'An assassin!?'
Colt looked at the assassin descending from above, and his mind instantly registered it as an enemy. The one falling from above was a boy whose hair was as golden as a wheat field.
The boy showed no signs of emotions, and his clothes were in tatters. Colt looked at it and shrugged his shoulders in realization.
"Well, you're going to die."
Boom!
One side of the inn exploded, as an old butler with a wicked grin appeared ready to smack someone's face.
"Gahahaha! Surprise Mother Fucker!"
Butler Neun began winding up as he prepared himself to use his almighty slapping technique. He wanted to savor this moment for it had been too long since he entered the battlefield.
Colt watched from a lower vantage point, and as he did, he prepared himself to bath in blood. But then, he noticed something weird. And as he paid more attention to it, Colt found something strange with the boy.
Colt's mind began working very quickly, and then; he understood the situation!
"Teacher! He's not assassin!"
"Huh!? Ah, dammit!" Neun heard Colt and quickly tried stopping his hand. He killed most of the force — but he failed to stop it in the end!
Pak! BOOM!
The loud slapping sound echoed followed by a resounding crash to the horse stables.
Neun landed on the ground and then looked at Colt.
"…If he dies, it's not my fault."
Colt gave Neun as his respect for his teacher decreased a little bit, 'This old man is beginning to show his eccentricities.'
A sigh escaped Colt as soldiers rushed to where his location.
"What's happening, Young Master!? Are you all right!?" From above, a voice echoed aloud.
Lopre's voice came out from an open window. Colt saw the worried Platoon Leader who seemed to have just woken up from the loud noise.
"I am fine. It was just a false alarm. I have butler Neun with me, just go and rest, your presence isn't necessary."
With great reluctance, Lopre nodded his head, "…Okay, I shall now sleep." He became depressed.
Without knowing, Colt had hurt Lopre's feelings. In Lopre's room, mumblings of the words, "Must become stronger." Could be heard throughout the night.
And without Colt knowing, this night became one more driving force for Lopre to become someone better. But it was also the day when the words unnecessary became a scar on the energetic Platoon Leader.
But Colt wouldn't know for Lopre will take this incident to the grave.
"Well, with that matter out of the way. Someone, go and search for a golden-haired boy. If he's alive, bring him to my room. If he's dead, report the Butler to the local Lord. Tell them we don't know why he did it." Colt coldly stated.
"Young Master! How could you!?" Neun protested.
Colt didn't say something and simply watched the soldiers go and retrieve the body. When two soldiers came out they were carrying a body. They placed it before Colt.
The boy was bleeding from his head, his feet were the same, and his body was full bruises. But he was alive…Colt finally looks over at Neun.
"I'm was simply making a jest, don't worry…" Colt stopped his words and then ordered the soldiers to take the boy to his room.
Colt looks back at his teacher one last time as he stated, "I trust teacher will take care of this, yeah?"
Colt then pointed over to the side of the inn and then to the horse stables.
The Young Master entered the inn, and Neun was left with work in the middle of the night. Neun simply sighed as he thought, 'I was sure I sensed a killing intent, though.'
Colt was inside his room with no one other than a cat and a boy with golden hair. Colt looked at the boy and noticed the thick shackles on his ankles.
'A slave? That can't be. The slavery system was abolished when the current King rose to power!'
While an awkward silence filled the air, Colt heard someone knocking.
Tak, tak, tak!
"Come in."
The door opened upon Colt's words. Sera was on the other side of the door with an old man wearing a white coat and a hat.
"Young Master, this is the local Fourth Circle Mage Healer."
"Giorno is my name. It is my honor to meet the honorable Young Master Colt."
Giorno bowed deeply to Colt.
"That's enough. Can you heal this man? You don't have to make him wake up, simply heal his injuries."
"I will try my best."
Giorno took a step forward, and Colt chose to step back. He now stood side by side with Sera.
As Sera, Colt, and the cat watched as Giorno heals the boy. Colt didn't break eye contact with those shackles as he asked.
"Didn't the Kingdom abolished the slavery system?"
"Yes, the King ordered crackdown to the Slave Traders who ignored his orders. The slaves the many nobles possessed at the time had been freed and given a job. They have already integrated into society five years ago after years of rehabilitation and some societal reforms."
"Then, why are there still children like him!?" Colt's tone of voice was very cold. His words shook even Sera.
Giorno the Healer silently sighed as he heard Colt speak.
However, Sera kept her cool as she gave him the answer, "Such a thing never ends, Young Master. Though the idea of slavery in the Kingdom is gone, that doesn't mean the whole continent will follow suit.
"Since Golden Eye City is near the border of the Genesis Family territory, there are a lot of Tribes, and small villages settled here. Regions like the East is too hard to control as it not under the Kingdom's territory. With the Genesis Family only caring for their self-preservation, and their avid refusal to cooperate, we are unable to do anything to the Slave Traders here in the East.
"Also, there are many rumors that there are still Nobles who keep slaves for their sick pleasure. They say that Elves and Demons are smuggled into the Kingdom to satisfy the lust of some nobles." Sera's words pierced Colt.
Colt had never cared less for slavery. In many stories, it had always been prevalent, and he sees them as a regular thing.
Sometimes the MC even has Slaves as companions, so he didn't find anything wrong about it. But seeing one in person now made Colt feel disgusted.
He is now a father; his perspective on things had changed in many ways. The simple thought of imagining such a fate happening to his children made Colt gnash his teeth in anger.
Giorno finished Healing the boy. However, the boy has yet to regain consciousness.
Sera took care of the remuneration and asked Colt.
"What are we going to do with him, Young Master?"
Colt was in a bind. If this child is a slave and escaped his capturer, then he should still be getting pursued by them.
"He should still be getting pursued by those bastards. We'll take him with us."
"Understood, Young Master." Sera didn't need any orders or confirmation.
Sera would take care of things according to the needs of the situation. She stared at Colt and secretly smiled. She got out of the room and squealed as quietly as she could.
"As expected of the Young Master…he had already started planning to deal with the Slave Traders. The Young Master must be boiling with anger, right about now!"
Sera attempted to lower her voice as much as she could. But Colt could still her words.
And as he stared at the body, he closed his eyes.
In deep thought, Colt questioned himself, "What is she saying now?"