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Chapter 43: The Elf Slave
The purple potion sold at the Royal Capital Black Market this time was so valuable that it would normally have been considered one of the featured items of the day.
Priced at 5 million per bottle—and nearly double that depending on the season—this extremely expensive medicine sold out in less than an hour after the black market opened. Many people present regretted not being able to buy one, and some customers had even planned to purchase it later if any remained.
“Wow, the rumors about the elf are really something.”
“Well, of course. An elf slave isn't something that appears very often.”
The Royal Capital Black Market was roughly divided into sections according to the type of goods being sold. The area where Aina and I had been was the flea-market section, where all kinds of items were sold without much categorization.
Ё ń üṁа
The place drawing the largest crowd in the black market, however, was the slave-trading area in the center. The term “slave trade” sounded quite unpleasant, but looking around, while the place was lively, there was none of the oppressive atmosphere one might expect.
“So slaves come with all sorts of conditions, huh?”
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“Well, the people gathered here aren't debtors or criminals who've been reduced to slavery.”
The slave-trading district had roads noticeably wider than those in other areas. Along the sides of these busy streets stood people at regular intervals holding signs similar to placards.
“50,000 per month, 500,000 per year... Isn't that cheap?”
“For slaves without any special skills, that's about normal, isn't it? And it says live-in employment, so the master has to provide food, clothing, and housing.”
Е nũḿ а̄ . і̄ d̈
Based solely on the biased knowledge from my previous life, I had imagined slaves as people with no human rights who could never oppose their owners. However, in the world of Asphial, slaves apparently still possessed proper legal rights.
A better comparison would be hiring a servant under a binding contract. Just because someone was a slave didn't mean you could force them to perform endless labor without rest.
That said, ordinary slaves were often assigned harsh work such as dismantling monsters or maintaining sewers, even if they weren't subjected to truly inhumane conditions.
Owners could also place oath magic on them regarding matters related to their work, such as confidentiality obligations and restrictions on behavior.
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Apparently, the ability to impose this oath magic was the greatest advantage for buyers. The spell excelled at preventing betrayal and the leaking of information, but using oath magic on ordinary citizens was considered a serious crime.
“300,000 per month? This one's expensive.”
Еň u m̄ ǎ . ї d
“If he used to be an apprentice at a merchant company, he can probably do basic calculations. I'm sure there are buyers willing to pay that much.”
Three hundred thousand per month just for basic arithmetic...
Thinking ahead to the day I might open my own shop, the idea of having slave employees, who were particularly reliable about confidentiality, seemed attractive. But it appeared that slaves with valuable skills commanded significantly higher prices.
“Then what about an elf slave?”
“Who knows? I wouldn't be surprised if it was ten million a month.”
The fact that someone had come to this country as a slave meant they had sold themselves into slavery of their own free will. I couldn't help wondering what circumstances had led to that decision.
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Even within the crowded central area, there was one spot attracting an especially massive gathering. The elf in question stood at its center. While the other slaves actively called out to potential buyers while displaying their placards, the elf simply sat in a chair and read a book.
Her beautiful long hair, the color of fresh grass, partially revealed the long pointed ears characteristic of elves. Her beauty was every bit as extraordinary as the rumors claimed, and those seeing her for the first time could not help but let out cries of admiration.
A makeshift fence had been set up around her, preventing people from approaching too closely. There were also sturdy guards stationed nearby, suggesting that even the black market organizers were being cautious.
“She looks like a panda at Ueno Zoo!”
“What is that supposed to mean?!”
People clung to the divided fence and surged back and forth in waves just to catch a glimpse of the elf. The scene reminded me of old footage showing the crowds when a panda had first arrived at the famous Ueno Zoo.
Wеbn о̊ v̀el̂ Еṅ ǔ m a
“Please don't push!”
The guards blew whistles and shouted warnings, but the crowd had already become impossible to control.
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As I was carried along by the human tide, desperately twisting my body so I wouldn't get separated from Aina, I somehow ended up in the front row by pure chance.
“Amazing...”
The elf sat on a chair atop a specially prepared platform, reading a book roughly the size of a paperback novel.
Her jade-green eyes, as beautiful as gemstones and matching her hair, ignored the waves of people before her and remained fixed solely on the book in her hands. Below the stage stood a single sheet of white paper displayed in a brown frame. When I read what was written on it...
Е̌ ñú m ӓ .і d
“So being an elf comes with all kinds of conditions after all.”
The framed document listed the requirements for purchasing her, written in elegant calligraphy. Like the other slaves, there were multiple conditions, but one in particular caught my attention.
Required: A Red Potion Grade-3 or higher.
The moment I saw that condition, I felt as though fate had somehow connected me to her.
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