Teaching Feeling: A Human's Slave Life (1)
Thanks to all your recommendations, the odds of back-to-back updates are going up!
Captured by the elves, Yushin Gilliard was bound hand and foot and loaded into a carriage—unlike the other prisoners, who were forced to march. One might call it special treatment, but...
The elves had restrained him with extreme thoroughness, knowing that if this Six Sword Realm master broke free, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Judging by how much the carriage is rattling, we've veered onto some bumpy back trail. We're crossing the Akiteon Mountains. They're planning to haul us over the range straight into the Liberia Elf Kingdom.
To reach the elves' homeland, the Liberia Elf Kingdom, one had to cross the Akiteon Mountains no matter what. The skirmishes with the human nation of Valua Kingdom had erupted near those very peaks.
After locking Yushin in the carriage, the elves were dragging their war captives back to their country.
"You're all headed for the slave auctions. You'll fetch a nice price this time, no doubt. And you... you're going to go for an absurd, sky-high sum."
"Thanks for the kind words."
Yushin shot back at the elf knight riding with him in the carriage. Of course, he didn't forget to mutter under his breath, "Drop dead already, you big-eared bitches."
"I heard you took down Captain Ardena. Knocking out one of the top five strongest in our Liberia Elf Kingdom? That's no ordinary luck."
The elf knight chalked up Yushin's victory over Ardena Valencia to sheer "luck." No way our captain lost to the likes of you.
Yushin just shrugged at the elf woman's twisted expression and words.
In the end, he'd still ended up a prisoner. Beating the captain wasn't anything to brag about.
Word is some kingdom knights volunteered to get captured just to become the elves' sex slaves. Can't say living as playthings for a race full of beauties sounds half bad. Not for me, though.
The elf race had a wildly skewed gender ratio: two males for every eight females. Males were congenitally rare. So the elves invaded their neighbor, Valua Kingdom, to "supply" themselves with stud males by force. They needed slaves for labor one way or another.
The Liberia Elf Kingdom was infamous for its thriving slave trade, even compared to human lands.
"Short break!"
A woman's voice rang out from outside the carriage. Sounded like the knight commanding the prisoner column.
Of course, Yushin couldn't step out. The carriage halted, but the sealed window stayed shut, and no one came to unlock his manacles out of kindness.
He was the premium slave captured in battle—Yushin Gilliard, destined to fetch the highest price.
"How's the slave doing?"
"Quiet as a lamb with those manacles on."
"He's gonna sell for a fortune. No money worries for us."
"We'll split it halfsies—our knight order and you forest elves who caught him."
"Deal."
Their voices drifted in. Yushin perked up his ears to eavesdrop.
The money from auctioning off prisoners as slaves went to the unit that captured and escorted them back to the elf kingdom. In other words, this outfit hauling Yushin and the knight prisoners had struck gold.
Fuck, the second we hit elf country, I'll be turned into a living dildo. For the lover waiting back home... not that I have one, but anyway—anything but slave life in the elf kingdom.
Whole Company Diary (Ver. Slave Life).
The moment they reached the elf kingdom, a brutal, harrowing slave existence awaited. Unlike regular slaves classed for manual labor, Yushin would be treated as breeding stock for superior genes.
A Six Sword Realm high-grade swordsman wasn't exactly common.
"Goddamn manacles!"
The watching elf knight hopped out of the carriage for a moment. Alone at last, even if just briefly, Yushin yanked hard at his restraints to break free.
But the sturdy manacles didn't budge. His arms just ached.
They must be special-issue, mana-sealing cuffs— he couldn't even channel mana through his hands.
Mana-blocking specials? I think humans used these on subrace slaves back in the day. Guess the elves learned from us humans, just like we grew by studying subraces...
And now he was paying the price. No sharp Mana Blade from his hands, no free movement with leg irons chaining his ankles. The carriage looked tough too, built to withstand attacks.
Probably meant for high-status folk... but the elves were using it to haul top-tier slave merchandise.
"This the one?"
"Black hair, just like they said."
"Heard humans have black hair, but first time seeing it."
"If you got knocked up by that human's kid, you'd birth a black-haired half-elf, huh? Don't want no half-breed mongrel, but inheriting his talent to hit Six Sword Realm? That'd be a boon for the elf kingdom."
Elves opened the carriage door, murmuring. They giggled like they were ogling livestock— a pack of beauties, young and stunning.
No different from humans. Yushin figured slave hunters who snared elves must've looked just like this. He'd never seen one, but they had to be the same.
"Mind if I get a quick taste?"
A green-haired elf asked. She looked late teens, full of vigor, swallowing hard at the bound Yushin.
"No way. He's a virgin. Virgins go for double—no, triple the price. You know that."
How the hell do you know I'm a virgin?!
Yushin seethed as another elf held back the eager one. Apparently elves had some superpower to spot virgins at a glance. Or he just had that virgin look. Or maybe they had a technique to classify them.
"A virgin's seed in your womb ups the odds of inheriting innate talent and ability. That's why they're pricey. At Six Sword Realm, noble houses'll be drooling... auction's gonna be a bloodbath."
"Fine then."
The green-haired elf grumbled. She still eyed the meekly bound Yushin with lingering regret but shut the door and moved on.
Yushin let out a deep sigh of relief. Crisis averted—for now.
How many lust-crazed elves had leered at him on the way here? Too many to count on fingers.
Fuck, no dying easy for me. Wonder how those idiots are faring—the ones who charged headlong to become elf sex slaves. Never thought I'd end up like those morons.
Yushin recalled his fellow knights who'd volunteered to charge the elf kingdom for sex slave duty. Lunatics.
He'd laughed his ass off back then. But facing the same fate, tears welled up. Were they okay? Traitors who'd ditched Valua Kingdom for the elves, sure—but old comrades all the same. A twinge of worry hit him.
The break dragged on. Yushin, slumped and bound, had dozed off with eyes shut. When he opened them, the sun was setting.
Elves had sharp night vision. And they were surrounded by forest—their ideal turf. Elves never got lost in woods.
They could force-march day or night without issue.
"Captain! Captain!"
A whisper. Then tap tap—someone rapped lightly on the carriage window.
"Isana? You alive?"
The young man peering in was Isana, Yushin's former adjutant and vice-captain.
Isana had the key—the only way to unlock Yushin's handcuffs. How he'd snagged it didn't matter. Freedom from these damn restraints was all that counted now.
"While some elves fell for my silver tongue, I swiped the key clean."
That elf knight guarding the carriage must've had it. He'd played her? What a legend. Yushin always figured the guy was just a shit-factory eating rations.
"Good work. Bump you up a rank when we get home."
"Tossing the key through the window gap. Gotta bounce— they'll suspect. Already squared it with the men. Bust out, and we'll back you."
"Got it. Thanks."
Isana vanished. Yushin snatched the key bundle that dropped through.
As he unlocked, he realized separate keys for hand restraints and leg irons. Elves—meticulous bastards.
"Eat shit, you lanky fucks!"
Yushin kicked the door flying. Free at last, he roared and smashed out of the carriage.
"How the hell did he break free...!"
"Where's Heina?! She had the keys!"
"Stop him! Can't let that slave escape! We already reported to command we nabbed one of the Kingdom's Seven Swords!"
Elves drew swords. At the same time, the compliant prisoners rose with Yushin.
Unlike Yushin in irons, regular captives were just roped. They'd secretly cut their bonds and now broke free from elven tyranny.
"Captain!"
Isana yelled, tossing him a sword.
"Nice one, Isana!"
Yushin caught the longsword, unleashing a blue sword aura that forced encircling elves back.
A Six Sword Realm knight. The monster who'd felled their captain. Elves eyed the freed Yushin with fear, hesitating to charge.
"Grahaha!"
"Thought we'd just let you elves march us to your kingdom? Big mistake!"
"We're soldiers under Vice-Captain Yushin Gilliard! No one in the kingdom beats our grit and resolve!"
All his men were loose. Unarmed, but fists would do to drop elves. About thirty freed—officers and soldiers under Yushin.
They formed up back-to-back, facing sword-wielding elves.
"Stick with the captain!"
"No elf beats our vice-captain!"
Elves and prisoners glared, standoff tense. Then, as the tide favored humans, a figure emerged from the elves' rear to flip it.
"Captain Ardena!"
"H-Helenwood Knights!"
Elves shouted. Elf knightesses in light leather armor appeared at the scene.
At the center stood a cool beauty with flowing golden hair. Sharp hunter's eyes and a cold, mask-like expression locked on Yushin with icy fury.
"Why's that woman here...? She should've headed to the elf kingdom first...!"
Ardena Valencia, Warrior Captain of the Liberia Elf Kingdom. In human lands like Valua Kingdom, she was nicknamed the "Ruthless Hunter"—a high-rank threat.
Captain Ardena had lost to Yushin once before. She'd handed him off to a follow-up unit and returned home ahead, but now she'd ambushed with her direct subordinates, the Helenwood Knights.