Hiring Personnel

Leylin's footsteps did not stop until he was out of Ellinel Market. He used a different route from the one he first entered in case there was an ambush waiting for him at the place where he stashed his premium potions.

This alternate exit was at the side of the village and was beneath a group of haystacks. It was also guarded by a black-robed man with the Redbud insignia.

[Doctor, I have detected a signature closing in on your position fast.] -Aralis notified her Master in a serious tone.

'I know. I can sense his fear and apprehension a mile away... And he's just a level 2 acolyte? Hehehe...' -Leylin could not help but smirk.

The level 2 acolyte tailing Leylin seemed to be extremely impatient. Once Leylin was reasonably far from the vicinity of the alternate market entrance, he made his sneak attack.

Suddenly two balls of mud rose beneath Leylin's feet, turning into two yellow-brown colored hands that tightly held down Leylin's ankles.

A dagger suffused with purple light immediately stabbed Leylin in the back.

"Yes! Now his crystals are mine!" -Yelled the acolyte whose face was flushed with joy.

He belatedly realized that Leylin had mysteriously dissolved, turning into a giant bundle of vines with thorns that rapidly coiled around his body and totally restricted his movements.

The thorns mercilessly dug into his skin, and soon they pierced all the way to his muscle fibers. The acolyte could even feel how the vines were eagerly feeding on his blood.

"FUCK! How did he escape?! And what is this damned spell?!" -As the acolyte lost huge amounts of blood in a short span of time, he became increasingly weak.

"Shadow Embodiment. Leeching Vines. Negative Energy Fireball. Thanks to you, I was able to finally test these new spells. And they worked like a charm. I must admit, even though I was expecting some adjustment would be necessary, both my casting and execution are perfect." -Leylin came out of the shadows of a nearby tree, a gentle smile in place.

"Negative Energy...? Wait! No pleas -!" -The acolyte was interrupted, as a ball of purple fire the size of a coconut impacted right on his chest with notable speed and force. At the distance it was thrown, it caused a small explosion of purple light, viscera, and blood that covered several meters around. Leylin did not care if someone saw him do it, nor did he mind that his body was covered in all kinds of bone and organ matter.

'Beautiful. This spell was able to turn an unsightly piece of shit into a magnificent gory fountain. I should properly thank Kaliweir for letting me steal his spell someday.' -Leylin concluded, as his smile turned wicked for a moment before his face became statue-like once more.

Using a simple water-fire spell combination like the time he became a level 1 acolyte, Leylin cleaned himself off thoroughly. The next second, he was good as new. He managed a pleased nod as if he had gotten a piece of gum off the sole of his shoe.

[And how do you plan on thanking that boy, Doctor?]

'In the only way I know how: by using the spell against him. That is if he has not yet died in that inter-academy war, of course.'

With that, Leylin quickly retrieved his stash and made camp far from there. Since he had gotten rid of the stock he wanted to sell, he decided he would now keep his high-quality potions with him.

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On the next day, Leylin once again visited Ellinel.

Today, he had not only changed his clothes. To conceal himself even further, he changed his appearance too. Although his previous face was a fake, there was no guarantee that a spell could not penetrate and see through his cloak. Following that same logic, there was probably someone in Ellinel that could even see through his Transfiguration spell, but he would not worry about that right now. He was still a low-profile acolyte after all.

"Sir! Do you need a guide? I only require 1 magic crystal!" -The noisy little kids were still clamoring close to the main square of the market.

"You." -Leylin picked a little girl out of the small crowd, signaling with his right index and middle fingers for her to come his way.

"Thank you, sir! I am extremely familiar with this place, I'll be lots of useful!" -The little girl was overjoyed. She wore a cheap white-colored dress and looked to be somewhat thin.

After tossing her a magic crystal in an aloof manner, Leylin said coldly: "I wish to enter the second level." -His voice was also modified to sound different from the day before.

"Are you sure, sir?" -The little girl asked a little hesitantly.

"Do I need to find another guide?" -Leylin said impatiently. He was in no mood for this kind of unprofessionalism. He did not care if it was a girl he was dealing with.

"N-no no no! But since you know about the second level... Then you should also understand that if you don't have over 1000 magic crystals, an item of equal value, or a guarantor, you will be denied entry." -The girl had a fretting expression. She could not afford to lose a client.

"Lead the way, child. My time is running short thanks to your babbling already." -Leylin said in a casual tone, contrasting with the harshness of his words.

In truth, he perfectly grasped the concept of keeping the best stuff for only the most financially capable customers. This was how the elite made sure their time would not be wasted on the lesser peoples and their goods would enjoy more reliable security from any theft attempts.

The little girl raised her head, yet she was unable to discern the expression behind Leylin's cloak. She could only lower her head and do as she was told.

[Are you sure it is the best alternative to venture forth into the second level, Doctor? There will be many a Magus in there.] -Aralis warned out of concern.

'My two ancient formulas -the Azure Potion and the Tears of Mary- require several exotic ingredients. Many of which, I have yet to buy or harvest. If I can't find what I need here, in one of the biggest Magus markets in South Coast, then I might as well give up the search and set my sights on inferior substitute ingredients.'

[So it is like that. Then I hope everything goes according to your expectations.]

'If these Magi are worth a damn, they will have at least half of my shopping list in stock.'

Leylin continued following the little girl. Minutes later, they arrived at a rather deserted alley.

She used a stone found on a corner of the wall to knock in a certain pattern.

The alley's walls suddenly shifted, revealing a tight and dimly lit underground passage.

"Here it is..." -The little girl said softly, as if very afraid.

Nonetheless, at this point, secret underground entrances had long since lost their novelty for Leylin.

The Farlier heir and the little girl continued walking downwards at a steady pace. Several minutes later, they reached a door at the end of the passage.

A couple of level 3 acolytes wearing blood-red robes were standing guard. According to Aralis' scan, they carried magic artifacts on them. This was a good sign for Leylin.

The little girl went forward and exchanged a few words with the two guards, before walking back to Leylin.

"Most respected sir, I can only lead you this far. Thanks for your patronage!" -When she finished talking, she hurriedly ran back up the flight of stairs disappearing into the darkness.

[It seems like there is something in this second level that terrifies her...] -Said the A.I. in a pondering tone.

'Figures. She's just regular human trash. Anything beyond this point would probably mean certain death for her, or worse.'

"Show us the 1000 crystals, an item of the same value, or a guarantor letter." -A red-robed acolyte said icily. Standing before them, Leylin could somehow sense the wails of aggrieved souls hovering around them.

'The day will come when I will be capable of effortlessly blowing up monkeys like them, same as I did with that imbecile.' -Leylin's eyes flashed with determination for an instant.

Without letting his face show any emotion, Leylin opened a black pouch containing 10 high-grade magic crystals. They looked like cut diamonds and had a strong shimmer surrounding them.

Doing a curt nod, the guards opened the door behind them.

Leylin walked in unhurriedly. Only after the large door closed behind him, was he inclined to observe the area in front of him.

This area was quite smaller than the regular market, only having a street traversing it.

From time to time, Magi of varying attires walked past. Since it was not very crowded, everyone stood out more. There were no level 1 acolytes here. Level 2 acolytes could be counted with one hand. Most of the people here were level 3 acolytes or official Magi. Their bodies all irradiated strong energy waves, making Leylin smirk. He was glad to be in the right place for his status.

Leylin then inhaled deeply and strolled down the street, analyzing each shop as if he had all the time in the world. As was his custom, he always kept a watchful eye for potential trouble.

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Half an hour later, Leylin walked out of a stone building with a potion sign. His face had obvious signs of joy, though his cloak prevented one from seeing it.

Just as he had foreseen, he'd found every ingredient he needed and then some. Leylin spent more than 600 magic crystals in one go, but it was well worth the expense. The benefits of those ancient potions would make any acolyte drool at their mention.

Despite the volume of products he had acquired, their size and weight were insignificant. Putting away the ingredients carefully in a silver metal chest, Leylin decided to make another round of window-shopping in case anything else caught his interest.

The merchandise here was obviously of a higher grade than the market above. Walking by, Leylin noticed a low-grade magic artifact dagger for sale. It had the ability to extend itself into a larger blade, and could easily cut through his cross blade like it was nothing. However, he did not see the need to get a weapon-type artifact just yet. He was more inclined to get a support or defense item, and since his resources were limited, he opted out of buying the dagger.

Suddenly, Leylin heard noisy clamoring voices traveling around a narrow alley that divided the street into two halves. He tracked the voices and made a new discovery that put another bright smile on his countenance.

'My my, what do we have here... A slave market? This must be my lucky day.'

What Leylin saw in front of him was a large fenced area. Many stark naked slaves of both sexes were standing inside reinforced cages. Their faces showed either numb indifference or extreme humiliation as they let the acolytes and Magi take their pick.

'How convenient. I'll need a few slaves myself.' -Leylin was feeling more and more fortunate, as he was reminded of one of his favorite hobbies in his past life: setting up and providing services to human trafficking rings. It was a given since he constantly needed subjects for either his experimentation or his torture games.

Leylin wanted to stay in Extreme Night Town (the region of his academy quest) for around 3 years. Once he settled down, he would not tolerate having to divert his invaluable time to daily chores like cooking or cleaning. He would rather busy himself with potion brewing or other productive tasks.

Originally, he planned to recruit locals to serve him when he got there, but the sensible choice was to get some of these high-grade slaves. The reason being that slaves offered in this kind of elite market were either bred or 'procured' to meet Magi quality standards, accommodating their owners with better security and assured functionality. Not to mention, the risk of mutiny was in the single digits.

"Sir! What do you think? Do you need a female slave to warm your bed? Look, these are all good quality ones, some are even of the nobility!" -A slave trader in a black suit announced as Leylin walked forward.

Leylin gave him a gentlemanly smile, not even regarding the slaves out of the corner of his sight.

Behind the slaver were a dozen utterly naked noblewomen. Their skin was extremely smooth, and their figures were quite vivacious. Even if they were slaves, their aura of nobility could not be stifled. The slaver hurriedly patted the ample breasts of a female slave behind him, which carried a slight rippling wave effect on her skin.

"How did they end up here, debt or war?" -Leylin was a bit curious.

"I see you are a knowledgable lord. These are all the former daughters of nobles who fought and lost in grand battles. Their fiefdoms have long since been usurped and their families slain. Under the Poolfield Kingdom's law, these fine creatures are legally on death sentence." -The trader smugly explained.

'Ah, one of the many gifts of war. Such a wonderful concept it is. Well, these animals can only blame themselves for being too weak to fight or too dumb to lead their families to victory. Everyone deserves their own fate, after all.' -Leylin's reaction was a half-smile.

"How are they? I can give you a special price for your two favorites! After you're sick of them, you can use them for your experiments. Even if they die, it's not a problem!" -The trader did his utmost to entice him.

Leylin shook his head: "I am a man with high standards. Extremely high, actually. Needless to say, I am interested only in the best you can offer, not some second-hand whores who have been rap** by at least a hundred men. No, I came here to purchase a couple of high-tier bodyguards. Also, I will need a maid. I don't care about her looks, only her intellect and obedience; though I would gladly pay more if it meant having her be beautiful and a maiden on top of that." -The Farlier heir intoned in a regal way, not leaving any possibility for refutal.

The trader stroked his chin, a greedy smile painting itself across his face: "Naturally, you wouldn't fancy any of these cheap products in the front display! Between you and I, these are actually a filter to sort the discerning clients like yourself from those who somehow manage to get past the door of the second level... What you're looking for is our premium selection. Only bred slaves, each the definition of a luxury item. Suitable for someone of your stature, my lord. Please, follow me."

Leylin then walked next to the trader. He saw at least fifty slaves along the way. Some of them were well-built youths while some were still children. They were all staring outside from behind the fence looking fearful. From time to time, a few Magi pointed at them or even walked forward to inspect them. A group of Magi was surrounding a few beastmen and marine species slaves, bidding over them.

The slave trader indicated Leylin to enter a large tent and called a fat individual over as they got inside: "This is my colleague, Dylan. He processes our most expensive transactions. He will find just the right slave to cater to your specific needs."

The slaver whispered something unintelligible to Dylan, causing him to laugh discreetly as the former walked away. However, he did not leave before bowing his head to Leylin, giving him a look that said 'enjoy'.

Only after the slaver left the tent did Dylan smile towards Leylin and said: "Most respected lord, I have already understood your requirements. We have just received a new batch of premium-bred slaves. This way." -He motioned with his hand.

Leylin followed Dylan into a large white-colored area of the tent.

A smell of incense inside permeated the air. The atmosphere was much better than outside, which was filled with the musky odor of the excrement and bodily fluids of lowly unwashed slaves.

The goods displayed inside the tent weren't in the nude. Instead, they wore thin white silk clothes that served to not only give a better image to potential customers, but also separate them from the inferior category of slaves.

Dylan brought Leylin close to a group of extremely muscled guys: "They were all raised and trained by a Grand Knight. Their levels are the highest among our premium selection. They would definitely make fearsome bodyguards to protect your lordship from those pesky mortals and even the weaker acolytes."

Leylin nodded his head and walked towards a large bald guy: 'Aralis, if you would.'

[Certainly.]

//

Name: Unknown || Gender: Male || Estimated age: 20-30 || Strength: 3.1, Agility: 2.8, Vitality: 2.9

//

The other slaves' stats were nearly identical. Leylin observed that their pupils were widened and seemed dispirited.

"You drugged these Knights like one would a mindless beast. I thought bred slaves had to be 100% compliant and submissive to their owner?" -Leylin pointed out.

Dylan hurriedly smiled apologetically: "It's nothing to worry about, my lord. They are sedated as a precaution, but the effect passes if a new dose is not administered within three hours. To meet the various needs of our best customers, we refuse to employ the standard consciousness marking to control them. They have all undergone constant brainwashing since birth, and require minimal corporeal restrains."

Branding of the consciousness was what official Magi used to control their servants. However, it was ineffective if acolytes were to use it. Thus, enslaving was exclusive for official Magi.

"They're not bad. What's the price for those two?" -Leylin asked, pointing at the strongest and meanest-looking of the batch.

"100 magic crystals each. The price includes a full set of equipment of your choosing." -Dylan replied.

Leylin nodded his head, ordering both to be suited in plate armor, mace and shield. After paying the magic crystals, he received a tiny scorpion-like organism in a box, as well as two pills enveloped in orange paper from Dylan.

"The sting of this Desert Scorpion contains a unique poison. The secretions from this insect can be used on your two new slaves. If they do not take the antidote produced by the scorpion in 10 days' time, they will die horribly. Of course, this should only be used as a last resort to control them. After all, they have already been brainwashed daily to obey their Master's commands. The lives of these two Knights are yours, my lord." -Dylan respectfully bowed.

Leylin put the box away: "Next, my maid. I imagine your colleague informed you of my strict expectations?"

"To be completely honest, our specialty is breeding maids to serve our clients however they wish. Every one of our premium females has the mental and physical characteristics any respected lord would want out of a slave. Their price, however, is quite steeper. Three hundred for any of the girls you see." -Dylan said proudly, as he and Leylin got inside a part of the tent with crimson drapes and a dozen slaves sitting in golden chairs.

"Excellent. I'll take the pale brunette." -Leylin threw a small pouch at Dylan.