Chapter 122 — Trouble

Pi Yun spoke: "I can make a rough estimate on that. Sam was transformed into a living bomb by the dark art 'Summons of the Fallen.' Judging by the power at the time and the lingering aura afterward, the caster is no higher than mid-rank—very likely just at the fifth level of dark druid. And there will not be many of them. The Order of All Things' End rarely mounts especially large operations, particularly when sabotaging towns; they send one or two capable members and rely on cunning schemes and bizarre dark arts to cause disproportionate destruction."

Gao Che mused: "So what we may face is merely one or two dark casters of fifth level or below. Numbers are not the problem; what we must truly fear is the uncanny spells of the dark druids. In the worst case, Viscount Andrew himself might be controlled by dark arts—dominating living creatures is a specialty of those dark druids."

After a brief silence, Gao Yang first waved a hand at the "Goldie" who had sweated himself nearly dry: "You may go. But I suggest you stay away from Tanson Town for the near future—head further north."

The slaver departed tottering, leaving the pair of serf siblings standing with heads bowed on the floor, so tense they were close to fainting.

Yet Gao Yang had no idea what they were thinking: even with his inherited memories, even after months in this era, he could not fully step into their shoes and understand the minds of the people of this world. It never occurred to him that the brother and sister were worrying about punishment; he simply spoke to comfort them in his own way: "Your brother is dead, and the dead cannot be brought back. Accept my condolences. I have had Sam's... remains collected; he will be buried in the graveyard by the forest. Live well on this land, strive to earn your freedom—the Cecil family will protect you."

The brother and sister lifted their heads in astonishment and stared at Gao Yang as though they could not believe what they had heard.

Though in Gao Yang's mind, all he had said and done followed the simplest of logic.

The two serf siblings departed in their bewilderment, and only after they were gone did Amber speak up: "I thought you would just make them free folk outright, as compensation for their brother's death or something."

Gao Yang looked at her with amusement. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you're a softhearted sort," Amber said as though it were self-evident. "I know you're a good man, so isn't it only natural that you'd be softhearted?"

Gao Yang shook his head. "Softhearted I may be, but I cannot be indiscriminately so. I cannot let them believe that sacrificing a kinsman buys them freedom—above all, I cannot let other serfs who know nothing of the circumstances get such ideas. Freedom must be won with one's own hands; I have already established a system for this, and so even I must abide by it. Only thus can there be order."

Amber glanced at Gao Yang twice, a little surprised. "So that's why you insist those slaves go through a two-month 'buffer' here in the domain, and have them keep working as serfs and the like first—they must work their fill before they can be free—rather than simply declaring all slaves emancipated?"

"...Your understanding has its problems, actually, but on the whole it's not bad," Gao Rong said with a smile. "I do need them to realize that freedom does not come easily. But perhaps one day, I too will simply declare slavery abolished outright, rather than change things bit by bit, on this small a scale, as I do now."

Amber was dumbstruck. "You actually entertain such ideas?! Then... how long would that take?"

"Until people generally realize that the son of a serf or a slave laborer can take out a king with a single fireball," Gaolan said. "But for now, let us discuss the matter of Tamsan Town."