章 18: Chapter 17 Raphtalia
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"A slave trader?"
Jason was no stranger to the term "slave." Not only had he read the original work, but he also knew that slaves existed in the original world.
For instance, the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty, roman empire and so on
Moreover, two-dimensional media, novels, comics, and other forms of entertainment he typically encountered in modern times all included references to slavery.
In essence, people who lack personal freedom, completely obey the orders of their rulers, cannot act autonomously, and can be sold at will are called slaves.
Thus, slave traders, as the name implies, are merchants who deal in the trade of slaves.
"That's right! I'm not like those profiteers; I'm an innocent slave trader. How about it? Are you interested?"
Although the slave trader appeared quite bloated, he was agile and quickly positioned himself in front of Jason.
"Talking is talking, but don't get so close. Sorry... your face is a bit unsettling."
Jason took a step back instinctively. "By the way, how did you know I would be interested?"
"Of course, I can tell just by looking into your eyes."
The slave trader was not offended and retained his unpleasant smile while speaking with a certain profundity.
"So that's the case. Then let me ask you: Why do you think I would need a slave?"
Jason questioned with a slightly strange smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Isn't it obvious? Slaves are very convenient; they won't betray you, they can do whatever you ask, and you don't have to worry about their lives. At worst, you can simply replace them..."
The slave trader seemed quite animated, spinning his cane around as he spoke. Suddenly, he stopped, and the smile on his face took on a darker tone. "Now you're not just facing rejection from the other three Heroes; you've also offended the king. Finding a companion in a normal way is basically impossible."
Upon hearing this, Jason realized that the slave trader before him was definitely not an ordinary character and truly had the means to collaborate with him.
"Your understanding of me is remarkable. Given that this is the situation, take me to see your slaves."
"You have good taste; then please follow me."
The slave trader led the way as they walked into the distance.
Under his guidance, Jason traversed several narrow alleyways. After progressing a certain distance, he noticed the surrounding streets changing.
The air became foul, the cobblestones filthy, and more homeless men dressed in rags lingered by the roadside, many of whom eyed him with ill intent.
The atmosphere was filled with a cacophony of noises, shouts, and sounds of violence.
It felt like a different version of a slum.
After walking for a while, they reached a narrow street basking in broad daylight yet devoid of sunshine. Continuing further, they finally arrived at a hut resembling a circus tent.
Seeing this, Jason finally understood why he couldn't locate a slave trader earlier; even when asking passersby, they would remain silent and quickly leave.
For civilians, this was a place they absolutely wished to avoid and wouldn't even dare discuss.
"Master Shield Hero, this way please!"
The slave trader stood at the entrance of the circus tent, bending slightly in a gesture of invitation.
"Alright!"
Jason took another step and followed the slave trader into the tent.
The interior was dimly lit and carried a faint odor of decay and blood, mixed with the scent of wild animals. The combined stench was quite unbearable.
"A guest mentioned earlier that he wanted to buy a Hero as a slave. I only contacted you based on the possibility, but after meeting you, I've changed my mind."
The slave trader showed no concern for the unpleasant smell, moving about inside with peculiar steps while chatting about his intention to make Jason a slave.
"Oh? Then let me guess the identity of the guest you mentioned: someone from the palace or an individual from the church of 3 heros?"
Jason responded nonchalantly, as if engaged in light conversation. Despite the slave trader's annoying words, he was inadvertently providing Jason with vital information, which could be seen as an indirect gesture of favor.
Moreover, Jason recalled that the slave trader had said similar things to Iwatani Naofumi in the original story, even though he hadn't realized it at the time.
Upon hearing Jason's words, the slave trader paused and slowly turned his head: "I'm sorry… but I can't disclose the identity of the guest. After all, I am a businessman with professional ethics. However… I am now even more certain that I will never be your enemy."
"Hehe… Smart people tend to live longer, don't you think? Now, please continue to lead the way!"
Jason smiled coldly, the threat in his voice unmistakable.
"Certainly!"
The slave trader didn't react much to Jason's threat and continued walking forward.
Not long after, he stopped in front of a cage, where a shadow shaped like a person was moving around.
"Look, this is my most recommended slave!"
The slave trader raised his cane and completely removed the black cloth covering the cage.
"Roar~~~"
Inside the cage was a creature that resembled a man, but its skin was covered with wild animal fur, and its limbs had sharp claws. It appeared to be a werewolf from legend. The creature slammed into the cage desperately while roaring, but the sturdy cage remained unmoved.
"This is an orc, basically classified within the human category! However, it resembles a beast more closely than a human."
The slave trader introduced slowly, detailing the classification: those closer to beasts are called orcs, while those who are closer to humans but still retain some beast-like traits are referred to as subhumans.
Due to historical reasons, the MelroMar Kingdom upholds human supremacy, and orcs and subhumans are not welcomed in this kingdom.
Even if you saw some walking demihumans and orcs on the street, they were often itinerant merchants or down-and-out adventurers; there were no opportunities for them to obtain decent jobs in this country. In short, it was a clear instance of discrimination.
"Now... let me show you how to control these slaves!"
As the slave trader spoke, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers, causing a small magic circle to appear on his wrist.
At the same time, the magic circle on the werewolf locked in the cage glowed brightly, sending forth a flicker of electrical charge.
"Wow woof woof..."
The werewolf desperately covered its chest with its hands, displaying a pained expression, and then collapsed to the ground, rolling continuously because of the agony. Its previously threatening roar turned into pitiful whines.
The slave trader snapped his fingers again, and the magic circle on the werewolf's chest faded until it completely disappeared.
"With this method, the slave will be punished appropriately. Of course… you don't have to snap your fingers for it to work; you can set other activation methods. Just hold a small ceremony so that the slaves inscribed with the magic circle pattern on their bodies memorize the physiological information of the users."
The slave trader continued his explanation.
"That magic is remarkably convenient."
Jason was not overly sympathetic to the werewolf; he wasn't the sort to harbor excessive compassion.
"This type of werewolf is known to be a formidable fighting group. Its level has reached 75, so it should have a bit more value—how about 15 gold coins?"
Then the slave trader started pitching his sale.
Jason knew that in this country, 1 gold coin equaled 100 silver coins, making the price quite steep—certainly more than he could afford at the moment.
"You should be able to tell that I don't have that many gold coins, at least not now."
Jason shrugged and spread his hands.
"Of course! I know you'll become a regular customer of our store sooner or later, and I'm sure this gold coin will be earned quickly by you. There's no harm in selling it to you in advance, is there?"
The slave trader's words were a blend of flattery and apparent truth, making it hard to discern his intentions.
"Alright, let's look for some slaves I can actually afford—hurry up, I'm busy."
"Yes, you're tasked with saving the world, so you're clearly a busy person. To improve efficiency, can you tell me what kind of slave you need?"
"Demihuman, female, low rank!"
"Oh? A little girl?"
"Hey... don't look at me like that; I don't have any special hobbies!"
"Oh, I see!"
"You know nothing!"
"I really understand what you mean, Master Shield Hero's interests must be lovely."
"You really only know nonsense!"
While bickering, the two arrived at a cage.
Inside was a skinny little girl with frightened eyes, trembling and coughing.
"Finally found her!"
Jason's eyes couldn't help but light up.
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