Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 42 – Out of sight – Part One

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 42 - Out of sight - Part One

The Baron and his core forces had attempted to escape through a secret passage that would have taken them from the castle and out a secret entrance at the bottom of the mountain. The personal sacrifice of a pair of Enslaved Orcs had turned the escape attempt into a bloodbath.

As best as Gregory could piece together by observing the aftermath, the Orcs had feigned obedience until a situation developed where my condition of self-defence allowed them to go on the offensive. Badly outnumbered, the Orcs had still managed to panic the Baron’s personal guard and carve their way through to the Baron himself by using the weapons of their fallen former masters.

It was unclear if the Mountain Orcs had been Variants or Wild, and whether their motivations had been for vengeance or otherwise. In any case, their sacrifice had not only thwarted the Baron’s attempted escape but had also prevented the smuggling of close to one hundred and forty eggs from the city.

Evidence that the Baron had been investing a great deal of money to establish his collection. As to why he had been collecting them, the reasons were currently unclear. Gregory and the soldiers were in the process of ransacking the Baron’s small castle for information, but he had been rather pessimistic about finding anything given the Baron was likely to have burned anything that might have incriminated himself.

With my general proximity tied to the rescued girl’s recovery, I commandeered the service of a platoon of soldiers and a train of wagons to begin ferrying the slaves from the warehouses up and into the emptied noble estates.

To avoid accidentally wandering out of Synergy range, I had spent the night sleeping in the great uncle’s stables. Despite most of the elderly staff expressing one degree of reluctance or another, inviting Lord Janis into my Party, explaining to him how the iron Gut Synergy worked and that Celeste only had access to it due to her continued Enslavement, was enough to have the old nobleman quiet the concerns of his employees.

All the same, it was only Lord Janis’ house guards that seemed to fully understand what I had meant. Or at least they had understood enough that they left me well enough alone and would tip their helmets whenever they happened to pass by.

A part of me was impressed that the ageing aristocrat had retained so many elderly servants rather than replacing them. Economic circumstances might play a role, given that the fortified manor seemed somewhat rundown, but that might be a tradeoff for employing older workers.

By midday, the wagon train had returned and offloaded its first passengers. Unsurprisingly, the Lizardmen were amongst the first to disembark and it didn’t take them long at all to begin excitedly motioning in my direction.

Taking a moment to confirm that Celeste had indeed lost the Starvation and Dehydration Conditions, I left the grounds of the Janis estate and made my way over to the Lizardmen.

After waiting for the wagon train to pass back towards the gate, I was immediately approached by the Lizardmen and their female representative.

“Great one...” The female Lizardman prostrated herself in deference, just as she had last time we spoke, “Our eggs?...” She hissed anxiously.

“The eggs have been found-” I began to reply evenly but was interrupted by cries of relief, disbelief and joy from the other Lizardmen. “-but I am unsure of how many of them belong to your people. There were other eggs taken and stored in the same place as well. I will have someone take you to the eggs in just a moment.”

“As mand...Great one...” The Lizardman spokesperson agreed happily.

“So that is what you were up to,” Nadine commented with a smile while shouldering her first-aid bag.

“Well, that and the girl’s rehabilitation,” I replied happily while removing my helmet.

Nadine grew more serious, “How is she?”

“I’m not sure, but she seems to be improving if her stats are anything to go by,” I shrugged, “I thought it might scare her if she found a giant monster looming outside her window.”

Nadine smiled wryly and nodded, “I guess,” she agreed, “I’ll go check on her now unless you need my help with anything else first?”

I shook my head and waved her off, “Not particularly, although I was thinking you might provide some training for some of the Slaves later and as an ongoing project.”

Nadine looked surprised but nodded in agreement, “Alright, we can talk about it later,” she agreed and then began briskly making her way down the street towards the Janis estate.

Shady wandered into the open garden of the abandoned noble estate and settled himself down beneath a tree.

Fesk was standing by the gate to the estate while holding the small Gnoll child in his arms. The little Gnoll, Khibi, had been dressed up in a slightly adjusted tunic that bore much more of a resemblance to a long dress than a shirt. With the two of them together, it looked like they were posing for a photo advertising an old-timey freakshow’s albino and wolf girl.

#Here. Come.# I signed and motioned for Fesk to approach.

Fesk nodded and made his way over.

#Stay. Organise. Rest.# I signed and then pointed back to the fortified manor.

Fesk nodded to show he understood and then walked back over to the gate. Clicking his fingers with his free hand to get the gathered Slaves' attention, Fesk waved them towards the manor and then shepherded them through the gate.

I waved over one of the soldiers guarding the gate to the lower levels.

“Sir?” The young soldier asked uncertainly.

“I want you to escort-” I concentrated on the lizardman to learn her name, “-Cheh, to Captain Gordon in the former Adventurer Guild building. You will then be free to return to your post.”

The soldier gave a crisp nod, “Yes sir!”

I looked down at Cheh who was still lying prostrate on the street, “Cheh, this soldier will escort you to the man who will show you to your peoples' eggs.”

“Gratitude!...Great One!” Cheh bowed several times before rising to a standing position. However, she still made a point of avoiding eye contact and lowering her head as she moved to follow the soldier.

Waving the other Lizardmen past the gate so they wouldn’t obstruct the street, I decided that Shady probably had the right idea, so I sat down beneath a tree and enjoyed the relative tranquillity while it lasted.

After about a half hour, Cheh returned on the back of a wagon accompanied by a half dozen soldiers. Under her anxious gaze, the soldiers unloaded six large shallow crates packed with straw. Once the crates were unloaded, the soldiers continued towards the gate to the lower district instead of returning to the Adventurers Guild building.

The Lizardmen surged forwards as a group and surrounded the crates with nervous excitement. Each of the females claimed a crate and began uncovering small clutches of eggs before covering them with the straw again. When the females seemed satisfied with inspecting the contents of the crates, the Lizardmen began carefully carrying the crates inside of the fortified manor.

The next delivery of Slaves was accompanied by collared Slaves from the second district, delivered by the same soldiers that had assisted Cheh. With Fesk handling the assignment of sleeping spaces, I didn’t really have to do anything. Although I was forced to admit that Fesk seemed to be doing a good job despite being mute. It was a testament to basic universal body language.

Once Slaves were assigned a cot to sleep in, they were free to wander the grounds if they wanted to, and just about every Slave except for the Lizardmen took advantage of the opportunity. Even if the carefully trimmed lawn wasn’t quite like the grasslands of the Labyrinth, it was peaceful, and that seemed to be enough.

Nadine returned sometime later and looked optimistically upbeat. “Hey. Celeste is doing much better. That Synergy of yours is working wonders, she has a healthy appetite and is putting on weight. And I tried your poison treatment, the one with activated charcoal? It seemed to work well enough for my Ability to do the rest.”

“That's good to know,” I agreed, “Judging by the blisters on her lips, it might have been a poison designed to upset her stomach, inducing vomiting and diarrhoea. It would explain why she was so dehydrated and covered in filth.”

Nadine shivered, “Ugh, to do that to a child...”

I nodded in agreement, “It’s a wonder that she survived. Cholera has similar symptoms and in my world, it has killed millions of people. They would literally shit themselves to death because they would lose the salt their body needs for important bodily functions.”

“I remember you talking about that,” Nadine commented, “It was in the water, right?”

“Right, and that’s why it’s important to make sure sewage doesn’t contaminate drinking water, and to boil water that you don’t one hundred per cent trust,” I added, “Contaminated water and food was a leading cause for deaths outside of injuries sustained from conflict in a time period comparable to the technology of this world. But cooking things thoroughly, and washing your hands, eliminated the biggest risks quite simply.”

“You mentioned that a few times as well,” Nadine replied with a smirk, “I think you have given Wraithe a bit of a complex about it.”

I shrugged, “Surgeons, that is to say, anyone who is cutting someone else open with the intention of stitching them back together again, should be borderline obsessive-compulsive about cleaning their hands. The Healing Abilities have spared your patients the worst of it, but infections are no joke. Foreign contamination was a major issue where I was from, it’s taken VERY seriously. If you think Wraithe is compulsive, it might bother you to know that she is the closest to meeting the bare minimum standard for required cleanliness for a surgeon or surgical staff team member in my world.”

“Really? You aren’t joking?” Nadine asked in surprise.

“Really,” I confirmed. “It’s a good thing injuries can be healed so quickly, denying infections a proper chance to do any real damage.”

Nadine sat down beside me, “You don’t talk about your world much, beyond how it relates to something you're trying to teach, that is. Why is that?”

I shrugged, “There’s no going back, and no one that’s missing me.”

“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” Nadine admitted, “So...So your mother was the only person in your life?”

I nodded, “The only one who would care if I went missing. I had a lot of trouble making friends. Partly because of how I look, or looked, at the time, but also because the few people who didn’t mind my appearance just wanted me to do stuff for them,” I snorted bitterly and shook my head, “Everyone would immediately assume I was a thug, just because of how I looked. So they assumed I would be fine with getting violent and shaking people down for money, err, coins. Nobody cared about who I really was. Nobody even tried to get to know me...”

Nadine was quiet for a while. “That sounds lonely,” she observed quietly.

“It was,” I agreed, “But it wasn’t so bad with Mum around. We would talk all the time.”

“You don’t really talk about her, why is that?” Nadine asked.

I let out a deep sigh and rubbed at my forehead, “I guess it’s because I am afraid of tainting the good memories I have of her,” I admitted bluntly.

Nadine seemed confused, “How do you mean?”

“Who my Mum was when she was healthy, and who she was...at the end...” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, “They were two very different people...”

“It’s so bizarre to learn that your people have so much medical knowledge, but still haven't defeated illnesses,” Nadine observed uncomfortably.

I used my forearm to wipe away the tears that had begun to gather in the corners of my eyes, “We didn’t have the shortcuts, so each generation built on the knowledge of the one before. What I have taught you is just a fragment of that accumulated knowledge.”

Nadine looked surprised, “really?”

I nodded, “In order to become a doctor, someone that treats illness for a living, it takes seven years of study and mentoring before you have the absolute minimum level of medical knowledge to leave what is functionally an apprenticeship. Even then, doctors would still reference special medical books to diagnose what was wrong with people. Doctors would specialise in specific areas of treatment, and even they would not remember everything related to that specialty off the top of their head-”

“Seven years?!” Nadine demanded incredulously.

“And that is assuming you pass all the tests and the mandatory internship,” I added, “My own nursing degree was still going to take five years, including the electives I wanted to specialise with.”

Nadine baulked.

“It’s a lot more study than a one day lecture and some sewing practice, huh?” I commented wryly.

Nadine nodded, “Days rather than years? Yeah, I don’t think you will ever hear me complaining.”

A long silence passed between us.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” Nadine asked a little awkwardly, “About teaching the Slaves to become Surgeons, I mean.”

I nodded, “It’s an important skillset, and there are probably some prime candidates in a group this large.”

“Oh...'' Nadine deflated somewhat and seemed embarrassed, “I just thought...forget it.”

“I trust you to do a good job Nadine,” I reassured her, “While I ‘could’ teach them myself, I think you are the better teacher between the two of us. You’re a much more engaging teacher, at the very least.”

Nadine blushed, “Thanks,” she hugged her first-aid bag tightly to her chest.

“Credit where it’s due,” I shrugged, “You are good at teaching the basics, which we both know is very important. Wraithe is a little better at the intermediate skills and knowledge, but she practices and reviews daily, so it’s hardly surprising.”

“That’s true,” Nadine conceded, “She teaches refresher lessons in the evening and regular lessons early in the mornings. I don’t think I have ever actually seen Wraithe sleep.”

“Well, there was when they were all a lot smaller,” I pointed out with a smile as I recalled the little Daemons scampering around and gorging on everything we could feed them.

“Oh yeah...” Nadine slowly nodded with a thoughtful expression on her face, “I keep forgetting that they are the same people, you know? They grew up so fast!”

“Definitely,” I agreed, “But I think that’s unique to Daemons, a result of their Racial Ability.”

“True,” Nadine agreed, “I hadn’t really thought about that.”

“That reminds me. Did you have a chance to look at Khibi?” I asked curiously, “The little fluff ball was too frightened of me to get a good look at her.”

“Khibi?” Nadine concentrated for a moment before seeming to realise who I was talking about, “Oh, the baby Gnoll?”

I nodded.

“She seemed alright,” Nadine commented with a shrug, “She seemed rather afraid of me as well, to be honest. Your Albino seems to be doing a good job taking care of her though, so I don’t think there is anything to worry about.”

“Fesk seems reliable,” I agreed, “What do you think of him?”

Nadine raised her palms and shrugged non-committaly, “He seems alright. Especially since he was an enemy combatant less than a week ago,” she jibed while giving me a stern look, “You have put a lot of trust in him, Tim.”

I shrugged, “Not really. Besides the Enslavement Commands-” I shifted uncomfortably, “Fesk was always much more of a neutral party, not an enemy. He went on a killing spree against his former masters when I inadvertently killed his Vampire Master. He was only serving the enemy afterwards because of the collar. When I took control and turned the collared Thralls against the others, Fesk made no challenge to free himself, and he still hasn’t.”

“Well...It’s not like you really treat them like Slaves,” Nadine pointed out.

I shrugged, “It depends on your definition of slavery,” I countered.

“I guess,” Nadine conceded, “But you wouldn’t find anyone treating Slaves as well as you do. At least, not without expecting special services in exchange,”

“I suppose,” I agreed, “But are you aware of the service for citizenship law that is being enacted?”

Nadine slowly shook her head, “No...What’s that?”

“Basically, five years of military service and you become an Asrusian citizen, and earn a pension for years served,” I explained.

Nadine frowned, “But I’m already a citizen?” She insisted with a hint of uncertainty.

“It’s intended for Slaves and enemy combatants like Fesk,” I added, “And that includes Enslaved wild monsters as well.”

“And you’re okay with this?” Nadine asked warily.

“More or less, yeah. There is an alternative for the wild monsters,” I added with a sigh, “They will be given a choice between military service or release into a designated floor of a Labyrinth to live their life as they see fit, or as best they are able.”

“Which is basically a death sentence once Species rivalries flare-up,” Nadine commented disapprovingly.

“But that is what they would otherwise be dealing with if they hadn’t been Enslaved in the first place,” I countered, “It’s no different to how we treated the wild Mountain Orcs.”

“I suppose...” Nadine agreed reluctantly, “But why military service? I know the military would love having combat Synergies, but why are you so in favour of the idea?”

“Socialisation,” I replied bluntly, “Wild monsters have shown they ‘can’ be reasoned with if given enough time to be socialised to the point that they don’t just attack anything that doesn't look exactly like themselves. That might not take five years for most, but it's also an opportunity to acclimate to human civilization and culture, as well as working alongside other Species. Synergies are great, but sharing a fundamental level of cultural values is insanely important. Without it, you just end up tearing your country apart.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Nadine admitted, “And they would have combat skills they could fall back on to earn an income or provide for themselves.”

“Not just combat skills,” I corrected, “Medical skills, engineering skills, carpentry skills, and so on. Those with the aptitude and desire, will be positioned in roles where they can learn skills that both the military and civilian sector both need.”

“Oh!” Nadine seemed genuinely surprised, “Which is why you want me to teach them to be Surgeons,” she realised.

“Exactly,” I replied, “The army needs more Surgeons to serve as combat medics. People who are on the frontlines and giving fallen soldiers a fighting chance to make it to the field hospital. It will be a very easy way to earn acceptance and trust from their Asrusian counterparts.”

“I think I understand what You mean,” Nadine agreed, “It’s hard not to feel grateful when someone saves your life.”

“There is one problem though,” I admitted.

“What is it?” Nadine asked curiously.

“Ensuring compliance during the initial socialising period. The only way to make absolutely sure that wild monsters or foriegn combatants obey the rules long enough for them to become second nature, is to maintain their Enslavement,” I explained uncomfortably, “However, since I can’t be everywhere at once, and my Slave retinue has limits-”

“You will need Slavers to keep them in line,” Nadine interjected distastefully.

I nodded, “A Master Tier equivalent from the Lordship title Classes, or the Slave Master, yes.”

“But what’s going to stop them from just abusing their power?” Nadine asked warily, “I know most of the soldiers seem alright, but some of them are downright dodgy.”

“Which is why they will be Enslaved by and report to, Gric,” I explained a little hesitantly. 

Nadine opened her mouth to comment, closed it again, frowned thoughtfully and then slowly nodded in agreement, “That could work,” she admitted, “There’s no one more rigid and rule-abiding than he is. It’s like he was born to be an administrator.”

I nodded my head and grunted in agreement.

Another long silence passed between us while just sitting and enjoying the tranquillity.

“Tim? Do you have a list of Slaves for teaching to become Surgeons? Or should I work through them all myself to find good candidates?” Nadine asked.

“The start of one, but I hadn’t accounted for the most recent additions from the military buyout.” I had made a group of the most promising candidates by Species, making sure to have at least one of each Species represented to better demonstrate the Class to others of their Species down the line. After placing them all into a group with Nadine, I waited for her to look through the candidates.

“There are quite a few of them,” Nadine observed nervously.

“There is,” I agreed, “But remember, you can explain the broader concepts to a large group all at once, and then provide more targeted teaching with smaller groups afterwards.”

“Right,” Nadine nodded and appeared a little less nervous.

“You can wave down any of the soldiers and have them deliver you supplies as well,” I added, “The military desperately wants more Surgeons, so I would be incredibly surprised if they refused to accommodate your requests.”

“I guess it also doesn’t hurt that I know the big guy in charge either,” Nadine grinned.

“That too,” I agreed with an amused smile of my own.

“I guess I should probably get started with seeing who on the list is actually interested,” Nadine sighed as she got to her feet.

“Just make sure they understand what you are offering,” I insisted, “You might need to provide a demonstration or two to win them over.”

Nadine nodded determinedly, “Right,” she agreed before taking a deep breath, determinedly setting her brow and heading off towards the closest of the candidates.

As Nadine left, Fesk got up from his seat on the front steps of the manor and made his way over. Sitting himself down a dozen feet in front of me, Fesk transferred Khibi onto his lap. #Give. More. Signs.” He signed with a hopeful expression.

#Yes.# I signed back and shifted around a little to become more comfortable.

I practised signing with Fesk for the rest of the day, pausing with each batch of new arrivals so Fesk could direct them to their accommodations. Every so often, he would remove a strip of dried meat from a pouch on his belt and feed it to Khibi while also making sure to offer the water skin to avoid dehydrating her. 

Painfully shy, Khibi would giggle and whine whenever she realised anyone, including Fesk, was looking at her. A far cry from the assertive and confident adult female Gnolls I was familiar with, it was interesting to consider that the Matriarchal position and its associated competition might be the result of their drives and instincts being artificially redirected. Either that or Khibi’s timidness might be the result of the fact that she was a small vulnerable child and was surrounded by strangers.

Expecting a child of my own in the near future, I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t get closer to Khibi and learn more about what I should expect from a baby monster. The Daemons' childhood had been far too brief and bizarre to be of much help at all.

Granted, parenthood wouldn’t seem nearly as daunting if my children grew up so quickly, but I sincerely doubted they would be nearly as obedient as the Daemons.

Fesk and I continued practising signs well into the evening before calling it a night once the last wagonload of Slaves was delivered and the deadline for the proclamation was now due. Leaving Fesk to keep an eye on things, I accompanied two platoons of soldiers and a pair of large wagons down into the lower districts.

Capable of sensing all Slaves held by other people within a large radius, so long as I was thorough enough, I would be able to tell if anyone was attempting to hide any Slaves regardless of obstructions. Sensing only Beasts initially, I was tempted to believe that my paranoia was unwarranted. However, as we were approaching the large marketplace that had been used by the military earlier in the day, I detected a cluster of two dozen Slaves beneath what looked like an upscale tavern.

“Twenty-four Slaves beneath ground level,” I pointed to the tavern and waited as orders were issued and the building was somewhat discreetly surrounded.

With the majority of citizens worried about the inevitable siege, few people were out and about beyond the soldiers on patrol. This worked to our advantage, making it that much easier to isolate the building without drawing too much attention. Even then, most of the attention was directed towards myself and not the soldiers gathered around me.

I supposed it made sense, given my size and appearance. It probably even worked to our advantage, justifying the reason so many soldiers were on the street because they were needed to ‘keep me in line’.

With the tavern and nearby buildings surrounded, ten soldiers, including a Sergeant, entered the tavern.

Bracing myself, I began challenging for control of the two dozen Slaves. Four separate wills pushed back, but three of them crumpled almost immediately. The final holdout lasted almost thirty seconds before capitulating and surrendering control of the final three Slaves.

Mentally, issuing the standard commands, and allowing the Slaves to defend themselves, I turned to the two Lieutenants and gave them a nod to indicate that the Slaves wouldn’t be a threat.

Another soldier was sent into the tavern to pass along the information to the ten soldiers already inside.

A little over ten minutes passed before the first of the soldiers left the tavern, dragging an unconscious and badly beaten man into the street. Bare-chested and covered in odd tattoos, the bald-headed man looked a lot like the bikeys I used to see on T.V. In his late forties or early fifties, he had as much flab as muscle and a strangely immaculately groomed horseshoe moustache that was currently crusted with blood.

Eight more men of similar appearance were dragged out of the tavern and hogtied to prevent their escape, then gagged to prevent them from causing a scene. All but three of them looked like they had taken a severe beating, and those three thugs had blood caking their lower faces.

With the nine thugs securely bound and gagged, they were thrown into the back of one of the large wagons and kept under careful watch.

“An obvious gang affiliation, your Majesty,” one of the Lieutenants explained, “Organised criminals. The Lord Regent’s representative will want to question them.”

I nodded to show I understood. With the death penalty in effect, that wagon was originally intended for corpses, not prisoners.

After a few more minutes, three men in military-issued clothing were escorted out of the building by a pair of male soldiers that were deliberately keeping a respectful distance. Appearing to be in their twenties, they were objectively attractive if somewhat androgynous, like members of a boy band targeting a female teen demographic. With a darker skin tone similar to Clarice, I wondered where they had originally come from.

The soldiers that had brought out the three young men, passed along a request from their Sergeant for female soldiers to provide assistance with the other Slaves.

Nine female soldiers obediently entered the tavern while a majority of their male counterparts took the opportunity to leave.

“Sir. The barman and the barmaids didn’t seem to be in on it,” the Sergeant reported gruffly, “The Barman even tipped us off about the hidden door in the cellar. We probably would have found it eventually, but his description, and warning about the trap, saved us a lot of time.”

“Leave them be, for now,” I agreed, “But first, find out what they know and make sure to forward the report to Gregory. It will probably help with his investigation into the gang and its activities.”

“Yessir!” The Sergeant saluted and then made his way back into the tavern.

After about twenty minutes, a huddled group of young women were shepherded out into the street by the female soldiers who had entered the tavern earlier. Wearing the same military-issued clothing as the men who had been brought out earlier, the women had also been provided with cloaks to help keep them warm and ward against shock.

A couple of the young women had the same, or similar skin tones as the men, and a few looked like they could pass as locals. However, the remaining women were divided into more exotic appearances. One woman looked like she could have been Russian, while another looked like an incredibly tall Filipino. Given the location, the dull look in the men's and women's eyes and the gang element, I felt confident, and disgusted, in assuming that this had been an underground prostitution racket.

Using human Slaves was a risk, but it also meant that the profits would all, presumably, go to the gang. Loading the Slaves into the other wagon, the soldiers provided them with some food and water before we continued our sweep of the city.

As we were nearing the gate to the second district, I sensed another cluster of Slaves that spanned a small block of buildings. I sensed fifty-seven Slaves in total.

The Lieutenants began stopping passing patrols and used them to help establish a wide perimeter while messaging for reinforcements. With a dozen or more buildings that would need to be searched, they were going to need a lot more men in order to prevent any potential suspects from escaping.

Most of the buildings looked like they were storefronts and workshops, but there were a few multi-story residential buildings as well.

One of the Slaves’ presence suddenly disappeared, and before I had time to consider what that might mean, another disappeared as well. As the third Slave’s presence disappeared, I felt my stomach turn as I guessed at what was happening, “They are killing the Slaves!” I snarled and activated my Ability before snarling again, only this time in pain.

I wasn’t prepared for someone to resist me so fiercely and it was like a white-hot iron spike in my brain. A dozen or so other sources of resistance collapsed in the periphery, leaving just myself, the iron spike and someone else.

Ignoring the chaos breaking out around me, I pushed hard to break the third wheel in our struggle for dominance. Rather abruptly, the challenge ended as the third party folded, immediately ending the fierce resistance from my primary opposition.

Confused and breathing hard, I staggered and braced myself against a nearby building to stop myself from toppling over.

Now aware of events transpiring around me, I could see the soldiers had come under attack by more tattooed thugs. Currently outnumbered three to one, the soldiers didn’t seem to be in much trouble, savagely beating the thugs down with wooden cudgels while fending off long knives and spiked clubs.

I also couldn’t help but notice that the thugs were giving me a wide berth, which the soldiers were making the most of in order to secure some breathing room before charging back into the chaotic melee.

[(Slave: Clara) has been slain by (???: ???)]

“Fuck!” I cursed and issued commands enabling the Slaves to defend themselves and one another.

A few moments later, I felt the ground shudder beneath my feet.

[{Mortax} has slain {???: ???} +0 Exp], [{Mortax} has slain {???: ???} +0 Exp], [{Mortax} has slain {???: ???} +0 Exp]...

The kill notifications continued for another couple of minutes before stopping abruptly.

The soldiers had put down the last of the thugs and were tying them up or wolfing down rations while recuperating.

Some of the thugs had run when it had become clear that the fight had turned against them. Unfortunately, without the reinforcements that were still on the way, the  soldiers had no choice but to let them go.

“It appears to be the same criminal organisation, Majesty,” one of the Lieutenant explained while pointing to a horned bull tattoo on the chest of one of the thugs, “They all have that same marking.” 

While waiting for the reinforcements to arrive, one of the Sergeants and a few soldiers began working their way through the residential buildings that the thugs had been occupying. By the time the reinforcements arrived, every one of the residences had been thoroughly searched, so the search was expanded to the nearby businesses as well.

“Found it! It’s over here!” A soldier cried out from behind what looked like a carpentry workshop and store. The alleyways between the buildings were too small for me to fit through, so I had no real choice but to sit back and wait as some of the other soldiers went to investigate.

There was the muffled sound of something collapsing accompanied by excited chatter from the soldiers before they grew quiet again.

A long silence passed uneventfully.

“MROOOO!!!” A bellowing roar boomed from behind the workshop and I felt the vibrations through the street beneath my feet.

Clamping down on the commands of the Slaves int he immediate area, I denied their ability to defend themselves. 

“MROO-”ughrmmm,” A second bellowing roar was interrupted mid roar, devolving into a loud whimper.

Remembering the name I had seen appear during the battle with the thugs, I had just begun searching through the stats of the recently acquired Slaves and located the one in question when a large hulking figure appeared down the far end of the alleyway.

With the head, legs and tail of a bull, covered in short fur and shorting large bloody horns atop its head, there was only one creature it could be. Yet as I read the monster's stats it was like the proverbial wind was immediately stripped from my sails.

“Lesser Aurochian?” I muttered in bewilderment before turning back to look at what could only be considered a minotaur.

“An Aurochian?!” One of the Lieutenants exclaimed in surprise and concern.

Gauging the reaction of the other soldiers, I wondered why such a fierce reputation was not currently being earned by the monster in front of us,

At the urging of the soldiers behind it in the alley, the Lesser Aurochian began to scramble up onto the roof of the carpentry workshop and across the roof.

Now close to eye level with the creature, I was even more surprised to find that as he looked down at the ground below, he looked absolutely terrified and was even anxiously making what sounded like mooing sounds. Still prone on the rooftop, the Lesser Aurochian was trembling like a leaf and seemed to be beginning to cry. “Mhhh, mhhh, Mortax, mhhh, want ground, mhhh.”

Glancing at Mortax’s stats, my eyes widened in shock and I blinked several times to confirm that I wasn’t just seeing things. The Lesser Aurochian had almost half the Intelligence of the child we had rescued the day before.

Mortax had now clenched his eyes shut and was holding the edge of the brick building's sloped roof so tightly that it was crumbling in his hands.

Stepping forwards, I offered the terrified creature my hands, “Here, I’ll help you down.”

Mortax opened his eyelids and stared at me with tear-filled eyes, “Mhhh, p-p-promise? Mhhh, Mortax, mhhh, no want die, mhhh!”

“I promise,” I insisted reassuringly and offered my hands again.

“Mhhh, mhhh,” Mortax took a moment to look to either side before reluctantly holding out his arms.

Taking hold of him below the armpits, I slowly began dragging Mortax off of the roof. Easily the heaviest thing I had ever lifted in my life, I somehow still managed to lower Mortax to the ground without dropping him.

“You save Mortax!” The Lesser Aurochian declared in amazement while looking at the rooftop he had been dragged off of only a few moments before. It was an odd choice of words, not least of which because Mortax was only a couple of feet shorter than myself, and would be much closer if he wasn’t hunched over and slouching. “Mortax serve! Mortax be good!” Mortax insisted happily.

Standing so close to Mortax, I could now see faint white stripes in his otherwise raven-black fur. After taking a closer look at his face and finding a handful of old scars, I realised that the white stripes were most likely concealing more scars as well. Dressed only in a leather loincloth, there wasn’t any place for Mortax’s scars to hide.

Comparable to myself in almost every respect in terms of his raw attributes, I didn’t understand why he was so incredibly compliant and meek. As best I could determine, someone had to have used violence to condition him to be this way. Whether it was this gang or someone else, I couldn’t be certain.

Determining Mortax to not be a threat, I reinstated the self-defence commands.

Almost immediately, Mortax’s blank, almost vacant happy expression turned to unbridled fury. “MROOOO!!!” He bellowed and charged toward the line of prone thugs. Snatching up one man by his shin, Mortax raised the thug high like a club and brought the man’s head crashing down against the paved street, rupturing his skull like a rotten peach. “YOU HURT LUCY!!” Mortax roared before raising his right leg and bringing it down on another thug’s chest, immediately turning it into a bloody broken pulp and spattering blood everywhere, “YOU HURT SUZY!!” Mortax lifted his next terrified victim by the hip and shoulder and then pulled. With muffled screams, the thug was near effortlessly ripped in two, spilling intestines and other organs onto the street. “YOU HURT PAMMY!!” Mortax roared into the dying man's face before casting away the torn pieces of the dying thug with disgust and turning to his next intended victim.

Overcoming my surprise, I revoked Mortax’s self-defence command and replaced it with an unconditional command of non-violence.

Already reaching for his intended target, Mortax calmed down almost immediately, but he continued to glare at the thugs. Even so, I felt no challenge from him whatsoever. However, I could certainly understand why the soldiers had been apprehensive regarding his presence.

In a similar situation to the tavern, female soldiers were requested and began escorting women from the hidden subterranean base. The majority of the women were in their late teens to early thirties with one notable exception. A much older woman, perhaps in her sixties, wearing a lot of foundation and rouge, was the only one of the women not blankly staring at the ground or deliberately avoiding eye contact.

Instead, the older woman was staring at the mutilated corpses of the dead thugs with grim satisfaction, “Good boy, Mortax,” she muttered vindictively before giving me a wary look from the corner of her eye.

“Miss? Would you mind answering some questions about these thugs?” I asked politely, convinced that if anyone could give us information without requiring some degree of torture, it would be her.

The older woman stared back at me in shock for a few moments before masking her emotions, “What is in it for me?” She asked in a far more feminine tone of voice than she had used earlier, “Will I be allowed to go free?”

I shook my head, “You will go free regardless, should you wish. Depending on how useful your information proves to be, you will be compensated with money-err, coins, or their value in goods or services.”

“Right,” the older woman stated doubtfully, “So if I could tell you how this gang is involved in a kingdom-wide conspiracy, you just hand over a fistful of gold? Just like that?” She shook her head, “More is like you give me a few silvers and send me on my way, insisting I be grateful for keeping my neck and knickers intact!”

“If what you are claiming is true, then I can guarantee one of the nobles' fortified manors as part of your compensation,” I replied evenly, refusing to rise to her taunt. The possibility of more places like this one existing in other cities was very real, and it wouldn’t be the first time a criminal empire was funded by prostitution. Handing over one of the emptied manors was nothing, especially if the Baron had been somehow involved.

The older woman’s mask slipped for a moment and she stared back up at me in shock. Looking at the pair of Lieutenants at my side she roughly cleared her throat before pointing at me, “Can he really promise that?”

“Of course!” One Lieutenant replied firmly.

“Absolutely!” Replied the other.

Looking as if her entire world had been turned upside down, the older woman looked back up at me uncertainly, “What if I can only point you to the one who has that information?” She asked nervously.

“It counts as the same. Assuming they have the information and spill enough of it for the investigator to work with,” I answered while making sure to emphasise the conditional element so there would be no misunderstandings later.

The older woman nodded to show she understood, “And we all still go free?” She asked warily.

I nodded, “Your freedom is not reliant on the information you provide.”

The older woman grinned maliciously and rubbed her wrinkled hands together eagerly. “Right!” She declared, “I believe we have a deal!”

*****

As the wagon passed through the gate into the uppermost section of the city, Betty could hardly believe her eyes. The feeling only intensified when the wagon entered the grounds of a noble estate and came to a halt by the entrance to the manor itself.

The other wagons came to a halt as well and their escorts, entirely composed of female soldiers, began assisting Betty’s recently rescued girls from the wagons.

Just like Betty herself, her girls were all in awe of the fine stone worked building in front of them.

“Are we really going to live here?” Little Hestia asked nervously while running her hands over her long blonde hair, “It’s really alright? We won’t be thrown out or beaten or anything?”

“Who cares?” Maria barked darkly, her emerald green eyes flashing in the light of the lanterns, “This is the longest I have been outside in months! And this is grass!” She declared excitedly while wiggling her toes on the lawn, “Real grass! When was the last time any of us saw it, let alone had a chance to feel it?”

Betty was forced to admit that Maria had a point.

“Cots and bedding have been prepared in the larger rooms, and food and water can be found in the main dining room,” one of the female soldiers, a Sergeant, explained while unlocking and opening the doors to the manor with a large set of keys, “A Surgeon will visit tomorrow morning and do her best to treat any maladies or injuries. We request and must insist that you treat her with all due respect. Moving on, I am Sergeant Winter, I am responsible for your protection for the immediate future. Myself and those under my command will patrol the grounds at all hours. But if you need personal assistance, we can be found in either of these rooms off of the entrance hallway. Are there any questions?”

“What about clothes?” Kendra asked hesitantly while fiddling with the drab soldier's attire she and the rest of Betty’s girls had changed into before leaving on the wagons.

“A local seamstress has offered her services, and is willing to teach anyone who wishes to learn. Spare clothing is available in a storage room that is connected to the primary dining room. Any other questions?” The Sergeant asked.

“What if we want to go home?” Sandra, one of Betty’s youngest, asked quietly.

“If you wish, we will assist with re-connecting you with any family members and see to it that you are returned home,” The Sergeant replied sympathetically.

“What if our parents sold us off in the first place?” Maria demanded somewhat angrily.

“Provided it can be proven, then those who are guilty will be imprisoned and then executed,” The Sergeant answered with righteous indignation.

“Are we allowed outside?” Lenore asked anxiously, “Like, whenever we want?”

The Sergeant nodded, “While I must insist you remain on the grounds of the estate for the time being in order to ensure your safety, you are permitted full use of the grounds so long as you do not endanger yourself or others with your actions.”

“What about training?” Brenda, another one of Betty’s youngest, asked eagerly, “What if I wanna sign up and become a soldier?”

The Sergeant sized Brenda up, looking her over and nodding approvingly, “Arrangements can be made. See me in the morning if you are still interested.”

Brenda nodded and cracked her knuckles eagerly. Something of a street thug herself, she was no doubt looking for some payback and the skills she would need to make sure she got it.

Once the Sergeant had finished answering everyone’s questions, she assigned a guard detail at the gate and a patrol schedule for the grounds before retiring to one of the rooms she had indicated earlier.

Left to their own devices for the first time in years, most of Betty’s girls didn’t know what to do with themselves and just stood in the entry hall like a herd of nervous sheep.

As loath as Betty was to continue in her role as madame, she swallowed her pride and began assigning her girls to their beds, making sure to keep in mind any long-standing feuds or arguments and separating those involved.

With everyone assigned a bed, Betty began to wander the manor. It all felt so surreal, almost like she was dreaming. For the simple act of naming her nemesis and where he was hiding, Betty had been given a manor of a noble house. Granted, it was completely devoid of its original furniture, but with rumours of an upcoming siege, Betty could think of no better place to keep herself and her girls safe.