Chapter 18: A Contract Written in Blood

When I arrived at the Slave Market, I was quite surprised by its scale, which far exceeded my expectations.

“This is quite something.”

Indeed, the size of the Slave Market, occupying one side of the territory, was larger than even some mansions.

The walls surrounding it were tall and thick.

I handed my Mercenary Badge to the guards as identification, only to almost be turned away.

Their tone was condescending, saying I was “not worthy,” and tried to send me back, but I showed them my purse filled with Gold Coins and barely managed to get through.

On the way in, I was told to wear a Mask under the pretense of protecting my identity, so I put it on and moved forward.

‘I need to get stronger and level up quickly.’

It was dirty and disgusting here.

Once inside, the interior looked beautiful, unlike the harsh appearance from outside.

There were Gardens decorated on both sides of the straight path at the entrance.

The purpose of the Gardens was obvious.

The sounds I heard confirmed that, so I hurried into the mansion.

“Welcome. What do you need?”

This place was basically a Slave Market, but it also dealt with all sorts of illegal goods.

Deadly poisons, cursed items, narcotics—you name it.

“I need a slave.”

The man, seeing the Mask on my face, led me to one side.

He showed me to the underground prison.

Inside the prison were countless slaves.

From young children to adults, both men and women, without discrimination.

“If possible, I’d like a slave who can use a sword.”

“That’s a serious matter.”

The guide said with a troubled look.

“There’s only one slave that fits your conditions. But since she’s not fully trained as a slave yet, there are some issues.”

Saying this, he led me to where that slave was.

“There’s only this one.”

The slave was a woman, slumped on the floor.

She wore barely-there, see-through rags.

“Hey, hey! Someone who might be your master has come. Get up, can’t you?”

At his shouting, the woman stirred.

Through the iron bars, she had red hair and eye color, a strikingly beautiful face.

Despite her looks, her body was covered with small scars, and her hands were toughened with calluses.

She was clearly experienced with using a sword, and her physique was solid.

“Judging by her looks, she’s perfect to be a prostitute slave, but she’s so stubborn that we’ve barely been feeding her for three days, giving only a sip of water to tame her.”

The staff spoke with a sympathetic look.

He went on excitedly about how best to train her, but I ignored his chatter and stared directly at the woman.

“What’s your name?”

“Jenny.”

“Why did you become a slave?”

“I lost a huge debt after failing in a business deal.”

“What caused it?”

“That guy over there messed things up.”

I looked to the other side.

There was a man covered in scars, missing an arm.

Despite that, he was shamelessly leering at Jenny, throwing dirty looks as if enjoying her misery.

Even from just watching, I felt disgusted.

“And the sword skill?”

“She’s an C-rank Mercenary.”

As they were talking, another man nearby interrupted.

“Hey, whoever your master is, that attitude won’t do. You’ll get scolded!”

Then he called a guard who was controlling another slave.

Thump, thump, thump.

When I saw the approaching guard, I was disgusted.

He was shirtless, carrying a whip, and looked like a pig.

His chin had at least five folds of fat, and he had a big, thick belly.

“Hit that bastard!”

The staff ordered, and the guard raised his whip.

“Stop.”

I stopped the guard.

Then I asked the staff, “How much for both?”

“Yes?”

“I asked how much.”

I asked for the price of Jenny and that filthy guy behind her.

“That guy is missing an arm and is crippled, so 20 Gold Coins. But this one is quite valuable because of her looks—you’ll need to pay 80 Gold Coins.”

A total of 100 Gold Coins.

That would leave me exactly 10 Gold Coins.

“Alright. I’ll buy them.”

I made up my mind.

The staff stretched out his hand, expecting the money, so I handed him the purse.

After confirming the payment, he nodded at the guard, who went into the prison and brought Jenny out first.

The staff handed me a Scroll.

“This is a slave contract scroll. If you drop one drop of your blood and one drop of the slave’s blood onto it, the magic will activate automatically.”

He then handed me a dagger from a sword sheath.

I pricked my finger slightly, letting a drop of blood fall.

Next, I gave the dagger to Jenny and said, “Make the contract, then I’ll give you a gift.”

“What gift?”

“The life of that bastard.”

When I pointed the dagger at the man, Jenny didn’t hesitate and pricked her finger, letting a drop of blood fall.

Wuuum.

A glowing light rose from the Scroll, then slowly seeped into both my and Jenny’s bodies.

I had just made a contract with a slave for the first time.

-Achievement: I Am the Master unlocked.

The Notification Window visible only to me disappeared, and I told the guard to open the door.

“Krkrkrkr.”

The man being dragged out of the prison kept looking at Jenny with filthy eyes until the end.

The staff handed me another Scroll, but I ignored it and nodded at Jenny.

“Kill him!”

Jenny swung the dagger at him.

Kwak.

The man was cut straight across the chest in one stroke.

The eyes that had been full of dirty looks just moments ago now filled with terror.

He was also a slave, so his energy was extremely weak.

Without any weapon, he was helpless against Jenny’s attack.

“You bastard, you’re the grudge of my dead comrades!”

Pok, pok, pok, pok.

Jenny kept stabbing the dagger into his body relentlessly.

“Krok… uh.”

He didn’t last long and died.

But Jenny kept stabbing.

I watched quietly.

Until her grudge was released.

Tears fell from her eyes.

But that was as far as I would wait.

I said to the staff, “We will leave now.”

“Huh? Understood. While you wait in the reception room, I’ll prepare clean clothes for you.”

I accepted the guard’s guidance and headed outside.

Sitting in the reception room drinking tea, I didn’t have to wait long before Jenny arrived.

The ragged clothes she’d been wearing earlier were gone, replaced with the leather pants and leather vest she had originally worn.

She even had a sword strapped to her waist and a bag slung over her back.

She looked completely different from before, except for her swollen eyes—the only sign that she had cried.

“Thank you, sir, once again.”

I accepted the staff’s greeting and left with Jenny.

I wanted to head straight to the Inn, but there was something I needed to do first.

Standing in front of a shop, I handed her 1 Gold Coin.

“Buy whatever you need.”

“Need what?”

I pointed to the shop, and only then did she understand.

I meant to fill the empty spaces.

Jenny was wearing nothing but leather armor and a leather vest.

I didn’t know how good the leather was, but it must have been uncomfortable.

That’s why I gave her money to buy clothes and undergarments.

While she shopped, I walked around and bought some food.

After a while, she came out, and her bag was noticeably bulging.

“Give it here.”

I took the bag and put it into my space.

Then I handed her what I was holding.

She quietly accepted and started eating.

Today, I didn’t feel like talking much.

She was probably feeling just as conflicted.

Back at the Inn, I told the Innkeeper I wanted to move from the old room to a slightly larger one.

“Wait outside the door.”

I sent Jenny out the door.

Then I hurriedly started learning the Magicbooks I had bought earlier.

-Skill ‘Trap’ learned.

-Skill ‘Alarm’ learned.

-Skill ‘Fire Spear’ learned.

-Skill ‘Aqua Spear’ learned.

-Skill ‘Wind Spear’ learned.

-Skill ‘Rock Spear’ learned.

-Skill ‘Invisibility’ learned.

-Skill ‘Blink’ learned.

I learned all the skills at once and got two new scrolls.

I pressed my temple firmly, trying to relieve the pounding headache, then opened the door and motioned Jenny in.

I set up Traps around the room and cast Alarm Magic as a secondary measure.

“I’ve set traps and alarm magic in the room. If the traps activate or the alarm sounds, buy some time. Then you can rest comfortably.”

Without waiting for a reply, I lay down on the bed.

I planned to have a deep sleep for the first time in a while.

***

Jenny, standing in the middle of the room, stared blankly at her new master’s face.

‘Strange person.’

Jenny’s emotions were complicated.

‘No, is this training?’

I couldn’t tell exactly what state she was in.

Jenny became a slave because of the huge debt she incurred from the incident at the trading company.

One of her companions betrayed her, all the mercenaries they traveled with were slaughtered, and all their goods were stolen.

Only two of them barely survived.

But they might as well have died.

There was no way to pay off the huge debt, so she was forced to become a slave.

A prostitute slave at that.

She refused to become one until the end, and endured painful days under the guise of torture and training.

She held on only fueled by anger and revenge against the man in the opposite prison.

Then she finally took her revenge.

Even for her fallen comrades.

She madly stabbed that man with the dagger.

But all that remained was emptiness and hollowness.

After that, her memories blurred.

She put on clothes, bought undergarments and outerwear as her new master ordered, and accepted the food I gave her.

That brought her to now.

Drrek, drrek.

The only sound in the room was her master’s snoring.

Jenny sat leaning against the door.

“Ah…”

Her body and mind weren’t at ease.

No damp, moist earth beneath her.

No cold, oppressive walls.

No iron bars making her feel insignificant.

Sigh.

She gently touched her branded hand.

Sometimes it ached, but it was a hand she had grown used to.

Fifty years as a slave.

She didn’t know how long she would live, but fifty years as a slave.

A sad feeling welled up.

Jenny silently wept.

She cried herself to sleep.

In her dream, her former companions from the trading company appeared one by one.

All gave a kind farewell and told her to follow her new master well before disappearing somewhere.

When she woke up, her master was right in front of her.

Hmm.

In the master’s hand was a blanket.

“Cover yourself and sleep.”

And the master went back to bed.

The blanket wrapped around her body was warm.

And so was her master’s heart.