Chapter 30

Xia Zuoyi had the temporary quarters assigned to the people of the Trak Kingdom built in the westernmost part of Komoy Fort.

Considering their numbers and the time when they had been delivered, the houses needed to be completed as quickly as possible, meeting only the most basic needs: somewhere to sleep and rest, shelter from wind and rain, and so on.

The westernmost part of the city was lined with rows of identical, crude rammed-earth houses. Their designs were roughly the same; rammed-earth construction was fast and easier to carry out.

The Western Continent's architectural standards were not low, and its aesthetic style was distinctive as well.

The castles where nobles lived, as well as the houses on their estates, were all stone or wooden buildings.

Stone buildings were of a higher rank.

For example, only stone could be used to build temples and churches for the Creator God. Even using the inferior material of wood might be considered blasphemy against the Creator God.

Commoners with some status and money could afford wooden houses.

However, most commoners lived in rammed-earth houses, while thatched huts were regarded as the lowest-class dwellings in their eyes.

Naturally, rammed-earth houses could also range from finely constructed homes to casually thrown-together shelters.

Before the people of the Trak Kingdom were sent over, Komoy Fort had no spare housing. Since the Artisans' Guild had to build temporary homes, the workload needed to be minimized so they could be finished and occupied quickly.

Therefore, all the rammed-earth houses had the simplest square shape. Aside from the necessary doors and windows, there were only roughly arranged beds and the like inside.

One rammed-earth house could accommodate around three to five people.

The naturally formed factions among the people of the Trak Kingdom chose to live in neighboring areas.

The houses around Renogue, Yadai, and the other man were occupied by the Trak Kingdom's former commoners and slaves.

Faced with Cori Moya and the others' arrogance and swagger, they hesitated to step forward and stop them, but they could not help whispering among themselves.

"Is the person tied up inside... really a princess?"

"So there is still royal blood left. Should we save them?"

"But those people are nobles..."

"What nobles are they supposed to be now?! They're slaves just like us. What are we afraid of?"

Thus, after Renogue and Yadai were forced to kneel on the ground, someone could not help telling Cori Moya to release them.

Cori Moya turned back with a cold sneer. "What are you supposed to be, daring to order me around?! A bunch of lowly rabble, get lost!"

Cori's lackeys began shouting as well.

"Get lost already! Don't stick your noses into other people's business!"

"Keep watching and you'll be the next ones getting taught a lesson. Get lost... Aah!"

Before Cori's lackey could finish speaking, someone kicked him straight into the house.

The one who had kicked him was a burly man with a full beard. He looked strong and sturdy, standing in the doorway like a small mountain, exuding a crushing sense of oppression.

The burly man's voice was booming as well. "I'm the one telling you to get lost! Nobles, my ass! The Trak Kingdom is gone, and you still think you're somebody? You're slaves now too! What are you acting high and mighty for?!"

Cori Moya's face instantly turned livid, veins bulging on his forehead.

The man's words had undoubtedly struck the fact Cori regarded as the greatest humiliation in his heart.

Cori Moya let go, throwing Sara, whom he had been about to drag up, back onto the ground. He walked toward the burly man. "Lowlife, say that again?!"

The man said disdainfully, "No matter what noble you used to be, you're nothing but a lowly slave now."

"Besides, I heard someone say your father was a criminal of the Trak Kingdom. And you still have the nerve to bully the princess..."

Cori Moya clenched his fists and finally could not hold back any longer. "Beat him to death!"

At the same time.

Taylor arrived at the westernmost part of Komoy Fort with his men and happened to run into Daina.

Daina asked in confusion, "Why are you here?"

Taylor said, "By the count's order, I'm taking those who listed other abilities on their papers to the castle. The count selected a few people and said he wanted to verify them personally."

"This is the list."

Taylor handed the paper to Daina.

Daina took it and glanced over it twice. "I roughly know which areas they live in. Come on, I'll take you there."

"Mm."

When Taylor and Daina arrived outside the house where Yadai Ben lived, the place was already packed tight with a crowd of people from the Trak Kingdom.

The outside was noisy and chaotic, while dull banging sounds could vaguely be heard from inside. It was obvious there was trouble.

Daina's expression sharpened, and he ordered the soldiers following behind him to disperse the crowd.

"Move aside! All of you, move aside!"

The soldiers wore armor and carried weapons.

The people outside no longer dared to crowd around. They hurriedly moved to the sides, and the situation inside the house was instantly laid bare.

Several people lay sprawled or curled up on the ground, groaning in pain. Those still brawling with each other were immediately separated by the soldiers at Daina's signal and held on opposite sides.

Both sides had bruised, swollen faces, and the room had been wrecked beyond recognition.

The burly man did not put up much resistance as the soldiers restrained his hands, yet when he looked at Cori Moya, he spat disdainfully and cursed, "Pox-ridden bastard."

"You lowlife!" Cori Moya roared.

His bruised and swollen face twisted with rage, and his whole body trembled in fury.

Cori had never expected that this lowlife would truly dare to lay hands on him. Worse still, several more lowlifes had rushed out from the crowd afterward to help, and even he had taken several punches...

Taylor frowned. "What happened here?!"

When Cori Moya saw the knights, his eyes shifted, and he shouted, "I want to see the count! I have something important to say!"

"The person hiding in the corner is the princess of the Trak Kingdom. Her name is Sara Masi!"

Renogue and Yadai had taken advantage of the chaos earlier to break free from the people holding them down.

Renogue had rushed inside to help beat people up.

Yadai had quickly untied the ropes binding Sara. Since the two of them were no good in a fight and did not want to cause trouble, they had hidden in the corner.

Now Cori Moya pointed them out in one stroke.

Renogue's hands were also being held behind his back by a soldier. Upon hearing that, he immediately shouted angrily, "Cori Moya, you bastard! The Creator God will never forgive you! You..."

He continued cursing Cori Moya.

Taylor could not help exchanging a glance with Daina.

Hadn't the Anas Empire announced to the outside world that every member of the Trak Kingdom's royal family had already been wiped out?!

What was going on here, then?

Why had a princess appeared...

Taylor asked, "Is what you said true?"

Delight appeared on Cori Moya's face, and he nodded. "That's right. Everything I said is true!"

"She truly is the eldest prince's youngest daughter."

"Hurry and take me to see the count! I was the first to discover the princess's identity. I've rendered a service, so have him remove my slave status..."

"Cori, you can't forget us. I helped you keep watch for two days."

"We deserve credit too. We want to see the count!"

Daina whispered into Taylor's ear, "It seems they still think they are lofty nobles."

They had not suffered enough in the Anas Empire. After being sent to the count's territory, they had started entertaining unnecessary thoughts...

Some people received kindness with gratitude, feeling they could never repay it.

Others accepted the slightest benefit only to push for more, never satisfied in their greed and always wanting more.

Cori Moya had suffered enough from being a slave.

From the destruction of the Trak Kingdom, to every person being captured and branded with the humiliating mark of slavery in the Anas Empire... everything during that time had been like a nightmare.

Cori Moya felt that his chance discovery of the princess's identity, followed by his being sent to the territory of a young count who looked kindhearted and easy to fool, had to mean the Creator God had finally heard his prayers!

The matter of the Trak Kingdom's princess truly could not be ignored.

Thus, Taylor and Daina decided to bring everyone involved in the fight before the count and let the count make the decision himself.

Before leaving, Taylor asked, "Who is Yadai Ben?"

He looked around, but a quiet response suddenly came from among the people being held by the soldiers behind him.

Yadai said uneasily, "I... I'm Yadai Ben, my lord."

Taylor turned around, thinking what a coincidence it was.

The person the count had specifically ordered brought to the castle actually knew the princess.

He said nothing more and left with Daina, leading the others away.

Inside the castle's main hall.

After hearing the full account of what had happened, Xia Zuoyi first turned to Cori Moya and the others. "You want to use the princess to gain credit and free yourselves from slavery?"

Cori Moya was secretly delighted, believing the outcome would be exactly as he wished.

He nodded. "Yes."

Xia Zuoyi then looked at the thin, small Sara.

Her brown hair had been cut extremely short, and there was a little dust on her face. Perhaps because she had cried, she looked even more dirty and pitiful.

"She is Sara Masi, the youngest daughter of the Trak Kingdom's eldest prince. And who are you two?"

Xia Zuoyi was asking Renogue and Yadai.

Taylor said, "My lord, one of them is Yadai Ben."

Someone beside Cori Moya suddenly pointed at Renogue, going from hesitation to gradual certainty. "He... he seems to be the king's illegitimate son... No, that's right, it's him! I saw him before..."

Yadai's expression could not help turning tense and worried. He opened his mouth but did not know what to say.

After sorting out their relationships.

Xia Zuoyi leaned back in his chair and asked Cori Moya, "Do you remember what I said on your first day in Komoy Fort?"

Cori Moya froze.

Xia Zuoyi asked again, "Do you know where I send people in my territory who cut corners, harbor ill intentions, and want something for nothing?"

Unease began rising in Cori Moya's heart.

He said, "Count... Count, though Renogue Masi's status as an illegitimate son may be somewhat disgraceful, he is still royal blood. And with Princess Sara... if you have no need for them, you can trade them to other lords, even kings, in exchange for..."

Xia Zuoyi said, "You seem not to have recognized your own status yet."

"I said that if you want to shed your slave status, you must exchange merit for it. No one can be an exception."

"Even if you used to be a duke's son, you are no different from anyone else now."

"Those who cause trouble recklessly are not qualified to remain in Komoy Fort."

"My tolerance toward slaves is not something you can take for granted, then greedily demand more from."

"Since you are not satisfied with your current treatment, then do what slaves should do and live as slaves should live..."

Cori Moya and the others panicked.

Cori said, "No! You cannot treat me like this!"

Xia Zuoyi said, "I can. As your lord now, I have the right to decide your freedom and your lives."

"I made a deal with the Nagabi Merchant Guild, brought the people of the Trak Kingdom to my territory, and gave you things... because I wanted you to work for me properly."

"That is what you should be doing now, instead of dreaming of restoring..."

Xia Zuoyi looked at Cori Moya and the others, then swept an indifferent glance over Sara and Renogue as well. "You must remember this, and recognize reality."

"The Trak Kingdom has already been destroyed. No matter how noble your identities once were, they no longer exist."

"I can give you stable lives and hope of escaping slave status... and naturally, I can take it all back."

"I can even let you 'enjoy' the treatment you should have received in the Anas Empire."

Cori Moya and the others' faces turned ashen.

Xia Zuoyi waved a hand. "Daina, take them to quarry stone and put them through labor reform."

"Just like those who caused trouble in Visas and Komoy Fort before them, they will only eat and rest after completing their work. Reclaim their houses, clothes, and everything else in Komoy Fort."

Daina said, "Yes, my lord."

The soldiers dragged the continuously struggling Cori Moya and the others away.

Only Renogue's group of three and the burly man and others involved in the fight remained in the hall.

Sara could not help licking her dry lips, her heart filled with unease.

Then she heard the count speak.

"Komoy Fort does not support troublemakers or lazy, idle people."

"I have given you an opportunity. Work hard, and you may shed your slave status. Otherwise, you can only remain slaves for the rest of your lives."

"Since today's matter was not your fault, I will let it pass for now. After returning, warn the other people of the Trak Kingdom that my grace ends here."

"If you want to survive in the future, work with your own hands to obtain what you need. Otherwise, wait to die. Do you understand?"

The burly man and the others nodded in terrified haste.

"Y-yes, my lord."

Renogue's group of three did not move.

They silently waited for their own fates...

Xia Zuoyi frowned. "You three did not understand?"

Renogue, Yadai, and Sara raised their heads in astonishment.

Xia Zuoyi said, "What? Do you expect special treatment because of your royal identities?"

"No, no, of course not," Renogue hurriedly said.

Sara quickly shook her head as well, stammering, "N-no, I... I will work honestly. Count, y-you can rest assured, I..."

Xia Zuoyi waved a hand to interrupt her. "In that case, you do not need to disguise yourself as a boy. The work assigned to men is not suitable for you."

"Taylor, register her information again."

Taylor said, "Yes, my lord."

Xia Zuoyi said, "You may leave. There is nothing else."

Although Sara Masi was a princess, the Trak Kingdom had already been destroyed. To Xia Zuoyi, she was no different from anyone else.

Xia Zuoyi would not make things difficult for a young girl barely in her teens.

Renogue Masi was the same.

As long as he did not entertain thoughts he shouldn't have, he would always remain a man of Komoy Fort.

Reinog and the other two stood up on unsteady legs.

Just as they were about to turn and leave, the young count spoke again.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot the important matter. Yadai Ben, stay behind."

Yadai: Uneasy, afraid.

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