After the formal farewell, Fitoria sent Jason and the others back to the location where they fought the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Everyone benefited greatly from this journey, and their spirits were high. Of course, it would have been even better if that incident hadn't occurred.
Filo was also thrilled, as she received a brand-new carriage. Since Filo birds are fond of carriages, this made her very happy.
Their next plan was to return to the capital, as the wave of disaster was approaching soon.
"Master Jason, can we visit Kiel and Rifana first? I'm worried about how they're doing," Raphtalia asked.
"Sure, it won't take too much time," Jason agreed, and they set off for the town.
However, what greeted them when they arrived was completely unexpected.
Both sides of the road were lined with subhumans in ragged clothes. Some were crying, others were shouting in pain, and some lay motionless, severely injured.
The town itself was in ruins, with many houses burned down.
The entire place looked desolate.
"How can this be? We already killed Yatri," Raphtalia said in disbelief.
"Yeah, it looks even worse now," added Jack.
"Besides the injured demihumans, there are also corpses of both humans and demihumans," Raphtalia continued, stunned by the scene around them.
Everyone was puzzled. Logically, things should have improved after Yatri, the lord who oppressed the demihumans, was defeated.
"Jack, go ask someone what happened," Jason ordered.
"Yes!" Jack immediately approached a nearby demihuman to gather information.
After a short while, Jack returned with the details.
Because the demihumans in Yatri's territory had long been oppressed, they lived in poverty, suffering from hunger and cold. After Yatri's death, they stormed his castle in search of food, and some even invaded areas where humans lived.
Humans, who typically looked down on demihumans, refused to share their food. This led to heated arguments that quickly escalated into physical fights. With no authority to maintain order after Yatri's fall, the situation spiraled into full-blown riots.
That was why so many people were injured, and so many buildings were destroyed.
Hearing the explanation, Jason remained calm. These kinds of conflicts were common, regardless of the world or situation.
"Raphtalia, go find Kiel and Rifana. Jack, gather everyone in the square. Irene, you and Filo go summon the nearby lord."
Although Jason wasn't directly responsible for the town's current state, he decided to intervene, considering it wasn't a difficult task. After giving orders, he headed to the square in the town center.
There was a stone platform in the square, marked with dried blood. It had once been the site where Yatri publicly executed demihumans.
Jason stood in the middle of the platform, closed his eyes, and waited silently.
Soon, people began gathering around him, the noise growing louder as the crowd swelled.
Before long, the crowd divided into two opposing factions—humans and demihumans.
The demihumans outnumbered the humans but were weak from prolonged malnutrition, appearing fragile and gaunt.
The humans, although fewer in number, were physically stronger and more robust.
Tensions quickly rose, and soon both sides began hurling insults at each other.
The demihumans accused the humans of hoarding food while they starved.
The humans, influenced by Yatri's disdain for demihumans, believed they deserved the resources they had and saw no reason to share with the demihumans.
The verbal clash quickly escalated, and the two sides charged at each other, fists flying in a chaotic brawl.
Through all of this, Jason remained still, eyes closed.
Only when Jack appeared beside him did he break his silence.
"Everyone's here," Jack said.
Jason nodded, and as he opened his eyes, he raised his foot and stomped on the platform.
Though it appeared to be a casual kick, the sheer power behind it was immense. The stone platform crumbled under the impact, breaking into rubble, and the ground around Jason's foot turned to dust.
The thunderous explosion of the collapsing platform stunned both the humans and demihumans, stopping the fight immediately.
Everyone turned in shock, staring at Jason in disbelief.
"If you fight again, I'll kill you all. Understand?" Jason's voice was soft, but it carried a chilling coldness that resonated through the square, ensuring every person there heard it clearly.
At that moment, all the people who had been fighting nodded in silent agreement. Then, in unison, they knelt down, waiting for Jason's instructions.
"Very good," Jason said with satisfaction, though he didn't elaborate further.
Just then, Filo came rushing over, pulling the carriage at an incredibly fast speed. Faint screams could be heard coming from inside the carriage.
The carriage soon stopped in front of Jason, and a nobleman wearing glasses slowly stepped out. His face was pale, and his hair was disheveled. He stumbled to a nearby corner and began vomiting without any decorum.
"What's wrong with him?" Jason asked, watching as Irene stepped off the carriage.
"Probably motion sickness," Irene replied with a shrug, speaking nonchalantly.
"Ugh... this carriage was so fast! I thought it was going to flip over a few times... vomit..."
The nobleman tried to explain before turning back to continue vomiting.
Hearing this, Jason's face darkened. Filo, what is going on? Did you drive the carriage like it was some kind of racecar down a mountain?
Noticing Jason's exasperated look, Filo stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
The nobleman finally composed himself, straightened his back, and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the lord of the neighboring territory. May I ask why Master Jason summoned me?"
"You've probably heard about what happened in this territory. Yatri and his soldiers are all dead—killed by me. I want you to take over and manage this territory in his place," Jason said bluntly. There was no need to beat around the bush—that's why he had sent Irene and Filo to fetch the nobleman.
"This doesn't seem to follow protocol..." the nobleman hesitated, glancing at the gathered demihumans and humans.
"Protocol or not, I make the rules now," Jason stated firmly. "I'm leaving this mess to you to handle. Don't make me repeat myself."
Jason knew this nobleman was one of the few in the country who supported coexistence between humans and demihumans, so he trusted him to manage the territory properly.
"Yes, of course!" The nobleman had no choice but to agree, though he couldn't help but grumble internally: You're calling this a mess? You're the one who made it!