We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Green-winged Slustal
It seems the Winged Tribe’s village is located beyond a mountain.
We proceeded along the mountain path, still with the Winged Tribe’s men pointing their weapons at us.
And then, it happened when we took a break halfway up the mountainside.
“I’ll send out a scout this time. Alright, let’s use that bird.”
The one who said that was a small Winged Tribe man with gray wings.
He closed his eyes tightly and held both hands towards a small bird perched on a nearby tree branch.
The small bird shriveled.
“…Vision switching complete. I’ll try to fly it towards the mountain range as far as I can.”
Apparently, he was using some kind of technique to control the small bird and investigate if Revalia was flying nearby. From what I could see, it seemed he could switch between his own vision and the bird’s vision to observe distant scenes.
By the way, the unique technique of the Winged Tribe is called “Wing Arts.” It’s probably because it manipulates those with wings or翅 (wings), and because they themselves possess wings too.
The man with gray wings waved both hands, which he had been holding towards the small bird, up into the sky. Then, the small bird that had been perched on the branch took flight as well.
“Hey. Don’t stare, you folk of the Human Race.”
As I was observing the man with gray wings, a deep voice came from behind me. A giant man was glaring down at me.
“I’m sorry. I just found it unusual.”
It was the first time I had seen a Winged Tribe member use Wing Arts. For future reference, I wanted to observe it more closely. However, not wanting to provoke the Winged Tribe any further, I reluctantly averted my gaze from the man with gray wings.
Next, I stealthily observed the man with green wings, who was the only one in the group of Winged Tribe members dressed in fine clothes.
“Lord Slustal, here is some water.”
A man with mottled brown and green wings handed a water bottle to the man with green wings, who was sitting on a fallen log. It seemed the man with green wings was named Slustal. Slustal took the water bottle without saying thank you and drank it down in gulps.
I don’t know what kind of social hierarchy is in place in the Winged Tribe’s country, but at least Slustal seemed to have a higher status than the other Winged Tribe men around him. Although we were resting, to be precise, everyone except Slustal sitting on the fallen log and us sitting on the ground was standing guard, watching our surroundings.
The Winged Tribe people were supposed to be heading towards the foothills of the Heavenly Mountain Range due to an unrejectable request from someone. To be exact, wasn’t it that Slustal received the request, and the other Winged Tribe men followed as his bodyguards? So, does that mean someone of higher status than Slustal is waiting for us at the village?
“Tch. For a human, you’re enjoying yourselves during a break.”
“Well, it’s fine. Once we get back to the village, we’ll make sure to enjoy ourselves plenty for this,”
A man with black wings and another man were having a vulgar conversation, still casting unpleasant glances at our wives. Alright, I’ve decided! If any trouble breaks out, I’ll take down these two first! Unlike me, who was puffing out my chest, the women calmly brushed off the vulgar gazes. Nevertheless, they were resting quietly, not making a fuss as usual.
The Winged Tribe men might direct rude gazes at us without hesitation, but for now, they aren’t making any moves. This is Revalia’s achievement. The Winged Tribe men are on edge because of Revalia’s presence, so they don’t have the leeway to focus on unnecessary actions until we return to the village. Well, if they try to lay a hand on us, I’ll fight back without thinking about the consequences!
So, for the time being, there were no significant clashes, and we moved together with the Winged Tribe men. And the break ended when the man with gray wings finished his reconnaissance from the sky.
“We didn’t see any wyverns. They must have flown towards the mountain range.”
“In that case, it’s safe to proceed to the village.”
Even after departing, the Winged Tribe men’s topic of conversation was still Revalia.
“But why did wyverns fly by at this time of year?”
“No, if you think about it differently, it might have been a good thing? Thanks to that wyvern, we didn’t have to go through unnecessary trouble.”
“Besides, we even found souvenirs.”
Souvenirs, I assume, means the women. This is truly infuriating!
“Meow.”
Nimias also seems to find the Winged Tribe men’s conversation unpleasant. After all, Nimias is a girl too.
“Meow.”
Nimias, pretending to be a kitten, stayed on top of my head. I’ve disguised my horns and wings since I noticed the Winged Tribe’s technique, so it seems to be working well.
We proceeded along the winding mountain road, surrounded by the Winged Tribe men. From the foothills of the Heavenly Mountain Range to here, there had been tire tracks along the road. What could these tire tracks mean? The Winged Tribe men are walking on the ground now, but if Revalia weren’t present, they would have flown through the air to move. That being the case, the ground road and the tire tracks still bother me. Moreover, the road continues to the very edge of civilization, far from human settlements. Hmm, as I turned my thoughts to puzzling out the mystery, we had somehow crossed the mountain and arrived at the Winged Tribe’s village.
It’s a small village, I think. The first thing that caught my eye was a sturdy outer wall made of thick logs, which suddenly appeared on the gentle slope of the mountainside. The log wall was high and completely surrounded the village except for the entrance. However, it didn’t continue endlessly. It bent a little further ahead, marking the edge of the village.
“Quite a heavily guarded village, isn’t it?”
Mistral and the others also seemed surprised by the village’s strangeness. For a village in such a rural area, or rather, a place that could be called the frontier even within the buffer zone, it seemed unusually guarded. Could it be to prepare for attacks from monsters or magic beasts? No, monsters are creatures that can appear anywhere, anytime, so outer walls are meaningless. Then, magic beasts? Even so, we haven’t encountered a single magic beast on the road so far, have we? So, what does this heavily guarded outer wall surrounding the village mean?
Our doubts were answered beyond the gate.
“…Good heavens. It was an outer wall to prevent slaves from escaping.”
As we entered the village, prompted by the Winged Tribe men, we saw peculiar stalls lined up along the road. The village itself was indeed small. Nevertheless, the road was wide, and the ground was firmly packed. And along the village road, there were many small cages lined up in the stalls, each containing a single slave chained up. The slaves all appeared to be human. There were young people in decent clothes, as well as old men and children dressed in rags. Everyone was despairing of their fate and hung their heads in deep dejection. This is a village that hunts and sells slaves! The outer wall of logs was to prevent the slaves from escaping!
“How awful!”
Ruisaine instinctively moved to act. But the giant man restrained her with the tip of his spear. “Even as a miko, refrain from unnecessary actions. If you and the other miko act, we will show no mercy to the clergy of this country either?”
A tacit rule universally spread throughout the world. Clergy do not interfere with any politics or customs of races. In return, various races also treat clergy with great respect. In the Demon Race’s country and the Divine Race’s country, miko and shinkan were protected. The reason is simple. Many humans live in this world, and most of them are followers of temple religions. Therefore, if you strike the clergy whom humans revere, you will end up making enemies of all humans in the world. That’s why even in countries or by races with terrible social systems, they don’t lay hands on clergy. Conversely, clergy have maintained a neutral stance by not interfering with politics or customs.
Therefore, Miko Ruisaine cannot extend her hand to the slaves at this moment. If Ruisaine were to interfere in the politics and economy of the Winged Tribe, the Winged Tribe would also cease to show mercy to the clergy, causing great trouble for the other miko and shinkan living in the buffer zone. However, even though we understand, we cannot accept it. Not only Ruisaine and Madrine, but all the women’s faces were pained and heartbroken by the strange sight of the village. I feel it too. Even if they are strangers, it’s unbearable to see people being treated like this. Surely, in the Demon Race’s country and the Divine Race’s country, such scenes are commonplace. However, like the clergy, we have decided not to interfere with such politics and culture. If we interfere, we must take responsibility until the end. I understand that such intervention is something that should absolutely not be done without the resolve to overturn the very foundation of a country and guide all people. But… even so, when I see reality, I feel indignant at my inability to do anything. I can’t help but think if there’s any way I can help these people even a little.
“If only Revalia…”
Perhaps a terrifying wyvern might occasionally attack the village and cause destruction? As a result, the cages and the outer wall might be broken, and the slaves might escape?
“Meow.”
To my ominous mumblings, everyone gave a small bitter smile.
“Hey, walk faster! If you don’t, I’ll throw all of you into those cages right now!”
As we stood frozen in front of the stalls lined with cages, the Winged Tribe men agitatedly spoke to us. We invariably proceeded deeper into the village, being hurried along.
The roadside was lined with cages for selling slaves. There were even empty cages. But if they go slave hunting, someone will be put there and sold, I suppose… The houses where the Winged Tribe likely lived were concentrated in the center of the village. All the wooden buildings were magnificent and looked quite well-off for a rural village. It was proof of the ample money they had from selling slaves. In the center of the village, there were a plaza and several large mansions, and we were brought to that plaza. The Winged Tribe villagers gathered. They stared at us rudely, and some were having vulgar conversations about how soon we could be sold.
“Oh, Slustal. I asked you to scout the mountain range, and you’ve come back hunting new slaves. You are truly excellent.”
Then, a middle-aged man with a portly build, dressed in attire as expensive as or more expensive than Slustal’s, emerged from the crowd of Winged Tribe villagers. His thin white hair might have originally been red like his wings. And like his thinning hair, his red wings were also thin, and judging by his build, he probably couldn’t fly anymore.
“Council Chairman Seol. I have returned. These individuals, there are some… circumstances.”
“Oh, circumstances? My, my, aren’t these some beautiful women? Let me have a taste of one or two of them first.”
The middle-aged Winged Tribe man, called Seol, smiled lecherously at Mistral and the others. However, neither Slustal nor anyone else tried to stop Seol. It seemed he was a big shot that even the seemingly high-ranking Slustal couldn’t defy. But that doesn’t mean we’ll quietly overlook Seol’s vulgar behavior. If Seol tries to lay a hand on our wives!
“Lord Seol, perhaps that’s enough jesting?”
“Gah?!”
Just as Seol was about to reach for Mistral, we gasped at the appearance of a man who had newly emerged from the Winged Tribe’s circle.
“Oh, Lord Guen. How about it? Would you care for a taste as well?”
“No, I’ll pass.”
The person who refused Seol’s vulgar invitation. We knew the young man with blue hair, who looked like a rogue, very well. Guen?! Why is Guen, a subordinate of the valiant God of War Teyu, in the buffer zone!? You can express your support easily by clicking the heart. (Login required) Support Those with Accounts Log in Learn more about the reading experience possible on Kakuyomu.
