Chapter 9
Thomas, who had grabbed my shoulder, whispered irritably.
“Lady, I don’t know what confidence you have, but do you really think you can take all of them down just because you’re strong?”
“Of course I can.”
I grinned and tightened my grip on the squeaky bonk-hammer in my hand. Thomas’ disapproving gaze landed on the red hammer for a moment, then slid away.
“Do you think this slave market in Rundel is the only one? Their roots are wider and deeper than you imagine.”
“So?”
“Even if we clean this place up, that wouldn’t change things.”
“…….”
“Especially that Sepak — he’s pretty well connected in this business…”
Thomas’ words drifted past my ear. It must have been over ten years since slavery was officially abolished. Could it still be so deeply rooted in the Rundel Empire? Would that be possible without collusion protecting them?
“The Empire didn’t leave them alone for no reason — don’t be stubborn…”
“I don’t have any grand ambitions like that.”
Saying I’d root out the slave trade entirely was a huge misunderstanding. I only meant to help those in front of me now, and to teach Sepak a lesson. This time it wouldn’t be a slap on the wrist — it would be decisive.
“So why, then?”
Thomas asked with a skeptical tilt.
“He dared to take my maid.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes as if reading some hidden motive from my expression. Why wouldn’t he believe me? I shrugged.
“Sometimes even a whole mess can start because of one dog.”
Thomas tilted his head as if he understood even less.
“I heard people are precious in Derman… but I didn’t expect it to be this bad.”
“She’s not just a servant — she’s Chloe.”
She’s the maid assigned to tell me about Roselita, my dedicated attendant. Aside from the affection that developed, she was very important to me. If I was going to act, I needed to know things — at least enough to imitate.
“Please, save me!”
A hand reached desperately through the bars of a nearby cage, clawing at the air.
“Please, please, just unlock the cage. Don’t take me — please!”
“My family must be searching for me desperately. I’ll give any reward, I swear…”
Those who had overheard our conversation clung to the bars and sobbed. Pleas continued, one after another, echoing through the cavern until it was hard to make out each voice.
“Quiet, shh. Okay, just be quiet for now…”
No matter how softly I whispered, desperate voices grew louder. The commotion caused more people to be hung up on cages nearby.
‘We’ve been found out already.’
It would be harder not to notice such an uproar. I tightened the hand that held the bonk-hammer so I could swing it anytime. As expected, guards came pouring in a moment later. Their hurried footsteps tore through the cave as they pushed between cages searching for us. I tossed a word to Thomas.
“You should go back. I’ll handle this.”
“Mil— no. The bonk-hammer.”
Mindful of ears around us, Thomas chose his words carefully.
“This isn’t something you can do alone.”
“We’ll see about that.”
I muttered confidently. He’d gained confidence after breaking a few necks earlier. Thomas ruffled his hair in annoyance and ground his teeth.
“You should be very grateful to your grandfather. If it weren’t for him…”
“Go if you want — if something happens I won’t blame you, so don’t worry and leave.”
“Tsk.”
With a click of his tongue, Thomas looked thoroughly unwilling but as if he would stay. Usually gentlemen fuss over protecting a frail lady. What a waste — he’ll never be a romance lead. Even now, I couldn’t help noticing his good looks. Thomas narrowed his brow at my sulky face and nodded toward the front. Guards who’d spotted us in the distance were running toward us with violent gestures. Thomas suddenly lifted his dress to his waist — it startled me for a second — and drew a dagger the size of an arm from his thigh. He twirled the hilt with his fingers, looking oddly pleased. So much grumbling, and now a mood swing.
“I’m curious now. Exactly what did you plan to do alone?”
Thomas fixed his gaze on the guards closing in. A blue aura gathered on the blade, making its edge quietly sharp.
“Well, for starters—”
I grabbed a cage bar and pulled hard, prying it to the sides. The metal groaned and bent like taffy, and a gap large enough for one person to slip through opened up. Thomas turned to me, astonished.
“You must have some deep reason for this.”
I hadn’t planned anything; there was nothing deep. But it would be lame to admit I had no plan now. After hauling out the arm of a slave who could barely stand, I proudly pointed at the empty cage.
“Open it. Free them. Run.”
And if we found Sepak, I would hammer him until he couldn’t walk right again. I swallowed the last words and smiled at Thomas.
“Pretty easy, right?”
“…….”
Thomas didn’t respond further — perhaps my little joke didn’t sit well with him. Good — it’s fortunate his expression was hidden by a mask.
“Intruders in Sector B-3!”
A guard shouted from above. Scattered guards immediately changed direction and charged toward us. Most of the slaves bolted as soon as they were freed; a few hid behind Thomas and me. Thomas and I stood on either side as the slaves clustered in the middle.
“They’re coming.”
Thomas hurriedly cut through the remaining bars. Seeing the approaching guards, I tightened my grip on the bonk-hammer. Ready, strike! I swung and hit the guard who came around the turn, from low to high. Hitting upward under the jaw sent the guard flying into the air for a moment before he crashed to the ground with a clatter. Ah — that satisfying impact! Picking up the hammer here was a stroke of genius. Praising my own foresight, I kept moving without rest.
“Filthy cockroaches.”
They seemed to keep coming from everywhere. Thankfully, this wasn’t an open square where we could be surrounded. As we neared the exit, more men with swords came pouring after us. I held the hammer backward to block their blades, then struck their clavicles with my fist like before. It didn’t require finesse — just parry the sword and hit. Because the sword blades were longer than the hammer’s handle, they sometimes grazed at my dress, arm, or thigh, but it worked fine.
‘I wish I’d brought twin bonk-hammers.’
My first regret since coming down to Rodesia. If I had two, I could have used one to strike and one to parry the swords. Behind us came repeated sounds of metal snapping. Glancing back, Thomas looked at me with surprised eyes. He kept looking between me and the fallen guards as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Any sign of Chloe?”
While freeing and gathering the slaves, my thoughts kept returning to Chloe. Had Thomas’ men managed to find her? If they hadn’t… I steeled myself with an idea.
‘I’ll take Sepak as a hostage.’
Even in mortal danger she wouldn’t be left exposed. As I formed that resolve, Thomas pressed a finger to his ear and said,
“Your escort knight arrived and rescued Chloe, I hear.”
An unknown knight! I inwardly rejoiced. He had seemed clumsy, but it looked like he had some skill after all. With all the guards down, the freed slaves slipped out at once. Thomas and I headed out too, when a thin child who had been hovering near us hesitated and approached. The kid was skin-and-bones; elbow bones showed sharply. He opened his mouth.
“There are more… over there.”
A burly man hiding nearby aimed a sword at the child, but Thomas easily knocked it aside. The big man moved with nervous haste, like he was trying to silence the kid somehow.
“There are more winged people.”
Thomas looked at the child. The child, timid and wary, pointed at one side of the cave wall. A hulking man who had leapt toward Thomas’ back swung his sword straight at the child. It was a clean attack aimed only at the kid — a desperate, no-defense strike — but Thomas was faster. He stepped on the fallen hulking man and urged the child forward.
“There are Gens here?”
“Yes. People with wings.”
‘Gens!’
The Gens were said to be descendants of the extinct dragons — dragon-born, the rivals of the gods. Just the thought of them being here made my heart pound. Thomas tucked the child under his arm and sprinted to the wall. Up close, the wall looked fake. Thomas struck the surface with his aura-imbued sword. Red energy rippled and the false wall shimmered, then re-formed.
“Magitech, huh.”
Thomas said as he set the child down to let him flee first. It felt like the communication device he used. He ran a fingertip along the wall, then stopped at a particular point and drove his aura-wreathed sword into a symbol. The wavering wall vanished.
“Wow…”
I managed my expression and watched them from behind Thomas. Two silhouettes were trapped in a large iron cage.Thomas’ demeanor sharpened as he approached them.
“…….”
As the child had said, an oddly winged old man and a small, gaunt man were chained there.
“Whole wings….”
Thomas muttered. The old man’s wings were astonishingly robust and larger than his torso. They were glossy and imposing compared to the man beside him. In fact, the other man’s tattered wings looked more like rags next to the old man’s. There was more than wings distinguishing the Rodesians and the Gens. They reincarnated only among themselves. Some remembered their past lives from the start; others recollected later or never did before their deaths — but one thing was certain: only Gens souls possessed Gens bodies. The old man, unable to contain himself, cursed in a booming voice that didn’t sound like someone who’d been imprisoned.
“Descendants of Rodesia. The time of judgment has come.”
“…….”
“The World Tree is withering, and our rebirth to appear before you is the greatest proof, is it not?”
His blood-red eyes gleamed with poisonous intent. Even receiving that dreadful malice directly, Thomas looked oddly exhilarated.
“I didn’t expect the Gens in the report to be you.”
Thomas studied the old man with interest.
“Praman Fores, the spiritual pillar of the Gens. We’ve been hunting for you for a long time.”
That made him a very important figure. I scrutinized the old man anew. If not for his gray hair and deep wrinkles, he might not have looked old at all. The old man bared his teeth and spat words as if he could swallow Thomas whole.
“We will be born again and again until we finally devour you.”
“When you die, the Gens line will effectively be severed.”
“You bastard!”
Thomas smirked and looked at the small man beside the old man.
“How many true Gens are left? These days only scraps like that are born.”
Praman lunged at the bars and gripped them fiercely. The shackle on his wrist clanged threateningly against the bars, but Thomas didn’t flinch.
“Isn’t the one sitting beside you proof that the Gens are dying out?”
“No. If the Dragon is resurrected, the Gens will rise again.”
Praman laughed scornfully.
“And if the Dragon manifests with him, you will pay the price.”
“‘Him’?” The Gens worshiped only the Dragon, no? Praman shouted loudly.
“Elaiya! If she, the goddess of ruin, descends upon this land, you will crumble easily.”
—What? Me?
