Chapter 20: I don't sell my people.
"What do you know about barbarians?" Tetsuya asked while leaving his carriage and bandits alone. They had their quest, but so he. This quest was to find more slave merchants that go in between cities, but the main priority had the quest to meddle with the beasts' settings.
On his way, he naturally spoke with Ashley and Reyas.
It was time to speak with Reyas after he learned what Ashley knew about the barbarians.
Hearing the question, Reyas turned her eyes to the side, "Not much. They live far away from this province and it's said that they are even wilder than villagers." The barbarians killed everyone who dared to trespass their borders. They also live in desolate and rough lands underground!
It's hard to see what actually their civilization looks like and no one tried to interfere with their living. "That's what it's said by Mystic Academy? Or is it another academy or perhaps some kingdom? The thing is that the barbarians have been clearly investigated." Tetsuya said while playing with a cigarette.
He was always smoking when Reyas did.
"And why would you know it?" Reyas shouldn't even be asking questions, but her status allowed her to do so. She also has never felt like a slave except for her clothes and bed which was the cold floor.
"Let's see… Because it's me?" Tetsuya laughed out. "I just know that someone tried to investigate those and failed, then just threw the rune to trash. This trash is villagers and bandits for example." It was guessed after his game rune gave information about barbarians.
However, those barbarians shouldn't be that weak if a simple strengthening rune had such side-effects and strength stats. It allowed the bandits to go against the young knight despite being simplified!
Reyas let out the smoke with her eyebrow twitching, "I understand. The world has told you about the barbarians." She then sucked more and puff! "Your world, of course." After Reyas said those words, her hair got stroked by Tetsuya who took a liking to this answer.
She rolled her eyes on this affectionate side, then stopped.
It was because there was a carriage going in their way.
Not only did she wear clothes like a slave, but it also couldn't cover most of her skin. It was bothering her, but as long as she was alone or behind Tetsuya, then Reyas would be fine with it. But this carriage was not the normal one.
"Reyas?" The person sitting in the driver's seat looked at the red-haired woman with big eyes. He clenched his reins and held his breath as if keeping something else in the bay. It was so obvious what sprouted on his mind as this merchant even didn't notice Tetsuya!
"Have you had, horny dog?" Tetsuya finally awakened the man out of his dream. "I know that there is nothing much you can do in this world if you lack qualifications. Anyway, that's not how you get a woman."
Tetsuya was also irritating Ashley with his complaints about the empty bed. What surprised her the most was that he hasn't invited or 'ordered' Reyas to the bed even once! He also didn't take her to just keep him warmer!
She was like the slave, so it could be said that Tetsuya stayed loyal to his words, but there was certainly more to this.
Anyway, the man misunderstood Tetsuya's words, "How much do you want for her?" There was a slave collar on Reyas that exposed her current status. As this merchant knew about her and her 'former' attitude that was far from such a quiet one, he simply couldn't let her go. He already imagined breaking her by reminding them about her former and current status!
"And how much would your death cost? One copper coin should suffice, shouldn't it?" Tetsuya took out one copper coin from his special inventory, then flicked it towards the merchant's face. His stats boosted in stamina and strength caused the coin to turn into a small meteorite that slapped the fat cheek hard.
It hurt, but the man was still keeping his calm. He was a merchant after all. "Stop jesting, please. Just tell me the price and I will provide you with enough resources. This, I can swear on my merchant's pride."
"I don't sell my people. It's as simple as that." Tetsuya crossed his arm and raised his chin. It felt like his whole body grew up in a size due to an unapproachable aura, but more than anything, Reyas felt protected and hidden from the merchant's lustful eyes.
Feeling so serene out of nowhere, she bit her lip and clenched her long smoking pipe, "Let me gouge his eyes… Please."
"Sure." Tetsuya titled his head further as he agreed.
As the merchant heard these words, his face got red. He was fuming so hard that he needed to flick his fingers thrice to call out his guards. It was obvious, but every merchant had their own people to work and guard their lives with.
The guards slowly left the carriage with sleepy expressions. Some slaves also followed them to assist while showing to the world how unwilling they were. It looked so similar to the city's raid that Tetsuya lit up another cigarette. "Sealed freedom. How unexciting and lame." He then locked his eyes on the merchant's guard.
"Since you are doing your job, I will just knock all of you out. As for this merchant, your life is all in Reyas' hands." These words were for both enemies and allies!
As he heard these, the merchant fumed and raised his middle finger at Tetsuya, "How arrogant. Who the fuck are you anyway? I don't know you, but you surely must be some spoiled fucker!" Tetsuya didn't know this merchant, but he was a pretty big fish in his business circle.
Of course, Tetsuya also could be a big fish since he got Reyas as his slave, but the anger blinded those thoughts and instead, the merchant imagined that someone just gave her as 'present' for him.
But Tetsuya was all alone now, so it was his fault for going out without his 'master'.
"I am spoiled by my talent, you hit the truth here. Unfortunately for you, you are both abandoned by fate and talent." Tetsuya no longer felt like speaking with this merchant, his body going forth to destroy the guards.