The boy stood frozen in place, looking at the warm cloak on his body and then at the man’s broad, silent back. The cold, unfamiliar air outside the cage frightened him.
But the warmth of the cloak and the man’s almost gentle movements earlier provided a starkly different sensation.
He bit his dry, cracked lips and stepped onto the cold ground with bare feet. Taking a few quick steps, he reached out with a dirty little hand and tightly gripped the cold edge of the man’s chainmail.
The man did not look back, nor did he shake him off; he simply slowed his pace.
The two figures, one large and one small, walked silently in the opposite direction of the fat merchant, merging into the night.
“Is it ready yet?” the refined young man wearing mage robes and gold-rimmed glasses asked, having long since grown impatient.
“Of course. See if there is one that satisfies you,” the slave trader said, pointing toward the cages.
A gentle, practiced smile—one he had surely rehearsed countless times—immediately appeared on the mage’s face.
His gaze had already locked onto a young girl huddled in a corner. She was slightly cleaner than the others, and her features hinted at a delicate beauty.
He strolled to the front of the cage and crouched down elegantly, meeting the girl’s terrified eyes at eye level.
His voice was as soft as a hypnotic lullaby. “Poor child, you must have suffered so much. Are you willing to leave this filthy, terrible place with me?”
“I will give you beautiful dresses, a warm room, and delicious food... You will never have to endure hunger or cold again.”
The girl had been in a state of fear, hunger, and despair for so long that her mind was already incredibly fragile.
This sudden warmth and the beautiful picture he painted were like the only light in the darkness, causing a spark called “hope” to instantly ignite in her dull eyes.
Almost without thinking, she gave a timid but firm nod.
The leader of the slave traders watched from the side with cold eyes, his lips curling into an expression that mixed mockery with routine familiarity.
He said nothing, merely raising the cold metal plate engraved with runes.
However, the refined man smiled and raised a hand to stop him, taking the metal plate himself.
He took the girl’s withered hand, his movements as gentle as if he were handling fragile porcelain, and then pressed the metal plate against her forehead.
The moment the runes lit up, the girl’s body trembled violently. The spark that had just ignited in her eyes was extinguished as if doused by ice water, replaced instantly by a deeper layer of vacancy and obedience.
Meanwhile, the eyes behind the refined man’s glasses erupted with an irrepressible excitement and a twisted sense of satisfaction.
He led the girl away by the hand like a delicate doll he had finally acquired, departing with total contentment.
The leader of the slave traders spat silently at his back and whispered to his companion, “Another maggot wearing human skin...”
The transactions were nearing their end.
The two slave traders counted their coins and spoke in low voices.
Right then, a lean man who had been leaning against the wall in the deepest part of the alley like a shadow walked over soundlessly.
He wore ordinary adventurer leather armor, but there was no trace of an adventurer’s roughness in his movements. Instead, he exuded an aura of coldness and stealth.
He first scanned the area alertly, his gaze as sharp as a blade. After confirming there was no one else besides his own people and the empty alley, he leaned toward the slave trader leader’s ear.
“Is the cargo cleared?” the lean man’s voice was pressed extremely low, cold like the flicking tongue of a venomous snake. “Is there any news of that thing... in the dungeon?”
The slave trader leader’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Then, a fawning smile appeared on his face. “L-Lord... it’s not that we haven’t been trying. The depths of the dungeon have been very restless lately. We’ve lost a lot of men, and we haven’t even seen a ripple...”
“It’s truly a total loss,” he said with a mournful face.
“Besides, based on that record that no one can understand... whether the ‘Gemstone’ is really down there, or if it left long ago, or even if it’s real or fake, it’s hard to say...”
“Shut up!” The lean man moved suddenly, his fingers clamping onto the trader leader’s wrist like iron pincers.
The force was so great that the latter’s face turned pale with pain instantly. Cold sweat poured down, yet he did not dare to cry out.
“The ‘Gemstone’ is definitely there! The seal only loosened recently! This was personally confirmed by the Great One! If you dare to question it again...”
He leaned closer, his eyes filled with a chilling killing intent. “Do you believe I will send your entire family to the bottom floor of the dungeon to scout the way?”
Feeling the agonizing pain of his wrist nearly being crushed and the man’s blatant murderous intent, the slave trader leader was scared out of his wits.
He nodded repeatedly. “U-Understood! I understand! I won’t dare speak nonsense again!”
The lean man slowly released his grip. Seeing the other man rubbing his swollen wrist with a lingering sense of terror, his tone softened in an eerie way.
He whispered with a hint of temptation, “I know it is difficult. But think about it, once this is accomplished... what kind of life is there in the Upper Tier?”
“When the Great One’s business in this town is finished and he returns to the Great City, there will naturally be a seat for you, given your contribution.”
“Currently, the White family is watching closely. This kind of dirty, exhausting work can only be handled by people like you who dwell in the shadows. Opportunities like this are fleeting.”
Threats and incentives were laid out bare.
The muscles on the slave trader leader’s face twitched as the fear in his eyes was gradually replaced by a desperate, burning greed.
The power of the Cross family, the possibility of leaving the Outer Town for the Inner Town or even higher levels... the temptation was too great.
He breathed heavily, as if he had made up his mind, and gritted his teeth as he whispered, “...I understand.”
“We will find another way, send more men, and search from other side passages and those abandoned old levels! Even if we have to turn the ground upside down, we will find the ‘Gemstone’ for the Great One!”
“Remember your words. Be quick! The Great One does not have much patience,” the lean man left one final cold warning.
Then, just as he had arrived, he retreated silently into the shadows. With a few flashes of movement, he disappeared completely into the labyrinthine alleys.
Silence returned to the alley, leaving only the heavy breathing of the slave traders and the faint sounds of them packing up.
...
Early morning, the Adventurer’s Guild hall.
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass of the high windows, splashing across the walls of the hall.
Jiwa, who had been on duty all night, still had her wine-red short hair neatly combed, but the fatigue between her brows could not be entirely hidden.
She straightened her back and stood behind the counter. Using the motion of organizing the scattered documents from the previous night, she tried to dispel her sleepiness while waiting for the colleague who would replace her.
There were already a few scattered adventurers in the hall. Most were Paper Rank or Bronze Rank faces, discussing today’s goals in low voices before the bulletin board.
The air was filled with the scents of parchment, cheap ink, old wood, and the lingering dust and sweat that the adventurers could never quite wash off.
Just then, the heavy doors of the guild were gently pushed open. The slightly cool morning light flooded in, outlining a figure against the light.
Jiwa looked up reflexively, suppressing the last bit of exhaustion in her eyes and putting on a standard professional smile.
The code of conduct for receptionists stated that no matter how tired one was, they must present a professional and reliable first impression to everyone who stepped through the door.
Rate on N.U.
