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The three students had walked through the rundown district for some time, Nariko and Mana found it hard to believe that none of the locals tried to pull any tricks with them considering they both stood out like sore thumbs among the crowd.

Many of the young girls living in the district ran up to them asking the two of them about life outside of this district, Nariko found it relatively hard to answer such questions so she left them all to Mana considering she had a bit more experience living in this world.

Eventually, the three of them made it out into an opening where many slave workers were shifting crates of various goods around the large central plaza. Just looking around both of the girls could tell that these people were being treated harshly many of them were chained together by their wrists, ankles and necks.

“Why is this district so…neglected?” Mana asked Varan.

“It’s run by Lord Asmodeus…” he pauses for a moment “…to put it simply he has a thing for slavery so many people just call this place the slave district”. He continues once he got his bearings of the surrounding area both Nariko and Mana followed up close behind.

As they exited the large plaza grounds, just outside slave traders stood guard around a huge circular cage. Inside the cage were dozens of demon girls dressed ragged and worn cloth garments all of them were chained to the floor by their wrists and necks.

“Why are they keeping people like us in those cages?” Nariko muttered quietly.

“Because they’re considered Tainted” Varan bluntly replied.

“Tainted?” Nariko and Mana didn’t understand what he meant, to be honest, the two of them didn’t know a lot about this world both of them were living relatively sheltered lives.

“Basically they’re not pure-bloods like the three of us” Varan answered, he points to a girl inside the cage. “See that one, she’s the offspring of a demon and human you can tell because she doesn’t have a tail like the two of you”

Both Nariko and Mana following the gaze of Varan they too see the girl although she didn’t have a tail, she did, however, have demon horns.

“Why doesn’t any do anything about it?” Nariko asks unable to comprehend how something like this couldn’t be stopped.

“Cause of the Anti-Peace Faction they have many more followers than the Pro-Peace Faction…” Varan pauses sighing a little bit “…as much as Grand Eldar Satan wants to put an end to this she simply can’t, it’ll give the Anti-Peace Faction the excuse they need to abdicate her from the throne”

“But that doesn’t explain how they can get away with such things to the general public” Mana interjected.

“Think about it…for instance, your personal maids Six and Twenty were slaves before they joined Lord Lucifer…” he points to a group of nobles inspecting the goods in the large cage “…a dozen or so of the slaves are thrown into jobs like servants, industry workers and labour to help in everyday life so the public views it as a necessity”

“I can’t imagine how it feels to live like that, I mean living under someone else’s command obeying their every order” Mana muttered, Nariko, agreeing with her the two of them look at Varan both of them perplexed at why he had a look of confusion on his face.

“You think that the jobs they work are bad?” Varan almost laughs as he tries to hold it back. “The both of you have no idea how lucky both Six and Twenty are right now, these girls before you are living in hell right now”

Varan continues, “The guys sure they get roughed up and bitten around most of the time, but the girls get it a lot worse than they do being sterilized from the moment them becoming slaves is just one horror of many”

The three of them continue before they draw more attention to themselves. As they get further away Nariko reaches out gently grabbing Varan’s hand a look of determination on her face.

“If you know what they’re doing to them, why don’t you say anything?” she asks.

Varan grits his teeth, “Did you hear anything that I said? Most of the nobility is Anti-Peace even the Princes and Princesses of Hell are too, who do you think they’ll believe me the nephew of Lord Belial or Lord Asomedus?” he clenches his fist.

“If I said anything the others that on his side would back him claiming that my accusations are unfounded” his heartbeat increases at this point as anger starts to rise inside of him.

“But can’t Grand Eldar Satan do something about?” Mana asked.

“She can’t…” Varan takes a deep breath before breathing out slowly “…the only reason she’s even the Grand Eldar, is because The Council backed her ascension to the throne on the basis that she could form an alliance between the Four Realms. She can’t risk causing trouble in the case that they relinquish their claim which will give the Anti-Peace Faction a reason to abdicate her”

Varan is quiet for a moment as if he was thinking to himself, “And, on the other hand, the Anti-Peace Faction can’t do anything too drastic due to the fear of The Council intervening in such matters, that’s why Grand Eldar Satan turns a blind eye to Lord Asmodeus’ actions”

Nariko hated to admit, but she could understand the concept behind such a decision for the Grand Eldar. Would it be worth starting a civil war over the aspect of slavery, which could spiral out of control with the other Realm’s interfering in fear of their own safety in the case of an invasion from the Demon Realm. When she looked at it like that Nariko couldn’t argue with such a sound judgement regardless of how much she hated the idea of it.

Damn, even in this world there’s still some ****** stuff happening between the races, Yuuma’s subconscious reflected with itself.

“Anyway, sorry about all that…” Varan apologized as he pulled his hand away from Nariko, the latter only realizing then that she had been holding his hand this entire time “…we’re close, come one let’s get going”

Both Nariko and Mana nodded following behind Varan as he continued to show them the way to where had been planning to take them.

The trio continued onwards making their way towards the outskirts of the slave district. As they kept going Nariko noticed that the number of people in the area got smaller and smaller. Eventually, they emerged from an alleyway into another central plaza type area this time in the centre it had a large circular structure made up of thick pale stone closely resembling sandstone.

From within, the three of them could hear the sounds of chanting and cheering with short intervals in between.

“Come on, that’s the place I was talking about” Varan announced as he started jogging towards the arena.

Nariko not listening to what was happening around couldn’t help but notice the littered bodies around the edge of the central plaza. As groups of slaves interacted with one another mostly using what they could find to feed and entertain themselves.

Mana noticing Nariko looking distance grabbed her friend’s hand pulled the latter out of her daze. “Come on, let’s see what Varan wanted to show us, you never know it might take your mind off things,” she said consoling her friend.

Nariko nodded responding with a gentle smile as the two of them went after Varan who was already far ahead of them.

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