Chương 146: Ravetrisk

Felicity, Ethan, and Agnes followed the new trio along a sandy path that wound through the less frequented alleys of the city. Ethan shot Agnes a stern look.

"How the hell did you get out of the inn? Felicity locked you in".

"I started screaming until someone let me out", she replied, without the slightest hint of remorse. Then she stared him straight in the eyes.

"And why did you let Felicity lock me up in the first place?"

"For your safety…I thought that was obvious".

"For my safety? How many times do I have to tell you that I'm old enough to take care of myself?"

"I saw what happened…you robbed people as soon as you left. If they'd been shady characters, you could have gotten yourself killed".

"But they weren't". Ethan sighed. Arguing with Agnes drained more energy from him than a bounty hunt. Felicity approached Elion, who was walking confidently ahead of them.

"This system you mentioned…is it really located beneath the city?" she asked.

"Yes. Beneath Aqareth, there's a well-organized and incredibly profitable slave trade", Elion replied without turning around.

"Everyone knows about it. No one talks about it".

"Why?" Felicity pressed. Elion gave a bitter smile.

"Many people are afraid. Those who have tried to report it have often been found dead in the streets".

"And the kingdom?" Ethan asked. Elion let out a quiet laugh.

"The soldiers and guards here are all corrupt. They accept money from the slavers without batting an eye. And the kingdom is too busy with the war to investigate". This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Ethan moved closer to Shigeru.

"How many people did you manage to save last time?"

"Quite a few", Shigeru replied.

"About a hundred", Elion clarified.

"But the price was extremely high. There were fifteen of us. Only five made it out alive. Three abandoned everything shortly afterward. So in the end, it was just my Shigeru and me". Elion smiled at Shigeru. He smiled back, placed a hand on her waist, and kissed her on the lips.

"Ew, gross", Agnes remarked, wrinkling her nose.

"Agnes…" Ethan scolded her. She turned her attention to Firmin.

"And are you mute? Really? Or are you pretending?" The boy looked at her for a moment, then averted his gaze and continued walking without saying a word.

"Why is he like that?" Ethan asked.

"Only God knows what he might have seen down there", Shigeru replied.

"We returned all the other children to their families, but there was no one waiting for him. So, in a way, we adopted him".

"He understands what we say", Elion added, watching Firmin.

"But he doesn't say a word". Agnes then noticed that his head was completely bald, without even a single eyebrow.

"And why doesn't he have any hair?"

"We don't know. We think he was born that way. He's been with us for months, but his hair and eyebrows haven't grown at all. It might be some kind of illness. He's been through a lot", Shigeru replied. Agnes lowered her gaze, more serious now.

"It must be…hard". They continued along the sandy road, moving farther and farther away from Aqareth's center and its crowded areas. Eventually, they reached a half-ruined wooden house nestled among large rocks. It looked as though it had been abandoned for years.

"Is this your hideout?" Felicity asked, studying it carefully.

"Were you expecting something more luxurious?" Elion replied.

"No", Ethan said.

"It's perfectly fine". And so they settled into the hideout. Beneath Aqareth. A man in his forties, tall and with long blond hair, slowly walked down the corridor of cells. The underground corridors were lit by torches placed at regular intervals, providing enough light to illuminate the entire passage. All kinds of groans and cries came from the cells. Hundreds of beings of every age and race lay imprisoned behind the bars. The man, however, remained impassive. He was accustomed to their suffering.

To him, it was simply another day at work.

"Mr. Ravetrisk", one of his subordinates said, approaching respectfully.

"What is it?" he asked without stopping.

"The latest expedition was a great success. We captured a dozen elves. Two of our men died, however". Ravetrisk smiled.

"Two subordinates are easily replaced. A dozen elves, on the other hand, are rare and valuable merchandise". He finally turned toward the man.

"They can live for thousands of years. That means they can remain slaves to entire generations of families. They're worth far more than ordinary humans. We'll make a fortune. They'll be the first lots at next week's auction. Is that clear?"

"Of course, sir". Ravetrisk resumed walking as muffled screams filled the silence of the underground.