Slave Traders (1)

"Alastair, help me out~ how do I get out of this damn country?" I say angrily staring at the Petite Elvin man appear in front of the face.

"If you want to get out, you have to finish missions," Alastair said. I scoff angrily, here I thought that I get another chance. I look outside the window, if I was born as some middle-classed commoner's daughter- my life would have been easier.

"Living poorly and low status doesn't mean easy. You don't how much these commoner people suffer every day. Farmers have a hard time if a drought season comes, merchants have a hard time when they lose their valuables, and a lot of people have a hard time putting any money on the table."

"True," I whisper. He was right. At least I don't have to plough the field and starve of hunger. I could just donate to the charity but our economic value would fall. This is hard.

"The war is going to impact a lot of people. Not just you."

"That's also true." I murmur. I clenched my fist. That stupid Emperor. Did he forget how many people die because of this?? Not just the casualties in the battle-field, there are people who suffer because they lose their business, and they don't have the economy growing. There are raids around villages.

But since the Castano fief is protected by the Castano Knights, I could guarantee the protection. I had control over one hundred-fifty-kilometer square piece of land and ten colonies outside. There are about 4,000-7,000 people in my fief. 1000 army Knights from the Household. 50 servants.

So many people would want shelters. Our business would start losing, our economic balance will lose. We have to protect the fief as well as the kingdom. The Emperor currently for 200 army Knights from each powerful landowner.

For that, I had to freaking go through all the applicants of each Knight, stamp the paper, inform their family, compensate them and all. My head hurt.

After that- I have to station the rest of the 800 or so Knights around the Fief and control the borders from foreign invaders. I have to open the tax office and governing office for the people of my land.

Though I have done this multiple times in my previous time, my head started hurting. Who asked the damn Emperor to start the war huh??~! ╰（‵□′）╯

"You cannot abandon your duties," Alastair said. My nose crinkled in annoyance. My duties-?! Who cared about that? In my previous life, I spent and dedicated my entire life to make the country a better place. I executed and punished those who were sinned, or flawed. I helped those who swore to benefit me and the country. I spared the innocents.

Yet no one stood by my side.

Sure my methods were cruel. But they intimidated the rebels to shut up. I guess the Emperor is doing the same thing too. But... why did it have to stab this granny's heart?? I want to complain.

***

"I am going outside for a tour around the fief," I tell the butler when the evening was falling. I went inside the carriage and hopped on. That's a lie.

I want to go outside so that I could sneakingly get a taste of wine and alcohol. I need my vodka. I licked my lips as I remembered the sweet yet salty taste on my lips. Ah... my mental stress reliever.

No one had personally seen my face, and I am in disguise so no one will recognize me. I was sitting in the carriage staring at the window.

"I can't abandon my duties," I mutter. "Fake duties. So... should I hand the Castano to the Schein family and take the riches and run?" Nope. The Emperor will haunt me down. He's scary. The Archduke forces are also scary.

I got down in the middle of the street and kept the coachman near me as a personal maneuver guard. I don't know my way around the one hundred fifty kilometer fief so...

I heard some screams on the other side of the alley-way. I paused.

"How dare you!" A loud monstrous thunder was heard. I looked around to get a view to see a kid being kicked around by a man.

The child seemed to be half of my age. Cowering under the man's kick work of martial arts. The child's body was bruised and bleeding. He was very scrawny and thin.

"Slaves." the coachman said.

Right. I forgot. No matter how bad slavery was- we cannot abolish slavery. Slavery is the only way to show status. Slaves are our hostages from other enemy countries. The Emperor does not show mercy. Again, what did I expect from a trouble-maker?

I turned away, not looking interested. As much as I wanted to ignore the kid's painful groans- I couldn't. I felt something tugging. I turned around to look at the kid again.

My eyes widened when I recognized a familiar scar on the boy's face. I froze. It seemed so familiar. No wonder why I couldn't ignore it. Wait...

Holy. I know this kid. (In my future at least)

"Stop!" I order coldly. My voice dropped.

I can't ignore my future benefactor.