In a building larger than the ones around it, two guards were talking to three children outside the main entrance. The three children were wearing the standard uniform of the Academy. The one at the front had golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes, his chest sporting a badge with open feathery wings etched on it.

 

“I’m Daniel Goodstay. I’m here to meet The Official Lana Carter.” Daniel said to the two guards.

 

The guards hurriedly bowed to the children. One of them rushed in to call The Official while the other escorted the esteemed guests to a lavish room inside the building. The children looked around, surprised by the expensive items that adorned the rooms they passed. The corridor they were walking through had chandeliers on the ceiling at regular intervals. The door to every room had handles made of gold and the furniture inside seemed to be lined with gems.

 

“Imbeciles can’t even make it less obvious that they are being paid by that criminal,” Daniel remarked while walking behind the guard. The guard jolted at the comment but didn’t dare to turn back.

 

“No wonder the Kingdom isn’t doing anything about it. They might not even be aware of the situation here.” David Eastmere sighed. “Lord Daniel, why have we come here exactly?”

 

“Just call me Daniel. We’re all students of the Academy. There is no need for the title. The same goes for you, Meera.” Daniel said without looking back.

 

“My family serves your House, My Lord. How can I be so disrespectful?” Meera softly answered.

 

“Then take it as a command,” Daniel said, “Anyway, The Official here also serves my family. We will be asking her for some information and to provide one more person at Orange Stage. Our team is weaker than the other two, after all.”

 

“Wouldn’t that be considered cheating?” Meera asked.

 

“I believe Professor Willem already had an idea when I told him the location. One additional person shouldn’t be a problem.” Daniel stated.

 

They had been sitting in the guest room for a few moments now, waiting for The Official. The door swung open and a beautiful woman entered the room in a rush. The woman had black coquettish eyes and black hair that were tied in a bun. She was wearing an immoderate red garb lined with gold, while her neck was adorned with necklaces. She bowed deeply towards the three children.

 

“Lana Carter greets the young Lords and Lady,” Lana said while still in a deep bow.

 

“Those are some expensive clothes you’re wearing,” Daniel said nonchalantly but Lana’s back was already drenched in a cold sweat. It was the first time she was talking to a High Noble directly but she was quite confident in her beauty to subdue the child in front of her.

 

“If My Lord doesn’t like it, then this servant of yours shall change these clothes,” Lana said as she slowly straightened her back, deliberately revealing a portion of her curvaceous breasts for the High Noble. She was very assured of her looks and body. She was the only woman among the Seven Officials of Sugasa. While all the Officials were the same in status, she still held more sway than the others. The other Officials had always drooled over her beauty and showered their favours to get a taste of her. The High Noble in front of her was only a child who hadn’t seen the world properly and would definitely come in her arms like a little fawn.

 

Daniel kept staring at the woman for a while. Meera, who was sitting beside Daniel had a disgusted expression on her face while David simply averted his eyes away.

 

Lana didn’t mind the other two people and only kept looking at Daniel with a seductive gaze. It was a chance of a lifetime for her. If she could gain the favour of a High Noble, her life would turn around completely.

 

Daniel stood up from his seat and walked towards Lana, still maintaining eye contact with her.

 

“You two,” Daniel said to Meera and David, “Stay here for a while.”

 

Daniel crossed Lana, signalling her to follow him. Lana smiled, realising that her charm had worked perfectly. She walked out of the door, following behind Daniel.

 

“My Lord, would you be willing to accompany me for a tea in my room upstairs,” Lana asked alluringly, slowly brushing her hand with Daniel’s.

 

Daniel stopped walking, turned around and smiled softly, “No. I have a much better room in mind.”

 

“What would that be, My Lord?”

 

“The basement,” Daniel said, the smile still plastered on his face. “I wonder why I can feel so many people in the basement, grouped together like animals.”

 

Daniel had taken the mana in and around the building under his influence as soon as he walked in through the main entrance. 

 

Realising this, Lana took a step back in fear. There was only one reason why Lana hadn’t realised it yet, that was because Daniel was much stronger than her. Her heart shook, eyes widening with fear. She instantly inched closer to Daniel, holding his hand and bringing it closer to her bosom. She wasn’t sure of what Daniel would do after seeing the basement and she had to make a good impression on him urgently.

 

“My Dear Lord,” Lana said in a soft voice, “They are just some slaves this servant of yours have kept.”

 

Daniel’s smile slowly faded. He looked at his hand, the back of which was touching her breasts and gradually pulled it out of her grasp.

 

“Your name, Lana, is derived from the name of Goddess of Knowledge, Elana Thorne. Isn’t that right?” Daniel asked.

 

Lana nodded. She didn’t dare to do anything after watching the change in Daniel’s expression. Only her eyes were still giving off a look of a weak animal hoping to be protected.

 

“Appalling,” Daniel said while turning back towards the basement. His steps started moving and Lana didn’t have any choice other than to follow him quietly.

 

“Do you know why most of the Noble Houses do not keep any slaves?” Daniel asked while walking down the stairs.

 

“Isn’t it to respect the Sixth Star’s words?” Lana said, not understanding why Daniel was asking such a question.

 

“The God of Kindness only abolished slavery in Leklienia, not the entire Mainland. Let me rephrase the question. The slaves are mostly kept by commoners who have managed to gain some semblance of power. What do you think is the reason?”

 

Lana pondered for a while, her steps going down the stairs behind Daniel, and answered, “So that they can feel powerful.”

 

“Correct.” Daniel sighed. “Commoners are subjugated their entire lives. Living as bottom feeders, they try to claw up however they can. Some learn to read and write and earn a job, some become merchants to earn a sizable wealth, while some learn mana comprehension and open up a new world in front of them. However, they still remain bottom feeders. Only slaves are what makes them feel powerful. Broken people with nowhere to return to. Some slaves come from wartorn towns and villages, some procured by slave traders. Our own citizens are thrown down that path. Every Noble is aware of the situation and yet they all just avert their eyes.”

 

Daniel stopped in front of the door to the basement, turned around and looked into Lana’s eyes.

 

“Do you think that makes any sense?”

 

Lana didn’t know what to say to the child in front of her. She just stood there like a statue, afraid of meeting his gaze.

 

Daniel opened the door and a pungent smell soon greeted him. The basement was dark, a hall without any window or any artificial source of light.

 

“Most of the slaves in our kingdom were normal commoners of our kingdom once. And yet, we have allowed them to reach such a state.” Daniel said while raising little mana balls that slowly illuminated the basement. He already knew what he would come across but this was something he had to see with his own eyes.

 

The basement lit up revealing a harrowing scene of several young men and a few young women, not older than eighteen, chained to the walls like cattle. Daniel looked at their bare bodies that seemed feeble and malnourished. While the young men were in somewhat better condition, the women’s bodies were in a terrible state. Daniel could see marks on their necks and injuries on their backs that resembled as if wild animals had ravaged them. Some had bruised faces, possibly by being slapped and punched and some seemed to be bleeding from the bottom orifice.

 

Daniel noticed the festered faeces and urine that covered the floor right beneath where the slaves were chained up. The foul smell that assaulted his nose was accompanied by the fearful and surprised gasps of the young men and women at the sudden introduction of light.

 

“This is the state of our citizens and that stupid fucking King still wastes his time on the battle against Ruhala. Does this make any sense to you, Lana?” Daniel asked, with a voice that induced a chill in Lana’s body. His eyes were still but his heart was screaming every word he uttered.

 

Lana choked in shock when she heard the insult towards King Acacia. She could never imagine someone insulting the King, and that too a High Noble. It was a crime worth execution if the word were to get out.

 

‘Wait!’ Realisation dawned on her. She kicked the ground hard, trying to get away from Daniel. She knew she wouldn’t live after hearing him say those words and had to make a run for it. If she could get out of the building, there was a chance that Daniel wouldn’t be able to kill her. If she just went and screamed that Daniel Goodstay had insulted their King, she might be able to save her life.

 

Sadly, her legs could not race as fast as her mind. A massive force came crashing down on her. Her body crashed to the ground, being crushed by the mana akin to a mountain. She riled up the element of fire and blasted at the walls around her, trying to make way for her escape. However, a shroud of darkness suddenly engulfed her entire attack, devouring the blast within itself. The dark shroud turned into a serpent, sliding around her body and binding her tightly. The serpent slithered towards Daniel while carrying the woman lathered with dust and soot, quite the opposite of seductive at the moment.

 

Daniel turned towards the slaves who were looking at him with horrified eyes, unaware of his intentions. They considered Lana to be the most powerful and seeing a child, slightly younger than them, overpowering her with such ease gave them a massive shock.

 

Daniel was looking at them with a bitter taste in his mouth. 

 

‘That halfwit father of mine is still chasing Erwin Frye’s shadow and wagging his tail behind The King, instead of advising him about the matters that are most important.’ Daniel closed his eyes tightly. 

 

“Freedom from chains or freedom from life?” Daniel asked the slaves.

 

The young men and women seemed confused at first, not realising that the question was directed at them. They looked at each other but couldn’t answer. 

 

“Let me go by the Heavens’ side.” A weak female voice was heard. The other people looked at her and slowly nodded. They couldn’t form words from their mouths but expressed their decisions with their eyes.

 

Daniel sighed and opened his eyes, realising that their spirits were far too broken to continue. He slashed his hand horizontally, sending a mana slash at them.

 

“I apologise for the crimes we have committed against you. I hope you all find peace by the Heavens’ side.” Daniel bowed at the bodies that had started to fall to the ground.

 

Daniel turned around and looked at Lana. The dark serpent released the woman but still slithered behind her menacingly. 

 

“Burn them,” Daniel ordered.

 

Lana immediately complied, thinking that she might have a chance to survive. She controlled the element of fire and sent to the bodies of the slaves that rapidly caught fire.

 

“My Lord, I swear I’ll never do such things again. I promise in the name of Heavens. My family has served your House for centuries. Please be merciful, My Lord.” She pleaded.

 

Daniel glanced at her pathetic state. “You know, you could have at least provided them with clothes.”

 

He started walking, crossing the pleading woman and the dark serpent that was eyeing her voraciously. As soon as Daniel stepped out of the room, the serpent pounced on the woman and devoured her completely. There seemed to be a struggle inside the serpent’s stomach, accompanied by the muffled screams but nothing came out of it. The serpent slowly settled and turned into a little ball of darkness and flew rapidly towards Daniel to disappear within his body.

 

It only took a few moments before Daniel was back into the guest room where his teammates were waiting for him.

 

“Let’s go,” Daniel said, signalling them to follow him. 

 

“Did you get the information and help from her?” Meera asked.

 

“Ah, I forgot.” Daniel shook his head, realising his mistake. “We will go and meet the other officials for information.”

 

“Why? What happened to Lady Lana?” David asked.

 

Daniel didn’t answer and kept on walking. David and Meera glanced at each other. Meera had disgust in her eyes believing that Daniel had lost himself in passion with the seductress, while David just sighed with helplessness. The three people slowly stepped out of the building and asked the people in proximity for other official buildings.

 

Meanwhile, inside the building, a little ball of darkness was swirling around. The ball of darkness, the Heavens’ Gift belonging to Daniel, slowly took the shape of a serpent. It slithered happily while eyeing the junior officials and guards inside the building.

 

---

 

 

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