After planting the spices, I returned to Sous before sunset and went to meet Kadar regarding the land and residence that had been assigned to us. He agreed to show me the area personally since the construction of the house was still ongoing.
As we walked through the outer side of the settlement, I noticed several small figures carrying wood, stones, and buckets of water. At first, I thought they were children, but as I got closer, I realized many of them were kobolds. Their small reptilian bodies were covered in dust, and most of them looked exhausted from labor.
Some worked under the watch of overseers while others repaired fences or dug trenches beneath the harsh sun.
Seeing my expression, Kadar spoke calmly. "Most of them are contract laborers. They work in exchange for food, shelter, and a few copper coins each day."
I frowned slightly as I watched one kobold child struggling to carry a basket nearly half his size. "Children too?"
Kadar nodded without much emotion. "Some families owe debts they cannot repay. Instead of prison, they offer labor contracts. Sometimes the parents work. Sometimes the children do. It depends on the agreement."
By my standards, it sounded dangerously close to slavery, even if people here called it contract labor. A few kobolds even wore iron tags around their necks with symbols carved into them, likely marks of ownership or debt records.
"How much do they earn?" I asked quietly.
"Usually two or three copper coins a day with meals," Kadar answered. "Though debt workers often do not receive coin directly until their debt is cleared."
I stayed silent for a moment. In my previous world, this kind of system would have been considered exploitation. But here, nobody around us even seemed bothered by it. To the people of Sous, it was normal life.
One kobold woman lowered her head as we passed by, quickly pulling her child closer as if afraid of offending us. The sight left a bitter feeling in my chest.
Kadar noticed my reaction and sighed. "The world outside wealthy kingdoms is harsh, Roy. People survive however they can. Especially the outliers and beastfolk. Most clans do not even allow them inside city walls."
His words stayed with me as we continued walking toward my residence. For the first time since arriving in Sous, I began to understand just how different this land truly was.