Invited in, I followed him up the staircase to the second floor.
We entered a parlor equipped with a low table and a sofa—this must be where they received guests.
"Please have a seat and wait for a moment," he said before leaving the room.
Why isn't there at least someone at the front desk? They must be making money!
As I entered the room and settled comfortably on the sofa, a strikingly beautiful woman walked in.
"Excuse me," she said, placing a tray with a cup of tea on the table right in front of me.
"Thank you," I replied. To my surprise, she sat across from me instead of leaving. It seemed she wasn't just here to serve tea.
"I'm Marie Kazaha, the vice guildmaster of the Alchemist Guild. I hear you're looking to sell some potions?"
I had assumed the Alchemist Guild was quite prosperous, but was it really so short-staffed that the vice guildmaster herself had to serve tea? I wanted to ask about it, but it felt inappropriate.
"Pardon me. My name is Zenjiro. I'm a budding alchemist, though this is my first visit to this town. I heard that the guild buys Level 1 potions at a good price, and I'd like to sell some."
"Where did you hear such rumors? If you don't mind me asking, what is your alchemy level, Mr. Zenjiro?"
"No problem. My level is 3."
I didn't specify it was my alchemy level; I won't lie.
"Level 3 at such a young age? That's hard to believe. May I see your potions?"
Wait a second—was the highest level for alchemy only 3? I could have sworn my maximum level was 10.
"Here you go."
I quickly created a degradation potion from my item box, making it seem like I was pulling it from my pocket.
She uncapped the potion bottle I handed her, tilted it skillfully to drip just one drop onto the back of her hand, and licked it.
"This potion is closer to a Level 2 Heal Potion than a Level 1. Can you sell it to me for the price of a Level 1 Heal Potion, which is currently twenty-one silver coins?"
It seemed she could appraise potions as well.
"Yes, twenty-one silver coins is no problem. After all, at the Adventurers' Guild, it's seven silver coins."
"The Adventurers' Guild, huh? It's tough to run a guild well if the people in charge don't understand business. So, how many potions are you planning to sell?"
"I'd like to sell about a hundred today."
"A hundred! Oh, excuse me. That would be two hundred and ten gold coins, right? If you can sell me more after tomorrow, that would be wonderful."
"Then I'll be sure to bring more after tomorrow. Now, let me start placing the potions on the table."
While creating ten potions at a time from my item box, I began to line them up on the table.
"...Ninety-nine, one hundred. Exactly a hundred. Please verify. Ah, I'll give you the first one for free as a sample."
"...I see you hold the highest rank in alchemy, Level 3, and also possess an item box. I'll prepare the payment, so please wait a moment." With that, Marie stepped out of the room.
As I sipped the tea that had been served, Marie returned, carrying a tray. On it was a pouch filled with gold coins. "Please check this."
I carefully laid the pouch on the tray, counted the coins, and signed the provided receipt. After putting the coins back into the pouch and storing it in my item box, I was about to leave when Marie said, "Zenjiro, would you consider joining the Alchemist Guild? Normally, joining requires an introduction from a prominent figure in this town or a well-known alchemist, but we would be thrilled to have someone like you."
"What benefits would I gain from joining the guild?"
"Our guild provides stable supplies of materials to its members and offers fixed prices for potions. This is the greatest advantage for our members. We also handle quite rare alchemical materials, and if requested, we can source them on behalf of our members. Additionally, the prices for alchemical materials sold to guild members are discounted by 10 to 30 percent from the usual rates."
"Well, what are the downsides?"
"I can't say for sure if it's a downside, but guild members are required to pay a gold coin as a joining fee. Additionally, after one year, you must pay a lump sum of five percent of your total potion sales to the guild."
To me, there's no benefit at all—just a hassle.
"I see. Let me think about joining the Alchemist Guild. Thank you for your time."
I couldn't care less if he looked disappointed.
With that, I left the Alchemist Guild.
It was still before noon—the bells hadn't chimed yet—but I felt a bit hungry.
Maybe using alchemy makes you hungry.
There was a food stall nearby, so I bought two skewers. I couldn't tell what kind of meat it was, but since they were freshly grilled, they tasted pretty good. As I walked down the street eating, I noticed a bald man standing in front of a large store who bowed in my direction.
Did he want something from me?
His fancy attire led me to think he believed I was a customer. I approached him and asked what kind of shop it was.
"This is the largest slave trading house in town," he replied.
The word "slave" might upset people back in Japan, and the thought of buying and selling slaves… Well, this is a fantasy world for me. I can take it lightly.
So, I said,
"Oh, really? You sell slaves here? Like, beautiful ladies or something?"
I couldn't help but ask honestly.
"Of course. We have beautiful slaves available, as well as ones who can handle all household tasks."
"Oh? That sounds interesting. Could you show me inside?"
"Certainly! Please, right this way."
I followed the man into the shop. As I stepped inside, the entrance revealed a spacious and brightly lit hall, enhanced by the natural light streaming through the windows. The high ceilings and the presence of potted plants added a touch of sophistication, making it clear that this place was quite upscale.
That's right! Once I have some money, I'll buy a few capable slaves, train them, and let them work for me. I could enjoy passive income without lifting a finger—just the thought of it was exhilarating.
If there are any slaves with disabilities, they would likely be cheaper, which is even better. With my potion, I could heal them in no time.
It was time to start negotiating. I didn't have a lot of cash on hand, but I was curious about the prices. I figured child slaves would be cheaper than adults, and if they had a bit of common sense and could handle light manual work, they'd likely learn quickly.
"Forget the pretty adults. I want a few child slaves, around ten to fifteen years old. I'm fine with some minor disabilities; wouldn't that mean I could get a discount?"
"Are you okay with having a child with a disability? If that's the case, being a child, I can offer a significant discount. Normally, for a healthy slave child, the price is fifty gold coins each, but for one with physical disabilities, it would be around twenty gold coins. Since I'll need to provide some education for any underage slaves I take in, even with government subsidies, the costs for food and clothing will add up."
While the demand for child slaves might be low, the possibility of receiving government assistance makes it feasible to take in a few. By offering them shelter in a place like this, the number of street children could decrease, which seems beneficial from the government's perspective. Still, it feels surprisingly cheap for a human life, even that of a child. Should I go ahead and buy one right here?
"Can you select a few for me?" I asked.
"Certainly. I will bring them right here." The old man spoke to a young attendant nearby, who promptly dashed into the back.
"Please wait here for a moment," I was directed to a chair at the round table.
After a short wait, the young attendant returned with four children in tow. They all looked to be around ten years old and were all girls. Surprisingly neat and tidy, considering they were merchandise.
"Here are the ten- to fifteen-year-old slaves we currently have available. This girl lost her parents in an accident and her leg was injured, so we took her in when she had no one else. The other three are orphans but do not have any disabilities."
"Are the children here mostly orphans?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"I see. So, if I were to buy them all, it would cost a hundred and seventy gold coins?"
"If you purchase all four together, we can offer them to you for a hundred and fifty gold coins, as we may have future dealings with you. However, I need to confirm a few points before we proceed with the contract."
"What are those?"
"First, please understand that slaves cannot be moved abroad. Attempting to take a slave out of the country, or having done so, will be met with severe punishment."
I doubt I'd get caught, but given that this is a world where magic exists, such things could be discovered more easily than one might think. Regardless, if that's the rule, then I'll just have to abide by it.
"These child slaves haven't incurred debts or committed any crimes. They are simply children who have unfortunately become orphans."
"Right. That makes sense."
"Because of this, orphaned slaves are freed upon reaching adulthood at eighteen. Consequently, once freed, they gain the right to leave their former masters. If they choose to continue working for their previous owner, they must be treated as regular employees under a standard employment contract, not as slaves."
"I understand. What does that entail in practical terms?"
"You would need to provide wages that correspond to the work performed. Although there are such restrictions, are you still interested in purchasing these children?"
"Of course. The idea is to turn them into decent humans before they turn eighteen, right?"
"Exactly. The minimum wage for servants is posted at the town hall, so please check it at that time."
It's a well-thought-out system. I recall reading about something similar in a light novel called "True Summoning Involvement," which I found quite entertaining.
"I understand.
Then, let's gather all four of them."
I pulled out a stack of one hundred and fifty gold coins from my item box and placed them on the round table. Without needing to count, I stacked ten coins fifteen times. As expected from my item box, max level—it really has convenient features that reach all the right spots.
"Indeed, we have received one hundred and fifty gold coins. Here is the receipt, which also serves as the purchase certificate. Please don't lose it. Thank you once again. I am Footer Load, the acting manager of this store. May I know your name?"
"I'm Zenjiro. It's a pleasure, and I look forward to working with you."
I accepted five sheets of parchment covered in writing. It seemed signatures weren't required. I simply slipped them into my pocket and into the item box.
"Alright then. You all, follow me."
Just saying something with a bit of bravado made me feel somewhat grander. I stepped outside the slave trader's office and waited for the four to emerge. They shuffled out, appearing cautious and timid. Behind them, Mr. Footer Road bowed politely. I'm not a scary uncle, though.
"Can you all straighten up a bit and follow me? Come on, get it together! Where's the response?"
"Yes, Master!"
"Good. You all haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's go for lunch."