Giving Yourself a Chance

"Lord Soth! The Outcasts are indeed unprotected by law in Caledon.

But if they become someone's servant, they automatically upgrade from Outcast to the master's property.

And property and servants with owners are protected by law."

Paike, the inn server, saw Zuo Si standing there motionless for a long time and quickly stepped forward to whisper the secret.

After all, he often received generous tips from this guest, who was young but very generous and noble.

So he was very willing to share local customs and knowledge that the other party didn't know, in exchange for some extra rewards.

"You mean... for the Outcasts, becoming a servant is not only not a bad thing, but it also indirectly improves their social status?"

Zuo Si seemed to understand something, but he was still dumbfounded, somewhat disbelieving that such a bizarre thing could exist in the world.

So, in Caledon, becoming a servant was not the worst or the lowest social status.

Below them was another class called "Outcasts," who were lycanthropes.

These guys, who spread lycanthropy and lose control to transform into beasts on the full moon, didn't even qualify to be slaves.

This was because slave owners wanted obedient slaves, not rabid dogs that would bite their masters.

Paike replied earnestly, "That's right!

As long as they bear the mark symbolizing their slave status, others will have to carefully consider the potential retaliation when they want to drive them away or even kill them.

Especially for powerful spellcasters like you, who can directly speak with Chief Epke as an equal, ordinary people won't easily provoke you."

"Alright, I think I understand. Thank you for your explanation." Zuo Si directly took out a gold coin and threw it to him.

The latter immediately caught it skillfully, bowed repeatedly with a beaming smile, and words like "benevolent," "generous," and "noble" poured out of his mouth.

However, Zuo Si ignored this boring flattery and looked at the girl kneeling before him, asking, "Why me?

You know I'm just an outsider, and I'll be leaving Caledon soon.

If you need to find a master for yourselves, isn't Epke a better choice?

At least he's the leader of the Thieves' Guild and quite powerful."

"Because you were the only one who didn't show us contempt or disgust in your eyes.

You even gave us food.

Although Chief Epke is a superior worth relying on, he will never treat us as people."

Fangas gave her answer without hesitation.

Forced to become the clan leader, she knew very well that in their current state, with these underage little wolf-people, they wouldn't survive in Caledon for a month without the protection of a sufficiently powerful and kind master.

In fact, if they hadn't luckily obtained some food today, the two youngest children would likely not have seen the sun rise tomorrow morning.

As for stealing or robbing...

Please!

This is Caledon, where the Thieves' Guild is everywhere!

Almost every street is managed by a corresponding small gang.

Stealing under their noses?

The lightest punishment would be to have a few fingers chopped off!

A more severe punishment would be to be beaten to death on the spot!

Only internal members of the Thieves' Guild had the right to engage in activities like robbery, theft, and smuggling.

Moreover, lycanthropes themselves have very few human rights.

The perpetrators would only be more brutal towards them than towards ordinary petty thieves.

Seeing that the wolf-girl, who was covered in dirt and even reeked of the sewers, had set her sights on him, and Zuo Si, who wanted to study lycanthropy, no longer refused. He nodded gently, "Alright, let's try to get along for a while.

But let's get the unpleasant things out of the way first.

You must obey the commands I give.

You are not allowed to harm anyone without permission.

And you are definitely not allowed to spread lycanthropy."

"No problem! You are the master, and we will naturally obey every command you give," Fangas agreed without hesitation.

"Then it's settled. Come, I'll give you a magical mark first. This way, you won't have to worry about being driven away or killed when you walk in the streets and alleys."

As he spoke, Zuo Si's right middle and index fingers began to shimmer with a deep blue arcane aura.

The wolf-girl, who had been waiting for this moment, didn't say a word. She directly tore open the collar of her ragged top, revealing her emaciated chest, which was as thin as a rib.

The next second...

His fingers, shimmering with arcane aura, lightly touched the spot between her two collarbones.

Instantly!

A pattern of a hand holding a card suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Obviously, this is the Arcane Mark from zero-ring magic.

Just as the name suggests, this spell can carve a visible or invisible personal mark or pattern anywhere.

And this hand holding the card pattern is the Arcane Mark Zuo Si temporarily came up with, exclusively for himself.

Here, the card represents the Planeswalker, and the hand represents himself.

The werewolf girl lowered her head and looked at the Arcane Mark on her chest, unable to hold back tears of excitement.

Because she knew that with this, she could lead her clan to survive, and no longer have to worry about starving to death or being beaten to death.

As for the remaining little werewolves, since Zuo Si only memorized one Arcane Mark today, they would have to wait until tomorrow to be prepared again.

After finishing all this, he immediately threw a few more gold coins to Paike, the inn servant next to him, and without looking back, instructed, "Take them to bathe, brush their teeth, eat, and buy them some clean clothes, shoes, and socks."

"As you wish!"

Paike happily took the gold coins and led the little werewolves towards the bathhouse behind the inn.

Although bathing werewolf children who exuded the stench of the sewers was not a good job.

Because there was a high chance of being scratched or bitten by these little brats and contracting lycanthropy.

But considering that there should be a lot left after buying them a set of ordinary clothes, shoes, and socks, Paike was full of motivation.

After everyone else left, the soldier asked in a not-so-certain tone, "Master, is it really a wise choice to take in these dangerous little werewolves? You know that once they are dominated by their beastly nature, they will immediately turn into indiscriminate madmen."

"Don't worry, I know the danger of werewolves.

But don't you think that solving the problem of lycanthropy making people more and more like beasts is a very interesting challenge?

In my opinion, lycanthropes are actually a very potential research subject.

If the trouble of being easily influenced by their beastly nature is solved, they would be perfect warriors and hunters.

Besides, if I hadn't taken care of those little werewolves today, they would have soon died in some alley or sewer in Caledon.

If I hadn't encountered such a situation, I could pretend nothing happened.

But if I encounter it and still turn a blind eye, it means I have lost my basic humanity.

After all, even many animals will help raise the young of their own kind who have lost their parents, let alone us humans who have established civilization, society, and morality and values.

I have witnessed the deaths of many innocent people with cold eyes, and I have had to kill to survive, remaining vigilant and suspicious of everyone around me.

However, now, I intend to give them a chance, and at the same time, give myself a chance to regain trust between people.

If these little werewolves grow up to be the bloodthirsty and brutal madmen described in the rumors.

Then I will kill them myself and take responsibility for the choice I made today."

After saying this, Zuo Si raised his head, glanced at the brilliant starry sky above, a faint smile appeared on his face, and then he walked straight towards his room upstairs.

It was already very late.

As a spellcaster, he had to maintain at least eight hours of sufficient sleep every day.

Otherwise, he would not be able to recover his energy and magic power.