Chapter 30: The Magic of Oblivion and the Struggle for Survival
After the lights were relit, Tola stood in the center of the hall, gazing at those present with a sharp, condescending look, as if they were mere insects beneath his grandeur. At that moment, a diabolical idea struck him to end the situation without further bloodshed that might hinder his escape. Tola clapped his hands loudly, and everyone turned to him in astonishment, wondering what this mysterious man would do.
Tola pulled an old gold watch from his pocket and began swinging it back and forth before their eyes. With every motion, the speed of the watch increased, and his crimson eyes gleamed with terrifying focus until everyone began to fall into a state of total daze and trance. Tola started muttering incomprehensible words, planting a single command in their minds: "No one else was here but you... Silas and his companions were never invited... the auction proceeded only among the nobles." Tola left them in that absent-minded state and slipped away gracefully. However, in his overconfidence, he overlooked a dangerous detail; he failed to notice one guard who was out of sight and had not fallen under his spell.
Meanwhile, Edward and Silas were fighting a bitter battle against death. The river current was violent, tearing away their breath, and the water was as cold as ice, nearly freezing the blood in their veins. They struggled with all their might until they reached the bank where the gold squad and the liberated slaves had gathered.
One of the slaves saw shadows struggling in the water and screamed in terror: "Look! Someone is chasing us!" Silas's soldiers turned with pale faces, but soon one of them shouted eagerly: "It's the Master! It's Silas!" In the blink of an eye, several men jumped into the water with ropes, rushing to rescue Edward and Silas, who were on the verge of freezing to death.
After pulling them out, the soldiers rushed to strip off their own coats and cover them for warmth. The liberated slaves stood in amazement, wondering about the identity of these people. The soldiers answered proudly: "This is our master, and he is the one who risked his life to save you." Everyone bowed with genuine thanks and gratitude to Edward. Amidst this emotion, Edward stood shivering, looked at the crowd, and asked in a low voice: "And now... what do you intend to do with your freedom?"
An abrupt and absolute silence fell. Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment; the question was far greater than their expectations at that moment