episode_0004

“Welcome. It seems we have a valuable guest.”

A 140cm tall, green-skinned, and neatly dressed orc merchant strokes his white beard.

Despite his appearance, between his thick fingers, one could see gold rings and various ornaments, undoubtedly indicating that he dealt with high-value merchandise.

“First, the reserved sex slaves have been arranged in such a way that all the competitors have been eliminated, leaving only options for VIPs. They are numbered as 1 for you to choose from.”

“…Sex slaves?”

“Yes. They’ve been quite popular lately. These first-class sex slaves here have learned the art of pleasing their masters professionally, even more so than maids. They never tire, even at night. And who knows, if one were to consume the virgin blood of a high elf, it might even cure incurable diseases.”

Rachel’s expression subtly turns cold as she listens quietly. It was a potentially dangerous statement, but ultimately, he was an orc. There was nothing to gain by showing sensitivity to his words.

I half-listened to his words and glanced toward where the sex slaves were kept.

There were beastfolk with cat ears, a fallen noble with red hair, or a dark elf with charred skin, all adorned in peculiar attire, speaking in a childish tone. But like Rachel beside me, I maintained a calm gaze.

It was inevitable that the second brain would react, but there was no attraction from my rational side at the moment. Even if I were to indulge, they would be nothing more than a one-night amusement.

“Is there anything else?”

My provocative question catches the attention of the slave merchant. With raised eyebrows and a furrowed brow, he looks at me with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, grinding his teeth.

He was clearly much older than me.

“…We don’t have a sex slave that satisfies your battle needs, but there is one left that surely fits Master Ian’s taste based on appearance alone.”

“Let’s go see.”

The orc, with a sly smile, gestures for me to follow him, scraping his palm against each other. As he moves, I catch the gaze of a girl amidst the unhygienic surroundings.

“…”

Like frozen diamonds, her eyes were as cold as frost.

Long, jet-black hair that was as dark as the night.

Skin as pure as jade and a promising future ahead, yet a body that seemed to have shrunk for no apparent reason, despite being barely in her twenties.

At first, it was hard to recognize her, but looking at the mole on her sternum, the one just below her lips, and the one discreetly visible on the inside of her thigh, I was certain.

I doubted my own eyes, frantically rubbing my hands, “Why am I acting like this? Is something wrong?”

“Sir?”

The orc merchant found it odd, but the gaze of my mother did not register in my mind.

As suspicion turned into conviction, a thrilling shiver ran down my spine.

Yes, the figure standing in the slave market was none other than… the final boss. It was Yuria.

Thump, thump, thump,

My heart raced wildly.

Even Rachel, who had been watching from the side, was startled, and the attendants who had been supporting me rushed to prevent my body from collapsing to the ground.

I couldn’t calm my breathing.

Carefully, I overlapped Yuria’s setting in my mind thousands of times in a matter of seconds.

Yuria was a former slave, a fact revealed through a flashback that occurs when a typical final boss is killed.

Her misfortunes and the pain she would endure.

And I, as a reader who knew this in advance, could prevent it from happening.

It was also an opportunity to tame the insane author-certified girl in the world.

At that moment, because Ian’s omniscient perspective didn’t appear, I didn’t know it well, but…

The slave market where Yuria suffered through painful days was here, and the nobleman who coincidentally appeared was me.

A fateful encounter that might not happen again.

I had to tame her unconditionally to be on my side.

The determination to somehow brainwash her and make her stand by my side firmly took root in a corner of my heart.

“…I’ve decided on that girl.”

As I suddenly shifted my steps, the slave market owner, who was about to leave, turned back and, with a bewildered look, shifted his gaze to Yuria, who was staring blankly out the window.

Then, with a puzzled expression, he tilted his head.

“Yes? That girl was a product that didn’t sell well to other nobles… She was a sex slave scheduled for disposal, so she didn’t receive proper education.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“However, it’s not as if I’ve even mastered basic etiquette, let alone anything more specialized… and on top of that, given her somewhat delicate condition, she would likely fall short even as a maid for social events or combat. If I had to guess, she’d probably end up being a sex slave… and with rough tastes like yours, she might just break down right away.”

“She has no use other than as a sex slave? Haha, what a lunatic. The original author must have harbored a bitter sarcasm if they heard that.”

“Yuria had shrunk in size and undergone various physical changes. Right now, she seemed to be conserving blood and sealing her power. Most likely, when she consumes blood, she becomes a formidable force, capable of tearing apart twenty knights, and with the abilities surpassing those within the vampire realm, she would undoubtedly master the nobles’ etiquette within a week.”

“I knew the words to make the little guy agree quickly. ’65 gold.’ ‘Alright, thank you. Sir, I’ll wrap her up nicely for you.’”

“The orc merchant rubbed his hands together and offered a kind smile. For a commoner, it was a price that could buy a small house. But all that showed on the orc merchant’s face was regret. However, that regret wasn’t due to the price. From the orc merchant’s perspective, he had seized the opportunity to sell a worn-out slave at a good price, which wouldn’t have sold otherwise.”

“I added one more thing. The smiling merchant said to me, ‘Of course, I was already asking for a much higher price than usual. But for me and the nobles, it wasn’t an exorbitant amount. And if it meant getting the final boss later, it would be incredibly cheap and affordable. But this guy didn’t know that, blinded by free money, he looked at me with a hopeful expression.’”

“‘What can I help you with, Sir Ian?’ ‘Get rid of all records of this slave coming here and leaving, and also get me the lists of the previous slaves who passed through here, and then I’ll give you 75 gold.’ ‘Hmm… I’d like to ask for a reason, but you won’t tell me, will you? Yes, understood. I’ll prepare it quickly.’”

The merchant never questioned a deal. It was a principle. Especially when such words were added, even more so. Rachel sensed the need for this but refrained from voicing it.

On the contrary, she looked at me with eyes that said, “My son is so meticulous…” Lost in thought, she regarded me with the proud gaze of a mother who had sent her child on an errand. That woman is truly out of this world.

It was a situation where suspicion wouldn’t be unwarranted, yet thanks to Ian’s image as a hard-nosed negotiator, Rachel could navigate through the fortress-like walls of his persona. However, there were still several security guards around, Rachel noted.

“However, Ian, would it be alright to bring in a child like that as a slave?” It was their private space.

In the office lay contracts and documents for purchasing slaves. Perhaps due to her earlier gesture, she had soundproofed the room. Silence filled the roughly 5-square-meter room.

Half suspicion, half concern, Rachel gazed at Yuria, who seemed somewhat emaciated, with unfocused eyes, seeing her as nothing more than a low-grade servant, even if she were drugged to the point of being barely functional.

In Rachel’s eyes, Yuria appeared no better than a streetwalker, far below Britna’s status, neither more nor less.

Rachel’s attitude was justified under normal circumstances. Currently, Yuria was being sold as a member of the human race, not as a vampire, and due to her kind nature, she had become extremely weakened by not being able to drink blood.

As a result, occasional symptoms of impulse would sometimes overwhelm her desires, causing her to occasionally drool or stare blankly into space, as she did earlier.

But I had a means of response prepared for Rachel. “After all, isn’t life short? Even I won’t live long, so it would be nice if I could have a good experience without regretting or clinging to life.”

“What… do you mean?” Rachel spoke with a stern voice.

But I couldn’t say anything more. The fury-driven lunatic, who had previously been enraged by the slightest change in the maids’ gazes, had completely transformed. Rachel, who could empathize to some extent with his thoughts, couldn’t do anything about the silent Ian.

Rachel took a deep breath and said, “Phew, alright. Let’s go see that child then. With this, the paperwork will be finished.”

Somehow, she felt like she had become a despicable person who threatened her own parents with her life. Her heart felt heavy and uncertain.

This might all end up being a futile endeavor. However, even if taking such risks, she had to get her hands on that final boss transforming into a black shadow, no matter what it took.

Even if she had to resort to any means here.