"What is your name, boy?"
The boy replied in a voice filled with pain and horror,
"Ezzor."
The knights nodded at each other, then said to him, "Ezzor, you are safe now. Those filthy demons have been slaughtered by us. You can return to the human kingdom and live freely there."
Hearing this, the boy flinched, but gave in and whispered, "Thank you and… sorry."
"What are you sorry for? You did nothing wrong. It was the fault of those filthy demons that you suffered like this."
Then the helmetless knight drew his sword and instantly cut off the chains that were hindering the movements of the boy.
And then slowly he removed the cuffs.
After those cuffs were removed all of the knights could see the black imprints left by the cuffs.
After that the knight poured more of that liquid onto the boy.
He was getting normal, which was a good thing but it was not enough.
The boy in front of them was so skinny…
They could tell the number of bones with just a look, they could tell the number of bones in his body with just a sight.
Then the helmetless knight came close to the boy and lifted him up, taking him to their kingdom on their horse.
[Ostervale Kingdom]
The knights rode back flying the flag of the Ostervale Kingdom.
They set the boy in their knight infirmaries and let him rest there.
After handing the boy over, all the knights gathered at the imperial estate — the Tharos Estate.
They went down a long highway and in the end there sat a man high above with a golden crown and golden ornaments.
All the knights came near him and knelt before the man, taking out their swords and placing them horizontally, with one hand on the hilt and another on the blade. The commander knight started to speak:
"Oh lord of Ostervale, we have subdued the demons who attended the banquet in the noble estate. None remain, as you commanded."
The emperor replied with a satisfied smile, "Good work."
The helmetless knight added, "And we have found a boy, twelve years old, who was held captive by the demons and brutally tortured. We rescued him, and he is currently recovering in the infirmary."
The emperor's gaze turned stern, his voice steady. "After he heals, admit him to our orphanage where he can grow up away from that violence. Announce this to the people. Let them know we have struck down the famous demon family. This is the start of the extinction of the demons."
The knights lowered their heads even further. ""All Hail the Lord.""
[Knight's Infirmary]
Ezzor sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the white bandages wrapped around his wrists. The black imprint from the chains was still there, refusing to fade, no matter how many times the healers applied the medicine. It just didn't go.
But after a few days it naturally faded away.
And after a full 10 days he was now perfectly healed by the members in the infirmary.
Then the knights came to the boy who was staring at the ceiling blankly, which made him sit in an upright position.
They couldn't see his face clearly before, but after seeing him now they could tell that he had a weird face, not a usual face that you would see in the empire.
He had pitch-black hair with a skinny physique and an average-looking face. After seeing his body once again from top to bottom, the knight started to speak:
"The emperor has decided that you can now live in their orphanage."
To that, Ezzor nodded. He barely talked to anyone in the infirmary.
After that he was shifted from the infirmary to the orphanage, where his new life was about to begin.
He was happy that they didn't leave him behind or give him much attention.
He also requested that his identity as the survivor of the demon household not be disclosed, and said he wanted to live in a peaceful environment.
He went outside the carriage as he was escorted to the orphanage.
The orphanage stood at the edge of the city, its walls so old they looked ready to collapse. As soon as he stepped inside, the fresh air he had known until now was replaced by the stench of sweat. Even from outside, the constant sound of footsteps could be heard.
The place wasn't very big, but it was crowded enough to hold nearly two hundred children.
It didn't feel like a home.
It felt more like a place for raising chickens for their meal.
He learned that every child raised in the empire's orphanage was destined to serve in the military.
Still, he was relieved there was no training at a young age. That only began at sixteen.
For now, he had at least had 4 years till the hell....