SWNOVELXO Chapter 50
The capital’s black market is in its final day today, after which it will enter a two-week preparation period.
As a result, the number of customers visiting the black market is as large as it was on the first day. Unsurprisingly, the market’s biggest attraction—an elf slave—was drawing an even larger crowd of spectators than before.
It has been exactly a month since the elf arrived at this black market, but despite the long duration, no one has come forward to purchase her.
Rumor has it that one of the top merchant guilds in the capital had considered buying her, but they couldn’t provide the mandatory red potion. Since then, many prominent merchants have also shown interest, yet no one had successfully made the purchase, and here we are on the final day with no buyer in sight.
Unlike last time, I’m here alone today. I’m dressed in a plain, inconspicuous cloak, pulling the hood down low to conceal my face from the surrounding crowd.
While I may appear suspicious, no one in the bustling marketplace seems to care. The place has taken on a festival-like atmosphere, with people just as interested in making noise as they are in shopping.
“Even for an elf, the conditions must be too stringent for her to sell.”
“I heard the Vots Guild was prepared to provide several high-grade purple potions, but even they were rejected.”
“So, the red potion is an absolute requirement, huh?”
Amid the clamor, I push my way through the throng of people gathered in the central area of the market, heading toward my destination—the slave sales booth.
On my way, I overhear a few interesting conversations before I finally reach the tent set up for the sales.
“Welcome, how can I help you?”
“I’m here to purchase the elf slave.”
Most of the slaves sold in the capital’s black market were bought on the first day, so the booth was quieter than I expected.
At the wooden counter, a young man with a kind face sat waiting. On the long desk in front of him were bundles of special contract papers imbued with magic, and around us, burly guards stood on alert.
The man at the counter frowned slightly when he saw me, but as soon as he blinked, his expression shifted into a practiced business smile.
However, his face stiffened for a moment when he heard my request.
“Just to confirm, have you read the conditions for purchasing the elf?”
“Yes, I have.”
There are several conditions for purchasing the elf, with the first and foremost being the requirement of a red potion.
The price fluctuates depending on the intended use and duration of employment. The cheapest option involves employing her for household duties, while the most expensive would be taking her as a concubine or lover.
Although the wording is deliberately vague, employing her as a concubine or lover essentially equates to acquiring her as a sex slave.
There’s also the option to hire her as an adventurer, which is slightly more expensive than the servant role but still cheaper than the concubine option.
The lowest starting price for a servant role is around 200,000 per month, but the amount varies depending on the terms, which are negotiated between the buyer, the elf herself, and the slave guild handling the sale.
The length of the contract can range from six months to as long as a hundred years. In some cases, it’s even possible to set the term as a lifetime partner, a testament to the elf’s famously long lifespan.
“May I ask to see your guild card?”
Though the man smiled, I could sense skepticism emanating from him. The guards around us seemed to share his doubts, and one of them even subtly moved his hand toward the sword at his waist.
“!?! What is this!?”
Without saying a word, I took out a special guild card prepared for me by Sakakibara.
The dark reddish-purple card—wine-red, as it’s called—was a guild card of the Kuremusranku.
Kuremusranku is the name of a rare mineral in this world of Asphial.
I wasn’t familiar with the Kuremusranku myself, but the man at the counter clearly was. The moment he laid eyes on the card, his entire body froze as if turned to ice.
Only the man at the counter recognized the significance of the wine-red guild card. The guards around us, on the other hand, were left scratching their heads in confusion.
“P-Please wait just a moment!!”
The young man shot up from his chair, nearly knocking it over in his haste, and dashed off, leaving the guards looking bewildered.
A few minutes later, the man returned, and with him came someone who was obviously in charge.
“I sincerely apologize for the wait! I, Banku, will be handling this matter personally!”
The man named Banku was sweating profusely, clearly in a rush to attend to me. Behind him trailed not only the previous receptionist but also several other staff members.
We moved from the now crowded tent to the back, where I was led to a more private area.
“Lord Hakuba Issei… if I may ask, I’m unfamiliar with your name despite you being of the Kuremusranku. When were you promoted?”
“I recently advanced, due to my connections with royalty.”
“Ah, I see.”
The place I was led to was still part of the temporary structures set up for the black market, but the quality was leagues beyond what I’d seen outside.
The furnishings, though simple to the untrained eye, were clearly expensive. I immediately realized this space was reserved for important transactions.
“You wish to purchase the elf, correct? As one of the conditions, you’ll need to provide a red potion. Do you have one with you?”
“Of course.”
I placed a crystal-cut container with the red potion on the table in front of Banku.
The liquid inside had a slightly darker tint, but it was unmistakably red. Despite the small size of the vial, the powerful aura of its magic was overwhelming. Banku swallowed nervously as he gazed at it.
“So this is a red-grade potion… In all my years of trading, this is the first time I’ve seen one in person.”
With my permission, Banku gingerly picked up the container, holding it under the light of the stone lamps. The crystal-clear container refracted the light, giving the red liquid an almost ethereal glow.
“The potion is indeed impressive, but the craftsmanship of this container is also extraordinary… I’m no expert, but this might surpass even the work of Hotsmouth.”
“Hotsmouth?”
“Yes, given my work, I travel often. In the northernmost region of the continent, past the Kingdom of Kainriese, there’s the Hotsmouth Kingdom, renowned for its advanced craftsmanship, especially in gem cutting.”
In our world, gemstones are highly valued for their beauty and rarity, often used in rings and necklaces. This world, Asphial, is no different.
Gems are common among the wealthy, including merchants, nobles, and even royalty. However, in this world, gems are also known to channel magic, so they’re not just used for decoration but also as components in magical equipment. High-ranking mages are said to adorn themselves with rings and accessories encrusted with gems.
Thus, gemstones are highly valuable here, though their prices vary widely depending on the type and quality, unlike gold.
“Hotsmouth Kingdom… I’d like to visit it someday.”
“It’s a wonderful place, though it’s cold year-round, being so far north.”
As Banku prepared to authenticate the red potion, we made small talk and deepened our rapport.