CH 27

Chapter 27 Criminal Slave Sales Office

The criminal slave sales office was built in the slums area right next to the gate on the border between the commoners and the slums.

If by some chance the prisoners escaped, they will be purged in the slums after the gates are closed.

It’s said that it’s a method with the least amount of damage, but if a big shot in Japan makes a similar proposal, human rights groups and the media will be noisy.

This is the kind of thing that can only be done in an unequal society where the power of the privileged is strong.

After a 30 minutes carriage ride from the noble district, the driver told me that we would be arriving soon.

「Master, I hope you find a good slave!」

「Yeah.」

Nina (12)

Level: 2 (3/20)

Job: Slave (Master: Jink)

HP: 20/20

MP: 5/5

Skill: Farming 2, Cooking 4

By giving her ingredients and books, Nina acquired her cooking skill after only two days of practice in the kitchen of Count Brand’s mansion.

According to Chris, the servants were astonished at how fast she progressed.

People with <Aptitude S> sure are abnormal.

I’m not one to talk, though.

「Jink-sama, we have checked the permit. Please come through!」

Hee….

The slave trader at the place where I bought Nina was serving me while rubbing their hands and the slaves were dressed with the bare minimum, but here we are led by a soldier in a military uniform.

The passageway itself is paved with cobblestones and cleaned up reasonably well, but the prisoners in the jail are stark naked, have wounds all over their bodies, and are dirty.

「Did it make you unpleasant?」

No… not at all.

「I had considered the possibility of a place covered in feces and urine with maggots and cockroaches appearing here and there, so this much is nothing.」

I mean, it was like that in Rosalta even though it was a place that sells normal slaves.

In order to buy toys for the crown prince, I used to search for the slave I wanted in the foul smell every month.

This level of filth is nothing compared to that.

「For the prisoners, it may be a good punishment, but… if they don’t clean up their excrement properly, the buyer will feel uncomfortable. However, it is a rule that they are not allowed to wash their bodies, so the smell of blood flowing from wounds and the smell of human sebum fill the air…. There are many buyers who find this unpleasant.」

So they are operating according to the law.

The treatment is slightly worse than for debt slaves, so I think it’s just right for criminal slaves.

Probably a percentage of them are victims of false accusations, though….

「They are covered in blood.」

「I think they received whipping punishment before being turned into a slave. …… If they are left alone without a potion, the wounds will eventually fester and they will die.」

「I guess it’s just as Chris said. Is that the crime written on the notice board? 『Had an inheritance dispute with the head of the family, and beat him up』…. The reason for the 60 points is because it was an inheritance dispute of a merchant family, was it?」

「Yes. In case of an act of violence between commoners, most of them are below 100 points.」

「If there is a prisoner that piqued your interest, you can talk to the prisoner if you tell the soldier.」

If I’m not wrong, that’s what it says in the guidebook.

This merchant guy has no aptitude and the skills he has are no good.

…… I guess this guy is a no.

「For now, I’ll just take a look around and pick out the good ones.」

I checked the bloody-smelling prisons one by one.

I can’t find anyone I want to buy it because they have no aptitude or their background is terrible.

Hmh…?

This guy is?

Ian (18)

Level: 15 (34/150)

Job: Prisoner

HP: 89/150

MP: 55/55

Skills: Swordsmanship 6, Body Strengthening 13, Arithmetic 40, Speechcraft 36, Etiquette 24, Material Appraisal 10 (Max), Dismantling 32

Gift: Item Box (Medium)

Others: Title (Qualarute’s Prodigy, Murderer), Aptitude list

Aptitude list

<Martial Arts>

Swordsmanship B, Body Strengthening C, ~~~~~~

<Magic>

Water Magic D, Wind Magic A, Earth Magic C, ~~~~~~

<Inherent Skill>

Material Appraisal S

…… This guy is amazing!

He’s a big catch who’s battle-ready and has room for growth.

「What about him?」

「…… He’s guilty of murder. He was the heir of a large merchant, but he and the second wife didn’t get along, and she planned to disinherit him. When he learned of the plan, he got into an argument with the second wife, and she pulled out a knife at that time. He counterattacked to defend himself, but the second wife died because of that…. He’s a pitiful person.」

「This person… the points are low, but the selling price is very high….」

Indeed.

Normally, 53 platinum coins are not the amount for one slave….

In my case, I can understand it thanks to <Appraisal>, but normally, people would be bewildered like Nina.

「Yes. It was an affair between commoners, and there’s room for extenuation, so the points are only 30 points and he’s exempted from punishment except for slavery. However, since he is very talented and possesses rare skills, the selling price is 53 platinum coins, which is extraordinary.」

「It’s true that it’s expensive, but… it’s not an amount that a noble can’t afford, right? He’s a lifetime slave since he’s guilty of murder, so why nobody is buying him even though he’s so excellent?」

It’s hard to get an excellent person who won’t betray you, so I think those with a somewhat large fortune should buy him right away….

「Although it was an unfortunate accident, since he is a prisoner accused of murder, he is avoided by large nobles and large merchants. The family of this person is desperate to buy him back somehow….」

「It wouldn’t be much of a punishment if criminal slaves were bought by someone related to them, so according to the law, the repurchase by their families would be ten times the amount… was it?

「Yes. It seems that even a large merchant can’t afford 530 platinum coins….」

Well, I don’t think there are many individuals who can afford 530 platinum coins (about 53 billion yen).

Even if this guy’s family could get that much money, they would have to sell off all of their stores and concessions.

Asking an acquaintance to avoid a 10x price is also difficult because it’s against the law.

His excellence is completely backfiring….

「I want to talk to this guy. Is that okay?」

Thanks to the large number of appraisal requests, I have more than 53 platinum coins.

I was thinking of buying a mansion and weapons, but if there’s someone as talented as him who won’t betray me, buying him is the only option.

No need to hesitate!

「Ian, talk to this person.」

「Yes. Nice to meet you, dear customer… my name is Ian.」

「I also have appraisal skills…. After appraising your status, I judged that you are worth more than 53 platinum coins. I’ll buy you if you’re okay with it.」

「I am honored. By all means, please buy me.」

「What about your family?」

「With my father’s power, I don’t think he can afford 530 platinum coins by lawful means, and I can’t afford to cause him any more trouble. Also… my younger brother is the child of his second wife. He still adores me even though I killed his mother, but… even if my family buys me back, I am too ashamed to meet him.」

…… Perhaps, even though he was on bad terms with the second wife, he was on good terms with his younger brother.

Even if they buy him back with all their assets, his family, including his younger brother, might be left with irrecoverable debt.

「Alright, I’ll buy this guy. Please prepare the paperwork.」