Chapter 8 - The true beasts

Year 1, Spring, Second Month, Second Week.

“Can you help me save him?”

Her words echoed inside the store, yet nobody dared to answer. Rupert looked at her with a complicated expression, trying to find the right words to make Lana understand the situation, but the sounds of the whipping broke his concentration.

“Isn’t that a slave auction? Can’t you help me buy his freedom?”

“That’s…”

Fortunately, Ms. Inona stepped forward to help Rupert.

“Dear, it doesn’t work like that in the Kingdom, the only status that Beastmen can hold is of a slave. Either he dies or accepts his fate… I’m sorry…”

“But… It’s too cruel, I can’t accept this… Look at his eyes, he’s proud… He’s not gonna bow, they’ll kill him… Help me, please!”

“I’m sorry…”

The realization of how barbaric they might look at the girl’s eyes made Inona look down ashamed, but Rupert seemed to have thought of something.

“Are you willing to buy him? In this situation, I think 20 golds would do…”

“Rupert…”

Everyone stared at Rupert. Arthur was about to intervein saying that it was too much money, but he couldn’t say it, how much was a life worth? Lana was shocked speechless. She had considered buying his freedom, but not buying him, she was too disgusted with the idea of owning someone to even consider it. Again, the sounds of whipping and the guttural pained scream brought her to reality. What else could she do? Fortunately, the uncertainty was soon washed by enlightenment, Lana was, after all, someone that would fight against difficult problems with bold solutions. She would buy him now but free him later.

“Do it!”

Lana passed him the 20 gold coins without hesitation but held his arm before he could leave. She hesitated a little while searching for something in her pouch, the expression on her face was very complicated, but she finally decided that it was worth a life. After placing a small golden seed on Rupert’s hand, she explained:

“This is one of my life-saving possessions, it took a lot to get it, I may not find something this rare again, but I’m willing to let you use it in the negotiation if needed… It’s a soul tree seed… If you have to use it, just be sure to bring back its worth…”

Rupert trembled when he looked at the seed in his hand, he could only thank the Origin for his early decision of helping the girl. After hesitating and getting another confirmation from Lana, he stepped on a bridge and moved fast towards the central podium.

“How did you get that? How much is worth it?”

Arthur couldn’t keep himself from asking. Aside from Rupert, he was the only one at the store who had heard of the seed, even though he didn’t know its exact value.

“Hm… It’s not really about the value, but the rarity of it… In the right hands and with a lot of investment, the seed can be cultivated into a soul tree, I don’t need to speak about the worth of the tree’s materials, do I? However, without the proper investment, the seed can only increase spiritual energy, how much of increase is unknown. A desperate Mage would sure pay a lot for it, but no more than 40 gold coins I’m afraid…”

“No more than 40? Are you crazy? That’s a huge sum… You can’t…”

“Arthur, as a Mage, how could you think that 40 golds are a huge sum? Argh… Anyway, that’s the price that a desperate Mage would pay, normally, it would go for 30 or so gold coins…”

“…”

.........

Rupert moved with hast towards the whipping and disagreement sounds, apparently, the wealthy customers felt outrageous about how the slave trader was not even able to control his own slaves. When the Beastman was brought forth, they started to analyze his strength and were really pleased with it, but after he received so many whippings he looked damaged, how could they not be displeased with the slave trader for damaging such a good slave?

Before entering the negotiations, Rupert had to breathe deeply and calm himself, his hands were still trembling with excitement to enter a negotiation with such a treasure. However, he couldn’t delay any longer or the ruthless slave trader would kill the poor Beastman.

“Ahen… How much for the slave?”

The wealthy costumers and the slave trader, turned to the luxury dressed Rupert evaluating his monetary abilities. As for the whipped bull Beastman, after being tortured for so long, he couldn’t understand what happened around him anymore.

“Sir, I’m still disciplining this lawless beast, just give a moment to make it submit…”

“No, I would like a price right now, before you damage him beyond recovery, or are you unwilling to sell him to me? Quickly give me a price… If the other Sirs also want the Beastman, we can negotiate, of course…”

“Hm…”

The other customers also pressed the slave trader to give a price, the Beastman was after all, unable to offer much more resistance. As for the slave rebelling later, they weren’t concerned about it, once the slave mark was placed in him, he wouldn’t be allowed to disobey his master. However, the slave trader was very displeased with the situation, the Beastman's unwillingness to submit wasn’t a problem for the consumers but it demonstrated his inability to control the slaves, which could reduce his prestige and thus the profit of his deals.

“40 golds… He’s strong and was one of the candidates for chieftain in his Tribe…”

The customers laughed, the haggling had already started. One of the customers mocked the trader:

“He could be worth that before you damaged him, but now… he can only be considered a low quality good…”

The trader was even more displeased with the situation, but he knew that he went too far with the punishment, he blamed the damned slave for being too proud. Soon, the prices dropped to 15 gold coins, but even so, the customers looked a little unwilling. Rupert had sparked curiosity and desire to compete against a newcomer on them but he only offered to pay ten golds for the slave. The trader could only try to entice them:

“Sirs, look at the Beastman build… With his strength is not impossible to carry even 400 kg when he heals… How about you Sir, you looked interested early?”

“Humph… I only intervened because I couldn’t bear to see you damaging such good merchandise… I’m sure the other Sirs can understand my position… However, I wouldn’t like for people to say that I was interested and didn’t have enough money to buy him… I could pay 20 golds but you would have to hand him at least walking, it’s outrageous to pay so much and still have to carry such a big slave…”

The others looked at him suspiciously but didn’t dare to bet 20 golds in their doubts. The slave trader saw an opportunity to get more money, but before he could ask for more, Rupert interrupted him.

“If you’re unwilling to part with the slave, don’t waste our time… Why did you brought him forward with you don’t want to do business? Don’t think you can humiliate us…”

“No, Sir… I’m willing, let’s close the deal… Tomorrow he will be walking at the time of the delivery… Eh… About the slave marking price…”

“Of course I know about the costs… As customary, I’ll pay for it! I’m leaving now, he better be ready tomorrow! Excuse me, Sirs… ”

Rupert walked back feeling a little disappointed, although it was a flawless result, he had a secret desire of showing the seed, making both customers and slave traders fight for it. Even so, this was the best result, now he had a chance to convince Lana to trade the seed with him.

.........

“Rupert, I can’t thank you enough… I wish I could have seen you in action, I could have learned a lot from you…”

He pretended to be too flattered and a little shy from the praises, but his false modesty didn’t escape Lana’s eyes.

“You’re welcome… However, it’s my time to ask you for a favor, Lana… I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to advance past my current position for a long time… I inherited a small store on the eighth floor from my father, for seven years I worked day and night to get to this 11th floor, but for five years I’ve been stuck in this position… Now I see a chance to go further, you saved me from getting stuck here forever, thank you! I know you must have your own plans for the seed, but could you entrust it to me? I would like to find the right resources to try to grow it… I know how much it would take, but I’m willing to try…”

Seeing Lana’s complicated expression, Rupert pressed forward:

“If you’re willing to trust it to me, I would also help you back… If I can grow it, I would give you a 20 percent share of its materials… Also, I would give you some compensation now, so you won’t lose anything if fail to grow the seed… How about if I pay for the slave and give you some money back?”

Lana pretended to be conflicted. She already knew that he would ask for the seed, she had considered it before taking the seed out, but she wouldn’t be counting on him wanting to grow it and offering her a share. It’s not like she didn’t think about growing it herself, but the number of resources and the difficulty to get them was very high. Either way, she already decided to trust him.

“Can you help me get a cart?”

“…”

Rupert was speechless. He now guessed that she had already planned for it when she took the seed out. He could only laugh at his naivety, thinking he would have a hard time convincing her. However, a cart wasn’t easy to get, so he had to consider it carefully. In fact, the cart wasn’t rare or too expensive, but a beast to pull it was. That’s why few could afford to be Merchants and move goods between cities, many ended up buying a slave Beastman to pull their carts because it was easier than getting a beast. However, he knew that Lana wasn’t planning to use the slave to pull it. Even Rupert only had one tamed beast to pull his carts.

“That…”