He opens the ledger and begins describing several slaves, each with their painted portrait accompanying their details:
Name: Aria
Race: Wood Elf
Skills: Herbalism, Archery, Healing Magic
Class: Healer lvl 18
Sex Slave: Yes
Background: Aria hails from the ancient Elven forests and was captured during a raid. Her extensive knowledge of herbs and natural remedies makes her an excellent healer. Proficient with a bow and able to use healing magic, she is valuable in both combat and support roles.
Price: 65 Gold Coins
Name: Liora
Race: Cat-kin
Skills: Stealth, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Night Vision
Class: Assassin lvl 19
Sex Slave: No
Background: Liora comes from a tribe of feline demi-humans known for agility and combat prowess. An expert in stealth and hand-to-hand combat, she is ideal for tasks requiring discretion and strength. Her night vision gives her an edge in nocturnal operations.
Price: 20 Gold Coins
I listen attentively as Marcus details more profiles. The high-level healer elf sex slave is the most costly, but I can understand why that is quite clearly. Healers are extremely rare and she can also use a bow so she is not useless when no one is in need of healing. She is also a sex slave and her portrait paints her to look very tantalizing. Furthermore, she is an elf, which means if you buy her contract she will serve you and your descendants for many centuries. Sadly 65 gold coins is just an exorbitant amount for an asking price.
Naturally, I can't afford any of these slaves for now, so I move on.
"Thank you for the information, Marcus," I say. "Could you tell me more about how your establishment operates in general?"
Marcus nods calmly, acknowledging my current financial position yet maintaining the impeccable service expected in such places. "Naturally. We differ significantly from the sellers you might encounter in the open market. Firstly, we don't deal in kidnapped slaves. The background of those slaves is often unclear; many are illegally captured by outlaws such as bandits and unauthorized slavers. You never know when a family member might come looking for them, seeking retribution."
I gulp, considering his point carefully. I certainly don't want a lion daddy hunting me down and barging into my tent with a giant war axe because I bought his stolen daughter.
"We source our merchandise from four avenues," Marcus continues. "First, debt slaves. They're individuals indebted to the kingdom or an establishment. We purchase their debt if repayment seems unlikely. Their roles depend on the debt's extent. Second, credit slaves, the most liberated. They enter slavery by choice due to financial constraints or a desire for focused work. You're essentially hiring temporary workers by paying their wages upfront, unlike lifelong servants with minimal rights."
A maid enters with a teapot, pouring its contents into two cups. She bows and exits, leaving Marcus and me to take sips before he continues.
"Next we have the criminal slaves. These individuals have minimal to no rights, having been convicted by local authorities and sentenced to a life of collared servitude. Lastly, war slaves. During national conflicts, the kingdom or its lords are legally permitted to bring back enemy soldiers or captured citizens as slaves, as long as we are at open war with them. We are at war with both the Beastman Confederation and the Alliance of Elvardia, which is a nation ruled by elves and dwarves in joint partnership, so there's an abundance of war slaves, especially the beast-kin type as our duchy borders their nation. Out of the four types of slaves, these ones are the least free, often having no rights as a living being whatsoever. Their master can do whatever they want with them, no matter how sinister."
I can only nod. Sounds pretty brutal but it is what it is. Blame the game, not the players. Slave sellers are just opportunistic merchants. I can easily imagine how financially rewarding this avenue of trade is.
"Another distinction is how we treat our products. We don't display them for everyone to see, and only problematic slaves are kept in cells. The rest have their own rooms, are well-fed, and enjoy occasional luxuries."
"I see. May I ask about your treatment of prospective sex slaves?" I inquire. "If I ever consider such an expenditure, I'd want assurance they weren't mistreated or used." I have no plans to buy a sex slave at all, but I'm really curious how they keep their employees from 'ruining the products'.
Marcus meets my gaze with understanding. "Naturally, sir. Male employees are strictly prohibited from interacting with them. A dedicated female employee trains each one in maid duties, sensual dancing, and giving oral pleasure- a practice that involves the use of a wooden tool. Originally I hadn't planned to mention it, but since we are already speaking of this topic, let me tell you that this is the final distinction between us and market sellers. Many of their women have endured numerous, forceful encounters with male or even female employees. If you do choose to purchase there, I highly recommend verifying the virginity of the slave. Even then, one can never be certain of what they've been put through during their captivity and 'training'. Women have two other openings that may be used without leaving proof behind, after all."
"I understand," I reply, never intending to buy a sex slave from such a dirty market. "Thank you for your time and detailed explanations. You've significantly expanded my understanding of this aspect of life. I hope to acquire a reliable combat slave to aid in my advancement, but I lack funds. I'll return once I've saved enough coins."
Unexpectedly, Marcus stops me as I rise from my comfy seat. "Ah, wait, kind sir. Perhaps we can assist each other."
Oh? You have my attention, man.
Intrigued, I settle back onto the plush sofa. "I'm listening."
"There's a particular slave who has proven quite challenging to sell," Marcus explains, his cold tone betraying some deeply rooted frustrations. "I purchased her over a year ago for 8 gold coins, believing I could easily fetch 12, perhaps even 20 gold coins for her. She possesses a rare class, level 14, as a Samurai- a derivation of the Swordsman class, exclusive to those descending from a distant continent. Sadly I had to grant her significant autonomy in her clauses, including the right to decline potential owners. Typically, our most valuable products are also given this privilege, but they only decline on average three interested buyers. She is easily in the triple digits by now."