Chapter 23
“P-Please come this way!”
The auctioneer personally escorted me after the auction had concluded. It seemed he wasn’t just an auctioneer, but the owner and operator of that slave market. I followed him to the jail where they locked away all of the slaves. Eclipse’s cell was in one of the deeper parts of the prison
Crack.
The sound of a whip rang out. A large gathering of workers stood close to Eclipse, each holding a whip in their hand. They were whipping Eclipse directly on his skin.
Slaves were usually delivered to the buyer’s estate sometime after they were sold. Before delivery they were transferred to a transport area and temporarily caged there. At that moment they were attempting to move Eclipse to the temporary cells.
Slap!
Once again a whip slashed him in the back. Blood trickled out from torn flesh.
Oh my goodness!
I frowned at the horrific scene. In the game the Duke brought Eclipse to the mansion a few days after the festival. The Duke saw him about to be sold and purchased him for a higher price. At that moment the festival had only just begun and I chose to go there to get Eclipse before the Duke. Fortunately that plan worked out.
“How would you like to pay, dear customer.”
The auctioneer-slaver groveled.
“Here.”
I removed the cheque from my pocket and tossed it to him.
The slaver gasped when he saw it. He quickly restored his friendly smile and asked,
“To which noble family should I charge the balance?”
“The Eckart ducal family.”
I instructed confidently. The Duke would certainly get angry when he found out I spent 100 million gold pieces to buy a slave, but I had already formulated an excuse for that. The slaver’s astonished look soon turned dubious.
“Uh… E-Excuse my rudeness, but may I see something that proves your identity?”
he asked.
“Are you doubting me right now?”
I asked as coldly as I could.
“N-Not at all!”
The slaver waved his hands in a gesture meant to deescalate the situation. He continued,
“H-However you are not the usual representative from the Eckart family who frequents this market so…”
The rest of his concern was left unspoken.
I removed the button that tore free from Derrick’s shirt from my pocket and threw it at the slaver in an irritated manner. I didn’t have much of a choice.
“It’s your choice to bring that with you, or not, when you come to get paid.”
I frowned.
“G-Gosh! I had no idea I was in the presence of such a high and noble person!”
The slaver bowed deeply upon seeing Derrick’s golden button with the Eckart family crest carved into it. He rummaged through his pockets and turned to me.
“Here, please take this.”
He quickly gave me a ring set with a large ruby.
“What’s this?”
I asked.
“It is a token that goes to the owner of that slave.”
He said. I accepted the ring. I stared down at it unsure of its purpose.
“Do you see the collar around the slave’s neck?”
The slaver pointed his finger at Eclise who wore a leather choker around his neck with a yellow marble on it. I nodded and the slaver continued,
“The choker has paralysis magic cast on it. The yellow marble shoots out a shockwave when you push the ruby on that ring. With this you can suppress your slave when he’s acting out.”
He explained. I realized that this must have been what was used against Eclipse during the auction to make him instantly collapse when he was raging, swinging the wooden sword chaotically.
“But it has harmful effects on one’s mind when it’s used too much. So, do be careful.”
The slaver finished his explanation with words of caution.
Harmful effects on the mind…
It was all too cruel. I furrowed my brow when I looked back down at the ring in my hand.
“He is really quite a dangerous fellow for such a delicate lady as yourself, so make sure you always have this on your finger. Go head, try it on.”
The slaver who couldn’t see my scrunched up face urged me to put the ring on. I pretended to slide the ring onto my index finger.
“Ahh!”
A sudden scream came from the cells. I looked up and saw Eclipse choking one of the workers between his legs. The cuffs that chained his feet together were broken.
“H-Hey! Suppress him! Quickly!”
The slaver shouted at me, his face pale.
Crack! Crack!
The other workers whipped Eclipse. They didn’t dare get close to the wild slave even though their friend was being killed.
“Hrrrrk...”
A guttural sound came from the man being choked, slowly dying. Eclipse’s skin was being torn open as the workers whipped him. I couldn’t stand there and just watch as a person died, especially when I had the means to do something about it. I hesitated for a moment then pressed the ruby on the ring.
“Ugh!”
Eclipse stiffened, trembled, and then fell to the ground.
“Hah, Ah!…”
The freed worker coughed. He scrambled to his feet and rushed away from Eclipse, his face pale. I walked over towards Eclise who was still trembling, crawling on the ground.
“W-Wait! Don’t go near!”
The slaver panicked and attempted to hold me back, but he couldn’t stop me from approaching Eclipse.
“Nghhh!”
He glared at me with a deadly intent even though I was certain he had to be in great pain.
[Favorability 0%] shined above his head.
I crouched down in front of him, then took him by his chin and raised it up.
“Eclipse.”
I spoke his name.
Please let me know if there’s anything inconsistent or that needs further editing/corrections!!
-emrld
Scarlett Shoujo 