her chin with a small grin. “I can't kill him myself, but I'm sure I could talk him into getting in over his head. Wouldn't notice until it's too late, and then I'm in the clear.”
Suddenly turning back to me, she asks, “Hey, this quest is supposed to be dangerous, right? If shit hits the fan, Thanifa is just a few days east of here. I've been there a couple times before. If we work together, we might be able to get out of this. Sound good?”
“Uhhh....”
I feel my entire world-view shifting.
The people I met in Emriset weren't like this.
They didn't act like this.
I close my eyes. They didn't have slaves in Emriset.
The only ones I saw were the one pair who had a good relationship with their master.
Is it a regional thing? Does Emriset have better people because they aren't always fighting the altraska?
Or did they just act like that because I'm human like them?
“Hellooo....” The woman shakes me a little. “Revilz to... what's your name?”
“Yumi,” I answer stiffly.
“I'm Tesneretta, nice to meet you.” She smiles pleasantly, so at odd with her previous words. “It's good to see another sane human around.”
“R-right...”
“What's wrong?” She tilts her head as she looks at me closer. “You don't look like the ones they've broken already...” Suddenly, she flinches. “Shit, you aren't a beast-bred, are you?”
“Umm, no?” I've heard similar terms a few times and I have a good guess to its implications, as much as I don't want to imagine it...
“Whoo, good. Then what's wrong? That bitch drug you or something? You seem really out of it.”
I finally shake my head. Enough of this. “I'm an otherworlder.” Now her mouth falls open. “I want you to tell me, what do you think of them? Why do you hate them?”
“The- the fuck? They enslaved an otherworlder?!”
“Shh! Shh!” I quiet her. She's shouting loud enough for them to hear us. I fix her with a serious look and say, “It's a long story, I just want to know why you hate them.”
“Because they're big stupid animals!”
Shit, there it is.
“All they do is attack our people!” she waves an arm at them. Once she gets going, she can't stop herself. “They're worse than the monsters! It's only right that we try exterminate them, but they multiply so damn fast it's like crushing fucking cockroaches!”
“Ahh, I understand.” I say, lowering my gaze.
“Good.” She huffs a little, sounding ugly and satisfied. “I hope this means...” but she trails off when I turn and begin to walk away. “Hey!” She runs to keep up with me as I march back over to the caravan.
When I reach Master Liina, still with the cat-altra, she asks, “Did you learn what you wanted to learn?”
I grab her sleeve weakly, staring at the ground. “Yes. Master was right. Humans are terrible.”
I can't believe it. It's not just some endless blood-feud. Not a war with two opposing viewpoints or just meaningless cycles of revenge.
In this world, humans are the bad guys.
Despite my sullen mood at my discovery, Master Liina gives me a smack, as promised. Then she sighs and comforts me while we continue down the road.