Chapter 27 : Chapter 27
Chapter 27: The Slave Merchant Guild, Buying a Slave
“Ding-dong!”
Ryan pushed open the doors of the Slave Merchant Guild and walked inside.
“Welcome, sir. How may we assist you today?”
A member of the staff came over to receive Ryan at once.
Setting everything else aside, their service alone was already far beyond anything that Gram could compare to.
“Hello. I’d like to learn a bit about slaves. If possible, I’d also like to purchase one.”
“Is this your first time buying a slave?”
“That’s right.”
“Then please allow me to explain the details of our establishment.”
“Go ahead.”
“Our shop is a Slave Merchant Guild directly affiliated with the Adventurers’ Guild. We guarantee that all of our slaves come with proper and legal documentation, so you may rest assured on that point.”
“Next is the classification of slaves. In our shop, slaves are divided into combat slaves and non-combat slaves.”
“Combat slaves are more expensive. Their prices are evaluated based on many factors, such as age, potential, combat strength, and so on. A powerful combat slave generally costs between 100 and 1,000 Gold Coins.”
“Non-combat slaves are somewhat cheaper. Many of them possess different skills, including cooking, housekeeping, arithmetic, and so forth. Their prices range from 20 to 300 Gold Coins.”
“Of course, some special slaves will exceed those price ranges. I hope you understand.”
“Special slaves?”
“That’s right. For example, an exceptionally powerful adventurer who committed a crime and was reduced to slavery, or a woman of extraordinary beauty who becomes a non-combat slave. In such cases, the price would exceed the normal range for ordinary slaves.”
“I understand.”
Ryan nodded.
“Then what kind of slave would you like to purchase?”
“Please introduce me to some combat slaves. Of course, I do not need one with especially overwhelming combat strength. I can fight on my own. I only need a combat slave who can keep watch on the surroundings while I’m hunting monsters.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment while I make the arrangements for you.”
The staff member led Ryan to a seat, served him tea, and then turned to leave.
Only then did Ryan have the time to look around.
The interior of this Slave Merchant Guild was lavishly decorated.
Since the Empire permitted the slave trade, it seemed likely that the business was extremely profitable.
Before long, the staff member returned with three combat slaves and brought them before Ryan.
There were two men and one woman.
“Sir, according to your requirements, these are the three combat slaves we have prepared for you.”
The staff member stepped aside, presenting the three slaves before Ryan.
The first male slave stood on the far left. He was about one meter seventy tall, with a thin build and slightly uneven shoulders.
His hair was dull yellow, matted into clumps that covered one of his eyes.
His eyes were light brown, and his gaze was unfocused. From time to time, he blinked rapidly, as though he were on guard against everything around him.
A scar ran across his face from forehead to chin. The flesh along the scar had sunken in, causing his lips to turn outward slightly and exposing half a row of yellowed teeth.
One of his ears was missing a corner, and there were bruises near the base of it.
An iron collar was fastened around his neck, its edges worn smooth with use.
His upper body was bare. There were many old wounds across his chest and back, along with several fresh lash marks that had yet to heal.
His arms were long and thin, with little visible muscle, but the joints of his fingers were thick, and there were old calluses between them, as though they had been formed by years of gripping a weapon.
The index finger of his right hand was missing a segment, and the wound had already scabbed over.
He wore a tattered pair of linen trousers, with the legs rolled up to his knees, revealing calves covered in many small scars.
He wore no shoes. The soles of his feet were full of calluses and cracks, and his toes curled inward as though they had been compressed for years.
Even while standing still, his body swayed unconsciously. Both hands hung stiffly at his sides, his fingers trembling ever so slightly.
“The first slave I’d like to introduce is this man. He was originally a hunter from a border village and was skilled with a bow. Three years ago, monsters attacked his village, and his family was completely wiped out. He himself was clawed across the face by a monster, leaving that scar from his forehead to his chin, and his right index finger was bitten off at the same time. Afterward, he wandered into town and made a living by hunting. During one hunt, he accidentally trespassed into a noble’s private woodland. He was captured and sold into slavery. After becoming a slave, he tried to resist and was whipped by his master, which left the fresh wounds on his chest and back. The number on his collar is his registration number from the slave market.”
Ryan frowned, then turned to look at the second slave.
The second male slave stood in the middle. He was one meter eighty tall, with a sturdy build and a broad chest, but his left arm hung unnaturally at his side, clearly unable to straighten.
His hair was black and very short, and there were several bald patches on his scalp.
His face was broad, with prominent cheekbones and a flattened nose. Black grime was caked inside his nostrils.
His mouth was tightly shut, the corners turned downward. His chin was covered in coarse stubble, with bits of food still caught in it.
His eyes were dark brown and vacant, staring at the floor without looking at anyone around him.
He wore a ragged leather cuirass on his upper body, torn in several places and exposing the skin beneath.
There were burn scars across his skin, concentrated around his abdomen and left arm.
His right arm was muscular, and there was a deep dark mark around his wrist, as though it had been bound with rope for a long time.
He wore a pair of coarse trousers riddled with large holes, exposing parts of his thighs. There were tattoos there as well, though the patterns had become too blurred to make out clearly.
On his feet was a pair of straw sandals, the soles nearly worn through.
“The second slave I’d like to introduce is this man. He used to be a miner. Because of his great strength, he was chosen to carry ore in the mines. A year ago, a mine tunnel collapsed, and his left arm was crushed, leaving it unable to straighten. In order to save on medical expenses, the mine owner sold him to a slave merchant. While working in the mine, he had a dispute with other miners and was burned across the abdomen and left arm with heated iron. After becoming a slave, he refused to obey orders, so his right arm was bound with rope, leaving that dark mark around the wrist. The blurred tattoo on his thigh is the emblem he had tattooed in his youth when he joined a mutual aid group for miners.”
Ryan felt rather helpless.
Why was the staff member only showing him these crooked, miserable rejects?
Could it be that they were afraid he could not afford anything better?
That should not be possible.
He was currently dressed in a full set of mithril armor. Anyone with eyes should have been able to tell that he had money.
The staff member saw Ryan’s expression and smiled faintly. Her goal had been achieved.
With the full set of mithril armor Ryan was wearing, a staff member like her could tell at a glance that he was wealthy.
The reason she had deliberately brought out two inferior slaves first was to create a stronger sense of contrast for the last one.
She was certain that once Ryan saw the third slave, he would be satisfied.
“It seems you’re not satisfied with the first two slaves.”
“That’s right. If this is all your shop has to offer, then I’ll be leaving.”
Ryan shot her a flat look.
“Hehe, please don’t be in a hurry. There’s still the last slave. Allow me to introduce her.”
“This slave’s name is Nika. She is a fox-girl from the Beastfolk.”
Ryan followed her gaze and looked over.
She was about one meter fifty tall, with a slender figure, narrow shoulders, and a slightly hunched back.
Her limbs were long and slim, and her hands and feet were small and delicate. When she stood still, her legs were pressed together and her toes tilted inward.
On top of her head were two brown fox ears, black at the tips. The tips drooped slightly, and the backs of the ears were covered in fine short fur, with bits of grass still caught in it.
Behind her was a tail of the same brown color, long and thin, with darker fur at the tip.
It hung limply behind her, occasionally swaying ever so slightly.
Her hair was dark brown and reached her waist.
Her eyes were amber, round in shape, with the outer corners slightly upturned. Her expression was timid, and she blinked rapidly, never daring to meet anyone’s gaze.
There were faint dark marks beneath her eyes, as though she had long been deprived of proper sleep.
Her nose was small and delicate, with a rounded, pale pink tip, and her nostrils twitched slightly from time to time.
Her lips were thin and pale pink, with dry cracks at the corners of her mouth.
She wore a short gray-black linen top on her upper body. It was old and worn, with frayed tears around the collar and sleeves, exposing her slender neck.
On her lower body was a skirt made of the same material. The hem only reached the middle of her thighs, and there was a long rip down one side, revealing a slender leg.
“Nika’s father died of illness and left behind a debt. When the creditors came to collect, she had no way to repay it, so they sold her into slavery to settle the debt. Most importantly, as a member of the fox tribe among the Beastfolk, her physical abilities are somewhat better than those of an ordinary Human Race, and she also possesses a certain degree of combat ability. I believe she would suit you very well.”
After seeing her appearance, Ryan was highly satisfied as well.
There was no troublesome baggage attached to her. Once he bought her, she could immediately become useful combat strength.
Most importantly, Nika was extremely beautiful.
Perhaps because she was a slave and had not been eating well, her figure was somewhat underdeveloped.
But Ryan could tell that her build was naturally alluring.
As long as she recovered her nutrition and was given some time to be cared for, she would surely become stunning.
Ryan looked at the staff member suspiciously.
He felt that she was playing games with him.
When they clearly had such a high-quality slave, why had she not brought her out from the very beginning, and instead deliberately introduced him to two slaves in such poor condition first?
“How old is she now?”
“Nika turned eighteen this year. She has just reached adulthood.”
Hearing that, Ryan nodded.
All things considered, Nika was the slave who best suited his current situation.
She had some combat ability, and there was no other troublesome baggage attached to her.
“Then how much does she cost?”
“Because Nika is a high-quality slave, her price is a bit higher than that of an ordinary slave.”
Ryan waved a hand. “Just say it. How many Gold Coins?”
Did he look like someone short on money?
The staff member understood what he meant and immediately replied, “220 Gold Coins. However, since this is your first time purchasing a slave from our shop, we can offer you a discount and charge only 200 Gold Coins.”
“That works. Charge the card.”
Ryan directly took out his Black-Gold Card.
“Ah! I didn’t expect you to be a Black-Gold Card holder. Thank you very much for your purchase.”
A trace of surprise flashed across the staff member’s face when she saw the card.
After all, every Black-Gold Card holder possessed tremendous wealth.
Once the payment was completed, the staff member brought Nika and Ryan to sign the slave contract.
From this moment on, Nika belonged to Ryan as his slave.
“All right, the slave contract has been signed and completed. Nika is now your slave. Thank you once again for your purchase. We look forward to your next visit.”
Ryan nodded and left the Slave Merchant Guild with Nika.