Five coins down, seventy to go. Following the Queen's advice, Ficky and Aya set their sights on the City of Slaves.
The name itself sent a shiver down Aya's spine. What kind of place is this?
"Can you give us a free ride?"
At the edge of the territory, Ficky was busy negotiating with a carriage driver for a free lift. It was a bold move—who in their right mind would provide free transport to strangers? Aya sighed, once again lamenting the absurdity of her new life.
"Hey, let's move out!"
"What?" To Aya's utter disbelief, Ficky had somehow secured the "impossible" ride.
"Ficky, you didn't threaten them, did you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Give me some credit. I'm a perfect gentleman."
"Oh, I forgot to mention—aren't you going to change your clothes?"
Ficky paused, looking at her from behind his dark lenses. Without a word, he began stripping off his tattered jacket and pulling at his tie.
"Gyaa! Why are you undressing right in front of me?!"
Aya reflexively shielded her eyes and stumbled back. She couldn't believe his lack of modesty.
"What's your problem?" Ficky asked flatly.
"I'm just ditching this ragged jacket. Look, the shirt underneath is perfectly fine."
Aya felt a heat crawl up her neck. She had panicked, thinking he was going full-nude, but he was just shedding his ruined outer layer.
The driver was waiting. They climbed into the horse-drawn carriage and began the hour-long journey toward the City of Slaves. They crossed the borders of Aurora, entering the domain of a different ruler.
"I'm still curious how we got this for free," Aya whispered.
"The Queen settled the bill for me."
"Oh, that makes sense. I'm really grateful to her. She gave us transport, food, clothes, and even travel money."
When they arrived, the City of Slaves proved to be much larger than the previous town. True to its name, there were "slaves" everywhere. Many were beast-kin, but a significant number were humans.
Aya and Ficky wandered the streets with a guide, who explained the local customs.
"Who did the Queen expect us to meet here?" Aya murmured, scanning the crowds. The sheer number of people made her head spin. Suddenly, the guide's voice muffled into a blur. Her vision began to flicker and fade into darkness.
She snapped back to reality when her shoulder bumped into Ficky. She realized he was walking close, steadying her. She felt his hand firmly gripping her shoulder to keep her upright.
"You skipped breakfast, didn't you? Good grief."
"Sorry."
It took her a moment to realize Ficky was practically carrying her, slowing his pace to match hers. As he spoke to the guide about finding a tavern, Aya could feel the vibration of his voice through his grip on her shoulder.
"Ficky, I had breakfast, but I haven't had lunch since we dealt with Una. What about you?"
"Me? I feast on the night air. Why? You worried? Don't waste your energy on me—look after yourself first," Ficky retorted.
Despite the city's name, the atmosphere wasn't oppressive. The "slaves" here were treated with a strange form of reverence; they weren't shackled but interacted like any other citizen.
Aya quickly became the center of attention at a local tavern. The patrons helped her to a seat, noticing she was swaying with exhaustion. She inhaled three plates of food without even realizing it. Ficky watched her from the side, confused by her sudden "hunger-driven" persona.
As they returned to the street, Aya's energy dipped again. She collapsed, but a figure caught her just before Ficky could reach her.
"You weak, ugly girl! Why are you falling asleep now?!" Ficky yelled, rushing over.
A dwarf—or someone like one—was helping her. A small, elderly man with a cute face, he was offering Aya a small snack from his bag. As soon as she ate it, her energy surged back instantly.
"She's recovered already?!"
"It's a spirit-booster snack. This beast-kin needed energy, so I gave her some," the dwarf said simply.
"Wait, beast-kin need special food for that?" Ficky asked.
"Of course. Every beast-kin is tied to the land of their birth. That place sustains them, potentially for thousands of years."
Ficky went quiet. The dwarf's words confirmed it: Aya truly was a fox, and her "birthplace" was somehow tied to this world.
Ficky crouched down and pointed at the snacks. "I want some of those. In exchange, I'll grant your greatest wish."
"Whoa! Really?! I'm in! Then help me sell out all these snacks!"
"That's it?"
The deal was struck. Selling out a stock of snacks sounded easy to Ficky, but he quickly realized he had underestimated the task.
"Why isn't anyone buying?"
"Based on what he said, these are hard to sell because most people in the City of Slaves were actually born here," Aya explained, still munching on the last of her treat.
Despite the lack of sales, the dwarf remained cheerful, humming a tune as he walked. He was remarkably positive.
"Do you do this every day?" Aya asked.
"Every day. I walk all over the City of Slaves. I was hoping more humans would show up, but it's been quiet."
"Do humans like your snacks?"
"Yes! Humans love them!"
"I like them too," Aya said.
"Yes, but you aren't human, Miss."
The fact hit her like a physical blow. Aya winced, unable to argue.
"If you keep selling like this, you'll never sell out. You should collaborate with someone, do some promotion," Aya suggested.
"She's right. Why don't you do that?" Ficky added, agreeing for once.
The dwarf didn't respond to their logic. He simply fell silent and kept walking, the heavy pack of snacks on his back. His expression didn't change, and Ficky sensed no malice or hidden agenda from him.
"Hey, we haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Aya." She stepped in front of the dwarf to stop him.
"I don't have a name, Miss Aya. But it's a pleasure to meet you," the dwarf said, extending a small hand. Aya shook it.
"Thank you for helping me. Really."
"I'm happy to help. Just remember," the dwarf said with a gentle smile, "next time, try not to stay away from your birthplace for too long."
Aya could only offer a bitter, forced smile in return.