Simultaneously with her command, the room's door swung open, and a group of women entered. None of them were arion species; they were all humans. Their faces, hair, and skin color were diverse, reflecting their origins from different kingdoms.
Leading the group was Gupita, who positioned herself behind Anna. The other women followed, heads bowed. Despite their clean attire and radiant faces, the scars on their bodies were evident.
Among them, some no longer had hands. Others bore significant facial scars. There were even those who had lost an eye or an ear.
Each aspect of them told a story. A story of cruelty inflicted upon them. Without a word spoken, Artur realized the atrocities they had suffered.
Atrocities fueled by human greed.
"Artur! I always dreamed of becoming a mage. So, when Tristan came to me with news of a lost Red Bear cub in the Bog Forest, I immediately went there to hunt it down. I knew that obtaining a Red Bear cub would increase my savings, bringing me closer to my dream of buying Mana Potions.
"Unfortunately, what I encountered there was not a Red Bear cub, but vile creatures masked as humans. They were slave traders affiliated with the Guild. They captured all of us and smuggled us through the Bog Forest to be sold in other Kingdoms.
"Due to a landslide that blocked the traders' usual route, they were forced to take an alternative path. They ventured deeper into the Bog Forest to circumvent the landslide area.
"Perhaps it was luck or perhaps fate that brought us together. Moku, who was defying his father's orders not to surface, stumbled upon our group of slave traders. He fought them alone, battling traders guarded by mages.
"His fight led to the liberation of all the slaves. However, the treacherous Bog Forest claimed many lives. Tristan and Roko were killed by surviving traders.
"I, Lina, and Vivi also faced death at the hands of a goblin horde that attacked us. Yet, fate intervened once more, bringing me and Moku together. He saved us and brought us to the Wilwatikta Kingdom, the arion species realm.
"I don't know what exactly happened then. But every day, Moku went to the surface and returned with new rescued slaves.
"In short, we fell in love and got married. Despite his father, the king of Wilwatikta Kingdom and an arion species, forbidding it, Moku didn't care.
"Artur, the women before you, including me, were former slaves. Proof of humanity's cruelty to fellow humans. I cannot leave them here like this, and I don't have any more face to ask Moku for more help than this."
Anna finished her words and looked back at the group of women.
Among them were faces Artur recognized. They were his neighbors from Heles City. Lina and Vivi were two well-known girls from their hometown.
They all smiled and lowered their heads towards Anna. Gratitude and reverence were evident on their faces.
Perhaps this was why Gupita didn't care when Robert introduced his father's name. For Gupita and the other girls, the true heroes were Anna and Moku.
"M-Madam Anna, if you can't ask the arion for help in sending all of you back to the Human Alliance territory, maybe I can assist in doing so. I'm sure your husband wouldn't mind either," said Robert.
Artur could clearly see the guilt on Robert's face. He wanted to do something for these former slaves to at least alleviate the pain they had endured. Though he wasn't the one who inflicted that pain upon them, as the son of a hero, Robert couldn't simply shirk that responsibility.
Anna turned around and looked at Robert, "Thank you, Sir Robert, for your kind intention. However, at least before you say that, did you ask them if they want to return to live with humans or not?" Anna said.
"Ah? What do you mean, Madam Anna?" Robert asked, puzzled.
"I mean, what do you think makes them... us want to come back to live with humans? Most of us no longer have families in the Human Alliance territory," Anna said, glancing towards Artur.
"Even if we still have families there, our families here need us more. Besides, in this place, we are no longer just commoner girls who can be toyed with by noble."
Anna stood tall in front of the group of women behind her.
"In this place, we are mages!"
As she spoke, the entire room seemed to hum. The air around the women trembled intensely. Artur, Robert, and Rini widened their eyes, feeling the surge of mana in front of them.
A group of women, totaling twenty individuals. All of them were mages, with the weakest among them being a Level 2 Constellation Mage. This meant each of them could hold their ground in a fight against military academy cadets.
Artur wasn't sure about the strength of Wilwatikta Kingdom, but for them to turn 20 commoners into Level 2 Constellation Mages with mana auras this strong was not something to be underestimated. This meant that at the very least, the resources possessed by Wilwatikta Kingdom were not inferior to the entirety of the resources held by the Human Alliance.
Becoming a mage was not an easy task. Even Artur, with his Heaven-Grade Mana Flow, required five mana potions to establish his foundation.
Could all these women in front of him possibly possess a Heaven-Grade Mana Flow? That would mean the amount of Mana Potions they consumed was several times more than what Artur had consumed to make them into mages with a mana aura this potent.
"Robert, Wilwatikta Kingdom and the arion species are not the same as the Human Alliance and the human species. Here, no one cares about your lineage, who your father is, or how wealthy you are. Here, only strength matters, and it's those who pursue strength.
"Even if you're the son of the arion species' king, you'll still be regarded the same as an ordinary farmer's child. Without strength, all wealth, status, and lineage are meaningless. That's why those of us who have felt the weight of sin from weakness are the ones who truly understand the meaning of seeking power.
"Wilwatikta Kingdom and the arion species are our true home."
Robert swallowed hard. His face looked very serious. Artur felt the same; he was intimidated by Anna's words. The strength of Wilwatikta Kingdom and the arion species had risen several levels in his mind at this moment.
But before anyone could say anything, suddenly the room's door swung open loudly. Everyone turned to the door and saw two small, dark-green-skinned children.
A boy with black hair stood there with his hands on his hips. His chest puffed out, and he had a proud expression. Yet, his cute face made his behavior seem funny.
Behind him was another boy with silver hair. He looked shy, peeking from behind the back of the black-haired boy. He was just as adorable, with blue eyes as deep as the sea.
"Mother, I'm awake!" shouted the black-haired boy as he ran towards Anna.
"hmm... Mother, sorry for disturbing you, but Adja forced me to come here," said the silver-haired boy, walking slowly toward Anna while glancing at the people in the room.
"Ah, my babies are awake," Anna knelt and opened her arms wide, welcoming the two boys into her warm embrace. There was no longer the dignity of a queen about her; instead, a warm mother's smile radiated from her face.
"Ah... Madam Anna, I apologize. Prince Adja and Prince Aru suddenly escaped my supervision," said an arion woman who also appeared at the open door.
"Hahaha... it's alright, Ui. You can go back to work; I'll take care of both of them," Anna said, cradling the two boys in her lap.
"Very well, Madam," Ui bowed her head before leaving.
Anna settled back into her chair, this time with the two adorable dark-green-skinned boys on her lap. Rini's eyes sparkled as she watched the two boys, who were currently busy grabbing the cakes and tea from the table.
"Artur, these are my two sons. The one with black hair is Adja, and the one with silver hair is Aru," Anna introduced the boys.
Adja promptly climbed down from his mother's lap and devoured all the cakes and tea on the table. He handed some of his loot to Aru, who accepted it shyly, his face clearly showing he couldn't resist his brother's insistence.
"These two are my heartbeats," Anna said, leaning down to kiss both her sons' heads.
"Adja, Aru, introduce yourselves to your uncle. His name is Artur Valya, and he's a man with silver hair just like Mom's and Aru's," Anna pointed in Artur's direction.
Adja appraised Artur from head to toe with an assessing gaze. Meanwhile, Aru peeked shyly at Artur and gave a nod in greeting.
"Mother, why does he look so weak!" Adja asked, pointing his finger at Artur.
"A-A-Adja, maybe he's not weak. Dad said humans may look weak on the outside, but they can shoot fire from their hands..." Aru explained hesitantly.
"Huh? Why would they shoot fire? Don't they know how to punch?" Adja tilted his head cutely.
Hearing this unfamiliar nephew's words, Artur almost felt like showcasing his Sonic Boom to prove that he wasn't weak.
"Fufufufu... Ah... Please forgive me. Artur, now do you understand why I didn't come home?"
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