"What do you mean by that? Who untied her?" The tank asked.

I still didn't know that man's name.

Zach frowned. "What I said. I pulled her to camp tied up. As far as I know, when you put a collar on her, she was tied up. Who untied her then?"

"I didn't," Suzan said.

"Neither did I," Trevor said.

Sil looked around. "Why are you looking at me?"

The group stopped, and its leader stormed towards me. Before I could do anything, he grasped me by the neck.

"Who untied you?" He asked with a growl.

"I don't know," I said.

It's not easy to talk when someone is holding you by the neck and looking at you with killing intent in his eyes. I really didn't know the answer to his question. I didn't realize it myself until the rogue mentioned it. As he said, I was tied up until the slave collar was put on me. Then the pain came, and when I woke up, the ropes were gone.

"Who untied you?" He asked me again. His grip around my neck tightened.

"I really don't know," I told him.

It was now hard for me to breathe; my eyes started to water.

"Does it matter?" Healer Suzan asked." Now that she has a collar, she won't run anywhere!"

"True," said the tank, releasing me. "Let's go."

On his order, the group began to move again. That wasn't a pleasant experience.

With each step, my hunger grew stronger. The volume of a rumble of my stomach increases as does its intensity. Rogue probably had more sensitive hearing than the others because he started to complain about it. That others just ignored me. He surprised me when I got a piece of old bread from him instead of a punch.

It wasn't a big piece. It was dry, and I had nothing to drink. Still, I was incredibly grateful for this piece of food. I was starving, and although the bread could not entirely satisfy me, my hunger was driven away. It wasn't as good bread as it could be. It was an old piece of bread, probably just hours before it began to mold. But it was something my taste buds hadn't felt in days. On the one hand, I ate it with disgust, on the other with gusto.

When I finally stopped thinking about anything other than how hungry I was. I realized I hadn't completely read the system messages. So I looked.

(ding) You learned new skill [Keen Eyes LV 1]

Yeah, I knew that.

(ding) Second class was given to you [Slave LV 1]

This was not good. I really was a slave. It was confirmed here, right in front of me.

(ding) You gained third class [Bearer of Legends LV 1]

What? Third class? Another, huh? From when it was so easy to get another class. Shouldn't there be a typical progression like reaching the level of a hundred in the first class or something? After fulfilling the harsh conditions, either upgrade the existing one for the better class or get the second one. I had three now. It was much harder to gain some abilities and levels in them than get a new class.

However, there was no time to draw premature conclusions. What was next?

(ding) The ownership of the Slave Collar was changed to you.

Eh? What? How? I was baffled now. Why was the ownership of the slave collar changed to me? What did that mean? Was this normal? No, I could tell this wasn't normal. The owner should logically be a slaver, not the slave herself. Wait! So did that mean I was a slave to myself? My own master? That does not make sense. But that would explain why I didn't have the urge to obey the tank's orders. Why could I talk when he forbade me to do so.

Now I really wish there was some more description of things in the system.

However, as before, my pleas were not heard.

There were no other entries in my System Log. Nothing to explain the disappearance of ropes. But as the healer said, it didn't matter. Other slaves weren't tied with ropes. Collars were enough.

The system disturbed me once more in a few hours of walking through the woods.

(ding) Barefoot walking reaches LV 3

Yay. But I'd rather have a pair of shoes.

The sun was already setting when we reached our destination. It was the slaver's main camp. There were dozens of tents among the trees, and even more of slavers moved among them. A large campfire burned in free space in the middle of the tents. As we walked through the tents, the slavers began to greet each other and admire their catch.

"Three doves, nice…"

"Nice cat."

"Look at that ass."

"I'd like that lass."

It was disgusting and uncomfortable for me to listen. So I tried not to think about what awaited me here because it made me shiver.

We arrived in front of a large tent, in front of which stood two men.

The tank didn't look at them, but also didn't go into the tent.

"Boss," he called. "We came back with a nice catch."

No one answered him back, but in a moment, a man as huge as the tank himself emerged from the tent. He was wearing only pants. He looked at the group of slavers in front of him and then at the slaves themselves, on me. His eyes fixed on me, and he kept looking.

"Francis, why did you give her the collar?" He asked the tank.

Was his name Francis? Really? It was the first time I heard it.

He scratched his neck. "We didn't have more ordinary ones with us."

"So you used a collar of legendary quality on someone like her - it was enough to tie her up!" Boss shouted at him.

"But, boss..."

"Do you know what it's worth? One hundred times more than your slaves combined. I explicitly told you to use it in cases where you manage to capture someone so strong, that ordinary collars will not be enough."

Francis nodded. "Yes, Boss"

He was like a lamb. His dominant behavior from before was gone entirely in front of this man.

"You'll change it on her tomorrow and return this one to me. It was a mistake to give it to you," he said, looking at me again. "Look at her. She looks like an animal. Did you find her somewhere in the cave? Skinny, no breasts, and what kind of rags she's wearing? We will be happy at all if we get something for her!"

His evaluation was not very flattering. I knew I wasn't a model, and those few days in the wilderness definitely didn't add to my beauty. Skinny? I ate healthy, only the last few days, my diet here was more inadequate. That I look like an animal? Yeah, my hair was messy, but I didn't have a comb, just a toothbrush.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Fortunately, his eyes turned away from me, and he began to evaluate the other slaves.

"Nice cat. Lynx, if I'm not mistaken. This one earns us some gold at the market. There are plenty of people in Iyfa who have a weakness for a beastwoman," Boss said.

Then he looked at the man. "I'm sure we'll find some lady to buy you too. If not, we'll sell you to the mines.

"But you, you are someone to my liking," he said with a smirk at the last slave girl. "Beautiful long legs, big tight ass, tits that I can grab properly. You're lucky I already have another job in the tent."

"What about them, Boss?" Franicis asked.

Boss frowned. "Put them in cages. We'll pack up here in the morning and move out. It's starting to stink here."

"I understand," he nodded.

I did not. Yes, it stank here. Air was full of smelly odors. Human sweat, rotten flesh, feces, and I didn't even want to think about what was pouring out of the slave leader's tent. But I was sure this was not what he meant.

The tank led us to the cages. They were two wagons with iron bar cages on them. Seven other people were already sitting in one car with slave collars on their necks. In the second, there were only three men to whom they locked us up. Like the others, I sat on the floor and kept quiet. No one was allowed to speak, and even though I could, I was not so brave. It wouldn't help me. Just as I could have tried to escape, but my chances were slim. These people were used to hunting other people. They were on a much higher level than me and had much more experience.

I don't know how long the men have been here, but it's been long enough that they really reeked. Although if I hadn't taken a bath in that leeches infested lake, my smell wouldn't have been much better.

I tried to ignore it. I had other problems like the pain in my stomach. Yes, I was hungry again. But the pain was not from hunger. I was really sure now that I was suffering from constipation. Taking it from the better side, I didn't have to deal with the toilet. The problem, however, was that I needed to pee. But where could I?

Asking the guards came to me as a bad idea. I didn't want them to find out that their slave collar didn't work. Peeing here, in front of all those people? I was in the wild for a few days, but that doesn't mean I lost my shame.

The flow of my thoughts was interrupted when the cage door opened, and one of the slavers pointed at me.

"You out, you're going to have some fun tonight with us," he told me.

At that moment, my heart stopped. I panicked. But I had no idea how to get out of this situation. I couldn't break through to freedom. That was impossible. All I had to do was hope for a miracle.

I got up slowly and went outside. I lingered, and the man had to push me among the other slavers. They were gathered around the fire and had a loud fun. Given their situation, I was surprised that they weren't careful about trying to hide. The Boss sat on a wooden throne with a naked woman kneeling beside him on the ground. I didn't see much in the light of the fire, but her black eye could not be overlooked.

Now I really started to panic. What did they want to do with me? It was clear that this could only end in one way. They wanted to rape me here. But why me? The other slaves were much prettier.

"Okay, people, we finally have her here," Boss said, pointing to me. "I don't think we'll get more for her than we would for damaged goods. So we will have some fun with her today."

His speech was appreciated by loud shouting and approval.

I was terrified so much that warm urine began to run down my thighs. At least one problem has been solved.

"Hohoho - look what you did, she's scared of you," Boss said, laughing. The others laughed with him.

"You will enjoy tonight a lot," the slave boss told me. "Take those rags off her!"

At that moment, two men approached me, one grabbed my shirt and jerked with it. The other grabbed my pants and tried to pull them off. It did not happen. The pants didn't move an inch from my waist, and the shirt he wanted to take off from me was in one piece and in place.

The two men looked at each other in confusion. I was as confused as they were.

But before anything else could happen. There was a massive explosion between the tents, and a ball of fire lit up the sky. Other explosions immediately followed and not only explosions. Lightning, death rays, and other special effects that I only saw in movies appeared before my eyes.

The night was filled with shouts and roars. The boss began to give orders, trying to organize others. The slavers were under attack.

Everything was happening so fast that I had no idea what was going on. All I was sure of was that no one wanted to take my clothes off me right now.

I stood there amid the chaos as the slavers tried to form some defense against the enemy, who bombed them from the darkness. But it didn't take long for more people to emerge from the night. Warriors with swords, daggers, axes, and other weapons in their hands appeared.

My mind told me to hide. But there was nowhere where I could. Everywhere I looked, someone was fighting.

I should have hidden.

Something exploded not far from me. All I felt was a hard blow to my head, and then I lost consciousness.

----------------------------------------

My awakening was not as terrible as I would have expected. I was still alive. Except for my stomach, nothing hurt. I still had my clothes on. As I began to remember the events before I lost consciousness, panic struck me again.

What actually happened? Who won? Who were the attackers? I hoped the knights on white horses, but it could just as well be another group of slavers.

I carefully opened my eyes to see where I was. I didn't want to get too much attention.

I was in a tent. I immediately remembered the slave gang boss's tent, and It sent shivers down my spine. That wasn't where I wanted to be. But this tent was too clean for it. I looked around carefully.

I lay on the ground on a blanket, as did the other women around me. From the collars around their necks, I figured they had to be other slaves. Was this really another slave group? Two other women were lying with me. I met one. I saw her kneeling naked next to Boss. I've never seen the other one. I also didn't find the two I went to slavers camp with. Maybe they were in another tent?

I got up carefully. So that I don't wake up the two and, at the same time, not draw much attention to myself. I reached the entrance of the tent and peered out through the gap between the tent canvas. My view was limited. I saw more tents, more people. These were better dressed, their equipment better matched. But they were not the knights I had hoped for.

Yet my sixth sense told me that these were not bad people.

I stuck my head through the entrance canvas and looked around.

This was not a slave camp, and this was not Boss's tent. The air outside didn't smell like their campsite. The tents were cleaner, and the people I saw made a more pleasant impression on me. Maybe it was also because when we reached the slavers camp, it was dark. Right now, the sun was shining. Perhaps it was also because I saw slavers handcuffed and tied to trees on one side of the campsite, and guarded by a dozen armed people.

"Ah, you're awake," the woman sitting in front of the tent said to me.

If I looked down, I would have noticed her much sooner. Leather armor, short hair, and a sword at her waist said it all. This was our guard. Although her face was not pretty, her smile was kind.

"Yes?" I said with caution.

"How do you feel? Are you okay?" She asked me immediately.

I was thinking about how to answer. "I think I'm fine."

"I'd better call a healer. Wait in there, I'll be right back," she told me.

The woman immediately got up and headed somewhere between the tents. These didn't seem to be the bad people, and the woman really cared if I was okay. I was still sticking my head out of the tent when she returned, accompanied by another woman.

This one was tall, clad in a robe of cloth. Long blond hair and a staff in her hand. That is how I imagined a healer, only this one was not in white but tuned to more natural colors.

"It's her," the guard pointed at me.

The healer smiled. "Hi, my name is Lucy. You don't have to be afraid of me, I came to check on you."

"Oh, okay," I nodded. "I'm Kirra."

"All right, Kirra, can you come out? This is a little weird."

Now that she had said that, I realized that I was still standing at the tent's entrance with my head sticking out between the canvases. Yeah, that was weird. I hurried out of the tent.

"Please come with me to my tent. I'll look at you," Lucy told me.

I didn't like doctors. I usually postponed their visits as long as possible. Right now, however, I was thrilled to go to the office of one of them, even though it was just a tent. The wooden table was ready in the middle, some boxes at the sides as well as a smaller table and chair at the other side of the tent. It was a mystery to me how all this got here. They couldn't carry it on their backs.

Then I remembered my own ring, and the mystery was solved.

"Lie down," Lucy told me, pointing to the table. "How are you feeling? Something hurts?"

I thought about it and started thinking about what to tell her.

"Hmm… I'm hungry, and my stomach hurts. I think I have… that I have constipation. That's all," I told her, blushing.

"I'll take a good look at that," she said with a smile on her face.

I lay down on the table. Lucy placed her hands on me, which began to glow faintly.

"Yeah," Lucy said. "You were right. You have constipation and a big one."

I nodded. "Um… hmm" I thought so.

"You're a little skinny, but nothing that would not fix a good meal. I don't see another bigger problem. The slavers don't seem to rape you," she told me.

"They were going to," I told her. "But, you just attacked them."

"At the right time, isn't it? You can sit down," she told me. "Food will not be a problem, but we should take care of constipation first. Tell me what you ate last."

I sat down and smiled. "Old bread" I didn't have to think much about it.

"And before?"

"Love Berries and Wild Berries," I told her.

Lucy nodded. "I thought so. They are poisonous."

"Fuck," I cursed.