--- Unclaid Mountains, Morranto---
The party managed to make an appointnt with the lord as Ray's coins didn't seem to run out. Despite so heavy bribery, they were still forced to stay in the city of bandits for another two days because that was the earliest date the lord had a free spot.
It didn't an they suffered during their stay. Ray had rented out a whole residence in the second ring for them. Afterward, the saint of Sol'Fiam would often leave over the day and return with groups of slaves.
There was little rhy or reason to who he bought. There were citizens of Urth, so who had been traders or guards, but there were also people of all kinds of races who seed to have been captured after coming through the Patchworks. The lord's outspoken hostility to all invaders ant that the peaceful ones were treated exactly the sa as the hostile ones.
Mike and Lydia understood that he did this for their sake since this was the easiest way to release them out of the system of slavery. The saint simply bought them, with the intent to release them later on. Although the slaves had a hard ti believing it because of Ray's aura and appearance, Mike and Lydia knew better. However-
“Where did you get all this money?” Mike finally couldn't stop himself from asking. There was only so much one could loot from dungeons and bandits. The chosen of Maahes also felt conflicted about handing so much money to these criminals. Wouldn't it all just be used to pull even more people into the system?
“Mike, did you think I was wearing these rags for fun?” Ray asked him at the ti, stumping Mike with the question.
“These are my holy robes, Mike. Do you know what one of the special effects is? I can use the dark power I have collected to appease whatever negative or destructive emotion or trait a person may have, at least temporarily.”
“What does this have to do with the money you are spending?” the beastman asked even more confused. Ray gave him a mysterious smile before explaining.
“It technically ans that I could create the illusion of a willing partner for a lusty person. A massive al for a gluttonous person. Or I can produce as much money as I want in front of a greedy person. Don't worry about what this money may be used for afterward, as it never actually existed in the first place. All the money I used on bribes or pay for the slaves will miraculously vanish within a week.”
“What if they spent it at that ti?” Mike asked after a mont. Wouldn't it harm others then?
“They won't. Can you distinguish one silver coin from another? They will subconsciously hold onto the fake and only spend real money. It even works with the system inventory. I tested it,” Ray assured him. At least this explained why the saint was squandering money like a nouveau-riche. He didn't lose anything in buying these slaves.
Before their appointnt with the lord, Ray had filled the big residency to the brim with people who had been captured in the unclaid mountains. They had even spoken about offering them to co along with them when they returned to Minas Mar. They could leave them in Thres, or maybe one of the Tree Stations.
However, this was a topic for later, as the day of their appointnt had co and the three arrived at the gates of the lord's mansion in the early morning. They would finally et Shao Loon, the lord of Morranto.
Over the past two days, they had enough chances for more calm conversations with (na of the receptionist) and she told them more about this lord of the cri city. Apparently, he was a man with a unique class. Not much about it was known, but the people on the streets suspected it was so kind of enchanting class.
After all, he was able to create the slave ring, and even the cri lords feared the troops of the city lord, he himself called the Ring Ghouls. They wore dark robes that hid their identity because they were strong bandits and criminals who were caught and experinted on by Shao Loon until they beca his mindless servants, according to rumors.
What wasn’t just speculation, was the power of these Ring Ghouls. They knew no fear nor pain and their bodies were tough like wood. Weapons would be deflected or got stuck in their bodies, while they would rcilessly cut down anyone who went against the city lord.
The group was able to witness them in person, during a skirmish in the third ring. So people seemingly had a discord over money matters and started fighting in the city. Mike and Lydia had to admit that these Ring Ghouls were comparable to the Golem Knights that guarded the Tree Stations.
As they ca before the residence of the lord, the sa dark-cloaked figures stood guard at the gates. There was also a normal guard, a head shorter than the figures, who stepped up to speak.
“Halt! What do you want? Do you have an appointnt?” the man spoke in a haughty manner, confident back his support in the back.
“We actually do. I’m Dick, this is Harry and she’s Simplicity. We have an appointnt for 10 o’clock.” Ray smoothly announced their fake nas. It was safe to say Lydia didn’t like hers at all. Simplicity sounded like he was calling her dumb and a stripper at the sa ti. However, both were normal things in this place.
The guard squinted at them. He was suspicious, but not because of the obviously fake nas, everyone here used fake nas, but that a bunch of ragged-looking beggars like them actually had an appointnt with the lord.
While Ray simply wore his divine robe, Mika and Lydia had done their best to get so clothes from a garbage bin to match his outfit. Against their expectations, this made their appearance here more suspicious to the guard.
The man in question leaned into his guard house and brought out a clipboard, serving to create a funny scene. A man in dieval armor, at the gate of a mansion, surrounded by people in ragged robes, suddenly pulled out a very modern clipboard and ballpoint pen to check the list of nas.
The bigger question on Lydia’s mind, however, was why they opted for sothing archaic as paper and didn’t use a tablet. She didn’t voice her question though.
“Hmm, it seems you are right. You do have an appointnt. I will let you in but don’t touch anything. If you dare to touch sothing and or do sothing else you are not supposed to, rest assured that you won’t live long enough to regret it,” he warned them, like they were common thieves that would start pocketing stuff the mont they entered.
They didn’t pick a fight with him for now and simply entered the premises and walked up to the entrance of the mansion, where they t a similar guard, checking their nas again before they were allowed to enter. After waiting in a lavish salon for another quarter hour, they finally were guided before the great city lord.
Filled with fragrant smoke, it was a room decorated with opulent fabrics and extravagant carpets. Many pillows populated the floor, surrounding the man sitting in the center, like a spider in its silken net.
Shao Loon, a sinewy man with copper skin, was reclining on a massive soft pillow as he was served by beautiful won of various races and dispositions. The group needed a mont to take in the foreign scenery, they only knew from historic flicks or fantasy movies.
While they were still staring at the man, he leisurely lowered the long pipe he was just sucking and let a big bloom of thick smoke out of his mouth. As he moved, the many rings and bracelets on his hand glinted in the light that fell in through the glass ceiling.
“You paid a lot for this appointnt, what is it that you want from ?” he asked in a voice that sounded high-pitched, despite the age and the rasp of a smoker. The question forced them to pull her gaze off the won dancing around them and focus on the task ahead.
“Great Lord, we are looking for a slave you purchased so ti ago. Her na is g Huffin, and her family would like to have her back.” the ugly man spoke humbly.
“Hmm, that is a difficult request,” the city lord mumbled as he took another puff from his pipe.
“We are ready to reimburse you for any complications this may cause,” Ray assured him quickly.
“Ah, that is obvious, but I can’t give you what I do not have. I cherished g, but she was taken away by that accursed bird that keeps snatching people from my fields,“ Shao Loon lanted
The three stared at the man, leisurely smoking after he dropped a “Your princess is at another castle”-line on them.
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