8 – The same offer
More grinding. My capacity kept increasing but it was slow. After another week of grinding, I only managed to reach Capacity 300. In short, only about five level’s worth when I reset over 35.
Honestly, it was enough for me to head off to other lands. The king pissed me off enough already just being in the same country, but there was someone I had to save still. I didn’t know when that person leading up to the event would contact me, but it shouldn’t be much longer.
After another lunch at the tavern and blowing off more obnoxious people just trying to mooch off me, I decided to head back to the meadows through a back alleyway. Usually, nobody bothered me. If someone did, they were hostile and I detected their presence far ahead of time.
But this time was different.
“Looks like you’re facing quite a predicament.”
A strange man wearing a tail-coat and a silk top hat stopped me. Coupled with the pair of circular sunglasses and a cane, he looked like a creepy circus-leader.
Most people would go out of his way to ignore him… but he was exactly the person I was waiting for.
“Oh?” I smirked. “And what would make you think that?”
He smirked back. “I don’t have enough man-power. I can’t defeat any monsters.” The man’s smile grew wider. “If that’s the case, I have something just for you, kind sir.”
I rubbed my chin. “Hm… Go on.”
The man swiftly came closer and said, “Are you interested?”
“If I wasn’t, would I have allowed you so close?”
The man laughed and took a step back. “Indeed. The infamous Shield Hero would never allow anyone to approach whom he didn’t want to meet.” The man twirled his cane and said, “Then I’ll tell you. A slave.”
“A slave, huh?”
“Indeed. A competent and loyal follower with a curse to kill them if they betray you. What’s your reply?”
Someone who wouldn’t betray me, someone who could fight at my side. While I wasn’t as bad off as Naofumi, it would also help speed things up. And since I had more resources as well…
“Well,” I said. “What are you waiting for? Show me the way.”
The slave trader smirked and led the way.
We walked for a while through the back alleys. Eventually, we ducked into a dark and hidden sidestreet before emerging in front of what looked like a circus tent.
It looked like my first impression about the guy wasn’t off the mark.
“Right this way, Sir Hero.”
“Alright.”
The slave trader walked forward, taking large steps that had him almost bouncing around, and led me inside the tent.
I followed him, but started off by saying, “I’ll repeat what I say to everyone I transact with. I repay malice with malice and kindness with kindness. If you treat me well, I’ll do the same in kind. But if I find the slightest hint that you’re plotting against me…”
“Oho, I wouldn’t dare, Sir Hero. After all…” He turned to look at me and said, “You’re much stronger than the king would like us to believe, aren’t you?”
I smirked in response.
The slave trader smirked back. “Indeed, Sir Hero is a fine customer. Ruthless and strong, yet still fair. I will admit, I approached you since there was a customer who wanted to enslave a hero, but I’ve changed my mind. Oh yes… you are too much of a good customer to do that. Not that we’d be able to at all, from what it seems.”
I nodded. “Smart choice. No one would know you existed.”
The slave trader laughed.
I laughed as well.
With a loud clang, the heavy gate hidden inside the circus tent opened.
Stepping inside, I let out a grimace.
The area was dimly lit and carried an air of decay. Along with the beastly smell, I could tell it wasn’t clean.
Within that dark interior, I could see lots of cages scattered about. Inside, humanoid shadows wriggled and squirmed.
The slave trader walked over to a cage and tapped it. “Now, this one is my recommendation.”
I approached it and glanced inside.
Something glanced back at me and then growled.
“…A beastman, huh?”
It was a being vaguely resembling a human, but with fur, fangs, and claws.
“Oh?” The slave trader stared at me with interest. “Does Sir Hero have similar creatures in his homeworld?”
“Not really, but I know a bit about them. It might be different from here though, so why don’t you explain?”
The slave trader nodded. “The Melromarc kingdom has a custom of human superiority, which makes it difficult for demi-humans and beastmen to reside in.”
“Hm.” So discrimination. Things didn’t change no matter what world, huh? “Then mind telling me the difference between demi-humans and beastmen?”
“Demi-humans closely resemble humans, but have defining non-human traits and features. Beastmen are even less humanoid than demi-humans.”
“So they get lumped together then.”
“Correct. And since these demi-humans are thought to be closely related to monsters, they have trouble living in this nation and are often treated as slaves.”
I stared at the beastman inside the cave and pondered it.
I wasn’t an activist or particularly cared for justice. Every world had stuff hidden behind the shadows… even Earth. No, especially Earth. After all, we didn’t have any physical excuses to discriminate like being an entirely different kind of race, only slightly different tones of skin or facial features.
But that didn’t matter to me.
The slave trader kept talking. “And because they are slaves, you can punish them. Like so.” He snapped his fingers. A magic circle appeared on his arm, and a similar one inscribed on the beastman’s chest glowed.
The beastman howled in pain and grabbed at its chest.
The slave trader snapped his fingers again and the magic circle disappeared. “All it takes is one simple action, you see.”
I nodded. “Convenient.” I glanced at the beastman lying on its back in the cage and said, “It doesn’t have to be a command though, right? Conditional clauses and passive actions are possible as well?”
The slave trader grinned. “Indeed, Sir Hero is an great customer. Yes, the trigger can be conditional or automatic. However, a ceremony to input your body’s innate code into the spell will be necessary.”
“Makes sense. To prevent interference from other owners, right?”
“Sir Hero is quite knowledgable.” He stared at me apparaisingly. “…One might almost think a bit *too* knowledgable.”
“Knowledge is power, especially of the kind hidden from light. After all, a knife in the dark is more fatal than a sword in the front.”
“Wiser words have never been said.”
“So.” I nodded towards the cage. “How much for this guy? About 15 gold, right?”
The slave trader blinked and stared at me. “…Indeed. That is a reasonable offer. But I presume it’s beyond Sir Hero’s budget?”
“Heh, if you know that why are you asking?”
The slave trader laughed. “Indeed, Sir Hero is astute. I almost believe that you’re one of us. But yes, I simply wished to show Sir Hero our high standards. We can’t have some other incompetent trader sell you inferior goods, can we?” The slave trader handed me a small crystal and said, “This is the status of the slave, for your reference.”
===
Battle slave
Level 75
Species: Werewolf
Skills…
===
I skimmed over the information and nodded.
It was strong, but not what I needed. Still, I nodded to the slave trader in appreciation and handed the crystal back.
“This was a product I picked up from the Colosseum after it was discarded. Despite its current state, I have it on good authority that it did quite well before its arms and legs were broken.”
“Hm.”
I could probably heal him up… but at that level and that price, it seemed like a waste.
The slave trader turned back to me and said, “Now that you’ve seen our best product, what kind of slave is to your liking?”
“Something cheap and not crippled.”
“Hoh? Neither for fighting nor labor? Then the rumors-“
“Are false.” I scoffed. “Like I’d take that whore princess anyway. She probably already tossed herself at some prince in that foreign academy.”
The slave trader’s eyes grew wide. “…Quite knowledgable indeed. Sir Hero, are you truly someone from another world? …No, I suppose that doesn’t matter. But something cheap and not crippled, hm? Any other qualities you’re looking for?”
“A domestic slave would be inconvenient, and definitely not a sex slave. I’m not a person who gets off and forcing myself on others… unlike some of the bastards hiding in the castle.”
“Why Sir Hero, I find myself more and more intrigued the longer I talk to you. It seems that you have quite a thorough understanding of our kingdom’s dark side.”
“Hm? Not really. Thanks for confirming it though.”
The slave trader froze and then laughed. “How cunning. Well, how about gender?”
“I don’t mind either way. As long as they can do the work, it’d be fine.”
The slave trader hummed and scratched his cheek. “The quality won’t be good enough to be deemed as a pet. Is that alright?”
“Looks don’t matter.”
“Even if its level is low?”
“That’d be preferable. It means I can personally guide its growth to the manner I need.”
“Impressive as usual, Sir Hero. Then, follow me. I believe I may have what you’re seeking.”
We walked through the cage-filled tent for several minutes, passing the noisy front before entering one less chaotic.
I glanced around and saw the faces of decrepit youths and elderly.
After walking a bit more, the slave trader stopped before a row of three cages. “There are the cheapest slaves that we can provide to Sir Hero.”
The first cage held a young man around his twenties with his arm bent at an odd angle.
The second had a bony girl that looked around ten with circular dog-like ears and a fluffy tail. She was shuddering and coughing in fear.
The third held a blind lizard man radiating an ominous aura.
“From the left,” the slave trader said. “We have a rabbit species with a genetic disease, a raccoon species afflicted with panic and ailment, and then a beastman lizard man.”
“Hm. All of them seem to have problems.”
“Only these fulfill your conditions, Sir Hero. Anything lower than this, well frankly…” The slave trader looked to the back.
I did the same and could tell, even from afar. The stench of death and decay originated from over there.
“The price then?”
“From the left, 25, 30, and 40 silver coins.”
“Level?”
“5, 1, and 8.”
I nodded.
Naofumi chose Raphtalia here. All things considered, that wasn’t a bad choice. While she suffered from panic attacks and a cold of some kind, that could be easily healed. The rabbit guy wasn’t bad either, since it wouldn’t take me much to heal an arm.
…But Raphtalia was at level 1, and would benefit the most from partying with me. Although the level difference wasn’t large, the beginning made all the difference.
“Any reason why the middle one is cheap? Female slaves, especially young girls should sell for more due to those sick bastards, right?”
The slave trader shrugged. “The raccoon species is somewhat inferior aesthetically. If it were the fox species then it could be sold at a high price despite any problems.”
“Hm…”
The slave trader continued. “Her face is below standards and she panics at night, so we’re having difficulties with her.”
“And this is one of your goods?”
The slave trader shrugged. “Admittedly so.”
“Hm… then I’ll pick her. She seems to have the most potential for growth.”
“Hoh? If that’s what Sir Hero believes, then it must be so.” The slave trader smirked and pulled out a key and opened the cage. After that, he chained Raphtalia to a leash.
“Hee!?!”
The raccoon girl shrieked in fear.
I felt… nothing in particular, really.
Huh. Was this an aftereffect of me being summoned? Or did my lie become the truth, and my heart really gave out? I didn't actually know how I got here for sure, but maybe I DID die of an overworked heart...
Either way, I stood and watched as the slave trader dragged Raphtalia behind him and called someone from inside the circus tent to retrieve a vase. When he got back, he poured some ink into a small saucer and directed it towards me.
“Sir Hero, please share some of your blood. After that, the ritual process will be complete and this slave shall be yours.”
I pulled out knife from my shield and then slashed the edge of my finger over the saucer. With that, a drop of blood fell down upon the ink. The moment it did, the wound healed over.
The slave trader looked interested, but then turned away. Tearing the clothes away from Raphtalia down to her waist, he swirled the ink and my blood with a brush before drawing the slave crest on her body.
Raphtalia screamed and the slave crest glowed. Before long, an icon appeared in my status window.
[Obtained a slave.]
A window popped up with a terms of service agreement. Amusingly enough, it came with a check mark just like one for apps.
I skimmed through it to double check and then turned on the punishments for betrayal and malice to extreme pain.
Despite me knowing her name, Slave A was written next to her party member icon. It looked like I could change her name to whatever I wanted.
The slave trader bowed. “Now, this slave is yours, Sir Hero. Please complete the transaction.”
I handed over 31 silver coins. “Here. One extra for the ceremony service.”
“…You know me quite well.” The slave trader laughed and said, “Well, that’s fine. We managed to clear our inventory anyway.”
“Of course. Holding goods is always the worst, especially live products.”
The slave trader smiled. “Indeed. Sir Hero knows it all too well, I presume?”
“Tell me about it. Hah…”
It reminded me of the time I was in charge of selling fish at a flea market. They were fighting betas, good for little kids to have as pets. But under the hot sun and without any source to cool them down, and then 'taking care of them' when they didn’t sell… what a hassle.
“Well, Sir Hero. Shall I show you the way out?”
“Hm? Who said I was done buying?”