Miguel's Courage

The next place which Miguel explored too, was the place he recently got acquainted with—The Alipin's Grounds.

Miguel wanted to see if there are any quick route he could take in order to sneak and see Toto.

If not for the earlier incident where he accidentally stumbled upon the Saman, he would've gone straight here.

That lady made a favorable impression towards Miguel for quite some reason.

But the problem was, Miguel seems to still think that Toto is a guy.

Well, you can't really blame him.

The previous owner of the body also thought the same.

Or else why would he name her Toto then?

Toto had a very unique, facial features and a slender body that looked like your typical frail-young-teen whom Miguel used to order around in his Military-Training Grounds, back when he was still a General.

He had trained countless new recruits from day zero to day-one-hundred and made them into burly men with iron wills and sturdy, reinforced muscles.

Of course, he is familiar with that physique, coupled with Toto's Unique facial features that looked Androgynous—who would blame him if that is what he initially would thought?

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[Alipin's Grounds]

A robust man, holding a sharp knife and a sword on his back yelled at a young man furiously.

"Brat! What are you waiting for? Didn't you hear what I said?"

And the young man faintly nodded "... ahh yeah, I'll go."

It was none other than the culprit from the river—Miguel

Miguel was tasked to gather two of the escaped mobs of warty pigs back to the farm, together with three slaves, the same age as him.

"Speaking of which, these pigs are one of the critically endangered animals in Ophir" Miguel thought as he scratched his itchy butt.

Miguel, stared at the distance, in the treacherous creaks of the side of the mountains and he seems to be gloomy, yawning as he walked side by side with the three slaves.

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"I was supposed to see Toto! Damn this."

Yes, it was my plan to sneak here but it was never included that I should also follow their instructions!

"That stupid guard!" I can't help but mumble, dejected by this sudden situation.

While on my way to see Toto, that robust man caught sight of me.

Dressed, acting alone in tattered clothes, I wore my old clothes to help flesh out my disguise as their fellow Alipin, not a Sulgo but an Alipin.

"I wonder what would be the reaction of that haughty Saman if she found out that her Sulgo is acting as an Alipin?" I laughed merrily to myself with that thought in mind.

"She still hasn't learned who peeked at her naked self this morning hehe."

As I thought about the naked body of that Saman, I could not help but remember my beloved wife and her image became clear in my head...

"My wife, don't be jealous, it was an accident." In my mind, the image of a pouting wife in her apron appeared.

"I miss her." I scoffed and kicked the rocks beneath my feet.

These rocks were the culprit! "It was never me."

"Ehh this sentence was familiar..."

And I was reminded with the words I uttered before my death in the Fort Marshall.

Then, I just decided to put them at the back of my mind before I tear up.

If these continue, I'll be the one that would look like an idiot instead.

My thoughts trailed off as we journeyed through this dangerous quest.

All for a pig!

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As the three were walking...

"Hey! The three of you, do you know anything about the Saman?" Miguel asked with great interest, looking forward if he could gather some information about this haughty Saman.

The three Alipins looked a bit ditzy, they exchange glances with each other until finally, one of the three slaves replied.

"Shhh! Do you know that casually speaking about the Saman is a taboo here?" the Alipin whispered in a hushed tone as he looked side by side to confirm whether the warrior that guards them was around.

Miguel gazed at the Alipin who looked comically wary in confusion,

He couldn't get the idea about why would talking about the Saman becomes a taboo?

Then, remembering about what happened between him and the Saman, he can't help but smile cheekily. The other slaves had noticed this and they asked Miguel.

"You are named Badong, right?"

Miguel held his laughter as he reverted back into his usual calm demeanor and he replied courteously.

"Yes, my name is Badong" Well, there was no other choice, it was the first name that popped in Miguel's head when they asked if he had a name since some Alipins are not born Alipin.

It was the name of his gardener back in his timeline.

But after Miguel told them his name, the other Alipins let out a burst of joyful cries as they all boisterously laughed in unison.

"Pffft! Hahaha"

Miguel looked at them in a daze, he asked what is wrong. The tall slave replied to him while trying to hold his giggle.

"errr.... hmm nothing. It's just that, a while ago you seem to look funny, I mean you're making some funny face."

Miguel frowned and he didn't pay too much attention to them, in his heart he exclaimed

"What a bunch of clowns, laughing for silly things. Well, what can I say?"

Miguel remembered what the other Alipin had told him a moment ago, so he asked

"Why the heck, talking about the Saman became a taboo?"

The laughing silly faces of the three Alipins had gone from fervent to blue, making their complexions dull from what Miguel had just said.

Then the smallest Alipin replied in a worried tone.

"Guards from the royal family tribe started to become strict in regards to the Saman, they might become suspicious about why you are talking about her, some of our fellow Alipins was accused of planning to assassinate the Saman and they were imprisoned and was starved to death."

Miguel faintly nodded in agreement. He couldn't say anything about it and just added it to the list of the known facts he had about the Saman.

While the four of them were walking up to the mountain, Miguel saw something ahead of their road.

In his sight, there is a group of crocodiles flocking on a swamp near a tree and at the top of the tree's branches, there is a warrior that seems to belong to the guards from the Alipin's Grounds. He looked heavily wounded.

Miguel who saw it was dazed for a moment then he muttered to himself

"That seems to be a warrior from some other tribe, should I help him?"

For that, Operation: Captain Sneaky is now officially halted.

He has to reveal some tricks up from his sleeves.

Then it was the first time the newfound world marveled at Miguel's courage...