Ari pov

“We need some magician to join our group” the leader of the team that was sent to calibu forest near the border of feloria shouting inside the guild to find magic caster to complete the team

I am ari kursneer, a magician and I’m 20 years old living in the outskirt of feloria capital. I have two siblings with me. My parents are merchants and were killed by the thief as they traveled back from the capital.

My life before was happy and fulfilling, going to a magic school, able to eat and then shop whatever I want, but everything changes after my parents died.

We were kicked out from our house because they told us that our parents have a huge debt, they collected everything they saw and even left us with only clothes that we wore during that time

I was in my 18th year when that happens and two more years I could be able to graduate from the school, but I stopped since I can’t afford the tuition anymore. At first we were able to survive from our daily lives by selling my jewelry and expensive stuff that I happen to keep when the collectors just barged in but later on when I don’t have anything to sell on I decided to find a job.

everything turns worse as the day comes by since I was dependent to my parents I couldn’t do anything, it was hard for me at first to earn money but later on someone offered to enlist me at the guild and that’s the start where I was working my butt off to earn money.

My teammates always complain about my equipment’s since I wasn’t able to upgrade or buy a new one because instead of using it to myself, I use it to buy food for my siblings. Being in a group is not that great because if we finished missions the person who contributed most received most of the rewards.

When the leader saw me approaching the counter, he called me.

“Oh! Ari what a coincidence, we need someone to fill up our team, if you will join us you can gain big commission since the reward for the completion is high. You can even buy new equipment’s and can afford to live for months without working” Roldan the leader told me.

“I’m sorry, but I will decline; I already registered a mission the other day.” I humbly refused his offer though I was reluctant because the payment could give me enough money to live for months without working.

“Are you sure? Because if you don’t accept our offer we will force to find someone outside the guild because most of our magicians are sent to another kingdom for the envoy and we could not find any dependable besides you. “He smiled to encourage me more.

But I know behind that smile is selfishness and greed. He just doesn’t want to hire a non-member because it was costly. And they don’t want to equally share the reward, that’s why they entice me to join their group.

“I’m sorry Roldan, but I have to refuse your offer, I already started the mission that’s why I can’t join any at the moment,” I said to him

“Oh what a waste, the rewards for the mission is 50 golds for each member who accomplish the mission no matter what your contribution is, I approach you first because I know you needed money but if you insist, then I can’t do anything about it,” he put his best-worried face and then turned back to his group.

What the heck, 50 gold? I never received such high commission, the biggest money I was able to handle is only 5 gold. I know that he already caught me there when he said the compensations for the mission, so I stopped him.

“Uhm, Roldan” I shouted. ” I will join your group, but I need to finish first my mission. When are we going?” I ask him.

“Tomorrow morning. so finished everything before that, ok! We will be leaving before dawn, our meeting point is here in the guild,” he smiled widely as he knows that I was caught by the bait he laid.

But I never thought that the mission that was given unto us was turned out into something we didn’t expect.

Back to reality we were teleported near the village outside feloria capital. The lustrous trees in the morning were beautiful as the gentle breeze touches its leaves, some parts of the road where hallow and muddy because of the rain, but it was not a hindrance as we traveled by carriage. Together with master pitou and the two maids whose beauty could not compare are now with me inside the carriages.

I was facing the two maids, namely brittania, and Deborah while master pitou sits beside me.

We are silently staring at each other and I was so nervous facing them because they are quite intimidated to look at. To think everything happen so fast I am so glad that master kurinai let me live and given me the opportunity to stay in busuana.

When I look outside the window I saw the gate of feloria kingdom from a distance then I heard master pitou speaks.

Among from all of the guardians, he is the most strikingly handsome and charming.

“Miss ari, when we reach the capital I want you to get your siblings as fast as you could, don’t attract any attention that would delay our departure and I will let the two maids accompany you” he stared at me with those beautiful eyes.

“O-ok, master.” I stuttered answering him

It became silent again but by that time, we already stop at the gate that collects the fee for anyone who enters the kingdom unless you have the id, you cannot enter without paying.

“Sir, excuse me, how many are you there?” the guards asked master pitou who was close to the door.

“I have three ladies with me, how much would it be?” master pitou asked the guard.

“Its 20 gold sir” the guard smiled as he said to master pitou.

“What? 20 golds? Who are you fooli-“ I shout at the guard, but master pitou stop me by putting his finger at my mouth?

“I’m sorry for the trouble, here is the payment” master pitou pulled something from his pocket then gave it to the guard who smiled widely as he received the large sum of money.

They open the gate then we passed by it. When we are far already from the gate I spoke.

“Master pitou why did you stop me earlier? Did they think that they can fool us by collecting the fee above from the required amount? It's only 5 copper but since we have this beautiful carriage they will charge us around 1 silver, for all of it.” I exclaimed as he silently read a book.

“Miss ari, no matter how expensive the fee is, we can still afford it. Money is not the issue here, what master pitou trying to do is to not attract any attention.” Britannia said while looking at me as if I was doing insane.

“But—that is still a big sum of money” I murmured as I think about it.

Master pitou just continue on reading as if he agreed on what miss brittania said. How wealthy these people are for spending that kind of money, as I contemplate from it. We already arrive at the center plaza.

The center plaza is busy as always, it is the business capital of the kingdom where all of the amusement and businesses could be found. We passed from it then we traveled far away until we arrive at the shabby district of the capital.

I told master pitou to drop me at the entrance of the shabby district. Master pitou then told the coachman to halt at the entrance.

As we stop I ask master pitou to not anyone accompany me since this is a poor area, people would look at the two beauties differently. And also they wore beautiful dresses and not their usual clothes so they will stand out and gather more attention.

“I still don’t trust you, but you are still right about that. I will permit you but.” He stopped and thinks before he continued speaking.

“What if you will run to the guild and inform about us, it’s better to be sure so I will let Deborah cast a magic spell on you.” He has doubts as I could see it from his face.

“Ok, master pitou,” I confirmed. Then before I got down, Miss Deborah cast a spell that I don’t know but I think it’s not a curse spell since I don’t feel anything.

As I got down from the carriage i started to run again and master pitou told me to pour mana on the bracelet he gave before to contact them if I have my sister with me.

The people from the shabby district look at me differently as they saw me wearing a beautiful dress which butler Kurogane gave me earlier and even rode on a beautiful carriage, but I just ignore them and walk straight into the end part where my current house is located.

As I reach my house I hurriedly open the door and call the name of my younger sister and brother.

“Yuki? Yui? Your sister is here.” But what I found is a broken chair and all our things were broken and scattered all over the house and my sibling is nowhere to be found. I keep on calling them and I tried also from the outside, but I still can’t find them.

“ari? Is that you? I almost don’t recognize you? What happened to you? We thought you are dead. According to those guys who came here the other day that all adventurers who went to a mission given by the government were all killed.” She explained to me the details about what happened.

“I luckily escaped from that. Did you know where my siblings are? “I asked her.

What the heck I just gone missing for two days and now they already have reports from that mission?. I face the lady then ask her about my siblings.

“Are you here to find your siblings?. They were dragged by the soldiers to the slavery house, we tried to stop the person who held them, but we can’t do anything against the government.” She exclaimed.

“What? Did they send them to the slavery house? Ohh my god.” My tears started to fall from my cheeks as I sat on the ground helplessly.

The lady just pats me on my back trying to console me but wait----. I will ask help from master pitou. I know that it’s too much but I will swallow my pride for my siblings.

I stood up and then thank the woman who just help me then run away from the house.

I hurriedly run to the entrance of the shabby district then I pour my manna into the bracelet.

The bracelet glow faintly then all I need to do is to wait for them to show up.

A moment later I saw the white carriage coming this way. And stop in front of me.

The coachman just nodded and told me to get inside.

"Where are your siblings?" Deborah asked me.

I notice that master pitou is not around.

“Where is master pitou?" I asked Britannia hastily.

“He has something to work on, why did you ask?" Brittania sneered at me.

“please help me, my sister were dragged to the slavery house," I asked the two of them pleading.

“You know what, you’re troublesome, if not for his majesty order; we will never bother helping you" brittania added as she looked at me annoyingly.

“please go to the slavery house" brittania ordered the coachman as she open the small window at her back connected to the coachman seat.

As the carriage run, I was worried to death for my siblings, what if they were auctioned already? What will I do?

We traveled from the slavery house for 30 minutes since it was located at the middle-class district so it took us a little time to reach there.

By the time we arrived there, master pitou was waiting in the alley where the slavery house is located.

Maybe either of these two relays a message to him.

“What happen?" Master pitou asked me.

" the guild who sent us thought that I was dead because they never heard a report from our leader after that day, so they dragged my sister and brother to the slavery house,", I told master pitou as my tears fall from my cheeks.

He just silently listens to me and when I’m done crying, we entered the slavery house and the person in charge appeared with a wicked smile and approached us.

“What will I offer, with you, sir, Madame? He looks at us especially to the two beauties that followed master pitou.

“I heard that two days ago there are two children dragged here?" Master pitou asked the guy.

“Oh! The newcomers?"" Here come in." He leads us inside the house and walked to the back where we enter the warehouse where the slaves were caged.

I look around hoping to see my siblings, but all I see are other races like elves, wolfman, lizard man and so forth.

The guy in charge led us to a different door and as we enter the human slaves are all there caged like animals.

They were in a pitiful state. Most of them are in a state of shock and malnutrition.

“Here they are Madame, please feel free to choose?" He added.

Master pitou looked at me telling me to find my siblings.

I walked near the cage and look inside were there about 40 people flocking together; the girls and boy were separated.

Then I saw my two siblings hugging each other on the left side of the huge cage, the tears were dried on their cheeks and they look so pathetic.

"Yuki,Yui? It's me your older sister." As they heard my voice they look at me and then run towards me crying endlessly.

I hugged them tightly and lead them outside the cage.

"ohh the two problematic children. Its 400 gold for each of them" the fat guy man in charge told me.

“What? How dare you, it is my siblings so I have the right to get them." I shouted back at him.

“Sorry Madame but all slaves who are already here are my owner’s possession so even if they were your relatives we cannot give it to you for free, besides it's not our fault that they were dragged here isn’t it?" He looks at me annoyingly and retorted.

“Where can I get that kind of money?" I exclaimed.

“here it is" master pitou give the man two full bags of gold coins to his hand.

The man happily accepted the money and my mouth left open as I saw what master did.

How rich are they for giving such kind of money? Even nobles will bargain for it because that kind of amount is hard to procure. And human slaves are not expensive compare to other races.

“Do you want to put a slave mark for that two sir?" The fat man asked.

“How dare you say that" I angrily barked at the fat guy.

He just looks at me angrily then waits for the answer of master pitou.

“No need to do that," master pitou said.

He is really a man with a few words.

Then master pitou look at us and said.

“Get up already and go to the carriage so we can go back before twilight." Master pitou then start walking ahead.

I carried Yuki and Yui and we start walking towards the carriage, the people inside the cage looked at us with contempt.

As we enter the carriage, master pitou sit beside the coachman so my siblings can sit inside.

Then we started going back to busuana. As the carriage run I thought of something, I will never forgive these people for what they did to us especially for my siblings.

We silently passed the middle-class district and we exited the gate of the kingdom. After we traveled far enough were people and houses could not be seen we immediately transported using transportation scroll master kurinai gave us.

The moment we teleported we appeared at the gate entrance of busuana , the giant death knight golems who guards it nod at master pitou then they open the gate for us.

We passed at the villa where all the villagers reside then stopped in front of a majestic castle, as my siblings saw all of these they were left in awe as they could not believe what they are seeing.

“Please get inside, we are already late and his majesty might be angry, Deborah exclaimed.

We hurriedly get out from the carriage and started to enter the main hall, Kurogane greeted us and then talk to master pitou secretly while some of the maids lead us to our room.