"Here is your room, esteemed guest. Before that, please let me introduce myself," is what the beautiful woman in a butler's suit said after we arrived in front of a room.
"Go ahead," I replied with a gentle smile.
The woman flushed and continued, "Well then, I am Angelica. I will be your personal butler during your stay here at Miss Hazel's Hotel. Please call me whenever you need my services," she then gave a low curtsy bow.
"Neat, then can we proceed now?"
"Yes, of course. Let me lead the way," she said as she opened the door to our room.
*****
"Say, how much does one night here cost again?" Lory asked.
"200,000 seya each night, apparently, that includes meals if you're wondering," I said as I chomp away at my steak.
"Two-!?" Lory choked at her… pik juice? That's what they call it. It tastes like a mixture of grapes and mango, not really what I like.
"T-that's a lot of money, young miss. Where'd you get that?" Lo asked after looking crazy at her steak similar to mine, Li just widened her eyes then ate her's slower than she already was.
"Not important at the moment. We're only going to stay here for 5 days 6 at most. I want to be able to sail by then. Now finish those up so I can start preparing,"
That said, what preparations do I need..? Sort out your needs, Celeste.
Food, that's always a must. That could be solved easily since I am planning on boarding a noble's ship. Though that in itself may cause some problems such as greedy nobles wanting connections or their infatuation. Blood, I'll have to ask how long it usually takes to reach the continent so I know how much food and blood I actually need to bring. Though the food part is simply for emergencies.
Asking around authorities can be suspicious since I am supposed to be a noble elf coming back to my home continent, I guess I'll eavesdrop around the ports later or tomorrow when I go there for boarding.
We finished our meals and went out of the room and then out of the building. After walking aimlessly around the shopping district, we unintentionally reached the ports. I looked around to find someone who seem to be somewhat in charge while we looked around. There were ships of all sizes, small and large boats that are probably for fishing. Then ships of all designs away from them. There were some that looked fancy, most that looked normal, then the others that looked like they will sink when one bad storm hit them while sailing.
After looking around just a little more, I saw someone who looked important.
"You three, feel free to go around more, I am going to talk to that bearded man over there," I pointed at the man as I said so.
"I'm staying with miss," Li said. "Then I'm staying too…" Lo said too.
"How about you, Lory?" I asked with a sideglance.
"I'm going to look around a little more," she smiley said.
I squinted my eye at her and said, "Hmmm, okay then. Just come back to the inn if we don't meet back here at the ports."
With that, we walked the opposite way.
I approached the man with a childish smile and stated, "Good day, I am Eraldine Siyen. I am looking for a boarding ship that destination is the Hyuu continent."
"Oh you're the one captain was talking about with the management! Hold on, let me get someone from there so you could talk about it." He said before running off to a building a little away from where we were, away from the docks.
Soon came someone else that had a thick coat on and we discussed it. There were five different boarding ships that will depart for Hyuu continent in three days. Two of which are for nobles. I asked for more details such as payment and registration and we settled for the other one that was less expensive, the other ship was apparently going to hold a ball on sail so I went for the other.
After the discussions, traveling is now dealt with and prepaid, both meals and stay. Cost me one million and 5 hundred thousand seya, but that is way less than what I had budgeted.
"Now then, you two head back for the inn and meet up with Lory when she comes back, I am going around more to see if there's anything interesting," I said to the twins before walking off. They just bowed and did as I said.
"Well then, let's see what the underworld has to offer," I muttered to myself.
After walking around the darker alleys for more than two or three hours, some kind of thugs showed up and jumped me. Though I quickly disarmed them.
"Well then, you three. I want you to lead me to where the biggest slave merchant is," I indifferently said.
After going into a huge tent filled with cages stacked above each other covered with cloth that looked like a circus some tall guy greeted me and said, "Oho, isn't it Lady Seyin. I have heard a lot about you from my patrons. A lot even complained that I sell them someone similar in looks or even have you abducted to sell to them," he said as his monocles gave a slight glint.
"Good for you for not trying, else you would have suffered quite a huge loss."
"OHOHO! Seeing you for myself, that really does sound true!"
"Enough pleasantries, show me what you have in store," I urgingly said to the guy.
"Oh my, are you perhaps here to buy back your fellow elves, Miss? Then this way please…" he presented with his hands and I followed suit with him walking behind me.
"Not necessarily but I shall."
After walking for a dozen seconds, the guy urged me to stop.
"They are here, Miss. These are the elf slaves that were sold to me,"
I gave him a sideglance and a nod then used my appraisal.
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"Weak…" I blurted out.
"Eh?" The guy was confused. "Were you not here to buy elven slaves, miss?"
"I am not. I assume all of them are sold only for their beauty and not ability?"
"Yes, elven slaves are mostly sought after for their beauty and durability. Mostly for sexual reasons," He crouched down and looked at the elves that were all in the same cages as he spoke.
"Show me something else. Ones that could prove useful to me, not some sex slaves that are only good for arousing someone's kink. I'll say it in advance but I don't need something for fighting. I want one that skills could prove useful."
"Goodness, this is unexpected… Of course, miss. This way then," He whispered to himself and then urged me to follow him.
"There are only three slaves that skills I know of, and these are them. The redhead boy is a half-demon that has short warp skill. Though opening a pair of portals exhausts him so much that he will faint."
"How far can the portals be?"
"Fifty meters at most, though he will look like a dead bag of flesh if he does use it."
"Useless, I can cover that distance in a single blink of an eye just by running. Next"
"Seriously..? I'm glad I didn't let myself be forced by those stupid nobles…" He whispered to himself.
"I said next, what are you waiting for?"
"Right, quite impatient, miss. The second, the really small girl chained in the corner, is a fairy that has the rare plant magic skill. She was caught playing some real dangerous pranks on some high-ranked hunters and was sold to me just to get rid of her while also profiting off of her. To be honest, I want her off my hands already, can you please buy her? I'll give you a discount for her."
"I'll decide when I've seen all of them, now next."
"Right, this one is quite a broken product. She's a sobbing mess. She was sold to me by a boy that I was sold to me along her. He revealed to me her skills in exchange for his freedom. I have no idea where that boy is now but he isn't really going to sell for much so I just gambled for her. I lost that gamble though after a little more observation, she's a pitiful one" he said as he reached for the cloth that covered the other half of the cage.
"!?" My eyes widened when I saw her stats, but I was more strangely surprised after looking at her.
The cloth fell softly fell to the dusty floor, revealing a petite girl with beautiful short rosewood hair that shone a beautiful luster even in this dimly lit cage. Golden amber-colored eyes with tears continuously flowing down her face as she stared at me. No, she wasn't staring at me, I just happened to be in her line of sight.
:Name:Ahsa
:Race:Human
:Age:16
:Level:5
:Stats:
STR:3
AGI:4
DEX:21
INT:6
LUK:-35
VIT:2
Total stats:36
:SKILLS:
Active:
[Metal Creation]⟩Create any metal out of nothing regardless of the Law of conservation of energy
[Metal Manipulation]⟩Control Metal however wanted and however imagined
Passive:
:Attributes:
Fire:100/100
Metal:100/100
:Titles:
[Sorrowful Soul]⟩Soul that has received severe sorrow that will only recede by unknown means depending on the victim.
[Metal Spirit's Gift]⟩Grants Unique skills :Metal Creation: and :Metal Manipulation:
[Support Seeking]⟩Victim will only be able to think for themself when someone holds their hand or when someone embraces them
"How much for her? Price, now," My gaze darted towards the slave trader and asked.
Not only does she confirms the existence of spirits, but she's also the one I secretly wanted for myself. I'll buy her now, even how much. I can make up for my loss by selling metals that she'll create for me later down the line. I don't care about her past or whatever she's tied to, I'll destroy them.
"You decided quite fast, miss. Are you sure you want her? I haven't even explained anything about her yet," He looked at me surprised before reaching for a small abacus from inside his suit.
"I don't care. Get her out of there and tell me the price." I impatiently said.
He did as I said and he pulled her by the chain attached around her neck to me.
At that moment, I don't know what got into me but my impatience only grew by the second as she walked her way out of the cage to me. Every step she took I felt my hand and back be covered in more and more sweat. My eyes widened when she tripped on her foot and my body moved in reflex and I was instantly in front of her before I gently caught her before she could even bend forward, dirtying my dress in the process. She's a head and a half taller than me. After falling into my embrace, I found myself strangely at ease. The same couldn't be said for her as her eyes widened for a moment before she tried to push me away.
I felt pain in my chest when I realized that her eyes looked at me scared and I couldn't help but hug her tighter. This in turn caused her to try harder and even more tears came running down her sunken cheeks, evident of malnutrition.
I then threw one whole silver coin at the guy and said, "I am leaving. That's for her payment."
I hurriedly destroyed the collar and pulled her out by the hand.
After we got out of the tent, I tightened my hand around hers and felt her warmth. I then looked at her. Face that lacked nutrition but was beautiful to my eyes nonetheless.
"U-um," she looked around cutely as panic was evident in her expression.
I felt the sides of my small lips curl up at her action and I whispered to her ear that, "From now on, you are mine."
*****