"You came into the city with those priests when Nikadori attacked, didn't you?"
The old man sat beside Yan Huan, his expression turning serious.
"Foreigners were already coming to Okhema for refuge long before that."
"Their city-states had been destroyed. They couldn't survive on the wasteland for long by themselves."
"And now the number of refugees seeking shelter in the Holy City has surged. They heard you defeated one of Nikadori's divine bodies, and the roads to Okhema have been much safer since that battle."
"The city has limited resources. Okhema can't take in too many foreigners. Letting everyone in would throw the city into chaos..."
"Isn't it already in chaos?" Yan Huan rested a hand against his chin, striking a thinker's pose.
"I mean it hasn't become too chaotic yet." The bearded old man stared at him.
"Most foreigners have been settled in shelters far from the city. Conditions there are much better than on the wasteland."
"Holy City guards protect them, too. They can defend themselves even if monsters attack."
"But that doesn't give them the security of a home."
"So the Elder Council came up with a temporary measure: let a small number of foreigners into the city, chosen by lottery."
"But opponents say the lottery may not be fair. The elders could deliberately pick the 'useful' ones..."
The bearded old man's face was grave. "Strong men with special skills or a knack for hard labor, and pretty young women, all have an easier time getting in."
"Elderly people with children have a much harder time, even though they may need help more."
"Hmm..."
After hearing him out, Yan Huan didn't know what to say.
Amphoreus was on the brink of ruin, after all. It made sense for Okhema to choose the relatively "useful" people.
The city