Warren Lands

As the slave merchants were heading to the north-eastern part of the desert, Tselmeg started to practice his sensitivity towards Mana affinity. He non-stoppingly absorbed the Mana around the desert into his body for the past month.

He could nourish his body and organ functions with the aid of minimal meals that the Tiger brothers are providing. But it didn't seem well for the other slaves. Some of them would starve to death, only being replaced by civilians of the desert tribes, abducted by the Tiger brothers.

The Tiger brothers shall submit 20 slaves. No more, or no less but exactly 20 slaves to the youngest son of Duke of Warren Lands. If not being able to fulfill their duties, the merchants would be harshly punished by the Duke himself.

When the Tiger brothers started to take a break, drinking wine to escape from the heat of the desert under a tent, the slaves were resting their almost burnt feet and taking rest under the shadows of the camels.

"Mina, here eat my portion of bread." Tselmeg handed his own portion of bread to young Mina. As for the bread, it was as hard as rock, with minimal nutrition. It cannot be compared to Croissants in modern Earth. He even had a younger sister himself back when he was in Mongolia. He felt so unfair towards this universe, where a young 8 year old girl being enslaved.

"Thank you Aster, but what about you?" Mina hesitatingly looked at Aster. If he gives his bread every time to her, wouldn't he starve by himself? In the eyes of Mina, pearl like drop of tears were gathering. Only ready to be dropped on the sparking particles of sand.

"Aster, thank you for your good will. But you need to nourish your body as well. Otherwise, if you die, Mina would be very heartbroken. In the past month, Mina sees you as near as her own brother" Tony sternly looked at Aster. Even though he was fully strict, he truly felt Aster as his own foster son.

"Then, lets split the bread and eat together" Aster split the bread into half, giving the half to Mina, and eating the other half himself.

I really hope Mina and Tony would survive, and I could let them have a peaceful and joyful life in Mitgar continent.

Soon, the short break ends as the slaves continue their journey to Warren Lands.

Tomorrow afternoon, one of the Tiger brothers exclaimed: "Look, it's the edge of Abraham desert, we are entering the Duchy of Warren Lands."

Upon seeing the Warren lands, slaves were enjoyed. Because Abraham desert was a hell for them. Dying and replaced by other people are not an easy feat to overcome.

Soon the leader of Tiger brothers, the Bald man with a scar on his left eye unmounted from his camel and neared to the slaves who are chained by their legs.

"Finally, let's count the number of slaves who are here right now. Since we cannot abduct any citizens in Warren Lands, better to fill the number" the Bald man started to count the number of slaves.

"One, Two, Three, … , Twenty-one." The Bald bulky man soon counted all the number of slaves.

"Shit, there is one more slave here. We need to get rid of one person in order to enter the Warren lands, the Duke told us to bring exactly 20 slaves. By that he literally tells us 20 no more or no less. Otherwise, we could be punished. Let the devil take that damn Duke's soul and burn him." The bald bulky man exclaimed while he was laughing out loud.

"Ralph, come and just kill the weakest among them." The bald bulky man said with no hesitation.

Afterwards, Ralph, the Tiger brother who abducted Aster, unmounted from his camel and headed to the slaves.

When the slaves heard the word of the leader of Tiger Brothers, they shivered in fear, and started to act strong and bold. In order not to get killed.

Ralph started to see the slaves, 13 men, and 8 women. Among them 1 little child was hiding under the silhouette of Aster and Tony. He bet that the duke would not count this kid as a mature labor force and count it as half a person. Better to kill this child. "Oh, I see there is one child among the slaves. I bet that this child is the weakest." Ralph claimed and unsheathed his dagger from his waist.

When Tony heard Ralph's statement, his eyes started to go mad. And kneeled in front of Ralph, asking for mercy. "Please, oh fabulous Tiger brother, have mercy to my daughter."

Upon seeing this scene Aster started to clench his fists as hard as he can. While his nails were stuck into his palm and blood was starting to drip.

Mina, Tony you are the only people who showed sympathy in this universe to me. The other slaves are just selfish trashes who just care their own lives. But thinking about my weak state, I feel ashamed. What can I do in order to save them?

"Go away, you lowlife. You are making my robe dirty!" as Ralph kicked Tony on his abdomen, Tony started to fly several meters, landing on sand. Tony coughed some blood and raised up with difficulty.

Ralph started to get near to Mina, holding his dagger and be ready to stab Mina. Aster backed Mina on his back, and was ready to be stabbed instead of Mina.

"You, dirt. Stand aside, otherwise I will really kill you instead of this girl." Ralph's eye was stern and cold. You would see no human dignity from those grey devilish eyes.

'I am sorry, Nana and my future baby. I may die now. But I believe this is a noble way of dying protecting the innocent. If there is a God, please forgive me.' Aster started to close his eyes. Be ready to be stabbed. He was ready to feel the slicing dagger stabbing his heart. But no one expecting someone shouting as loud as he can with the capacity of his lung.

"ASTER! Protect my daughter in the future. Take care of her as your own blood sister! I believe in you~ ungh!" From his eyes, tears was flowing, his weak and fragile body was shaking. As Tony finished his sentence, he bit his tongue while blood was flowing out from his tongue. His eyes got white as he collapsed to the desert's cruel sand lifelessly.

"Papa!!!" As Mina looked his father committing suicide, she started to scream, tear was constantly flowing from her eyes.

"Tony!" Aster's eyes bulged from his eye socket. He started to hug Mina in his embrace.

"Oh, one down. Can't kill you guys now! Lucky you!" Ralph went back to his camel and mounted.

As the caravan started to move, they left one corpse to rot in the desert without a proper burial. It was the corpse of Tony, a beloved father who committed suicide to protect her daughter, and his new foster son Aster.

'Father! I promise you I will protect Mina' Aster looked at the corpse of Tony, who getting far and far away. In his eyes the short one month of care, love was flashing like a movie. It was his second time losing someone he called father and considered as his own father. Back in Earth when he lost his father, it was him, Tselmeg who gave the last meal to his father, saying 'I love you daddy'. But this time, he didn't have the opportunity say the word "father" even once, when Tony was alive.

And soon Tony's corpse becomes a dot in the far away Abraham desert where they entered the Warren Lands.

'I need to become stronger to protect Mina, and go back to Earth! I need to become the strongest to protect my dear ones.' Aster clenched his fists again.

He consoled Mina, his new younger sister. As Mina was crying and hugging Aster, he said "Mina, I will protect you in the future. From now on, you are my younger sister."

"Aster brother… Uuh, Uuh…" Mina started to sob.

"What a nuisance, if you wanna cry, cry silent! Or I will slice your throat after I rape you until no one can recognize you!" One of the Tiger brothers shouted to Mina.

Aster grabbed Mina's mouth, making her sobbing silent and said. "Mina, we are reaching Warren Lands, don't cry. It's okay. Your brother is here."

"That's better. Better be a good girl. I regret not raping this young child during our trip. But anyway, we are entering Warren Lands there is no more time." The Tiger brother who shouted recently said and sighed with regret.

After a few minutes, The Tiger brothers and the slaves reached the border of Warren Lands. As they reached the border, two guards with Dove insignia on their arms came and shouted. "State your business!"

"We are the tiger brothers, delivering the slaves for the grand young master Alexander of Warren Lands duchy." Bald bulky man said with a fake smile on his face.

"Oh, I heard about you guys. How many slaves do you have?" The guard said with a monotonous voice.

"Exact twenty slaves. As you can see." The bald bulky man said.

"Okay, you may enter after the paper works are done."