The Opportunity System - Chapter 7 Shameless
After one week of flying, they were tired of it. Using her powers all day, every day, Miwa was sick of it.
Arriving at their destination, both were relieved.
The sight was beautiful, there were two mountains, and in the middle of the mountains stood a wall and a gate. The wall seemed old, with moss all over it.
They could see two people standing beside the gate, they must be guards. Other than the guards, there was no one else.
Landing in front of the gate, the two guards looked at them, then retracted their gazes.
While walking to the gate, Miwa said:
“Hiro, when we try to enter the gate, as they are not familiar with you, they will ask a few things before you enter. When they do, just say ‘no’, okay?”
“Okay.”
When they were in front of the gate, the two guards came to them.
“Oh, if it’s not Lady Miwa, you’re late, all your companions are already here.” said one of the guards.
“Hehe, nice to see Lady Miwa safe and sound.” said the other guard. Looking at Hiro, he asked. “You are new here, you don’t live here, right?”
“No.”
“Are you a merchant?”
“No, I have nothing with me, look.”
Seizing Hiro, the guards were convinced.
“Ivan, he’s clean, let him pass.”
The two guards opened the gate, Hiro and Miwa passed through it.
“Why they asked those things? They don’t like merchants?”
“It’s complicated, a few months ago, some merchants came here to sell a strange drug. That drug kills people and it’s very addictive. The royal family didn’t care about it, but when someone from the nobility died, they asked His Majesty to catch those who brought this drug.”
“Drugs…it’s a problem wherever you are.”
“Yes.”
Passing the gate, a city was ahead of them. This city was called Saeburg, there were not too many people on the streets, the buildings were old, the roads were made of dirt.
‘What should I expect? Asphalted streets?’
“This city is near the slums, that’s why people here seem poor. When we reach the capital, we can search for a hotel.”
There was no commerce in the streets, it should be a residential area. Almost all of the people living here were old or disabled, there were some kids too, they were playing together in the streets.
To reach the capital faster, Miwa and Hiro flew. He saw many things, they passed through two cities to reach the capital. Saeburg, the city with slums, the entire city was like that. The second city was called Furgh, the conditions were a little better, but it could not be compared with the capital.
The capital was bursting with people, well-dressed people could be seen everywhere, boulder roads were everywhere.
There was just one thing that bothered Hiro. Slavery in the 21st century was a forbidden thing, of course, it still existed, and it was a very sad thing. But, in this capital, slavery seemed normal.
Hiro saw people and other races restrained by chains, they were used to carry things, do heavy work, and a lot of other unpleasant things.
He had put himself as the hero, but, he couldn’t do anything by himself. He had to gather all of the party members first, then he would be able to help those poor people.
“Looks like you don’t like this place.”
“I don’t. It’s disgusting.”
Sighing, Miwa pointed her finger at a building.
“Do you see that building? They come from there, all of the slaves here are criminals from other kingdoms. There’s an agreement that states that all of the criminals who had committed a heavy crime would be sent as slaves to another kingdom.”
“They became slaves and are in an unknown place, it must be terrifying. What is that building?”
“The slaves sent there would be refurbished to obey every order. The methods must be horrifying.”
Searching for a hotel, Hiro suddenly said:
“Wait, Miwa. I don’t have any money, can you lend me some…”
Realizing this problem, Miwa then proposed.
“I don’t have any with me right now, we can go to my place, where I can get some.”
“S-sure.”
‘First time going into a girl’s home. First time going into a girl’s home. Don’t be nervous, Hiro!’
Arriving in front of a big gate, a burly man was standing guard there.
“Lady Miwa?! Where have you been?! Master was furious when he learned that you didn’t come back with the training group!”
“He must have been, tell him that I’m back and I brought a friend of mine.”
“Yes!”
The man ran inside. Hiro looked past the gate and saw a vast quantity of flowers. The garden was filled with colors, the trees planted alongside the wall, and a mansion.
“Come on, let’s enter.”
“Hm.”
Right when they were in front of the door:
PAH!
The door opened violently.
“You! Why are you so late?!”
What came was a middle-aged man holding a katana.
“Hi, dad.” Miwa answered with a monotonous tone.
“‘Hi, dad’? You disappeared for three days! I was so furious with that Klein boy! He said you didn’t want to come back, he said you wanted to stay there and he had no way to convince you!”
Hearing the name Klein, Miwa’s eyes became ice cold.
“….Sigh…And who is this?”
Pointing at Hiro, Miwa’s father asked with a dubious look.
“Ah. my name’s Hiro, nice to meet y-”
“You fuc#$% disgusting boy! Why are you with my treasure?!”
Miwa’s eyes became colder.
“Ehh…”
Hiro didn’t know what to say anymore.
“Dad, he saved my life, now I want to help him.”
“You did what?! I will kill- Ah, you saved …her life?”
“It was not a big deal…really.”
Suddenly, Miwa’s father way of speaking with Hiro changed dramatically.
“Ohh, you said your name was Hiro, right? Come in, come in, I will bring a cup of tea for you. Make yourself at home!”
He ran away.
“Your father has no shame…”
“Sigh, you don’t need to care about him.”
After some time, the man came back and brought with him three cups of tea.
“Here, this tea is from the south of-”
“Dad, Hiro needs money to rent a hotel room, can you lend him some?”
“Oh? You don’t have any money? Well, you can just stay here with us.”