As Michael moved deeper into the market, he noticed several long platforms ahead. Upon them stood rows of chained slaves—men, women, even children—lined up neatly, not as people, but as merchandise. They stood motionless, their gazes hollow, their eyes devoid of light, as if their souls had long since abandoned their bodies.
Even so, their condition was a hundred times better than that of the slaves he had seen before—at least they had clothes on, and they didn't look filthy. The slave owners were shouting to draw the attention of buyers, making this the noisiest place of all.
Michael also noticed a few Elven and Beastkin slaves standing on the highest part of the platform, positioned so that even those far away could see them clearly.
All of them were beautiful women, and a huge crowd had gathered in front of them—everyone shouting bids to buy them.
Michael was stunned when he heard someone bid five hundred silver coins, and the price kept climbing—soon surpassing a hundred gold coins.
He couldn't help but be shocked at the sheer scale of the slave trade here—people were spending money like water.
Damn… looks like every wealthy bastard in the city's gathered here, he thought grimly. No wonder the Confederacy never truly wanted to abolish slavery—it's too damn profitable.
"Elves and Beastkin are considered the highest-tier slaves here—that's why they're so expensive."
The voice didn't belong to Sista—it came from a middle-aged man standing beside Michael. Judging by his attire, he looked like one of the local merchants.
The man glanced at Michael and added, "Among them, beautiful female Elves and Beastkin fetch the highest prices."
Michael gave him a curious glance, not understanding why the man had suddenly started talking to him.
"Ah, my name's Thane," the man said amiably. "I'm a slave trader here."
"I'm Michael," he replied simply, not really interested in chatting any further.
But Thane didn't stop there. He pointed toward the platform, at a small elf girl. "Do you see that little one over there?"
Michael followed his finger. It was a child, but beautiful—so strikingly so that anyone would be captivated at first glance.
With a knowing smile, Thane continued, "That girl is the most valuable slave in this entire market. Consider yourself lucky to even see her—she's a noble elf. Very rare to find one as a slave. That's why so many people have gathered, trying to get a glimpse of her—or buy her if they're lucky."
Michael had noticed the same thing. The bidders all looked wealthy, competing fiercely to claim her.
He turned back to Thane and said, "If she's that rare, why don't you make a bid yourself? You might actually win her."
Thane gave a wistful smile. "Ah, if only I could… but she's far beyond my reach now. Her price has already passed a hundred gold coins."
A hundred gold coins—equal to five thousand silver. That was an enormous sum, enough to match the lifetime wages of a common laborer—over fifty years of work.
Thane sighed softly and continued, "Still, it's not surprising. She's just a child now, but once she grows up, her value could exceed a thousand gold coins—maybe even more."
Michael blinked. "More than a thousand?"
Thane nodded. "Don't look so surprised. She's an elf, after all. Her childhood alone will outlast our lifetimes. Think of it as a very long-term investment."
Then, with a curious smile, he added, "So, what kind of slave are you looking to buy?"
Michael stayed silent for a while. He had never told the man that he'd come here to buy a slave—but since that was, in truth, his main purpose for being here, he didn't bother to deny it.
"Well, I'm not that wealthy—can't buy something like her. I'm looking for someone… mid-tier. Intelligent, and educated."
He planned to expand his business in this city someday, and for that, he needed someone capable—someone who could handle things even in his absence.
Thane gave a small smile. "I see… well, I've just received some new stock. If you'd like, I can show you around. You might find exactly what you're looking for."
Ah, I knew it.
[Host, analysis complete. He doesn't seem to have any ill intent—just a merchant trying to sell his goods.]
"Hm… alright."
....
Thane led Michael into a structure. It was a massive, three-story dome-shaped building. Thane explained that it served as a kind of warehouse where traders kept their slaves for a storage fee.
But the moment Michael stepped inside, he realized it felt less like a warehouse and more like a prison. Rows of iron cells lined the corridors, each one holding people behind cold metal bars. Still, compared to the slaves in cages outside, these seemed to be in better condition.
Following Thane down a corridor, he entered a chamber filled with rows of cells. Inside were men and women bound in iron restraints—war prisoners, exiled knights, and condemned criminals who had chosen slavery over execution.
Thane gestured proudly. "These are my prime stock. You can choose what you want."
Michael scanned the area, his eyes narrowing. Then he whispered under his breath,
"Sista, activate [Appraise]. Find one who fits my requirements."
[Understood, Host. Initiating analysis…]
A faint blue shimmer flashed in Michael's vision as lines of translucent data began to scroll before his eyes—race, strength, intelligence, skill ratings, backgrounds. Dozens of profiles flickered one after another until finally, the system paused on one.
[Match found: Subject No. 27. Race: Human. Former Status: Noble. Current Condition: Malnourished but stable. Skills: Literacy, Etiquette, Arithmetic, Basic Economics.]
Michael's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the indicated cell.
A girl sat huddled in a corner. The dim light made it hard for Michael to see her clearly, but that didn't matter—she met his requirements, and that was enough.
"That one," Michael said.
Thane noticed his gaze and smiled knowingly.
"Ah, I see she's caught your attention. That one's a strange case," he said, folding his arms.
"She used to be the daughter of a noble from the Eastern Confederacy. After her family went bankrupt, she was sold into slavery. Because of her upbringing, she's educated and skilled. But…" He hesitated, lowering his voice. "There are rumors. Her last master went bankrupt within months of buying her. That's why people call her the Misfortune."
"Hmm," Michael said with a faint smile, "I didn't expect a slave merchant to speak of his own slave as a misfortune. That's… surprisingly honest."
"Look, as a merchant, it's my duty to tell you everything upfront. I'm no swindler. I don't want you coming back later saying I didn't warn you. That's why I'd advise you to choose someone else instead."
If Michael had been anyone else, he might have taken his advice, but...
[Host, analysis complete. Recommendation: proceed with purchase. High potential. Latent mana capacity detected. Suitable for administrative, linguistic, or magical training roles.]
A grin spread across Michael's face. Jackpot. Luck was clearly on his side.
"I'll take her," he said. "Just tell me the price."