Chapter 5: Announcement.

Nesto sat on a bench in the plaza of the kingdom with his bag on the ground beside him, Nesto maintains his posture of sitting correctly and proper as his eyes wander around. He saw the elf kind wandering around the plaza, some are with their family and others are simply on a date. He also saw a couple human slave following their Elven master from behind.

Nesto close his eyes as he felt the warm ray of the sun, gently touches his skins. Nesto could hear two voice chatting with each other near him, one is a female elf another is a male elf, and they seem close to each other like a couple.

"Do you know about the new law?"

"What law?"

"The law about making slavery illegal."

"Pfft, that is ridiculous. I have never heard once in a thousand years that any king in Arorona propose slavery is illegal."

"I know it ridiculous but it the truth."

"They say, it going to be announced today."

"If that the truth then Targia will be the first kingdom to make slavery illegal."

"But that is stupid if there is no slave, who going to build our home or maintain our street?"

"I don't know."

"It the stupidest decision a king could have ever made."

"Shh, you can't say the king name in vain."

"Come on, I rather get some food than talk about politics."

Nesto hears the couple stand up and leave the plaza. He let out a breath as his mind thought the same thing as the couple did. What is the king thinking right now? Is he trying to purposely ruin this kingdom? I know the law is good for the human race but establishing that law could destroy this kingdom economy. Nesto releases the air in his lung to calm himself.

The magic voice amplifier, the ones that look like a street lantern, but have a cone-shaped device on top of it. Those magic device in the plaza suddenly went alive.

"Greeting my citizen," An older man voice can be heard coming from the magic voice amplifier.

Everyone at the plaza stops on their path and focus on the magic voice amplifier in the plaza.

"There is no need for an introduction, but for those who still don't know me, I am Orpheus Vignil. The King of Targia," The king said.

"Today, I'm going to address the rumor that's been spreading in the Kingdom," The king continues.

"Yes, I have established a new law. Beginning today slavery is made illegal. For those who own a slave in Targia will be met with punishment," The king said.

Nesto notices the expression of the people around him is a mix of confusion and happiness. Mostly the elf is confused by the new law but for the human slave, Nesto could see the joy on their face. There is a worried murmur in the crowd especially the elf.

"Quiet!" The king bellowed for some reason he knows the reaction of the crowd.

The people in the crowd suddenly shut their mouth after their heard the King command.

"I know, that my own kind is worried about this new law. I know, that this new law has so many problems that it will be brought to us, but I wish you to see past the problem and see the potential beside you,"

The elf in the crowd turn their look on the human slave in the midst of the crowd and some of them even look at Nesto.

"Look at them, we have been using them for a thousand years, we look down on them, and we treat like an insect, but let me ask you a question. Who builds your house? Who builds this castle? Who builds the wall that protects us? Or make the weapon which armed our army? Yes, we design the weapon, the house, and the wall."

"But it is their sweat that builds it, their blood. They are not an insect, they are not lower than you. They are being different from you on the outside, but similar on the inside."

The elves lower their head in shame as if they were being scolded by their parent, but as for the human slave, hope can be seen on their face as their gaze at the magic voice amplifier.

"If the Elf and Human banded together, not as master and slave, but as a comrade, partner, and even family. We can achieve something greater together, maybe even change the future to an even better one."

"This change will come with a cost at first, it will be hard to adapt, but I believe in my subject. That we can go through this together."

"Lift your chins up and fill your heart with hope because today we make history."

The crowd cheers their heart out, in celebration after hearing those inspiring words. Nesto could help himself but let out a smile after hearing those word.

"Calm down and save your energy because tonight we celebrate. A parade in the central plaza will be made to commemorate this day, come and enjoy yourself. May your day be blessed by Yana," The king said and the magic voice amplifier shut off.

The king has always had a way with words that can inspire people, the crowd goes from being sour to joy at the end of the speech. Only a king with a large amount of charisma can achieve that. The crowd begins to free their own slave, and they wildly celebrate together. But Nesto notices some of the free humans became confused, especially the old one and the younger one.

One of the free humans near Nesto begins to chatter with another one.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know... What about you?"

"Hmm, I always wanted a house for myself."

"Your right, its time to think about ourselves. I need to tell Jaquelin that I love her, and we can finally start a family together, free from being a slave."

Another human enter the conversation.

"If we wanted those things, we need to get a job that can pay us."

"Your right, let get moving then!"

The human disperses and headed their own way with goals in their hearts. Nesto still sitting on the bench and think about what those people said.

A house? I could do that.

I will need a woodcutter Axe first, Nesto thought. Then he stands up from his bench, grabbing his bag on the grounds and head to the nearby blacksmith workshop. He squeezes his body through the vigorous crowd and makes his way to the smithy.

Arriving at the smithy, he opens the door and enters the smithy. The smell of burnt metal hit Nesto nose when he enters the smithy. He walks to the counter, looking around and sees no one behind the counter or in the room. He looks at the bell on the counter and taps it. The bell rings and Nesto can hear a noise of item falling down and hitting the floor, coming from upstairs.

Nesto then heard a yelp as something starts to roll down the staircase beside the counter, Nesto turns his attention on the stairs and spots a muscle bodied elf with blond braid twin-tail rolling down the stairs. The elf woman bodies hit the wall which causes the heavy sword display on the shelves to fall down on the floor, which causes the plank in the floor to launch a bucket full of unfinished knives toward Nesto.

Nesto quickly ducks down, avoiding the incoming knives when he looks behind him. The knives all planted into the wooden wall and on the single wooden barrel behind him. Nesto looks at all the knives and grimace. Nesto then looks back to the elf woman and surprised to see that she still alive after falling down the stairs. The elf woman grunt in pain as she raises her body off the floor and walks to the shopkeeper site of the counter.

"Well, hello there, welcome to my smithy. My name is Karia Ironwork. How may I help you today?" The elf woman said nonchalantly as if she pretends that nothing happen earlier.

Nesto confuses at the situation his in, with no appropriate response to what just happens. Nesto just plays along with it, pretending that nothing had happened.

"Yeah, I'm looking for... Wait your last name is Ironwork?" Nesto said.

"Yep, I know... my father insists that we change our last name, so I could be the best blacksmith in the kingdom with an appropriate name, but unfortunately I'm not the best," Karia said.

"Who is the best?" Nesto ask.

"That damn good-looking elf across the street, Guttenheig. Damn him! DAMN HIM!" Karia cursed while raising her fist in the air.

"Okay... Well, I'm here to buy a Woodcutter Axe," Nesto said.

"An Axe, ah yes. Zoli!" Karia called.

Suddenly the top lid of the barrel that the knives planted in, shoot up revealing a small human boy with messy brown hair and big cute eyes.

"Yes?" Zoli said.

"Do you know where the woodcutter Axe is?" Karia ask.

"Under the counter," Zoli replied.

Nesto look at him eye widen, where he in that barrel the whole time?

"May I ask what in Arorona are you doing in that barrel?" Nesto ask.

"Playing hide and seek with Timmy," Zoli replied while smiling at Nesto.

"Psst, Timmy is his invisible friends, just play along with it," Karia whispered.

"Sure..." Nesto said, his left eyebrow raised.

After a short time of Karia searching for the Axe, she finally finds it and places it on top of the counter. Nesto examines the Axe and was amazed by the craftsmanship of the wooden handle and the blade work on the Axe. The layer of the metal is perfectly merged together into one singular blade. This thing could pierce through a Wyvern scale.

"This Axe is amazing," Nesto compliment.

"Stop it, you make me blush," Karia said.

"It's the truth. May I ask, where did you learn to make this?" Nesto ask.

"I learn it from a Satyr that live in Materna," Karia answer.

"Materna... I have never been there before," Nesto said.

"The Kingdom of Iron they call it, good food, great place to get a weapon," Karia said.

"How much for the Axe?" Nesto ask.

"20 silver coins," Karia said.

"I'll take it," Nesto said then he placed back the Axe on the counter.

Nesto takes out his bag of coin and places 20 silvers coins on the counter. He then places backs the bag of coins in his pocket and takes the Axe. Karia takes the coins and stores it in her pockets. Nesto then looks at the boy in the barrel.

"Did you heard about the new law?" Nesto asks Karia.

"Oh, that what the commotion all about. It got nothing to do with me," Karia shrug her shoulders.

"Isn't Zoli a slave?" Nesto ask.

"No, his not. He free to leave whenever he wants," Karia replied.

"I prefer to stay with Karia, she is the nicest person I know," Zoli cheeks redden then he ducks down into the barrel and close the lid.

"Isn't he cute?" Karia said.

"Thank you for the Axe," Nesto thanked while he held the Axe in his hand.

"If you need anything else, please come again," Karia said.

Nesto goes out from the smithy with his bag and Axe in his hand. Before Nesto heads toward the wall gate, he notices a handsome elf with golden flowing hair and beautiful blue eyes standing outside of the smithy in front of Karia smithy.

"He really is good-looking," Nesto let out, The handsome elf wave at Nesto and Nesto lift his bag up to wave back at him.