The uneven dirt road replaced the bluestone slabs. After leaving the gate of Fengyue City, the bluestone road underfoot was quickly replaced by a bumpy dirt road.
On the wilderness, waist-high wild grass grew. When the wind blew, it undulated like ocean waves. The distant forest resembled a lurking beast, exuding a mysterious and dangerous aura.
Since they had just left the main road, they occasionally encountered some merchant caravans and pedestrians heading in and out of the city.
Leo followed beside Balke, somewhat distracted.
In his mind, the scene he had witnessed in the Adventurer’s Guild Hall kept replaying.
The cat-eared girl with a black iron collar around her neck, and the human slave with numb eyes, being led like cargo.
And the way those adventurers looked at Ailiya, with undisguised disgust, greed, even the gaze that treated her as a plaything and private property.
That nauseating gaze still pierced his nerves like needles.
This reminded him of a long time ago—back when he was still with the Main Family in the royal capital.
He was very young then, about seven or eight years old.
Once, he sneaked out of the house and saw several young nobles whipping a skinny Dog-kin boy in the bustling slave market of the royal capital, just because the boy had accidentally dirtied their boots.
At that time, he didn’t understand anything; he just felt that the boy was pitiful.
His blood rushed to his head, and he charged forward like the heroes in those knight novels.
But instead of applause for a hero saving a beauty, he got only the extremely harsh jeers of those young nobles.
“Look! That little bastard born to a mistress is actually sympathizing with a lowly demi-human beast!”
“Birds of a feather flock together—what kind of bloodline, what kind of lowly things they like to mix with. Hahaha!”
Those malicious taunts were carved into the depths of his memory like knives.
Ailiya… she always wore a cold face, indifferent to everything.
‘Is she already used to this kind of gaze—being treated as an outsider, as prey?’
But she was so strong, knew so much, cooked deliciously, cleaned spotlessly, and could even beat him black and blue with a mop.
Apart from those silver-white wolf ears and the tail that occasionally swayed, what difference was there between her and a human?
“Hey, Uncle Balke.”
Leo couldn’t figure it out, couldn’t help but quicken his pace and sidle up to Balke.
“You adventurers… are you all prejudiced against demi-humans?”
Balke was carrying his greatsword, admiring the wilderness scenery. Hearing this question, he abruptly stopped, turned his head, and looked at Leo as if looking at a slime.
“Prejudice against demi-humans?”
Balke was stunned for a moment, then burst into an extremely hearty, almost deafening laugh, startling a few wild birds in the roadside grass into fluttering away.
“Hahaha! Little Young Master, how can you ask such an amateur question?”
He rubbed Leo’s neatly groomed blond hair with his rough hand, directly messing it up into a bird’s nest.
“I’ve traveled far and wide to many places and fought alongside all sorts of people. The Adventurer Association’s banners are planted across the entire continent.”
Balke’s eyes became somewhat deep as he recalled those years of blood and fire.
“In those life and death moments, who cares if you have cat ears or a turtle shell on your back? The one who can chop down a magical beast with one slash or cast a few healing spells to pull you back from the Death God—that’s a true brother!”
“I’ve known many respected and brave demi-human adventurers.”
“Even on the Extreme Northern Icefield, a Wolf tribe member once saved my life.”
Balke patted the leather armor on his chest, his tone open.
“So, not only do I not dislike them, I actually admire those demi-human warriors who survive by their own strength.”
“Then…”
Leo’s brows furrowed deeper. He glanced back at Ailiya walking behind the group, then quickly looked away.
“Then why does the Kingdom of Roland still allow slave trade? Why did those people in the guild just now make demi-humans wear collars and be slaves?”
Balke’s smile gradually faded, and he sighed.
“Not being prejudiced is because we adventurers are on equal fighting positions.”
“But in the eyes of those lofty nobles and the politicians who make the laws, profit and rule come first.”
“Things in this world cannot be explained by a simple right or wrong.”
“Slave liberation? How many big nobles’ purses would that shake? How much political turmoil would it cause?”
Balke patted Leo’s thin shoulder and said earnestly.
“Black Iron Boy, this is not something you should be thinking about now.”
“This world is like this—the strong prey on the weak, it has always been so.”
“Later, when you truly have the ability to stand at a certain height, you can slowly think about why.”
“Right now, your primary task is how to keep your little life safe in the forest ahead.”
Leo was silent. He subconsciously turned his head, wanting to look at Ailiya.
But he found that Ailiya, who should have been following him, had already walked a few steps ahead, creating some distance.
Her ice-blue eyes were calmly fixed on the distant outline of the approaching forest. Her silver-white short hair gently swayed in the wind.
Cool and aloof, independent, as if nothing could break the calm in her heart.
Ailiya seemed to have sensed Leo’s sticky gaze.
She slightly paused, turned her head, and glanced at him.
“Young Master.”
Ailiya’s voice was as usual, without any ripple.
“Staring at me like that—do you think my maid uniform is stained with something filthy? Or is your wand stuck in some strange place again, requiring me to help you pull it out?”
“N-nothing!”
Leo, like a thief caught red-handed, frantically looked away at the roadside grass.
“I-I’m just looking at the scenery! Right, the wind is really strong today…”
Ailiya snorted softly. This young master’s lying skills were as clumsy as ever.
She couldn’t be bothered with this fickle young master and continued walking forward steadily.
“Ahead is the outer edge of the Mist Forest. Everyone, perk up!”
Misi, who had been silently scouting ahead, suddenly leaped lightly from the branch of a large tree like a cat, interrupting everyone’s chat and Leo’s thoughts.
Misi’s eyes became extremely sharp. He crouched on the ground, holding a clump of soil that still had warmth.
“I found fresh goblin droppings, as well as several footprints and scratches on the bushes. The number is about five to seven—a standard goblin scavenger squad.”
Misi stood up and quickly reported to Balke.
“Judging by the moisture of the traces, they passed by less than half an hour ago. The direction is exactly the one o’clock position we need to go.”
“Goblins?”
Leo’s eyes lit up at the word, not afraid but excited, and he gripped the short wand in his hand tightly.
“These are the most common low-level monsters, perfect for me to practice on!”