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Chapter 24: Ulterior motives…… Can’t I not to have one?
Having been requested an additional 200 toilets by Papeck-san, I worked on the same things in silent contempt for a while, then went to Papeck Company to deliver the 200 toilets and 10 purifying magic devices.
It was repetitive work but the levels of Alchemy skill, Earth attribute skill, Alchemist job, and Mage job all went up. Furthermore, because I had been cooking for myself in the mansion, I acquired the Cooking skill. Given that it’s only level 2, its correction value is still minimal, but it is useful enough. There weren’t instances where I could cook for myself when I was a salaryman in my 40’s, but somehow being able to cook is amazing for a skill.
On one such day, a carriage from the Papeck Company stopped in front of my home, and Papeck-san says that there’s a place he wants to bring me to.
「As I had promised previously, I will take you to an acquaintance slave trader.
I would like for Papeck Company to deal in slaves as well, however, slave trading requires a completely different know-how from trading in normal merchandise.」
Also, I received a payment of 30 platinum for the delivery of the additional magic devices.
Inside the carriage that was moving along the flagstone path, I received an explanation about the place we were heading to.
The carriage eventually stopped at the outskirts of the commercial district, at a slave shop one house away from the red light district. The building of the slave shop shows a modest facade. To the point that if I wasn’t told that it was a slave shop, I wouldn’t know.
「Takumi-sama, this is the Moulin Slavery Company. Because this is in Volton, it is a company that runs its business very seriously.」
We alighted the carriage, and a voluptuous woman came out of the slavery company to greet us.
「Papeck-sama, it has been too long.」
「Moulin-dono, I must say it truly has. Today we have come in search for a slave that can be be entrusted with assisting in daily matters and a slave that would serve as a guard for Takumi-sama.」
「Thank you very much, Papeck-sama. Takumi-sama, I am the proprietress of this company, Moulin. Thank you for visiting us today.」
「My name is Takumi. Moulin-san, please treat me well today.」
An older voluptuous woman, my heart wouldn’t stop beating fast at Moulin-san’s seductiveness. I had lovers when I was in Japan, and I am not a virgin. But my response is no different from the 15 year old boy that I am today.
「Fufu, please come in.」
Urged by Moulin-san, I followed after them into the slave shop, all while red in the face.
I drank tea in the parlor room while calming myself, and Moulin-san came in with a file in one hand.
「Due to this being a time where there are few debt slaves, the slaves that our company can showcase are few, however……」
「Moulin-dono, that may be so, however Takumi-sama is intent on war slaves or illegal slaves. 」 [1]
The moment Papeck-san said that, Moulin-san’s eyes narrowed and her gentle aura to dangerous one in an instant.
「Could you please tell me the reason?」
「Yes, Takumi-sama here may be young, however, he is an artisan with techniques that other people can not imitate. There are many among those techniques that must be kept a secret, and it is difficult to choose a slave, such as a debt slave, with the potential of leaking those secrets after their release.」
Papeck-san explained it as such, and Moulin-san’s aura returned to a gentle one.
「I see, if it’s a war slave, he will not be released unless a very trusting relationship is built. Conversely, many of the illegal slaves rely on their masters and would hate to be freed. I understand. Then, I will show you to them.」
After that, I looked at the slaves around the room that Moulin-san guided us to, but there weren’t many people here. Thinking that it was an invasion of privacy, I had not appraised anyone until today.
「My apologies, but with Takumi-sama’s requirements, there are few men with combat potential that have become slaves.」
As Moulin-san says, when it comes to war slaves or illegal slaves, the options diminish very much.
Let’s review it again.
One person to help manage the mansion and my everyday needs.
One person to serve as a my guard when I’m foraging.
I want at least two people.
Moulin-san says that the number of war slaves that the Moulin Company currently is currently in possession of is one. Just one. And that sole individual has quite a special circumstance.
「In fact, this slave is a prisoner from the war between Triaria Kingdom and Yggurle Kingdom 50 years ago.」
「50 years ago?!」
「Ah, that’s because Yggurle Kingdom is the country of elves.」
Moulin-san said that, in those days, the skirmishes between those two countries fell into a temporary state of war, and the prisoner wasn’t exchanged at the time and was directly sold as a slave to a third party country, Valkyra Kingdom.
Since Volton is located at the western end of Valkyra Kingdom and is close to Yggurle Kingdom, Moulin’s grandfather had successfully bought the slave from Triaria, but due to various reasons, has remained unsold.
I don’t know why an exchange of prisoners wasn’t done, but I knew from just a glance what the reason is for remaining unsold.
The right hand, left leg, and an ear were missing.
「As you can see, she can not fight. She is an elf so she should be able to use spirit magic and attribute magic, but is unable to use magic for some reason. In addition, lacking a leg is fatal if travel is taken into consideration. I have no clue as to what grandfather was thinking when he took this girl in.」
Right, the war slave given a single room is a peerless, beautiful woman. She has long light golden hair, a face so beautiful it was as if it was made by a god, gentle green eyes carrying a strong will, is of tall stature with long legs and arms, and has a figure everyone would likely be charmed by. Above all is her impressive protruding chest that my eyes were nearly glued to.
「Even so, isn’t it strange for there to be no one who wants to buy her?」
「Well, I heard that even with her disabilities, she still has a beautiful face so there were many enquiries from nobles and wealthy merchants. But grandfather seems to have a contract to not sell her as a sex slave, and so she has remained unsold.」
I thought about this for a bit.
My Light attribute magic is currently level 7. To be able to use Extra Heal to return lost limbs, I would have raise its skill level one more time or I won’t be able to.
I haven’t obtained the recipe for advanced potions yet so I’ll exclude that.
「Would it be alright for me to buy her?」
「Takumi-sama, are you sure?」
Surprised, Papeck-san asked. I wonder if he thought I’m buying because she’s beautiful.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Status
Name: Sophia Sylphide
Race: Elf
Age: 80 years old
Job:
Spirit Mage Lv60, Knight Lv20( Warrior LV80, Hunter Lv67 )
Level: 64
Condition: Missing limbs ( Slavery ?Curse of Sealing )
Vitality: 420
Magic Power: 520
Strength: 280
Agility: 380
Stamina: 320
Dexterity: 210
Intelligence: 360
Unique Skills
Spirit Eye
Passive Skills
Insight Lv3
Active Skills
Swordplay Lv7
Shield Technique Lv5
Spear Handling Lv6
Archery Lv6
Taijutsu Lv4
Enemy Search Lv2
Presence Detection Lv2
Stealth Lv2
Enhance Strength Lv4
Magic Perception Lv6
Magic Power Manipulation Lv5
Spirit Magic Lv8
Water Attribute Magic Lv5
Wind Attribute Magic Lv6
Effect of missing limbs, -100 to all stats
Unable to manage magic power due to Curse of Sealing.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Sorry, but her status is ridiculously strong.
She’ll be a battle-ready if the curse and her disabilities are resolved.
「(Takumi-sama, your Light attribute magic skill is that high?)」
「(I think I’ll reach that point soon.) 」
Papeck-san asked in a whisper.
Papeck-san naturally knew that I could use Light attribute magic. That being the case, it seems he was surprised that my skill level was this high.
「Her name is Sophia, and she will be 2 platinum.」
I don’t know if 20 million in Japanese Yen is expensive or cheap, but it also includes the expenses from 50 years of being unsold. Nevertheless, 2 platinum might be extremely cheap for a peerless elven beauty.
I later heard from Papeck-san that although Sophia has missing limbs and had an ear, which is an Elven trait, cut off, because of a contract to not sell Sophia as a sex slave that Moulin-san’s grandfather has, she is a useless slave that has stayed in Moulin Company for many years. Papeck-san said that if she were to be sold as a sex slave, she would be worth 20 platinum even with her disabilities. Or rather, that would be the starting price at an auction.
「I would like to interview her and then buy her if there are no problems.」
「Then please wait at the parlor room.」
Papeck-san and I returned to the parlor room for the interview.
Status
Name: Takumi Iruma
Race: Human
Age: 15 years old
Job: Magic Bestower Lv29, Mage Lv46
( Warrior Lv30, Carpenter Lv16, Alchemist Lv49, Blacksmith Lv42, Tailor Lv26 )
Level: 18
Condition: Healthy
Vitality; 330
Magic Power: 480
Strength: 146
Agility: 116
Stamina: 208
Dexterity: 154
Intelligence: 202
Unique Skills
Appraisal EX
Item Box EX (Concealed)
Passive Skills
Superhuman Strength Lv2
Insight Lv1
Poison Resistance Lv2
Paralysis Resistance Lv2
Active Skills
Spear Handling Lv3
Axe Technique Lv2
Swordplay Lv1
Throwing Lv4
Taijutsu Lv1
Matoujutsu Lv1
Enemy Search Lv2
Presence Detection Lv2
Stealth Lv2
Tame Lv1
Magic Perception Lv6
Magic Power Manipulation Lv8
Light Attribute Magic Lv7
Fire Attribute Magic Lv4
Water Attribute Magic Lv3
Wind Attribute Magic Lv2
Earth Attribute Magic Lv7
Time-Space Attribute Magic Lv3
Bestowal Magic Lv3
Alchemy Lv7
Smithing Lv5
Woodworking Lv6
Carpentry Lv4
Foraging Lv5
Logging Lv3
Dismantling Lv4
Mining Lv4
Metalworking Lv2
Sewing Lv3
Cooking Lv2
Divine Protection of Goddess Norn (Concealed)
Familiars
Killer Spider Unique Species ( Kaede )
***
Footnotes:
I think author made another typo with criminal and illegal slaves again, so I am sticking to illegal slaves.
fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶