Chapter 198: Chapter 198 - The other side of the coin [Content Warning]
The streets of the noble district are a stark contrast from the ghetto we visited earlier today. The homes are big and charming, the streets are clean and well-maintained, and there are guards everywhere.
And the looks towards us are a lot more hostile. Some, directed at Yaci, are actually laced with deep hatred and bloodlust.
Yeah, one doesn’t need much to understand that these people were the ones benefiting from the old order the most. Of course they would be resentful of the ones who broke their unjust privileges.
And, though they don’t recognize me, they see any beastkin as the embodiment of that new order.
We are calmly strolling up the street, in the direction of our new manor, when I hear a muffled scream. A quick glance at my side tells me that Lovelace also heard it. Yaci has good hearing, but this is more on the level of deep hearing, which only the two of us are able to do.
We stop immediately, startling Yaci.
"It’s that house."
"Indeed."
"What? Is something happening?"
I pinpoint the house, to which Lovelace agrees. But there’s no time to bring Yaci fully onboard, so I just dispel the illusion on my hair and walk straight to the house’s gate.
Yaci understands what that gesture means, after so many years of fighting together, so she just follows us in silence.
"I’m sorry, but commoners aren’t allowed inside."
The two guards at the sides of said gate jump to block our passage.
"I’m Princess Aurea Annes of Wesgoth, Duchess of Altenfeld, and you are not allowed to stop me."
I say in a firm and calm voice, without even glancing at them or slowing my stride. I don’t give them time to ponder or decide if I’m the real deal or not.
They have two options. Stop me or allow me in, and each has its own risks. If they try to stop me, I could ultimately give them the death penalty for laying a hand on a member of the royal family. And if they allow me in and it turns out I’m lying, their lives would be in danger as well.
The split second that it takes them to make a decision is enough time for the three of us to breeze through them and into the property.
The house is very big, but as manors go, it would be called a small one. It sits basically on the limiar of what would be considered a manor or just a big house.
The front garden is quite small, so we quickly reach the front doors, which I open without hesitation, startling the maids that are cleaning the hall inside.
"Huh? Hello, miss. Do you need something?"
I ignore them, using the sounds I hear as my guide to navigate the corridor, until I reach what seems like an office room.
The office is empty, but I know exactly what I’m looking for.
On the floor, at the other side of the desk where the owner of the house probably usually sits, there is a hatch. And now the sounds are loud enough that Yaci can hear them.
The guards, who followed us inside, gasp as they notice where we are heading. I ignore them as I pull the hatch open, allowing the sounds from the inside to be heard by everyone in the house.
::: / :::
CW: child abuse.
Feel free to jump straight to the next Chapter
::: / :::
There’s a ladder leading down, but I jump nonchalantly, as the ground is visible and not far down.
From there, a short corridor leads to a closed door.
I open the door without even being able to contain my anger, which makes it smash into pieces as it hits the wall at the side.
The room we barged in was very reminiscent of the one where I lived the first years of my life. With two big differences.
First, all beastkin here are children. Very visibly malnourished and injured children.
Second, the three nobles present are ’having fun’ in the room itself.
One of the kids is already almost unconscious under the beating, as the man who wields a heavy flogger and was laughing until now stops, startled by the sound of our entrance, and looks at us.
Yaci jumps straight at him without thinking twice. The man tries to defend himself, but her punch hits his face before he can do anything, knocking him out.
"Yaci! Don’t kill him!"
I shout at her as I use a very weakened version of the taser spell to knock the second and third guys down.
In the meanwhile, Lovelace is already healing the girl.
:::
The whole tackling down of the nobles took only a handful of seconds, and I even had the time to get the two guards, who were trying to flee, as well.
When we get back upstairs, with the children in tow, three maids are in the office room. One of them is on their knees, and all of them are crying.
"Thank you so much! Thank you for rescuing those poor children!"
Huh?
I thought that everyone in the house was part of the scheme. As I look at them confused, I feel a tug on my dress.
I look down to see one of the older girls looking at me.
"These women are very nice to us. They always treated our wounds and sometimes even gave us extra food hidden from the bad guys."
"Yes. These three helped us a lot."
The six children are glued to Yaci, but they don’t seem fearful of these maids, so I’ll take their words at face value for now.
"Where are the other maids of the house?"
"They all fled when they saw you breaking in there."
The maid who answered me pointed with the chin to the hatch behind us.
"Right. I’ll need a list of their names later. But, for now, if one of you could go call the city guards, please. I would also like some ropes to tie the guys downstairs."