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Chapter 462 A Strange Town
"Yes, we are also happy about that. While I do understand where they are coming from. We undead, well, some of us are nothing more than rotting flesh. Our world is sickening to those on the outside, which is why we keep to ourselves." One of the soldiers replied. To me, talking to him like this, he was no different from a normal person. After my experiences before, in the previous timeline, I know for a fact that they are just like Sophie and I and just look different from everyone else. Every race has its good and bad.
Some races look the same with no difference at all, while races like the human race have different skin colors based on the area they come from. But none of that matters within their own race. The racial discrimination I see happens outside one's race. Like some humans discriminate against elves, beastkin, and other so called demi human races.
Even the term demi human was a term to categorize races that were not human. A demeaning term. But at the same time, many races are proud to be these so called demi humans because it makes them seem stronger and more feared by the humans. For me, as long as they are kind and will not harm me and those I care about, they are just people. Not enemies. Not demi humans, humans, or anything else but people.
"That I can not deny. My nose is kind of sensitive. But that will not stop me from seeing your king." I replied with a smile.
"Haha. This we can not fault you for since we are all made differently. You may enter. If anyone gives you a hard time, just tell them that Vogliny said to let you pass. I may just be a guard here, but my family name is well known." Vogliny chuckled lightly as he stepped aside. "Welcome to the land of the undead. I hope you enjoy your stay. But I do hope you do not stay forever unless you have died."
Hearing his warm welcome, I could only let out a laugh. He was quite amusing. "I will do my best to only stay when I am dead."
I gave him a smile and my thanks and walked through the only entrance to the land of the undead with Grace. And I will say that the smell was already quite harsh. The gate to the undead still had a small barrier around it, but it did not prevent people from passing through. It only prevented the smell from escaping and the undead from leaving without the proper relic.
"I hope I am not wrong," Grace said softly.
I pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "Even if you are wrong, it's fine. We will just search elsewhere. I do not believe that in this entire world that there is not a place where we can level at a decent rate until the dungeons appear. We will find it and get ready for what is to come next."
Grace's cheeks turned a tinged red as her normal stoic expression softened a bit. I held her hand and intertwined my fingers with hers as we continued to walk. I never got a good chance to see the undead kingdom outside of war. So, I was going to take this time to take a look at things as they should be.
We walked for almost two days before coming to the first town. It was a small town, but it was bustling with many undead and other races as well. "Hmm, I thought things would be closed off...?" From what I remembered in the previous timeline, they had yet to start trade with the outside world....
The guards at the town gates did not stop us from entering. We walked down the street, where I saw a young human girl standing at a stall selling some goods. I had to ask what was going on since I was so confused. "Excuse me."
"Yes?" The girl turned and looked at me. Her eyes show a bit of surprise.
"I am sorry if this is rude to ask, but when did the undead kingdom start trading with others?" I hope I was not being rude, but my curiosity was really getting to me.
"Ah! No, we don't. You see, this town, since it is close to the border, it is a mixed town. Like myself, I was once a slave of the Nolain empire when I was younger but escaped. I escaped to his kingdom in order to be free. If I ran to any other kingdom, I might have been dragged back. Many of us here are like that.
"This town was built by people like me who wished to be free and live a life where we could be safe. And since this is the undead kingdom, when people who are alive die here, they are reborn as undead. It's a cycle that continues all the time. My newly adoptive father also died from a disease not long ago, but since he lives here, he was reborn as an undead and is now still protecting me. While he might be nothing but rotting flesh and bones now. He is still the man I look up to the most."? The young girl answered with a big smile on her face. She seemed to really be happy here.
Now that I was looking around, it was the same for everyone here. Some even had metal collars around their necks. They walked around with their own families. It just goes to show that any kingdom, no matter what it is, can be a place for any race. Just seeing this made me smile from the bottom of my heart.
"I see. Thank you for answering my question. Can I ask what you are selling?" I asked.
"We are selling biorat skewers. They are quite good when you roast them over an open flame and put on some pusculant sauce." The girl licked her lips. While it might sound good to her, I was a little unsure about it, but I still bought one just because. And well, I will say it tasted not bad. It tasted like barbeque chicken. Of course, I checked it to make sure I could eat it without issue first.