Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Dark Elf Slave
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In the basement of a mansion in Bondalles.
A black girl and a white woman faced each other in different postures there.
A dark elf and a human.
At the same time, master and slave.
"Master... I have something to tell you..."
The slave's voice was trembling.
Just like her naked body.
Her back was spread out on the stone floor like rice paper, kneeling prostrate.
A red scar was etched on that lower back.
The slave's brand.
As long as that scar existed, the slave could not defy her master.
Her body, pressed flat against the cold stone floor of the basement, nearly jerked up, but the slave barely suppressed it.
If her posture broke now, she'd face punishment far worse than being doused in cold water naked in this chilly basement.
The only actions the slave could take were to let her body and breath tremble uncontrollably.
Restraining those would only provoke her master's ire.
"Cold?"
Sure enough, the master spoke in a pleased tone. She was quite satisfied with the slave's pathetic state.
"Y-yes, c-cold..."
The master lifted a silver cup.
Soon, the empty cup filled with water, which began steaming.
Boiling hot.
The slave, watching sidelong, swallowed in fear and said,
"P-please... allow me to finish my story... It's something... that will interest you, Master..."
"Hmm... Is that right? Go on, then."
The master swirled the silver cup like a wine glass and listened attentively.
"Th-the meeting... with that man... has been arranged..."
"The man named Rishir?"
"Y-yes..."
"You sure? With his help, you can get that 'cursed filthy slave' back?"
"..."
Cursed filthy slave.
It referred to the dark elf slave.
The slave replied, voice choked with tears.
"N-not certain, but... from what I've heard, the odds are high..."
"What kind of help?"
"...Pardon?"
"Tell me in your own words. What help can you get?"
"..."
The slave's lips didn't part easily.
Just a few drops splashed on her, but the slave gritted her teeth in pain.
She knew it.
That it wasn't mercy, but the final warning.
If she defied her master's mood even once more?
Next, the master would pour the boiling water on her without hesitation.
In the end, the slave had no choice but to act as her master wished.
"Th-that... we might get help retrieving the cursed filthy slaves..."
At the sight of the slave spitting it out, eyes squeezed shut in terror, the master wore a strange smile.
A mix of amusement, contempt, and anger.
"If there's even a scratch on the 'merchandise', you'll pay the full price. You know that, right?"
If the slave's arm broke, hers would break too. If the slave's toe rotted, so would hers.
And if the slave died—
"Y-yes... I know..."
The slave barely replied, trembling in fear.
"Kairen?"
The owner of those footsteps was a young dark elf with one eye covered by an eyepatch.
The dark elf handed clothes to the master and turned away.
Swish.
The master undressed without hesitation right there.
Her flawless, smooth black skin was revealed.
Then, she donned new clothes for going out.
Clothes so ragged and foul-smelling they could hardly be called garments.
"There. You need clothes too."
The master tossed some random rags at the naked slave.
The slave hurriedly straightened from her prostrate position and draped them over her body.
Then adorned herself with flashy jewelry everywhere.
Thus, the dark elf posing as master wore rags.
The human woman treated as slave finished her gaudy adornments.
A bizarre setup born from their twisted relationship.
"Ready? Leisha."
The dark elf asked the human.
Leisha was originally a merchant based in Bondalles.
Her main trade: slaves.
Not long ago, fortune smiled on her.
She'd luckily acquired a dark elf slave.
Dark elves were objects of fear and contempt, but as slaves, it was different.
There was a superstition that dark elf slaves took on their master's misfortune.
Plus, their appearance resembled high elves.
Skin color wasn't an issue.
The underworld had all sorts of drugs for hedonists, including ones that temporarily made dark elf skin elf-like.
Buy and sell elf slaves, and pursuers from the great forest would come immediately.
But dark elves?
Dark elf slaves were perfect substitutes for the ugly desires twisted from longing for elves among the depraved.
Rare luxury goods, to boot.
Leisha stashed the dark elf in a back-alley warehouse.
To auction at the upcoming black market slave sale.
Until preparations were complete, she surely saw it as luck.
Until another elf came calling.
-You have a dark elf slave, huh?
-Heh, interested? Wait, auction's soon.
-Tell me more.
-... D-dark elf...!
They made Leisha a slave.
And outwardly posed as her slaves, controlling her.
All to reclaim their lost kin in this human city that despised dark elves.
Dark elf Katría couldn't understand.
How her sister, who vanished one day, ended up in this distant human city.
Or who the informant was that provided info on her.
At first, curiosity was unbearable.
But now, it didn't matter.
In truth, Katría had high hopes for this journey.
Her first trip.
First time leaving her dark elf homeland for the outside world.
What novelties awaited?
What was her sister up to?
It didn't take long for that excitement to turn to worry, then disgust.
-A dark elf wearing fancy clothes? Heh, where'd she scavenge that?
-D-dark elf!? Get out!!! Leave my shop now!!! You'll spread the curse!!!
The novelty she met in the outside world was prejudice-born discrimination and loathing.
She realized too late.
Why the adults fretted when she said she was going to human lands.
Why they assigned the family's top knight as escort.
The innocent girl gradually soaked in hatred as the journey wore on.
And at its end, she learned one piece of info.
A 'specimen' of dark elf traded at black market by slave trader Leisha.
Thus, Katría vowed.
To rescue her sister from this horrific human land.
And on the day it all ended.
Return the loathing they received right back at them.
"Lead the way."
The two dark elf slaves followed the merchant.
They headed to the meeting place with a mage from the Magic Tower.
The guildmasters had rented out an entire tavern near the Magic Tower for this meeting.
The moment Katría's group entered.
"What's that...?"
"Dark elf—"
Perhaps because the Magic Tower mage hadn't arrived yet?
The scattered crowd's attention instantly focused on Katría's group.
The merchants showed varied reactions.
Interest.
Contempt.
Discomfort.
Someone grilled Leisha.
"Leisha, bringing a dark elf to a place like this—what were you thinking?"
"..."
Katría, overhearing beside her, gritted her teeth.
'Treating people like filth...'
How could humans be such vile race?
With each meeting, all that grew were unpleasant experiences, wounds, and loathing for them.
"There's a reason. Please understand."
Leisha gave a bitter smile, glancing at Katría.
Still, the guildmasters couldn't hide their displeasure.
Fortunately, though.
"Ah."
"That him?"
"He's the Tower Master's proxy, so next to him—"
Just then, mages from the Magic Tower arrived, diverting their attention.
"Let's proceed in order."
Both sides were busy.
The Tower Master's proxy and honorary mage named Rishir entered the VIP room immediately.
Merchants entered by turn, emerging soon after with satisfied looks.
Then it was Katría's group's turn.
"Have a seat."
Honorary mage Rishir gestured to them.
Leisha sat opposite, the two dark elves taking seats beside.
"..."
For a moment, honorary mage Rishir's expression twisted.
His eyes quickly swept over the two dark elves.
'What, uncomfortable just sharing space with dark elves?'
Katría sneered inwardly.
She'd had slight hopes since he had a good reputation, but as expected.
He was just another human.
Katría signaled Leisha.
She began her prepared expression and lines.
"First, apologies for sharing the table with filthy dark elves. There's a reason, so please underst—"
Even as Leisha spoke humbly, Rishir's expression didn't soften.
"Filthy dark elves..."
He mulled the words gravely, scanning the two dark elves again.
A brief tension—
"...Let's get straight to business."
Honorary mage Rishir spat it out as if shaking off something.
Like he wanted to end this quickly.
As the talk continued, Katría's antipathy toward Rishir only grew.
She thought his discomfort was aimed at her.
"...But suddenly, contact with them cut off. They took my slave and vanished. I want her back. Will you help?"
"...An important slave?"
Rishir asked with a meaningful look.
How to interpret that.
If as 'why obsess over one dark elf', it fit.
Leisha, assuming typical prejudice, explained from a merchant's view.
The value of a horrific dark elf as a slave.
Quite explicitly.
Not ideal talk before the dark elves holding her life, but no choice.
Mess up here, and who knew what awaited after.
"I understand. That'll do."
As Leisha detailed prime uses for dark elves.
Rishir cut her off, openly uncomfortable.
He conferred briefly with the proxy, then told Leisha,
"I'll help retrieve your slave. But may I propose a condition?"
"Ah, if it's about sponsorship, no worr—"
"Not that."
"Pardon?"
"If possible—"
Honorary mage Rishir's gaze turned to Katría.
"I'd like to purchase your dark elf slaves. These two here as well."
"...!"
Katría instinctively hugged her arms over her body.
'This trash...!'
Just moments ago, looking at them like filth(?).
Now, hearing prime uses, suddenly wants to buy them.
Revulsion at his blatant, ugly intent.
This Rishir was surely the ugliest human she'd met.
I looked at the two dark elves before me and thought.
'What would Master do in this situation...'
For now, I decided to save them.
I couldn't just stand by; my master came to mind.