Verc kept quiet, standing still in the damp shadows of the basement.
The air down here was thick and heavy, carrying the stench of unwashed bodies, stale sweat, and the iron-like smell of old blood. A mix of disgust and anger lingered deep inside Verc as he stared at the conditions these people were forced to endure.
The underground living area was nothing more than a pit of misery, designed to break the spirit of anyone thrown into it.
The ground beneath his boots was not stone or wood, but pure soil. Because of some liquid and blood that had leaked from the cages and spilled all around, the floor had turned into a thick, foul-smelling mud. Muds were all over the place, clinging to the walls and the feet of the captives. It was a breeding ground for disease, yet no one in charge seemed to care.
The slaves themselves were in a state that made Verc’s stomach turn. They were all topless, regardless of who they were. It didn’t matter if it was a man, a woman, or even small kids who couldn’t have been more than ten years old.
Their dignity had been stripped away along with their clothes, leaving them exposed to the cold, damp air of the cellar.
Their hands were both handcuffed in front of them with heavy iron rusted at the edges. A thick, rusted chain connected their necks to the cold stone walls behind them, clinking every time someone made the slightest movement. The sound of that metal on stone was the only thing breaking the suffocating silence of the room.
All of them were packed inside one single, large cell. But because there were about fifteen of them crammed into such a small space, they were barely able to fit inside.
But by the looks of it, there wasn’t even enough room for all of them to sit on the muddy ground at the same time. Some had to stand while others huddled together, their bodies pressed against the cold bars.
There were different races mixed together in the cage. It was a collection of people the empire likely deemed "other." Some of them had sharp horns protruding from their foreheads and a strange, closed third eye in the center of their brows.
Others possessed four arms, which were now tangled in the chains that bound them. Some looked like a hybrid of animals and humans, with patches of fur or scales, while others were clearly beastmen with ears and tails that hung limp in the mud.
’This is... disgusting.’
Verc thought to himself. He felt a surge of cold fury, the kind that made his blood run hot. But his face remained a perfect, stoic mask. He didn’t let a single emotion slip through his expression.
"Are these all of them?"
Verc asked, his voice echoing flatly against the damp walls. He kept his gaze on the cell, refusing to look at the merchant for a moment.
"Yes, these are all we have down here. The rest are humans, and they’re all kept on the floor above."
Moyap answered with a casual shrug. He checked his fingernails, seemingly bored by the sight of the suffering in front of him. To him, this wasn’t a room full of living beings; it was just a storage closet for inventory that was hard to sell.
"Just curious... How did these guys down here and the ones up there become slaves?"
Verc asked, pretending to look around the room as if checking the structural integrity of the cages. He wanted to understand how this system worked, even if the answer was likely to make him even angrier.
Moyap didn’t think much about the question. He assumed Verc was just making conversation while he decided which "item" to pick.
"Well, most of the humans above were just commoners who couldn’t pay their taxes. Or they were from the slums and got caught stealing bread or coins."
He started explaining things to Verc with a wide, professional smile on his face.
"..."
Verc heard that and felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought about how unfair the world was. These slaves were literally just people who were born poor and were trying to survive.
For the crime of being hungry and broke, they were turned into property.
But then, Moyap continued.
"And these slaves here..."
Moyap looked at the caged individuals of other races. A devious, almost hungry smile spread across his face as he tapped his foot against the floor.
"They’re just caught by the kingdom or hunters. Most of them are remnant prisoners of their villages after the kingdom’s army attacked them. They’re the ones lucky—or unlucky—enough to survive the raids. The rest are caught by mercenary hunters in the wild and sold to me for a profit."
He said that to Verc, his tone light and airy.
Verc stared at a young beastman boy who was shivering in the corner. Once again, it was the same situation as him and the kids he had rescued before.
’They were hunted because of the race they were born in.’
Verc thought. His face remained straight, his eyes hidden behind his mask, but his mind was racing.
"Anyway, do you see anything you want to buy?"
Moyap asked, interrupting Verc’s thoughts. He gestured toward the cell with his hand, referring to the people inside as if they were nothing more than objects on a shelf.
He was waiting for Verc to point out a few strong-looking ones to take.
Verc took a deep breath, letting the cold air settle in his lungs. He looked straight at Moyap, his gaze piercing.
Then with his lips parting--
"I’ll buy all of them. Make them presentable; I’ll take them all tomorrow."
He declared that. His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument or negotiation.
"What...?"
Moyap blinked, his smile faltering for a second. He leaned in, unsure if he had heard right. No one ever bought out the entire underground stock at once. It was expensive, and moving that many "exotics" was a logistical nightmare.
"Hmm, include everyone above as well. There are about fifty slaves in this building, right?"
Verc added, his tone becoming even more authoritative. Moyap just stood there, his mouth slightly open, as he slowly nodded his head. He was still stunned by the sudden turn of events.
He had expected to sell maybe two or three slaves today, not his entire inventory.
"So, how much will be all of it?"
Verc asked. He wanted to settle the price immediately before the merchant had time to think of a way to scam him further.
"Uhh... well... I don’t really know how much exactly off the top of my head... let me think..."
Moyap started rubbing his chin, his mind working through the math of fifty lives. He looked at Verc’s clothes and the way he carried himself, trying to see how much he could squeeze out of him.
"If you give me a hundred gold co—"
"Sure."
Before Moyap could even finish pricing the slaves in his shop, Verc cut him off. He didn’t care about the price in the first place, to be honest.
"Huh?"
Moyap and the two armored guards standing behind him were really taken aback with what was happening.
They exchanged confused looks. Usually, people haggled for hours over a single silver coin when it came to slave prices. To have someone agree to eighty gold coins without even letting the seller finish the sentence was unheard of.
*****
Verc and Moyap agreed on the 100 gold coins for every slave in the building.
Considering that he was essentially buying fifty lives, Verc had honestly expected the price to be much higher. He had countless of gold coins in his spatial pouch, and 100 felt like a pittance. But it turned out that for people like Moyap and the society of the empire, the lives of slaves weren’t worth much.
They were treated as disposable tools, and their price reflected that cold reality.
Anyway, with the price already decided, Verc didn’t waste any time. He discreetly reached into his pouch, his hand disappearing into the magical space.
Then he started pulling out stacks of gold coins, placing them into a small bag he had prepared.
TINK-!
The sound of the gold clinking together was like music to Moyap’s ears. Seeing the gold coins keep coming out of Verc’s hand, the merchant couldn’t help but smile wider and wider.
Until this very moment, he had secretly thought that Verc might be playing a joke on him or that he was some crazy person with no money. But now that he saw the actual gold, his entire demeanor shifted.
He became even more polite, bowing slightly every time Verc spoke. His previous boredom was replaced by a fawning, oily respect that made Verc want to hit him even more.
"I need these slaves to have energy for tomorrow. Feed them. Give them a proper meal, not just scraps."
Verc said, his voice cold. He looked Moyap in the eye, making sure the man understood.
"I will come back to collect them before the sun sets tomorrow. Make sure they are ready to travel."
"Oh, absolutely, Sir Knight! I will handle everything personally! They will be fed the best we have in the kitchen!"
Moyap happily told Verc, his hands trembling slightly with excitement as he clutched the bag of gold.
After that, Verc reached back into his pouch and pulled out five more gold coins. He held them out, the golden metal glittering in the dim torchlight of the basement. Moyap’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he reached for them.
"Buy something for them to wear too. Just anything comfortable and clean. I don’t want them walking out of here looking like this."
Verc told him as Moyap snatched the extra coins.
"Of course! I’ll buy them some sturdy tunics and trousers right away! You can count on the Hive Company to provide the best service for our VIP clients!"
Moyap said, bowing so low his head almost hit the muddy floor. He promised he would take care of every detail, his voice dripping with false sincerity.
Verc just nodded his head once.
Then after talking a bit more with Moyap for details... he decided that it was time to leave.
Verc didn’t want to stay in the slave shop for another second. The air felt like it was tainting his skin. With the transaction done, he turned around and began walking back toward the stairs.
He reached down and picked up Onyx, who had been sitting patiently by his boots. He tucked the puppy into his arms, feeling the small creature’s warmth against his chest.
... ... ...
Verc got out of the facility not long.
As soon as he turned his back to the shop and stepped out into the fresh air of the street, Verc’s eyes immediately turned emotionless. The mask of the "traveling knight" was still there, but behind it, his gaze was as cold as a frozen lake.
He looked back at the building one last time.
"..."
He really wanted to destroy it. He wanted to unleash his mana and level the entire structure until nothing but dust remained.
But he restrained himself. He knew he couldn’t afford to cause a scene in the city right now. He had fifty people to transport, and a massive explosion or a slaughtered merchant would bring the entire city guard down on his head.
He didn’t want to leave any trail behind that could be traced back to him or his base.
’Tomorrow.’
Verc thought as he walked away into the crowd.