Chapter 38: Slave part 2

[ ] = Doruuk's Thoughts

The merchant clears his throat, his tone taking on the polished rhythm of a salesman.

"Well, sir, we captured this elf from distant lands," he says, gesturing carelessly toward the woman. "We're not entirely sure if she has healing abilities. She's never spoken a word or opened her mouth since her arrival." He smirks, smug. "But I once saw a lizard that had been injured the day before suddenly walking again near her. I didn't witness the act myself, but I presume healing is her gift."

My expression darkens as I lock eyes with him, voice icy.

"So you know absolutely nothing about her... and based on a wild assumption, you're trying to convince me she has healing powers?"

The merchant shifts uncomfortably under my stare. "You're right, sir. But... that's all the information I have."

[This dwarf... utterly useless.]

"Then at least tell me where she was captured," I press, grasping for a single thread of truth.

He stiffens. His tone grows formal. "I'm sorry, sir. That information is restricted by our rules."

[This guy... I swear—!]

I tear my gaze away from him and focus on the elf.

She's tall — her head nearly reaching my chest — with long, pitch-black hair that seems to swallow light. Most of her face is hidden beneath that dark veil, but her pointed ears peek through, unmistakably elven. Her hands are bound in front of her, and her clothes are torn and filthy — silent testimony to whatever ordeals she's endured.

[She's not moving… but I'm certain she's looking at me through that curtain of hair.]

"Let me think," I mutter, more to myself than to the merchant.

"Take all the time you need, sir," he replies with a fake smile.

[I don't trust this one bit. There's no real proof she's a healer. Just a guess. From him of all people.]

[But I can't go back empty-handed either… and the chances of finding another healer? Close to zero.]

[It's a gamble. A damn risky one. Maybe a 5% shot in the dark… but that's still better than nothing.]

I feel boxed in, caught between the weight of urgency and the fog of uncertainty.

[What do I do?!]

[Ah, screw it.]

[Let's take the risk.]

[We'll see what happens next.]

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Meanwhile…

Zaira sat at a small restaurant not far from the slave market. The air was filled with the scent of roasted meat and exotic spices — a stark contrast to the suffocating mood of the market nearby.

The sharp clinking of boots on tile marked Otis's arrival. He approached Zaira's table with a hint of concern.

"Hey, Zaira. Has Doruuk come back yet?" he asked, scanning the room as if expecting me to appear any moment.

Zaira barely looked up. "Not yet," she said calmly, chewing another bite.

Otis frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm eating."

"I mean… you could've gone with Doruuk instead."

She shrugged without a hint of emotion. "He wanted to go alone."

"We kind of made him go alone," Otis admitted, guilt creeping into his voice.

"It's fine. We'll see how it turns out," she said, then softened a little. "Sit down. Eat. The food's excellent. Afterward, we'll head back. Doruuk will bring the slave to the base himself."

Otis hesitated, then gave in. "Alright."

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Back to Doruuk…

[I've made my decision.]

I look up, my eyes locked on the merchant's.

"Yes. I'll take her," I say firmly.

The merchant's face lights up with greedy satisfaction, though he tries to hide it with polite cheer. "Very well, sir!"

"But first," I add sharply, "I want every piece of information you have on her."

He sighs theatrically. "Sir, I've already told you all I know."

[If I could punch this guy…]

My voice turns harder. "Then make sure she can't escape, betray us, or ignore orders."

A smug grin creeps across his face. "No need to worry, sir. Everything will go exactly how you want it."

"And how do you guarantee that?" I ask, clearly skeptical.

"Simple," he says, voice lowering as if revealing some great secret. "After payment, we'll escort you to a ritual chamber. There, a small amount of your blood and the slave's will be combined. Through magic, we'll inscribe a mark onto her body. This mark will bind her to you. She won't be able to betray you. If you die, she dies with you. If she escapes, you'll receive a document allowing you to summon us. We'll track and capture her in no time."

A chill crawls down my spine at the idea of such a forced bond, but I keep my expression cold and unreadable.

"Good."

He leans in closer. "And if you'd like, we can enhance the mark. Disobedience triggers electric shocks."

I nearly recoil at the idea. The disgust is immediate.

"No. That won't be necessary."

[I refuse to become someone like that.]

The merchant looks slightly disappointed but nods. "As you wish, sir. Shall we proceed to the payment?"

No more hesitation. No more questions.

"Yes," I say. "Let's proceed."

"Right this way, sir."

Chapter-End.