Chapter 3: The Price of a Slave
Hitoshi's gaze lingered on the strange panel floating before him, glowing softly in the dim confines of his cage. The illuminated letters of the "Status Window" shimmered faintly, casting a surreal light across his bruised, dirt-smeared face.
His lips moved as he read each stat carefully, curiosity mingling with confusion.
HP: 10/10
" Okay, that seemed simple enough. Health points, right? It made sense somehow." He thought to himself before moving on to the next.
MP: 0/0
He frowned. "What's MP supposed to be?" he muttered. "Maybe... magic points?, Like those games big kids play on their tablets?"
In the end he didn't know what to think so he shook his head, dismissing it as unimportant for now. His attention drifted to the other numbers:
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 2
Perception: 1
Hitoshi's heart sank. "These are all... so low," he whispered. "Does that mean I'm weak? Like... super weak?" He bit his lip, trying to ignore the growing sense of helplessness.
Then his eyes landed on Charisma: 4.
His brows furrowed in thought. "Charisma... what's that?" He scratched his head, wincing as his fingers brushed over a tender bruise. "Does it mean I'm charming or something?, Like... cool?, But I don't feel cool. I just feel scared." He said with a trembling gaze when recalled his current social ranking.
Still, it was the highest number on the list, and for some reason, that made his chest puff up slightly. "Maybe I'm secretly awesome and just don't know it yet." he whispered hopefully, forcing a weak smile.
But then there was the matter of his skill.
Skills: (SSS Class) - Emotional Bubble Wrap
Hitoshi blinked at the bizarre name, tilting his head in confusion. "Bubble wrap?" he muttered incredulously. "Like the stuff old miss Hinata gives me to play with when she orders packages?" He scratched his chin, a habit he'd picked up from watching adults pretend to think deeply.
" Hmm..."
"Wait... what's 'SSS Class' mean by the way?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "It sounds super important... but why would a skill with such a cool level sound so dumb?"
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the distant thud of heavy footsteps echoing through the dark space. The sound grew louder, accompanied by a gravelly, fawning voice.
Hitoshi's small body tensed instinctively. His stomach churned as the familiar dread crept up his spine.
It's him.
The orc slave master stomped into view, his fat physique swaying with each lumbering step. Dressed in simple linen clothing stained with sweat and grime, the hulking creature exuded an air of cruelty that made Hitoshi's skin crawl.
The orc's voice, oily and insincere, grated against Hitoshi's ears. "Ah, My Lady, You honor my humble establishment with your presence."
A woman walked beside the orc, a stark contrast to his brutish appearance. Her pale skin glowed faintly in the dim torchlight, her crimson eyes sharp and unsettling. Her thick raven black hair cascaded in glossy waves before being properly gathered into a meticulous bun.
Her pristine maid outfit clung provocatively to her hourglass figure, The snug fabric amplifying the tantalizing swell of her well proportioned chest.
Each sway of her hips teased the fabric, highlighting a firm, perky behind that demanded attention and left countless men's minds running wild.
The sleek cut of her maid outfit showcased her stockings covered, long, slender legs, toned and extremely smooth to the touch, leading to soft, supple, juicy thighs begging to be worshipped.
All in all she was a dead set 8.5/10!.
Hitoshi blinked, confusion mixing with discomfort. Why does she look like that?. As innocent as he was, This was Hitoshi's first time seeing such a sexy woman in his life, all the Onee-san's he usually saw were at most average in comparison, the only exception being his kindergarten teacher who was a fine young lady in her own rights.
Meanwhile, The orc continued his boastful chatter. "I have the finest selection of slaves in the entire Nightwood Kingdom!, You won't find better stock anywhere else, I guarantee it."
The lady said nothing, her blood-red eyes scanning the cages with a calm yet composed gaze as if the act of coming here was simply to complete a simple chore and nothing else.
The slave master pointed eagerly at a nearby cage housing a tiger demi-human, a young humanlike creature with fierce amber eyes, a striped tail, and patches of stripped fur on its arms, legs, feet and hands. "This one's strong and obedient!, Perfect for heavy labor or guard duty."
The Lady simply spared the tiger demi-human boy a single glance before moving on without a word.
Sweat beaded on the orc's brow as he scrambled to show off more of his wares. "Ah!, How about this one?" He gestured toward a young red-scaled lizardman slumped against the bars of its cage, its eyes dull and lifeless.
Seeing this, The Lady suddenly displayed a disappointed expression, causing the slavemasters forehead to be covered in perspiration.
Desperation crept into the slave master's voice. "Wait, don't get ready to leave yet, I even have an orc boy, strong bloodline, guaranteed obedience!"
The Lady barely spared a glance at the green-skinned child before dismissing him as well.
On the other hand, Hitoshi watched nervously from his cage, hoping the strange woman wouldn't notice him. Though he wouldn't mind getting bought and taken away from here, seeing the ladies cold demeanor made him rethink his idea of trying to hitch a ride off her.
' Please keep walking. Please don't stop here.' he kept mumbling inwardly.
But fate had other plans.
The Lady halted abruptly, her gaze locking onto Hitoshi's small, bruised form.
He flinched under her intense scrutiny, pressing himself against the back of the cage as if he could disappear into the shadows.
Her crimson eyes gleamed with curiosity. "This one..." she murmured softly, more to herself than to the orc.
Hitoshi's breath caught in his throat. Why is she looking at me like that?
As fear gripped his chest, a sudden system notification appeared before his eyes:
«[+10 Affinity Points]»
The glowing text floated in his vision, momentarily distracting him from the unsettling situation. "What is that supposed to mean..?" he whispered, blinking rapidly.
The floral yet morbid scent wafting from The Lady's presence strangely calmed his racing heart, though he couldn't explain why.
The woman's prolonged stare seemed to register with her as inappropriate. She straightened, brushing imaginary dust off her immaculate dress. "How much for this one?" she asked casually, her voice smooth but firm.
The slave master blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard. "Ah, er... one silver coin should do just fine my Lady."
Her crimson eyes narrowed. "One silver? For a boy in such poor condition?" She pointed to Hitoshi's bruises and scabbed-over wounds. "I'll have to spend a fortune just to nurse him back to health."
The orc's ears twitched nervously. "B-but my Lady, this one—"
"Ten bronze coins," she interrupted sharply.
The slave master's jaw dropped. "That's robbery!"
"Is it?" The Lady arched a brow. "Look at him, not only is he a human child, he's weak, malnourished, probably useless for anything requiring strength. I'd be doing you a favor by taking him off your hands."
A tense silence followed as the orc weighed his options. Finally, with a defeated sigh, he grumbled, "Fine. Ten bronze coins."
Lady Celine smiled smugly, victorious.
Hitoshi, still reeling from the shock of being sold like a piece of furniture, barely registered the creak of the cage door as it swung open. The slave master glared at him. "You want the boy bound, My Lady?"
Hitoshi's heart skipped a beat. His face turned pale as dread pooled in his stomach, his eyes unconsciously moving onto the lady.
The woman's lips curved into an unsettling smile, revealing two sharp fangs that gleamed under the dim torchlight.
"No need," she said smoothly, her crimson eyes fixed on Hitoshi. "I can handle him myself."
«[+10 Affinity Points]»
Hitoshi didn't even pay the system notification a single glance, instead his knees wobbled as he stared at the sharp fangs protruding from her mouth.
' an Oni?!' he thought frantically. Since she looked nothing like an orc, nor a lizardman, and not even a demi-human...
His mind raced with questions, but no answers came. All he knew was that his life had just taken another terrifying turn.