Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 62: Aswad 9 of 15 “The sad ones from past” (Part 01)

Warning: CH this time is very long, I recommend to provide time and stamina first before reading.

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When the sun sinks completely at the end of the horizon, a black curtain decorated with a cluster of stars is held covering the reddish sky. Land winds blow towards the sea, passing through the sidelines of buildings in coastal cities to get to the bay and go to the high seas. The crowd did not fade from the city of Mylta, a silence that used to stop every night for the last few decades as if reluctant to stop by for a moment to the place.

On the main street of the business district, Odo Luke stepped foot while looking to the right and left. He put on a thin smile, hiding himself under the shadows created from crystal lamps and torches on some street corners.

Even though the night has come, the crowd in one of the economic centers of Mylta city is still not faded. Among the sparkling lanterns and crystal lights, some shops and shops are seen still opening the door to receive customers until nine pm.

Continuing to step foot, the young man arrived at the right part of the market bordering the entrance of the district. The place was filled with small stalls and there were several carts parked outside, all the places were closed because the market operation time was shorter than the shops that could be open until night.

Looking around and looking at the stalls and alleys along the way, Odo found many illegal immigrants hanging out. Carts, kiosk tables, narrow alleys, such places become their home when night comes. Slum and torn clothes, the appearance of urination and unpleasant aroma are very attached to the image of homeless people like them.

As Odo gazed towards the mostly Demi-human Dark Immigrants, they stared back with dislikeful eyes and felt a hint of hatred. The eyes of the Demi-humans seemed to glow in the darkness, like nocturnal animals hunting at night.

In the morning people like them look like ordinary manual laborers. But at night, the differences in social and economic status will be very clear as now. People who can enjoy the development and people who are just squeezed in the development. Odo did not throw a smile or pity on them, just observing and thinking of ways to reduce people to such a fate.

“If you look around again, there are many too. So far it has been 20 more .., most of them are Dark Immigrants from Ungea — The Demi-humans who were once slaves.”

Sighing once, the young man looked back to the front. Near the entrance of the district, there were several Dark Immigrants gathered around and were talking about something. Most of them were also Demi-humans, there were only a few pure humans among them. When he saw Totto standing at the center of the small crowd, Odo immediately knew that the employee was working on the task entrusted to him.

“You didn't lie to us, ‘kan? Sure anyone wants to buy this teak? Although made crafts like this, it is still an ordinary container. Nothing in particular, everyone can make it,” said one of the men in the crowd.

He was holding a container of teak leaves that Ordoxi Nigrum used earlier this afternoon, with people in the crowd watching him in wonder if such a waste item could be sold.

“Ya, indeed.” Otto pointed his finger forward, then while imitating the way Odo spoke he began to explain, “Most merchants here must have made their own containers for the food they sell. But my boss doesn't have time to take care of that, we're also short on manpower. Therefore, I want you to make this teak leaf container and we will buy it later. It's good to add your money, ‘kan?”

They started thinking about that. Although it is now a progressive period of the city and rough workers are needed to help in some aspects of the economy, but when the night comes most of the homeless will be unemployed. Their income in the morning is also not very satisfying, because it is only enough to eat because prices also begin to rise along with the increasing number of goods offered. In accordance with the law of the Offer Curve.

“Eng, alright.” One of them agreed quickly, he was one of the humans among the Demi-humans. While staring at Otto the dull brown hair man again said, “Now I will believe first. Whatever it is, I'm in need of money for my family.”

“Oi! You sure you believe this guy?”The vagrant next to him who was a cat-type Demi-human looked disapproving, the cat man frowned and his long tail stood upright. Pointing towards Otto, the cat man said, “He owes you too has not been paid, loh.”

Staring at the cat man, the man who agreed to reply, “You also owe me and have not paid, loh.”

The cat man's tail instantly went limp, looked away and in a soft voice admitted, “Iya, sih...”

“It's good if you really get a wage, know!” said the dull brown man.

“Indeed right, sih.”

Hearing their talk, Otto was hesitant and worried that the people disbanded without anyone joining his offer. Recalling Odo's suggestion to remain calm while offering something, Otto immediately took a deep breath and re-offered, “What are the others? Interested in joining this small business?”

They began to talk about the offer. Most of the people looked in disbelief and left, booing in a harsh tone and completely in disbelief. The peril of the vagrant considers it one of the other deceptions of the merchants who just want to take advantage of people like them, he said, illegal Immigrants who can't sue legally for fraud or make official work agreements. But of the more than 15 men gathered, there were still five people who did not move from the place and seemed to want to try the offer.

“So, yes. Just this soon.”

Otto was a little surprised that most of the people he knew did not believe his words like that. Gazing at the five remaining people, the garbil-type Demi-human again raised his index finger forward and said, “Then, then, can I ask you to help you right now to take the teak leaves and make them? No need for you to do it yourself, ask for help from your members, no problem. My boss even suggested that those who do it better are women, they are more painstaking. Kids don't matter either.”

The five men consisting of four Demi-humans and one human looked at each other, feeling a little astonished by such a suggestion. The only human among them looked at Otto, then curiously asked, “Well, we all have female family members. Why?”

“Bosku wants to give men another job,” Otto said.

They were astonished and looked at each other in confusion. But as they observed what Otto was wearing now looking very neat, the men were left to clearly understand what really happened to the demi-human type of garbil and his family.

“You are employed by a conglomerate, yes?” ask one of the men.

“Well, less is more. He's a good man, really. Although sometimes I don't know what he's talking about, hell.” Staring at them one by one, Otto put on a friendly smile and again explained, “If you want to be employed there, make a container of teak leaves that are at least 500 pieces and must be finished tomorrow morning. Before six!”

“Might not be finished tomorrow, it doesn't make sense.”

“Walah! The edges are squeezed, nih!”

“Iya! If less, later said he did not want to buy but the goods were taken! I've been used like that!”

Otto lowered his index finger and began to put on a light smile, then in a friendly voice again said, “Not per 500 people, but you all have to collect 500 pieces. Means that each person is only 100 containers, may ask for help to your family. Every 100 pieces, will be rated one bronze coin.”

They re-think the offer and do not get carried away with emotions. Staring at each other and counting the amount that is not too heavy to do with the family, the five men feel 100 pieces in one night is not impossible.

“Eng, I don't think it's too heavy,” said the cat man.

Unlike the other Demi-humans, the dull brown-haired man was more curious at the wage amount and asked, “That's what bronze coin? If to craft teak leaves like in my hand this means small bronze, ‘kan?”

“Nggak.” Otto shook his head, took a large bronze coin from his pants pocket and while showing it he said, “Take a large bronze coin. Means per 10 pieces of container, will be purchased for 1 Rupl. But of course there are standards. If it's not worth using, we won't buy it.”

Hearing that they briefly fell silent, thinking about it again carefully the offer with a payment that could be said to be quite good for them. Without delaying the answer for long, the five people decided to agree in mind. Their average wage in one week is only about 20 Rupls and at most 50 Rupls only. Although the city is crowded, their income can only reach 70 Rupls and that is not certain. The money can only be used to buy dry bread that is not worth eating.

Although they could not count, they all knew that the wages of one bronze coin for 100 teak leaf containers were sufficient. Without thinking about it for long, the five men agreed to Otto's offer. As their representative, the dull brown hair man gave an answer, “Alright! We're coming! Where can I find the leaves? You'll give us this example, ‘kan?”

“Sure, it's for example.” Otto breathed a sigh of relief hearing this. Putting on a smile with a slightly pale face, he told me, “You can look for it in the teak forest near the city, at the mouth of the forest only. Near the place where the merchants from outside parked their carriage. There were guards and lots of people, so I don't think there's any need to worry about monsters. You can also wash the leaves first in the canal near it.”

Odo who observed and heard their talk from afar just put on a knotty smile, turned his eyes and returned to his feet. While breathing a sigh of relief, the young man in black hair muttered, “Then tomorrow each meal menu will only go up one small bronze coin, yes. Leganya do not need to increase the base price to 50% more.”

Odo did not approach Otto or greet him, nor did the Demi-human realize the young man with black hair was nearby. Immediately quickening his footsteps, Odo Luke left the business district and continued on his way to the town hall. While looking to the right and left of the road, the young man had stopped at a crossroads and briefly looked towards the Main Church located on a hill that was not too high.

“Baptism, yes? Such a thing was even copied by him into this world, whereas himself an Atheist Scientist,” muttered the young man as he looked forward and stepped back.

When he reached the town hall, the crowd of people in the place gave him a glance. It was completely different from last night, it was more crowded and many people from out of town were still passing by. Even some people in Hanfu clothes were still seen walking around the shower pool, enjoying the night breeze in the coastal city center.

For the time being, Odo's steps came back to a standstill and his gaze was centered on someone within the small entourage of people from the empire. They stood near the city fountain, with the center of a large tall man who wore a four-layer Hanfu domineering crimson colored scarlet with a long cloth until it was dragged down the street. Some precious metal trinkets like necklaces and bracelets are attached to it, pounding precious stones like Jade and and Ruby.

The man's long black hair was tied back, carrying a scarlet-red fan and guarded by three martial artists wearing Changshan suits as his bodyguards. Not a single person dared to approach or greet, even for the fellow imperial people who were in the city hall.

But it was not the man who really caught Odo's attention, but the two girls behind them who were chained to his neck. In one look Odo immediately knew that the two girls were slaves***, devoted to satisfying the worldly desires of their owners. Although very beautifully dressed with traditional Hanfu clothes with dominant red blood fringed and beautiful jewelry trinkets on their bodies, the chains on the necks of the two girls made everyone who saw immediately keep their distance.

For the kingdom of Felixia, which forbade slavery since King Gaiel ascended the throne, such a sight was rarely seen and indeed a merchant should not be allowed to bring slaves when coming to Felixia. Odo slightly looked away, then in a soft voice muttered, “The ban on slavery should also apply to traders from abroad. Although there were merchants who were desperate to bring slaves for labor to be more efficient, but I don't think anyone dared to be so blatant. Ah—!”

The conclusion quickly Odo got, looked back at them and momentarily took a deep breath. Foreign traders must comply with the regulations made by the government of Felixia, but this may not apply to nobles or high officials from other countries. In other words, the man who was walking around in the middle of the city and showing off his best slave was not a merchant.

“A noble?” Odo again stepped foot, stopped staring at those around the fountain and muttered again, “I guess no, the empire is busy with civil war right now. From his clothes, he's a militant? The officer? From which side? From the revolutionary camp or the Emperor?”

In the middle of the murmur, from the direction of one of the government offices someone called, “Master Odo!” The jolt made the black-haired youth turn his head, staring flat at the red-haired female who was shouting her name in the center of the city. At first glance Odo glanced at the entourage from the empire, watching their reactions as the name Odo of the Luke family was shouted by a Mayor Substitute.

The man in four layers of Hanfu clothes could be seen whispering something to his guards, then the martial arts experts looked to the right and left as if looking for the person being shouted. Odo immediately looked towards Lisia, put his finger in front of his mouth and looked at the red-haired female with a sharp look.

Before the people of the empire realized the existence of Odo standing among the passers-by, he quickly mingled in the flow of the crowd and still gestured for Lisia to be silent. Approaching the red-haired lady carefully, he immediately took her into the crowd and took out a cloak from the storage dimension on his glove to cover Lisia's head. So that the color of his hair is not realized they.

While walking following the young man with black hair who was holding him in the crowd, Lisia softly asked, “What is it, Mr Odo? Why settle like this?”

“You want to talk to me, ‘right? We change places first, I'll explain why later. Now we go first from this town hall,” replied Odo while remaining alert and walking carefully in the crowd.

But before coming out of the town hall, an unexpected person patted Odo's shoulder from the side and stopped him along with Lisia. Looking at the young man with blond hair, immediately look at Odo's face turned upset. The statue that had just finished its affairs happened to pass along with Aprilo, then next to them was also the personal servant of the Executive of the Trade Union and two colleagues.

“Why are you guys sneaking around like that? It's all out shoplifting, huh?” joked Arca as she wrapped her right hand around Odo's neck. In a confident tone and looking so satisfied, the Eldest Son of the Rein Family whispered, “Listen to this good news, Odo. Everything went well, you know. More than half of the fishermen accepted our offer. Traders who want to cooperate with us already exist. It's only a matter of time we will successfully master the port and get rid of the influence of outside traders.”

“Hmm, good work. I'm really happy to hear it.” While trying to step back and break away from Arca, the young man with black hair suggested, “Don't forget that later the government could interfere. Do not overdo it, build relationships carefully. People from that empire could also have betrayed, they follow the plan because now you are superior.”