Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

696. What Is Normal?

Nothing was out of the ordinary as far as Autumn could tell. The long road from the maw of the Smuggler’s Pass was flanked by karst-like observation towers where archers and magicians carefully scanned every inch of the arid plains in the distance.

This was past the karst landscape which surrounded the mountain ranges for roughly a few kilometers before it eased out into a plain.

It was much dryer than Autumn remembered

 Grandis had plenty of storms and runaways, yet there was not a single river or lake to be seen in the grand flats of the Bellum Empire. Dirt and gravel paths were all this region could afford at first glance, but as Autumn waved at the archers to signal her familiarity, she turned her gaze to the ground as though she could see through it.

“I want you two to stick close to me. How familiar are you with the Underflow?” She specifically asked Mae.

“What’s that?”

Autumn sighed and began from the top as they approached the walled off town which from a distance was easily the size of a small city. It was surprisingly well maintained, with workers even making repairs to one of the broken battlements.

People bustled behind the open gates, many of which were well dressed, heavily armored, or had a collared slave dragged around on a leash.

“The Underflow is a subterranean river that acts as a highway and the sewer system of the Bellum Empire. It used to be a way to gain access to clean water, but it’s now a guaranteed way to catch flesh-eating diseases. That doesn’t change that it’s the fastest route that exists in the Empire, but the problem is that it flows from the north to the south.”

Much of the runaway water from the mountains eventually ended up in various drains that made up the Underflow, and this was not exclusive to the Bellum Empire. Some of the highways and offshoots reached as far as Little Tais, supplying it with heated water as the water passed a cavern of fire crystals.

The Underflow of the Bellum Empire was large enough to have its own ecosystem and could fit massive ships side by side. This was largely why the Capital was located at the south of the Empire’s territory, as all shipments could come straight to it in a matter of days, or even hours.

“They say it’s not even one of the ‘greats’ compared to other rivers.” Autumn rambled. “Nothing like the Molten, Frozen or Ethereal Springs which have abnormal phenomenon associated with them.”

“Good to know… Meaning it’s probably gobbled up by the Hungries.” Mae said.

“If there’s a sewer, then they’ll be there. And people wonder why we only have topological maps. We’re the Patrons of the Highways, not the Patrons of the Dungeon Labyrinths. But the Underflow shouldn’t be compromised. The Empire relies on it about as much as a heart does with blood.”

Since Autumn and Deiman believed Frost would be in Frontier, it was only natural for them to want to take the fastest route. Guards wearing metal visors hailed them as they approached, lowering their weapons to block them off.

However, they soon recognized Autumn by her vibrant, autumn hair and the staff she towed around. Proof of being a Patron of the Highways did not come from an insignia or mark.

There were two ways. The first was their familiarity. Before a Patrons of the Highways could begin working alone, they first needed to be inducted to every city, every town, and every remaining village in Grandis.

Autumn had visited this place twice. The first was with Via during her initial induction, and the second was with her Teacher when she formally became a Patreon of the Highways.

The second revolved around a chest-height stone that carried similar markings that were found on the doors of their Branches. She placed a hand onto the middle of the marking. Magical circles appeared in response to her presence, causing the stone to vibrate like a tuning fork.

It was a Resonating Stone that only activated when in the presence of a certain person’s mana. She had all the proof they needed, and they wordlessly let her through with her two partners trailing closely behind her.

“Don’t make eye contact. Keep it on the ground or on me. Do not react to anything. There are a lot of strong people here to buy and sell slaves… But it’s a bit weird. There’s not a lot of choices out here.”

A bazar unfolded before them. Hundreds of people roamed around, checking on slaves who were shackled in place. It was clean much to their surprise. Rows of huts and wagons of slaves sat along the center of the town, and others in buildings where they served Adventurers with a chain attached to their ankles.

There was a surprisingly even distribution between the men and women, leaning slightly more on the men’s side who had various valuable traits, such as muscle, or skills that were demonstrated to potential buyers.

Women were also in the same boat. Those with magic were sold not by their strength or knowledge, but by their potential. And this potential was the most important part according to Autumn.

This was why those that were not considered the most attractive had hefty prices attached to their metal collars.

“Psst. They don’t seem to be the type to fetch for that much.” Mae whispered.

“Because you can get more coins from selling them as is than from turning them into coins directly. Your worth in coins is based on your current value, not your future prospect.” Autumn whispered back. “Slaves are so easy to get rid of because of the coin-conversion procedure. You wouldn’t even waste your time on a slave that looked a bit better than the rest, since the real value comes from what they’re currently worth, and what they can be worth. If you’re depraved enough, then it could be worth your time.”

She wanted to gag as she said this, but she kept a straight face as they passed through a wall of cages, spotting various Demi-Humans who cradled their knees.

“Besides, these ones here are the lucky ones. We’re heading into the tunnels soon. The slaves trapped there are being turned into coins as we speak.” Autumn spoke neutrally as she kept her gaze low.

She did not allow her to look at the sorrowful eyes of the people around her.

“And this is normal?” Deiman asked again, wondering why the morality of this world was so different from…

What?

Why did Deiman question it in the first place? He figured that he just wanted to know what was right and wrong. As a Shell, he wanted to find meaning in everything. Why was it ‘normal’ for people to want to turn others into coins when alternatives existed?

What determines the value of someone’s life?

Mae then spoke as they passed through the interior of a large building that showcased powerful slaves who spared one another till near death.

“Soul Ranks. Ever heard of them? It’s the quality of a person’s soul. The higher it is, the more valuable they are in my opinion. A higher Soul Rank means you can achieve better things. It’s a right. My friends and I value a good soul, because it also represents the skin you wear, the way you present yourself, the wider your pitch can become. At least that’s how we see it.”

Cheers erupted from the sidelines. Blood splattered into the crowd. The heavy thud of a body caused Deiman’s ears to perk up.

Suddenly, the head of a Demi-Human rolled before his feet, and he absently stared back into those lifeless eyes.

A pleading expression was petrified on that face before it was collected into a bag of other limbs to be recycled into coins.

“Still, why is it normal?”

“I don’t think it is.”

“It’s normal because the flesh is an instrument.”

Autumn replied, as did Mae for different reasons.

“You’re asking the wrong question, Deiman. So what if it’s not normal or normal to us? Grandis isn’t the kind of place that can change overnight. You’d need so much power. But why would someone care enough to levy that strength for people that have damned others for as long as this Region existed?”

Autumn painted a picture for Deiman.

“We abused Healers. We chased out the Blessed. We enslaved everything that wasn’t human at every step of the way. Sympathy is a ticket to get you killed, and you wonder why this Region lacks it. It’s easier to close your eyes, ears, and cut off your tongue to be oblivious to the evils. And that’s the right way to live.”

Mae’s eyes were glued to Autumn’s back. A part of her wanted to say something, but Mae refused as she stared at the faces of the slaves. She believed they were there for a reason. If someone was a slave, then it was their fault. They were instruments to be played so to speak.

That was what the voice in her inner heart had always told her since her unnatural birth. For the first time, Mae was exposed to the same scenery but with a heart of her own.

And she did not know how to feel as she briefly paused to stare into the eyes of a Demi-Human girl.

Deiman did the same.

“But you never did that.” He said.

“No, but that’s not how people see it.” Her words made him recall how Raoul had nearly taken his life because of the etchings in his back. “I really wish I hadn’t heard what she told me that day.”

They exited the building, passing by another field of cages before they wandered around the bustling rims of an arena. Across the arid arena was the largest building in Seer’s Town; the entrance into the Underflow.

One needed to be winched down on a hand cranked elevator to reach the bottom, and a long crowd of people waited for their turn, watching bloody bouts on the arena in the meantime.