After handing the house keys to Roxanne, I warped to the waiting room of the Merchant Guild.
The auction was being held at the Quratar branch. The waiting room was teeming with people—more than I’d ever seen there before. In fact, I nearly collided with someone the moment I stepped out of the wall.
Is this really okay, Merchant Guild? Looking at this level of congestion, it makes me think the place is normally far too deserted. Then again, there was no point in worrying about the guild's finances. It was someone else’s problem.
I was probably fine. I hadn't actually hit anyone, after all.
My heart was racing a bit at the prospect of choosing a new harem member, but I told myself I was sufficiently composed. I hadn't made any mistakes yet.
At the waiting room reception, a different staff member than usual was on duty. I had to pay the participation fee there before heading inside. I lined up behind the person in front of me.
"The participation fee is one thousand Nahl, correct?"
"That is correct."
"Hey, you guys, did you hear? Apparently, a Mage slave is appearing today!"
As I was about to pay the fee and head inside, someone bellowed. It was a scruffy middle-aged man who looked like a construction site foreman.
"Is that so?" the person who had entered before me responded.
I suppose hearing the word "Mage" would pique anyone's interest. What a bunch of philistines. The job wasn't what mattered—it was whether she was a beauty.
"I’m going to get him no matter what! Do you have your platinum coins ready? If not, you might as well go home!" the man shouted, his voice echoing throughout the hall.
I wondered if anyone would actually leave just because of that. As expected, no one budged, but the man withdrew with a satisfied look on his face. I paid my thousand Nahl and went inside.
I proceeded further in. The small rooms normally used for guild meetings had been converted into waiting areas for the slave traders and their merchandise. I stepped into the first room.
"Welcome. Our shop is offering this Dragon-kin male."
The slave trader spoke to me immediately. There were three men in the room. One was an Explorer, likely a customer. The second was a large man with a powerful, muscular build. His job was Dragon Knight Lv 1. It was a cool-sounding job, one that overflowed with a certain adolescent flair. I wondered if it was a race-specific job for the Dragon-kin.
"Hoh."
"Dragon-kin excel in combat. Their power and presence make them the mainstay of any party in close-quarters engagement. You could consider them the pinnacle of combat slaves," the trader pitched.
Even though he was a Dragon-kin, he didn't look much different from a human, though he was a full size larger. He certainly looked suited for battle.
"I see."
"Even among his kind, this man possesses exceptional strength. I can recommend him with total confidence. He has been trained in the labyrinths and has already acquired the Dragon Knight job. You can expect him to be an immediate asset. Dragon-kin are rare; you’ll definitely regret it if you don't bid now."
Even if he claimed the man was trained, he was only a Dragon Knight Lv 1. It felt like he had just barely acquired the job. I couldn't trust this trader's recommendation. More importantly, I had zero interest in a male slave. I brushed him off with a noncommittal answer and left.
I moved to the next room. The slaves here appeared to be two women, both seated on chairs. Just like the Dragon-kin in the previous room, they weren't kept in cages. I suppose if a slave were the type you had to keep in a cage, they’d probably just run away the moment you bought them anyway.
One of the women was young and reasonably cute. The other was a beauty, but a more mature woman. It was a toss-up whether they were worth an auction setting.
"These two are a mother and daughter who get along quite well," the slave trader whispered with a smirk.
I see. The "just once before I die, it has to be a mother-daughter pair" trope, huh? If I weren't an Explorer, I’d definitely have become an adult film star. Or maybe a university professor after retiring. Both are mountains of treasure.
I wasn't particularly interested in that extreme, so I backed off. Practically speaking, what would one even do? Buy them and then sell them off again immediately?
The slave in the next room was a single woman. It seemed there were more women than men overall. Alan had mentioned that women sold for higher prices, so I suppose that made sense.
The woman in this room was a refined, lady-like beauty. If she stayed silent, she could pass for a noble’s daughter. It was hard to imagine her as a slave. Her grade was clearly high.
"How about it? She isn't suited for combat, but she is a top-class beauty."
Certainly, I could tell at a glance she wasn't cut out for rough business. Other customers were entering, so I stepped out to make room. She was a great beauty, so it was hard to walk away, but if she couldn't fight, there was no helping it.
It’s not like she was likely a real young lady anyway. In this world, as long as a woman has long hair and sits quietly, she’ll look like a lady to most people. Growing your hair long is proof of wealth in a world without morning showers, and I didn't know enough about noble etiquette to spot a fake. As long as they don't open their mouths, they can deceive you all they want. Rather than being disillusioned by a poor conversation, it was better to just fantasize from a distance.
Besides, watching people being sold like this didn't leave me with a great feeling. I caught myself having the kind of sensitive thoughts a student who’d never been to a red-light district might have. Pulling myself together, I went to the next room.
This room also held a single woman. There were no other customers, just one slave trader. She was also a beauty, as expected. The slaves selected for auction were clearly on another level. She looked large and sturdy, so she seemed capable of combat.
"Welcome."
When the slave trader spoke, the woman stood up. She was massive.
Vesta. Female. 15 years old. Villager Lv 2.
I looked up at her. She was a woman with flaming red hair.
"She’s... she's huge."
The woman named Vesta was considerably taller than me. She had to be nearly two meters tall. Over the two-meter mark, huh...?
And her chest was equally substantial. If someone told me she had two large watermelons tucked into her clothes, I would have believed them. Over the two-meter mark... And those...
Wait. Don't panic. The reason they feel so big is because her body is large. If the whole package is upscaled, the parts will be upscaled too. That’s all it is. It must be. Probably. Surely.
If I thought about the proportions, she might be about the same as Sherry. After all, the height difference was massive. She was nearly twice as tall as Sherry—well, maybe not quite double. However, if her height was significantly greater, it wouldn't be strange for her chest size to follow suit. Though it felt like it might be more than double.
If the height difference didn't reach double, but the chest difference was more than double... No, I shouldn't think too deeply. Let’s just call it double. If I rounded the decimals, it was about double. It was no big deal. If the length was double, the area would be four times as large. If it was volume, it would be eight times.
Eight times...
"I look forward to working with you."
The "eight-times" bowed her head. No, wait. The "eight-times" only moved up and down. The main body stayed where it was.
Vesta's face was probably a bit larger than Sherry's, but not double. Considering her height, her head was actually quite small. Her limbs were long and slender; she had a model's physique. It wasn't a simple matter of being double. Her skin was a healthy, lightly tanned wheat color. Her hair was red and styled in a short cut, matching her eyes. They were beautiful, vibrant red eyes with large irises.
When Vesta raised her head, she was more than a full head taller than me. Her chest was positioned exactly at my eye level. I was genuinely unsure where to look. So this is what they call a "Suicup."
"This is Vesta, a Dragon-kin woman. She has just turned fifteen, the age at which she can be legally sold, so I have brought her here," the trader explained, stepping to her side.
Apparently, fifteen was the minimum age for the auction. Not that I particularly wanted a slave younger than that.
"Since she’s a Dragon-kin, I assume she’ll be fine in the labyrinths?"
"Of course. We haven't given her any special training, but her natural combat ability is the best in our inventory."
"I believe I will be alright," Vesta stated, still towering over me.
Since she was only a Villager Lv 2, it was likely true she hadn't been trained. Even so, it felt better than a fake "Dragon Knight Lv 1" that was just for show.
"Have you ever entered a labyrinth?"
"I have not, but I have defeated monsters that appeared nearby. They didn't hurt very much, so I think it will be no problem."
Slow Rabbits had considerable attack power even at low levels. When I was first hit by a monster outside a labyrinth, it was quite a shock. Since she was a Dragon-kin, she was likely naturally tougher than a human. If she said she could fight, I’d take her word for it.
"Being a Dragon-kin, there are some drawbacks. She is not suited for late-night activities, so please avoid combat in the middle of the night. There are also dietary requirements."
"Something she can't eat?"
"She has no particular dislikes; any meal is fine. However, it seems Dragon-kin need to eat Bolet about once every ten days."
When I threw the question up, the answer fell back down from above. Physically from above. It wasn't a condescending look; she was just that tall.
"Bolet is an item dropped by Oystershells. You will need to either defeat them yourself or buy it from the guild. Dragon-kin, especially the women, will grow weak if they do not consume it," the trader added.
The fact that he was properly explaining the drawbacks suggested he was an honest dealer. The one with the Dragon Knight earlier hadn't mentioned any disadvantages.
"If it’s only that, it shouldn't be a problem."
"She is a virgin sex slave. Of course, you can enjoy that side of her as well. Since she is fifteen, she is a first-year slave. What do you think?"
She was a beauty, she didn't mind the labyrinths, and her personality seemed gentle. Vesta met every single one of my requirements.
"Not bad."
In fact, I wanted her. I wanted her badly. A beauty like this with a chest like that? But I couldn't show too much interest, or he might take advantage of me. Then again, since it was an auction, perhaps it didn't matter.
"I thought you might say so."
"Thank you very much."
Vesta bowed again. I didn't like the idea of her saying that to every customer. It was like a club hostess telling every guy, "You're special."
"Whether I win the bid depends on the price. Don't go selling your charms to other customers."
I struck back with a petty verbal jab. The slave trader gave a wry smile.
"Yes. I believe I will be alright."
As if that would be alright.
"Tell the other customers that you don't want to go into the labyrinths," I added as I walked away, as another customer was coming in. She’d probably be troubled by such a command, but whatever.
I finished making a round of all the rooms. Female slaves were overwhelmingly more common, and since they were for auction, they were all beauties. It was impressive. Even so, Vesta and that lady-like beauty stood out. If I wanted combat capability as well, there was only one choice.
Thinking this, I entered the next room. It was packed. Was the slave here really that good? I pushed toward the front.
"So you were participating after all."
A man I recognized spoke to me. It was Alan, the slave trader from Vale. It seemed he was the one using this room.
"Same to you."
"We are offering a Mage today. It is the single best job for reinforcing a party's combat strength. I can recommend him with absolute confidence."
"A Mage, huh?"
That was what the old man had been shouting about earlier. A Mage actually being put up for sale at an auction? Or was he shouting because even for an auction, it was rare? Either way, a Mage was undoubtedly a top-tier job. Sherry had said they were necessary for a party.
Well, we had me. However, having two would double our firepower. It was tempting. If only he wasn't a man. A man stood next to Alan, surrounded by onlookers. His job was indeed Mage. He was clearly the merchandise.
"He was suddenly put up for sale right before the auction."
"It must be a dire situation to sell a Mage."
"That household has recently entered a rapid decline. They were already disliked, so no one came to their aid. Apparently, they saw no other way to repay their debts."
So the source was House Baradam. Alan had said a slave trader’s sourcing network was their lifeblood. Roxanne and the Baradam woman were old acquaintances. Since Alan had sourced Roxanne, it wasn't strange that he could source from them again. However, the male Mage had no surname. He wasn't a member of the family itself—perhaps a child of a distant relative they’d had trained as a Mage.
"At least you got a star attraction out of it."
"It is rare for a Mage to appear at auction. Would you be interested, Michio-sama? That man over there is the one."
I suppose it was rare, given that only the children of nobles or the incredibly wealthy could afford the training. Still, it was a waste that he was a man. I could win the bid and try to trade him for a female Mage, but I didn't know anyone who had one. There was no need to force it.
"Unless the price stays reasonable."
"True. I expect the price to exceed one million Nahl today."
Alan puffed out his chest with pride. It wouldn't be surprising if it went that high. I gave a vague response and left.
"Are you guys ready with your platinum coins!?"
When I finished my circuit, the man from earlier was still shouting. I see—he was declaring to everyone that he had no intention of backing down. If he managed to intimidate the competition, it would be a win for him. I didn't know if it would work, but anyone scared off by that probably wasn't a real threat anyway. He was essentially announcing that he wouldn't go above two platinum coins.
"The order has been decided by lottery. The auction will begin shortly. Please move to the venue on the second floor."
The announcement came. It was time.
I moved upstairs. A sheet of papyrus was posted on the door, likely showing the order of the lots. Since I couldn't read, it didn't help me. I really should have let Roxanne teach me more seriously.
"Alright! The Mage is near the end! You guys better spend all your money before then!" the man shouted again.
So Alan's lot was near the finish. That was fine by me. I entered the venue and took a seat. The room was about eighty percent full.
"Thank you all for coming today. We will now begin the auction hosted by the Slave Trader Guild. The order was decided by a strict lottery earlier. Will the first exhibitor please come forward?"
The master of ceremonies started the proceedings from the left. Two men walked onto the stage—one was the Dragon-kin male from earlier.
"We look forward to your business."
"A Dragon-kin male, fifteen years old. The minimum bid price starts at one hundred thousand Nahl. Please begin."
The trader bowed, and the bidding opened.
"Two hundred and twenty thousand!" someone shouted immediately.
A jump to 220,000 right away? I thought you were supposed to start at the minimum and raise by no more than ten times the unit. Or was that just the unwritten etiquette of the professional brokers?
"Two hundred and thirty thousand!"
"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Two hundred and sixty thousand!"
The bidding continued without anyone objecting to the jump.
"Two hundred and seventy thousand!"
"Two hundred and eighty thousand!"
"Three hundred thousand!"
"Three hundred and ten thousand!"
The auction proceeded as if nothing were wrong.
"Three hundred and twenty thousand!"
"Three hundred and thirty thousand!"
Eventually, the field narrowed to two men: the one who had made the first jump and another.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Three hundred and sixty thousand!"
"Three hundred and seventy thousand!"
"Three hundred and eighty thousand!"
They traded ten-thousand-Nahl increases. Then, a line started forming behind the second man. People were walking up and placing money in front of him. Silver coins began to pile up.
"Don't lose to a manner-breaking jerk like that!" someone called out.
I see. It was a crowd-funded punishment for the guy who broke etiquette. There were no gold coins, but if a hundred people each gave a silver coin, it was ten thousand Nahl—a real threat. Breaking etiquette clearly had consequences. I placed a silver coin of my own and returned to my seat.
"Three hundred and ninety thousand!"
"Guh. Three hundred and ninety-five thousand."
"The bidding unit for this range is ten thousand Nahl. You cannot raise the bid by less than that," the MC stated, rejecting the first man's desperate bid.
While breaking etiquette might be tolerated, breaking the rules was not. Given that he didn't even know the bidding unit, the first man was clearly a rank amateur.
"I... I understand."
"Three hundred and ninety thousand. The current price is three hundred and ninety thousand. Are there any other bids? No? Then, sold at three hundred and ninety thousand Nahl. Will the exhibitor and the successful bidder please move to the rear room?"
the winner gathered up his silver coins and left with the trader. That contribution system was a nice gesture, but it looked like a lot of work to clean up.
"Thirty-nine thousand for a Dragon Knight isn't bad, but I want to save my funds for the Mage," I heard someone mutter nearby.
So 390,000 wasn't particularly expensive. I guess that was the value of a Dragon Knight, even at Lv 1. And since everyone was waiting for the Mage, they were hesitant to spend. That’s why the lottery for the order was so important.
For me, it was better for Vesta to appear early. As if my prayers were heard, she was the third lot. Vesta and her trader appeared on stage. This was before both the Mage and the noble beauty. If people wanted a fighter, the Mage was still to come; if they wanted a beauty, the lady was still waiting. It was a perfect position for me.
"The next lot is a Dragon-kin female, fifteen years old. Minimum bid starts at two hundred thousand Nahl. Please begin."
"Two hundred thousand!"
I bid the moment it opened. Momentum was key.
"Two hundred and ten thousand!"
"Three hundred and ten thousand!"
The unit was ten thousand Nahl, so the maximum raise was one hundred thousand. I hit the ceiling immediately.
"Three hundred and twenty thousand!"
"Four hundred and twenty thousand!"
"Four hundred and thirty thousand!"
"My bid is five hundred and thirty thousand."
I continued to raise by a full hundred thousand every time. I had to show an unwavering resolve that I wouldn't back down. I had platinum coins; this amount didn't scare me.
"Five..."
"Five hundred and forty thousand!"
"Six hundred and forty thousand!"
One of the other bidders finally wavered. I ignored the hesitation and slammed another hundred-thousand-Nahl raise down.
"Six hundred and forty thousand. Current price is six hundred and forty thousand."
"..."
The man who had bid 540,000 glanced over at me. I maintained a perfect poker face.
"Any other bids? No? Sold for six hundred and forty thousand Nahl! Will the exhibitor and successful bidder please move to the rear room?"
In the end, the other guy didn't follow. He must have feared how high I was willing to go with those aggressive raises. My strategy had worked. I had successfully won Vesta.
I entered the back room. As expected, it was the room with the Guild Temple.
"Thank you very much."
"Thank you very much, Master," Vesta added.
Whether this was a good thing for her remained to be seen, but I’d make sure she felt it was.
"We will be waiting in the previous room. If you wish to continue bidding, you may return to the venue," the trader said.
"No, let’s wrap this up."
"As you wish."
I could have gone back to see how much the noble beauty went for, but what would I do with two more people? Besides, that lady clearly couldn't fight. Better to be satisfied with what I had.
"I’ll be counting on you from now on."
"Yes. I look forward to working with you as well."
"Right."
I spoke to a point somewhere above my own head. Vesta was truly a beauty—large red eyes, a straight, elegant nose, and those long, model-like limbs. Being looked down upon didn't bother me that much. I also wanted to say my regards to the "Suicups" right in front of me.
We headed back to the meeting room, but Vesta’s presence was incredibly intimidating. I felt physically pressured. Don't stand behind me.
We entered the room, and Vesta stood by my side.
"Regarding the slave won at auction, the guild provides a one-thousand-Nahl reimbursement. Subtracting that from the winning bid of six hundred and forty thousand... and since you were so decisive, let's make it exactly four hundred and forty-seven thousand three hundred Nahl."
Whoa. The thirty percent discount worked here too. I’d assumed it wouldn't apply to an auction. Well, it wasn't like the trader was paying the difference out of his pocket. It was just the magic of my skill. Victory for me and my skill selection.
"I appreciate it."
I finished the payment before he could change his mind. I didn't even have to break into my platinum coins. After the Intelligence Card was updated and the usual long contract speech was finished, Vesta was officially mine.
"Thank you very much. Please let me know if you need anything else in the future."
The trader saw us out of the room but stayed behind in the meeting area himself.
"Is the merchant staying?"
"He mentioned he had a meeting," Vesta answered.
I suppose it made sense; an auction was a rare chance for traders to gather and exchange info.
"For now, put these on. I think they’ll fit."
I pulled the hard leather boots from my Item Box. Vesta was barefoot, as traders never seemed to provide equipment.
"Yes. Thank you. Are we heading to a labyrinth immediately?"
"Not yet, but wear them anyway."
Vesta was huge, but the equipment was enchanted to adjust, so it should be fine. They fit Sherry, after all.
"Yes. Thank you very much."
Vesta bowed and put on the boots. Her backside was nearly at my chest level. What, are you trying to show off how long your legs are? I briefly felt like giving her an enema to take her down a peg, but I restrained myself. What am I, a brat? Vesta hadn't actually boasted about anything.
It was fine. I was an adult. Adults have their own ways of handling things. I’d give her a thorough "punishment" later.
"Shall we go?"
"I heard Quratar has a famous labyrinth. I believe I will be alright."
"You'll be entering it soon enough, like it or not. For now, just keep up."
"Yes."
Adding Vesta to the party, we headed toward the waiting room. I considered going back to the auction for a moment, but decided against it. The lady beauty was probably gone by now anyway.
Since the auction was still in progress, the first floor was quiet, though there were still some adventurers in the waiting room—likely the party members of the bidders inside. I’d always thought being an adventurer meant being the master, but I suppose there were plenty of adventurer slaves and servants too. It seemed more likely for a Mage master to have an adventurer slave than the other way around.
I considered walking to avoid attention, but turning back now would look even weirder. I muttered a nonsense incantation and warped.
We emerged from the wall of the waiting room back at the house. Vesta followed right behind. She didn't even have to duck to pass through the Warp Wall. It was quite high, after all—maybe unnecessarily so.
"Oh, you made it through."
"Uhm..."
Vesta had a complicated expression on her face. I’d shown her my Intelligence Card after the contract, so she knew I was an Explorer. Using Warp at the guild was a bit reckless, though. If Alan had seen me, I could have bluffed it, but if the other trader had seen it before the deal was final, he might have jacked up the price. Then again, once the contract is signed, it doesn't matter.
Once you get used to warping, walking is such a hassle. Besides, I walk enough in the labyrinths to stay in shape.
"This is our house."
Just then, there was a rattling at the front door.
"I'm home!" Roxanne’s voice called out.
If no one had been here, I might have wanted to enjoy Vesta’s company immediately, but it would have been awkward if Roxanne had walked in during the middle of it.
"Welcome back."
"Ah! I’m so glad. I felt like Master was home, so I hurried back."
Roxanne came trotting over to greet me. What are you, a dog? Actually, she’s a Wolf-kin, so I guess it fits.
"Let me introduce you. This is Vesta. She’s joining us starting today."
I introduced Vesta to Roxanne, who was carrying groceries.
"She’s so tall! She looks like she’ll be very reliable," Roxanne said, looking up at her.
I suppose that’s the first thing everyone notices.