After two hours of travel, the Scouting Party arrived at their destination.
It was the second largest city near the coast of the Sumatran Kingdom, and it was called Karabor City.
The size of the city was two square kilometers, and it had a population numbering around fifteen thousand.
A third of the population were all warriors, but not all of them were Tigerkins.
In fact, a quarter of them were former inhabitants of the Valbarra Kingdom, and they were all Humans.
After losing the war, the Tigerkins didn’t commit mass murder and spared those who had surrendered to their rule.
In fact, a third of the population of the entire Sumatran Kingdom was made up of Humans who had learned to live alongside the Tigerkins and were treated with equal standing.
It was for this reason that there had been no rebellion from the humans during the past few years of the Tigerkins’ rule and why both races lived in harmony despite their differences.
Ironically, the Valbarrians and the Barbarians were also enemies in the past.
So when they heard that the Barbarians were planning to invade their cities, the Humans living alongside the Tigerkins were willing to assist them in battle.
“Welcome to Karabor City, Zion,” Alina said. “It’s too bad that you can’t see it right now.”
“I’m sure I’ll get to see it after a few days, Lady Alina,” Thirteen replied.
“Don’t worry. Once we arrive at the General’s Residence, I’ll have one of the Shamans there take a good look at you.”
“That will be great. Thank you for your help.”
The Vice Captain of their Scouting Party, Armand, glanced at the carefree boy and wondered if Zion really understood his current circumstances.
While they didn’t harm him, he was, in fact, still their prisoner. But the boy was so indifferent about it, making him wonder if he was simply too innocent or completely ignorant.
Since he couldn’t see, Thirteen just allowed himself to be taken wherever the Scouting Party was going.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, they finally arrived at their destination, which was the General’s Residence.
“Dixon, why are you back so early?” the Guard at the gate of the Residence asked.
“Do you want the long story or the short one?” Dixon replied in an amused tone.
“The short one.”
“We came, we saw, we returned here.”
The Guard snorted before opening the Gate.
Clearly, this wasn’t the kind of short story he wanted to hear, but since he had known Dixon long enough, he knew that the Tigerkin wouldn’t say anything unless the General had allowed him to share the information he had obtained with the others.
After entering the Residence, he ordered Alina to take Zion to the infirmary so that he could receive medical attention.
He also didn’t want the boy to be present as he talked about top secret information regarding their expedition in the Barbarian Lands.
——————————
Inside the Infirmary…
“Open your eyes,” a middle-aged man, who served as the Shaman in the infirmary, ordered. “Let me see what is wrong with your eyes.”
Thirteen obeyed and slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing the seven-year-old saw was the blurry image of a man, but since he couldn’t see properly, he was unable to determine the person’s age and appearance.
The Shaman looked at the young man’s eyes which looked perfectly normal, and yet, he could tell that the boy was having a hard time seeing.
“What happened?” the Shaman asked. “Since when did you lose your vision?”
“I lost it nearly two days ago,” Thirteen replied. “I just strained my eyes. I just need a few days’ rest and my vision will be back to normal.”
“You strained your eyes?” The Shaman sounded amused by Thirteen’s reply. “And what makes you so sure that you will regain your vision after resting for a few days?”
“Men’s intuition.”
“Pfft!”
The Shaman laughed out loud after hearing the young boy’s words, who couldn’t be considered a man.
“I see, men’s intuition huh?” the Shaman smirked as he placed his hands over the boy’s eyes. “But I have a better solution.”
The Shaman’s hands glowed with power, and Thirteen felt a soothing feeling wash over his face.
A moment later, the Shaman pulled back his hands and looked at the boy, whose eyes had subconsciously closed after he activated his healing power on his eyes.
“Open your eyes,” the Shaman ordered.
Slowly, but surely, Thirteen opened his eyes, and just like he expected, he was finally able to see.
The first person he saw was a middle-aged man wearing tribal clothes, with several bone necklaces hanging around his neck.
“Well met, child,” the Shaman said. “I go by the name, Rafiki. What is yours?”
“Zion,” Thirteen replied. “Zion Leventis.”
“Zion, what an interesting name.” Rafiki rubbed his chin. “So, tell me, Death’s Chosen, what brings you here to Karabor City?”
Thirteen didn’t reply right away. His first reaction was to glance at the Tigerkin Lady standing a meter away from him before shifting his attention back to the middle-aged man, who looked like a Shaman of a tribe.
“I was captured by them while traveling in the Warsor Plains,” Thirteen replied.
“Ah, I see.” Rafiki nodded his head in understanding. “So you’re just an unlucky passerby.”
“Something like that.” Thirteen smiled faintly.
Rafiki eyed the boy, who seemed to not have any problem with being captured by the Tigerkins. “So, what are you going to do from now on?”
“Eat some local delicacies, visit attractions, buy souvenirs, and go back home?” Thirteen answered.
Tiona, who was coiled on the boy’s neck, nodded her head in agreement because she liked the idea of exploring the city with her Master.
The boy’s answer made the Shaman laugh for a second time.
Even Alina, who was tasked to guard after Thirteen, couldn’t help but smile after hearing the seven-year-old’s positive reply.
After the Shaman stopped laughing, he patted the boy’s shoulder in a friendly manner.
“Well, I’m sure that the Sumatrans will not mistreat you as long as you don’t do anything that will hurt their people or hurt their interests. They may look fierce, but they are not as savage as their appearance.”
Thirteen didn’t know how he should reply to Rafiki’s statement because he planned to do many things while he was in the Tigerkin’s City.
One of them was to better understand how they were preparing for the upcoming war, and the second one was to better understand the purpose of this war.
Just as Thirteen was about to ask the Shaman a question, a Tigerkin Lady entered the infirmary, making Rafiki and Alina bow their heads in respect.
“You must be our guest,” the beautiful Tigerkin said with a smile. “My name is Briella, and from this moment onwards, you will become my adopted son.”
“… Huh?” Thirteen looked blankly at the Tigerkin Lady in front of him, while Rafiki’s and Alina’s jaws dropped in surprise.
Even Tiona, who was hanging from her Master’s neck, looked at the Tigerkin Lady in disbelief, wondering if there was something wrong with the Tigerkin Lady’s head.
Briella blinked in confusion after seeing everyone’s reaction.
“What? Is there something wrong with what I just said?” Briella asked.
“There’s plenty wrong,” Rafiki answered.
“My Lady, I don’t think this is an appropriate thing to say, especially since Young Master Percival is currently missing,” Alina said with concern.
Thirteen and Tiona both glanced at Alina at the same time after hearing a familiar name.
They only knew one Tigerkin who had the name Percival, and they were wondering if Alina was referring to the same person who had suffered a lot in Thirteen’s hands.