TD Chapter 5: Let’s Go Play

　The carriage mildly rumbles and rattles. It is a well-built and solid carriage that can comfortably accommodate six people. The interior is decorated in brown and white, with red cloth as an accent.

　The busy city can be seen from the window. Wooden buildings and church-like buildings made of stone. Carriages that come and go. I have only observed ordinary people so far, no elves and beastmen to be found.

　However, there are many armored passerby as well as merchants, who make the whole scene colorful and intriguing to see. There is a person who walks around with a rope that is tied to a person dressed in rags. They probably have an unusual sexual preference. Why are you grinning in the street, you pervert.(T.N. Note: Well I guess I have to re-add the slave tag on NU… )

　Till, who was looking out from the carriage as well, opened her mouth.

“Where do you wish to go, Master Van?”

“I want to see a big store.”

　Till snorted as he answered the question immediately, but she soon tilted her head.

”A big shop……..then let’s make it Mary’s Chamber of Commerce. It’s a large merchant association that has branches all over the kingdom, not just in this city. Most items can be found just by going to Mary’s Chamber of Commerce.”

“My goodness, Till’s a know-it-all!”

“Hehehe.”

　I look outside again, returning an affectionate smile to an embarrassed Till as I cheekily stick out my tongue.

　Merchants are calling out to each other and people are laughing at together. The outside world is full of energy.

　While I’m people-watching inside, the carriage stops and a servant calls out to me.

”Go. We have arrived at our destination.”

　The servant was a bit blunt. But with the way he said it while bowing his head to us repeatedly, it seems that he is simply not skilled with respectful speech.

”Thank you,”

　When I smiled at him, the man smiled and nodded repeatedly.

“Hey, hey. Come out.”

　When the servant opened the carriage door, Till was the first to get out. Then she pulls my hand. From the outside it might look like my sister is helping her older brother, though it is quite the opposite.

　As soon as I get out of the carriage, the two soldiers who had been following behind the carriage lined up on either side of me.

“Thank you, soldiers”

　Then he looked up.

　There was a large stone building in front of me. It’s huge. It’s about the size of a supermarket in Japan. It’s a two-story building which has a similar look to a gymnasium.

　The large double doors, and the window frame with many fine details are quite stylish and to my tastes.

　Now, let’s go in.

　Just as I was about to do so, a shouting voice rang out on the main street.

“Oh, come on!”

　At the sound of the voice, which was ripe with unconcealed fury, I turned around and saw a man walking across the street, pulling a cord along.

　A closer look revealed a dirty rag moving behind the man. When I looked further, I realized it was a human child.

　Huh, it’s a child, though they look older than me.

　When the man noticed that we were watching him, he was momentarily frightened, but soon glared at us with an angry frown.

“Ey, what the hell. I ain’t putting on a show.”

　As the man said this, my bodyguards put their hands on the hilt of their swords. The man, although frightened by this, did not show any signs of pulling back.

　The air becomes heavy and tense as I speak to the man.

“Hey. Who is that boy? Why are you tied together?”

　When I asked him this, the man looked a little uneasy, but he replied.

“I am here to sell her as a slave.”

　At those words, I look at Till. Then Till turned to the man with a difficult face.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll explain myself properly, this child is collateral for his father’s debt.”

　The man said that like it was a matter of course, and pointed to the child behind him.

“….the collateral for his father’s debt?”

　When I raise this question, Till opened her mouth sadly.

“Only two types of slaves are allowed according to the Slavery Act: slaves created due to debt and slaves created due to the slave having previously committed a crime. However, since ancient times, poor villagers and townspeople have sold the children who couldn’t be fed as slaves to pay for their living expenses… so they would use the debt transfer system to turn their children into debt slaves.”

　Till explained that, and the eyes around the slaver became slightly cold. However, the reason why no more harsh gazes or voices are directed at them is probably that slavery is quite an ingrained facet of society.

　In other words, everyone is used to seeing scenes like this.

”Ah, this is……..is this Marquis-sama’s son?”

　Suddenly, a woman in her thirties or so bowed deeply and uttered such a statement. How did she know that I was from the Marquis family?

　I looked at Till while tilting my head, and she nodded her head in satisfaction and replied.

”That’s right! This is the famous prodigy, Mr. Van Ney Fertio! Look, at this emblem as evidence!”

　Till says happily and points to my back. I quickly checked, and the back of the jacket I was wearing had a sword pattern drawn on the silhouette of a cow. It is the emblem of our marquis family, a magical behemoth and the magical sword used to defeat it. No, wait. Just because there is such an anecdote doesn’t mean we actually have that legendary magic sword in our house.

　And right now, I don’t care about my family’s coat of arms.

”I……..wore this kind of thing?”

　Why didn’t I notice it when they were making me change? It’s embarrassing.

　As I wallowed in depression, the woman who greeted me looks up with a smile.

”I knew it was the Marquis family……..! Come on, welcome to Mary’s Chamber of Commerce. What can I do for you, sir? I’ll provide you with everything you need! Oh, my name is Rosalie.”

　Rosalie said, and bowed again in a good mood.

”This, a Marquis’……..”

　I suddenly heard the slaver moan and turned to look at him, catching him in the middle of his retreat.

　Was he worried that he was going to be arrested for trying to enslave a child using gray methods? (T.N. Note: Gray as in toeing the edge of legality)

　With that thought in mind, I open my mouth to Rosalie.

“I have a quick question, if that’s okay? I heard you want to sell that girl into slavery, how much would a kid like that be worth?”

　Being asked that, Rosalie turned to look at the slaver with a serious face.

”……..They’re about eight years old. What’s their aptitude for magic?”

　Rosalie asks, and the man replies with a frown.

“Well, it is a magical aptitude for stealing.”

“I can’t give you more than three large silver coins for that child.”

　Rosalie answered immediately. The man gave a puzzled look at her words.

“Wait a minute! Every slave I’ve seen sells for five large silver coins at least! He’s still young enough to be a slave for a long time, I deserve a higher price!”

　Rosalie sniffed and crossed her arms at such a complaint.

”All stores buy them for less than half the selling price. The kid is only worth three large silver coins. When we sell it, though, we markup the price to six or seven pieces of silver. A woman would have gone for twice as much, but since customers have no use for a small child, the cost of raising the child is deducted from the price.”

　Rosalie told him, and the man bit his teeth and looked down at the child he’d brought with him.

“Damn, useless thing! All right, I’ll sell it for three large silver pieces! Here, give me the money!”

　The man said in frustration and pushed the child forward. He pushed so hard that the child rolled forward and grunted as he collapsed to the ground.

　Seeing this, Rosalie’s eyes sharpened.

”Well wait a minute. You shouldn’t treat them like that? It’s your kid, right? It wouldn’t hurt to be a little gentle….”(T.N. Note: It is here that I finally realized the slaver was the girl’s father. That’s really messed up.
Edit: Guy’s father, the slave is a guy.)

“Shut up! Stay out of it!”

　The man yells back, interrupting Rosalie’s words. Even though she was trying to close out the sale, Rosalie opens her mouth, her shoulders angry, revealing her anger.

“Don’t be ridiculous! We don’t have to buy him. If you want to sell him, you could at least lie to the kid about it…”

“You know, you guys are always fooling me…! I don’t want to sell it to you! Come on! We’re going to another store!”

“Ah!”

　The child squealed in pain as the man with a bright red face pulled the string.

“I’ll buy it. Five large silver coins. How about it?”

　I couldn’t help but say so. If that man took her like this, the child might be killed. Such a worry was filling my head.

　I see the man and Rosalie turn to me, and I, in turn, look at Till.

“Do you have any money, Till?”

　When she heard that, Till hurriedly took out a leather bag.

”Ha, yes……..! I had a gold coin ready for you, just in case!”

　Saying this, Till takes out a coin engraved with a gilded horse.

“Till, I asked for large silver coin, no? Five pieces.”

　As I say this, Till starts checking the inside of the leather bag again in a hurry. She chuckles nervously as she fails to find any. Seeing her plight, Rosalie holds out her hand to Till.

“Let’s exchange that coin for some large silvers. Leave it to me.”

　As Rosalie said this, she quickly brought out ten large silver coins and handed five to Till.

“You should thank Master Van for his kindness,”

　She then tossed five large silver coins at the man.

　The man still looked pissed off, but when he noticed the large silver coins that had dropped on the ground, he hurriedly gathered them up and left.

　The abandoned child didn’t know what to do, and he squatted down on the spot.

”……..What’s your name?”

　When I ask that, the child looks up at me through a gap in his ragged hair and muttered softly.

“….Kamsin.”

Original Author’s Note: If you find it even a little interesting or are even a little curious at what happens next,

Please rate it by clicking on the stars at the bottom of the page!

It’s what keeps me going!

(T.N. Note: It seems like the same note will be present at the bottom of every chapter, so I’ll only include them if there is something different in the ending messages.)

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