NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49: Slave Trade
Lucan and Renia left the palace and went in search of armor for her. Lucan bought the best that money could buy for her. Lucan also bought himself the best rogue gear available for his level. The two sets of armor and a trunk full of weapons cost him 110 gold.
For a moment Lucan was overcome with an urge to run to the nearest gold vender. His life would change forever. With gold trading at 80 USD to 1 GP (gold piece). It was just under 25 million dollars.
Lucan put that idea aside for now. He wanted to invest in his territory. This sale was just the beginning of his rise. A solid foundation was critical.
As Lucan and Renia walked to the outskirts of the city, Renia spoke to Lucan. "To be honest, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth knowing you are going to buy slaves. I will not stand in your way, but I disagree with it and think it's disgusting."
Lucan replied to her telepathically. 'Thank you for speaking your mind. And I happen to agree with you completely. The people I spend all this money on are only slaves in the Material Plane. Once we return home they will be villagers or they can leave, I don't care. But to maintain good relations with Faylen I need to spend all the money he gave me. I figured we could buy some people their freedom and give them a new home. Grateful people tend to work harder anyway.'
"Then why-."
"I want these people to think I am easily manipulated and in the palm of their hand. If I say I want to buy villagers, the prices will be crazy. If I say I want to buy slaves, they will sell me their worst slaves, the ones who they deem to be more expensive to 'train'. I get what I want this way and maintain the advantage even though they are screwing me on price."
"I understand. I am sorry for disagreeing with your judgment."
"No problem, I prefer people who voice their opinions, especially when they differ from mine. Remember that while we are here, we are real slave buyers."
"I-, I understand what is expected of me." She said hesitantly.
"You can wait outside if you like." Lucan suggested as they came to a stop outside a gated mansion.
"No, I want to help."
Lucan walked up to the guards. "Lucan Quilldrake to see Lewis about some hounds."
One of the guards left to relay the message. Several minutes later he returned with an older gentleman in lavish gold robes. Lucan thought the robes looked hideous.
"Ah, Lord Quilldrake, I am Lewis, we have been expecting you. Please come in."
Renia and Lucan followed Lewis into the mansion. As they entered, they found a gaudy gold decorating style in every room they passed.
Lewis led them out the back of the Mansion and into the large yard. They passed several buildings and went to a small warehouse in the back.
"If I am reading this correctly, you need help with some goblins."
"It's more than that, I have a lot of roles in my territory that need to be filled. Strong, weak, it doesn't matter, every bit helps.��
"I see, it is always nice to find a customer who isn't picky. Our other buildings have other products but this bunch I can give you a bit of a price break, as a favor to Faylen. He seems to think highly of you, I don't want to let him down."
"What makes this building different?" Lucan asked.
"Inside, our merchandise has yet to undergo training. I figured a Hand of Raze would prefer to exert his control himself compared to buying product that has already been trained and sealed. Some of the those inside were sold to me but most were acquired when Baramore conquered the rebel territory in the south last month. Come inside, chose the ones you want, then we can talk price."
Lucan followed Lewis into the warehouse. The ground had been excavated, over a thousand people were in rags and cages in a large pit. Stairs lead down between the cages, a pathways snaked between the metal boxes. Guards stood at ground level and kept an eye on them.
"Please, browse around, I am happy to sell anything here to aid in your territories struggle." He said while holding out two keys. When Lucan and Renia didn't grab them, he spoke again. "To examine the products. As long as you don't kill them you may do as you like."
Lucan took the keys while feeling disgusted with himself. He would buy everything here; he would come back another time and burn this whole place to the ground. It was a promise to himself that he had to keep.
Most of the cages were men and women humans of fighting age. They were the rebels who had been captured. He hoped they were looking for a new place to start over compared to the rebels who want to suicide bomb the enemy off the map. The NPCs all looked defeated, and desperate; his worries vanished while his anger was building.
'Keep it together, this is not the place to trigger Warlock's Insanity.' Lucan thought to himself.
Something caught his eye, a good disguise. Not a perfect one but a good one. A player posing as an NPC.
'Do you need help?' Lucan said to the man leaning against the bars with his back to him. He left the telepathic link open so the man could silently reply.
'Why would I need help from some scum who came to buy slaves. Are you only willing to own slaves when its intelligence is artificial?'
Lucan couldn't be sure the man was a subordinate of Lewis, planted there. He didn't want to reveal his true intentions.
'I have no issues buying a player as a slave, but if you have a quest to remain in captivity or something, I don't want to mess it up.'
'Ha, caring but evil. You do what you want, I am here because I am here, not because I am on quest.'
"That one looks like he has the mouth of an asshole, but he seems tough." Lucan said pointing to player.
"Ha, ha, good eye." Lewis said as Lucan kept walking.
"I like what I see." Lucan said as he was strolling in the aisle. He wanted to leave as quickly as possible. "Oh, what are these?"
"These are a hybrid Harpy species. Half women half bird. They aren't physical strong but their ability to fly makes them great scouts if they can be tamed."
They were women with the arms and legs of a bird. Their wings we currently tied behind their backs to prevent them from flying.
Lucan was just finishing up his aisle when Renia called him over. He was ready to haggle and leave but he turned around and went down the aisle she was in charge of looking over. She called him over to a cage with a dozen young girls. The youngest was 8 while the oldest was maybe 18. Renia had the cage open, the girls were frightened, and covered in dry urine.
"Lord Quilldrake, I have been speaking with them and I think you should buy them." Renia said
"I am sorry." Lewis said. "I am willing to help Lord Quilldrake in developing his territory, but these won't serve that purpose. They are not for sale."
Before Lucan couldn't say anything Renia responded again. "You promised to aid in Lord Quilldrake���s struggle. It just so happens that Lord Quilldrake has no heir. I have been encouraging him to start a harem, but he hasn't found the time. Lord Quilldrake, for the future of our people you must not let this opportunity pass. I have inspected them; most are of age to bleed and you can use right away. You can train the younger ones to prepare them."
Lucan struggled to hide the angry death glare; Lewis didn't notice. He hadn't moved out all the good product and now he had back himself into a corner.
Lucan would have gotten them out but why did Renia have to make him into a pedophile. Most of the girls looked 14 or younger.
"Yes." Lucan managed to get out through his grated teeth. He took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Yes, it's a good idea. No matter how many times I pin you down and leave you quivering in ecstasy, you are unable to bear me a child. I will trade up and start my Harem. You will teach them what I like. But don't be discouraged, you can still have the honor of bathing me and seeing to my desires while I am on mission."
It was Renia's turn to hide her angry glare. But Lucan kept talking.
"Lewis, I have seen enough to be satisfied. I will take it all."
"All?"
"Yeah. I will give you 100,000 gold."
"What? That's crazy. This whole lot is worth at least half a million."
"Nah, you already know I have 300,000 so that's my limit."
"I really can't do that. With these girls it is at least 500,000."
"Nope, you will sell it to me for 300,000 to keep Faylen happy. He wants me to come back with twice the goods I had last time, and maybe I will. Even if they are only medium grade fragments."
"Let me run some numbers in my office. Give me a minute."
Once he left Renia glared at him. "So now I am your plaything."
"You made me a pedophile first. You could have said we need pure virgins to be clerics or some other crap?" Lucan vented. "It doesn't matter now, he is letting Faylen know I will be coming back with more. The Grand Magister can pay the rest of the price. I want to leave this disgust place as quick as possible."
Lewis returned a few minutes later. "I think I can make it happen. 300,000 gold for all the product in this room." He said sticking out his hand.
Lucan shook it and bought the slaves.
"Do you need an escort?" Lewis asked.
"Just to the edge of town. My men are waiting there."
Lewis motioned to the back where there was a tunnel. "It will allow you to privately leave the city."