“Are they snacks? Ggirik!”
“No! There are young Green Skins too! Ggirik!”
The mothers speculated on some fearful stuff. I waved at the mothers and soon they realized the situation that the children were not snacks. In a split moment, the Goblins gathered around, causing Yoora to be worried a bit, but she did not run away. Rather, she was relying on me a bit as she looked around, and soon began to wave her hands at the gesturing mothers as well.
The other Human children and the Green Skins were the same. The reason why these children were showing such a reaction was because they saw other Green Skins similar in age to them. In other words, they were somewhat relieved after knowing that Nicole and the others were living here happily.
They knew that since other children lived here, they wouldn’t be harmed. Nicole and the other children, curious of the new children, quickly came and looked around.
What was amusing was that Nicole was glaring at Yoora who was in my arms.
“For Blood Dagger!”
“For Blood Dagger!”
But they did not forget to shout their greetings. Kim Yoora and the others, with extreme curiosity, also began to look at Nicole and the others now. I wasn’t so sure why Nicole and Yoora were cautious of one another, but it was probably due to the fact that Yoora was in my embrace.
Of course I still remembered Najin and took care of Nicole a bit more specifically. Though Najin was a warrior that had lost his honor, he was a warrior and benefactor who contributed to saving my life.
So, without others knowing, I paid a bit more attention to Nicole and in return she followed me very well. There was a good possibility that she was jealous of the girl in my arms, just like how a firstborn would feel jealousy with the birth of a second child.
Seeing that, I came down from Ibar and stroked Nicole’s hair, but she continued to glare at Yoora.
“It’s a Human! Humans! Hmph! I hate Humans!”
The other children also gathered around to see the Human children as if they were monkeys in a zoo. Of course the Human children waved their hands in greeting since they were friends with other young Green Skins, but they did not reply back.
Thus, I took Kim Yoora and entered my tent intending to ask some questions of her about any useful information. Lee Wanyong being the overseer of these prisoners of war, along with the executives, Magician and other survivors, and lastly Kim Yoora and the children.
All three of these sufficiently satisfied the necessary ingredients. After listening to the information they provided, we would be acquainted with the city of Somorah. I lowered Yoora down, which she looked back at me in turn.
“What is going to happen to us?”
But Yoora was curious what would happen to them. Despite knowing that this was a clan of people with green skin, it felt like she wanted to know of what will become of her and her friends, if they were going to live here.
“Well…”
To be honest, I haven’t decided. I had never thought of Green Skins and Humans living in harmony, and I didn’t have any thoughts of hurting these children while I looked over them. The fact that they were Humans were extremely burdensome, so it was also uncomfortable for me to be dealing with Human children as well. So I was in a dilemma whether to allow them to live with us or send them back.
Seeing my expression, Yoora spoke.
“Allow us to live with you.”
“…………………..”
I couldn’t help but smile from such unexpected words. Despite knowing that I was the one who held the authority, her stance was quite firm. If it was on Earth, it would be as if I was talking to a general.
“This is a clan of Green Skins. It wouldn’t be bad for Humans to return to your homes.”
“No. If we were to return, we would be in the exact same state again.”
It was obvious that they would be sold as slaves again. I gazed at her and found that she was already staring straight at me.
“Ugh..”
It was rather uncomfortable for me, so much so that I was the one avoiding eye contact.
“We kill Humans and even eat them.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“There might be a day when you and your friends will have to kill Humans.”
“I don’t care.”
Unlike Hayeon who was obsessed with living, her look was a bit different.
‘Responsibility.’
This child shouldered responsibility, and was willing to fulfill that responsibility. It was a heavy burden for one so young… Yoora was bent on protecting the young Green Skins and Humans who she had raised as if they were her younger siblings, and showed a strong desire of wanting to be together with them. So it seemed that the young Green Skins did not follow her blindly. Yoora was currently a bright light shining fiercely within this brutal world.
“…………………………………….”
“I will consider this matter carefully.. Weighing all alternatives.”
It was an indication to not ask any further. From those brooding words, she bit her lips thinking that it was unfortunate not to have received an answer. It was such a childish reaction that I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Then, let me hear your story; little torch bearer…”
“Yes.”
“Be at ease child… Speak only words of truth, for no harm shall come to you under my tent.”
“Yes.. Thank you.”
After a brief silence, Yoora began to speak determinedly.
“My family lived in a town a bit of a fair distance away from the city. It was my mom, dad and I, just the three of us.”
So she talked about how she was living with her family far away from the east in a small town. Her father would enter the forest and bring back beasts, and her mother would be farming, and that was how they made their livelihood. Then, when she was around nine years old, suddenly, the Black Thorns began to attack them as she poured out her story, reliving the memories.
“I wasn’t sure why a war broke out, but dad tried to run away. My mom did as well. I’m not sure how my dad died though. I just heard a scream.
She was extremely straightforward. Despite that, this wasn’t an easy story to tell, she was telling this as if she was reading a book from her head.
“My mom held me in her embrace and continued to run. Though she was able to run towards the mountains outside the village, she was eventually caught by the Black Thorns. Her body was totally ripped to shreds and her throat was cut off, and when I opened my eyes, I was in Somorah.”
“I see.”
Seeing that her eyes were becoming teary with a reddened face, I realized that she wasn’t so plain and straightforward as I had thought. Of course it was hard to maintain one’s sense of calm in this situation. This child probably wanted to cry her eyes out, but was holding it in.
“Yes. After that I had learned a variety of things. The errands concerning a slave, and certain behaviors that I had to be accustomed with. If I did not listen, I was beaten. I was. .h.i.t almost everyday, and when severe, I wasn’t even given food. There was also many friends that did not return after disappearing.”
“The friends in my room had become many in a short while, and that was when I had met Green. Since it was exceptionally cold at night being at a bas.e.m.e.nt, we hugged each other when going to sleep. Thus, it was really nice for Green to have come in.”
I did not ask what she saw and learned since I did not want to know. What was a bit strange was that the Black Thorn Guild had completely conquered another small town. I had thought that they did not have the power to attack other cities from my memory, but it seems that they probably had received help from Hadom. Subsequently, I realized that the two cities had a more closer relationship.
Anyhow, after Yoora continued to speak for a long while, she continued to talk about matters that were somewhat helpful. Amidst that, she revealed how we could stop the young Green Skins from fighting over the lack of food, and she also spoke of how there were friends who had their arms and legs cut off for not listening to orders. Truly unbelievable.
What I focused on was the place where these children lived.
Yoora had definitely spoken of how she lived in a place where there was no light, which highly implied that it was most likely a bas.e.m.e.nt. I wasn’t sure how to get into that bas.e.m.e.nt, but there’s probably a door that the Black Thorn Guild guarded in accessing it. Thus, I thought that the other slaves and Green Skins were also there, and this was the ideal place where mating happened as well.
“Before moving on the cart, I saw Ahjussis that looked similar to the other Green Ahjussis. They were carry very heavy baggage.”
“I see.”
“After that, we got on the cart and was heading to a strange place before meeting you Ahjussi. That is all. Was…was that a bit helpful?”
She looked at me with extreme curiosity if her words were somewhat helpful, showing a fearful expression that she might be abandoned. No, what she was truly afraid of was returning to that h.e.l.lish life. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but stroke her nervous head.
“You’ve experienced allot little one… difficult your journey has been, hard is the road you have walked on.”
Then…
Suddenly her face started to distort. It was the first time for this young child that she was unable to keep a strong front after smiling and being expressionless while plainly telling her story all this time.
She was merely a twelve-year old child who liked to play around.
Reddened eyes and trembling lips, large droplets of tears began to flow down her face before a voice leaked out from her.
“Th….Thank you… sniff…th…thank you.”
I wasn’t sure what exactly she was thankful for, but she soon raised her voice and continued to cry her heart out. In the end, she fell asleep from exhaustion, so I tucked her in a bed and came outside.
It wasn’t like we were so innocent as well, but those guys were surely trash. I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous the story was.
I had initially came out to this city to grow stronger, exceptionally from that large chunk of experience lying in wait. But now after learning of the horrors from the slave trade and internal breeding that this city was doing.. It was a strange thought, but unequivocally it felt so righteous of me to wipe this city off the map.
Of course my thoughts were hypocritical. Every single Human that had died to me all had their situations of their own, and not everyone were villains. This situation was also applied to that. I was always ready to cut Humans down for my own benefit.
Nothing I say will justify what I’ll do.
However…
I will definitely crush what I don’t like, and avenge what wrongs I receive. With this reason alone, it was sufficiently enough for me to completely wipe the city away. After concluding my thoughts, I injected mana into my ring and connected with Ahyeon.