H28.4.1 Revised.
H28.4.22 Revised again.
After we had breakfast, we immediately headed to the “Slave Merchant Guild.”
However, since waking up this morning, I’ve been caught in a strange sensation, as if every trivial moment—the sunlight, the clean morning air, and breakfast including my favorite foods—had been given new meaning and felt fresh.
And Alicia, who was by my side, felt like “a wing of destiny.”
The “Slave Merchant Guild,” like other semi-public facilities such as the “Adventurer Guild,” is clustered in a corner of the shopping district.
Its scale is considerably smaller than the “Adventurer Guild,” so the guild building is also smaller, but the decorations adorning the building are luxurious.
Thick marble columns, smooth obsidian paneling, and intricately crafted stone statues of goddesses from myths adorned the facade.
As Alicia and I stepped into the “Slave Merchant Guild,” a plump old man in flamboyant, flashy clothing and accessories that screamed nouveau riche approached us.
“Boy, is that young lady next to you your sex slave?”
The plump old man looked at Alicia with a lecherous, lascivious gaze.
“You brought her here, so you intend to sell her, right?”
The plump old man’s nostrils flared, and his upper lip drooped.
He even seemed to be sweating on his forehead, as if expecting something.
“I am Gabara, a slave trader. Won’t you sell her to me?”
Gabara, the slave trader, said this rudely from a condescending position.
I instantly shielded Alicia, who was slightly trembling, behind me.
“Nice to meet you, Gabara-san. My name is Hal Raymond, and the lady behind me is Alicia Garland, a young lady from our branch family.”
When I introduced myself, Gabara was surprised. His eyes widened to their limit, and then he bowed his head so deeply, with the momentum of a dogeza, that he prostrated himself.
“I-I am truly sorry. I had no idea you were the Young Master of House Raymond and a lady from your family,” he apologized.
Then, Gabara hastily fled the “Slave Merchant Guild” as if running away.
“What was that person?!”
“It has nothing to do with me.”
After that, I re-examined the interior. Apart from the expense put into the interior decoration and furnishings, the layout was like that of a government office.
However, upon closer inspection, the appearance of the women working at the reception was clearly superior to that of the receptionists at the “Adventurer Guild.”
Alicia and I approached the general reception counter for now.
“I am Hal Raymond, the son of Dalos Raymond. My father told me to observe the business of slave traders other than those in the Raymond Trading Company, so is there anything you’ve heard?” I asked.
“Yes, Dalos-sama stopped by first thing this morning, gave instructions regarding what you mentioned, and then headed to the Raymond Trading Company.”
“As expected, Father is quick with his work…”
I smiled at Alicia.
“Also, I would like to view a list of those from the Wahl Imperial Kingdom, which was destroyed about half a year ago, who have fallen into slavery.”
I requested to view the guild’s secret documents under the pretense of it being a side matter.
“Hal-sama, we have received your request for a tour, but regarding viewing documents, I will confirm with my supervisor, so please wait a moment.”
The receptionist bowed to me and went to the back.
“I hope they allow it.”
“…Yes, indeed.”
After a while, the receptionist returned.
“For general customers, the requested documents cannot be viewed due to confidentiality obligations. However, since Hal-sama is the son of Dalos-sama, who also holds an executive position in the ‘Slave Merchant Guild,’ you have been granted special permission. We will guide you to the document room.”
The receptionist said so and led us to the document room.
As expected, my father’s authority as an executive of the “Slave Merchant Guild” was immense.
When we arrived at the document room, she led us to the shelf where the relevant documents were stored.
“Hal-sama, please call me if you need anything.”
The receptionist bowed again and returned to her post.
“As expected, the ‘halo’ of my father. Well then, let’s start our investigation,”
Alicia and I began reading the documents.
The Wahl Imperial Kingdom, once the leader of the Western Nations and a great power, had a vast number of its citizens fall into slavery upon its destruction. However, when narrowing it down to those of high status, the number was smaller than I had anticipated.
And then, I was immediately able to confirm the details of Miss Tirnan Lian von Tuser, the daughter of Count Tuser, who belonged to the upper nobility.
Most individuals of this class had been publicly executed. Princess Ly was also listed as having perished in a public execution according to the records.
In Tirna’s case, her family was originally in decline, and it was finally judged that she would have little influence on society. Thus, 20 days ago, she was downgraded to a “Level 2 Slave” and her person was sold by the slave merchant Arnold Trading Company to a person named Park-li for 15 platinum coins (equivalent to 15 million yen).
Checking the sales date, it was 18 days ago, meaning Tirna had been held by Arnold Trading Company until recently.
Normally, the buyer of a slave is kept highly confidential, and it’s not something that can be easily investigated by us.
We returned to the receptionist and requested to tour Arnold Trading Company, the company that sold Tirna.
On our way back from the “Slave Merchant Guild,” we stopped by the “Princess Harem”‘s base mansion.
When we informed Ly and the others that a person named Park-li purchased Tirna 18 days ago as an interim report, Mai volunteered to go undercover.
I had thought Mai was merely a disposable assassin as a “Killing Doll” for the illegal “Assassin’s Guild,” but it turns out she is capable of espionage work as well.
Several days later, we received permission to visit Arnold Trading Company, so Alicia and I headed to the slave merchant in question.
Arnold Trading Company had its shop in a somewhat insecure area near the lower town. It looked like a dilapidated building with a suspicious atmosphere even from the outside.
“Hal, it smells a bit stale, doesn’t it?”
“The slums are close to this area.”
Shielding Alicia, I made my way towards the entrance of Arnold Trading Company.
“Since the security is poor, don’t wander off.”
“Yes.”
“Is this Arnold Trading Company?”
“It’s so grimy…”
“Excuse us. Is anyone here?”
We stepped through the door of Arnold Trading Company.
“This is no place for greenhorns like you. Get out!!”
We were suddenly threatened by a middle-aged man with a petty aura.
“Um… my name is Hal Raymond. I was introduced by the ‘Slave Merchant Guild’ to observe Arnold Trading Company…”
When I introduced myself, the middle-aged man in question responded with a cold sweat.
“M-my apologies. You are the Young Master of House Raymond…? I am Hassan Arnold, the proprietor of Arnold Trading Company. Please, come in without hesitation.”
Hassan Arnold’s attitude changed completely once he knew my identity.
“Thank you, Hassan-san.”
“My, my, indeed, the Young Master of Raymond Trading Company. What a handsome sex slave you have!”
Hassan leered at Alicia with a judging, lustful gaze.
“…Her name is Alicia Garland, a young lady from a branch family of House Raymond.”
“I offer my deepest apologies again. Alicia-sama, please forgive me.”
Hassan apologized to Alicia with an exaggerated demeanor.
“Yes… I forgive you…”
Though Alicia’s lips twitched slightly, she managed to endure it.
“Well then, may we proceed with our tour?”
“Certainly. Please, come in.”
Arnold Trading Company was a small-to-medium-sized business, just shy of reaching the mid-tier class of slave merchants.
Furthermore, Hassan Arnold, the owner who guided us around the company, was undeniably a petty and stingy individual, exuding a cruel atmosphere.
He interacted with me, the Young Master of the major slave merchant Raymond Trading Company, and Alicia, my companion, with a humble attitude. However, his treatment of the “Level 2 Slaves” who were his merchandise was horrific.
“First, please take a look at the ‘Level 2 Slaves’ we currently have in stock.”
“It’s rather dingy here.”
The “Level 2 Slaves” who were Arnold Trading Company’s merchandise were kept inside rusty iron bars, and the floor was littered with garbage and filth.
“Alicia-sama, this level of treatment for slaves is quite sufficient, isn’t it!?”
“…”
Due to the unbearable environment, Alicia became speechless.
“Here, they are enclosed in cages and further fitted with shackles to prevent escape.”
“Slaves are like this.”
“That male employee over there is holding a whip…”
“That man is our ‘Slave Trainer,’ responsible for disciplining the ‘Level 2 Slaves’ upon their arrival.”
“Is it necessary to use a whip?”
“As they say, ‘Strike while the iron is hot.’ It is essential for slave training.”
“…I see.”
Further inside, female slaves were gathered.
“They seem to have vacant eyes and are lacking in spirit…”
“In our company, we develop their erogenous zones to increase the value of our female slaves.”
“What kind of methods are you using?”
“Do you see the female slave over there exposing her private parts?”
“Yes, she’s wearing something on her crotch.”
“That is an ‘erotic toy’ that stimulates the erogenous zones.”
“…”
For the “Level 2 Slaves” meant for labor, whips were routinely used under the guise of making them obedient to their masters’ commands.
Furthermore, for young female slaves, “erotic toys” that stimulated their erogenous zones were attached under the guise of teaching them techniques to please their masters.
Their love juices were dripping from their crotches as they were displayed, all of them exhausted from excessive sexual arousal.
Incidentally, the slave training room also appeared to be used daily, and the bloodstains on the walls felt like the resentment of the slaves.
Alicia was struck dumb by the appalling treatment of the slaves.
When we inquired about Tirna, we were told that it was a shame she had been sold before she could be trained, as she had only recently been acquired, which brought relief to both Alicia and myself.
We were also informed about the individual named Park-li. He was a merchant who had come from the distant Eastern Nations and was known as a gourmand.
Apparently, he hosts a group called the “God Eater Club,” which serves rare delicacies from land and sea, and high-ranking nobles and wealthy merchants participate in it.
episode7-5 Yang Rou (Young Sheep)
The next episode will contain descriptions of cannibalism as part of the explanation of Tirna’s “cooking plan.” Please be advised if you are sensitive to such content.
