Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 145: Cries of the Caged

The earlier slaves had been silent—whether by choice or force was unclear. But this voice was raw, filled with desperation.

"That’s... a lizardman," Cedran said, his tone intrigued. "Lizardmen are known as a race of powerful warriors. It’s rare to see them in captivity. There must’ve been a specific incident to capture them."

The cage held five lizardmen, their reptilian features striking yet oddly humanoid. One of them stood at the bars, his powerful voice reverberating through the air.

"Help us! What are you planning to do with us? Someone, please!"

Despite their ferocious appearance, the lizardmen seemed far too human to ignore.

"Displaying warriors like that... it’s in poor taste," Damien murmured.

Cedrannodded. "Agreed. My apologies for subjecting you to this."

The parade moved on, the desperate cries of the lizardman fading as the cage passed them.

Damien couldn’t help but feel the weight of those words. This world’s norms might accept such displays, but to him, they struck a deeply unsettling chord.

The lizardman stood out for several reasons. His pupils were vertically slit, his skin carried a greenish, almost hardened texture, and two pairs of horns extended backward from between his hair.

He wore nothing but a simple loincloth, leaving his upper body bare. His torso, except for his chest and abdomen, was covered in scales. From the loincloth dangled a thick, lizard-like tail.

To Damien, who was used to his old world’s standards, the term lizardman didn’t quite fit. Dragonkin seemed like a better description.

There were five lizardmen in total. Four of them sat slumped on the cage floor, drained of energy, while one of them clung to the bars, shouting in desperation.

All of them appeared to be around Damien’s age or younger.

"Is there no one here who understands me!?" the shouting lizardman cried out.

The intensity in his voice drew Damien’s gaze.

"You! You understand me, don’t you? I can see it in your eyes! Please, help us! I’ll do anything—anything at all—just free us!"

The pleading look in his eyes was too much for Damien to bear. He turned his face away, unable to meet it.

Cedran stepped between Damien and the lizardman, shielding him from the lizardman’s fervent outburst.

"Please! I beg of you! Help us! I’ll do anything! Anything!"

The desperate cries grew fainter as the cage moved on, until they were no longer audible.

"Damien..." Cedran said gently. "I see now. That pendant of yours let you understand his words, didn’t it? What did he say?"

"...He asked me to help him," Damien murmured.

"I see," Cedran replied thoughtfully. "But don’t trouble yourself over it. As I mentioned, lizardmen are renowned warriors. I’m sure he’ll find a capable master who will treat him well."

Cedran’s voice was light, as if trying to ease Damien’s mind, while Elyon gave Damien’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Yes," Damien replied, forcing a nod. "You’re right. He’ll find someone good."

He tried to convince himself of that. Someone like Theo—a good, kind master—would surely come along for them.

But no matter how hard he tried, the lizardman’s desperate, pleading eyes lingered in Damien’s mind.

It struck him then. That’s how I must have looked, back when I was at my lowest. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

...

By the time Damien noticed, it was dinnertime. He found himself being served a meal by Leonide, though he didn’t remember how he’d gotten there.

"Ah, you’re back with us," Theo said, sitting beside him and leaning in with concern.

"Sorry. I must have zoned out," Damien replied.

"Don’t try to lie so blatantly," Elyon said with a wry smile.

Of course, it was obvious.

"You’re such a softie," Elyon added. "You’re still dwelling on what happened earlier, aren’t you? It’s pointless."

"Pointless? I’ll have you know I’m taking this very seriously," Damien muttered under his breath.

But no matter how much he tried to shake it, the weight of those desperate cries still clung to his thoughts.

"What happened earlier?" Theo asked, tilting his head curiously. "Teacher refused to explain anything, he just said to ask you directly."

"It’s really nothing major," Damien replied with a small shrug.

"Nothing major for you, maybe," Elyon interjected.

Damien rolled his eyes at Elyon’s persistence. Still, there was a note of concern in Elyon’s voice that Damien secretly appreciated.

Deciding to explain, Damien recounted the incident with the pickpocketing child to Theo and Leonide.

"Ah, that sounds just like Cedran," Theo said with a soft chuckle.

Damien blinked. Both Theo and Leonide wore amused expressions, rather than the scolding ones he expected.

"Wait, what? Shouldn’t I be reflecting on my actions here?"

"Cedran is very serious," Theo said. "He’s faithful to his duties, so it’s no surprise that he’d think that way."

"He strikes me as a rigid type," Leonide added.

Even Leonide? Damien was starting to feel outnumbered.

"Honestly, though, Cedran had a point," Damien admitted. "I acted irresponsibly. I need to reflect on that."

"Do you, though?" Theo said thoughtfully.

"Wait, what?" Damien asked, his confusion deepening.

"Was there anything specifically wrong with what Cedran said?" Theo asked.

"No, not at all," Damien replied. "I mean, if the worst had happened, what he warned about could’ve come true, right?"

"Sure," Theo said, nodding. "In the worst-case scenario, yes. But what about the best-case scenario?"

"The best-case scenario?"

Seeing Damien’s puzzled expression, Theo elaborated.

"If things take a positive turn, perhaps this child will change for the better. Maybe he’ll regret his actions and never pickpocket again. In the end, it’s up to him, isn’t it?"

Elyon and Leonide both nodded in agreement, but Damien found it hard to believe things would work out that smoothly.

"Cedran’s perspective is shaped by his role as a knight," Theo continued. "He sees the endless cycle of repeat offenders, so naturally, he’s inclined to assume the worst. But there are those who repent and return to an honest life. Do you know what makes the difference?"

"Um... their innate character?" Damien ventured.

"That plays a significant part, certainly," Theo replied with a slight smile.