"Oh, thank you very much! I'll prepare the contract right away. Please wait a moment," the slave trader said, bowing deeply. Despite his exaggerated gestures, they didn't come across as insincere.
With the five slaves escorted out, the introductions were complete. Now, it was time to move on to the real business.
As planned, Cedran began, "By the way, I heard you recently acquired Lizardman slaves," steering the conversation toward their real objective.
But before he could continue, Elyon abruptly interjected, "Enough with the dull theatrics. Let's cut to the chase."
"Wait, Ely!" Damien whispered urgently, tugging at Elyon's sleeve. "The negotiations are Cedran's responsibility!"
Elyon, however, remained unfazed. "Didn't you notice? The selection of slaves was odd—especially if they're meant to be presented to you or that boy Theo."
"Huh? The selection?" Damien exchanged puzzled looks with Cedran.
