Mars arrived back at Green river with the four slave soldiers Hanna included, since it was late he showed them to the guest rooms and told them that breakfast would be served in the living room tomorrow morning and he would be happy if they wanted to join. Then since he still need to deal with the demons he had brought on the auction he turned and left but was surprised when he heard someone following him and turned around and saw Hanna."Erm... Mars..."
She looked like she didn"t quite know what to say but Mars got the message and held out his hand, then Hanna"s face lit up and she took his hand and walked with him for a few moments before she spoke.
"... Thank you Mars."
"What for?"
"Well... For saving me... For the longest time I have felt like I have been walking underwater, unable to breathe and see."
Mars gave a nod while his hatred for the NNE grew by a sizable degree, but he quickly changed gears and put the hatred into the back of his mind before he spoke.
"That must have been awful."
Mars gave Hanna"s hand a rea.s.suring squeeze before he asked.
"How long ago do you think it was I healed you?"
"Hmm... maybe a year ago?"
"It"s been almost four years."
"Eh...?"
Hanna stopped walking meanwhile Mars kept talking.
"It must have been the slave collar that blurred you sense of time."
"O-okay"
Hanna gave a nod and lowered her head slightly in thought before she seemed to change gears and asked Mars while she looked left out of the window.
"So Mars, where is this even? I have never been in such a tall building."
"This is Green river and this sky tree is mine."
"You mean you own the whole building?"
"Yeah."
"... You sure have come a long way."
Mars briefly thought back to when he was living in a cave in a forest and gave a nod.
"That I have..."
Mars and Hanna walked a little more and soon they arrived in the living room where Mars had sent the slaves he had brought. Since there was no room in the couches and around the dinner table some of the demons sat or laid on the floor, but they all stood up when Mars walked in and soon Velvet and the old demon walked out from the crowd. Mars gave a smile and walked over to them while he introduced Hanna.
"This is Hanna, she"s a child I have been indebted to."
"Hey Mars what do you mean child? I am 18 years old you know?"
"Well in my mind anyone under 50 are still children."
"... You talk like an old man Mars."
"Well that"s because I am an old man over 200 years old."
"Eh?... Really?"
"Yep, but enough about me, let"s get those slave collars removed..."
Mars reached out and touched the slave collar around Velvet"s neck and a moment later it released with a click and fell to the floor, then she "looked" directly at Mars and asked.
"Mars can you destroy the NNE?"
"Hmm..."
Mars fell into thought for a moment before he answered.
"I could, but not now... I have to wait for the right opportunity"
Velvet gave a nod and "looked" down into the floor, Mars put a hand on her shoulder and spoke.
"Don"t worry, it"s on my to do list."
Velvet took his hand and brought it up to her cheek and somewhat nestled into it for a few moments before she let go of his hand and spoke.
"Sorry old demon, I will stop taking up Mars" time now."
"I don"t mind princess.... Son could I trouble you to remove my slave collar?"
"Sure that"s what I planned to do anyways."
Mars spent some time removing the slave collars off the demons before he showed them to some places to sleep, then he and Hanna was left alone in the hallway as they slowly walked back to the guest room he had a.s.signed her.
"... I"m missing about three years of my memories."
"Yep..."
"Umm... do you think you could stay until I fall asleep?"
"Sure."
Mars then watched over Hanna until she fell asleep before he walked back towards the master bedroom.
"It"s late... the girls are asleep... I"ll just take the couch."
Mars laid down on the couch and regulated his breathing for sometime until he fell asleep...
That night Mars had a dream or at least he felt like he had had a dream when he woke up. It was not a very good one at that, thus he was in a bad mood when he woke up around breakfast time. The living room was lively as both the former slave soldiers and demons joined in. Elsa c.o.c.ked up a storm in the kitchen with the help of Yel and Varvei, after they had eaten Mars went to the giant tree in the middle of the city to arrange for new homes for all the demons he had rescued in the city. When he was there he was approached by an ancient elf that informed him that the elders wanted to see him, after he made his way through the complicated hallways he walked through the big door and greeted the elders.
"h.e.l.lo, you wanted to see me?"
"Oh Mars, it"s good that your here."
"Do you remember that incident from three years ago?"
"Were a foreign force occupied the southern peninsula."
"Hmm..."
Mars thought for a moment before he remembered the incident with the people dressed in what looked like wargin states j.a.panese armor.
"Oh right that."
"It"s good that you remember."
"We have received a envoy from their country."
"That would like to invite a diplomat of our country over for talks."
Mars gave a nod.
"And you want me to go?"
"Yes."
Mars gave a nod after he thought for a moment.
".... Okay sure, it does sound interesting."
In a room inside the giant tree sat a diplomat, he wore what Mars would describe as traditional j.a.panese clothing and had a single edged sword on his hip. Even though he had waited for about three hours he still had a calm smile on his face, soon there was a knock on the door right before it opened and Mars stepped in. Mars was in his half dragon from with his eyes red and his horns out, for a moment the two men inspected each other before both of them gave a nod, Mars reached out his hand and introduced himself.
"My name is Mars, I am the diplomat that Green river will be sending."
"Nice to meet you Mars, my name is Hide and I will be your guide to Hinode, our country."
Mars and Hide shook hands for a moment before Mars asked.
"So when do we leave?"
"At once if it is convenient."
"I see... Well then give me 10 minutes to get ready... Do you mind if I bring some bodyguards?"
"No I don"t mind at all, but please bring under 10."
"Okay."
Mars left Hide behind and opened up a portal to his home and gathered the former slave soldiers together and told them that they would be coming with him on a trip, Hanna and the other three gave nods and soon they were back at the giant three with their luggage ready to depart. Hide took them to the harbor where a s.h.i.+p was ready to depart.
"Let"s board the s.h.i.+p... A trip should be good for you guys, it will help you set your minds on something else for sometime."
"Erm... Mars?"
"What is it James?"
James, one of the slave soldiers spoke up, after he thought for a bit he asked his question.
"... Do we really have to come?"
"James what have you been doing since you regained your mind?"
"... Sitting in my room thinking."
"My point exactly, you need to get out a little more. A trip will do you good and don"t worry you guys don"t have to fight if you don"t want to I"ll take care of you."
"Okay Mars."
"Now that"s the spirit."
Mars clapped James on the shoulder before he looked at the rest of the former slave soldiers over, seeing that none of them had any more questions Mars board the s.h.i.+p followed by them and joined Hide on the deck. Hide looked at Mars then at his so called bodyguards and gave a slight sigh before he asked Mars.
"those are not you bodyguards are they?"
"Nope, but don"t worry I"ll take care of them."
"... Can you tell me why you are bringing children on this trip?"
Mars moved a little closer to Hide and spoke in a low voice.
"Truth is they are former slaves I rescued and I don"t want to let them out of my sight just yet."
"... I understand, well a few more guests should not be a problem."
"Thank you."
Mars looked back at the former slave soldiers and gave a nod, this trip was sure to help them a bit with their heavy thoughts, at least that"s what he hoped.