Chapter 17:Reality Check
At the sound of her name, Selene snapped out of her daze and responded,
"Ah... yes, nice to meet you," she said weakly, clearly weighed down by the situation. Who could blame her? Just moments ago, she had learned she was trapped here, with no way back and no hope. That's when Lio spoke again.
"Nice to meet you once more. I understand your shock and disbelief. My reaction was pretty much the same when I first found out. But I can assure you—it's not all bad here. You get used to it."
He smiled as he spoke, but that's when Peter noticed the subtle details he had missed earlier—nervous finger movements, a drop of sweat running down his brow, and an almost imperceptibly forced, anxious smile.
For a moment, Peter thought the guards were setting a trap, using the young man as bait. But he dismissed that thought quickly. There was no need for such tactics; if they wanted to, the guards could have easily overwhelmed them with numbers alone. No ambush was necessary.
Peter realized the true cause of the scout's unease—being thrown under the wagon by his own superior. Not only had Elric used the younger man for his convenience, but he had left him alone with two strangers who could very well attack him. And who knew if reinforcements would arrive in time?
Deciding to ease the tension, even at the cost of his stoic image, Peter sighed and said,
"I don't want to come off as someone who jumps to conclusions, but your commander seems like a bit of a jerk. He dumped his job on you and left you alone with two strangers. Not exactly what I'd call good leadership."
Lio was clearly surprised by the observation but nodded after a moment and replied,
"Well, you're not wrong. Elric's not the best leader—and this isn't the first time he's pulled something like this. He disregards orders and protocols. For example, the city's orders are that two guards should always be posted at the outpost, taking turns. He thinks one guy watching from the window is good enough."
"He often dumps his responsibilities on lower-ranked soldiers. The only thing he's consistent about is sending me to the city to deliver periodic reports claiming everything's running smoothly."
Peter had no desire to hear a full list of the commander's incompetence. Elric's actions would speak for themselves in time. What mattered was that Peter had achieved his goal—Lio's anxiety had melted away, and with it, any visible signs of stress. He also learned that Lio Ferrow was quite the talker.
With a faint smile, Peter said,
"Well, incompetence and laziness aren't exactly rare. All I can suggest is switching to a better unit—if one exists. But let's get back to the main point. I'm curious about local customs and landmarks, but mostly, I'm interested in that city you mentioned. How does it function? Who governs it? What's life like there?"
Lio considered the question for a moment before answering with a serious tone, sharply contrasting with his earlier demeanor.
"Well, the city is ruled by a self-proclaimed leader—someone with enough influence and power to overthrow the previous ruler. Aside from being paranoid, no one knows his real name, and he always wears a mask. There's not much else to say about him."
"Oh, and he mostly looks out for himself. He keeps the city alive because he needs it. Every previous ruler was terrible in their own way—this one is just another version of that."
"As for how the city operates, it's partly a testament to human ingenuity and adaptability… and partly an unbelievable string of coincidences. Over the years, the surrounding forests were cleared and stone was harvested to build homes and infrastructure."
"To the south of the city are farms that cultivate the only shrub bearing fruit edible to humans. In the northwest, there's a mine—originally for stone, now for valuable metals needed for just about everything. There are also hunting groups that go after smaller creatures in the region for meat, hide, and teeth—which are great for making arrowheads."
Lio paused, took a few breaths, and continued,
"Living in the city is basically the same as in the real world—except with more crime, no universal healthcare, and none of the comforts of modern technology. We have our own currency made from less valuable metals, and it's the only one accepted in the city. That's all I can really say on the subject."
As he finished his lengthy explanation, Lio's signature smile returned. Meanwhile, Peter mulled over what he had heard. There truly had been an extraordinary stroke of luck involved in the founding of the city. Otherwise, anyone attempting to build a settlement in an unknown part of Ether—without access to warriors beyond the Awakened rank—would have stood no chance.
That the city was ruled by a self-declared tyrant didn't surprise him. After all, who would expect democratic rule in a godforsaken corner of Ether? He was about to ask another question when Selene beat him to it.
"I have a question. If the city is located further south, why build this massive palisade here? The city must have its own defenses and guards, right? What's the point of constructing a wall protected by just a handful of people?"