The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate

Chapter 71

Chapter 71

The information Caron gathered from Cobler about Reben could be summarized as follows:

The slave market in Reben operated with the tacit approval of Marquis Leandro.

Most of the slaves captured and brought to the market were refugees fleeing from the southern kingdom.

There were over ten detention camps where these slaves were held.

Slaves with high value, such as elves, were only sold at auctions that were likely run directly by Marquis Leandro himself.

Cobler didn't seem to have held back any secrets.

"Of course, there's no direct evidence that Marquis Leandro is involved, but my suspicion is strong," Cobler admitted.

"What's your reason for suspecting Marquis Leandro is behind this?" Caron asked sharply.

"He takes bribes, doesn't he? People only accept bribes when they've got something to hide. The giver always knows," Cobler explained.

"...That makes sense," Caron replied thoughtfully.

The conclusion was clear. If he wanted to rescue the elven slaves, he'd have to confront Marquis Leandro directly.

Cobler continued to glance nervously at Caron, then explained, "As you probably noticed on your way in, Reben is practically a fortress. Its location is perfect for running a slave market."

As a border city, Reben enjoyed considerable autonomy from the central government, and the position of marquis allowed Leandro to maintain a large private army. After all, the duty of a marquis was to defend the border, which granted him extraordinary authority in the region.

So he's using that power to run a slave market? Caron thought. Something about it didn't sit right. Slave markets were typically run by those with nothing to lose. For a marquis to take such risks, there had to be more to it.

Marquis Leandro had close ties with Duke Salmon's house, one of the empire's most influential families. Caron would need to investigate further, but it was clear this wasn't just about money.

While Caron walked through the narrow alleyways, pondering the situation, Cobler suddenly stopped in his tracks and said, "We've arrived, Young Master! That's the auction house where the top-quality slaves are sold."

Caron lifted his gaze slowly, eyes narrowing as he studied the structure before him.

The building before them stood in stark contrast to the dilapidated structures around it. It was impeccably maintained and far too ornate for what was supposed to be a slave auction house. At the entrance, men stood guard with swords at their waists. Though they wore plain clothes and white masks, Caron immediately recognized that they weren't ordinary guards.

They're knights, he thought.

By the looks of them, they seemed to be at 4-Star and 5-Star. There were eight knights in total, which was far too many for the mere task of guarding a slave auction.

"When they auction off rare merchandise like elves, the security gets tightened like this," Cobler said cautiously. "Just so you know, Young Master, I'd recommend avoiding any unpleasant incidents..."

"Your face is the most unpleasant thing here," Caron muttered, waving a hand dismissively.

"...S-Sorry. Let's head inside then," Cobler stuttered, scratching his head awkwardly before approaching the guards.

"Good work, everyone," he said amiably.

The leader, clearly the commander of the group, stepped forward and demanded, "No entry today without an invitation. Show me your invitation."

"I've brought an important guest. He's looking to purchase some valuable items today," Cobler explained as he gestured back toward Caron.

The commander glanced at Caron, his eyes narrowing as he looked him up and down. "An important guest? Does he have an invitation?"

"He only just arrived today... Can't you make an exception? He carries a Black Card from the Imperial Bank. You know what that means. It's a direct transaction certification!" Cobler said.

The commander's expression stiffened as he asked, "Cobler, did you verify the card's authenticity?"

"Yes, of course! I had someone from the Imperial Bank confirm it. You know how I work. If he weren't a sure thing, I wouldn't have brought him here," Cobler said.

The commander's gaze shifted back to Caron. After a long, silent examination, he finally stepped closer and bowed slightly before asking, "Excuse me, but may we verify the card ourselves, just to be sure?"

Caron's brows furrowed in irritation as he looked down at the bowing commander. His voice dripped with annoyance as he said, "That's the second time today. How dare you people question me?"

However, Cobler firmly shook his head and said, "As I've said many times, our policy at Cobler's Manpower Agency is to feed and take care of the merchandise. I want to find them good owners if possible."

"...Never thought of freeing them instead?" Caron asked.

"Then how would I make a living, Young Master? This is the only thing I learned..."

Smack!

Caron struck Cobler on the back of the head, but Cobler barely flinched, continuing to eat as if nothing had happened.

"Just eat your food," Caron muttered.

Every time Caron tried to give Cobler a break and think positively about him, Cobler did something that reminded him of who the man truly was: A slave trader. It didn't matter how kindly he treated his slaves; at the end of the day, he was still scum. He was just a slightly cleaner pile of filth. Just because there was only a little bit of dirt, it didn't mean there was none.

Caron thought that he would just use Cobler for now, but eventually planned to toss him aside, figuring he was just as bad as the rest.

His eyes scanned the room. On their way in, he had discreetly assessed the guards. There were at least twenty knights, likely more, and several well-trained soldiers in plain clothes were scattered throughout. Breaking out of the place by force wasn't an option. Even if by some miracle he managed to escape with the elves, sneaking out of this prison-like city would be nearly impossible.

The best option is to buy the elves myself, Caron thought.

That way, he could walk out with the elves legally, and Foina wouldn't object. After all, she had asked him to save the elves without specifying how. If Caron paid the price and took them out, no one would complain.

As Caron solidified his plan, Noor appeared on the stage, his voice amplified by magic and spreading through the auction house. The lights dimmed, save for those illuminating the stage.

"Thank you for your patience. We will now begin today's auction," Noor announced.

A smattering of applause followed; then a young boy appeared on stage, shackled and dressed in a tuxedo. He was blindfolded and gagged; all sense of freedom had been stolen from him. The boy's body trembled uncontrollably.

"The first item is a fourteen-year-old noble from the Entro Kingdom in the south. Though his family has fallen due to the long war, he was trained in manners befitting his noble heritage. As you can see, his appearance is exceptional. The starting bid is ten thousand gold, with increments of five thousand gold."

The auction began in earnest.

Caron watched in silence, trying to suppress his disgust as the bids started to fly.

"Bidder twenty-two, fifteen thousand gold."

"Bidder twelve, twenty thousand gold."

It was a race, one in which people placed bids on other human beings as if they were nothing more than commodities.

"Bidder twelve wins. The bid was twenty thousand gold," Noor announced. Just like that, the noble boy was sold off.

As Cobler set down his fork, he said in a low voice, "That woman, the one in seat twelve, is infamous in these parts. A middle-aged noblewoman, she has a thing for young boys from fallen noble families. Rumor has it that the boys she buys end up dead within two days, their bodies discarded in the streets."

Caron wasn't surprised. Anyone who would buy slaves here wasn't normal. Slave markets were always cesspools where people gave free rein to their darkest desires.

The auction continued. More nobles, beastmen, and others were brought up, and one by one, people eagerly bid on them. The winners celebrated with cheers when they claimed their prizes.

Caron etched every detail into his mind. In truth, he wondered if it was really enough to just save the elf and leave.

"Be honest with yourself, Owner," Guillotine said.

Unconsciously, Caron had gripped Guillotine so tightly that he half-drew the blade. Its voice resonated in his head.

"They indulge their desires openly here. Why shouldn't we? You want to kill them all, don't you?" Guillotine continued.

After hearing Guillotine, Caron chuckled softly and said, "You really are a cursed sword."

Guillotine wasn't wrong. At this moment, Caron wanted to erase this place from existence. So, he made a decision.

"I'll have to change the plan," he muttered.

Caron was going to take a darker path.