"Talk about people worst from a pig? Yeah, it's those Alipins!"
Miguel complained about how ugly the food prepared for the Alipins,
"They don't have proper food and rice is their only food. On some occasions-however, they are fortunate enough to eat crops from harvest, meat, or fish from the hunt—it's just that, it's from leftovers!"
However, Toto ignored Miguel while supporting him as they walked out of the tent, side by side.
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[Alipin's Grounds: Court Hall]
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Miguel scowled to see how pitiful the scene that is right in his sight...
There are Numerous Alipins that are packed together like canned sardines, eating on the floor while the guards holding a machete or sword with a robust physique were guarding them.
They have divided them accordingly by their different labors and tasks from which they are in charge.
The first line was slaves tasked with harvesting crops.
The second line was slaves tasked for poultries,
The third line was slaves tasked with grinding and refining ores.
And there are also young ones who are just unlucky as they are.
Also, there are Alipins that are in the same situation as Miguel, spoils of war or captives taken from other tribes who then failed to get their tribes to give treasure for ransom for them to get freed.
What are them in their eyes, they are just a simple tribe member who lacks value, those tribal leaders probably deemed them unimportant.
Toto exchanged glances with the other slaves, recognizing that there is another batch of slaves coming up, they all looked gloomy.
One of the Alipins protected their own food, afraid that Miguel, Toto, and the other batch would take away his food.
Royals emancipated their egotistical living, displaying it as their status.
And slaves? They too had ranks!
In this place, food was limited only to families who were born on this Tribe's land that became Alipins, and in some cases, there are fights towards food due to its scarcity.
Miguel and Toto quietly sat down together with the other Alipins, they all look pitiful, some also have scars and bruises deeper than them. While the other old Alipins looked like they were about to be swayed and blown away once a strong wind came to them.
That's how weak and fragile they looked.
Also, there are slaves who still have wounds that haven't recovered yet, maybe due to continuous tasks from those lazy-bastard-robust guards.
There are also thieves caught stealing who are stripped off from their statuses which then became Alipins.
In this place, becoming an Alipin can also become a form of punishment, anything that the Datu says is the Law! If he says you are to become an Alipin then you could only brace yourself and comply with these cruel laws.
Miguel looked at those Alipins who were eating, he then noticed something...
The food that they eat, were rice that is cooked without water, so definitely the rice would turn into a black or brownish rough-textured bundle without taste.
Then he had an idea splashed as he thought of something...
Miguel went to one of the robust men who holds a sword that was guarding them.
Toto became worried when he saw what Miguel was about to do.
In a hushed voice, Toto faintly whispered,
"Argus! What are you trying to do?!"
Miguel smiled as he tried to calm down Toto who are too nervous
"Shh! Relax, Toto."
Toto simply could not nod while Miguel continued his steps to approach the robust guard.
"You there! Lowly Alipin! What do you think you are doing? Are you scheming for something?"
"Like what I thought," Miguel mumbles inwardly.
The guards are alert to this kind of Alipins.
These guards recalled an escaping Alipin not too long ago.
The Datu warned anyone who tries to escape that they would be killed on the spot and their heads be hanged outside the Grounds if caught.
Miguel pretended to be afraid of this guard but in reality, from his past experiences these robust guards were all just a chunk of meat and don't have brains, he could kill him if he wants to, but currently, his body was weak.
And speaking about weapons, he noticed those scraps of metal scattered everywhere. He could not help but scream inwardly 'Aren't those can be used as weapons?'
Even a cup used to hold food can be used as a weapon to instantly kill these guards, but that is not what Miguel is considering right now.
When he reached the guard he spoke flamboyantly,
"Argus greets this handsome guard, I am but a lowly Alipin, but can I ask something? I'm doing this to avoid mistakes."
'Nailed how they ceremoniously talked! World of old had it rough...' Miguel thought to himself as he waited for the Guard's response.
Looking at this guard, he had a pretty craggy face and a scar at the back of his head, lowly visible from his head's temple. Covered with animal hides and wolf's fur—he had a very barbaric attire, coupled with a bone necklace and tribal tattoos.
The guard stared at Miguel, he looked fierce yet dumb just because of the way he tilted his head.
"Your name was Argus right?"
Miguel faked a timid tone and politely answered, "Yes"
Unlike the other Alipins, Miguel was the only one different from them.
He is the only one who had a proper name. Other Alipins were recognized with Marking tags that have different figures in their body, neck, arms, or in their tattered clothes; if too young, they get to wear it on their thin clothes that are used as a scarf or a coat.
Of course, their numbers and writing language were different from Miguel's world but still, it's similar. Good thing Miguel learned their language when he became a General coupled with the memories of Argus.
Now he can probably read, write, and understand the language of this place without worry.
After some short breath, Miguel smiled,
"The next time we cook rice can I be the one in charge of the cooking?"
The guard scratched his head, confused.
From the old Alipins until the younger ones, nobody would volunteer for some additional workload, yet this young Alipin in front of him was asking him to do so?
He can't help but compare Miguel to the other Alipins. Truly such a huge gap between a born-Alipin and a caught-made-Alipin.
But still, it's such an odd statement of Miguel, Why would he be willing to add another workload to his delegated tasks? For him, he can't see a benefit for Miguel in doing this, too bad that he was reduced into a pitiful-lowly-Alipin.
The guard can only admire this conduct of Miguel. He did not think much, maybe he's just too good and kind.
Then the guard happily patted Miguel's head like that to a child's. He thought that he had no problems in delegating this task to Miguel because it's a cut from his load. And of a useless job to him.
Thus he replied with awe while trying to maintain his imposing aura towards Miguel.
But still had the nerve to ask.
"Argus, why would you want to cook for your fellow Alipins?"
Argus smiled wryly "I just want to give them better food and for us to share more food with them"
The guard smiled faintly but thinking about this kid's statement, to where does this kid thinks he can get the food?
"I know what you are probably thinking" Miguel smirks.
"The answer lies from the way you cook this rice"
The guard exclaimed, laughing boisterously hard after hearing what Miguel said.
"Haha! Kid what the heck are you thinking? ... what are you going to cook the rice with eh? Add leaves for them to eat? Haha, you're not allowed to eat any crops from the harvest!"
"Well we could and we should add leaves to it!" ... without waiting for the guard to speak, Miguel continued.
"Add leaves at the bottom of the pot, specifically banana tree's leaves then Cook rice with water but before that, wash the rice first and rinse it well three times then add water just the same as the volume of this rice and allow it to be heated and cooked by the fire"
The guard was dumbfounded! This is the first time he heard someone spoke of a different way to cook rice. But now it was spoken by a kid, the guard then took a step back and he knitted his brows, he thought that this might be how this kid's tribe cooked their own rice thus he smiled and faintly nodded, making a gesture that he agreed.
Miguel smiled in satisfaction, he's happy that the guard finally stopped the long chit-chat.
"Alright! I'll take your nod as a yes. I'll go back to my place now" And he did not forget to thank the guard with a slight bow.
Left behind, the guard was still deeply thinking about Argus's words. He is now curious to know how would he cook that rice, but in his heart, he began to admire him.
'That kid is the first person to ever tell me a new way of cooking rice.' He inwardly thought as he observed Miguel from his disappearing silhouette.
Miguel was brimming with a smile as he walks back to where he left Toto. He mumbled to himself "Idiot! This is just a simple way of cooking! This is not a big deal! You are just ignorant"
Meanwhile, the nervous Toto can't help but shake his toes from being anxious from what could be Miguel have discussed with that guard.
"Argus, what did you talked about with that guard?"
Miguel smiled faintly "That's nothing, pay no attention to that. But starting tomorrow, I'll be in charge of the cooking..."