“Hey. Wake up. They’re telling us to get out.”
“Mmh...?”
The girl awoke to an older beastfolk boy shaking her. The golem-drawn wagon had stopped, and while it was still gloomy outside, the faintest glow of predawn light seeped in. It seemed she would greet the morning in a new, unknown place.
At the boy’s insistence, the girl hurried out of the wagon. She had barely caught a glimpse of her surroundings before her eyes widened in shock.
“What is this place...?”
Trees, plants, and other greenery stretched out as far as she could see, all species she had never encountered before. Birds she didn’t recognize flitted between branches, while small animals peered out from the leaves. Everywhere she looked, multicolored flowers bloomed with such beauty that it was clear each one had been tended to by hand. The girl found it hard to believe that, not long before, there had been barren sand underfoot.
If anything, the place around her resembled the “heaven” she’d heard about in stories. Had she met her end and passed into the afterlife? It seemed like an awfully peaceful existence, if so.
“Come on. Don’t space out.” The boy nudged her. “Let’s go.”
“Huh? O-Okay...”
With sleep still cloaking her thoughts, the girl followed him to where a large group of people had gathered. Judging by their fresh clothes—identical to her own—they had to be the other slaves from the caravan. There were so many of them that she couldn’t see the end of the crowd, much less estimate their number.
As the pair moved to join the throng of slaves, the girl spotted the bearded man who had put her on the wagon the day before. He stood slightly apart from them, speaking with an unfamiliar woman dressed in black.
“Here is the cargo manifest, along with a letter addressed to ‘Melissa, the head manager,’ entrusted to us by the client,” he said, his tone surprisingly courteous for a man with his rough appearance and unkempt facial hair. “If there are any issues with the delivery, just let us know. Otherwise, please sign here as proof of receipt.”
“Very well. Thank you.”
The woman was a sight to behold. Though there were others dressed in black, the way her companions behaved made it clear she was in charge. She signed and returned whatever document the bearded man had given her, and he responded with a satisfied smile and a bow more genteel than the girl would ever have expected.
“Thank you for using Hans & Co.,” he said. “That concludes our contract. Unless you’d care to commission us again?”
“Not at the moment, no.”
“In that case, we shall depart shortly. Should you need a shipping company in the future, we humbly ask that you consider us. Hans & Co.—your trust and the safety of your cargo are our top priorities!”
“I’ll relay that to the proprietor.”
“You honor us, madam! I should mention that we’re currently running our ‘Bandits-B-Gone’ campaign. Your caravan’s safety—guaranteed. Request us now, and you’ll receive our guard escort and bandit corpse disposal services for the low, low price of—”
“Your message is received,” the woman interrupted coolly. “Thank you.”
For a moment, the bearded man’s face tightened into a frown. Then he noticed the girl watching him, and a grin spread across his features instead. He gave her a thumbs-up before turning on his heel and returning to his men by the wagons. In no time, they were on the move.
The woman in black opened the letter she’d received, read through it, and let out a short sigh. “I see. That explains all this, I suppose. It isn’t too far from what I imagined, but to care for them permanently...”
She shook her head, then turned to the confused slaves and took a deep breath.
“Welcome, everyone. I am Melissa, the head manager of the City Forgotten by Time, and I have just been entrusted with your care. My staff and I will take you inside shortly. You must be tired from your journey, but I ask for your patience while we prepare.”
The woman gave a polite bow, which unsettled the slaves watching her. They weren’t used to being shown respect by their superiors—and the city’s head manager was obviously someone important.
“Zaza, Leah.” The woman in black beckoned to two others standing behind her. “See that everyone is sufficiently hydrated, and ensure they receive standard health checkups while you’re at it. Several of them appear weakened from the journey. Those who feel particularly unwell should be escorted to the infirmary.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
A large group of people in black suits materialized, carrying silver trays laden with small glasses, which they began distributing to the slaves. The girl received one as well and curiously examined the faintly reddish liquid inside. She brought the cup to her lips and found the drink invigoratingly sweet. By the time she finished it, her fatigue had completely faded away.
“Leah,” the woman in charge said. “How are they faring?”
“Fortunately, none of them are sick. Their clothes also appear new and clean. However, to comply with our facility’s standards for communicable diseases, I recommend putting them through a quick sanitization process, at the very least.”
“Do you have something in mind?”
“May I escort them to the medical pools for senior-level patrons? Given their number, it would be the most efficient way to get everyone cleaned at once.”
“You may. Take our health and medical staff, of course, but also our body-care and cosmetics specialists. They can ensure our new arrivals are properly groomed after their bath.”
“Yes, ma’am. What should we do about their attire? We’ll need quite a large supply to clothe them all.”
“The cargo manifest includes additional clothing for them. If that isn’t enough, make up the difference from our own supply. And place an order for spares, just in case.”
“Of course, ma’am. I’ll see to it at once.”
“As for you, Zaza—how is the housing plan I requested coming along?”
Leah stepped back, allowing Zaza to take her place.