Dark Fantasy Normalized

68 – A Loathsome Race

“My Lady-“

“Don’t do this. If we ignore them, what will become of them?”

“…”

“Everyone. Do you perhaps need assistance?”

Katria offered her help without hesitation.

The humans readily accepted it.

“Well, there goes one of my prejudices shattered. Dark Elves are evil beings, they said. I wonder which b*stard spread such nonsense-“

Katria felt the same.

The races of the outside world blindly hate Dark Elves, they said –

Her new human friends had shown that to be a lie.

Katria felt a special bond with them.

Her first friends from the outside world.

Friends who expanded her world.

She thought.

Humans really are-

“Friends? You fucking b*tch. This Dark Elf cunt- just hung out with us for a bit and she’s acting like we’re best buds.”

“Heh heh heh, oh Wilhelm. You already became friends with a Dark Elf?”

“Shut your trap before I rip your tongue out. Hey Dark Elf. Still don’t get it? You were kidnapped by us, b*tch. Hand over everything you’ve got.”

Humans really are-

“Hold up. This Dark Elf wench, now that I look at her, she’s kinda cute, right?”

Humans really are-

“…Shall we have a little fun with her before selling her off as a slave?”

“You guys are actually thinking of going with a Dark Elf? What if you get some disease or curse-“

A vile and loathsome race, they are.

──────────

Fate 17: Abominable Race

──────────

*Flicker.*

Katria burned the paper she held in her hand.

Detail the way you treated the dark elf slaves.

It was the command she had given Reisha using the slave’s mark.

The paper Katria had just burned contained a detailed account of what her sister had suffered while beneath the humans.

“Kyah!”

Recalling the contents of the paper, Katria first ripped off Reisha’s clothes.

After rolling her naked body in the filth of a city alley, she dressed her in tattered rags that reeked of a pungent stench.

The slaver had said that was the standard treatment for a dark elf slave.

***

“You wish to purchase slaves?”

Ugh-

Reisha involuntarily cast a contemptuous glance at the honor magician before her.

In this situation, it was more common to think, ‘He’s probably very interested in bleaching a dark elf’s skin for his amusement!’ rather than ‘Ah! He must have had a special experience with dark elves and couldn’t stand by!’

Reisha drastically revised her assessment of him.

She had felt an affinity for him due to his appearance, which evoked a ‘cute?’ impression, and his approachable demeanor, but it was clear there was a reason he was a mage from the magic tower.

He was clearly as eccentric as the other mages she had seen.

He might wear such a kind face in public, but once he returned to his laboratory, he would probably engage in all sorts of depraved acts.

Perhaps his mansion or laboratory was overflowing with the fruits of his perverted desires?

For example, mutants created by combining two different races, demons or beasts that had their teeth removed and were then subjugated, or monsters with beautiful appearances but hidden, gruesome identities.

“Is there a problem?”

Lishir, misinterpreting Reisha’s expression, became more proactive.

‘Just how much fun do you want to have with a dark elf slave?’

Reisha forced a merchant’s smile while concealing her disgust.

“Well, that is—”

Then, she glanced at Katria, the dark elf.

Reisha was just a slave, and the real decision-making power was with her.

Finally, the master’s voice was transmitted through the slave’s brand.

-What!?

An unexpected command had been issued to the slave.

***

The first emotion Katria felt was extreme disgust and revulsion.

The thought of a human treating her like an object, pouring out all sorts of twisted desires, made her blood boil with a desire to kill.

And, following that, she felt humiliation.

Even if she was acting as a slave, how dare a man make her the ‘object of purchase’.

It was something she hadn’t imagined even in her dreams.

Reaching the peak of the endlessly stretching sand dunes, a city of red cliffs unfolded with the sea.

Katria, the young lady of the powerful Sahila family that ruled Kehlin, was a flower on that cliff.

From commoner women to noblemen.

All were eager to risk everything to catch the Sahila lady’s eye, and to see her face, veiled as it was.

There were many nobles who had ruined their households, showering her with gifts and holding endless parties just to curry her favor.

And now, to try to buy Katria?

If such words were uttered in Kehlin, they would learn with their own body just how many stones littered the streets.

Along with just how sharp the swords of Kehlin were.

Katria herself wouldn’t have given such blather a second thought if she’d heard it in Kehlin.

Who dared put a price on her worth?

The dark elf lady’s pride wasn’t so weak as to be scratched by a mere word.

‘Buy me? Filthy humans?’

…Katria was thoroughly scratched.

The dark elf lady was currently in a state of mental and emotional weakness.

The countless instances of scorn and discrimination she had endured since arriving in the land of humans.

Katria had tried to dismiss it all, saying ‘humans being human’, but it wasn’t working out as she intended.

Unbeknownst to Katria, a subtle inferiority complex had taken root deep within her heart.

This was why Katria couldn’t lightly dismiss Rishir’s words.

She couldn’t possibly continue to be treated like this.

She felt she wouldn’t be satisfied unless she returned this humiliation to him.

-Say you’ll sell me.

Katria commanded Leisha,

-Make sure that human can’t buy her, at an outrageous price.

If Kehlin’s dark elves found out, it would be a situation of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

-Lady Sahila is placing a price on herself to restore her pride!!!

Katria herself knew her actions were wrong.

But what was driving her now was not reason, but emotion.

Negative emotion towards humans.

“Ahem, well, if we’re selling, there’s nothing we can’t sell.”

Leisha instantly adopted the face of a merchant, and carried out Katria’s orders.

There was no need for the merchant’s bartering skills to be tested to carry out her mistress’ unreasonable commands.

“Do you see? Flawless skin, like a smooth black pearl. And those lustrous, light pinkish hair, rare silk. Eyes like pink diamonds – I assure you, in our lives, we will not encounter a more beautiful slave.”

To set a price for Katria far above market value?

A simple recitation of facts was sufficient.

In truth, a slave of Katria’s caliber was priceless.

Leisha often thought, watching Katria act the part of a slave,

‘If ‘it’ weren’t a dark elf, ‘its’ worth would be equal to a castle.’

“So, if you were to purchase, the price would be-“

And so, the price was set.

“…”

Rishir’s expression twisted.

That look brought back a series of memories to Katria.

The appearance of humans who had hidden their ugly true selves under thin masks.

‘Know your place, you despicable human b*stard.’

‘So desperate? So eager to have my body?’

‘Disgusting things. Always treating us like cursed monsters, yet pure in the face of lust, no different than beasts, are you?’

The dark elf who once showed innocent curiosity towards humans was no more.

She actively utilized the hatred she had learned from humans.

Moreover, she intended to actively utilize the deception she had learned from humans.

‘This man, the clue to finding my brother… Drian.’

Katria recalled the faces of the merchant guild leaders who had met with Rishir faster than they had.

The requests of other humans.

Finding a dark elf.

Which of these two would a human prioritize?

There wasn’t even a question.

‘They’ll probably put off finding Drian till the very last second. They don’t give a damn about some cursed dark elf.’

And so, Katria decided to use the man before her.

The lust he held for her.

The dark elf master issued another order to her human slave.

“Huh? You’re saying you’ll lend me the dark elves?”

“She’s a capable wench. She’ll be a great help to Sir Ryshiel who is busy with this matter.”

“…”

Ryshiel’s face twisted.

Was it really okay to treat them as if they were loanable objects?

He looked over Katria.

She bowed subserviently towards Ryshiel.

Ryshiel was suddenly bothered by her attire.

Stinking rags that weren’t even clothes.

How was she treated on a daily basis?

And how had she even become a slave in the first place?

Most slaves in this world wore chains to pay for the crimes they had committed.

But that young lady, Katria, looked anything but a criminal.

If he had to classify her, a noble?

Was it more likely that she became a slave after committing a crime,

or that she got entangled with a shady slave trader who frequented the underworld and ended up in an unfair situation?

‘Ugh, this is driving me crazy.’

Ryshiel kept seeing Pamon’s lively smile in his head.

Surely, that dark elf, stripped of emotion and self like a doll, could smile just like his teacher?

“Then, I will accept your offer of goodwill.”

Ryshiel made up his mind.

He had to free those dark elves, no matter what.

***

“…”

Katria held back a snort of laughter.

The human’s reaction hadn’t strayed an inch from what she’d expected.

A stuffy mage from the magic tower taking help from a dark elf.

The very thought must make him nauseous?

Oh? But then he looks at my body and welcomes it with open arms?

Could he be this simple-minded?

Could he be this repulsive?

“I will serve you with all my heart.”

At this point, Katria even felt a sense of gratitude.

It was like the last vestiges of her hesitation and guilt were finally vanishing.

***

“…”

And so, Katria temporarily became Lishir’s possession.

By the time the meeting between the magic tower mage and the merchant leaders was over, the streets were bathed in the setting sun.

Katria followed Lishir out into the twilight-tinged streets.

“I have some business to attend to, would you mind going ahead?”

Having sent the rest of their group on ahead, Lishir led Katria away somewhere else.

“Here, is there perhaps any clothing you’d like?”

It was a clothing store.

And one that carried rather high-end goods, at that.

“…No.”

“Ah, is that so? Then… I’ll choose something myself.”

It was after they arrived at Lishir’s quarters in the magic tower that Katria understood his intentions.

A house-style accommodation.

The first thing he did, after bringing a dark elf slave into his space without a second thought, was to subtly indicate the bathroom, suggesting she bathe.

All while offering her the clothes he’d just chosen.

Katria silently burst out laughing.

Could his actions be any more transparent?

To think, the first thing he does after getting a slave is clean her up and dress her in expensive clothes.

What will his next move be?

It was obvious as daylight.

Even amidst all this, Rissir was staring intently at Katria’s body (rags).

‘Seriously, what is this she’s wearing… when was the last time she even bathed? Tsk.’

Katria barely managed to swallow her revulsion and spoke.

“Please withdraw your order. If Lady Leisha finds out I used Rissir’s space, she’ll severely punish me.”

“Oh… Is that how it is.”

Is he supposed to be some kind of honorary mage of the magic tower?

His inability to act, due to his concern for his image, was truly laughable.

Having come this far, what is there to be ashamed of?

If he just abandoned that worthless final shred of pride, he could have had what he wanted.

While mocking his flimsy human pride, Katria was also grateful for it.

Because thanks to that, the horrifying experience that would have been preferable to death was postponed.

“…”

Rissir, sizing up Katria, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Ah. Come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves yet. I’m Rissir.”

“Tia.”

It was a fabricated name, she was so sick of even revealing her real name to humans.

“Alright then, Tia. If I may ask, is there anything else you need?”

“…”

“Ah. Just so you know, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll certainly take my payment for it. If that’s the case, that Leisha person won’t be able to punish you, right?”

“Payment, you say.”

Rissir gave an awkward smile and said.

“I just want to know a little more about you, Tia.”

The humans she had met so far.

The act they had put on for her.

Based on that, Katria recognized that Rissir’s words were a euphemism for physical desire.

It seemed, that by any means, he wanted to explore her body.

Katria lowered her head and firmly closed her lips.

Somehow, she had to get through this crisis. Even if it meant suffering his abuse, including his hand.

Surprisingly, he turned away from Katria without a second thought.

“…Well, it’s not like this is the only opportunity I’ll ever have.”

Leaving those chilling, dreadful words behind.

***

Katria sat on the bed in her assigned room, lost in thought.

A moment later.

She opened her eyes and pulled a bottle, no bigger than a finger, from her clothing.

Inside, a translucent, pale violet liquid swirled.

The poison known as ‘Murky Truth’, used by Dark Elves when interrogating prisoners, stripped its consumer of their self, turning them into a puppet responsive only to specific commands.

Katria considered it.

How could she make a human prioritize a Dark Elf slave above all other important matters?

The solution that came to mind was feeding him the flowing Murky Truth.

If Rishir consumed Murky Truth, he would use every means at his disposal to retrieve Katria’s younger sibling.

And, he would become an empty shell.

There was no antidote for Murky Truth.

With it, the life of the man Rishir would come to an end.

A throb.

Katria felt a strange unease as she questioned herself.

Is this really the right thing to do?

-Wilhelm! Wake up! You need to escape, now!

-You idiots! Who knows what kind of curse that Dark Elf b*tch put on us! We need to kill them!

“…”

Katria clutched the bottle with a determined expression.

***

Surprisingly, the opportunity came quickly.

As Katria silently went about her chores in the lodging, Rishir accepted it as a matter of course.

The night after Katria became Rishir’s property.

She offered him a cup of tea when he returned from his business outside.

“Ah, thank you.”

He immediately took a big gulp of the tea, saying it was good.

Tea with a murky truth mixed in, that is.

“…”

─────

[Resisted]

─────

Katria clenched and unclenched her sweaty palms.

That’s it.

Now all that was left was to wait for the effects of the drug to kick in.

Whether he interpreted Katria’s cautious gaze, like that –

Rishir raised his teacup and smiled at her.

He thought.

Finally, this dark elf seemed to be opening her heart to him.

It was a stroke of good luck.

Because he had something to talk about with her regarding the gains he’d made today.

The first thing Rishir had undertaken after the audience yesterday.

None other than, finding the dark elf slave that Leisha had mentioned.

Rishir spoke the name of the dark elf slave he’d learned in the process.

“Tia, are you perhaps acquainted with someone named Drian?”

“Huh?”

Katria, who hadn’t expressed her emotions or self since following Rishir.

She revealed the feeling of bewilderment for the first time.

Because the name of her lost younger brother had suddenly come out of his mouth.

Following that, unbelievable words came from his lips.

“Tia. If, just if, you were given the chance to escape with your own kind, what would you do?”

“…”

Katria’s lips parted slightly.

Before she knew it, her gaze was fixed on the teacup that Rishir held.