The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 43 - Outdoor

Chapter 43: 43 - Outdoor

"Good evening!"

Rai energetically greeted as I approached him.

"Good eve."

I simply replied, greeting him back.

And without further ado—

"I’ll be quick because I need to get back to my room soon. We slave servants have curfews, after all."

Rai said that in a hurry.

"Okay, sorry for the trouble."

I nodded as a response.

Rai just smiled at me.

"Here."

Fwish—

He handed me a paper bag.

And I took it...

I could smell a familiar scent coming from it—a scent that made my stomach growl even more.

"That’s two roasted chicken breasts. I bought enough raw of them for a few days and hid them in the kitchen storage secretly so they wouldn’t go bad."

Rai mumbled.

And before I could even respond—

"You’re good to go to the copper place’s training ground too for a month. Just tell a guard your name and he’ll accompany you there."

He added that right after.

And almost immediately too—

"Lastly, take these."

Fwish—

Rai handed me something through the gaps of the metal bars.

It was a pair of leather vambraces.

"..."

Fwip—

I silently took them from his hands.

"Also these."

Fwish—

Then he passed me a pair of boots.

"Ah...! Wait..."

I held the vambraces between my torso and right arm so I could grab the boots properly.

And when they were in my hand—

"Those four are second hands, I got them cheap because the previous owner died. They’re all still in pretty good condition so I took them, I hope you’re fine with that."

Rai explained that meekly, glancing down slightly.

Though...

"..."

I just ignored him for now.

I looked closely at the leather vambraces and boots. They seemed like they’d only been worn once or twice.

They’re basically new...

’I can’t believe he got these with my remaining four battle points.’

I thought to myself, amazed by Rai.

"..."

I turned my attention back to him.

He was looking at me, waiting for my response. He didn’t seem to know how awesome he did.

And so, opening my mouth—

"These are amazing. Thank you, really."

I said that sincerely to him.

"...!"

Rai’s eyes widened and lit up after hearing my words.

"Haha... It’s nothing."

He laughed bashfully in response.

Then, with a bright smile on his face—

"Well then, I’ll be going now. I really need to get back before they close the gate to our cell place."

Rai said that.

"Oh, okay. See you later."

I replied.

"See you!"

He waved at me happily. And without delay...

Tap— tap— tap—

Rai started running off to get back to where he stays.

"..."

I silently watched him go.

And after that...

"Time to eat, then train again."

I returned to my room.

’So slave servants stays in cells like this too, huh. Figured.’

I thought to myself.

...

...

*****

The next day...

I didn’t train when I woke up.

I immediately went outside my room to eat breakfast with the Brock and the others.

And after that... I separated from them. I have no time to spare gossiping with them today.

I told Brock, Khan, and Jin my plans for the day, and after hearing them... They wished me good luck.

I thanked them before I left.

And now, currently...

Tap— tap— tap—

I’m on my way to the copper place’s training ground!

I’m planning to spend the whole day there.

Tap- tap- tap—

"..."

A guard is accompanying me. He doesn’t like talking, and I appreciate that.

And me—

"..."

I was silently walking, following him from behind with a straight face.

But to be honest... I was feeling a bit excited to train.

I don’t know why.

Thump- thump- thump—

My heart was beating slightly louder.

I just feel my body itching to move for some reason...

’It’s probably because exercising had become my main hobby now as I can’t do anything else here except that.’

I mumbled in my head.

Then, after thinking about it for a while—

’Whatever.’

I just decided to brush it off and ignore it.

...

...

...

After walking for a few minutes straight—

Tap—

"We’re here."

The guard stopped in front of a beat-up wooden double door and said that.

"..."

I stopped too. Then I looked at him.

"There are guards on the other side. Just tell them when you want to return to your cell—one of them will accompany you back ."

The guard explained.

"Got it."

I nodded without much thought..

And with that...

Creak—!

Tap-

I pushed one of the doors open and stepped inside.

Though...

Swoosh~

"Ugh...?!"

A bright light suddenly hit me, forcing my eyes shut as I blocked it with my arm.

"The fuck?"

I cursed without thinking.

And just a few seconds later...

"Hmm?"

My eyes adjusted to the brightness, and I was able to look ahead.

And that’s when I realized...

"...?"

I was outside the establishment where they kept the fighting slaves.

The training ground... It was an outdoor one!

*****

Looking around...

The training ground was pretty big—about the size of an indoor basketball court.

And the sunlight was only coming from above, the whole place was still surrounded by towering walls.

’I can’t escape from here either, huh.’

I thought to myself, kind of disappointed.

Moving on...

I saw a concrete platform where two people could spar or fight as part of their training.

Then, in the barrels not far from it—

’I can see some wooden weapons we can use.’

There were weights too, made of wood—way better than the ones I had in my room.

"Whoa..."

I admired unconsciously at the place.

And just then—

"Are you going to enter or not?"

I suddenly heard that question from my right side.

And when I looked toward the source of it...

I saw a guard staring at me with a frown. There were other guards with him, glaring at me too.

"My bad, I’m going now."

I told him with a straight face before casually walking away and heading toward the barrels.

"..."

I really want to punch some guards in the face sometimes.

Anyway...

"Hmm?"

I checked my surroundings again as I walked. And this time, instead of the equipment and the place...

I looked at the other people who were also here.

’There are about ten of us, roughly counting. The guards excluded.’

I studied their faces, engraving them into my mind in case something happens here.

"..."

And as I was doing that, glancing around and scanning everyone—

"Huh?"

I saw a familiar face.

"Huh?"

And they saw me too.

"Kaiser?"

They called out my name.

And slowly opening my mouth—

"Viktor?"

I called out his too.

I didn’t expect to see someone I know here.