Heavenly Castle

Chapter 87: Exploration of Karluk Kingdom’s Capital part 1

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

Upon re-examining the town after our conversation with Leticia, I became aware of its more sinister side.

Take one step away from the lively streets into the back alleys and you’ll find starving people, orphaned kids, and even corpses lying around.

「Whoa… The dark side is scary……」

Muttering so I look around. Occasionally I’d encounter suspicious men and women that would stare at me without any restraint.

They are clearly not from your ordinary public. Their gazes were seedy, and they even leaked pretty creepy laughs from time to time. If I were to add, they also stunk really bad.

「The likes of vagrants, thieves, and murderers you’d find anywhere. Not a big deal.」

「It is a big deal, Aifa-san. 」

I naturally retorted to Aifa’s words. Just what in the world has to happen that murderers will get a higher encounter rate than stray dogs?

「……Hm? Which reminds me, I don’t see any dogs or cats.」

When I said so, Yuri replied with her usual expression.

「They probably became a food, didn’t they? For poor people hunting is about the only way to get meat.」

「Hunting…… For dogs? That’s weird. Isn’t hunting supposed to be about deer or boars……」

A shiver ran through my body after I said that. What a scary story. The difference in wealth was literally like heaven and hell.

As expected, I guess we should return to the cheerful world of the main street.

When I thought so and raised my eyes, the deeper part of the back alley entered my sight.

The dead-end of the dim back alley that was even gloomier than the back alley itself. Two men stood in front of a closed simplistic door.

No, they didn’t just stand there, they actually were kicking something at their feet.

「Hii, uuah…… I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, please……」

With stern faces, the men kept kicking an elderly man in the head and stomach. They are wearing some light leather armor, but they appear nothing like knights or guards.

It doesn’t seem like they are punishing the old man that stole something.

「H-hey……!」

I involuntarily called out to them. To which the men turned around with scary expressions.

「……AAh? What are you?」

「Do you want to die in place of this geezer?」

The two had scars covering their hands and faces and were speaking intimidating words. Though they weren’t that tall, they were pretty muscular and both had frighteningly fierce looks, so they appeared surprisingly scary.

Unfortunately, being a grandma’s kid I couldn’t just ignore a scene of cruelty being done to the elderly.

Of course the same applies to women as well, I can’t bear the sight of those without power being oppressed.

「…Did this senior do something?」

When asked, the men narrowed their eyes with annoyed faces.

「……What’s up with this guy?」

「Wait a moment, he might be a son of some noble.」

In a pretty rude manner, the two exchanged lines while sneaking glances at me, then, and once again turned my way.

「This fellow snatched my food. And so we were punishing him that he won’t ever do that again. 」

「N-no…… I just picked the bread that you threw awa……」

「Shut up, you creep.」

The elderly man that tried to explain himself got kicked with full strength. Blood spilled onto the ground as he took a kick in his face that could cave his nose in. As that blood got on his clothes, the man once again raised his leg with an enraged look.

「a-A1!」

As I shouted, flustered, A1 flew past me with a roaring sound.

And just a moment before the man was about to hit the elderly person, A1 struck the man, blowing him away, and consequently slamming him into the wall.

As all that happened in just an instant, the second man just stood there blinking, completely frozen in place. A bit late but he soon understood the situation and with his face covered in a cold sweat he then took a step back.

「Wa-Wait a moment! We are men of Count Desperado’s right hand man, viscount Elmar Rich?! If you want to have a peaceful life in the capital you better not lay a finger on us!」

「Well, I already did……」

As I say a bit awkwardly, the man vigorously nods expressing his agreement.

「Y-yes, I know! We just had a bit of a misunderstanding! It can’t be helped since you knew nothing about us! Just an unfortunate accident! But now it’s different, right? Now, you are aware, right?!」

「In that case, it might be better to get rid of you here and now.」

「Elf-niisan, don’t say such scary stuff?!」

Looking at the man trembling from Aifa’s words I ask Yuri.

「Sorry, but can you heal wounds of that old man?」

「Please leave it to me.」

Answering lightheartedly Yuri cheerfully made her way to the old man.

Seeing Yuri treat the old man’s injuries, the man, that was looking for an opportunity to escape by himself turned and ran.

And as soon as he showed his back Aifa invoked an earth spell aiming at the back of the man’s head. Being hit with a stone the size of a fist the man easily went down.

Giving a sidelong glance to the man that fainted after falling quite badly as he was running, I get on one knee beside Yuri that was treating the old man’s wounds.

「Are you okay?」

With an expression half-filled with horror, he then expressed his gratitude while groveling on the ground.

「Tha-thank you very much…… Thank you very much……」

「No, don’t mind it…… If you are okay then it’s fine.」

Saying that with a laugh I stood up. The old man seemingly had something to add, but since the men were defeated by A1 and Aifa there shouldn’t be any problem.

As we left the old man and returned to the main street, the sky that until a moment ago was dark and cloudy suddenly cleared up.

Right away I felt the tension leaving me as being enveloped in the joyous atmosphere the events and the scenery of the back streets now seemed like a dream.

「Since it came to this we should check the aristocratic district as well.」

To my words, Ayla showed a somewhat gloomy expression.

「Are you against going there?」

When asked she shook her head and refuted.

「No, I just spotted a shop the sells slaves……」

「A shop that sells slaves?」

Following her gaze, I looked where Ayla was looking and indeed, near the castle walls stood a conspicuous store. The walls and shutters were decorated with cloth of intense primary colors, and with the signboard-like thing near the entrance, it was hard to mistake it for something other than a shop.

However, in front of the shop were no merchandize, only a signboard in chain motif right next to the exit.

「Is that it? It doesn’t seem to be too popular.」

If I remember correctly, weren’t slaves one of the main commodities of this country? I asked with those thoughts, but Ayla shook her head with a regretful expression.

「For a while carriages loaded with large quantities of slaves keep coming and going. Most likely, down the street, there is a lot of slave stores lined-up.」

「I see. So the farther we get from the main gates of the capital, the more numerous slave traders become. But anyway, I saw quite a lot of carriages passing us, are you saying that all of them were like that?」

「Not all, but at least half of them are……」

More than half? Way more than two dozens of carriages went past us already.

Unable to conceal my astonishment, I tried to peek inside one of the shops.

Inside, it was a bit dim with a lot of huge cages lined-up.

「……There is nothing but old and sick. Location-wise it’s probably nothing but cheap slaves here.」

Hearing Aifa I couldn’t help but frown.

Not feeling like going out of my way to go inside, we proceed down the main road.

And just as Ayla expected, the further we went the more slave stores we saw. Also shops that for example had only strong-looking men and women or stores with good looking young people started appearing.

Among those even were shops with nothing but humans with animal tails and ears or shops with only beautiful elves.

With the numerous slave stores, a great variety of merchandise and swarms of people flocking to the goods, not only Ayla’s but Yuri’s and Aifa’s expressions also gradually grew sour.

As one would expect, I’m also getting fed up.

With those thoughts, we kept walking along the street until finally, a remarkably huge building appeared at the end of the street. As I looked inquiringly at the mysterious building that completely blocked the road I heard voices of men in luxurious attire that entered there.

「Well, it’s about time.」

「Regime Company outdid us previously. This time, we have to seize victory.」

「Yes, of course. After all, this time, according to rumors, there is a special lot of a princess of a fallen kingdom. If we can get the deal it will greatly contribute to spreading the name of our company.」

Such an enthusiastic exchange reached my ears.

「……The venue of a slave auction, huh.」

Murmuring I looked up at the building that in its splendor even resembled a lord’s mansion.