The stench of the slave market made Field's nose sting. The stingy merchants were vampires, unwilling to spend a single copper coin to give their slaves a bath. Five or six slaves were crammed into tiny cages, forced to eat, drink, relieve themselves, and sleep within their confines.
There was no privacy, no dignity. Even the right to end their own lives was denied them, stripped away by the conditioning of their upbringing.
In the cages displayed outside, many female slaves lacked even a scrap of cloth, completely exposed their soft mounds to passersby. It was a marketing tactic, and a successful one; every day, old bachelors with rotten teeth came to gawk.
"Milord! Looking for slaves? Essential for any farmstead, all hard workers!"
"Rare elf slave! Only a thousand gold coins!"
"Grand opening, milord, come take a look!"
Field, dressed in fine black robes with a polished steel longsword at his hip, possessed a refined, handsome face that clearly marked him as wealthy. The slavers' eyes gleamed. They loved dealing with nobles. Firstly, nobles had strong purchasing power, unlike those penniless gawkers who only looked and never bought. Secondly, nobles went through slaves at an alarming rate; they'd be back as repeat customers within days. To noble lords, slaves were worth less than their hunting hounds, to be killed on a whim.
Field scanned the iron cages holding the slaves. Their eyes were utterly devoid of spirit. Filthy and disheveled, it was hard to tell men from women by their faces alone. Gruesome whip marks scarred their bodies. Occasionally, a slave would meet Field's gaze and immediately lower their head, trembling violently.
"How much?" According to his map, the green marker was somewhere among these slaves. Field asked the price while searching.
"Milord, prices vary greatly depending on the race," said a merchant with a sharp, weaselly face reminiscent of Sneech from Popeye, rubbing his hands together. "Goblins, halflings, and piglings are 10 silver each. Demi-humans are 20 silver. Orcs are 60 silver. If you're looking for... playthings," he leered, "well, then the sky's the limit."
The merchant smirked nastily and pointed towards the large cages inside the building. The most eye-catching was still the elf priced at a thousand gold. Stunningly beautiful, she wore only revealing gauze that exposed her snow-white skin. But her eyes were vacant and dull, like a simpleton's.
"This one was broken by goblins. Given birth to at least twenty-six litters. Ha! Still a top-grade goods though. I plan to send her to the auction house – a thousand gold won't cut it there. Care to reconsider?"
"No interest," Field shook his head immediately. The green marker wasn't her, and he didn't have that kind of money for a plaything anyway. "How much for humans?"
"Humans are clever and more obedient. Males are 40 silver, females 25. Though they're mostly for labor. If you're looking for fun, I still recommend the elf. Even if not for play, killing her for meat or magical components is an excellent choice."
A chill ran down Field's spine. In this world, nobles weren't the elegant, dignified figures of plays; they were feudal, brutal monsters. He'd heard elf flesh and blood were considered potent tonics. So the proud elves ended up served at the table, despite their resemblance to humans.
While chatting, Field located the green marker. His gaze shifted to a cage in the corner. A green dot, like a quest marker in a game, hovered above it.
It was a demi-human. A White Wolf demi-human, specifically. She had crimson pupils, and her ears and tail were distinctly lupine. Clad in coarse burlap, she lay motionless in the cold, damp cage, only her eyes occasionally darting towards the keys at the merchant's waist.
"A rare prairie breed! Our slaving party went through hell breaking their stronghold. Damned savages fought like demons." The merchant recounted the brutality with pride. "If you want to play with a wolf demi-human, best bring servants to help. Otherwise, they might accidentally bite off... hehe, you know what I mean. Better left unsaid."
"A beast-eared girl?"
Field was ecstatic. As a seasoned otaku from Blue Star, he had zero resistance to crimson-eyed, beast-eared girls.
Like coaxing a dog, Field cautiously reached his hand towards the cage, trying to pat her head.
"Grrrr..." A low, threatening growl rumbled in her throat.
"You'd best be careful," Steward Kao frowned.
The beast-eared girl's crimson eyes flashed with dangerous light. Captain Connor, the knight, already had his hand on his sword. "Lord Field, best not touch them. I'd prefer no incidents before we reach Duskmire Lands."
"No need for such tension. She's rather cute." Despite his words, Field was a reasonable man and withdrew his hand. He saw bravado and deep dejection in her eyes – cute yet pitiable. Field straightened his collar. "How much?"
"Just three gold coins!" The merchant, sensing Field's desire, blatantly inflated the price.
One gold coin equaled one hundred silver, and one silver equaled one hundred copper.
Field's face hardened, eyes narrowing. "You said demi-humans cost only 20 silver moments ago. Do you seek to mock a noble?"
"Oh, but she's special! Exceptionally beautiful, isn't she? Freshly caught, guaranteed a virgin, untouched by the filthy eyes of commoners. She's another piece destined for the auction block. Such top-grade looks, pity she's a demi-human! Unclean creatures! Otherwise, I wouldn't sell her for three hundred gold!"
"Fifty silver. Do not test my patience." Field crossed his arms, adopting a tone that painted a rosy picture. "I depart shortly to take up my lordship. The playthings and slaves I purchase will not stop at her. A single transaction, or countless future ones? I trust you grasp the difference."
"Hiss..." The words struck the merchant's greed squarely.
The merchant wrestled internally. Befriending a landed noble with real power was an undeniably good prospect. He gritted his teeth. "That depends on the quantity you purchase."
Steward Kao shot Field a puzzled glance. Previously, Field never haggled; he only sympathized with the merchants' hardships.
After meticulous selection, Field purchased 100 human slaves and 100 demi-human slaves, including 120 men. Including the beast-eared girl he fancied, the total cost was 53 gold coins.
"Milord, the soul contracts for the slaves. All sanctioned by the Chosen of the Gods."
"Contracts?" Field took the parchment densely inscribed with names.
"Yes. Oaths sworn in the slaves' blood. Those who defy your will shall be incinerated by divine fire." The merchant leered, handing over the ropes tethering the slaves. "So... you may do as you please. Enjoy yourself, dear customer."
"I will," Field waved dismissively. After all, heading to the Cursed Lands, if he didn't find some enjoyment, he'd likely just end up corrupted and killed anyway.