Episode 157: “The Beastman Nation of Zuberu and Slavery 2”
“Wha…? Even though you can do so much work with Chris?” I was genuinely surprised to hear that Emma was regarded as someone with “no strength.” It was clear to anyone working alongside her, including me, that she was highly competent.
Emma, with a somewhat puzzled expression at my words, eventually smiled shyly. “Hehe… Thank you, Lord Rid. However, in the beastmen nation, having ‘combat strength’ is a prerequisite, so the skills you praise are unfortunately not highly valued there. That’s why I offered myself for ‘sale’ when I met Chris-sama’s father.”
“Sal… sold?” I repeated, taken aback.
She went on to explain her own story to me. Emma was born into the cat tribe of the beastmen but neither of her parents possessed the recognized strength. She had siblings, and their life was extremely difficult, often faced with the choice of going hungry or leaving the country to become a slave.
At that time, Chris’s father visited their cat tribe’s village for business. Emma seized the opportunity to promote herself and demonstrate her intelligence, which eventually earned her recognition. She had then sold herself to the Saffron Trading Company.
“But if you were recognized, couldn’t you have avoided selling yourself? Chris’s father doesn’t seem like the kind of person to make unreasonable demands,” I wondered.
“No, I requested the sale myself. It was to ensure that my parents and siblings could live a slightly easier life,” Emma replied.
“I see…” Hearing Emma’s story only reinforced the harsh realities of the beastmen nation. She was talented, but her talents went unrecognized there. She had to sell her abilities to protect her family and ensure their survival, and that painted a grim picture of the place.
I took a sip of the tea that Deanna had prepared and then summarized my understanding of the situation. “Phew… Thank you, I have a general understanding of the beastmen nation now. In summary, the slaves being sold in Barst this time are likely children from various tribes of the beastmen nation who were deemed ‘lacking in strength.’ Is that correct?”
Chris nodded in agreement with my summary and began speaking with determination.
“Yes, I believe that’s the correct understanding. Probably, both Barst and the people gathering children in the Beastman Country don’t expect a very high price for them. That’s likely why they’re withholding information to try to drive up the price. However, with a larger group, negotiating collectively should be smoother. I think we shouldn’t miss this opportunity.”
Upon hearing her words, I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and pondered the matter.
The lodging facilities were originally designed for around 200 people. Both my father and I had plans to prepare for that number eventually. However, it was our understanding to accept groups of several dozen at a time, addressing issues as they arose and strengthening our system.
Yet, I also understood Chris’s words, “We shouldn’t miss this opportunity.” After such a significant movement, it’s highly likely that no more slave children will emerge from the Beastman Country for a while. Chris mentioned that there had been no information about slaves for about six months. Considering that, it could be as early as six months from now, or even later, before information surfaces again. Considering Bardia’s future, we might have to take a gamble.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
“Understood. I’ll consult with my father about purchasing those slave children as a group.”
“Really!? Thank you so much!”
Chris and Emma wore delighted smiles upon hearing my words. They had been together since childhood, and they might have had some personal thoughts about this situation.
With those thoughts in mind, I turned to Deanna, who had been waiting.
“Deanna, I’m sorry, but could you ask my father if he can make time for a meeting now?”
“Of course.”
Deanna acknowledged my request, nodded to everyone, and then left for the reception room.
I turned back to Chris and Emma with a reassuring smile.
“I’ll do my best to persuade my father to meet your wishes and respond to your hopes.”
“Thank you so much…”
While Chris seemed relieved, she hesitated and asked me a question.
“Um… If a discussion does happen later, would it be okay for us to wait here?”
“That’s fine, but if it turns into a discussion, it might take a while. Are you both okay with that?”
“Yes, we both set aside time today, so we’re fine.”
The two of them seemed intensely determined, their eyes burning with a fervor of some sort.
I smiled, a bit surprised by their determination, and said, “Alright, I’ll let everyone in the mansion know. And don’t worry, I’ll also convey your wishes to my father.”
“Oh, thank you so much!”
Emma and Chris lowered their heads upon hearing my words. Surprised by their actions, I quickly told them to raise their heads.
It seemed like both of them had strong feelings about this matter.
Just then, Chris suddenly remembered something and mentioned, “Oh… by the way, when you were deep in thought with your eyes closed, you looked just like Lord Rainer.”
“Huh…!? Did I look that serious?”
I was surprised by Chris’s words and rubbed my temples with my hand, waiting for Deanna to return to the reception room.
By the way, it seemed that Chris and Emma were smiling as they observed my reactions.
