Slave Ownership Change

Slavery wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface; it was a complex web woven from various aspects of magic and societal structures. As an avid reader of Adventurer's Crusade, Kai understood this all too well. He had absorbed the nuances of this world's culture, where the legalities and ethics surrounding slavery were entangled with magical contracts and social hierarchies.

Normally, one would have to return to the slave trader from whom they purchased their slave to revoke the contract and transfer ownership to another person. However, in this world, things were far simpler—provided you possessed the slave contract itself.

Kai placed a small pouch on the man's table, and the merchant eagerly snatched it up.

"Such a greedy fellow," Kai thought with a sigh as the man finished counting the silver Asura coins within the pouch. After ensuring the coins were genuine, the trader reached into his pocket and produced a folded piece of paper.

"That must be her slave contract," Kai deduced, eyeing the parchment with a mix of anticipation and unease. There were several methods for changing the ownership of a slave—some as drastic as killing their current master or overriding the contract. This method, however, was by far the easiest and least violent.

The man opened the contract and gestured toward a section that bore a signature written in blood. "To change her ownership, you'll have to sign it with your own blood," he said, his eyes gleaming with a mix of greed and expectation. "Add some mana to it, too."

Kai, a Brandon, was assumed to be well-versed in magic, and he took this for granted.

Kai however was immersed within thoughts, 'It's the same.'

 In the original timeline, Emerald's master had died during the invasion of Imperial City, and she had managed to escape with the contract in hand. She fled to a small town that had yet to fall victim to conquest, where someone had dispelled her slave contract using this same technique—though that person had altered the method to cancel the contract altogether.

Without hesitation, Kai bit down on his finger, the sharp pain producing a small cut. Blood trickled from the wound, and without wasting a beat, he pressed it against the paper, beginning to sign. Mana pulsated within his blood, enhancing the power of his signature.

As a god's reincarnation, mana flowed through him with ease, a second nature that would prove invaluable once his Endowment was decided. The ability to channel the perfect amount of magical energy into a spell for maximum effect was a skill he needed, especially in a world fraught with conflict.

He concluded his signature, and the contract shimmered with a brilliant light. The glow enveloped Emerald, illuminating her with runes that appeared on her body, each one pulsing with a magnificent radiance. The brilliance faded, leaving her breathless and collapsed on her knees, all the energy she had possessed drained away. She looked up at Kai, confusion and gratitude mingling in her eyes.

The trader handed the now-altered contract to him, and Kai bowed in appreciation, though inwardly he entertained darker thoughts.

'When they come to invade, I'll leave you to your death,' he mused, 'and all your magical weapons will be mine.'

Kai couldn't allow valuable resources like these to fall into the hands of Biola once the war began. It was going to be bloody, as the kingdoms would unearth their hidden hatreds for each other. Biola had only managed to win the earlier confrontations due to the element of surprise, seizing Imperial City while claiming ownership of several small towns and forcing villagers into conflict against their neighbors under the false promise of freedom.

Over time, Asura managed to stabilize the losses and inflict maximum damage on Biola, but what did they gain? They lost one of their most significant strongholds and several towns. The biggest advantage, however, was the fact that Imperial City had fallen to Biola, and this was a situation Kai was determined to prevent at all costs—after all, his family lived in Imperial City.

He pocketed the slave contract, resolved to keep it in his Inventory where no one could find it. "Thanks a lot, Mister—I truly appreciate your help," Kai said, his voice sincere as he looked up at the man, who smiled warmly back at him.

"If you really want to thank me, you should come back again to buy a magical weapon from me," the trader suggested, trying to turn the situation into a business opportunity. "We have a lot in storage."

The mere fact that a Brandon had visited his shop would likely draw others, eager to see what treasures he possessed. If Kai purchased a weapon, he could attract the attention of Adventurers and Magi throughout the city, making the trader's business boom.

"Surely, I'll come back next time," Kai replied, noting the anticipation bubbling within him. He needed a magical weapon, especially as he planned to venture beyond the walls of the city.

In this world, cities and even towns were fortified with towering walls that stretched as far as the eye could see, manned by guards at every entrance. But why were the walls necessary? The world beyond was hazardous; numerous dungeon gates riddled the landscape, and Adventurers, while strong and plentiful, could not reach all of them in time. Thus, walls were erected to protect settlements from dungeon breaks, where powerful monsters could find their way into towns or cities.

Becoming an Adventurer or a Magus was no easy feat; not everyone possessed the talent of the main characters in the stories Kai had read. Many Adventurers and Magi were reported missing or dead following dungeon raids. The GUILD authorities could do little to mitigate these tragedies, as they lacked knowledge of what transpired within dungeons. Besides, every individual was warned about the inherent dangers of dungeons before entering.

Sometimes, death in the dungeon wasn't caused by monsters but rather by one's own party members. A dungeon had no rules except one: only the fittest would survive. If you fell to your party's treachery, it meant they were not trustworthy from the start.

Adventurer's Crusade was a complicated tome, but it was precisely this complexity that had drawn Kai in. Now, standing in this world he had longed to be a part of, he was determined to change the things that needed changing.

Turning around, he looked at Emerald, a smile playing on his lips. He could only imagine the rigorous training he would subject her to.

"Are you ready to embrace your freedom?" he asked, extending a hand to help her up. Emerald blinked, still processing the shift in her circumstances.

"I… I am free now?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yes," Kai replied, his voice steady and reassuring. "And I intend to help you become stronger. There's much to learn, and a long road ahead of us."

Emerald nodded, slowly rising to her feet with Kai's assistance. As she dusted herself off, Kai couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. This was just the beginning—a partnership that would alter the course of their lives.