"Hey, Alf... are you serious about this place?"
"Is this for real, Alf?"
Outside a certain shop, Gaizen and Pearl stared in shock.
"Oh, I'm absolutely serious. Even if the reviews are a disaster, I'm buying her here!"
"Reviews? What are you talking about now...?"
"Alf, you've really flipped your switch this time."
Say what you want.
Right now, my determination has me pushing past my limits. According to the storyline of "Tanaka Volume 8," she should be here.
She's supposed to be the main heroine and a crucial partner for Rogue. In the epilogue of the completed web version, they ended up together, had children, and lived a happy life.
I focused on the shop's sign, trying to recall the details.
"Slave Store Akuba"
Yes, in the original story, after being exiled, Rogue buys a slave girl here, claiming he could no longer trust anyone but wanted a reliable partner. He formed a master-servant contract with the slave girl and fought alongside her, as she became a beautiful, busty slave who adored him and validated his every action.
As a reader in my previous life, I'd found the plot unbearably cliché.
But I'm copying it.
Sorry if that sounds harsh... I'm going to do the same as Rogue.
I'm going to buy the main heroine here and train her to be the strongest ally!
After all, she was overpowered due to heroine bias. Besides, there's a rule that main heroines, even if as strong as the protagonist, don't get as much criticism from readers.
She might be useful against Rogue in the future.
Heh, I'm quite devious... but it's within reason, right?
"Well, it's like headhunting for an excellent ally," I said as I opened the shop door.
As the bell rang, a slender slave trader in a tailcoat approached us. He wore a top hat and a mask to conceal his face, holding a cane with a hidden blade.
"Welcome. How can I assist you today?"
"I want a slave. Female, slender, and unhealthy, from the Silver Wolf tribe, and she should look young."
The slave trader tilted his head, confused by my specific request.
"Well, it's not impossible, but for combat purposes, we have Rizartama."
"I don't want that one. I want this girl. If she's not here, I don't want anyone else. Is she here or not?"
"Yes, I understand. What's with this guy? His eyes are bloodshot and creepy."
The slave trader, still bewildered, guided us through the store.
Inside, various cages lined the walls, holding different species meant for sale as slaves. Gaizen muttered, "Ugh, this is disturbing," while Pearl watched silently with a stern expression.
Oh, I just remembered. In the original, Pearl was supposed to be sold to Alfred here.
I definitely won't sell her, though.
The curtain at the back of the shop parted, and a pungent, indescribable odor filled the air.
"This slave is the closest to what you requested," the trader said, tapping a small cage with his cane.
I peered into the cage and saw a small girl huddled inside.
She was a beastman with gray hair and a tail, wearing tattered, rag-like clothing. Her frail body was curled up, her back rising and falling with labored breaths.
"This is awful... It's genuinely heartbreaking. No, not just this girl, but all the slaves here."
Gaizen whispered, unusually empathetic for someone in heavy armor.
"Alf, she's not a Silver Wolf, is she?"
"She's just dirty, making her look that way. Isn't that right, shopkeeper?"
"Yes, you're quite perceptive. So, what will you do?"
"First, can I speak to her? I want to know her name."
This was a precaution. There was a chance of the 'Tomioka' mishap occurring where she might turn out to be someone else.
The trader nodded, "It's fine," and lightly tapped the cage with his cane.
"Come on, introduce yourself to the customer."
"Cough... Cough, Shizuku, cough cough."
Shizuku, struggling to speak through her coughs, introduced herself.
Good, she's the right one.
"A-Alex, right? You're looking for companions, aren't you? I hate to say it, but this girl is unsuitable. She's clearly sick and on the brink of death."
"Pearl also opposes this. There's the issue of her being a burden."
"What you both say is valid. But even raw gems can become diamonds with enough polishing... I sense something special in this Shizuku."
After all, she's the main heroine of the original story. Even if she's a pitiful ragged girl now, she will become something extraordinary.
If I treat her like Rogue did... No, I don't need to replicate everything exactly.
I'll raise Shizuku in my own way.
"-Shopkeeper, I'll buy this girl. How much is she?"
"Thank you. It's 100,000 G."
I assumed 100,000 G was roughly equivalent to 100,000 yen. Given that the usual price for slaves is around 1,000,000 G, this was a considerable bargain. Apparently, the low price was due to her illness and the fact that she wasn't even suitable as a pet.
"Alright, here you go."
I handed over a bag of money. The trader looked inside and tilted his head.
"Hmm? There's 500,000 G here... isn't that a bit much?"
"I want some additional modifications besides the master-servant contract. I believe you... have skills for such tasks."
The trader started to distance himself from us, gripping his cane with a hidden blade tightly, radiating hostility.
Seeing this clear sign of hostility, Gaizen stepped in front of me. "Whoa, hold on! Stop this!"
"Gaizen, you can back off. Sorry, shopkeeper, we have no hostile intentions."
At my words, the trader relaxed and bowed deeply.
"No, I apologize... Customer, where did you learn about this?"
"I have a little trick up my sleeve. Just think of it as a special skill."
Actually, I only knew about it from reading the original story.
The trader's unique skill was Free Transformation Conversion."
A skill that allows one to change a subject's job or attributes at will.
For example, transforming a sorcerer into a warrior or changing a transformed demon into a cleric. It was an extremely convenient and versatile skill.
Additionally, it could enhance areas of weakness based on racial traits, making them strengths.
In the original story, Rogue had contacted this slave trader several times, using him to transform and strengthen Shizuku and his other allies (mostly female characters).
Though a villain by nature, he becomes a supportive character who, if used wisely, is not entirely unlikable.
"... Understood. I will accommodate your request. This guy is really something. He's unsettling."
The trader agreed and bowed deeply.
Shizuku watched anxiously from inside the cage. I leaned closer to her.
"Don't worry, Shizuku. I won't harm you-starting now, you're one of us."
Thus, contrary to the original plot, I've stolen the main heroine for myself.