Just a warning this chapter may be a bit disturbing to some - L

Chapter 11: Crona

A month in Kararagi now, in a small apartment apart of a block four people have being living there. Empty during the day as the residents work hard to make money and have a nice living. But today is different, Monday, business is few and thus one would stay at home. It was late evening. Ram who worked alongside Otto, cooked food for the others as they had just walked through the door. Otto was a trader. Rem with her education became a secretary at a high end business. The three of them worked hard and were well paid. The food was peaceful set on the table by the red haired use-to-be maid. The three sat down by their food and waited. Bursting through the door was the final resident, Subaru. He was charred from head to toe, out of breath from running. Subaru was a coal miner. His pay was little, he was very useless due his lack in ability to read or write fluently, but he never gave up haste.

"Today marks a month now" Rem cheered.

Everyones faces grew smiles and they shouted in joy loudly. They successfully made it through a month peacefully in Kararagi.

"Lets feast tonight" Otto edged.

Subaru removed his soot covered overalls and plobled down beside the rest and began to eat.

"So, how's business Otto" Subaru asked Otto.

"It's going really well, the merchandise from Lugunica is selling well, lucky I remember how to make it" Otto announced.

"That's really good to hear, life in a coal mine all day is slowly killing me" Subaru complained.

"It won't be for to much longer, you're slowly getting better at writing" Rem complimented him.

Rem was currently teaching Subaru how to read and write. Since he arrived in this new world he couldn't read or write their language but fortunately speak it.

The content party finished their meal with prepared for any normal Monday evening. Otto, tried from calling and shouting out for customers collapsed on his bed in exhaustion. Subaru would be first to use the bath as he was always covered in dust and soot. The conditions in the mine were appalling and while it wasn't slave labour, and a slave waiter might of been better. Ram would tidy the house and clean up after dinner, she excelled at being a maid. Rem would sit at her wooden desk in her room finishing unfinished work that needed to be completed. The cycle was the same for the past month. Rem and Subaru still held onto their close relationship, although Ram was still unaware of it but she had her suspicions. Otto had confessed his love for Ram to Subaru, since he was a awkward and nervous Otto figured Subaru would good person to get advice from. Although Subaru was often not very helpful as Ram is very hard to get.

Subaru got out the bath and had a towel wrapped him and headed back to his room until he was stopped by Otto.

"Subaru, I was going to take Ram, out to town tonight, I will confess to her there" Otto announced.

"Really, any other evening would be better than a Monday" Subaru sighed.

Otto stopped and thought about it, and quickly noticed his mistake.

"Then there shall be drink" he shouted.

Subaru exhaled in disappointment "Fine do what you like, good luck".

Subaru left him and entered his room, leaving the door slight abridge to hear Otto's conversation.

"Hey Ram, are you busy this evening?" Otto straight out asked Ram.

Subaru almost knocked himself out with a facepalm.

"I have plenty of things to do, why?" Ram sternly replied.

Otto being as thick as a brick not knowing that was a rejection, continued.

"I just was thinking just the two us could go to town together, it doesn't have to be today if you are busy" Otto offered.

Subaru nodded his agreement, it was a good move. Subaru was counting affection points in his head as if it was a dating RPG.

"Fine, I'll let you pleasure me" Ram agreed.

Subaru stuck his thumb up out the door as Otto looked back at him. Subaru closed the door and began to get ready for a good night's sleep. There was a knock on his door and Rem walked in.

Rem blushed and she quickly covered her eyes and left the room as Subaru was still disrobed. Subaru hastily put his towel back on.

"Rem, come in" Subaru called her.

Rem slowly pushed the door open with hand and covered her eyes with the other, she spilt her fingers peeking at towel-wearing Subaru and relaxed.

"I'm sorry, it was improper of me to enter without permission" Rem apologized.

"No need to be so formal, what is it that you need?" he calmed her.

Rem sat down on his bed, she was wearing a long silk nightgown and her hair was tied back, it was her usually sleeping attire.

"Does Otto like my sister?" She asked with a strong serious face on.

"Unfortunately, yes" Subaru replied.

"Unfortunately, isn't it good for Ram to be seeking a love life" She questioned.

"I thought she could find someone a little more, ya know, manly" Subaru told her.

"Ram isn't good with other people she doesn't know, I'm sure you are aware of that" Rem defended Otto turning away from Subaru allowing him to dress.

"I know all too well" Subaru agreed.

"Speaking of which, I was going to tell Ram that you are my husband" She announced turning back to him.

"I wonder how she'll take it" Subaru pondered.

"So the night is yours, where would you like to go?" Otto asked Ram.

Otto was leading Ram around the centre of the city, it was very Japanese-like compared to Lugunica.
"What is a barbeque?" Ram questioned.

"I don't know exactly, Subaru said it was were you could freshly cook your own food and it's very nice and common from where he is from" Otto quoted.

"Well why don't we?" Ram said getting into the mood more.

Ram always knew she kind of liked Otto so going on this attempt of a date wasn't so bad.

"Let's go" Otto cheered.

Otto and Ram walked up the door and slid it open and a burst if hot air hit their faces. A strong smell of roasting meat and charcoal swept through the air, they were instantly dragged in. They were met by a eroticly dressed slave which directed them to their sits. It was the same all over the world, the poor sold their lives into slavery when they had no money left. Some were even captured and forced into slavery, most just got use to it. Men were did manual labour and worked long hours and were quiet rare compared to women or even young girls to were kidnapped and beaten and raped and some people owned hundreds of them. They were forced to get customers during the day and underwent sexual abuse and beating at night and if they were to bore a child they were abandoned and even some as not to be dumped in a shanty town killed their newborn children. Most cities had shanty towns full of single mothers and most with over ten children as the women would be raped over and over again as they were not protected by anyone. Compared to Earth now days it really was hell to be female.

Otto and Ram sat down completely ignoring the slave as it was just so common. They both stared at the menu which was carved into a wooden pallet.
"What's a pork cutlet?" Ram peered confused at the wooden board.

"Flapper bring us a plate of pork cutlet" Otto shouted out.

A girl looked over and bowed slightly and walked away. Most of female slaves were called flappers or bitches. To everyone it was just their names.

A girl walked over to deliver their uncooked food. She was and young girl with long dirty blonde hair, she was completely topless, her small breasts were fully exposed and she had a huge scar across her torso, clearly it was her master trying to embarrass herself. On her neck she was burnt with letters that spelt out Crona followed by the initials 'R.B'. It was most likely her name and her owner, Her eyes were so bloodshot they were more red than white and they were encircled by a large black ring from a lack of sleep, she probably hadn't slept in three or four days. Ram's face was revolting, slavery was common in Lugunica but in Kararagi it was way worse. In Lugunica slaves still had some rights and the government took them away from their owners if they were too badly treated, this girl was most likely sold by her mother who was also a slave which the Lugunica government would never allow. Ram didn't like looking at her as she disturbed her.

"Bitch leave us" Ram demand of her.

Otto noticed that the night was going badly as this was something neither had ever experience or seen to such a high extent before and Ram was unset so Otto ate quickly and decided to head home earlier than planned, it was a failed night.

On the way back to the apartment on a dimly lit street Otto spoke up.

"I'm sorry about tonight, I didn't think we would run into something like that" Otto apologized.

"It's fine, we should go out some other night again" Ram replied agreeing to another date.