All the slaves lower their heads before the overseer's presence, except.. Noah. Being a common slave, he knows not about formalities. Angered by the boy's showcase of supposed rebellion, the overseer walked over to him and asked him.
"Why didn't you bow your head, boy."
All the other slaves tilt their head towards Noah, some were terrified, others being indifferent. The overseer approached Noah, his hand resting on the whip beside him as his face twitched with anger.
"Why should I?"
Noah replied calmly, seemingly oblivious for what's to come.
"Why? Because I told you to, don't your pathetic parents teach you manners?"
The overseer takes out his whip, using the back of the handle and press it against Noah cheek, trying to press him to the ground, the act was humiliating and dehumanizing.
"Listen here slave boy, if you don't bow your head now, we are going to have a problem. Big, big, problem. Understand?"
The man pokes Noah's cheek using the back of the whip repeatedly as he laid down the words.
"I won't."
Noah replied, openly dismissing the overseer's threat to punish him. The overseer, thrown back by Noah's rebellious respond grab him by the collar, making him standing up among other slaves.
"You little brat! Who do you think you are!"
The overseer threw Noah to the ground, the sounds of a body hitting the ground and metal chains clanking was sickening.
"Outside of here, you are nothing. Inside here, you are a servant. You are as replacable as any other objects. And I will make sure you understand that."
The overseer whipped his whip to the ground, the sounds of leather rope hitting the flat ground makes the other slaves jumps in terror, they know how much that single rope could hurt. And no one can do anything about it. The overseer take a step closer to Noah, the hand that holds the whip was already in the air, ready to strike him to teach him a lesson. One.. he will never forget..
Just as the whip was about to strike him, a cold voice called out from a distance.
"That's enough mister overseer. Going further than this will damage my property. I'm sure you don't have any intention to do so."
Suddenly, a man appeared, guarded by two men in an iron chainmail. The man seems to be a young-middle-aged man, though appearance can be deceiving. His emerald eyes shines in the daylight, and his blond hair flutters like a golden thread. By the way he was dressed, anyone can tell he was a nobility from a mile away.
"S-sir.. No, of course not. I would never in good conscience damage your property."
The overseer replied, trying to convince the man that is approaching them.
"I would believe you, but the whip on your hand.. indicate a different story. Wouldn't you say so, mister overseer?"
The man stopped in front of the overseer, looking at the new slaves arrival. He is observing all of them, memorizing each faces, until his gaze lands on Noah.
"Oh, what's this?"
He walks closer to Noah, as he looks down on him with a piercing gaze.
"It's not everyday a slave's child was transported to the main hub. What's his story?"
The noble man asked with curiosity, such a young slave shouldn't be sent to Nexaria.
"This child is an orphan, his parents was sent away to the other district. I hope you're not planning to take this one in mister Ezren, he is a commoner that doesn't know basic etiquette."
Ezren eyes widened at the overseer's word. He hadn't expected this slave boy with little to no knowledge of manners to be transported to a wealthy kingdom let alone Nexaria.
"How.. interesting. Is he for sale?"
Ezren asked bluntly. The overseer were taken aback by his words.
"Not yet sir, he hasn't been evaluated yet, and he is to be put in the auction for sale."
The overseer replied, trying to convince him not to buy such a common slave when he can get a better slave than this boy who could barely lift a sack of potatoes. What kind of man would even bought a slave if they can't serve their purpose?
"We'll skip that, I'm taking this boy with me back to the noble housing. He'll be a servant for the House of Floren. It's an honor to be granted such opportunity."
Ezren said calmly, dismissing the overseer's plea to choose other slave. The overseer clear his throat.
"With all due respect sir, this boy hasn't-"
Slash!
Out of annoyance, Ezren draws his sword in an instant, slashing him on the throat, silencing him forever. Blood sprays out from his throat and mouth, he clutches to his throat, but he is not dead yet. He is dying. A cruel fate before an inevitable outcome. Slowly, he falls to his knees, the overseer's vision is getting blurry by the second.
"You are testing my patience, mister overseer."
Thud!
The overseer collapse to the ground, lifeless. As blood start pooling on the ground. Everyone present was shocked by Ezren performance, be it the slaves, his guards, and even the rider. This man isn't dangerous, he is the definition of psycho on on a pair of legs. A walking death sentence.
Noah just watch as he lay low on the ground, swallowing hard before Ezren's presences. He looked at Ezren's blood-tainted face. It's both terrifying and horrifying.
[—To be Continued—]