Novel Full Chapter 481:The Margrave Estate
Chapter 481:The Margrave Estate
The Margrave Estate was nearly twenty thousand miles away from Blanks.
The distance was enormous.
Even with awakened war horses capable of incredible speed, the journey still required patience and endurance.
Along the way they rested when necessary, sometimes stopping near rivers or forest clearings to regain strength. At times they slowed down to enjoy the scenery, watching distant mountains glowing under the sunset or long plains stretching beneath the evening sky.
Occasionally monsters appeared along the road.
Some were roaming beasts that had wandered too close to trade routes. Others were aggressive creatures hiding within forests.
For Ethan those encounters became opportunities for training.
Several times he dismounted and fought them personally, using the battles to test the control of his newly gained Mythic power. The fights were short but intense, and the monsters rarely lasted more than a few moments before collapsing.
Two weeks passed like this.
Finally, Ethan slowed his horse slightly as the road climbed toward a ridge overlooking a wide valley.
From the top of the ridge a massive city appeared in the distance.
Tall walls stretched around the entire capital like a gigantic stone fortress protecting the valley within. Countless towers rose above the walls while banners of the Duchy fluttered in the wind.
Even from far away the city looked enormous.
Rathlos guided his horse forward until he rode beside Ethan.
“That is Margrave City,” Rathlos said calmly while adjusting his glasses.
“The largest trade hub in this region.”
Ethan narrowed his eyes while observing the distant walls.
“So that is the place.”
Even from this distance he could feel something unusual.
Powerful mana fluctuations drifted faintly from the direction of the city. Several strong auras moved within the walls like hidden storms beneath calm skies.
This place clearly gathered many powerful individuals.
“That auction must be attracting quite a crowd,” Ethan murmured.
Rathlos nodded slowly.
“The Merchant Association rarely organizes auctions of this scale.”
“When they do, many powerful nobles and organizations arrive.”
“Some even come from neighboring duchies.”
Ethan smiled faintly.
“Good.”
“That means the auction will be interesting.”
They continued riding toward the city.
As they approached closer, the road gradually became crowded.
Merchant caravans lined the road in long rows. Some carried exotic goods while others transported rare beasts inside reinforced cages. Guards walked beside the wagons with weapons ready while traders loudly argued about prices and delivery schedules.
The capital clearly lived on commerce.Eventually the enormous city gates came into view.
The gates themselves were nearly twenty meters tall and made from reinforced black steel. Rows of armored guards stood outside while inspecting the arriving caravans carefully.
Large banners of the Duchy hung above the gate.Ethan slowed his horse and rode toward the entrance calmly.
Several guards immediately looked toward him.
The moment they saw the noble insignia on his cloak, their expressions became serious.
They quickly moved aside.
Ethan noticed their quick reaction and felt satisfied. Thankfully there was no unnecessary conflict or arrogant confrontation.
One of the officers stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
“My lord.”
“Welcome to Margrave City.”
Ethan nodded slightly.
“Open the path.”
The heavy gates parted slightly while the guards allowed Ethan and Rathlos to enter without delay.
Inside the city the scenery became even more impressive.
Wide stone roads stretched across the capital in perfect grids. Huge buildings rose along both sides while banners of merchant houses fluttered from balconies and towers.
People from countless regions filled the streets.
Some wore noble clothing while others dressed like warriors, merchants, or wandering adventurers.
The city felt alive.
Margrave City was one of the oldest and most prosperous cities in Arcadia. Nearly fifty million people lived within its massive walls.
The city alone was almost as large as the entire Blanks Barony.
As Ethan guided his horse through the streets, he observed the bustling markets around him. Various stalls displayed rare items, artifacts, potions, enchanted weapons, and magical tools.
Merchants loudly advertised their goods while customers bargained fiercely.
However, among the many goods being sold, there was something else that caught Ethan’s attention.
Slaves.
His eyes widened slightly when he saw them.
Some were beastfolk. Some were captured warriors. Some were servants trained for labor or specialized work.
Among them Ethan even saw exotic races such as fox spirits and succubi.
“Where did they get a succubus?” Ethan asked quietly.
“Who knows?” Rathlos replied while glancing briefly at them.
Several of the slaves were displayed with minimal clothing while buyers examined them like merchandise.
Ethan’s expression slowly darkened.
Rathlos noticed Ethan staring and suddenly felt an ominous gaze directed at him.
“What?” Rathlos said awkwardly.
“Do you want to take one?”
“….”
Rathlos coughed quickly.
“I didn’t mean that.”
“I was just saying their bodies look impressive, but their faces…”
Ethan followed his gaze.
The women standing there had beautiful bodies, but their expressions looked empty.
Some looked frightened while ome looked desperate.
Others simply stared ahead with lifeless eyes.
The same thing could be seen among the male slaves displayed nearby.
Different sections of the market handled different types of slaves.
Warrior slaves.
Worker slaves.
Household servants.
Many categories existed.
Rathlos looked toward Ethan again.
“Do you want to act?” he asked quietly.
Ethan looked at the scene for a long moment before sighing.
“Look… it’s not that I hate the slave business itself.”
“I hate the forced slave business.”
He paused briefly.
“People might think it’s about modern morals or principles.”
“It’s not.”
His voice became slightly colder.
“It’s personal.”
He remembered the past.
Back when he had worked in the modeling industry before coming here, he had seen how people with power treated others.
He had seen talented people forced to flatter powerful figures just to survive.Even he had once faced situations where he had to swallow humiliation in order to keep moving forward.
Thankfully his family had influence and resources that protected him.
But the experience had still left a mark on him.
From that day onward he despised such things.
“If someone willingly sells themselves for survival, that is their choice,” Ethan continued.
“But most of these people were forced.”
“They might have been living normal lives until some damned adventurers raided their lands and dragged them here.”
He looked around the slave market again.
Then he shook his head slowly.
“Even if I want to change things, I can’t act right now.”
“We are still too weak.”
A faint hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
“But one day…”
“This will change.”