Chapter 10

Mike Andrew was a slave on a small estate within Komoy Fort. Fourteen years old, he had already grown strong and sturdy, with far more strength than others his age. He usually helped his parents work for the estate owner.

Two days earlier.

Knights from Visas Territory had come to Komoy Fort to spread the word. The recruitment drive became known throughout the city and stirred up countless discussions.

Some people were tempted, while others did not dare believe it.

Mike Andrew had listened to the whole announcement while out buying supplies. After returning, his heart had remained unsettled, and he tossed and turned in bed that night.

He was tempted.

He wanted to go to Visas and see whether it was true.

Mike Andrew told his father what he was thinking, but his father rejected it outright.

"Mike, my child, do not be foolish. How could a slave possibly become a soldier?"

"We are not free citizens. We are controlled by the estate and cannot leave without permission... Yes, I know that paying a poll tax would allow you to go to Visas..."

"But that notice must be fake. You will be deceived. You need to understand that the poll tax is not cheap."

Old Andrew wanted to dispel Mike Andrew's unrealistic notions.

He did not believe Visas could offer such an enormous benefit.

It was as impossible as the Creator God suddenly taking pity on humanity and scattering handfuls of gold coins across the world.

Seeing his son's deeply disappointed expression, he awkwardly comforted him, "Perhaps commoners will go to Visas Territory and give it a try. Then they will find out they have been deceived... They will have made the trip for nothing..."

The greatest difference between slaves and commoners was that slaves themselves belonged to their masters.

Slaves could not leave without permission, much less run away. If they wanted to go out to handle their own affairs, they had to pay their master a poll tax. Otherwise, they had no freedom at all.

If they fled and were caught, their master had the right to dispose of them however he wished, including cutting off their hands and feet or sentencing them to death.

Furthermore, slaves did not have freedom in marriage. They had to pay their master a marriage tax, and any children born after marriage would also be slaves.

When a slave died, all property without an heir went to the master.

Slaves had no right to buy their own freedom. They could only be bought and sold between masters.

Unlike commoners, who were hired by estate owners and paid for their labor, slaves were expected to work for estate owners as a matter of course. They were often oppressed and humiliated, worked long hours, and received the lowest compensation.

Commoners had unrestricted personal freedom and could naturally go to Visas whenever they wished.

But it was not easy for Mike Andrew to go.

The content of Visas's notice had been very clear.

The lord had decreed that any slave within Visas who wished to enlist could not be restrained by his master and had to be allowed to leave.

If a slave passed the preliminary assessment and became a reserve soldier, the lord would compensate the slave's master with silver coins.

But slaves from outside Visas had to travel there on their own.

If they passed the preliminary assessment and were confirmed to be eligible as reserve soldiers, the lord would send knights to buy the qualified slaves and their families from their masters.

In Cyrus's eyes, this was simply a disguised way of purchasing people.

They were still slaves, but slaves who would become reserve soldiers. After accumulating enough merit, they could become free citizens and shed their slave status.

Not to mention that Visas had greatly lowered taxes, which was excellent news for both commoners and slaves.

Precisely because it sounded so good, most people did not dare believe it or try it lightly.

Old Andrew's persuasion and comfort did not dispel Mike Andrew's thoughts.

He thought that this might very well be his only chance in life. If he missed it, it would be gone.

The knights of Visas had personally come to Komoy Fort to announce the recruitment. It should not have been false news.

In the end, Mike Andrew made up his mind.

The next day.

While his parents were out working, he secretly took part of the money Old Andrew had saved. After quickly paying the estate steward the poll tax, he set off and left Komoy Fort.

He apologized to his parents in his heart.

If the news proved to be false, he would work twice as hard after returning and repay the money to his father.

Mike Andrew brought only a little water and dry provisions.

He walked along the mountain road through Par Mountain beneath the blazing sun. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he grew increasingly uncertain.

But he had already come this far. He could only grit his teeth and continue.

After about the time it took for an hourglass to run out, Mike Andrew finally entered Visas City.

He looked around in confusion, unsure where he was supposed to register for military service.

Just then, one of the knights guarding the city gate shouted, "Commoners and slaves participating in the recruitment, follow the arrows to the registration point and undergo the preliminary assessment!"

Mike Andrew immediately looked toward the signposts erected along both sides of the street.

A wooden sign stood in the ground just over ten meters away, its arrow pointing in one direction.

Someone suddenly said beside him, "Brother, are you here for the recruitment?"

Mike Andrew turned around. "Y-Yes. You too...?"

The man nodded. "That is right. My name is Rad. I am a slave, and I live in Visas."

Mike Andrew immediately felt relieved.

He said, "I am a slave too. I live in Komoy Fort. Why do we not go together?"

"Sure, no problem." Rad agreed.

Before leaving, Mike Andrew heard the knight guarding the gate shout the announcement again.

When the two arrived at the registration point and looked closer, they found two long lines had already formed: one for commoners and one for slaves.

They voluntarily joined the back of the slave line.

At last, it was Mike Andrew's turn.

He stepped up to the table and heard the recorder ask skillfully, "Name? Age? Height? Weight... Where are you from?"

Someone beside him also had him casually move his arms and legs.

Then he told the recorder, "Healthy body, no disabilities, and he does not appear to have any mental problems."

The person responsible for recording nodded.

Mike Andrew answered each of the questions.

When he mentioned that he came from Komoy Fort, the recorder looked up and gave him a very friendly smile. "Mike, right? Fourteen years old. Not bad, not bad. You are built quite solidly."

"Not many slaves from Komoy Fort have come here to register. When you return, help spread the word. Our Visas recruitment is completely genuine. Once selected, you will not only be able to... but also..."

He explained the benefits listed in the recruitment conditions again, both to Mike Andrew and to the people behind him.

Mike Andrew could not help saying excitedly, "Y-You can rest assured, I will."

The recorder smiled. "Very good, very good. Your age meets the requirements, and your physical condition is excellent. You have passed. Go wait over there."

After saying that, he wrote an excellent on the parchment.

Mike Andrew did not quite understand, but he still walked in the direction the recorder pointed.

Around a dozen people had gathered there, with knights standing nearby as well.

Mike Andrew was about to pull someone aside and ask when he heard a youth speak to him in a voice brimming with obvious excitement and delight.

"You must be a slave from Komoy Fort too. So am I. Oh heavens, I never dared imagine all this was real!"

"We will wait here until today's registration ends, and then the knights will take us back to Komoy Fort. Just like it says in the recruitment conditions, the lord of Visas will buy us and our families together..."

The youth clearly could not contain his joy and kept chattering away.

Mike Andrew could not calm down either.

But he was rather dull and did not know how to express himself.

The youth said, "My parents are slaves too. My mother did not believe there could be such a good thing and would not let me come. My father secretly paid my poll tax, which was how I got out."

"And you? How did you get here?"

Mike Andrew said, "...Like you, I came to Visas after paying the poll tax."

However, neither of his parents had agreed.

A little while later.

He saw Rad enter the group of slaves from Visas and wave at him.

Registration ended before the sun set.

However, the people in the two lines did not disperse.

Seeing that they would not leave, the recorder had no choice but to shout, "Registration remains open for another fifteen days. Those who did not register can come back after sunrise tomorrow. Hurry up and go home!"

Only then did the people in the lines slowly disperse.

Mike Andrew let out a breath of relief. Fortunately, he had come early.

A total of four knights led them back to Komoy Fort.

Before entering the city, Mike Andrew heard a knight say, "You do not have much time. Go back and pack quickly. Tell me how many family members you have that need to be purchased... Then we will travel through the night back to Visas. Understand?"

Mike Andrew and several other slaves were led away by one knight.

The knight went from household to household, paying to purchase them. Those unwilling to let them go were intimidated and tempted in the name of Lord Desinia.

When they reached the estate where Mike Andrew lived, the knight said as usual, "Your family is just you and your parents? Three people... Hmm, not too many. Hurry back and pack. Do not dawdle, or we will not wait for you..."

Mike Andrew did not dare hesitate and quickly ran off.

The moment he entered the house, Old Andrew wanted to grab a stick and beat him.

Mike quickly explained everything.

"The knight is paying to buy us. Father, Mother, hurry and pack. We can leave for Visas. I will become a reserve soldier, and I will work hard to earn merit and escape my slave status..."

Seeing Old Andrew still standing there in a daze,

Mike Andrew anxiously called again, "F-Father..."

Old Andrew came back to his senses. "Quick! Start packing! Hurry up, do not make the knight wait too long."

Slaves did not possess much private property.

After all, the house, farming tools, and everything else belonged to the estate owner. They only needed to carry away a few scattered belongings.

Before leaving, Mike Andrew remembered what the recorder had said and spread the news to the other slaves peeking out to watch—this was real. Those who met the requirements could register, so they should go as soon as possible!

The four knights finally gathered outside the city gate. After counting their numbers, they led everyone back once more.

When the moon hung high and stars dotted the night sky, they were brought to a crudely built temporary dwelling in Visas City. The knights told them they would stay here for the time being and wait until registration was completely over.

During that time, the lord would provide each of them with one silver coin for living expenses free of charge.

The knight said, "If you are not used to living here, you may build yourselves a house."

"Other than the slaves about to become reserve soldiers, who may not leave freely, everyone else must work at the coastal salt-drying fields. Someone will come tomorrow. Rest tonight first."

After the knights left, the slaves did not move for a while.

They did enormous amounts of work every day and had excellent endurance. Even after holding on until now, they did not look especially tired. Yet everyone wore a dazed expression, standing there without knowing what to do.

After a long while.

Someone murmured, "It feels like a dream..."

As though someone had opened the floodgates, people began speaking one after another.

"Are we going to live in Visas from now on?"

"This is actually real?! Thank the Creator God! Thank the lord!"

"My son has done well! He has a future..."

Mike Andrew pinched himself. It was not a dream.

He wanted to find somewhere to rest when Old Andrew walked over and patted his back, his expression full of relief.

"You brat... You did well this time!"

Similar scenes played out every day.

More and more commoners and slaves from Komoy Fort began arriving. Their family members were sent to work at the salt-drying fields or organized into building temporary shelters.

Thank the Creator God, thank the lord.

Every day, Cyrus could see the reputation value in the upper-right corner of the system interface rising rapidly.

He was overjoyed.