"Rei, I think we should look for another job," Ashe spoke up, her voice somewhat hesitant.
Rei sighed, his eyes clearly showing his frustration. "Ashe, what can we do besides taking on quests from the guild... And now, where is the guild?"
In front of them, the place that used to be the guild's headquarters has now been replaced by a building bearing the sign of the Republic Police Department. The red flag with the hammer and sickle flew atop, a clear reminder that times had changed.
"Oh my God!" Rei exclaimed, almost in despair. Rei exclaimed, almost in despair. "Where are we going to get the money to go our home now?"
"What's going on, comrade?" A voice rang out, pulling Rei and Ashe out of their vague thoughts. Both turned around, facing a police officer who had just approached.
Rei, still confused after the moment of despair, hadn't had time to react when Ashe quickly spoke up: "Uh... it's nothing, sir—"
But her words suddenly faltered when her gaze met the face of the police officer. The surprise was evident on Ashe's face. It was a demi-human, with sharp animal ears standing out against neatly arranged hair, and a keen yet friendly gaze.
'A demi-human, what are they doing here?' Ashe thought to herself, trying to hide her astonishment. That thought was not unfounded; in her memory, demi-humans had been oppressed, regarded as a slave class. The image of them being shackled, subservient to their masters, is indelible. Yet now, before her, a demi-human stands proudly in a police uniform, showing no signs of servitude.
"Is there a problem?" The police officer repeated, his tone even but enough to pull Ashe back to reality.
"Uh... no, nothing at all," Ashe said quickly, trying to maintain her composure. "My friend just doesn't feel well." She grabbed Rei's hand and pulled him away before the officer could ask anything more.
When they were sure they had left the policeman's sight, Ashe finally let go of Rei's hand and breathed heavily. "Are you okay?"
Rei nodded slightly, but her eyes still held a dreamy look. "Yeah, I'm fine..." But Ashe, have you noticed? A demi-human... without a master following. What's going on?"
"I don't know either," Ashe replied, his voice dropping. "But everything here is clearly not the same as before. We need to be more careful."
"Yeah." Rei replied softly, her gaze inadvertently drifting across the surrounding scenery. Rei replied softly.
They continued walking, moving away from the city center. The clean, tiled streets appeared before them, flanked by buildings. On the walls, lampposts, and even the public bulletin boards, brightly colored posters are plastered everywhere, prominently featuring large slogans.
Rich people, strong country
Unity of the ethnic groups
For the socialist state
study, study more, study forever
Ashe stopped in front of a bright red poster, on which a hammer was depicted striking a demon: Don't listen to the imperialists
Both continued walking until they left the city.
********************************
"So you two just woke up from a coma after many years in the hospital? Well, it's no wonder you two look like you've just come out of a cave," the coachman said, his voice full of curiosity.
Rei and Ashe felt a bit embarrassed, forced a smile, scratched their noses, and replied, "Well, um... actually, we just woke up after a long time."
The coachman burst out laughing, not out of mockery, but genuine surprise. "Of course, you two look like you've just woken up from a long sleep."
Rei and Ashe looked at each other, feeling a strange sense of unfamiliarity amidst the friendliness of the stranger. Ashe blinked, then suddenly spoke up: "So, can you tell us about that August Revolution?""
The coachman looked at the two people over his shoulder, his expression serious. "The August Revolution... Wow, that was a major event in the history of this country. The Bolshevik revolutionary army overthrew the prince's government, ended the monarchy, and established a new regime. This country became a socialist nation."
Rei and Ashe listened attentively, silent for a moment, trying to absorb this information.
"So... what about the prince and the people from the old regime?" Rei asked, her voice full of curiosity."
"Nobody know," the coachman replied, his hands steadily guiding the reins. "There are rumors that they were dealt with by the Bolsheviks. But the important thing is, now, the new government is in control of everything. The people seem satisfied with the change, at least on the surface."
"So, are you satisfied with this change?"Rei asked, her eyes full of curiosity.
The coachman looked into the distance, then replied with a deeply felt tone: "Of course there is. Thanks to this revolution, we, the demi-humans, no longer have to live in fear of being enslaved."
Rei and Ashe listened in silence, clearly sensing the change in the driver's voice. He continued, his voice dropping: "You don't know... In the past, I had to cut off my ears and tail just to avoid being discovered as a demi-human and being captured as a slave. I did it to feed my family, sacrificing my own pride. Now, my family no longer has to run away. My wife has found a stable job, and we no longer have to worry about financial matters."
Both girls fell silent, sensing the pain hidden within his story. For a long time, demi-humans had to endure discrimination and oppression, but now, everything has changed.
The journey continued in silence, the atmosphere heavy and contemplative. Rei finally spoke, breaking the silence: "Uh, may I ask, does the guild still exist?"
The coachman did not rush to answer, but slowly looked ahead and replied, "Guild, huh? Now it's gone, it seems that the tasks the guild used to handle are now all taken care of by the republican police."
Rei frowned slightly and continued to ask, "What about the other adventurers?"
The coachman hesitated for a moment, as if trying to recall, then said: "Adventurers, Ummm, about 8 years ago, there was a conflict between the authorities and the guild over issues that I'm not really sure about.
Rei and Ashe exchanged glances, then Rei spoke up, "Conflict?'"
"That's right," the coachman replied, his voice dropping, "the army has begun purging the adventurers. Those who were once free to practice are now considered a threat. They take action against anyone who does not follow the new government's orders."
"So what are the remaining adventurers doing now?"Ashe asked, her voice full of concern.
"Surely many people have quit their jobs, found other work, or at worst, some have fled to neighboring countries," the coachman replied.
When they heard what the coachman said, Rei and Ashe felt worried about their friends, especially Lihan. Where is he now? Is he okay? those questions echo in their minds.