Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in a Count's Family
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Gulp.
Konparod swallowed dryly. His entire body was tense. He didn't feel this nervous even when meeting Baron Vailun, the lord of the city.
The reason for his tension was the woman following behind him.
'My neck feels cold. This woman is dangerous.'
Konparod had over fifty years of experience as a slave trader. His father and grandfather had been slave traders too, and he'd started helping his father from the time he could walk, leading him to this point.
In the process, he'd developed one particular skill: the ability to read people. He was confident no one could match him when it came to sizing someone up and seeing through them.
And right now, that ability was telling him the woman was dangerous. One wrong move here, and not only would he die by her hand, but most of the people in this place would too. That's the premonition he had.
'It was better when her master... Eugene Prucker... was around.'
He'd sensed the danger even then, but it hadn't felt like shoving his head into a beast's maw like this.
'The woman Eugene Prucker keeps with him... probably his exclusive maid. Yuria, was it...?'
Eugene Prucker wasn't some middling noble, so he'd memorized that info. Vailun was fairly close to the Prucker territory anyway.
"We've been walking for quite a while now... Where exactly are we headed?"
Yuria asked Konparod.
Two burly male slaves flanked him, watching her warily.
"We're almost there. This is where the female slaves are kept. Just so you know... these slaves aren't all mine."
"I know that without you telling me, old man Konparod."
This place was under Konparod's overall management, but other slave traders operated here too.
The ownership of this slave market was 20% Baron Vailun, 40% Konparod, and 40% the other traders.
Konparod opened one of the doors.
Screeech. Clank.
It led to a series of rooms that evoked images of a marketplace floor. Dozens of staff managed the slaves here.
"This is the Vailun slave market. Over eighty slave traders do business here, and more than a thousand slaves are sold."
The mansion-like place they'd just left was for VIPs, stocked with special and unique slaves.
"It's where the regular slaves are kept, but if you look carefully, you can find some exceptional ones here too."
"I've heard enough. The slaves I want are young, pretty women. Age doesn't matter. I don't care about background, but virgins are preferable."
"Hm. That's a broad set of criteria. We'll have to wander around here for a while... Is that alright?"
"Doesn't matter."
"What's your budget?"
"Ten billion ner."
"...That's quite a sum. But the slaves here are expensive. I hope you understand."
Yuria nodded.
As an illegal slave market, the prices were higher than average. But the quality matched, so she could understand.
"Konparod, old man! What brings you here?"
A male slave trader approached and greeted Konparod.
"It's been a while. Sutron. I have an important guest, so I'm escorting her personally. Mind if we look at your slaves?"
The trader glanced at Yuria. She wore a cloak pulled tight to hide her features, but her exposed face was exquisitely beautiful.
But he quickly looked away. Working in a place like this taught you things instinctively. One of them: idle curiosity only invited death.
"Of course. What kind of slaves are you looking for?"
"Female slaves. Young and pretty ones would be ideal."
"I have some good ones. Take a look."
The trader pointed to one of the iron cages. Inside sat twelve women in shackles and chains, wearing ragged clothes unlike the mansion slaves.
"I want to see their faces and bodies properly."
At Yuria's order, the trader immediately commanded the women in the cage.
"You heard the customer? Strip and show your bodies! If you don't obey, it's the solitary cell for you."
At his threat, the female slaves began undressing.
Yuria frowned slightly. Their hygiene was worse than expected. Fortunately, not critically so.
The women's ages varied, but all seemed to have undergone their coming-of-age rites.
"Are they all virgins?"
"All except four."
"..."
Yuria narrowed her eyes. Faces and figures gave hints about personality. Eyes and expressions said even more.
"I'll take that slave."
The key criterion was looks. Anything below average, and she had no interest in buying.
The trader named the slave.
"Rizel, huh."
Konparod, watching from the side, looked at Yuria in surprise.
The slave Yuria chose was a girl with orange hair. Her body was gaunt, far from beautiful. Her eyes were dull, making her seem somehow deficient.
"That's unexpected. Wouldn't the healthier one next to her be better?"
She had superior looks to Rizel. Her greater age was a flaw, but only by three or four years.
"I've decided on her."
"Hm. Are you seeing her potential for the future?"
Yuria nodded.
As Konparod said, she'd considered Rizel's future. With proper food and care, she'd surpass the one beside her in beauty.
And above all, her skeletal structure was exceptional. To Yuria, an upper Aura Expert, Rizel's talent was visible.
It was a realm beyond mere human observation skills—something a slave trader like Konparod couldn't discern.
"One hundred twenty million ner. Haha. Rizel's a virgin, so the price is a bit higher. You understand."
Yuria paid immediately.
"Haha. Thank you! No other slaves?"
"No good ones here."
She could haggle if she wanted, but time was short. She needed at least ten slaves minimum.
"Konparod, old man. On to the next."
Yuria gripped the slave contract and led the shackled Rizel onward, touring the market.
Most traders treated her courteously. But some eyed her insolently.
"Konparod, old man. That woman... she looks valuable... Can't we make her a slave?"
"Are you mad? This is a VIP. You can't treat her lightly."
"Ah, a VIP. My apologies. Heh."
The rude trader backed off at Konparod's scolding.
Yuria furrowed her brow. She had a tail. Armed men, skilled slave hunters, were tracking her from a distance. They'd attack the moment she left the market.
"Why'd you stop suddenly?"
"Some pests don't know their place. I don't want to trouble Master with this, so I'll handle it here."
"Pardon?"
Konparod blinked in confusion. But Yuria was already gone. He hadn't seen her move at all.
Panicking, he looked around. Then he spotted them: three slave hunters with their throats slit.
"..."
Konparod paled. Not from the corpses. Yuria had moved only ten seconds ago. Meaning three seasoned hunters dead in mere seconds.
He ordered his slaves to hold position and hurried after her. Her destination was obvious.
Sure enough, Yuria was killing the rude trader.
"Sp-Spare me! Please! I gave you all my money!"
"Who'd believe three hundred million ner is your entire fortune."
"It is! The rest is tied up in slaves..."
The trader's head hit the floor mid-sentence.
Konparod saw it: black aura coiled around her right hand, shaped like a blade.
'To shape aura like that... at least Expert upper level.'
He'd suspected, but seeing it chilled his spine. She seemed ready to kill him if he slipped up.
"Konparod, old man. Your subordinate traders are poorly managed."
"S-Sorry. I'll tighten things up."
"No time. Let's move on."
Konparod wiped cold sweat from his brow, staring at her retreating back.
Then he whispered into the air.
"You. Can you kill that woman?"
A small voice replied in his ear.
"Impossible. She senses not just my presence, but my position."
"...Vailun's top assassin, caught?"
This assassin was one he'd secretly hired upon arriving—not to harm Yuria, but to protect himself.
"Truth is, I missed her movements when she killed those three hunters. Vailun's top assassin isn't me anymore. It's her."
"Aren't you an Aura Expert upper level?"
"She's beyond that."
"Beyond... top level?"
"If you want her dead, cancel the job. Survival first, contracts second."
"Why?"
"She's signaling me. Stay in sight, or die. Run, and I'm done for. Konparod, where'd you get this monster?"
"...I didn't bring her. She came to me."
Konparod swallowed dryly again. She had stopped and was looking back at him. Hurry up and guide her, it meant.
???
"This child will be the last."
Yuria gazed at a little girl who barely reached her waist. The silver-haired girl stared up at her blankly, then turned her head aside.
"Nepia! Don't take Nepia! If you take her, take me too!"
A brown-haired boy screamed from inside the cage.
"...Sister. Can't Terius come with me?"
"No."
Yuria's tone was firm.
"I'll do anything. I want to be with Terius."
"No. Your friend isn't worth as much as you."
"..."
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Wait... Can I have one last talk with Terius?"
Yuria nodded.
Nepia approached the boy in the cage. She and Terius were childhood friends from the same village. Their home had been razed by bandits, captured, and sold into slavery.
They'd endured together, but this was the end.
Moments later.
Nepia returned to Yuria. Terius screamed from the cage.
"Nepia! I swear! I'll come find you! Keep that safe!"
Yuria eyed the ring in Nepia's hand.
A crude band twisted from thin wire.
She'd hidden it from the trader—maybe he'd overlooked it. Such junk wasn't worth keeping even for free.
"Conversation over?"
"Yes. Terius says he'll come find me later. This ring is proof. ...Can I keep it?"
"Doesn't matter."
Yuria turned to leave with Nepia.
"Nepia! Never lose that ring! As long as you have it, I'll find you!"
"Okay, Terius. I'll wait!"
Yuria bought a total of forty-one female slaves at the market. Ten were children. They had decent talent worth nurturing.
Before loading them into the carriage, she gathered the purchased slaves. Women of all ages and appearances.
"You will all become maids. Maids exist to serve their master in everything. Never forget that."