Rani took her seat across from Zeke and studied the menu. After a few moments, she looked up with a questioning gaze. "Can I order whatever I want?"
Zeke nodded.
"Can I order a lot of somethings?"
Again, Zeke nodded.
Rani went back to studying the menu before deciding on a three-course meal, not unlike what Zeke and Leo had eaten just earlier.
Zeke was baffled by this. Looking at her slim figure, he hadn't thought she was such a big eater. Furthermore, the waiter's reaction was strange as well. His eyes had nearly popped out when he and Leo had ordered a similar amount earlier. However, now he had merely nodded and left as if everything was as it should be.
"You have quite the appetite, Rani," Zeke said with a smile after the waiter left.
Rani tilted her head in confusion before realizing something a moment later. "You shouldn't judge me by human standards, young mast— I mean Pete."
Zeke glanced at her furry ears, which were visible again now that she had removed her headdress to eat. He wondered if it was considered rude to ask about it. Still, his curiosity was too strong. "Would you be willing to tell me more about your people?"
Rani smiled at his awkward expression before nodding her head. "Of course, Pete. What do you want to know?"
Zeke considered for a moment how to word his question. "I can see that you have some… erm… special features. But other than that, you appear mostly human. That's very different from the descriptions I have read."
If Rani was offended by the question, she didn't let it show. "There are many differences even within the Chimeroi. Some of us bear far closer resemblance to our ancestors, and some take more after humans. My blood has become diluted over generations, making me almost fully human. It is quite a common phenomenon, and we are sometimes called Hybridians."
Zeke was intrigued by her explanation. What surprised him most was the fact that she had such a detached way of speaking about her ancestry, almost like it didn't have anything to do with her. But he only asked, "How are the two different?"
Rani didn't waste a breath before explaining. "Pureblood Chimeroi are wild. They have very sharp senses and keen instincts on top of great strength. However, their intelligence and patience are often lacking, making them useless for more sophisticated labor."
She then pointed at herself. "My kind, the Hybridians, retains some of the advantages of our more feral cousins, but also have human intelligence."
"How strong are you?" Zeke asked.
Rani smiled and extended her hand. "I can show you."
After a moment's hesitation, Zeke grabbed her outstretched palm as if for a handshake. Initially confused, he noticed that Rani was slowly increasing the pressure while watching his expression for any signs of pain. Soon, she squeezed his hand so tightly that the veins could be seen before abruptly letting go.
"That was about half of my strength," she explained.
Zeke nodded with a relaxed expression. However, inwardly, he was shocked. The strength she had displayed was on par or even greater than his father's. Considering that his father was a giant of a man who had been hailed as the strongest in their village, this wasn't an easy feat.
[Notice] The person named Rani has displayed a grip strength of 13. Her physical stats would be considered at the peak of what can be achieved with training for a regular human.
This confirmed Zeke's guess, shocking him even more. If a delicate girl like her had such strength, how strong would a brawny man of her race be? Thinking further, how strong were those pureblood Chimeroi? Rani had said that she merely retained a fraction of their power.
Despite his shock, Zeke remained outwardly calm as he asked his next question. "That was quite impressive, Rani. And this makes me curious. How else are the Chimeroi different from humans?"
Rani shook her head. "Not all of us are the same. For example, my bloodline can be traced to a monster called the Fleetfoot rabbit. The Fleetfoot rabbit specializes in speed and agility with a keen sense of danger. Similarly, my body is inclined toward those very same traits, but this is not the same for all my kind."
Zeke nodded slowly. He had read that demi-humans adopted some traits from the monsters they stemmed from. However, it wasn't clearly proven how much of that was genetic and how much was a product of their upbringing. Though, from what Rani had said, it seemed like their lineage made a significant difference.
Leo, having finished his meal, was also listening intently to Rani's explanation. However, his thoughts were much different. He had that particular glint in his eyes. His next words proved Zeke's guess. "I can't wait to fight them."
Zeke smiled wryly. As expected of Leo, his mind only worked one way.
"Then are you headed for the capital?" Rani asked nonchalantly, surprising them both.
"To the capital?" Leo asked. "What for?"
Rani seemed confused. "Aren't you headed for the Rings of Samsara? I thought you were talking about taking part in the matches there. Was I wrong?"
Zeke and Leo exchanged a glance. "It's the first time we heard about that. Can you tell us about those matches?"
"The gladiatorial battles are one of the most prominent pastimes here. Every day, people from all over visit the capital to either watch or seek their fortune in the Rings of Samsara."
"Can anybody enter?" Zeke asked.
Rani nodded. "Yes, anybody can enter. However, it is not advised to participate in the fights without sufficient strength. It is a place where weak people don't last long, and even death is a common occurrence."
"And there are demi-humans… erm… I mean, Chimeroi competing?"
Rani nodded again. "Yes, they make up most of the competitors."
Zeke was confused. As far as he knew, they weren't native to Korrovan. "How come the competitors are mostly Chimeroi?"
"They are brought up for that purpose," Rani said. Again, her voice remained utterly flat when talking about this matter.
After a beat, Zeke said carefully, "Can you explain that in detail?"
Rani gathered her thoughts. "The arena matches generate a lot of money and prestige. Therefore, most influential families retain a cohort of Slaves to compete there. There are even families wholly focused on raising such Slaves to sell."
Leo's interest vanished when he heard that explanation. "So, I would be fighting slaves?"
Rani frowned. She seemed displeased by his dismissive attitude. "Does the young Master think slaves would pose no challenge?"
Leo shook his head. "I don't know about that, but I don't want to compete against somebody forced to fight. Where's the fun in that?"
"Fun?" Rani asked, tasting the word like she had never heard it before. "I don't think the matches are supposed to be fun, young Master. For the schools, they are about money. For the competitors, they are about glory. And for the slaves, they are about survival… and maybe a better future."
"A better future?" Zeke asked.
"Influential families sometimes buy the fighters from the upper Rings. They are used as guards or to lead their troops. From what I hear, it is a good life filled with luxury and leisure."
"Would they still be Slaves?" Zeke asked curiously.
Rani shrugged her shoulder as if it couldn't be helped. "It's not that bad."
Instead of replying, Zeke merely stared at her Slave collar. Rani, following his gaze, immediately shook her head. "This? I can live with that. It might as well be a fancy piece of jewelry for all I care."
"From what I've heard, it's way more than that," Zeke stated.
He knew the collars were more than decorations or a symbol of their status. Zeke even had a rudimentary understanding of their effects. He didn't quite know the details, but some of his sources claimed the collars could inflict pain, even for something such as disobedient thoughts.
Rani nodded, not denying his words. "The collars are enchanted. However, they are only a problem for rebellious slaves. For people like me, they are a token of protection."
"How so?" Zeke asked curiously.
Rani pointed at the symbol engraved on the front of her collar. "This is the crest of the Verma family, who owns this establishment. Here in Kanion, nobody would stir trouble with me after seeing this crest."
Zeke nodded, seeing the value in that. The protection of a powerful family was something many would wish for. "Still, aren't you treated worse because of your station?"
"Worse?" Rani said, her lips curving up. "Worse than who?"
"That…" Zeke said but stopped right after. That was a good question. What did he mean by that? No matter where he went, be it Magusburg, Tradespire, or here in Kanion, he had seen people begging in the streets, struggling to make ends meet. Even he himself had almost starved before Maximilian had adopted him.
He looked at the girl in front of him with new eyes.
Rani was dressed in fine clothing, had beautiful pins in her hair, and wore expensive jewelry. Unlike most people hawking their wares in the streets, she looked well-fed and rested. Ignoring her collar, she could pass for a young lady from a well-off household. Judging by appearances alone, Rani led a very privileged life.
Was his aversion to the practice of Slavery just because of his prejudice?
Coming from the Empire, he had a natural disdain for the institution. In the Empire, it was widely believed that slavery was a barbaric custom. However, now that he thought about it, it wasn't much different from what the prominent Mage families did to their members. Instead of a collar, they used the threat of punishment in combination with the memory-sealing Ritual to keep the people obedient and chained to their houses.
He heard a deep chuckle in his mind, followed by the Dragon's voice. "I don't think you are in any position to judge, fleshling. Weren't you looking for a way to keep your people obedient as well? Maybe you should pick up a couple of those collars."
"That's not the same," Zeke retorted hotly. He had indeed thought about ways to make sure he wouldn't be betrayed by his people in the future. Loyalty only went so far when Mind Magic was a factor, after all. Still, he ignored that for now and returned his attention to Rani, who was still waiting for him to answer.
"I get your point, Rani. But I find it hard to believe you truly don't wish for freedom."
Rani shrugged. "What good would that do? You might call it freedom, but would I not still have to work to earn a living? What would really change for me without the collar?"
"But what if your Master changed your position to something you didn't like? You could do nothing."
"That is true," Rani admitted, "but isn't that the same for most? Those that can choose their fates are rare indeed."
Zeke fell into deep thought. This was something he had noticed himself. In a way, poverty was its own collar. Those who had nothing would do almost anything for a few coins. The only difference was that they could improve their circumstances in the future, as he had done. However, most never managed.
"Thank you for your insights, Rani. You gave me a lot to think about."
Rani smiled warmly. "Don't mention it. It is me who should thank you for this delicious dinner."
Zeke nodded. It was time to ask about something else he was curious about. "Say, Rani, have you ever heard of the Gemkar family?"
Rani didn't even have to think about it before nodding immediately. "I know them. They trade in minerals and gems."
Zeke was pleasantly surprised. Akasha's information had indicated that their family had declined, but apparently, they were still in business. "Can you tell me where I can find them?"
Rani tilted her head and thought about it for a moment. "From what I know, their mines are located at the opposite end of the kingdom, in the northeast. However, they surely have a branch in the capital, as all merchant families do."
"The capital, huh?" A smile spread on his face. "Say, do you maybe know the best way to get there quickly?"