The man who bought me at the auction was a portly—no, make that downright enormous—Black Market Merchant.
Honestly, he was hideously ugly. The moment I saw him, I almost thought, *Is he a Pig-Pig Fruit Ability User?* That's how... yeah.
His nose was flattened and upturned, and he always wore this creepy, leering smile.
I knew that in the One Piece World, this level of bizarre appearance could easily pass as "individual differences," but still... yeah.
"Buhihihi... Alright, Sue-tan, you'll start working for me right away. You'd better listen to everything I say, got it?"
And his way of speaking and laughing? Even more outlandish than his appearance. He was even more of a weirdo than he looked.
His repulsive perfection was so overwhelming, it was as if he'd wandered straight out of an Ero Doujin world. Even I, who prided myself on my looks, braced myself for the worst, thinking, "Ah, so this is the end of my 'beautiful body.'"
Because no matter how I looked at him, that was the only image that came to mind.
Well, I'd always known that being a slave wouldn't exactly come with decent working conditions or treatment... sigh.
...That's how I felt when I was first bought.
But in that sense, I was pleasantly surprised.
Contrary to what his appearance and manner suggested, this Black Market Merchant never issued any of the sleazy orders I'd expected. Instead, he asked me to do mundane tasks like carrying luggage, helping with household chores, and assisting with other work—perfectly ordinary jobs.
Having already experienced similar things aboard the Kuja's ship and during my odd-job days in town, adapting to this new job was a breeze. In fact, I was even praised for my natural aptitude.
The workload and hours were tough, sure, but not unbearable.
We got regular meals and breaks, and even managed to bathe every other day. Sleeping arrangements were communal—men and women separated, at least—but the dorms didn't feel too cramped.
Compared to what I'd imagined or braced myself for, this was surprisingly a pretty decent workplace.
That is, until you got to the actual job itself, which was brutally unforgiving.
As you'd expect from a "Black Market Merchant," we dealt in all sorts of shady stuff: weapons, illegal drugs, stolen goods, smuggled items, and every other kind of forbidden product. It seemed like if you had the cash, we'd trade anything.
Whoa, they even have "Dance Powder" here?
Handling stuff like this meant that hiring the wrong people would lead to information leaks and instant ruin. Now I get why they needed slaves—laborers who would never defy their Master's orders.
But the Black Market Merchant had another reason for buying me.
Sure, buying an adult slave with existing skills, knowledge, and experience meant they could be put to work immediately.
However, these adults were bound to harbor some resentment toward their masters. There was always a risk of rebellion, no matter how small. The merchant couldn't risk that.
So he came up with a plan: buy young slave children, raise them while brainwashing them with his own twisted ideas, and ultimately create slaves with unwavering loyalty to him.
That's why they bought me, a slave of just the right age—someone who could work but was still young enough to be considered a child, someone who didn't know much about the world.
So, even though my position and duties were undeniably those of a slave, I wasn't subjected to harsh treatment. They kept me working, but they also babied me, treated me like they were taming a wild animal.
At the same time, they drilled me on the skills and knowledge I needed to perform my duties as a slave. They also whispered brainwashing-like messages, telling me how wonderful my Master was and how happy I should be to work for him.
Whenever I applied what they taught me and did a good job, they praised me properly. Sometimes they even gave me rewards.
Not that I was trying to meet their expectations or anything. I was just doing my job normally.
"Buhihihi... I was a little worried you might be too small, but you're a great purchase, kiddo! If you keep being this useful, I'll give you extra allowance and treat you even better. I'll even make sure you get plenty of other nice perks, so keep up the good work!"
It seemed I'd been designated as a "promising prospect" and added to his inner circle.
From now on, I figured I'd be subjected to intensive training in various fields and taught how to handle different jobs. All with the goal of molding me into an exceptional slave—one who would eventually become the Black Market Merchant's right-hand man, working diligently by his side.
***
Several months passed.
Under the Black Market Merchant's tutelage, I was receiving top-tier slave education, steadily progressing toward becoming an "elite slave." (I can't help but laugh.)
Beyond the fundamentals of the trade—black market dealings, risk assessment, distinguishing genuine goods from counterfeits, and things to watch out for—I was also learning leadership skills to manage other slaves in the field, both through theory and hands-on experience.
Right now, I'm working in a position that's kind of like a part-time leader.
It's a pretty surreal sight, if I do say so myself: a thirteen-year-old girl—oh, right, I just turned thirteen the other day—giving orders and managing slaves who are ten or even twenty years older than her.
And since word got out that I have some swordsmanship skills, they've started training me as a bodyguard too.
Every two or three days, the hired bodyguard gives me swordsmanship lessons or spars with me. The rest of the time, I train on my own, doing sword drills and strength training to build up my skills.
...Honestly, my life doesn't feel all that different from when I was training on my own in town.
If anything, my training might even be more structured and fulfilling now.
After all, this bodyguard is a seasoned veteran of the underworld—his combat skills are seriously impressive.
Back in town, my only training partners were the Self-Defense Corps, but here, I'm getting to spar with people who've actually survived real life-or-death battles.
Sure, they're a rough and uncouth bunch, and they act like training a brat is a pain, but they're just doing their job. Still, any experience is good experience.
I'm working hard to learn as much as possible from every session.
...They're taking care of my food, clothing, and shelter, giving me job training that'll come in handy in all sorts of situations (I think), helping me gain experience, and even arranging practical combat training...
They even give me reasonable time off so I don't burn out, and I get rewarded when I do well at work. As long as I do what I'm told, they don't treat me badly or ask me to do anything crazy (at least not yet)...
Wait a minute... I'm a slave, but this is a shockingly good workplace.
Well, it's no surprise the actual work itself is downright hellish. That's a given.
If I could just ignore that part, the conditions are surprisingly good. It almost seems like the ideal job...
Wait a minute. My "Master" is trying to groom me into a loyal slave, sworn to his service. If I start thinking, "This is a comfortable place, I want to stay here forever," I'd be falling right into his trap. Danger, danger...
I should have known better. I almost got brainwashed. I need to watch myself—I'm way too gullible.
Besides, once the Black Market Merchant decides my "loyalty" is solid, he might start assigning me different kinds of jobs, orders I've never received before...
Like, "You weren't ready for this before, but now I can trust you with the dirty work, the ugly stuff I used to keep hidden from your naive eyes."
I figured if I proved my loyalty, he wouldn't betray me or refuse my requests.
Honestly, the jobs I'd been involved in so far... yeah, they were definitely illegal, but nothing too extreme.
But what if they thought I wasn't ready for something more intense and were deliberately keeping me in the dark?
Or maybe, once I proved myself as a reliable bodyguard, they'd use my skills to say, "Hey, go take out that guy for me."
The other bodyguards... sometimes they'd disappear, and the next morning, a rival businessman would be found floating in the harbor. I'm pretty sure they're up to no good.
And... about that "pretty body" thing I was initially worried about... I'm starting to think there might be more to it than I realized.
Looking back, it was clear from the moment I was bought that Master's gaze held a distinct carnal undertone. That's why I thought, "Oh no, this is bad," back then.
But the work environment turned out to be surprisingly wholesome, so I forgot about it... though that look in his eyes never really changed.
Besides, Master had several stunningly beautiful female slaves around him, and I'd often seen him call them to his room at night.
Later, either late at night or the next morning, I'd see those women leaving his room.
Even when he wasn't with slaves, he'd clearly invite women who did that kind of work to his room. Sometimes he'd go out to those places himself.
Whenever those women spotted me, they'd wink and say things like, "Missy, you're still too young for this," before walking away.
It's because I'm still a child. A "girl," not a "woman."
Besides, if he tried to force things, it might backfire. My affection for Master—my loyalty—just isn't strong enough yet.
So, he looks at me that way, but for now, he just keeps me working and lets me grow. He doesn't make any moves.
...But once my body and my loyalty have matured a bit more, things might change.
Honestly, I'd rather he didn't... But I'm not strong enough to escape if I tried. At worst, I might have to brace myself.
***
A few more months pass.
I have a bad feeling.
About what? My "pretty body."
Lately, I think I've hit a growth spurt. Not to brag, but I'm starting to fill out quite nicely.
To put it bluntly, I've developed an hourglass figure.
Lately, Master's been giving me some pretty blatant looks, and even the other male slaves have started eyeing me differently than before.
I'm only thirteen—that's just around middle school age, right? How can I be developing this much?
Especially since it's only been a few months since I started growing, and less than a year since it all began.
Well, I guess in this world, "individual differences" can explain anything.
There is one clear advantage to my growth spurt, though.
My physical abilities, like strength and stamina, have gotten a huge boost.
Thanks to that, my combat prowess has skyrocketed.
This isn't just wishful thinking; I've had plenty of real-world proof.
I've been giving the bodyguards a real run for their money in our mock battles, the same guys who used to brush me off easily. I've even managed to beat some of them.
My swordsmanship has improved exponentially, thanks to my increased strength and grip. My current sword feels too light now, and I rarely lose a straight-up strength contest, even against men.
Even when I do get overpowered, I can usually parry skillfully and win with technique. I've always focused on my technique, even when I was still weak. It feels like my body has finally caught up to my skills.
Lately, I've been feeling myself growing stronger by leaps and bounds. I know that if I keep pushing myself, I can become even stronger.
That's why both my work and my training have been so fulfilling lately.
I was thinking about how I needed to escape soon, or I wouldn't be able to keep my "clean body," as I'd promised.
Then one day, while I was mulling over what to do, I was summoned to the office and found Master explaining my next job.
"Buhihihi! Sue-tan, this next deal is huge, so you'll need to be extra careful," he chuckled.
"Yes, I understand. What will I be doing on the day?"
"We'll handle all the preparations and procedures ourselves. Your job is to oversee security and supervise the slaves who'll be doing odd jobs. Don't worry, we'll have other guards stationed around, so you can mostly focus on commanding them. But if trouble arises, you'll have to fight too."
"Understood."
"I'm counting on you, alright? If this deal goes smoothly, my company will grow even bigger! I'll be able to give Sue-tan and her subordinates plenty of rewards, so do your best!"
"Yes, I'll give it my all. ...Then, if you'll excuse me."
I bowed and left the room.
Lately, it's been happening more and more. I can never tell when Master switches from talking to me to talking to my chest. Honestly, I've given up trying to figure it out.
Still, this next deal sounds like a really important one.
That means the risks will be proportionally high. In theory, I should just stick to our usual methods, but... I should probably prepare for unexpected situations just in case.
I don't know who we're dealing with or what they want, but I just hope it all goes smoothly.
Damn it, was that a flag?
To be continued...