At the top of the hill, a large gate was opening, allowing a group of people into the vast castle. The force of the ancient gate shifting produced a heavy, resounding noise that carried far across the quiet expanse.
Teresa, on the other hand, was already halfway up the hill, making her way toward the castle with Effie still carrying her and bearing the full strain of the climb.
As it possessed limited stamina and was not yet suited to using its wings despite being a black dragon, it was forced to climb under considerable strain. The beast would pause after each step, rest briefly, then continue its ascent.
A couple of minutes later, they reached the top of the hill and were met by an enormous gate.
The gate stood tall and imposing before them. Its surface was forged from thick, aged metal fused into heavy stone, with visible cracks and worn markings along its frame, evidence that it had remained in place for an immense length of time.
In front of it stood two men assigned as guards, though their attention was entirely elsewhere as they consumed Flesh Fruits at a leisurely pace, taking bites before carelessly discarding what they no longer wanted and drinking from a jar of water without the slightest concern.
Teresa's gaze fixed on the food instantly.
Her eyes tracked every movement of their hands as they ate, while Effie remained motionless beside her. Its focus mirrored hers as both of them stared without looking away.
Slowly, Teresa spoke:
"…Food…?"
Effie let out a low rumble as it continued to stare at the Flesh Fruits and the water.
The guards noticed them and flinched.
"How did they get here?" one asked the other.
Their expressions shifted at once as they looked at the massive beast and the girl in its grasp, both staring directly in their direction without blinking.
The focus of the master and her beast was so intense that it left no room for doubt. These two looked as though they were ready to lunge at any moment.
"W-what the hell is that?"
"Why are they staring at us like that?"
One of them dropped the half-eaten Flesh Fruit from his hand as his grip slackened, while the other instinctively took a step back.
"They're looking straight at us… right?"
"Don't tell me they're about to attack…"
Teresa swallowed, then she spoke again:
"Effie… I want that."
The two men flinched simultaneously.
Their faces drained of colour as they instinctively raised their hands, completely misunderstanding the reason behind that unwavering gaze.
"Hell… they're going to eat us! I wasn't even supposed to be on duty at this time."
"Do something before it jumps at us!"
Suddenly, Teresa gestured for Effie to release her, then slowly walked toward the two guards.
She pointed at the Flesh Fruits in a basket behind them before turning to ask:
"Where can we get those?"
The first guard looked at his companion with a perplexed expression.
A smile crept onto their faces as they both shrugged at the same time.
Then the second guard stepped closer to the gate and struck it twice.
"Well, well, well. Welcome to the Settlement. Here, you can get as much as you can eat, a full spread, clean water, and the best treatment. Of course, that's as long as you work hard for it, pretty lady. I see you've got a partner on your beast's back. Don't worry, humans and beasts alike, they all get fed here."
Teresa nodded indifferently and raised her sword toward them, causing both men to instinctively step back despite the blade remaining sheathed.
Their eyes lingered on it as strained smiles formed on their faces.
"…Haha. We're not going to hurt you, madam. So please put your sword away."
Teresa scowled.
"I don't care about that. Just let me in and take me to where you get your food and water."
***
Upon entering the castle, Teresa proceeded alongside one of the guards from outside.
He was a tall man with a gaunt face and a thin scar running from his ear down to his jaw.
His expression remained strained as he cast occasional glances at Effie, along with the other human it carried on its back, whom he could not determine to be either dead or alive.
The interior of the castle opened into a vast hall that had clearly lost any semblance of order, as groups of people sat in scattered clusters across the floor, conversing in hushed tones while others moved about carrying baskets of food.
They were clad in tattered garments, their skin caked with grime, as though they had not bathed in weeks.
Small beasts of various kinds roamed freely across the ground, weaving between legs without restraint, as the entire place remained restless and discordant.
Teresa observed everything in silence as she advanced slowly.
'This place looks so… peculiar.'
Her gaze shifted from one group to another until a sudden commotion drew her attention to the side, where four people struggled over a basket of food, fighting frantically over who would claim the most as they tore at it without restraint.
Before it could escalate further, two individuals intervened. Their appearance was markedly neater than the rest as they gripped batons firmly, raising them without hesitation and preparing to strike the four who had been fighting.
Teresa reacted immediately despite her condition, stepping forward and positioning herself between them. She raised her sword at the two with a pronounced frown.
"Stop. They are merely fighting for their survival, and you are trying to beat them into starvation instead of resolving it like reasonable humans? Is that the kind of place this is? Everyone here is an animal, huh."
The two turned toward her at once with irritation.
One of them tightened his grip around the baton as he spoke in a hardened tone.
"Who are you to interfere in this, girl!? Step aside before you get dragged along with them."
Effie suddenly began growling at the two from where it stood, while Teresa prepared to unsheathe her sword and confront them, fully aware she would not last long in her weakened state, yet still prepared to take one of them down if it came to that.
Before the situation could escalate further, the guard who had brought her in stepped forward swiftly, raising his hand in a gesture of restraint as he addressed them in a hurried tone.
"She is a new intake and does not yet understand the rules, so please let this pass for now, and I will ensure she does not interfere again, kind sirs."
The two exchanged brief glances before lowering their batons, though their expressions remained frigid as one of them spoke with a clear warning:
"Keep her in line. There will not be another excuse next time."
Without further delay, they seized the four who had been fighting and dragged them away, disregarding their resistance as the commotion gradually subsided into the background once more.
The guard exhaled quietly before turning toward Teresa, who still appeared intent on confronting the two men as she watched them drag the starving individuals away like expendable animals.
Sensing her intent, the guard quickly restrained her and said:
"You should refrain from involving yourself in matters like that, especially not here, where rules are enforced rigorously and punishments are executed without delay. Understand that, girl."
Teresa looked at him with a sharp, unwavering gaze.
Her brows drew together slightly.
"So this is how things are conducted here, and this is what you call giving people a chance to survive."
The guard did not respond immediately, though his answer came without hesitation as he resumed walking.
"Treatment here is contingent upon what you contribute, so if you perform well and follow instructions, you will receive better conditions than the others."
Her expression hardened further at those words, though she remained silent, suppressing what she truly wished to say as she continued to follow him, while Effie trailed behind without deviation.
As they proceeded deeper into the structure, they approached a section set apart from the rest, where a large iron gate resembling a prison barrier obstructed the path ahead.
Its thick bars were tightly aligned with no gaps wide enough to pass through, while the area beyond remained dim and difficult to discern.
Teresa slowed slightly as they passed it.
A strange sensation settled in her chest, and her gaze lingered on the space beyond the gate, her curiosity intensifying without any discernible cause.
'Why do I feel unsettled near that gate? What lies beyond it?'
She turned her head toward the guard as they moved past it.
"What is behind that gate we just passed?"
The guard halted in front of a wooden door ahead and let out a low groan.
"It is merely a holding area for fugitives captured within the Garden of Death. They are brought here to be granted another opportunity to survive, just as you are about to receive now."
Teresa's anger simmered further.
'Perhaps I might have to make some changes here…'
***
Just behind the prison-like bars, a crude circle had been etched around a large pillar, and within that boundary, over thirty people sat clustered together on the ground, bound to the pillar like livestock.
There was no proper ventilation within the vast chamber that had been repurposed into a holding cell for those captured outside.
Oliver was more than familiar with this place. He sat closer to the pillar, his hands and legs restrained by shackles.
From time to time, Oliver let his gaze wander across the chamber, scrutinising the people within it.
They all appeared to be around his age, and every one of them looked stricken with fear, especially under the oppressive presence of the Demonic Jaguar standing guard over them.
The female slaver who had taken a distinct interest in Oliver emerged from the shadows behind the beast and approached him before lowering herself into a crouch.
"Hey, boy. From today onward, you're going to be my personal errand boy. You seem special, different from the fools around us, don't you agree?" she said with a smile.
The others remained utterly silent. Not a single one dared to utter a sound.
Oliver, on the other hand, merely returned a faint smile and inclined his head in agreement.
"Ha. You agreed!"
His expression darkened.
'Isn't that what you wanted? Ugh. Just get me out of these shackles.'
Patting his head again with a sense of indulgent satisfaction, as though she had already grown possessive of him and claimed him as her own, she added:
"I'm going to release you now."
Within a few minutes, she loosened the thick vines that had restrained Oliver and then lifted his chin.
"Come with me."
***
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