## Chapter 282 – (3)
“Oppa, how does this dress look on me?”
“It suits you.”
“Really? It’s my first time wearing something like this. I’m glad.”
I was heading to the city in a carriage with Hanna.
Hanna was showing off her flowing dress, asking if it suited her.
Typical model.
She pulled off even a medieval-style dress perfectly.
To think I’d see Hanna wearing something like this.
And not just a cosplay outfit, but a real dress.
I was staring blankly at Hanna when I looked out the window and saw that the scenery had changed a lot.
We must be getting closer to the city, because there were many other carriages besides ours on the road.
We slowly reduced our speed and stopped at the end of the line.
“It looks like it will take about 10 minutes.”
Aira said.
Aira was competent.
She was even perfect as a coachman.
“10 minutes, huh.”
I could wait 10 minutes easily.
There was plenty to see, and Hanna was next to me.
Hanna was peeking at the other carriages and the city with an expectant expression.
“Look, look over there. An elf… an elf…”
Hanna turned around and whispered carefully in my ear.
I glanced at the direction Hanna was pointing, and a party was lined up behind the carriage.
Judging by their equipment, they seemed to be adventurers.
A warrior, a mage, and an archer were all equipped and chatting amongst themselves.
And the woman holding the bow was definitely an elf.
She was definitely an elf, judging by her appearance and her long ears.
“So it is.”
“…You can see that and not be surprised…”
Hanna looked at me in admiration when I reacted nonchalantly.
Well, I’ve met elves many times.
I even had a deep relationship with an elf when I was in the Magic Tower.
I was more interested in seeing Hanna in a dress than seeing an elf.
“We’re going in.”
Before I knew it, the carriage was able to pass through the city’s main gate and enter the walls.
“Wow…”
Hanna exclaimed, and I carefully observed what the city in this world was like.
It was worth choosing a peaceful fantasy world.
People of various appearances were walking around the streets, getting along well.
It certainly seemed peaceful.
Nevertheless, there was a hierarchy in this peaceful world.
When the carriage appeared, the people walking in the center made way.
Some even bowed their heads to us.
It’s a bit much.
“This is the place.”
It was a building with a huge space specifically for parking carriages.
Aira said this was a place where you could hire servants.
We got out of the carriage and looked around.
Everyone was getting out of their carriages in fancy clothes.
It was as if they were attending a party, not hiring servants.
Of course, we were dressed like that too.
Aira told us to wear fancy clothes.
And there were only fancy clothes in the closet.
Aira went somewhere and came back with something.
“What’s that?”
“Masks. Please wear them.”
“Masks?”
I wondered if we needed masks.
Aira continued her explanation.
“When buying slaves, it’s common for buyers to get into fights. The grudges of nobles tend to be long-lasting, so it’s better to wear a mask.”
“…Wait, slaves?”
“Yes, the best way to get a servant is to buy a slave. Unlike generally hired servants, they are less likely to quit quickly, and their loyalty is higher.”
Even in this seemingly peaceful world, there were still slaves.
I looked down at Hanna next to me.
What would Hanna think of the scene unfolding before her eyes?
I was a little worried.
First, I handed Hanna a mask.
“What’s this?”
“You have to wear it before we go in.”
“Wow… is it like a masquerade ball?”
A masquerade ball.
That would be nice.
I wondered when would be a good time to explain it to Hanna, and followed behind Aira, who was leading the way.
The entrance to the building we were about to enter was decorated with marble and sculpted pillars, which must have cost a lot of money.
Who would think this was a place to buy and sell slaves?
At first glance, it looked like a place that sold precious metals.
In fact, people dressed in noble attire were entering, laughing and chatting on either side of us, which made it seem even more so.
The other nobles were also wearing masks that covered their eyes and noses.
The space we entered through the large door was very large.
As soon as we entered, we saw a road and stairs covered with a red carpet.
And there was a large lobby-like space with several chairs, as if it were a place for harmony.
Fortunately, the entrance itself seemed ordinary.
My eyes went to the sign attached to the stairs.
[Upstairs: Auction House.]
[Downstairs: Humans, Demi-humans.]
Hanna stared at the sign she couldn’t read and asked me.
“What does it say here?”
“This is… a place to buy and sell slaves.”
“Slaves?”
Hanna’s expression changed subtly.
It wasn’t a disapproving expression, nor was it a welcoming one, but a lukewarm one.
“Are we hiring slaves as servants?”
“I guess it’s a bit much…?”
“No, it’s not that…”
It didn’t seem like Hanna had a problem with the idea of slaves itself.
But rather.
“I’m a little worried…”
“About what?”
“Doesn’t being a slave mean… they’ve committed a crime in the past… or have a story? …What if they attack us? Or try to steal our property?”
That was a plausible concern.
But Aira was sure that they would be more loyal.
When I told Aira about Hanna’s concerns, she slowly nodded.
“That’s a reasonable thing to think. However, the slaves here have all chosen to come here, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Chosen to?”
After hearing the story, Hanna’s concerns were certainly possible.
If it were 10 years ago, before peace came, such cases would have actually been frequent.
But now it was different.
“They’re just called slaves.”
Most of them are people who have gone bankrupt, or who need money but have no place to work for various reasons, or who have chosen the slave system because they don’t want to be locked up in prison for a long time.
Slavery is treated as a job, and the contract is basically for 10 years, not for life.
They also get paid properly.
Slaves were not slaves.
The possibility of a slave rebelling against their master is also low.
If they did, they would be immediately wanted and would end up using the same prison as the demons, who are called the worst enemies of mankind.
I don’t know how scary that is.
But even Aira, who always has a stoic expression, narrowed her brows, so it must be a terrible thing.
After summarizing this long story and conveying it to Hanna.
We went up to the auction house.
No, we were about to go up.
Aira stopped us both.
“Where are you going?”
“…To participate in the auction?”
“No. First… let’s look at the general slaves rather than the auction. It’s much cheaper that way.”
“I’m not trying to save money…”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You have to save money to maintain a mansion for a long time.”
I tried to say that the slaves in the auction would be more capable and have more advantages, but Aira persistently persuaded me.
I put it off for later.
I decided to respect Aira’s wishes.
…Looking at the warehouse where she kept the money and gold, it didn’t seem like we needed to save money.
Anyway, I followed Aira down to the basement and saw a huge space.
It was a space filled with people, but most of them were slaves, and the number of nobles who were actually buying them seemed small.
It seemed like some people had left because it was auction time.
The way they were displayed, or should I say.
The way to see the slaves was a bit unique.
The walls were made of glass, and the slaves were inside the glass.
And there was a small booklet in front of the glass with short information about the slave.
For example, it was like this.
[Name: Ibrina.
Hopes to become a slave for fear of being imprisoned for 20 years for theft.
Stole because of two orphans who are like her younger siblings.]
“That’s sad.”
“Well, it’s best not to trust it too much.”
Aira shook her head as I looked at the woman beyond the glass with pity.
“If it’s 20 years for theft, it’s not like she stole food. It’s a sentence that would only come out if she stole a national treasure or even robbed a house and committed murder.”
“…Really?”
“The story about the orphans is just an excuse. The siblings are probably accomplices in the theft.”
That was a cold-blooded deduction.
I felt sorry for her just a moment ago, but after hearing that, the woman beyond the glass seemed a little creepy.
But.
“She’s not looking this way?”
“Yes, they can’t see this side from the inside.”
Was it like an interrogation room where the police interrogate people?
You can see from the outside, but you can’t see the outside from the inside.
I realized that I shouldn’t trust the slave’s guide too much and started looking for a servant in earnest.
Basically, I would lightly tell Hanna the servant’s information, exchange opinions, and then ask Aira for the final decision.
Basically, Hanna and I often agreed.
Maybe it’s because we’re both modern people, or maybe it’s because we think so much alike.
We understood each other perfectly.
However, it wasn’t easy to find a slave who met Aira’s standards.
“We can’t have someone from a thief background, this one eats too much, this one cleans too well.”
“…Isn’t it okay to be good at cleaning?”
Aira seemed to have her own firm beliefs, and she calmly looked around and stood in front of a slave.
It was a beastman.
She was tall, her eyes were sharp, and she had silver ears and a tail.
She must have wanted to become a slave on her own, but she had her arms crossed and a dissatisfied expression on her face.
She felt like a difficult slave to handle, which is often seen in novels.
The slave’s description was also not easy.
[Name: Silver
Rebellious and rough beastman, not very good at anything, but has martial arts skills trained enough to be used as a bodyguard. Has a foul mouth, so if that’s your tasteㅡ]
“Let’s go with this one.”
Aira pointed to the woman named Silver beyond the glass.
