Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: City of Desire and Despair (5)
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Martin and Sien were the first to step into District 2.
Every block on the street was neatly divided in a grid pattern, with wooden buildings standing in orderly rows.
In front of them, merchants were selling weapons, armor, and all sorts of combat gear, while customers in masks examined the wares closely.
It was a common sight in any developed metropolis with advanced industry.
The items for sale, however, were anything but ordinary.
They were all artifacts powered by mana stones and crafted using magitech.
“They’re decent enough, but Varehain City and the other dungeon cities have far better ones. Plus, they’re a pain to repair if something goes wrong, and their performance isn’t reliable. I just don’t get why anyone buys from here.”
“It’s the price, obviously. Artifacts from dungeon cities cost a fortune. Here, there’s no markup, so they’re way cheaper.”
“Even so, what about the performance issues?”
“A black market doesn’t mean subpar quality. If anything, the black market demands even more rigorous craftsmanship. You can’t survive without real skill. Sure, there are scams now and then, but it’s not rampant.”
Martin replied as he strolled down the street.
A few merchants tried to hawk their goods aggressively, but Sien shut them down with a sharp flick to the forehead each time.
After about thirty minutes of walking, they reached a fork in the road.
Left led to District 3, right to District 4.
“Where’s the slave market?”
“District 4… Hmm. If it creeps you out, we can skip it, Sien.”
“Why?”
“I’ve only read about it in reports, but… it’s truly horrific.”
“Truly horrific” was true, but claiming he’d only read reports was a lie.
He had actually been there.
He had witnessed firsthand what happened when human desire and madness reached their extremes.
“If even you say that, it must be serious, Martin. Still, I’m going to see it for myself.”
“It’ll be a shock.”
“Even so, I need to witness it properly. That way, I can fix all these wrongs later.”
“You’re something else.”
Sien calmly revealed her convictions.
Martin chuckled wryly and shook his head.
That was exactly why he trusted her.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Haha, yeah, it is. Alright, let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Martin and Sien headed side by side toward District 4, the slave market.
Soon, an iron fence came into view.
It completely enclosed District 4, draped in thick cloth that blocked the interior from sight.
The only intact entrance led inside.
The two cautiously entered, and the street scene unfolded before them.
“Ah….”
Sien gripped Martin’s hand tightly, despite having steeled herself.
As if expecting it, Martin clasped her hand in return.
The sight before them was that shocking.
“Come to me if you want to spend quality time with beautiful companions! No matter your tastes, you won’t be disappointed!”
“Handsome, sturdy lads await lovely ladies. Come forge sticky bonds with them!”
Men, women, young, and old—countless people were being sold like merchandise, regardless of age or gender.
The merchants in front shouted at the top of their lungs, burning with zeal to make a sale, while masked customers listened intently.
“It’s been 300 years since slavery was officially banned….”
“Law means nothing in the face of human desire.”
Sien murmured in a frozen voice.
As she said, about 300 years ago, the Alteria Empire and the six nations of the Krasian Continent had officially declared it.
Slavery was to be completely abolished.
The first reason was to bolster their citizen populations.
Adventuring was the most coveted profession across the continent, drawing people into dungeons regardless of age or gender.
The problem was the high mortality rate, which naturally dwindled the populace.
With fewer taxpayers, national budgets shrank relentlessly.
The six nations desperately sought to reverse this, and abolishing slavery was the result.
The second reason was to improve relations with elves and dwarves.
Those two races were frequent targets for enslavement due to their unique traits, leading to endless conflicts with the six nations.
Busy checking each other, the nations couldn’t afford to deal with other races too, making abolition another compelling reason.
They still refused those races true access to the dungeons, of course.
‘Human greed has no end, past or present.’
Martin stared at the scene with a hardened expression.
That was when it happened.
Grit.
Sien ground her teeth hard beside him.
Veins bulged on her tightly clenched fists.
Martin gripped her hand even tighter.
“I get how you feel, Sien. Hell, I want to snap every one of those bastards’ necks myself. But hold on a bit longer. It’s not time to clash with them yet.”
“…Whoever gets in my way, I’ll kill them all.”
“Damn right. So just hold on a little more.”
Sien nodded instead of replying.
Martin relaxed at the sight.
They ventured deeper inside and soon arrived at a massive building.
Everything they had passed so far was ordinary, run-of-the-mill structures.
This, however, was a mansion so beautiful that anyone would have to acknowledge it.
“This is the auction house. They sell special slaves here—other races can only be bought here.”
“Got enough money?”
“More than enough. I’ll reclaim it later anyway.”
He had seized the assets of nobles and other criminals.
Most went to city or village treasuries, but he kept some for himself.
To buy elves and dwarves.
Then he’d dismantle the slave market for good and recover every coin spent.
The rest would aid the victims.
With that in mind, Martin approached the mansion’s front gate and asked the guarding soldiers.
“When does the auction start?”
“It’ll begin shortly. But this is a special auction—only guests numbered 200 or below can enter.”
“Then we’re good.”
Martin pulled out his gold coin.
The guards’ eyes widened at the number.
They immediately cleared the way.
“P-Please, go right in!”
“VIP seats are prepared for guests 1 through 20! Head straight to Room 12 on the second floor!”
“Thanks for the info.”
Martin and Sien entered the mansion.
They went straight to Room 12 on the second floor, furnished with lavish decor.
But what captured their attention was something else.
A massive hole gaped where a wall should have been, offering a view of the vast underground stage below.
Other guests without VIP access crammed into seats in front.
The two sat down but didn’t converse.
Processing the shock accumulated on the way here was overwhelming enough.
Then, at last, the special auction began.
* * *
An auctioneer in his early thirties took the stage.
He cleared his throat dramatically before getting to the point.
“You all know about it! The recent territorial war in the western Empire! Viscount Reiter’s defeat flooded the market with ‘job seekers’! It’s the perfect chance to snag them cheap! Miss this, and good luck finding more! Buy now!”
Beneath the auctioneer stood about ten people seated on the floor.
Shackled at wrists and ankles.
All were sturdy adult men and women with striking appearances.
And not just that.
They had all trained in magic or martial arts—some even skilled enough to catch Martin’s eye.
None bore unique abilities, the mark of nobility, though.
“Worried about rebellion? Let me assure you—it’s unfounded! Every ‘job seeker’ bears a magic seal. Channel mana into the artifact provided upon purchase, and boom—massive explosion. And since a master mage inscribed it, the seal won’t break!”
The auctioneer avoided “slave,” opting for “job seeker.”
Still, treating people as goods was blatant.
No one showed disgust, though.
Even masked, their attitudes were clear.
Curiosity, interest, or outright lust.
“First up today: introducing Luciano Rahman! A 3-circle swordswoman with stunning looks! Age 27, plenty of room to grow. Perfect for those wanting a beautiful knight as a bodyguard! Starting bid: 10 high-grade mana stones!”
“20!”
“Hot start already. Bid 20 from guest 114! Oh, 26 calls 30! The gentlemen craving a lovely knight are fired up! Though the masks hide if they’re really gentlemen!”
The knight sold first, followed by others in turn.
Each proved their skill with sky-high prices.
None welcomed their fate.
“Fiery start, as befits a special auction. But I guarantee it’ll heat up more. Our most special ‘job seeker’ is eager to join you! Come on out!”
As the auctioneer finished, the curtain behind the podium rustled.
An armored man dragged in someone bound in iron chains.
Just over a meter tall, muscular build, beard dominating his lower face—an elderly dwarf.
“A dwarf!”
“How’d they snag one? Those are rare!”
Dwarf.
The earth spirit race, unmatched in mining or artifact crafting.
Even young dwarves rivaled master artisans.
This elder dwarf promised even greater skill.
In short, he wouldn’t come cheap.
“Our staff persuaded him with great difficulty! Name’s Andrea! 3-circle martial artist, but that’s secondary. He’s lived 80 years—artifact craftsmanship beyond any artisan! Starting bid: 50 high-grade mana stones!”
“100!”
“130!”
“170!”
Bids flew wildly.
Dwarf lust on full display.
Martin gave a bitter smile watching them.
‘Am I any different?’
Of course, he had no intention of enslaving the dwarf like them.
But buying their favor for his own gain was similar enough.
‘It’s not bad for them anyway.’
Reassuring himself, Martin joined the bidding for the first time.
“300.”
He declared, dumping 300 high-grade mana stones into the hole in front of him.
“Guest 12 bids 300! Anyone higher?”
“310!”
“Guest 7 bids 310!”
“400.”
Martin upped it without hesitation.
More mana stones into the hole.
“Guest 12 at 400! Higher? Last call! Sold to 12 for 400!”
Success—one objective down: the dwarf secured.
Now for the elf, and he could move in earnest.
“Before our final companion, a short break!”
The auctioneer announced.
Moments later—
Bang bang!
The door to Martin and Sien’s booth shook violently.
It burst open with a crash, and a lion-masked figure stormed in.
Given the situation, likely guest 7.
“You! You stole my dwarf!”
The man bellowed outright.
Sien spoke up.
“No rule against guests fighting, right?”
“Yep.”
That was enough.
Martin silently wished the man peace.