Chapter 18
Holy this chapter is ma.s.sive, and the next chapter is even bigger… well it might mean that I can't release it by this week since I've got stuff going on as well, but we'll see. Anyways, thanks for reading.
Freya asks me what I'm going to buy in the poor people's section. Since there is no meaning to hide it anyways, I honestly tell her I'm going to buy a slave, which makes Freya frown.
"… A slave you say?" (Freya)
"You don't like it huh." (Kearuga)
"But don't you just feel sorry for slaves. Stealing their freedom and forcibly ordering them around." (Freya)
I unintentionally burst into laughter after hearing that. Even though she did lose her memories, to think that she of all people would say that.
"That's true, but it's tragic for the slaves that couldn't be sold, or were bought by strange customers you know. I'm nice, so the slave I buy will be able to live as a slave that's happier than the others. I guess you can call that an act of mercy in some way." (Kearuga)
"I do agree with you about that, but why a slave of all people? Isn't an adventurer better at fighting than a slave?" (Freya)
I shake my head after hearing that, because recruiting an adventurer is only something someone out of their mind would do.
"Unlike Freya who loves me dearly and obeys me, adventurers take actions for their own convenience. You don't know when they'll leave, and the reward money is high. In addition, what I'm looking for is not their current strength, but their talent. So in the end, picking a slave who hears me out and has talent is the best option." (Kearuga)
Humans don't take actions for others satisfaction, and only do things for their own convenience. Stopping that is impossible.
It's possible if I erase their personality and train them with hypnosis like Freya, but I've already made a rule not to do inhumane things to people other than my targets for revenge.
That's why the only choice is to pick a slave that isn't selfish. Adding onto that, demi-humans generally have higher talent values than humans.
It depends on their race as well, but demi-humans have an average total talent value of 400, whereas humans have a total value of 300. However, demi-humans have a trait of having a low level limit, so humans usually are stronger if both are compared at their utmost limit.
"I understand. It's something necessary for Kearuga-sama to save the world, so I'll help you pick a good child with you." (Freya)
Freya tightly grips and makes a fist. Freya has recently been too obedient and it is unpleasant. With that voice and the att.i.tude that she takes, my condition goes out of order.
It would be troublesome and annoying if she puts on a cheeky att.i.tude, but this att.i.tude is also quite complicated. Right now when she doesn't have any experiences that can decide her personality, in one way, you could call this Freya's most pure state.
Is this what princess Flare's original face was like? No, there's no way that's possible, and she's probably just trying to b.u.t.ter up to me. There is no change in the fact that I'm going to use her until she breaks. Well it's fine; I should enter the shop for now.
I entered a famous shop for the people in the underworld which is located in the poor people's section.
This shop was made for high cla.s.s customers, so considering it's in the poor people's section, it's the interior is quite wide and clean. It also has the characteristic of having a lot of bodyguards.
Although they are guarding the high priced goods, they were probably hired to prevent the slaves from escaping. In this shop, they are train kidnapped demi-humans, and sell them as slaves, so of course some of them would try and escape. That's why they need guards that are strong at fighting.
"Welcome. Our dear customers, what kind of merchandise are you searching for today?" (Employee)
An elderly employee called out to me. Although he is putting on a smile, he doubts me about whether I'm here to window shop.
"I came to go to the bas.e.m.e.nt." (Kearuga)
In the first floor of this shop, stolen goods, illegal drugs, magic tools that were made from a prohibited recipe and so on are lined up, and in the bas.e.m.e.nt, the slaves have been lined up. My objective is to buy a slave from the bas.e.m.e.nt.
"I beg your pardon, but my dear customer… how much do you have on hand?" (Employee)
While staying silent, I hand him a small bag filled with gold coins. Inside that bag, the majority of my whole fortune, 32 gold coins, and sundry other copper coins. From the start, I had 4 gold coins for my travelling expenses, and it amounted to this much after earning the 28 gold coins earlier.
"Excuse me for that. Please come this way." (Employee)
A slave’s price is usually around 20 to 30 gold coins and if they come with an appraiser, it becomes a bit more expensive. If it's the amount I have now, then there'll be no problem whatsoever.
The existence called a slave is convenient, and is expensive considering the price is the income of a manual laborer after 2 years. For this reason, those guys that go slave hunting appear as they would think of demi-humans as quite good prey. (TL Note: The raws don't say demi-humans, but I'm pretty sure that's what the author is saying anyways. Also the slave hunters aren't actual hunters, but they hunt for demi-humans to turn into slaves, but the raws just put slave hunters, so I'll keep it as that.)
Well then, it'd be fine if there are good slaves but….
We arrive at the bas.e.m.e.nt. Both sides of the wall have been made into a cage, and demi-humans with various different races were restrained with chains. Some have eyes filled with resentment, and some are trembling with fear; various different types.
Incense was consistently being burned. It's to remove the smell of the demi-humans.
To preserve the worth of this shop's commodities, they care about the sanitation. However, because of the fear, many have urinary incontinence or vomit from the stress of the change in environment. In this place, it's not weird for those kinds of things to happen at any time.
So that the customers become unpleasant from them, they strengthen the smell of the incense. … But of course, that smell just becomes more stress for the sensitive demi-humans.
"Does our dear customer have knowledge about magic? If you do, then we'll prioritize the demi-humans who have revealed their 'true name' for you." (Employee)
"I can use magic, but I want to see all of the demi-humans. There is no need to choose from the prioritized ones." (Kearuga)
I shake my head. True name. That is something that all living beings apart from humans have, and is a name that is engraved into their soul.
The slave magic which uses that true name is something that the humans developed. If you use that true name, then you'll be able to manipulate a demi-human as much as you want. This is one of the major causes as to why the humans were able to win the war against the demi-humans.
Demi-humans never speak of their 'true name', but because the slaves which are easier to use are sold for a better price, the kidnapped demi-humans go through torture to try and get their true name from them.
The employee and I slowly walk while looking through the demi-humans.
"How are they my dear customer? Have you found a child that you like? Today's recommendation is a young man from the white tiger race, a boy from the sand dog race and a woman from the moon cat race. The white tiger race boasts of their strength and the sand
While ignoring the employee's explanation, I use【Jade Eyes】to peek into the demi-humans talent values.
We've gone one lap around the room, and with this, I've seen all the slaves in this shop.
"There isn't really one that stands out for me." (Kearuga)
Out of the demi-human men, there was a monster which was vanguard orientated, and was in the latter half of 400. (TL Note: Talent Value)
However, using the hero's skill 'increasing someone’s level limit by giving them body fluids' is extremely hard to use towards a man.
It's not particularly necessary to use s.e.m.e.n, but the probability drops terribly low. s.e.m.e.n with high concentration has a near 100% probability of increasing someone's level limit, but blood or anything else only has a success rate of happening 1 out of 100 times.
It's possible to give a man s.e.m.e.n, but I wouldn't voluntarily do it. I can take it in consideration if their talent value is overwhelmingly high, but…
"That's unfortunate. It seems that there was no demi-human that pa.s.ses in your judgment. By the way, were you looking for a s.e.x slave this time? Or else a manual labor slave? Or was it possibly a combat slave?" (Employee)
"A combat slave." (Kearuga)
Once I said that, I was brought over to the male slave I had my eye on before, the giant white tiger race. (TL Note: There was also the word public relations in the raws, but I wasn't sure how to fit it in the sentence. 俺がそう言うと、俺がさきほど目を付けた男奴隷。 白虎族の巨漢のところまでつれていきＰＲをしてくる。)
Unfortunately however, he is not needed. I guess I'll go search in another shop. Wait, no, it's strange.
"What are you doing with the demi-humans who have diseases in this shop?" (Kearuga) (TL Note: I called it!! Now all that's left is for the employee to sell it to him cheaply.)
With the disease spreading this much in the town, there's no way all the demi-humans in this shop are safe. The ones who have fallen ill must have been isolated in another room so they wouldn't spread the disease.
"Since it's not good if an accident happens to our customers or other merchandise, we keep the【Damaged Goods】isolated elsewhere." (Employee)
"Are you able to show them to me as well?" (Kearuga)
Since I'm able to cure the illness, I have no problem with【Damaged Goods】.
"… I think it'll be better if you don't, because it's not really a pleasant thing." (Employee)
From this man's way of speaking, I can basically see what the circ.u.mstances are for the isolated demi-humans. It seems they've been given considerably horrible treatment.
"Please, I want to see as many demi-humans as I can, even if there are only a few." (Kearuga)
I somehow persuade the hesitant employee, and walk inside the room where the isolated slaves are.
The moment I entered the room, my face screwed up. This is quite horrible. To start with, various things have been thrown out, and the smell is intense.
A few demi-humans that are going through the terminal symptoms of the strange disease come into view. Tormented from the pain coursing through their whole body, they raise screams while struggling.
It's not just that. There were also many demi-humans who had external wounds which weren't from the disease. Although this is just my a.s.sumption, they are probably the demi-humans who were being rebellious, or the ones who didn't say their true name until the very end.
"I'm very sorry my dear customer. There is a room which is a bit better further away, so let's start looking from there." (Employee)
"Yes, I understand." (Kearuga)
He said that it was better further away. That room probably has demi-humans that were decided to still have room for rehabilitation, or can get back their commodity value by treating them.
I wonder how cruel humans can get. While looking at the demi-humans who are going through pain and despair, I think about that kind of thing.
The room I was guided to was, as expected, better than the room I was in a bit earlier. There is also a full set of the minimum necessities for treating illnesses or wounds. But in this room, there still wasn't a demi-human which pa.s.sed my judgment.
After telling the employee there wasn't a slave whom I wanted, we returned to the room filled with slaves that were planned to be disposed of.
There are around 10 people in this room, and they were in tragic conditions. However, there wasn't a demi-human that could be called a hit.
The last one, once I thought that, my eyes were drawn to one girl. That girl was just silently sitting down.
It's a child from the ice wolf race. She was a girl that had just about every part of her white; her hair, her skin, her wolf ears and her tail.
Her age was 1, 2 years younger than I am. Although she has become thin and weak, even then, she is still beautiful.
The surprising thing is, her symptoms from the strange disease are severe, and she is enduring the pain which would make a grown up cry and shout while looking at our direction.
My legs unintentionally move towards her.
"My dear customer, she is a failure. We used the appraiser on her to sell her expensively because she was quite strong, but she's already reached the level limit. It was our first time seeing someone only has a limit of 7." (Employee)
Even though an appraiser can't find their level limit, if the person has already reached their limit, there is a ☆ next to their level so they are able to tell if they have hit their limit. A level limit of 7 is abnormally low, even in demi-human standards. However, that won't be a minus for me, especially if it's a beautiful girl. (TL Note: Erm… girl as in young lady… idk what you're thinking, but he isn't going after any kids ok!)
"In the first place, she has a severely frenzied behavior. She wouldn't cough up her true name no matter what we do; she can't be used in battle, and can't even be sold as a slave since she doesn't listen to what you say, so when we tried to at least make her remember a man, she broke off the nether regions of an animal trainer with her kick." (Employee)
I become absent minded, and then laugh. She's a strong willed child. On her neck, a slave's collar is coiled around it.
That is a physical restraint developed for demi-human use, and has the effect of scattering the gathered mana, and the effect of making them feel a sense of fatigue so they can't move properly. In addition, it's a troublesome thing that makes and intense pain run through their body if they try to injure a human.
To think she can withstand the pain from the illness and still resist even after going through all of this, it's definitely not something someone with ordinary emotional strength can do. Her spirit is strong and although it's hard to handle, it'll be useful once I can manage it.
Above all, the thing that caught my attention the most were the eyes that are staring at the employee and I. Those blue eyes looked like beautiful jewels, and there were deeply held resentment that was darker than the depths of h.e.l.l. She detests something, that she just can't help it hating it.
Once the employee and I get close to her, she spring out and extends her hand. Although the collar has a chain, it is just barely the distance for her hand to reach. She must have been enduring the urge to a.s.sault until the moment her hand could reach. She has fort.i.tude and a smart brain. I'm getting more and more pleased with her.
"【Shut】!" (Employee)
The employee cries out, which makes the slave collar violently close, and the ice wolf girl collapses. While having rough breaths, the employee kicks at the ice wolf girl, over and over again.
"You! You! Even though we paid a high amount of money to buy you because you were a rare ice wolf! You're level limit is tras.h.!.+ You don't listen to anyone! You're about to drop dead from the disease! We had a huge loss because of you! Die! Someone like you should just die!" (Employee)
There was no pain or fear in the girl's eyes, and there was only hatred in it. Rather than this man's kicks, the pain from the strange disease is much stronger, but it's only obvious.
I put power into my【Jade Eyes】.
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Race: Ice Wolf
Name: Setsuna
Cla.s.s: Ice Wolf Warrior
Level: 7☆
Status:
MP: 27/27
Physical Attack: 20
Physical Defense: 15
Magical Attack: 20
Magical Resistance: 15
Speed: 21
Level Limit: 7
Talent Values:
MP: 76
Physical Attack: 105
Physical Defense: 71
Magical Attack: 106
Magical Resistance: 71
Speed: 108
Total Talent Value: 537
Abilities:
Skills:
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Although her age seems to be around 12 to 13 years old, since demi-humans become an adult early, she's already awakened to her cla.s.s.
Nevertheless… she's strong. A high speed attacker skilled in both fields. Her total talent value has surpa.s.sed the average. Even though an average demi-human is around 400, a value surpa.s.sing 500 is excellent. Besides, her special cla.s.s, ice wolf warrior, isn't bad either.
Her fatally low level limit of 7 can be compensated by me as well.
"I would appreciate it if you could stop hurting that child. This child will become mine now." (Kearuga)
I grab the shoulder of the employee who was pouring down insults while kicking the persistent ice wolf and stop his a.s.sault.
"Are you sane? It's impossible to make this child listen to what you say. Besides, she's infected by a disease as well." (Employee)
"There'll be no problem as long as I pay the money right?" (Kearuga)
"Well we're fine with that, but we won't receive returned good later on." (Employee)
"I won't do something like returning her. If you want, I could write a written oath?" (Kearuga)
Something like me returning this child is absolutely impossible, because she is the same as I am. She has a deep, deep hatred which continues going forever.
Until now, this girl didn't say her "true name" no matter what torture she faced, but she'll probably reveal her "true name" if I hint at her revenge. She'll absolutely not be able to win against the temptation of revenge. That's why I…
I approach the ice wolf girl and whisper quietly near her ear so that the employee isn't able to hear.
"I'll buy you, and if you follow me, you can have your revenge. You hate them don't you. That's why you should shut up and follow me." (Kearuga)
The girl looks at my face, and for a small moment of time, for only a small moment of time, she smiled.
And then, the girl lost consciousness.
Until now, this girl was enduring much past her limits from suffering because of the pain and high fever of the strange disease, and the slave collar which was tightening her neck. From the interruption in her mental strain, her consciousness immediately dropped.
After that, we pay the gold coins and leave the shop. Originally, she would have been an extremely expensive slave.
The fact that she's an ice wolf which is powerful and rare, she is a beautiful girl, she's a virgin, she comes with an appraiser and so her pluses are too much.
If it was a slave with all of those extras, they would probably cost around 50 gold coins, but because she's【Damaged Goods】, and it's a trouble to take care of her, they sold it to me for 20 gold coins which was cheaper than the market price.
As long as her true name isn't revealed, the employee pressed me to at least keep her slave collar to restrain her, but I don't need that kind of thing. This is because she owns better chains than that, which are the chains of revenge.
I return to the inn while carrying the ice wolf in a princess carry. Well, I was able to do some good shopping. Although she is also good as a meat s.h.i.+eld with splendid abilities, I have an interest in other people's revenge. The moment she kills the person she hates just as she wanted to, I wonder what kind of face she'll have at that moment. I want to see that scene.
She's going to become one of my important pieces. After I cure her and heal her physical strength, I'll get her true name out of her while suggesting to make a contract with a demon while using revenge as bait.
As the kind person I am, I plan to lend a hand for her revenge. The strength of the unconcealable hatred; it seems like it'll be quite an enjoyable thing. Now, what will come I wonder. I was looking forward to it so much that I just couldn't help it.