Slaves Are Expensive

Having been fired from being a hero, I came to the slave merchant to buy a slave.

I needed someone who wouldn’t betray me, who could handle chores and help me survive with actual common sense.

The slave merchant began explaining the four beautiful girls and one elderly woman—a witch—lined up against the wall of the large reception room.

“The first is an elven adventurer. She can use spirit magic and excels at scouting and exploration.”

“I see. An adventurer… but wouldn’t an elf know little about human common sense?”

“That is why we have the second. A human and an excellent scout. She can make maps, disarm traps, and formerly being a thief, she knows not only common sense but the underworld’s rules as well.”

She was slender yet sensual; simply crossing her long legs made her supple muscles ripple seductively.

“But she used to be a thief… wouldn’t that drag me into danger?”

“Well, that much I cannot guarantee. But considering your strength, Lord Alec, we introduced her believing you could handle minor trouble.”

“I see… then why is the next one also an elf?”

“The third elf serves a different purpose. She became an unconditional slave after committing theft… she can do anything, from daily chores to nighttime duties.”

“Unconditional slave?”

“A slave allowed to do anything except killing and violence.”

“And the first elf isn’t like that?”

“She is a conditional slave—she volunteered and has terms such as working hours, duties, pay, leave, and benefits. Ordering her to do anything outside that contract would result in punishment for the master.”

“I didn’t know there were two kinds of slaves… so what can this one do?”

“She can use some archery and magic… but her skill is inferior to the first elf.”

The elven girl trembled faintly, her large jade-colored eyes wavering as if she wanted to say something.

But she said nothing.

Her chest was average, but her balanced figure was sculpted like a masterpiece.

Her pale skin was flawless, and her neat teeth and big gemstone-like eyes were strikingly beautiful.

Well, the first elf was beautiful too.

—I see.

The first elf was probably forbidden from nighttime duties.

So by displaying this one together, men who wanted the first but couldn’t touch her would settle for this one instead.

It was like a store displaying a one-of-a-kind luxury item up front while lining the shelves with mass-produced items inside.

A foolish man—especially a fool like me—would fall for it easily.

But right now, finding a slave with common sense was a matter of life and death.

This one was not an option.

The first elf beauty raised her hand slightly.

The merchant gave her a sharp look.

“What are you doing, speaking in front of a customer?”

“I want to say one thing on her behalf. Or rather, she keeps nagging me through spirit telepathy to say it. It won’t harm the shop.”

“Well, very well… Ah, Lord Alec. Conditional slaves can speak, but unconditional slaves have their voices sealed.”

The elf beauty looked at me with her green eyes.

“She says she only stole a book from a bookstore and ate a cheap meal without paying. She didn’t take any money. ‘It was just a little,’ so please help her—apparently.”

“Shoplifting and dining without paying are crimes. The amount doesn’t change that.”

The elf girl widened her eyes, as if she expected me to sympathize.

The elf beauty nodded deeply.

“I agree. It’s exactly because elves think they’re better than everyone that they believe stealing from inferior humans is fine. That attitude is why elves are hated by every other race. Reflect on it a little.”

“…!”

Unable to speak, the elf girl bit her lip in frustration, glaring at me and the elf beauty as if she wanted to curse us.

—Absolutely not choosing her. Who knows what she’d do?

In fact, that exchange made it clear the elf beauty was the one with real common sense.

More than that—she seemed sharp and reliable. She might be helpful to have around.

If she wasn’t too expensive, she could be an option.

The merchant continued.

“Shall we proceed?”

“Yeah, go on.”

“This old lady is a conditional slave. She is an expert in potions and magic. She can brew special medicines that do not normally circulate. Having lived long, her common sense is unmatched.”

“You call that an expert? She looks like a witch.”

“Heh-heh-heh, and you look like a hero, don’t you?”

At those words, the expressions of the other slaves changed.

Especially the elf girl, whose eyes now begged me for help — despite glaring murderously at me moments earlier.

The elf beauty spoke quickly, her golden hair swaying.

“You were a hero!?”

“Yes. But I quit. Or rather, I was fired.”

“Oh my…”

The elf fell silent, eyes wide.

The witch cackled darkly.

“To cast aside a true hero and praise that stripling Marius… This country has no eye for talent.”

“Cast aside? Was I being mistreated?”

“Heh-heh-heh, you really know nothing. You have no sword or armor on you, do you? I wager you were forced to fight with government-issued equipment, yes?”

“Well, yes… do other heroes not do that?”

“They have more wits. They negotiate and get high-performance gear… I see. That explains why you keep asking for ‘a slave with common sense.’”

“…Yeah. That’s exactly why.”

“Buy me. I’ll turn you into a hero or even a sword saint.”

“That sounds appealing… but you seem expensive.”

“From thirty to fifty million gort for three months.”

“Too expensive.”

For a moment I was tempted—but far too costly. And conditional slaves only stayed for short periods.

I needed someone cheaper who would stay with me long-term.

The merchant moved on.

“Then the fifth slave. An unconditional healer, a profession essential for adventuring. She also performed clerical duties, so she has plenty of human common sense.”

Healing classes—cleric, priest, healer—were always in demand.

Adventurer parties needed them, but there weren’t enough healers to go around.

Back when I was a hero, the kingdom assigned high-ranking clerics to me, but most parties struggled without healers.

If I became an adventurer, this might be a stroke of good fortune.

But the fact she was unconditional concerned me.

“Why is she an unconditional slave?”

“She ran an orphanage but fell deep into debt. That led to her enslavement.”

“I see.”

She must be a kind person who tried to protect the children.

I looked at her face—slender nose, gentle double-lidded eyes, violet irises shimmering with moisture.

Her nun’s habit draped over a delicate frame—thin hands, slender neck—but her chest beneath the cloth was large.

I gasped.

If I bought her… I could touch that body…? The thought alone made me tense up.

—An essential job for adventuring, common sense, kind-looking, and attractive as a woman.

A real gem.

But thinking that probably meant the merchant arranged her placement intentionally.

The first elf fit my criteria most, but I couldn’t touch her.

The second and third allowed touching, but had problematic backgrounds.

By placing the unsettling witch before her, the fifth looked even more radiant.

“How much are they all?”

“Conditional slaves depend on negotiation, but the first is one to three million, the fourth as mentioned earlier. The second is six million, the third seven million, and the fifth is ten million.”

Damn—exactly my current funds.

He had nailed my budget perfectly.

I had to be honest.

“They’re all amazing, but my entire fortune is exactly ten million. If I spend it all, I won’t even have money for tonight’s dinner… Could you lower the price a little?”

The witch burst into laughter, snorting.

“There is no such thing as haggling! Your lack of common sense is astounding! Pity the slave bought by such a fool—hee-hee-hihihi!”

—That irritated me.

But I clenched my fist and endured.

As annoying as she was, the witch was right.

I didn’t even know how to negotiate. I was ignorant and stupid.

That’s exactly why I was looking for a slave to rely on…!

But the witch pushed further.

“What is so wonderful about this girl!? Your eyes are useless—hee-hee-hihihi!”

My trembling fist tightened further.

—But then.

A sudden realization struck me.

—Wait.

Looking at the witch, who still wore a smug grin, I declared:

“Then I’ll buy you for ten minutes, for ten thousand gort. Your job is to negotiate a discount on the slave for me.”

“What!?”

“Eh!?”

“You mocked me, so you can do it, right? You wouldn’t laugh unless you were capable. —Come on, succeed at the negotiation in ten minutes. Hurry up.”

I drew a large gold coin from my pouch and thrust it toward the frozen, stunned witch.