CH 13.2

「Geez… You thieves just can’t stay silent at all can’t you!! Keep it down will ya!! 」

「Don’t say something so unreasonable!! 」

Basil cries back, but because of hunger he didn’t seem that energetic, his colleagues also cried along with him. Because they are currently bound and can’t move, their complexion looks a little bad.

「I’ll look over them for a bit. 」

「Eh? Oi jou-chan!?」

I walk towards the iron carriage and approached Basil and his group. Everyone was enclosed in stone so it looked kind of cramped.

「Oh, little lady, what business do you have with us.」

「Can you tell me the reason why you became a bandit? 」

「Hah?…Ah, I will answer you. But I wish for you to offer us food and water. 」

Basil tried provoking me by his suggestion, and then I took out something from my back pack to shut him out.

「Wha, Oi, what’s that ridiculously tasty looking meat…」

「Grilled Orc Meat, because there’s a lot and I can’t finish it alone I’m probably willing to give you a bite, that is if you start speaking up to kill some time.」

Alba-san’s eyes were staring at my back.

「I won’t allow thieves eat something better than my own!? No, not that, where did you take that out from!?」

「From something on my back… as for the method of how it’s done… that’s a secret. Do you want some? 」

The men both nodded hastily. And so, the Orc Meat was distributed immediately.

While being shaken by the carriage, I was listening to the story of Basil. Because he was not able to move, in order to eat I released only the part covering his arms, that way, any plans of escaping would be dissolved. I wonder if he had not eaten anything this good for quite some time now.

「If I weren’t mistaken, according to the merchants of Haval I was considered as a former adventurer from that place, but I was also once sold as a slave. Because of that I wasn’t able to return to the city and ended up becoming a thief. 」

「Why become a slave? 」

「It was because of a request, it was from a Noble, but then I failed that request… It was an attack from thieves just like what I do now. In the middle of the escorting the Noble heading towards the kingdom we were attacked. Some of my companions left me behind while others died, everything else was taken, and as a penalty for that I was turned into a slave because I cannot reimburse what was taken. After that I was somehow able to escape prison and ended up as to what I am doing now. 」

In other words, It was not because he have sinned and turned into a slave but because of being useless I guess.

「Did you dislike becoming a slave?」

「Ah, yeah… I used to be pure in the old days, but because I wasn’t sure who will buy me or realized what I will end up like if bought brought misery to my everyday life. But as I became a thief, at first it is good, but now I just feel tired and exhausted. 」

「Have you gotten used to it? 」

「Somehow, I already have.」

Listening closely to his story… what to say… well I did sympathize at first as he ended up being, but in the end he is still just a criminal. All of that was just to earn income for his benefit.

「I guess you will end up as a slave again, but I guess you can that you did your best.」

「I guess, I finally did get something good to eat, I won’t let go to waste anymore… 」

Well, I will kind of regret it if I wrap him up again. With this as excuse he probably won’t try and cut off my neck I guess.

「Well, that’s how it is, by the way Basil. You were a slave before right, and will be a slave again as expected, but can you tell me about slaves, specifically the difference in treatment between Human and Beastman slaves. 」

「Haaa, why’d you want hear about that? 」

Yup, that’s right. That’s the reason why I offered you the Orc Meat in the first place so speak up.

「Let’s see, for humans the basic for men would be as labor force for mining, and sometimes as adventurers, just having underwear should be good enough, for women mostly end up in service jobs. They will be educated from the start and would end up as maids or something of lower status. There is also a high possibly of taking them along to dangerous areas if the slave is strong. In the case of beastmen, most male is brought because they have high physical talents. The women on the other hand were bought as pets. There is no way for them to be left to handle chores, but they might also be useful in adventuring.  」

Are they properly divided depending on use? I guess some still end up good but they also don’t hesitate to drop their state really poorly. Ah this Irritates me. Did they somehow notice my dissatisfaction? The thieves faces were all turning pale. A sorry, did I somehow show it on my face? It’s because they are still for sale… Even if…

「The Beastmen sure have it hard…」

「That’s because there were a subjugated country, you can’t help it even if you voiced out something about it. Every country holds validity in accrediting it. That ridiculous consent is already a common story. We, the humans didn’t really care about it. 」

「Why do you dislike it so much?」

「Well…」

Is this the limits? As for the information I was able to draw out, the beastmen is being treated far lower than any human being, but I wonder if it’s alright to judge the country with just that. I thank Alba-san after hearing all of that.

「Jou-chan, you surely are a strange one… everything about you is strange.」

「What about you with that strange magic, or taking out food from your back, or offering food give to the thieves? And even about still not showing your face hiding behind that robe?  」

「Everything is a secret. I haven’t shown my face to anybody since before.」

I haven’t even showed it to Pad-san so I’m still relieved. Well I don’t want many people to remember my face after all. There is probably a high possibility that it would stand out just from that. It doesn’t really mean that I can’t show it. It’s just sort of my rule not to.

「Hmm, Hmm, I wonder how long until we arrive, it is almost evening.」

「If there’s not other bothersome circumstances to hinder us then we will probably return almost close to the sun sets. It will be delivered quickly since the other side knows that we will be arriving today. 」

「Is that so, Then we will just have to stay alert until then. 」

「Ou! 」

And an hour after the sun began to set we can finally see the lights of the town. The towns seems to be called Canaria.

When we arrived at the front gate, a lot of people can be seen from the inside. When all of them noticed us, everyone was in great cheers. Apparently it looked like everyone have been there waiting. Alba-san also has a cheerful face.

「You are Alba-san right? I have been waiting since this morning. Can you please show us you’re Identification Card so we can verify it quickly. 」

Because Alba-san showed his Merchant’s Guild ID I also took out mine and show it.

「Let’s see, eh F Rank? Ne Jou-chan, have you taken this escort request alone? Isn’t that too dangerous? 」

「Haval at the moment is in the middle of doing dragon subjugation and why there aren’t any adventurers around, so an acquaintance of mine arranged for it. She also caught thieves and they are over here so can you also pick them up?  」

「Oh, and before I forget, please hand all the rewards to this Jou-chan here.」

Alba-san’s follow up was also accepted, although they can’t seem to believe it and was giving off suspicious stares, the processing was finished without trouble. Even after remover the earth prison, Basil and his gang didn’t rampage and thus finishing the process quickly.

Request completed, and temporary income has also been acquired. Good work to Arena too.

「Hai~! ♪」

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「Arena~… hoohoo hoohoo hoohoo wei!」

「Ah om momom momom!! 」

「Candy~ is it good?」

「memish♪ (delish♪)」

Today’s rewards are candy balls made of world trees honey x6 pieces.