Yuria and I pulled our cloaks tight and walked into the pitch-black underground space. The candles fixed to the walls flickered uneasily.
This wasn't my territory, Tevra. We were in Bailen, a city three days' journey from Tevra.
Bailen was a small city near the border, not part of the Prucus Territory. The lord who ruled this place was Viscount Bailen, a man who would engage in any illegal activity for money.
Viscount Bailen is a bastard son of the royal family. Perhaps because of this, he receives numerous privileges and operates the city without any interference.
Of course, it was also thanks to Viscount Bailen's exceptional skill.
Viscount Bailen had already bribed them before we even arrived.
I secretly met with Viscount Bailen, paid him, and secured several favors. During my stay in Bailen City, I would be able to operate under the protection of Viscount Bailen's reputation.
Yuria approached me and whispered in my ear, "Master, three people are hiding and watching us. Should we deal with them?"
I hadn't sensed a thing. They must be professionals.
"...No. Leave them be. Unless they attack, there's no need to cause a scene here. Our purpose isn't to create trouble."
"Yes, I understand."
We ignored the hidden person and walked inside.
At the end of the corridor stood a thick, massive iron door. I grabbed the door and pounded on it.
With a clang, a section of the iron door swung open, revealing a man's menacing face. He had bronze-colored skin.
"Never seen you two before."
"I'm a guest. Watch your mouth."
The man fell silent at my stern tone, his eyes fixed on my face. I made no effort to hide my features. Even if they knew my identity, there was nothing they could do. Spread rumors of my presence here? That would shatter their credibility and ensure their deaths at my hands.
"...Young Master. What brings you here?"
"There's only one reason to come to a slave market: to buy slaves."
This was the Bailen City's underground illegal slave market. As the name suggested, it was a place where slaves were bought and sold.
The reason it was illegal was that most of the slaves sold here had been captured unlawfully.
"Surely you could find slaves elsewhere?"
"I heard there's a very rare slave here."
"..."
The man stared at me.
I had two reasons for coming here.
The first, as I'd just mentioned, was to acquire a rare slave.
I was determined to buy that particular slave, which was why I'd brought seventy percent of my entire fortune.
The second reason was that the slaves sold here were exceptional in both quality and quantity.
They were expensive, but I had more money than I knew what to do with and could easily earn more.
"The password?"
I frowned. Why wasn't the password coming to me? I couldn't understand why they insisted on this charade.
The original author probably wanted to make it seem more authentic.
This place appeared in the original story. In about six months, Kyle would infiltrate it and wreak havoc.
The password from the original story is different from the current one.
And I didn't know it.
"I don't know it."
"...Are you joking? You came here without even knowing the password?"
"Why? Is it forbidden to come here without the password? Should I go to the Information Guild right now and ask them to tell me what it is?"
This place is connected to the Information Guild. By using the guild, I could find out the password, though it would cost a fortune.
"You can't enter without the password. Turn back."
"Hmph. Let's see if you still tell me to turn back after seeing this."
I pulled out the document I had received from Viscount Bailen.
Just a single sheet, its contents remarkably simple:
I, Bailen's master, hereby certify this man's identity.
Yet the viscount's seal stamped on the document carried immense weight.
"...Ugh. You're a distinguished guest. If you had mentioned this earlier, I would have opened the gate immediately."
The man's attitude shifted. His tone became polite, his voice cautious.
"Open the gate."
"Understood. Please come in."
Creak. The iron gate swung open.
This was precisely why I had bribed Viscount Bailen with over 200 million gold coins.
As long as I possessed Viscount Bailen's certification documents, no one in this city would dare treat me carelessly.
"Who are you looking for? Please tell me, and I'll guide you immediately."
"Old Man Conpard."
"...Please follow me."
We followed the man.
The Bailen Slave Market was surprisingly luxurious, not at all dirty. The corridors were adorned with various luxury goods, and even the staff working here exuded a certain air of refinement.
From the outside, it looks more like a noble's mansion than a slave market.
A quick glance.
As we walked, I checked my surroundings.
There were transparent glass walls, and inside them were slaves.
"What's that?"
"A Harpy. Are you interested?"
There was a monster with the upper body of a human and the wings and legs of a bird. Its head resembled that of a human woman.
The Harpy sat limply on the floor, chains binding its neck and legs. For reference, Harpies are classified as C-Class Monsters in reality.
Quite pretty, if you only look at her face.
She had flowing golden hair and a snow-white complexion. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. Her features were striking at first glance.
However, her brown wings and bird-like legs below the thighs betrayed her true nature.
Hmm.
My gaze drifted lower, but the thick golden fur made it hard to make out anything clearly.
After careful consideration, I reached a conclusion.
"...Impossible."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. I'm not interested, so let's move on. But does anyone actually buy Harpies?"
"Surprisingly, they're one of our best-selling items. Some nobles prize them as exotic curiosities."
"As expected, there are plenty of lunatics in this world... What's that?"
I frowned involuntarily as I stared at another glass wall, unable to believe such a thing could exist.
"That's a Chimera."
Behind the glass stood a stunningly beautiful woman with brown hair.
Her face was flawless, her figure perfect not a single flaw to be found. Except for the large male member attached to her clitoris.
"Even so, it's just a woman's body with a man's penis grafted on."
"Do those sell well too?"
"They're even more popular than Harpies. Once they're dressed, you can't tell the difference."
"...Impossible."
I shook my head and quickened my pace.
As I entered, I discovered another glass wall. This one seemed relatively ordinary, except for the pretty-faced young men inside.
Ugh.
I immediately turned away. I didn't want to know what those male bastards were doing naked together.
Whether they're playing train or centipede, who cares?
My mood soured, I reached out and squeezed Yuria's breasts as she followed beside me. Fondling her soft, large breasts helped me regain my composure.
"I see you're not a fan of it."
"Do you want to die?"
"My apologies. I was just surprised, considering that sort of thing among grown men is quite trendy these days."
"...Is that trendy?"
"Yes,
"Do you know who I am?"
Conpard was an elderly man with a mustache. His appearance was so refined and gentlemanly that he could easily be mistaken for a British gentleman.
"I know who you are, but I won't speak your name."
"I thought you were wise."
"You flatter me. What brings you here?"
Instead of answering immediately, he sat down on the sofa opposite me. Yuria stood beside me, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
I pulled Viscount Bailen's credentials from my coat and placed them on the desk.
"This is why I'm here. Is there any other reason besides acquiring slaves?"
"No, I don't. I was merely asking what kind of slave you're looking for. While we pride ourselves on having every type of slave imaginable, we're not a place that has everything."
"I want the Elf slave who arrived here recently."
"..."
Conpard stared at me intently, as if sizing me up. According to the original work, Conpard possessed an extraordinary ability to observe and analyze people.
I met his gaze without flinching.
"That Elf has only been here for two weeks. It's still a secret known to only a few staff members... How did you find out?"
"That's not important. What matters is that I want that Elf."
That's why I came here today.
"The Elf isn't for sale yet. It's a rare find we haven't seen in ages.
We plan to spend a long time searching for the right buyer. It might take a while, but we're even considering holding an auction for interested parties."
"I'll give you six billion Ners."
For reference, the Elf's market value in the original story was approximately nine billion Ners.
"...That won't do. I believe we can get more from other buyers."
"Don't you see Viscount Bailen's certificate?"
"We're treating you with respect precisely because of His Excellency Viscount Byron's certificate."
"Then I'll offer seven billion Ners."
"It's not for sale."
My eyes locked with Conpard's in mid-air. Neither of us could back down.
Even with all my wealth, 9 billion Ners is too much to pay for a slave. 100 million Ners is no child's play.
For that kind of money, I could buy other exceptional slaves.
It was a desperate move, but I was also prepared to cause a scene if necessary. In some ways, that might even be preferable.
After all, the original Kyle had gained public recognition for dismantling the illegal slave market.
"...Ugh."
Conpard suddenly groaned. His pupils trembled, and cold sweat began to pour down his face.
Within three minutes, his clothes were soaked through. And it wasn't just Conpard; the three slaves standing behind him were equally terrified.
Conpard's fear-stricken eyes darted to Yuria.
Ah, so this is Yuria's doing.
Well, I'm not sure exactly what she did, but she must have unleashed some kind of murderous aura. Yuria recently reached the highest tier of Aura Expert, so her aura must be no joke.
Since Yuria also uses Shadow Magic, wiping out this place alone would be child's play for her.
She's my most powerful trump card.
"Conpard, I like this place. I'll probably use it regularly from now on. I'm a new customer who's never used it before, but next time, I'll be a regular.
If you know who I am, you'll know how much money I have. Think carefully, Conpard."
Conpard bit his lip, drawing blood that dripped from his wrinkled jaw onto the floor.
"...I'll sell her for 7 billion Ners," he said, his voice trembling with fear.
"A wise decision. I want to meet that Elf immediately." I stood up abruptly.
"Hooooo..."
With Conpard's deep sigh, the three male slaves collapsed to the floor.
"You're no ordinary person," Conpard said, looking at Yuria rather than me. He clutched a handkerchief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
I grinned at him. "Conpard, I need other slaves too."
"Yes, sir. Just name the slaves you want."
"You'll negotiate with her. Assign someone to me."
"Huh?"
"She'll choose the other slaves."
"..."
Conpard's face stiffened.
I began following the guide, one of the male slaves standing behind Conpard.
I had already given Yuria a walkie-talkie before we came here. She would contact me immediately if anything went wrong.
The one who needs to be careful isn't Yuria, but me.
I followed the guide into the damp, underground prison.