Second World

Jack turned to the woman that followed and asked, ”the other slaves, are they down there?”

The woman nodded. She then said, ”Iʼm not going down there.”

”Thatʼs okay. Just wait here. I will bring the others up, then I will take you all somewhere safe,” Jack said and descend into the dark basement.

The basement was not as large as the mansion up there. It was just one room after Jack came down the stairs.

Jack saw five more women in that room. They were terrified when they saw Jack, huddling together into one corner as they hugged each other. Jack felt pity in him. These women must have seen many of the others taken up but never returned. Even a fool knew what happened.

”Itʼs okay. The vampire asshole has been taken care of. You are all safe. I will take you out,” Jack said.

Jack gestured for them to follow as he walked back to the stairs. But when he heard no footsteps, he looked back. Those girls were still huddling in the corner. Jack didnʼt see any chains constraining them, which meant they didnʼt trust him.

Considering he was covering his face with a mask, it was no wonder. But Jack didnʼt plan on removing his mask, he didnʼt think these women would rat on him, but better safe than sorry. Jack looked up the stairs. If the woman upstairs came down with him, the sight of her could probably soothe these women.

”Hey, the woman up there!” Jack called out. ”Yell something to the others down here, will you. Tell them itʼs okay to come up.”

Not long after, her voice could be heard. A little soft at first, but it grew louder as she spoke, ”It… Itʼs okay! He is okay! He had killed this houseʼs owner and the guard… He said he will bring us to a safe place!”

The five women looked at each other. They recognized the voice of the woman from above. She had been with them down here not long ago. After long consideration, one of them finally stood up.

”I… I will follow you,” she said.

The others soon follow her lead.

”Letʼs go,” Jack said. He then walked up the stairs as he saw the women were following.

Jack made sure first from his radar that the street outside was deserted before he led the women out. Probably because it was night already so no one came out much. Though Jack wondered how the citizens of this country got used to their daily schedule, it was no difference between day and night because of the constant dark sky.

He continued heading towards the house that Yilus had mentioned. Thank goodness it was not far.

On the way, Jack asked Peniel, ”Can a native uses the zone portal?”

”Of course.”

”Can they use it to teleport to a place that they had not yet visited before?”

”Unlike outworlders, they can teleport to any town within the country, even if they have not visited it yet. But if you pay using mana cores, you can send them to a place that you have registered, even if it is out of this country.”

”So, I can send these women to Heavenly Citadel?”

”If you pay the mana cores, yes.”

Jack contemplated about it as he paid attention in leading the women away from any passerby. When they reached the house, Jack saw Sinful was waiting there with the door opened. Sinful was also still wearing his face mask. He hurriedly ushered for them to go in.

Once inside, Sinful closed the door.

”You really took them here,” Jack heard Yilus say. The shady merchant was there waiting for them. He was also wearing a mask now aside from his hooded cloak. It seemed that he also had the same thought in case Jack truly brought the women here.

Sinful went to the merchant and gave him the brooch. ”This is your bloody brooch,” he said.

Yilus received it and caressed it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. He then put it inside his pocket and said, ”now, about these women…”

”Wait! I want to ask them something first,” Jack said. He then turned to the six women. ”This guy here could arrange for you to live in the ghetto, but you will have to live in hiding for the rest of your lives. People will be looking for you, considering the nobleʼs young son has been killed.”

”Wait! What?” Yilus uttered.

Jack gestured for Sinful to fill the merchant in while he continued to speak with the women. ”I have another proposition for you. I came from the Themisphere country. I can arrange for you to teleport to a city in this country using the zone portal. You will not live a slave life there. I can arrange for you to work in a place I know, if you are willing. You will be paid for your work. What do you think? Do you want to go there or hide in the ghetto of this city?”

”Let me stop you there first,” Yilus came over. Sinful had informed him of what had transpired inside the mansion. ”With the nobleʼs son dead, the investigation will be ruthless. This has changed the situation. I canʼt have them hanging around this city, much less provide them protection. If they wanted to remain in this city, I will have to kill them myself.”

The women gasped hearing that.

”They had seen this house. Itʼs pretty easy to link it back to me if they are captured,” Yilus said to Jack.

Jack did think about that on his way to this house, thatʼs why he had checked with Peniel if there was a second option. He spoke again to the women, ”You heard him. It seemed that your only choice is to go to Themisphere. Does any of you object? Do you have a family member that you need to inform?”

”We… We are all alone…” One of the women said. She was the one Jack had saved when Luther was about to drain her.

”The slave traders usually targeted men and women without relatives. Or take someone who was sold by their own families to pay for their debts, so in a sense, their families had disowned them,” Yilus explained.

”So, will you let me send you to a safe place?” Jack asked the women again.

”I… I will go… I trust you!” The same woman said. The others then nodded in agreement.

”Good, I will arrange for someone to receive you six at the other side. We should go over now.”

Jack then turned to Yilus, ”I guess this concludes our business?”

”Yes. By the way, are you planning to save all the slaves in this city like you did these women?”

”I am no saint, but I canʼt just turn away when it happened before my eyes.”

”Heh. All right, you can go and take your rewards from the Adventurers Association,” Yilus said.

”Speaking about rewards. Since you are no longer helping these women, shouldnʼt you give us that extra rewards you promised?” Sinful said.

Yilus laughed, ”I canʼt quietly elude now, can I? Fine. I know you outworlders covet strength above all else. Now here is a skill book, one for each of you.”

Sinful accepted the book. Jack instead asked, ”do you have a rare medium armor for arm piece?”

”I donʼt. I can find an uncommon one if you want to follow me back to my shop,” Yilus answered.

”This is fine then,” Jack took the skill book.

”I will leave you gentleman, then. It has been a pleasure dealing with you. Please donʼt get captured. If you do, please donʼt mention me at all. Oh, and before I go,” Yilus went to a drawer and took out several folded dresses. ”Have them wore this. They will attract attention if they walked around in those tattered clothes. They can use the bathroom in this house to clean themselves as well.”

”You have prepared,” Jack said.

”Of course I am. I am out!” Yilus then went out of the house.

Jack said to Sinful, ”You want to go cash in your reward at the Adventurers Association, or do you want to go with me to the Zone Portal. I already know my way, so it is okay for you to leave.”

”I canʼt leave my brother before this is over. I am with you till the end, man!” Sinful declared.

”Appreciate it,” Jack said. Then he asked the women to take a bath and change their clothing while he and Sinful waited outside.

With the women in clean clothes, they did look like any regular pedestrian. Jack and Sinful had no problem arriving in the Zone Portal. Jack paid the required mana cores and input Heavenly Citadel as the destination. He had sent a message to Jeanny to receive them.

Jack had asked her to arrange someone to accompany these women to Thereath and brought them to Ellieʼs Restaurant, thinking that Ellie might give them works until they could live on their own feet, but Jeanny said she might have them work in the Guild Headquarters instead.. Jack was not sure what kind of works she could give these women, but he let her organize that.

😉