I nod my head and look again at the stern and cool faces that stare at us through the glass. "These are the original ten greats and Emperor Filius, the legendary group that united the world." I begin to rub my left hand with my right thumb. Master grins approvingly but a line forms on his brow. "Yes that is who they are, but you didn't really answer my question." My hands still and I look again at the paintings. "I feel..." I look to the floor. "These are the people who decided that those of other cultures, those with dark eyes, were to be slaves of the Empire." We are both silent for a moment, then he grunts and continues o his way. Our next stop is next to a case that is surprisingly without color or embellishment. The artifacts inside are plain. Mostly tools for farming and horse hoof clippers. The tab to the side of the case simply states 'simple tools of Harland farmers.' These were used by people of the Kingdom of Harland. It was once one of the largest kingdoms in the world. A true world power only overshadowed by the current Empire. They were known for their vibrant culture, widespread trading, and heavenly food. These simple tools seemed to depict them as simple and unprogressed. The face of pure classism starting back at me almost as hungrily as the portrait had moments before. The next few cases held other trinkets from other countries until finally a few hints of the first slaves began to emerge. Paintings of people with dark eyes bowing in the filth holding out their hands to the imposing figures of people with glowing light colored eyes. Other depictions of godlike people raising the lesser dark eyed people from squalor lined the cases. My heart sank down to my toes as more and more paintings continued to the end of the room. Each painting worse than the last. I didn't want to look at them anymore, and so I looked back to master. His eyes, I realized, bored into my skin.
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