Tricia had bought a slave who was only skin and bones. Her face was badly burned, and her voice was stolen. She dragged her leg when she walked. It was very clear that making her useful as a Porter would cost a lot of money for a Healer.
Worse, the injury had happened some time ago. The scars were already starting to form. Fixing that properly would be very hard for any normal Healer.
"What are the charges?" Tricia asked calmly. She kept her voice professional.
She was a 'Criminal slave.'
Debt slaves had their debts paid by their master. They earned their freedom by working off that debt. In reality, the pay was so low that true freedom was just a dream. Still, their treatment was much better than a Criminal slave's life.
Criminal slaves, however, stayed slaves until they died. Any level of cruel treatment was allowed. The only rule was that you could not purposely kill them. Other than that, you only had to give them the smallest amount of food, clothes, and shelter.
"Accused of adultery... and causing severe injury to the victim's wife... the Viscountess."
The slave trader read the paper out loud. He sounded bored and cold.
(If I just believe them, she sounds like a total villain, but...)
The slave girl shook her head quickly. She was shaking. Even now, as a slave, she kept saying she was not guilty.
(I doubt she got a fair trial with a noble involved anyway.)
Sadly, some people were sold into slavery because of false charges. This happened a lot, especially when the other party was a noble. Because of this, Tricia could not easily accept the charges.
"What about Contract magic during the questioning?" Tricia asked.
"That slave is just a commoner, you know..." the trader replied. He shrugged it off, talking fast like a street seller.
(This whole 'Criminal slave' business is truly awful...)
Tricia was a commoner herself. This felt much too close to home.
Around her neck sat the mark of the Criminal slave. It was a brand that would never fade.
"Was she tortured or something?" Tricia asked. She looked at the slave's injuries.
(Did they force her to talk through torture?)
"The burns on her face and the leg injury happened when the Viscountess fought back. The scars on her back are from whipping. That happened during the questioning," the trader recited coldly.
"Hm? What does that even mean?" Tricia murmured. She was truly confused.
(Wait... are they saying the Viscountess got hurt, but then she burned this girl's face, beat her up, and broke her leg?)
Unless 'severe injury' meant something different to Tricia, it made no sense. Or maybe it was a case of 'a commoner has no right to speak.' Either way, the slave could not talk.
(The wounds are all on her face...)
"Don't ask me," the trader huffed.
(When you think about it, she could never have fought that Viscountess anyway.)
The victim herself was the one making the claim. There was no way to escape it.
As she read through the records, Tricia suddenly froze. A heavy sense of fear began to sink in.
(Don't you dare feel sorry for her! What are you even going to do if you buy her?)
Nearby, another trader and some brothel owners were talking with 'Couriers.' These Couriers hired many Porters. They kept shops near the West Gate by the Dungeon. Adventurers would often rent a slave to carry their gear before going inside.
"I will give you a discount. Just take her off my hands, will you?" the merchant bargained. He sounded very desperate.
Since they were not allowed to kill them, a trader had to pay for a slave's food if no one bought her.
"Nah, mate, you'd 'ave to pay me for the funeral costs. Look at that leg, she can't even move right. That one is just waitin' to die... it's not a good sight for us, either," another buyer chimed in.
"Same 'ere. She probably would 'ave been a top-tier worker before. If you'd brought 'er to us earlier, I might 'ave paid a Healer for 'er..."
The other buyers nodded in agreement.
It was rare for a slave with such bad injuries to be usable at all. Many died before they could even be sold. After all, they were never going to get any healing.
"I honestly thought she'd die on the way 'ere," the trader muttered.
The slave was shivering. Everyone just wanted her to hurry up and die. She knew what fate awaited a slave. She had known even before she became one. Especially in Edinbia, where there was such high demand for Porters.
The slave's eyes locked with Tricia's. They were filled with a desperate, pleading look.
(No! She might not be innocent! And adultery? That is just impossible!)
Tricia tried her best to convince herself.
"Tricia?"
It was Ash, a fellow Healer. He was carrying several thick, old books he had bought at the market.
"Ah..."
He took one look at Tricia and the slave. He understood the situation right away.
"...are you buyin' her?" Ash asked casually.
"I am currently thinking of a reason to do so..." Tricia answered honestly.
"Pfft! I figured as much. Well, at least with you, there won't be any extra costs for treatment. She still looks young. If you don't need her anymore, you can just sell her somewhere else," Ash said. He waved his hand casually.
(That S-rank is going to lecture me for this, isn't he.)
Ash smirked. He was careful not to let Tricia see.
"Just make her a servant who comes with a boarding house. That will give you some respect," Ash suggested.
"That is it! A caretaker!" Tricia exclaimed. Her face brightened.
"Ash-san, thank you!"
With that, she ran over to the slave.
"Do you mind if I talk to the slave for a moment?" she asked the trader.
The slave trader gave his permission with a nod.
"You. Are those charges true?" Tricia asked directly.
The girl let out a strained, groaning sound. She shook her head.
"Do not lie to me. If I buy you, you will end up telling me the truth anyway," Tricia warned.
The slave girl shook her head desperately. Her eyes were full of tears.
(I am not the kind of person who should be messing with other people's fates, but...)
"I will take her," Tricia announced.
"I have decided to hire you as the caretaker of the boarding house I am building! I look forward to working with you!" Tricia declared. She gave the girl a warm, professional smile.
Summary:
Tricia observes a grievously injured and silenced slave in a market, struggling with the moral dilemma of purchasing a victim of potential injustice. Urged by her acquaintance Ash to find a practical reason to justify the purchase, Tricia impulsively decides to hire the slave as a caretaker for her new boarding house. The slave's fate is sealed as Tricia prepares to bring her home, leaving the truth of the slave's criminal charges as an unresolved variable.
Trivia:
- Criminal slaves are marked with an indelible brand that enforces obedience to their master.
- The city of Edinbia has a high market demand for slave porters for dungeon expeditions.
Notes:
• Tricia - Light‑haired, obsidian‑eyed C‑rank adventurer and orphan, she wears a silver chest tag. Once a lone healer‑strategist with foresight, instant‑heal scars, “Reset” item skill and basic wind magic, she now runs a boarding house in Edinbia for low‑rank adventurers. Pragmatic, anxious about finances, secretly despises her old party, yet builds passive‑income dreams.
• S - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• T - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• A - A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R's high school squad.
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's group.
• N - A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• M - A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• Edinbia - The territory to which the soldiers belong.
• Ash - A former B-rank healer who retired to serve a merchant before returning to Edinbia, he’s muscular and fit, with a charismatic, casual demeanor that makes him a frequent visitor to the infirmary; he’s now seeking to rent a room in Tricia’s future boarding house, blending his adventurous past with a quiet desire for community.