âMoera Row is just five blocks from here along Common Road in town. Go quickly! Hurry!â
Mrs. Miller screamed hastily and pushed me outside.
If I go instead of her, something bad may happen to the entire nursery school, so maybe thatâs why I was on the street when I came to my senses.
âWhatâs this?â
Itâs been a few days since Iâve been here, so I donât know if they even run errands like this. But didnât I ask for an apologyâŠ?
It seemed like I was possessed by a ghost, but since I had already reached the roadside, it was concluded that I should go immediately.
âItâs suspicious that she suddenly said she would apologize.â
I started with the idea of finding a way well, saying that all I need to do is deliver the letter. Even in a rural village, the road was well maintained, so it was not difficult to find it.
However, I was concerned that the atmosphere in the neighborhood would get worse as the road went on.
âPleaseâŠâ
There are a few things my father gave his firm attention when we lived in Sierra. One of them was telling me not to go to the back neighborhoods of Sierra, and I had promised myself that I would never go near them over and over again.
But now, I seem to have broken that promise. The atmosphere in the neighborhood wasnât that good.
There is vomit and broken glass in the middle of the road. Itâs a gloomy atmosphere, and the vigilant eyes of some residents watching passersby are sure toâŠ
âScary⊠Itâs like stepping into a crime city. Letâs deliver it and go back.â
With that in mind, I hurried my steps.
âGrandma Lafiera, who lives at 18 Moera Row next to Draghi Square.â
âHey.â
Someone grabbed my shoulder. Astonished, I turned around to see a girl my age staring at me with a frown on her face.
âWhere the hell are you going?â
âWhat?â
âThis is Moera Row.â
âWhatâs wrong with that?â
âDonât you know?â
âHuh⊠Sorry. I havenât been here in a while.â
âYouâre driving me crazy. Do you know what day today is? Itâs the day of the slave auction.â
âSlave?â
Oh my god. What am I hearing nowâŠ
Iâve heard of slaves in the Empire, but Iâve never seen one since I lived in the Sierra where there was no class system.
How long has it been since Iâve been out of the Sierra to see slave auctions?
âIâm on an errand. Would it be too dangerous?â
âAre you kidding? If you go to Moera Row, where nobles gather, you might be kidnapped, so itâs better to go around. So go⊠I canât. Just follow me.â
The girl led me with her chin. She explained as she guided me.
âOn the day of the slave auction, you are not allowed to enter this town recklessly. Who the hell gave you that errand?â
âThe head of the nursery schoolâŠâ
âOh my god. Are you from that orphanage?â
âHuh⊠Yes?â
The girl looked me up and down. She clicked her tongue briefly.
âYou are very pitiful. The woman called the director there is famous for poor quality.â
âWhat?â
âThe rumors are bad. They said the kids were skinny, but she only gained weight herself and went to and from high-end clothing stores.â
It seems that Mrs. Millerâs personality is not so good that it is rumored from afar.
I recognized it from the first day I arrived at the orphanage and she went to extort money from my bag.
âIâve been relying on her lately, so I donât know.â
âKids even escaped.â
âEscape? Really?â
âOne or two a year are famous for running away.â
âIsnât the government, no, the imperial body taking action?â
âIf you see that the director hasnât changed so far, it must have been something the director used there. You donât seem to know, but this place isnât a very good place.â
âI have brothers. I would like to be transferred to a better place, but is there any other nursery school nearby?â
âI know there are none nearby.â
âAhâŠâ
It was a desperate word. Nearby.
My fifteenth birthday is just a few months away. In the end, I may be sent to another institution, and Daniel and Leo will remain under Mrs. Miller.
When I imagined that, my anxiety surged.
âI hope you get transferred to another institution soon. Oh, itâs all over. Continue down this alley and then turn right. Never go left. If you go there, you will go to the slave auction house.â
âThank you for guiding me.â
âItâs pitiful for a foolish-looking kid like you to wander around in poor quality. Good luck to you.â
The girl who greeted me cynically went her own way without telling me her name.
The first person I met when I came to the Kirgen Empire was Mrs. Miller, so I thought there were only people like Mrs. Miller here.
But it didnât seem like that was the case. She reached out her hand first to me, who could have fallen into a dangerous place.
I wanted to repay her gratitude, so I quickly ran to the girl.
Pls read only at pink muffin tl.
âHey!â
âWhat a surprise! Whatâs happening? Donât you know the way?â
âItâs not⊠Can you tell me your name?â
âName?â
The girl widened her eyes. Smiling shyly, I said to the girl.
âI am Elizabeth Herrington. Itâs the first time we met today, and Iâm not sure if weâll ever meet again, but I still want to know your name. You never know when you will need my help.â
The girl grinned and retorted.
âItâs Olivia Rivera.â
âOlivia RiveraâŠâ
I rolled the girlâs name slightly. Olivia Rivera. I just wanted to remember.
âThanks.â
âWhat have I done? Then Herrington. See you again if we ever meet.â
Olivia waved her hand and said goodbye, and she left.
I passed the alley as I followed the path, which Olivia had told me. A slave auction. Just imagining it was eerie and terrifying.
Perhaps it was the same with the Imperials, the lower-ranking Imperials longed for Sierra and secretly hid in Sierra.
But in principle, the Imperials are forever Imperials and Sierras are forever Sierras. As a result, even though people may not have any status, they lived as an illegal alien and did all kinds of illegal things.
Nevertheless, the number of imperial people hiding in Sierra did not decrease, and in recent years, every road leading to Sierra has been checked.
âBecause of the identity system, the relationship between Sierra and the Empire is messed up.â
I heard that there is a big social and cultural clash as to whether the existence of the class system has a big influence here and there.
But all of this is just what I heard from my parents, and I didnât know anything about it because I was born and raised in Sierra.
As I was thinking, the road Olivia mentioned appeared before my eyes. As I was told, I was about to go on the right path.
âLet go! Let go!â
A familiar voice stopped my footsteps. A vague anxiety and goosebumps ran down my spine along with the thought of hope.
âDamn you bastards! Let go!â
Slightly transformed voice and harsh tone. At first glance, I knew the person.
âEdâŠward?â
My hand was trembling. If that kid is Edward⊠Oh no.
Olivia told me to never go to the path on my left, but I had to go. Without hesitation, I ran into the alley on my left.
I was afraid of the slave auction story, so I first hid my body behind a trash can in a narrow, dirty alley. I turned my head slightly over the trash can to see Edward shouting loudly.
âGasp!â
I covered my mouth. A skinny face and dirty appearance were the first to be seen.
Edward was struggling to escape from adults trying to trap him.
âEddie!â
What happened to you to become a slave and put it up for auction? I couldnât believe it.
Mother, father. What am I supposed to do? My chest tightened.
âI am a resident of Sierra, ugh!â
A large man, presumed to be a slave trader, slapped Edward on the cheek. Edward stumbled heavily and fell backwards.
Iâm sure heâs not sick. He spat out red blood and looked at the man who hit him with a stern gaze.
âHuh. This oneâs momentum is good. You will be sold for a high price today. So give up.â
The man who said that kicked Edwardâs body. Without realizing it, I let out a breath.
I didnât even care about running errands. The thought that I couldnât be caught and that I had to rescue Edward somehow filled me.
âWho are you?â
At the sight I made, the man turned to this side. I quickly hid myself behind the trash can.
When I met a slave trader at school, they didnât teach me how to deal with it. And in the beginning, I wasnât even a gifted or zealous student.
âMother, father. What should I do?â
The world I faced after my parents died was much colder and scarier. It made me wonder if the place Iâve ever lived was really like this.
But so far, nothing has happened. The problem I have to overcome this time is the slave trader. If I make a mistake, I could be sold as a slave.
I canât pretend I donât know Edward. Whatever it takes, I have to rescue him before he gets sold elsewhere.
âHow much does a slave cost?â
I counted the money I had. Meanwhile, footsteps were heard from behind.
Thud. Thud.
A rough heartbeat was heard in my ears.
âThere, you!â
Tears welled up.
âCome out while Iâm being nice.â
The slave trader warned in a begging voice. My hand that covered my mouth trembled.
âHey, Jack. Letâs just go. It must be the neighborhood kid. Apparently, she came out of curiosity, but she must have hid because she was afraid.â
âTsk. It could be. Kid, didnât the grown-ups teach you not to wander around recklessly today? Go home quickly.â
Then I heard the slave traders turning around. Edwardâs rebellion was occasionally heard. The sound pierced my lungs and made my chest tighten.
I jumped up and shouted to those who were about to enter the building.
âCome on, wait a minute!â
I can say with confidence that it is the most heart-pounding moment since I have lived for fourteen years. I was so nervous that I thought my heart was going to explode. There was no strength in my body, so I had to forcefully tighten it.
âWhat? A girl.â
Iâm afraid Iâm going to die I was terrified at the thought that I might be sold as a slave, and I wanted to cry right away. But it was Edward. My brother, Edward Herrington.
Heâs picky and doesnât talk much, so I donât know what heâs thinking, but heâs the eldest brother who occasionally smiles silently at my jokes.