Chapter 1: I want to buy a slave.

What I had before my eyes now was the city’s official slave trade office.

And I intended to buy one slave here.

A woman with impressive white hair and fur, pointy ears, sharp eyes, and red pupils.

The reason I intended to buy her was out of pity for her plight, sympathetic that she had to live as a slave due to being entangled in my affairs.

The reason she became a slave was because I had almost died.

To clarify, she hadn’t tried to kill me.

The person she had introduced was a criminal, and the large inn where she worked cited regulations to fire her and simultaneously demanded a huge amount in compensation.

Supporting an unfortunate family alone, she had no choice but to become a slave.

Therefore, I wanted to use my money to buy her and rescue her from her difficult situation.

If you were to ask why it had to be me, first, as someone directly involved in the incident, I was at the top of the list for purchasing her.

Her beauty was quite famous in the city, so many people coveted her.

The Security Captain, who was her acquaintance, worried about her and explained the circumstances one by one, asking me to buy her.

He even went to the trouble of tipping me off about her sale date.

As someone who wasn’t heartless enough to ignore such a story, I ultimately found myself standing before this building.

The money I possessed wasn’t entirely mine.

It was something I could have thanks to the many ways the sheep beastman who took me in had helped me when I first opened my eyes in this world.

I was flustered by the sight of a beastman I’d never seen before and the vast blue fields, knowing nothing, but with his help, I was able to cover my naked body with cloth and obtain a place to stay.

The name Marcus, which I now used, was also given by him.

This man, Paul, had given me work and taught me various things, putting me, who had appeared in this new world with a frail body, to manual labor.

Carrying heavy loads, washing the livestock on his ranch—

It was truly difficult back then, but now, only gratitude remained for every bit of it.

He hadn’t exploited me without pay; he had even intentionally bought meat he didn’t eat himself to make sure I ate my fill.

He allowed me to rest comfortably when I rested, and I thought of the snacks he subtly offered during work breaks.

Most of them were small carrots.

The reason I speak in the past tense is simple.

He died.

One day, he had tried to defend his ranch against a band of attacking bandits, and by the time I found him, he was already too gravely wounded to be saved.

Having no remaining family, he handed over all his money, excluding his funeral expenses, to me, someone he had known for only a few months.

When I disposed of his land and put his assets up for auction, a truly vast sum of money came into my possession.

Yes, wasn’t this money he spent to save me?

Therefore, it would be right to spend this money to save someone.

Just as the sheep beastman who saved me had done,

Shouldn’t I also use this money for the person I want to save?

‘You are a good person. In a city like this, it’s rare for someone to truly worry about a complete stranger. Especially someone who tries to see in a good light a person who is, in any way, connected to someone who harmed them. That’s why I’m telling you this.’

I replayed the words the Security Captain had said to me.

Actually, I had intended to buy her and immediately free her from slave status.

This was partly because the very concept of owning a slave felt a bit uncomfortable, and the idea of me ‘owning’ such a beautiful person felt truly awkward.

‘A person dismissed from the city’s largest inn due to an unpleasant incident, one connected to a crime at that. Just saying this much will make most workplaces refuse her. Even if she is Elli Michel of the Rimmyr Inn. Even if she avoids slavery, do you think she can earn money through normal means?’

However, now that she was branded, she could no longer live her previous life. Nor did I have the power to change that. I could say my assets were not small, but they weren’t vast either.

‘Of course, she’s a nimble rabbit beastman, so she could work as an adventurer. But would anyone want to work with someone like her? Would ‘trustworthy’ people approach her?’

I could at least say I was a clean person. At least, I felt I could say that regarding my approach to her out of sympathy.

But was this truly the right decision? Was it right for someone who had only recently stepped into this new world to attempt such a thing?

Did I truly understand how big of a responsibility it was to be accountable for someone before attempting this?

“Ah, you’ve arrived. Please come in. I’ve been waiting for you.”

But before I had a chance to reconsider my thoughts, I was already inside the building.

The neatly dressed man before me introduced himself as Charles Locke and led me into a room.

It was a modest room with two sofas facing each other, a table between them, and only simple decorations. If I tried to find any particular features, perhaps a pen, an ink pad, and various tools of unknown purpose were laid out.

I sat on the sofa, took out my identification from my pocket, and handed it to him.

“Confirmed, Marcus Ahn. You possess the highest priority purchase qualification as the party involved in the incident, excellent.”

“Before we begin, do you require a basic explanation about slaves?”

“What kind of information?”

“It seems you are unfamiliar. In a way, that’s understandable. I was told beforehand… by Security Captain Piotr. Therefore, I will explain in a bit more detail.

The treatment of a slave rests entirely with the master. Furthermore, all legal support for a slave is provided through their master. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep a slave far from their master.

Except in special circumstances, that is. In fact, the decision-making power belongs to the master, but I am saying this because… well, given the situation.

The compensation for labor depends on the master’s decision. Entirely. You may or may not pay for their labor.

Selling a slave, or punishing a slave for acts of insubordination, also depends on the master’s discretion. In other words, all treatment of a slave rests with the master.”

His words didn’t sound very pleasant. To think a person was treated merely as property.

“Then, slaves cannot resist at all? Even if I do something unreasonable?”

“Oh, no. Officially, city law prohibits a master’s unwarranted cruelty and punishment severe enough to cause a slave’s death, and there are regulations for punishment concerning such matters. Provided the party involved reports it, that is.

The ‘party involved,’ that is. Reports from third parties are not considered credible. There have been crimes committed by coveting another’s slave, you see. However, a slave without a master receives no legal protection… Do you understand?”

“What kind of—”

So, didn’t that mean slaves couldn’t resist at all? It was like saying if the master were arrested, there would be no one to take responsibility for or protect the slave. A slave would keep silent out of that fear.

As if understanding my grim expression, Charles lightly stroked his chin and continued speaking.

“Don’t misunderstand. The reason I tell you this is purely as a kind of warning to treat slaves with a sense of responsibility.

Of course, there is no enforcement. Whatever you do, the city authorities respect your freedom and legally guarantee your actions regarding your ‘property.’ Therefore, the treatment of a slave depends entirely on your conscience and heart.”

I gritted my teeth. What kind of treatment would other slaves sold to other owners receive?

A bad thought came to mind, so I shook my head vigorously and thought only of the present.

The best way I could help her was, in the end, to become the best master for her.

If I treated her well, I could guarantee her a life not much different from that of a free person.

Repeating my resolve several times to appease my troubled conscience, I felt my tense mind relax a little.

“Then, I will show you the ‘item’.”

As he gestured to the figure beyond the door, the person I had been thinking of quietly entered the room.

Her long white hair cascaded past her shoulders, yet was neatly tied down.

Her long rabbit ears were half-folded and fluttering.

And her red eyes held a sharp gaze.

“This is Elli Michel.”

The woman I would be accompanying stood before me, respectfully bowing her head with her delicate hands clasped together.