Chapter 10: Slave (1)

Hiro's POV

After Aki's news of death, Shina became distant to others. She sometimes smiled but only to her closest friends. She didn't talk much anymore like when Aki was still alive.

I tried to talk to her a few times, but... She is still cold to me. I know that I have hurt her feelings because I cursed the dead. But... What can I do? Making fun of Aki

already became a habit of mine.

It's already time for our training but I can't see any Shina in the training grounds. I walked to her trainers, Ms. Laura Von Diater is her trainer for her Healer class job, while Ms. Tia Von Minruel is Nika's trainer and the one who teach Shina in dagger skills.

"Uhm... Excuse me? May I know where Shina is?" I asked.

"Oh Shina? We gave her a break for this day because she already surpassed Nika at her dagger skills." Ms. Tia said while pointing at Nika who was training her speed.

"Hey! I'm doing my best ok!" Nika shouted.

Ms. Tia and Ms. Laura laughed at Nika. I already got the answer from them so I will take my leave.

"Oh is that so? Then I will take my leave now. Goodbye." I said as I turned around and walked back to my trainer.

My trainers name is Mr. Gabriel Von Dutchios. He is the vice general of the royal army. While Shigaraki Tono's trainer is the captain of the royal army.

We sometimes go to the dungeon to grind our levels and to experience fighting with the monsters and beast.

It's already been a week since we were summoned here. Some of us are already at level 20 and above, while the others are still level 15 because they have the crafting job like the alchemist, blacksmith, chef, etc...

I'm already level 28 and a rank F adventurer, Tono and Kana are both level 29 only one step to rank E. While Shina... She's already level 31 and a rank E adventurer.

Even though she's just a healer, thanks to her dagger skills plus with her self heal, she's now at her level. She sometimes went to the dungeon herself.

After the training, I went to my room to take a bath. After I took a bath I clothed myself and went to take a stroll outside the castle.

I went to the public library to see if there's anything to read. I looked around the library until I found Shina, sitting there reading a black book.

Shina was so into the book that she didn't even notice me sitting in her left side. I tried to peek at the book, there I saw the text; "while you are in this world, don't fully trust the Nobles and the Royals of the Liryo Kingdom."

I was confused as to why that black book had a text like that. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Shina suddenly stands from her sit and bought that black book from the librarian.

I was shocked at her acting like that, like that black book is more important than a family heirloom. I tried to catch to her but she was already in her carriage.

I stopped and just walked out of the library, still thinking that she still hates me. I began to stroll around until I got to the market district. I stroll around the market district to see if there are anything interesting to buy.

The market was busy with the vendors shouting for attention to sell their products. I just stroll around until I saw a thin 7 or 8 years old boy that has a long dark green

hair and snake like eyes who was chained in hands, feet and in the neck. The boy wore a ragged clothes, then there are other men and women who was chained and wore ragged clothes too.

"Gather around people! For I have new products to sell! Now let's start the auction!" A fat merchant said.

The crowds looked at the slaves, then one by one the slaves are sold. Then the last one was the boy who looked like a 7 or 8 years old boy.

"And for our finale! This a a product is a hybrid! He has the blood of the Snake tribe and a human! The bet will start at 5 small gold coins!" The fat merchant said.

Some nobles started to bid.

"10 small gold coins!"

"5 medium gold coins!"

".........."

I looked at the boy. I saw those lifeless eyes, like he was just a doll with no feelings. It was like we have some sort of connection so I bid; "1 platinum!"

The merchant looked at who bid the platinum coins. He saw a young man who wore a noble clothes. He thought that it was just one of those crazy second generations who has a hobby of collecting exotic races.

"Is there any higher bid? 3! 2! 1! Congratulations to the young master!" The fat merchant politeness said.

"Here." I said and took a platinum coin in my purse.

"Here's a «magic ring», just press the gem if you want to punish the slave and if you want to destroy the «slave chains» you have to destroy this ring. Thank you for your patronage, young master!" The fat merchant politely said again.

I took the ring and walked towards the boy. The boy looked at me with his lifeless eyes. "Follow me." I said then turned around.

The boy obediently followed me in to my carriage. I enter the carriage and sat after that the boy enters too and sat across me.

"Back to the castle." I said to the coach of the carriage.

The coach said yes and then the carriage started to move towards the castle.

I looked at the boy who was looking down. "What is your name?" I ask.

The boy slowly lift his head and then looked me with those lifeless eyes again. "Name... Slut..." He stutters.

I was shocked at his answer. He's so young and he already knows those words. But I am sure of one thing that... he was raped.

Now that I had a closer looked at the boy, he was full of bruises in his legs and arms.

"How about I give you a new name?" I ask him.

The boy looked at me and I saw a very fast twinkle in his eyes. He bowed and said; "Give... name... Master." He politely said but still stuttering.

"Ok, from now on your name will be... Jin."

"Thanking... Master... name." Jin said while still bowing.

"Stop with the calling me master, you can just call me Hiro or brother and stop bowing." I said and made Jin sit beside me.

"But... I—." Before Jin finished what he was saying, I took the «magic ring» and then crushed it. The chains on Jin crumbled into dust.

"Ye-yes... brother." He meekly said.

I patted his head and turned around to see the sceneries from the window.

When I got back to the castle, I went straight to my room while holding the hand of Jin. Many maids and butlers are looking at us but I didn't care about them.

When I got to my room, I took my towel and pulled Jin into the bathroom.

"Ma- Brother... Wh-where?" Jin nervously said.

"To the bathroom." As I said that, I opened the door to the bathroom and opened the faucet on the top of the bathtub.

"Come here." I beckoned him to come near the bathtub, he walked over where I was standing. "Let's remove your clothes and wash up."