Novel Bin Chapter 151: Slave merchant and the rumoured adventurer sisters
We’ve heard about the location of the slave dealer and we headed towards the slave dealer but going in with all of our members would, as expected, be seen as intimidation towards the slave merchant so the ones to enter the shop would be me, Lionel and Estia.
“If that’s the case, I’ll standby outside. Since these guys are likely to get caught in bad situations if only slaves wait outside.”
“There’s no transfer of information here nya.”
“I’ll also investigate slightly more on the Labyrinth of Traps.”
“Shisho, please look after the 2 of them.”
I nodded to Cathy and Kefin’s words and stepped into the slave dealership after entrusting the 2 of them to Instructor Broad.
“Welcome. Oya, it’s been a long time since a Healer came to our shop.”
I imagined a shady guy to be the shop owner but … I was taken aback by the smartly-dressed man carrying a youthful atmosphere who entered the hall.
“I’m surprised you can tell that I’m a Healer?”
“Of course. Healers have been our loyal customers up until a couple of years back.”
I thought for an instant that the robe I was wearing was exposed but my intuition told me that wasn’t the case.
Well, if there truly has been a Healer who came by the slave dealership, I’d like to ask for his/her name.
Was it strange to think that way? Just by thinking about it made me melancholic so I entered the main topic.
” … I see. Actually, I’ve heard on the streets that a famous pair of adventurer sisters have been turned into slaves so I’ve come here to search for them.”
“Hou. You’ve caught wind of it quickly … well, they will be exhibited during today’s auction so you can get more details at that time.”
“Sorry but please allow me to converse with them for a while. I will decide after that if I want to buy or not.”
I negotiated for a conversation with 1 gold coin as a tip.
Money is important but this time, I judged that it was a battle against time.
“Uh huh. Oh well, I guess it’s fine. But, please do not reveal the condition of the commodity.”
With my use of a gold coin, the man easily yielded to my request to have a short interview.
“Yeah. I understand. I swear that I will not reveal the condition of the adventurer sisters to anybody apart from my party.”
” … This way please.”
“Lionel, I leave it to you.”
“Yes!”
I planned to have Lionel check if they seem strong and competent as I followed after the back of the slave merchant with me in the lead.
I was slightly bothered by why the male slave merchant would allow me to immediately meet the sisters but I guess he decided that their value would not change even if I am allowed to see them.
However, even if I did not ask that man for the answer, I instantly knew the reason when we arrived at the sister’s prison.
While being guided by the slave merchant, there were also employees who led us through the prison but I was surprised by the slaves who acted in a way that gave us the false sense of being a distinguished personage.
It can be said to feel as if we were in a high-class pet shop but instead of dogs and cat, it dealt in humans.
“Please don’t make such a mystified expression. It’s just a means to sell the commodities at a higher price.”
Just like that, until we arrived at the sisters’ prison, I felt a clear difference in class between this place and the slave dealership in Ienith.
It was clean in any of the prisons and from the decked out clothes to the grade of food that shows fine management, it gave off a sense of professionalism where they considered the value of the slaves as commodities and pursued the method to implement and put into practice how expensive they could be sold for.
It was my first time experiencing such a feeling since I came to this world.
If Dolan and the others are manufacturing professionals, this man here is probably a professional businessman.
Rather than the slaves, I ended up being more interested as to who this man really was.
From the high-class slaves, the grade steadily dropped until the final prison where the rumored sisters were.
The adventurer sisters appearing at the auction this time would most likely play the role of the star attraction from the value of their name.
However, looking at the sisters, I could not imagine them being sold as slaves and I was convinced as to why the man had me agree to the condition to not reveal their current state.
Painful traces of stab marks on their eyes, ears cut off, inflamed scalp with no hair remaining, torn off arms that have been petrified and feet undergoing necrosis perhaps due to circulating poison.
I was shocked to the extent that I could not raise a voice upon seeing the sisters and I would have normally immediately applied 「Extra Heal」 in situations like this but I struggled to suppress the strong urge that was driving me.
Looking at the 2 of them, feelings of immense sadness and nostalgia(?) burst out, I felt my eyes turn hot for some reason and it was hard for me to look at them directly.
“It was until yesterday that these 2 were known as beautiful sisters. I am told they were betrayed by their companions and the place they fled to had a trap that they fell into with apparently a hydra in it. Although they somehow escaped, along the way, when they were exhausted, they were caught by the adventurers who betrayed them.”
” … Then aren’t they illegal slaves?”
“The problem comes after that. After they left the labyrinth, they killed the adventurers. Furthermore, new adventurers who were not related at all were dragged into the fight.”
” … The new adventurers met with misfortune huh?”
The new adventurers were most probably asked to approach the sister who could no longer see.
The ones who met with misfortune were the new adventurers and the sisters so the fiend was the one who sold them to the slave dealer.
I decided to have Instructor Broad investigate this information after the auction had ended and impose punishment.
“Yeah. But they were in this condition after all. They most likely could not judge. The adventurers captured them and they came in while in that condition. They can’t even be recognized as women anymore …”
If that’s the case then I don’t understand why they had to be so relentless as to drive them to this extent.
“I see. So can they speak?”
“That’s impossible. They are alive but they are in a mysterious state … I won’t return your gold just because you can’t have a conversation with them.”
With cuts on their throats, I understood that they were not in a condition to talk normally.
“Yeah. I won’t ask you to return it. So what time is the auction today? And can I even participate in the auction?”
” … You plan to purchase these 2?”
The slave dealer’s poker face crumbled.
“As expected … if it’s an auction then there should be outstanding items and competent slaves right?”
“Ah, I see. I’ll write you a letter of introduction then.”
When he determined that I won’t buy them after all, his expression returned.
“Okay. Also, just in case, would you allow me to talk for just a moment?”
“Sure. Please call me when you are done.”
I was judged to be a whimsical guy … his eyes gave me that kind of feeling.
“That’s quite a great deal of trust in me.”
“Fufufu. What I trust in is not you but my eyes. Furthermore … no, nothing. Once you’re done, please come to the entrance.”
” …… ”
The male slave dealer had substantial confidence in his eyes in judging people … or he pretends to have as Lionel gave me the sign telling me that there are eyes monitoring us.
The man returned to the entrance of the shop without noticing the sign.
I spoke to the sisters in the jail in an audible voice.
“My name is Luciel. The holder of blessings from dragons and spirits. Do you 2 possess blessings?”
“” …… “”
The 2 of them stiffened while remaining alert … or rather, they were probably enduring their fear as their vision and hearing were broken.
“Probably not only their vision but also their hearing have been completely broken.”
Lionel’s examination was consistent with mine.
” … Estia, for the time being, please communicate with spirits and try to talk with them. If it’s impossible then it can’t be helped. So, Lionel, were there any usable talents in this slave dealership?”
While requesting for Estia to talk with the younger sister who is a Spirit-user if possible, Lionel directed his consciousness to me.
” … About 2 people.”
“I see. Then maybe I’ll talk to those 2 on the way back. Perhaps they may become our strength in the future.”
” … Those 2 people are the sisters.”
” … It’s okay to not take my feelings into consideration you know?”
I looked at the 2 of them but I could not grasp the extent of their strength.
“Yes. The elder sister seems to have trained a considerable amount as a swordswoman and if the younger sister is, in fact, a Spirit-user, she should be able to use immense power.”
“All right. So I’ll buy these 2 huh? Well, if she’s a Spirit-user, I only fear that she would be able to dispel the slave crest using spirits.”
I could not tell as to how he determined those points.
Even so, I decided to trust Lionel.
“It’ll just mean that it wasn’t destined to be when that time comes.”
“Okay. If that’s the case, tonight we’ll participate in the auction and tomorrow morning we will head for the Labyrinth of Traps.”
“Yes!”
When Lionel and I talked to that point, I felt Estia stagger slightly.
“Estia, did she say something?”
” … The younger sister said that if you intend to buy her, she will not want it unless the elder sister is purchased together as well.”
That tone meant that the Darkness Spirit had replaced Estia.
“Thanks for the help. I will buy both of them so please help me convey to them to not die by all means before I purchase them at the auction. Lionel, let’s go ahead.”
” … Yes.”
Lionel most likely noticed that Estia was acting strangely.
Even so, he did not request for an explanation from me.
I’ll properly tell him after this.
Since he probably won’t imagine a Darkness Spirit living inside a Spirit Magic Swordsman.
By the time we opened the door we came in through, the Darkness Spirit was already standing by behind me.
And she looked unwell so I asked to be safe.
“Is it mental fatigue? Or did you expend too much magical power?”
“Sorry. I ended up feeling slightly mentally fatigued.”
“Sorry for asking you to push yourself.”
“It’s all right. I’m glad to have been useful.”
“Is that so?”
By the time we reached the entrance door, the person in charge opened it for us.
“Oya customers, are you done already?”
“Yeah. I could not talk with them.”
“Then did you treat the injuries of those sisters perfectly?”
” … That would be impossible.”
“Ha~ as expected huh? They can expect a considerable sum of gold if they heal those 2 perfectly but every Healer-sama refused.”
“Since 「High Heal」 is not capable of healing the collapsed eyes and missing body parts.”
Only if it’s normally though … I’ve not been spending my gold unnecessarily so I decided to just buy them during the auction.
“Then, please hold onto this. Time-wise, it will start from 20 o’clock and the location will be behind the Merchant’s Guild.”
The slave merchant handed me an invitation and then took out a map of this city and politely pointed out to me the location where the auction would be held.
He would probably receive a commission for my purchases at this auction but with this much business talent, won’t he be fine just by doing business?
So I wondered.
“Okay. I’ll buy if I see something I want.”
“Thank you.”
We were sent off by the man and left the slave dealership.
After we left the shop, Shisho and the others were waiting at the immediate vicinity.
“Well, that was quick. So how was it?”
“Yes. I decided to make an appearance at the auction. We’ll leave the Labyrinth of Traps for tomorrow.”
“Is that so? If so then what do we do from now?”
“We’ll go to an inn. You all are free to move about after that. Instructor Broad, you look like you have something to do as well so it’s all right if you want to do that.”
“Okay. Then I’ll head to the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters. As expected, 3 chimeras were tough so I’ll put in a complaint and ask for indemnities.”
I could tell that Shisho was pretty angry.
The talks at times like these would be protracted so I felt that the employees at the Adventurer’s Headquarters would have a tough time too as we went to search for an inn.
“Then, let’s ask for a recommended inn in this city and stay the night there.”
“I’ve already asked about that so I’ll lead the way.”
“That helps a lot.”
Thanking Kefin who had already finished gathering information, we headed towards the inn and until the time at night when the auction would take place, I listened to Cathy and Kefin’s report on the Labyrinth of Traps and made a strategy for tomorrow.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.