Chapter 102 - Damn Reincarnation

Market

The slave market ran for two days, but elves were traded only on the first. On the second day, the natives sold monsters they had tamed, or young monsters that could be tamed with the right handling.

Because elves were rare and expensive, a separate section had been set aside for their sale.

Money was not a problem. Even by the most conservative estimate, the jewels Eugene had squeezed out of Kajitan’s emir were worth over a billion sals. He also had another five hundred million sals’ worth of jewels he had exchanged his money for before entering Samar.

According to Levera, the starting price for an elf at this market was three hundred million sals. Prices varied depending on sex, appearance, and physical condition, but even a generous estimate put the cost of buying one at five hundred million.

Usually, no more than two elves were offered at this market. With his funds, Eugene could easily buy them all.

'Cheaper than I expected.'

That had been his first thought when Levera told him the price. On reflection, though, it was hardly cheap. The elves who returned to Samar had all sorts of defects.

Narissa, for one, had lost a foot, and Levera had only one eye. Escaping slavery and traveling all the way to this distant forest inevitably entailed hardships, leaving scars that could never be erased.

Those scars were not necessarily physical. Even elves were helpless against mental illness. Trauma, in particular, was a chronic affliction shared by most elves who had endured slavery.

They were not sound of limb, virginal, young, or even sound of mind. And an elf who might already have demonic sickness—or might contract it later—still cost at least three hundred million gold.

'About as much as a giant’s balls.'

Gargis, that son of a bitch. Eugene ground his teeth as he thought of the distant relative he had last seen several years ago. That hulking muscle pig had warped his sense of money.

'Is he still living like that?'

In fact, Gargis had written to him several times while he was in Aroth. Every year on Eugene’s birthday, he faithfully sent a congratulatory letter along with medicinal tonics and other things supposedly good for his health.

Eugene had never taken them. Every tonic Gargis sent looked suspicious and had horrifying ingredients. Instead, they became gifts for Lovellian and Melkith, who were quietly concerned about their age. Thanks to Gargis, Eugene had earned quite a bit of affection from Melkith as well.

“Master Ryan.”

“I know.”

Eugene put aside his idle thoughts and looked ahead. An enormous bald man was striding toward them from a short distance away. Eugene examined the tattoos scattered across his bulging muscles, then checked the tribal emblem hanging at his waist.

'The Garung tribe.'

He was not flustered. This market was a major event attended by many of the surrounding tribes. He had left Narissa behind precisely because an encounter might cause trouble. His face? That was the least of his concerns. Eugene had slaughtered every last Garung warrior who had attacked him.

“Hey.”

The bald warrior looked down at him. Eugene was fairly tall himself, but this man stood a full head taller.

“Sell me that elf.”

So that was what he wanted. Eugene glanced at the pig grinning behind the bald man. Skin scarcely touched by the sun. A belly so ample it seemed ready to burst through his clothes. Hands that looked as though they had never known hardship.

'The crest on his chest... I don’t know which family it belongs to. But those aren’t Kiel fashions. Shimuin, then.'

An island nation in the southern seas. The maritime kingdom of Shimuin.

“I’m sorry, but this elf is not for sale.”

Ujicha’s face twisted at the answer. He glared down at Eugene with murder in his eyes, while Eugene hunched his shoulders slightly and assumed an awkward expression.

“Not for sale? Why?”

“Well... there is a reason I can’t sell her.”

“What reason?”

Even with only one eye, Levera was beautiful. They had prepared an excuse beforehand in case someone offered to buy her.

“This elf is cursed.”

“... Cursed? You mean she has the disease that kills elves?”

“Ah, so you know of it. Yes, she has that disease. She’s somehow staying alive in this forest, but once she leaves, she’ll be dead within days.”

Ujicha’s expression crumpled. Rather than pressure Eugene further, he turned to look back at Dazarang.

“She’s sick? What does that matter?”

Dazarang stepped forward with a broad grin, as though he had been waiting for his cue.

“If anything, that’s good! It means she’ll be cheaper, doesn’t it? Hey. Sell me this elf for a hundred million sals!”

Eugene gave a hollow laugh at his demand and shook his head.

“I couldn’t possibly. Sick or not, an elf is still an elf. How could I sell her for a pittance of a hundred million sals?”

“Then three hundred million. I’ll give you three hundred million sals. That should be enough, shouldn’t it?”

Unable to contain his excitement, Dazarang wriggled his backside while his greedy eyes swept over Levera from head to toe.

“... Three hundred million sals, sir? You don’t look like someone who lives in this forest...”

“What does that matter? I can play with her while I’m here.”

What a lunatic. He would fork over three hundred million sals for just a few days’ amusement? That was enough money to buy a pair of the giant’s balls Gargis was so mad about.

“... Sir. Forgive the question, but how old are you?”

“Twenty-three.”

Dazarang had no idea why he was asking, but puffed out his chest as he answered. Eugene let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head.

'Twenty-three? This bastard’s probably never earned a penny himself. All he did was get lucky and be born into nobility. And now he wants to blow the fortune his father worked himself ragged to build on a few days of fun?'

Eugene saw Eward in Dazarang. That little bastard had been sent to Aroth to study magic, only to fool around with a succubus and even try taking up black magic.

“Sir. I am truly, terribly sorry, but I will not sell you this elf.”

“What?!”

“You may find it hard to believe, given my appearance, but I take a certain pride in my profession and my business. If my judgment is correct, you are the son of a high-ranking noble family in Shimuin. My pride as a merchant will not permit me to sell a sick elf to someone of your standing.”

Pride? What kind of bullshit was that? What pride could a mere elf-slave merchant possibly have?

“You lowborn merchant. What the hell are you talking about? Are you afraid I’ll use her illness as an excuse to demand a refund later?”

Dazarang glared at Eugene, his eyes wide.

“I am Dazarang Coral. Count Coral of Shimuin is my father. On my family’s name and honor, I swear that I will not subject you to any persecution after this transaction.”

Pledging his family’s name and honor just to buy an elf to use as a plaything.

'This bastard is even worse than Eward.'

“It is not that I distrust you, sir. My pride as a merchant simply will not allow it. I will not sell this elf to anyone, not just you.”

“You son of a bitch. I’m saying it’s fine, and I’ll pay for her, so why the fuck are you refusing to sell? Fine, five hundred million. I’ll buy her for five hundred million sals. Not enough? Then eight hundred million!”

Dazarang spat out the words, spraying saliva, though he did not raise his voice very much.

Count Coral was indeed a high-ranking noble in Shimuin, but he had no connections with any of the major tribes other than the Garung. It was too late to cultivate new ties now, and the Jiyal tribe was overseeing this market. If they started a fight here, the Jiyal would intervene.

“What you are asking me to sell is not an elf, sir, but my pride. I would not sell my pride for eight billion sals, let alone eight hundred million.”

Eugene spoke with his eyes wide. Dazarang thumped his chest in frustration, but Ujicha looked at Eugene with admiration. Pride! Even if it was only a merchant’s pride, that word resonated deeply with the small remnant of a warrior’s soul still within him.

“Then... then don’t sell her. Just give her to me.”

“Please stop making such absurd demands. I will not sell this elf. I will take her out of the forest myself and let her die.”

“Why would a merchant willingly take a loss—”

“It is not a loss. It is preserving my pride. Now, good day.”

Without another word, Eugene walked past Dazarang. Dazarang reached out to stop him, but Ujicha caught his wrist first.

“Y-you bastard. Why are you stopping—no, why did you keep your mouth shut instead of helping me?”

“If I had stepped in and threatened him, the Jiyal tribe would not have stood by.”

“So what! I... I want that elf...!”

“Don’t worry.”

Ujicha bent down and whispered in Dazarang’s ear.

“He said he wasn’t going to sell her anyway. Once he leaves the market and passes beyond Jiyal territory, we can attack him, kill him, and take the elf.”

“... Are we allowed to do that...?”

“It’s fine.”

It was not, in fact, fine. This market was held by agreement among several tribes. Merchants carrying the trading tokens used here were not to be attacked.

Ujicha did not care. The merchant’s talk of pride had stirred his warrior’s soul, but he wanted to be a noble more than he wanted to be a warrior.

“... That nonsense sounded quite convincing.”

“If you thought it sounded convincing, there’s something wrong with your head.”

“I did call it nonsense first. Thanks to you, Master Ryan, I have learned a rather useless piece of worldly wisdom.”

“Worldly wisdom?”

“Yes. Arguments are won not through logic but through volume, and not through persuasion but through unreasonable insistence that leaves no room for an answer.”

“Tina, you’re a genius...!”

Eugene turned to Kristina with an admiring expression. She tilted her head at his sudden exclamation.

“... Pardon?”

“That bit of worldly wisdom you just mentioned? I learned all of it from you. But you only realized it now? That means you taught me without even knowing it!”

“Shut your mouth.”

Kristina glared at him fiercely.

The purchases that followed went relatively smoothly. Eugene bought two male elves, one of whom had demonic sickness and could therefore be purchased below the going rate.

The small problem was the last remaining female elf. She had neither demonic sickness nor scars, so the merchant’s asking price was far higher than the usual rate. Several other buyers joined Eugene, and the sale naturally turned into an auction.

“... One billion sals.”

Eugene raised his bid with the feeling that he was coughing up blood. The spectators gathered around the impromptu auction cheered. A billion sals would require every last one of his remaining jewels. Needless to say, he could not use the Lionheart black card at this market.

'Don’t bid any higher. No, go ahead. Then I can give up cleanly.'

Eugene clenched his fist, torn by conflicting feelings. He had paid in jewels to buy the elves because he did not want to cause unnecessary trouble.

But if he did not have enough money, what could he do? If it came to that, he would have to give up. Not on the elf, of course. With no choice—truly, no choice—he would simply have to put on a mask and become a robber.

“One billion sals. We have a bid of one billion sals.”

Please, please, someone bid.

“Yes, one billion sals! Congratulations!”

“Congratulations, my ass, you bastard.”

“Pardon?”

“No... thank you.”

Swallowing his rising fury, Eugene took out his jewel box. With this, he had spent every jewel he owned. The slave merchant, who had sold an elf for more than twice the usual price, looked delighted. Grinning so broadly that all his gums showed, he appraised the jewels one by one to verify the total.

“Here, take her.”

“...”

“I’m happy to have made a good deal, but you’re an odd fellow. What are you planning to do with four elves?”

He ought to smash that mouth. Eugene suppressed his seething anger and turned away. The cart they had brought from the elven village now held four elves, including Levera.

“... Master Ryan. Are you all right?”

“No.”

“That money was spent to save these poor souls. Please do not begrudge it.”

“Who said I did? I’m just not all right. Do I look like someone who’d sulk over spending a billion and a half?”

“You are sulking right now.”

“This is just how my face looks.”

He had never had to worry about money since reincarnating, but spending such a large sum still felt like a waste.

'Right... a billion and a half is only the price of five pairs of balls.'

He tried to comfort himself with that thought, but it did not help much.

As Eugene rode the horse pulling the cart, the elves riding inside listened to Levera. They had been certain they would be branded as slaves and sold away. Levera’s words gave them hope.

And Eugene’s scowl slowly began to ease as well.

“... Master Ryan.”

“I know.”

Eugene grinned and tugged on the reins. The cart rattled as the horse picked up speed. The elves made no startled cries. Moments earlier, their faces had been full of hope, but now fear was spreading across them.

Levera tried to remain calm. There was no need to worry. Siknard, the village’s guardian, had told her so himself.

They would be going somewhere dangerous, but nothing dangerous would happen.

No. Even if they did encounter danger, there would be no problem.

That was how Siknard had reassured her.

... Was that really true? Levera’s shoulders trembled at the sound. Pounding footsteps. The distance closing. A tribal warrior. Why was he following them? Surely the tribes had a rule against attacking the market’s merchants.

“... Master Ryan...?”

Tension and fear made her breathing quicken. Pressing a hand to her wildly pounding chest, Levera looked toward Eugene. At the call from behind, he turned his head from atop the horse.

“Why the long faces?”

“A-are we going to be all right?”

“Of course. In fact, this is perfect.”

Eugene answered with a bright smile. The distance, which had been closing rapidly, stopped shrinking at a certain point. Were they waiting until he reached somewhere they could attack without causing trouble?

'Fine by me.'

Eugene continued straight ahead without changing direction. He left Jiyal territory and traveled a little farther through the forest with the cart. When would they come? Now?

Now.

The gap closed rapidly. Then the pursuer overtook them. Racing through the treetops, he dropped down some distance ahead and blocked the cart’s path. Eugene stopped it without a hint of alarm.

“Mmmph...!”

Clinging to Ujicha’s back, Dazarang clapped a hand over his mouth as nausea surged up. He hurriedly climbed down and began retching onto the ground.

“Get down.”

Though the vomiting continued directly behind him, Ujicha did not turn around. He pointed at Eugene, then checked Kristina and the elves riding in the cart.

He had no interest in Kristina, who still wore a middle-aged woman’s face. First, he would hand the one-eyed elf over to Dazarang. Then the other three elves... Ujicha’s lips twitched into a smile.

Instead of getting down from the driver’s seat, Eugene sprang to his feet.

“You said your name was Dazarang Coral, right?”

Like Ujicha, Eugene extended a finger, pointing at Dazarang.

“Urgh... blegh.”

Dazarang could not answer. He just kept vomiting. His answer was not particularly important anyway.

Eugene had spent a billion and a half buying three elves.

Dazarang had offered eight hundred million sals for Levera.

That meant Dazarang had jewels worth at least eight hundred million sals.

'Nothing I can do about this.'

Holding back a laugh, Eugene hopped down from the cart.

'I wasn’t going to rob anyone. But that bastard became a robber first and blocked my path.'

So he had no choice.

“Don’t you understand the situation?”

Ujicha’s mouth twisted as he looked at Eugene, who showed no sign of fear. He had not brought any of the tribe’s other warriors, but that would not be a problem. This was just one slave merchant. Tearing him apart would be easier for Ujicha than crushing an insect—

“What?”

The word slipped out before Ujicha knew it.

The slave merchant who had been right in front of him a moment earlier was nowhere to be seen.