The Slave Bargain
Even though benis were silver coins, collings were silver coins too—only far more valuable. One colling equaled twenty benis. That put the older girl at two thousand benis and the younger at fifteen hundred. In Korean money, roughly seven-and-a-half million won for the first and five-and-a-half million for the second. Together they came to thirty-five hundred benis. The problem was, I only had thirty-one hundred on me right now. Short by four hundred.
“A bit steep, isn’t it?”
“As I already explained, they carry half noble blood. Not a single scar on either of them, skin like porcelain, and both have such adorable, pretty faces. There’s no telling how much more beautiful they’ll grow to be.”
“We’re looking for children who can work, not ones who look nice. Beauty and labor have nothing to do with each other. Knock five hundred off.”
“That much?” The slave trader’s eyes widened as though I were trying to swindle him. I wasn’t a swindler, but I was a bandit who lived by preying on others.
“Two hundred is the best I can do.”
“Five hundred. We’ve traveled a long way, so let’s settle on exactly five hundred less. We’ll be regular customers here—consider it a contribution toward your feed costs.”
Marcus added his own gruff opinion. “Looking at those two, they don’t seem like they’ve ever done a day’s real labor in their lives. What use are those pale little hands? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Teaching them how to work after you buy them will be the real headache. Who’d even want them?”
“Aigo, aigo. I can’t win against this. Fine, fine. I’ll take four hundred off. Not a coin more.”
I gave a small chuckle at the slave trader’s grumbling. All that remained now was signing the papers and handing over the money.
Marcus and I followed the slave trader inside the shop.
Adelia and Sinclair stepped into the building. The interior was dimly lit. From the outside it had looked like an inn, but the countless liquor bottles lining the walls, the long bar, and scattered tables revealed it to be a tavern. Since it was still daylight, the place was closed for business and completely empty—except for one man sitting at the bar with his back to them.
As if he had been waiting, the man rose at the sound of their footsteps and turned around.
“You came. I knew you would answer.”
“Are you the one who sent the letter?” Adelia asked, lowering her hood. The man confirmed her face and let out a relieved smile.
“Yes. Please, follow me. This is a tavern; there’s no telling when someone might barge in. Let’s speak in a private room.”
Before moving, Adelia glanced back at Sinclair and exchanged a quick look. Sinclair swallowed quietly and gave a small nod—Leave the rear to me.
Adelia followed the man down the first-floor corridor while Sinclair trailed a short distance behind, eyes scanning their surroundings. The man soon stopped in front of a door.
“This is my room. I’ve been hiding here with help from a friend who runs the tavern.”
He opened the door and stepped inside. Adelia followed immediately and surveyed the small six-square-meter room. It contained only a bed, a table, and a chair. Nothing that seemed particularly suspicious.
She turned to Sinclair, who had been about to follow her in, and whispered softly in the hallway.
“Stay out here and keep watch. If we’re both inside, no one will be guarding the corridor. It’s too dangerous.”
“Understood.”
Adelia entered the room, and the door closed quietly behind her.
“Please, have a seat.” The man offered her the chair and perched on the edge of the bed himself.
“I’ll stand.”
Adelia pushed the chair aside and remained on her feet, looking down at him. The man smiled awkwardly.
“If someone of your stature insists on standing, must I stand as well?”
“Do whatever is comfortable. It doesn’t matter. That isn’t what’s important right now.”
The man nodded.
“Then let’s get straight to business. If I provide information on the Elk Bandits, will the Lion Heart Unit guarantee my safety and pay me a proper reward?”
“That will depend on the quantity and quality of your information. But for now, you have my word.”
“I have more material than you could want. I also possess plenty of confidential intelligence. You won’t go back on your word later, will you?”
“What do you take me for? I am a knight who keeps every promise she makes. There will be no reversal. If you’re truly anxious, I’ll even write a statement right here.”
Adelia’s expression was resolute, as though she would never stoop to such cheap tricks.
“What position did you hold inside the Elk Bandits? An officer?”
She waited for an answer, but the man suddenly fell silent. Then the corner of his mouth curled upward in an arrogant smirk.
Adelia’s displeasure flared. “Mind your attitude before me.”
“You, on the other hand,” the man said, dropping all pretense, “should have been more careful.”
“Farewell.”
Clank!
The moment he pressed a button hidden beneath the bed, the floor gave way. Adelia let out a sharp cry as she plummeted downward.
In the corridor, Sinclair heard the scream and rushed to open the door, but it was locked.
“Lady Adelia! Lady Adelia!”
No answer came from inside. She slammed her shoulder against the door.
Thud! Thud! Crash!
On the third impact the door burst apart. Sinclair charged into the room only to find it completely empty. Both Adelia and the man had vanished without a trace.
“How… what just happened?”
There was no time to wonder. Realizing the situation had turned critical, Sinclair sprinted out of the building and fired a signal flare toward the soldiers stationed near the refugee camp.
“I will find Lady Adelia even if I have to tear the entire refugee camp apart!”
—I’m leaving now, so I’ll leave the rest to you.
—See you later, boss. Good work.
—Hey, yeah.
A chuckle slipped out before I could stop it. I had momentarily forgotten exactly what kind of world I was living in. Thanks for the reminder.
“Marcus.”
When I let out a disbelieving laugh, Marcus tilted his head.
“What’s wrong? Eat something bad?”
“Looks like we’ve been had.”
“Had? What are you talking about?”
The door opened at that exact moment. A plump man stepped in, saw us, and frowned in confusion. He was clearly the person the slave trader had been speaking with earlier.
“Who are you gentlemen?”
“Customers who just bought a pair of sister slaves from the owner of this shop.” My voice was ice-cold as I rose from my seat.
The man’s face flashed with surprise, then he immediately launched into an act.
“Oh no! You gentlemen have been tricked too! What a terrible shame! Aigo!”
“What’s going on?” Marcus asked.
The man clicked his tongue in feigned sympathy. “Lately there have been many fake slave traders who pretend to be the owner while the real proprietor is away. They make false contracts, take the money, and disappear. It seems you two have fallen victim as well! How truly unfortunate!”
“Is that so?”
I closed the distance in one stride and drove my fist into his face.
“Lie in moderation!”
Thud!
“Aaaagh!”
After giving him a proper beating and repeating the exact lines the two men had exchanged, he finally confessed they were accomplices.
“Spare me! Please spare me! I’m begging you!”
“Where’s the money?”
“Th-that bastard took everything! I didn’t get a single coin!”
I turned to Marcus, still breathing hard.
“Marcus, get the real slave contract and the girls’ documents from this piece of trash.”
Having grasped the full situation, Marcus nodded calmly. Even now he remained composed.
“Consider this good practice. Treat it as real combat experience and show me how much you’ve improved by catching that man.”
“Leave it to me. If I fail, I’ll turn in my badge.”
This was the perfect chance to show Marcus just how far I had come. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped outside.
The iron cage that had held the sisters was now empty. They had already been taken away.
I remembered the way those children had looked at me—eyes filled with desperate hope for a new life.
“I want to go…”
“…I’m Haida. My little sister is Evynee.”
Wait for me. I’ll find you both. Once I’ve set my sights on something, it belongs to me.