Unstoppable Antihero
Chapter 34: Slave
A quiet night when the moon shines brightly above the cloudless sky at Musai Dike precisely on Erato Akeso. The streets seemed deserted even though the light still emanated from the homes of the residents. The atmosphere of peace was like most people's desire to rest.
However, a reality is never always the same as an expectation. In a dark alleyway there was a cover of an open underground passageway, and a man in a black robe went inside. However, this underground passage is not dark because on the walls there is Theia’s Stone that floats and becomes a light.
The sound of footsteps rhymed with the flow of water and dripping water. The robed man continued to step forward while glancing around and making sure that everything was safe. He doesn't want anything unwanted right now.
The man's footsteps came to a halt when his eyes saw three men with each of them a large sword in hand, blocking his path. However, in the least he did not tremble about it but stood tall with confidence.
“What do you want?” ask one of the men with a large sword.
“I heard you guys sell high quality slaves here,” replied the black-robed man. “Quietly, I am a customer.”
Instead of welcoming in kind, the three men with large swords then drew their swords forward.
“Three swords for one,” says the black-robed man.
Three men with large swords lowered their swords and turned around. “Follow us.”
...*** ...
Inside a spacious room, Atlas was lying on the bed while watching the ceiling. This young man felt something bad, but was unable to explain what it was. Moreover, he was unable to sleep with this thought that continued to haunt him.
Atlas opened the window and glanced down the street. The road seemed silent with no one there, though the moonlight was shining brightly on this beautiful night. He then took a deep breath while looking up.
“This pleasure makes me feel a little strange. Am I not used to this kind of calmness and peace?” Atlas wondered, but got no answer to that question. Until something happens out there.
“Beyond you lowly slave!” exclaimed a fat man while pushing a little girl in shabby clothes out of her house. “You should be grateful to be able to work for me, but even brash and steal food in the kitchen!” He then slammed the door as hard as possible to make the little girl tremble.
“Not in my world or this world, everything is the same,” murmured Atlas, jumping from the window, directly down to the streets. Without a doubt this young man approached the shabby little girl earlier.
“Ha!” The little girl was startled and immediately kept her distance from Atlas.
Atlas slightly flinched, then smiled amiably as he extended his hand forward. “Nothing ... I won't hurt you.”
The little girl trembled even more and made her hand release a slightly charred piece of bread. He could not speak, fear haunted the mind of this girl to the point of being unable to move despite her trembling body.
Suddenly Atlas remembered something, then said, “I have a warm meal, wait a minute. I'll get it for you.”
Without wasting much time, Atlas jumped to the window of his room. He also took the soup that he had not touched before with a glass of water, then brought it to the little girl.
“Eat ...,” says Atlas gave the girl a bowl of soup.
Even with trembling hands, the girl drank the soup given by Atlas without saying anything. Seeing this Atlas smiled faintly, feeling a sense of satisfaction in himself.
“Receive ... love ...,” said the girl.
“Do not think.” Atlas smiled faintly.
A few moments later, Atlas turned his head to the side when someone called his name. There Kaysen and Felix were walking closer to Atlas.
“Do you two need anything?” atlas asked, slightly surprised by this uninvited guest.
Felix shook his head. “Nothing. We just want to know what you're doing here. Moreover we have a responsibility also to keep an eye on you.”
“You think I'm a kid?”
“Not really.”
While Atlas and Felix were chatting, suddenly Kaysen asked a question, “Who is this kid, Atlas?”
Atlas turned his attention to Kaysen. “I don't know. I saw him kicked out of that house.”
“Looks like a slave,” cut Felix. “It often happens when a slave is expelled from his master's house.”
“So this kingdom does normalize slavery?” Atlas intends to quip a bit.
“I think all kingdoms have their own slavery system,” timpal Kaysen.
Atlas does not blame how Felix and Kaysen behaved normally in this slavery, because it is already considered commonplace in society. However, Atlas did not want to consider this ordinary, but saw it as a problem to be solved.
Shut up for a moment, Atlas suddenly had another question in mind, “I want to know, why didn't your family hire the slaves, Felix?”
“Ha?” Felix raised his eyebrows. “I don't know what your purpose is to ask, but the slave is different from the servant. They're just rude workers!”
“I don't really understand about this, so ask you,” Atlas says it honestly.
“Omong-by the way,” Kaysen interjected, “what are you going to do to this little girl? Sell it?”
“Man is not a creature that is traded.” Soon Atlas sat in front of the shabby girl. “What's your name, little sister?”
Kaysen and Felix can only remain silent without doing anything to see Atlas act. They both do not understand why Atlas treats a slave like any other human being. However, they were also unwilling to say anything about it, whether it was right or wrong.
“You're all noisy!” A fat man came out of a house slamming the door and carrying a small knife. “What are you doing here?!”
Atlas stood up before Kaysen and Felix could say something to the fat man. This young man smiled faintly, saying, “Sorry to have interrupted your time, we will be leaving soon.”
“Cih!” The fat man then glanced at the female slave he had previously thrown away. Without the slightest hesitation, the man threw his knife at the shabby little girl so quickly.
Atlas' heart decub immediately stopped when his hand could not move to reach the rapidly floating knife. His body stiffened, while the fat man entered the house while slamming the door. However, time seems to have stopped for Atlas.
“Job!” Atlas clenched tightly to his right hand, preparing to launch a loud punch at the door.
“Atlas!” Kaysen and Felix immediately restrained the young man from moving. “What are you doing?!”
“Let go of me!!” Atlas rebelled.