"And they'll treat me better," Aleron said as a smile hung on his lips while his eyes turned slightly distant as he remembered the first time he felt angry and decided to bring change.
"Slaving is a form of killing. It kills a living soul's spirit and puts them in hell. I saw it with my eyes."
"That's…true, I suppose," Riki nodded.
Aleron clenched his fist, "When I was four, my father took me to a factory where I watched people slaving away and dying. They had a strict schedule and a bad environment filled with poison, but they couldn't leave for money, and couldn't leave because they needed money to feed themselves and their families that lived in the factory owner's area."
"The factory owner trapped them in this vicious hell for money, from which he would also feed some of it to justice to keep it silent and blind."
"Couldn't they find other work?" Riki asked with a frown.
Aleron shook his head, "Those people were from a forest tribe where he built that factory. He bought their forest from the government and destroyed their original livelihood by promising to give them work in a factory with good wages."
"But he just slaved that entire tribe, trapping them there with no way out. Two generations of people slaved. It was just like how humans bred chickens for food."
"I don't want to see that, so I will change it," Aleron gritted his teeth. "Just like how I destroyed that factory, I will also destroy everything like that."
Riki looked at Aleron and internally sighed, while also feeling admiration.
'Such a statement…it sounds like a naive babble but when you say it, I want to believe you can do it. I hope you stay true to this in your life regardless of how life treats you, my lord.'
Aleron looked at the Beastfolks and smiled, "Look, they are so happy.
"They have hope to live now, and this hope will make them stronger. I helped them, so they will be helpful to me and we will rise together."
"If only everyone could understand this," Aleron snorted.
"Haha, that's true," Riki gently laughed.
Aleorn clapped his hands as its sound echoed wide, attracting all Beastfolks' attention, "Everyone. Those who don't know magic will learn it first and those who already know will practice in the surroundings!"
"This rich island is ours, so let's live fully, get stronger, and enjoy!"
All Beastfolks cheered and shouted. All of them found out worth of power and kindness at once with this incident. They felt nothing but pure admiration and gratefulness towards Aleron.
"Thank you, Lord Ale!"
"Thank you, Lord Ale!"
…
"Dax, assign some Undeads good at teaching in the settlement to teach them. They must have a variety of talents, so we'll give work to them accordingly."
"Understood, my lord."
"Now then, half an hour is almost gone, so it's time for my date with Rias," Aleron grinned.
"Should we come out or stay inside?" Riki asked.
"Stay inside, of course! You can explore the Islands, but stay cautious at the edges of the island and don't go to other islands. We are in the weakest area of this Secret Realm according to the Demiplane Rune I have, but there are a lot more powerful areas and monsters above Exceed-rank in this world."
"Understood. Then Darzax and I will go for some exploring, and I'll finish my breakthrough to Exceed-rank," Riki said with a chuckle.
"You can?" Aleron was surprised. "Nice. Go for it, haha. I want to see how powerful you get."
Riki wryly smiled, "And I want to see how powerful you are, but you need to hone your combat prowess further for that."
"Mhmm, I have to learn to utilize my powers, so I can create my combat style," Aleron grinned. "But I'll learn it with Rias, haha. I'm going out now."
"Have fun."
Darzax and Riki smiled.
Aleron left the Eldertide Archipelago, arriving back in the courtyard's mansion.
Rias and Roxen also arrived shortly.
"So where are we going first?" Aleron asked as he walked towards the duo.
"Mr. Darzax and Riki won't be joining us?" Roxen looked behind Aleron, not sensing anyone's presence in the courtyard aside from Aleron.
"Nope. They are busy with other work."
Roxen sighed in relief and nodded at Rias before waving her hand and creating a barrier around the trio.
Rias looked at Aleron, "Ale, I have chosen to hide the fact that you have an Exceed-rank powerhouse with you."
"But I can't hide it for long," Rias said before pausing and biting her lips. "If you don't mind, would you please tell me your background? I can take an oath about keeping it secret, but it is important that I know about it."
Aleron raised his eyebrows. 'My background…'
'it's non-existent!'
'But I can create one,' Aleron's eyes glinted. 'Her worry is also justified since she brought an Exceed-rank powerhouse and someone like me who is a lord of that powerhouse, hehe.'
'Sigh, Darzax being my uncle background would've been nice, but it was ruined at the start. Whatever, I shall cook a new one.'
"Alright, but you have to promise not to tell anyone about it," Aleron said with a serious expression.
"Roxen and I shall take an arcane oath regarding that," Rias nodded.
Roxen also nodded as she stretched her hand, palm open.
Rias also did the same before they both took an arcane oath—that if they revealed Aleron's background to anyone, then their arcane source would be destroyed forever.
The duo looked at Aleron afterward, waiting for the reveal.
"Ahem, my background is pretty simple," Aleron smiled.
"I am…"