NOVEL NEXT Chapter 181: Slave Shop!
"How did you know?" Mira asked as they walked through the grand corridors of the Sunstone Palace, her voice betraying just the faintest hint of curiosity.
Pyris glanced at her, sensing the depth of her question. She was still probing, still curious about what had happened with the king. But Pyris was in no mood to linger in the palace.
He had already done what needed to be done, and staying longer in a place like this only meant attracting unnecessary attention.
He had to admit, though—the king was a man of riches, the kind who liked to show off his wealth.
The excessive grandeur of the palace reflected that, with golden statues, high ceilings adorned with intricate artwork, and lavish decorations that bordered on the ridiculous.
Pyris couldn't help but grin as he imagined the king's desperate attempt to maintain an air of majesty in the midst of his crumbling empire. What would I got uncle oh boy I got to do again
"How did you know, Young Lord?" Mira asked she had thought she was the only one who had seen through it but it wasn't the case.
"The oddity started before we even arrived here," Pyris explained as they moved through the halls. His tone was casual, but Mira knew better than to mistake his words for mere conversation. "We needed information. And in this city, you know how that goes—you always look for an information broker."
Mira nodded, listening closely.
"The man we found was the only broker around who could offer what we wanted, and he had the map to the general's fortress ready even before I asked for it," Pyris continued, his eyes narrowing slightly as he recalled the moment. "He was too eager, practically throwing the information at us."
"And you did find that suspicious?" Mira asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly.
"Oh, I found it very suspicious," Pyris said with a faint smile. "But I played along. He was so happy when the mission was successful, he didn't realize his mistake when I asked him to contact the palace for a meeting with the king on purpose."
"He arranged that meeting… too quickly," Mira mused.
"Exactly. I got the invitation within a minute, as if they were already expecting me," Pyris confirmed. "He was working with the king all along. The moment he provided me with everything I needed, I realized they had overplayed their hand."
They exited the palace, not bothering to glance back as they climbed into their convoy.
Pyris had no more business here, and the Sunstone Palace now felt more like a decaying relic than a center of power, at least for now.
As the cars rolled through the chaotic streets of the Midnight Dominion, Pyris stared out the window, silently marveling at the sheer contradiction the city represented. The Sunstone Empire was lawless, corrupt, yet it functioned like a well-oiled machine.
Crime was rampant, but it was organized. Businesses thrived, even in chaos. Experience tales at empire
"Mhmm?" Pyris exclaimed in amusement as his gaze fell upon a giant building pulling through the sky, towering over the surrounding structures.
"Slave Shop," the sign read in bold letters. The sight intrigued Pyris more than he'd expected. He gestured for the driver to stop. The convoy pulled over smoothly, and Mira opened the door for him as he stepped out.
People on the street immediately cleared the way, their eyes wide with fear and respect.
In the Midnight Dominion, power was absolute, and a mere stare from the wrong person could get you killed. Pyris' convoy had already marked him as someone not to be trifled with, and no one was willing to test their luck.
As Pyris approached the entrance of the slave shop, a pot-bellied man with a balding head rushed forward to greet him.
His eyes gleamed with eagerness, a wide grin plastered on his face as he bowed low, hands wringing nervously.
"Welcome, my lord!" the man exclaimed, his voice dripping with respect and reverence.
The sight of Pyris, with his air of authority and wealth, had clearly sent the shopkeeper into a frenzy of servility. "What an honor it is to have you here! Please, allow me to show you the finest of slaves in all of the Sunstone Empire."
The shopkeeper's eyes flickered with greed as he took in Pyris' handsome features and impeccable attire. 'And that face… Heh, heh, heh,' the man thought to himself, his grin widening.
Money and power—two things he could never afford to offend.
Slaves moved through the lobby in obedient silence, following their masters like shadows.
Some were adorned with collars, others with wristbands that marked them as property. But these were no ordinary collars.
The air inside was stifling with the indifference of those who bought and sold lives.
In the other empires, slave trading was a big crime—at least, publicly.
It was banned, and any hint of such dealings in the open could bring severe punishment. But beneath the polished surface of their laws, in the shadows of the imperial courts, slavery still thrived.
The powerful empires turned a blind eye to the trade because they too profited from it.
But here, in the Midnight Dominion, such businesses operated openly, without pretense or shame. Slaves were merchandise, and the trade was as essential to the Sunstone Empire's economy as any legal venture.
The slave business was one of the many reasons the main empires toleranted the Sunstone Empire.
The lobby was large, its walls lined with glass rooms filled with slaves.
The slaves were treated well—well-fed, well-clothed, and kept in comfortable conditions to ensure they remained in pristine condition for potential buyers. Each room had a bed, food, and other basic necessities to preserve the merchandise.
This was modern slavery.
"Allow me to take you to where the real good goods are, my lord," the shopkeeper said with a sly smile, gesturing for Pyris and Mira to follow him toward an elevator. Pyris gave a slight nod, more curious than anything.
He had no real interest in buying a slave, but he wanted to understand how this city worked and how its largest businesses operated.
The elevator hummed quietly as they ascended to the top floor.
When the doors opened, Pyris found himself momentarily struck by the sight before him.
The top floor was nothing like the rest of the building. Here, slaves didn't seem like slaves.
The rooms were luxurious, more akin to four-star hotels than holding cells. Slaves of different races—elves, orcs, beast-kin, and even a few humans—sat in their rooms, comfortable, well-groomed, and seemingly at ease.
They couldn't see Pyris through the one-way glass, but he could see them clearly.
Some sat reading books, others practicing skills or engaged in quiet conversation.
The whole scene was oddly peaceful, like a strange illusion of freedom.
Pyris was intrigued but remained detached. He had no intention of purchasing a slave. His interests lay elsewhere. He simply wanted to observe, to understand how the Midnight Dominion ran its more unsavory businesses.
But then… his eyes caught sight of her.
In one of the glass rooms, a small eight-year-old girl sat on the floor, her white hair tied into a messy ponytail. Her elven ears stuck out, a telltale sign of her race.
Unlike the others, she wasn't lounging or resting. She was seated beside a machine, her brow furrowed in intense concentration.
Her delicate fingers moved with precision, manipulating pieces of technology in a way that was far beyond her years.
[Another moon elf,]Lia's voice murmured in his mind.
Pyris narrowed his eyes, watching the girl closely. There was something about her… something special.
'A special one,' he thought.
The girl wasn't playing. She was building something—something intricate and advanced. Even though she was just a child, her movements were those of an IT and technology genius, assembling parts of a device that could only be described as complex.
Pyris' curiosity flared.
Without thinking, he turned to the shopkeeper and spoke, his voice leaving no room for argument. "I want her. She's the one I'm taking."
The shopkeeper's face lit up with a mix of surprise and excitement. Was the lord interested in young ones? 'Young men with wild choices' ultimately he was a business man so he didn't care "Ah! Excellent choice, my lord! An exceptional choice! I'll prepare the paperwork immediately."
Pyris remained still, his eyes never leaving the little moon elf. He had come here with no intention of buying a slave, but now… things had taken a different turn.
And Pyris was never one to ignore opportunity.