Salvage(6)

Morsan couldn't comprehend his words, his confusion evident as he questioned, "Why? If you want your children to be happy, you could have relocated to Siltvelt with your family, you know? In Siltvelt, no one gonna discriminate against your children there. Is Egone using your family as leverage? If it's true, just wink twice, I'll save your family and move you all to Siltvelt, alright?"

Lelin's annoyance was palpable as he heard these words while looking at his playful grin. With a disapproving click of his tongue, he replied in a raspy voice,

"Is it too much to ask for you to stop being a jerk, even just for a moment? I'm the one who foolishly spoke of loyalty to you, hoping that you would understand and respect my reasons. But it seems that you are incapable of comprehending why I remain loyal to Prince Egone.

Allow me to enlighten you. To me, Prince Egone was not just a mere figurehead or a ruler. He was the person I trusted above all others, the one who showed me kindness and compassion when I needed it the most.

He saved me and my family from a life of slavery, rescuing us from the clutches of those despicable scoundrels who sought to unjustly execute us. It was Prince Egone who saw the injustice and cruelty in their actions and intervened, sparing us from a fate worse than death.

Can you not understand the depth of gratitude and admiration I feel towards him? He didn't just save our lives; he gave us hope, a chance to start anew. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

I want to repay him by assisting in the creation of the kingdom he envisions, by dedicating myself to his cause, and by helping him build a place where justice and fairness prevail. That's all you want to talk about?"

"No, I also have something else to ask you..."

"What is it?"

"You heard Vigeil right? someone spreading rumors that I am trying to become a royal commander, do you know anything about that?"

"I-is t-that so? I will investigate that matter. Don't worry about it."

Morsan rolled his eyes as he noticed that Lelin was flustered and tried to control his heartbeat to beat in a normal rhythm. Seeing his sudden change in facial expression, Morsan understood that it had something to do with Egone and something he was planning to do.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, we found a flying dragon egg from that slave trader. You have an interest in the dragon race, right? Why don't you take a look?"

Lelin avoided making direct eye contact with Morsan and tried to divert his attention.

"So you knew about it, what is Egone planning this time?" asked Morsan ignoring what he said about the dragon egg.

"I don't know anything, you can ask His Highness about it yourself..." replied Lelin nervously.

Although Morsan was annoyed that everyone was hiding something from him, he didn't keep pressuring Lelin as he knew he wouldn't reveal anything.

As he pondered the situation, Morsan realized that he needed to uncover the truth. He couldn't afford to be a pawn in someone else's game. With determination, he vowed to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"So, where is that flying dragon egg you spoke of?" Morsan asked, changing the topic.

Flying dragons were a sub-species of dragons that specialized in their flying abilities. They were commonly used for transportation but lacked any actual combat abilities. These particular sub-species were a mix of dragons and other monsters capable of flight.

"Come with me... I'll guide you..."

Lelin let out a long sigh of relief as he guided Morsan towards the tent resembling a circus, which had been constructed at a considerable distance from the tent where the rescued individuals were housed.

This particular area was placed 300 meters away from the camp where Morsan treated the patient just now. It is devoid of any illumination and heavily guarded by soldiers, creating a distinctly eerie atmosphere.

However, upon seeing Morsan and Lelin, the guards allowed them entry without any inquiries.

As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a dimly lit interior, permeated by a faint stench of decay and the unmistakable scent of animals.

It was evident that this was not a particularly pleasant place. Within the room, numerous cages were present, containing figures that bore a striking resemblance to humans, yet moved uncannily.

Morsan halted his steps as he noticed some people with "dog" ears, or cat-like ears perched on their heads trapped inside the cage.

"Hey, why are they inside the cage? Weren't you guys gonna take all the demi-humans to Seaetto territory?"

"We can't do that to all demi-humans... These people are real slaves with proper tax records, not the people who were unjustly kidnapped. Some of them were war criminals and their children. In Melromarc lot of demi-humans were used in mines and caves to do a dirty job, releasing them would cause a lot of problems since another slave merchant was going to come tomorrow to take them away. Even if a single one of them is missed, we are the one who needs to answer his questions."

Lelin walked without looking back as he answered Morsan. Lelin's ears were a little down, as he avoided looking at the demi-human children who were trapped inside the cage.

Morsan also didn't ask any further questions while he looked at Lelin's back.

Even though Queen Mirellia has successfully negotiated a peace treaty with Siltvelt, the eradication of the deeply entrenched slavery system within both nations is not a simple task. While the initial step of establishing peace is commendable, it is imperative for Melromarc to go further and cease its discrimination against demi-humans, as well as their enslavement. Similarly, Siltvelt must also take responsibility and put an end to its discrimination against humans and their enslavement.

Both nations must recognize the inherent injustice and cruelty of this practice and commit to its complete elimination. It is not enough for one nation to simply stop enslaving a particular group while continuing to discriminate against them. True progress can only be achieved when both nations genuinely commit to stopping these practices simultaneously.

In Melromarc, the discrimination against demi-humans has been deeply ingrained in society for generations. The perception of demi-humans as inferior beings has led to their systematic enslavement and mistreatment. Even now, a lot of people are against the idea of the demi-human village in the Seaetto territory. 

Author's note:

Hi guys, I am absolutely thrilled to share some exciting news with all of you. We have recently secured our second sponsor and subscriber for our Patreon page. I requested his real name to share with you all and waiting for his reply. I am delighted to introduce that new person to you all after I got his name.

Witnessing someone subscribe to our Patreon page and show their support has brought me immense joy and gratitude.

Now this fanfic was sponsored by Mr. Andew with Patreon ID: Sir_dood134 and a person with Patreon ID: GigaChad.

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