"Do you have slaves?" I said while looking to all of them.
"No."
"Nope."
“Nah.”
“Nae.”
“Nay.”
“Naw.”
All of them gave various answers, some with shaking their heads to the left and right.
But, frankly. They just gave me a similar negative response.
But there was one person who gave a different answer.
"Previously, yes. Now she- ” (Stranger No.2)
"Escape?" (Town Guards Chief)
"I set her free." (Stranger No.2)
""Ho ...""
The whole room gave an astonishing response and then makes some whistle to express their warm approval and admiration for him.
And the person concerned, felt very honored because of that.
“Hahahaha, of course! I'm liberal and generous person you know! I respect and accept behavior or opinions different from one's own. " (Stranger No.2)
"Really?" (Town Guards Chief)
"Yessir. I am serious. I don't have to bother covering it up, you can ask my party friends if you don't believe it, sir. " (Stranger No.2)
"Lie! He's lying, sir. He is far from being generous. Freeing the slave, your ass. " (Stranger No.1)
He is lying? OK. I could use his guilt now to dig up some information.
"Is she … that kind of slave?" (Unknown)
“Yeah… *sigh. I'm having trouble with her and she can't stand me anymore. Anyway, it’s complicated. I'm regretting myself.” He then looked down, lamenting.
"..." (All of us)
"Even though I have the intention to marry her." Muttered him.
"Aww ..."
"That's a pity."
“Bullsh*t! You sold her again to the brothel, you moron!” (Stranger No.1)
““Ehhhh!???”” (All of us)
“If you really cared about her, you wouldn't sell him to that whorehouse! " (Stranger No.1)
“It can't be helped, right? After all, she ... I am the one who incur losses, you know? Rather than of me returning her to that merchant's slave. I better send him to the brothel, right? She will not become a slave again." (Stranger No.2)
"You just ruthless, you dumbass!" (Stranger No.1)
“Arghh!! Just forget about that! "
"You hear that, sir!" (Stranger No.1)
"Yeah, yeah." (Town Guards Chief)
They raised their tankards and drank that ale again.
Glug, glug, glug.
"Hey, hey. Don't get drunk just yet. My business with all of you is not finished." (Unknown)
“ *Puahh! … Alright, kid. Alright.“
I then tried to provide other topics to talk about to restore balance to the mood since the atmosphere had just become awkward because of that adventure earlier.
The topic is not too far away and is still about slaves, as well as a few things about Trsat Town.
If there fate. Maybe I'll go to that town in the future. This information will help me in the coming times.
I also asked them about the collar that I often see in anime, manga, light novels around the neck to limit the movements of the slave.
They said the collar is not enough and there is no point if the collar is not equipped with a chain to chain the collar worn by the slave, and that sounds reasonable too.
When I realized the logic behind it all, that even elementary school children might be able to think about it, I felt like a fool and was very embarrassed because I had thrown that dumb question to them.
In this world there is no magic to bind the slave with just a collar, they must be chained and weighted with the iron ball or something, and that thing is only to reduce the movement of the slave or to prevent the slave from escaping.
And to make a slave always obey according to the command of their master?
There’s nothing.
This is what makes me not really hoping for the sweet scene that is often found in many stories in light novels where the master-slave relationship is so lovely and so flowery. The slave is very obedient, or even immediately loves their master, even though he just recently bought her.
Exquisitely beautiful life like that, I guess it would be difficult to happen in this world.
And you have to make it happen, you say?
Nah.
“…”
I still want to talk about underground society, etc. at this impromptu meeting. But I can't just throw the topic into their midst bluntly.
I could have woken up the sleeper agent who I believe was among the guests or the adventurers staying at Ami, who joined here, watching the situation while mingling in the crowd.
They will mark me immediately as a threat if I am not careful in taking steps, it could endanger me in the future.
I had to throw in some bait and do this roundabout the way to dig up the information so I wouldn't get caught by that surveillance guy.
But what topics should I bring to this conversation so that it doesn't seem artificial?
Are the attacks suffered by Female Knight and Princess enough?
"..."
Alright, maybe I'll just use that one.
“I heard that someone was suddenly attacked this afternoon. Do you know who this attacker might be? "
"Attacked?"
"Who?"
Alright, I got their attention.
"Are they in groups?"
"Yeah." (Unknown)
"Maybe it was some random thugs?"
"Or just some violent young troublemaker."
“Yeah.”
Oh, sh*t. Their attention dwindled so quickly.
“Oh, so now thugs are attacking in the middle of the town streets? I heard that the attackers were also well dressed and they looked like good people. Are being thugs now one of the dream jobs in this town so they care to dress like that so girls can easily fall in love with them?"
"They are clearly being attacked because they are walking on alley!"
… I didn't expect my sarcasm line to be slaughtered by some random adventure who was getting high.
“He said it on the way! Didn't you hear it, you deaf! "
"Eh, really?"
Then they then talk loosely while I still hope someone can stir the direction of this conversation so that I can go to the topic I want.
C’mon-c’mon! Someone here please raise a few more keywords here.
Thug, Trash, Scum, Gangster, Ballas, whatever.
To Be Continued
