Chapter 3: Slaves - Finding the Green Dot's Location

Field's nose was tormented by the stench of the slave market. The stingy merchants were like vampires, refusing to spend a single copper to bathe the slaves. Five or six slaves were crammed into a small cage, doing everything—eating, drinking, relieving themselves, and sleeping—within its confines. There was no privacy, no dignity, and because of their upbringing, they didn't even have the right to end their own lives.

In the cages exposed outside, many female slaves were not covered by even a piece of rag, their bare bodies on display for passersby. This was a marketing strategy that proved quite successful, attracting old bachelors with rotting teeth to ogle every day.

"Sir, would you like to buy a slave? Essential for any farm, all hard workers."

"Rare elf slaves, only a thousand gold coins!"

"New store opening, come and see, sir!"

Field, dressed in an elegant black robe and carrying a steel longsword, looked the part of a wealthy gentleman. The slave traders' eyes gleamed at the sight of him. They loved dealing with nobles—nobles had strong purchasing power, unlike the penniless gawkers who only looked without buying. Moreover, nobles consumed slaves at an alarming rate, often becoming regular customers within days. To a nobleman, a slave was even less than their pets, casually killed without a second thought.

Field scanned the cages of slaves. Their eyes lacked any semblance of spirit, their dirty, disheveled appearances making it hard to distinguish between genders. Whip scars marred their bodies, and any slave who met Field's gaze quickly looked away, trembling.

"How much?" According to the map, the green dot was among these slaves. Field asked about prices while searching.

"Sir, prices vary greatly by race."

The merchant, with a face like a monkey, rubbed his hands together. "Goblins, halflings, and pigmen are 10 silver coins each. Humanoids are 20 silver coins, orcs 60 silver coins. If you want a plaything, hehe, the price is unlimited."

The merchant grinned wickedly, pointing to the slaves in a large cage inside the house, with the most striking being the elf priced at a thousand gold coins. She was extremely beautiful, dressed in revealing gauze that showed her fair skin but her eyes were dull, like a fool.

"This elf was ruined by goblins, having birthed at least twenty-six times. Haha, but she's still in high demand. I'm planning to send her to the auction house where she'll fetch far more than a thousand gold coins. Interested?"

"I'm not interested in her." The green dot wasn't on her, and Field didn't have enough money for a plaything anyway. He shook his head. "How much for a human slave?"

"Humans are smart and more obedient. Male slaves are 40 silver coins, females 25 silver coins, but they're mainly for labor. If you want some fun, I still recommend the elf. Even if you don't use her for pleasure, killing her for meat or making magic items is a good choice."

Field felt a chill. In this world, nobles weren't the elegant figures from TV shows but brutal feudal lords. It was said that elven flesh could boost vitality, so proud elves quickly ended up on dining tables despite their resemblance to humans.

While chatting, Field located the green dot. His gaze shifted to a corner cage, where a green dot, like a game marker, floated above the cage. Inside was a humanoid, a white wolf humanoid with red eyes and wolf-like ears and tail. Dressed in rough linen, she lay motionless in the damp cage, only occasionally glancing at the merchant's keys.

"A rare species from the plains. Our slave hunters went through great efforts to capture their stronghold. Those damned savages fought fiercely." The merchant proudly recounted the brutal facts. "If you want to play with a wolf humanoid, you'd better have assistants. Otherwise, she might bite off your... you know."

"A beast-eared girl?"

Field was thrilled. As a seasoned otaku from Earth, he had no resistance to red-eyed beast-eared girls. He carefully reached out, trying to pet her head like a dog.

"Growl..."

"You'd better be careful," Butler Kaa frowned.

The beast-eared girl growled threateningly, her crimson eyes reflecting danger. Knight Captain Connor was ready to draw his sword. "Lord Field, better not touch them. I don't want any accidents before we reach Nightfall Domain."

"No need to be so tense; she's rather cute." Despite his words, Field was a cautious man and withdrew his hand. He saw defiance and dejection in the beast-eared girl's eyes—both cute and pitiful. "How much?"

"Just three gold coins!" The merchant, sensing Field's desire, shamelessly raised the price.

One gold coin was worth a hundred silver coins, and a silver coin was worth a hundred copper coins.

Field narrowed his eyes. "You said humanoids were only 20 silver coins. Are you trying to cheat a noble?"

"Oh, she's special and very pretty, isn't she? Recently captured and still a virgin, untouched by commoners' dirty eyes. She's also meant for the auction house, a top-notch beauty. If not for being a humanoid, I wouldn't sell her for less than 300 gold coins."

"Fifty silver coins. Don't test my patience." Field crossed his arms, his tone persuasive. "I'm about to take up my new domain and will be buying many more slaves and playthings. A one-time deal or countless future transactions—I'm sure you understand."

"Hiss~" The merchant was tempted.

Making connections with a noble who had real power and land was a great idea. Reluctantly, he agreed. "It depends on your total purchase."

The butler glanced at Field, puzzled. Field usually showed sympathy for merchants' hardships instead of haggling.

Field carefully selected and purchased 100 human slaves and 100 humanoid slaves, including 120 men. Along with the beast-eared girl, he spent 53 gold coins.

"Sir, these are the soul contracts for the slaves, verified by The Chosen."

"Contracts?" Field took the parchment, which was densely packed with names.

"Yes, vows made with the slaves' blood. Anyone who disobeys your will would be burned to ashes by divine fire." The merchant smirked, handing over the ropes. "So, you can do as you please. Have fun, my dear customer."

"I will." Field waved, knowing that if he didn't have fun in the cursed land, he would likely be corrupted and killed anyway.