Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The next day, early morning.
Narid groggily woke up from his sleep. This forest, where he cultivated Parasitic Tree Fruits every year, was the time he slept the best.
His body felt somewhat heavy.
He propped himself up and lowered his gaze.
There was a half-human girl with a body full of scars clinging to him.
“It’s morning already…”
Narid counted the bruises on the half-human girl’s body, muttering to himself.
“What should I do with her now… I probably fell asleep from exhaustion yesterday…”
“Sigh, this is what happens when you get old. You don’t have the energy of young people anymore.”
Noisy screams could be heard from outside the tent.
Narid was long past being surprised.
“Never mind, there are still things to do.”
He shook his head, his large hand gripping the half-human girl’s tail. He dangled her upside down as if she were a sack. The tug and pain from her tail made her wake up abruptly from her unconsciousness.
She couldn’t help but let out a mournful cry.
Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain.
Narid ignored her, tossing the half-human girl aside like garbage. She fell into a pile of junk, her forehead hitting a sharp corner and bleeding profusely.
A moment later.
Narid donned his armor and went outside the tent.
The sun was shining brightly, and the trees provided ample shade. Everything around him seemed clean. The cheerful laughter of the guards could be heard all around.
“Yo, you guys didn’t sleep all night?”
Narid smiled slightly, then kicked aside two pieces of “nourishment” lying in the road as he greeted the guards enthusiastically.
“Hahaha, Uncle Narid, you’re up early!”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s an annual event, how can we waste time sleeping?”
The guards chuckled. Each of them had enough quotas and enough time.
Another batch of “nourishment” had been delivered late last night.
It was enough for them to have their fill of fun.
“Great, then everyone have fun. If you want to eat, it’s the usual place… Oh, by the way, have you seen Reno?”
Narid looked around.
Half-humans and elf female slaves lay scattered everywhere. Some were shivering in pain, some had fainted, but more had empty, despairing eyes, like puppets waiting to be manipulated.
“Where did that brat Reno run off to?”
Narid was a bit puzzled.
He wanted Reno, as a newcomer, to have fun at such a grand team-building event.
It would be too pathetic if he was scared by the Parasitic Tree’s strange appearance yesterday and didn’t enjoy the team-building activity.
“Reno?”
A soldier looked up.
“I think I saw him leave with an Elf Girl this morning. That Elf was a Sword Dance Master. I have to say, the new ones sure know how to pick them…”
“Sword Dance Master?”
Narid was slightly taken aback, then a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
That brat actually picked an Elf Sword Dance Master. He must be quite troubled right now…
After wandering around the forest for a while, Narid finally found Reno. And just as he had expected, Reno’s face bore a bright red slap mark. It was obvious that the Elf Girl had hit him.
Narid burst out laughing on the spot.
“Hahaha, Reno, your face! Hahaha… What are you doing? Why are you in such a sorry state?”
Looking at the heartily laughing Narid, Reno couldn’t muster a smile. He sighed with a crestfallen face.
“I tried my best, Uncle, but this Elf Girl’s temper is just too explosive. I chose her in the warehouse because no one else did, but I didn’t expect this outcome…”
“Did I step on a mine?”
“Hahaha… Sorry, I’m professionally trained, I don’t usually laugh, but it’s just that you have one on each side… hahahaha…”
Narid saw that Reno’s other cheek also had a slap mark and couldn’t hold back any longer, roaring with laughter.
The entire forest was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Reno said helplessly, “Just laugh if you want to… No need to hold back…”
“Sorry… But you’re doing pretty well right now. At least you’ve restrained her, and you didn’t recklessly kiss her or shove anything into her mouth. Otherwise…”
Narid continued with a wicked smile, “Otherwise, she would have gone mad and bitten everything to shreds. The last time some idiot did that, I still feel sorry for him thinking about it. His life was ruined just like that, it’s truly lamentable…”
Reno felt a twinge of fear.
He looked at the Elf Girl, whom he had tied up, his expression somewhat complex.
Undoubtedly, this Elf Girl was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. None of the “nourishment” in the warehouse was more beautiful or alluring than her.
Yet, this beautiful “merchandise” was unwanted.
He didn’t understand.
“Why is this Elf Sword Dance Master so unpopular?”
“That’s right, but before that, let me teach you how to properly engage in team-building.” Narid slung an arm around Reno’s shoulder, turning him to face the direction of the camp.
Reno could clearly see what was happening in the camp. Honestly, he was envious. These guards had already used five or six “items” at most, while he hadn’t even managed to handle one.
Comparing oneself to others could be infuriating!
“Those are demi-humans. They have beast-like ears and tails,” Narid said, pointing to a girl being held by the throat by a guard, speaking as if he were describing a commodity.
“These demi-humans are weak-willed and naive. There are many ways to play with them. You can treat them roughly, or you can play dating games with them first…”
“Dating games?” Reno didn’t understand.
“It’s like being very nice to her at first, asking about her well-being, making her develop feelings for you, liking you. Then, when she has the most hope, thinking she’s special, you personally crush her.”
“As for how to crush her, I think you understand what I mean.”
Narid gestured towards the chaotic, hellish camp with a meaningful look.
“These demi-humans are very popular because they are easily subdued, and their physical condition is also quite good.”
Narid picked a blade of grass from his feet, put it in his mouth, and rested his hands behind his head. He nudged his chin, and the grass pointed towards another direction as if it were his hand.
“Those are gnomes. They are also very popular. Their personalities are even more pathetic than demi-humans. They are less than a meter tall and are very popular with some guards who are large and have peculiar tastes.”
“The one with blonde hair and long ears over there is a treant. She’s like the Sword Dance Master behind you, but they are ordinary treants and their temperaments are much more stubborn, not easily subdued.”
“However, if you use the right methods, it’s easy to tame them.”
After Narid finished his introductions, he let Reno admire the scene silently for a while before turning him around by the shoulder.
“Now, let’s talk about the Sword Dance Master.”
“They are the elites of the elves, combat instructors for ordinary elves. Each one is a very precious existence, so their temperaments are also very fierce.”
As Narid spoke, he waved his hand in front of the Sword Dance Master. The Elf Girl indeed bared her teeth fiercely, biting the air with a “click”.
“Heh.” Narid sneered, then slapped the Elf Girl across the face.
“However, there are also Sword Dance Masters in those large taverns in the Karari Royal Capital. Although they are expensive, they at least don’t have such a violent temper. They are very obedient. They do whatever their Master tells them to do…”
Looking at the Sword Dance Master struggling like a mad dog, trying to bite him even though she was tied up, Reno couldn’t help but feel a headache.
He had turned a perfectly good team-building activity into this mess.
He was truly one of a kind.
“Those have been trained. Before their training and infusion with special drugs, their temperaments were even worse than the Sword Dance Master in front of you.”
Narid smiled and patted Reno’s shoulder to comfort him.
“So, have fun. Don’t worry, this is a landmine specifically left for you by the veterans. They’re just unpleasant and disliked because of their bad temper.”
“But if you can tolerate their disgusted gazes, they are still quite good ‘merchandise’~”
Reno nodded in understanding.
As long as it wasn’t the elders deliberately setting him up, disgusted gazes could be covered with a cloth if necessary.
“By the way, Uncle, do you understand Elvish? This Sword Dance Master has been cursing non-stop since last night, and I don’t know what she’s saying.”
Reno scratched his head, humbly seeking advice.
“Ah~” Narid smiled casually.
“I understand a little Elvish. These elves basically say the same old things. You’ll get used to it if you hear it often.”
“It roughly means things like, ‘卑賤的劣等種’ (contemptible inferior race), ‘I will not yield,’ ‘Kill me if you dare,’ and so on.”
…
Narid left. He still had to check on the Parasitic Tree. Reno was once again alone, facing the proud and defiant Sword Dance Master.
“You call me an inferior race?”
Reno sneered. He felt like he was getting into character.
“Then you will watch closely how this ‘inferior race’ you speak of humiliates you!”
