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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Man Who Nearly Became a Slave
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"I have to escape somehow."
I had steeled my resolve last night.
─ Oh, he's sturdy.
─ Merchant Leader! Didn't we hit the jackpot?!
─ Congratulations!
The memories replayed in my mind.
It was a nightmare too hard to endure.
The feeling of being bound by those men and forcibly aroused.
An indescribable sensation swept over my manhood, and I truly wanted to kill myself.
I knew all too well what that felt like.
─ An Eastern Continent human, and not small either... He could be a noble lady's plaything, a merchant's daughter's dog, or sold to some filthy fat pervert who fancies men. We'd get a high price from any of them.
─ Put him up at auction, and everyone will want to buy him. He'll probably lose his mind.
─ With this, I can even forgive you for mouthing off to me.
I never wanted to go through that again.
Not a woman's hand, but a man's—rough, crude hands forcing it on me...
"Urk..."
Dry heaves rose up.
I didn't want to cry, but tears prickled at the corners of my eyes.
If I became a slave, I'd have to endure that kind of outrage without end.
For someone like me who'd lived as a free man, it was too cruel a fate.
"They say we'll arrive in the city tomorrow. If you're going to run, now's the time, kids. We can't give up without even trying, right? Let's give it a shot."
"..."
No reply came.
Not even a hint of agitation.
They had given up.
They'd abandoned their own freedom.
They didn't even seem sorry for themselves, destined to live as slaves.
"..."
But did I have the courage to attempt an escape?
Did I have even a 10% chance of success?
I shook my head.
No matter how I thought about it, it was zero percent.
I didn't have superhuman strength, or any protagonist-level cheats.
I hadn't gotten lucky and found a key.
If there'd been an ally in the slave caravan, I might've seen some hope.
"Fucking hell..."
I huddled in the cramped iron cage and closed my eyes.
Even in the uncomfortable position, sleep came easily.
─ Let's head out! If we push hard, we can make it by morning!
─ Yes, sir!
Neighhh!
The wagons set off again.
Thanks to the long rest, the horses neighed vigorously as they picked up speed.
The mood inside the wagon showed no sign of lifting.
'Arrive by morning? In the city? Then what about escaping?'
My hands and feet trembled.
Last night's events flashed back, sending a wave of dread through my body.
Once I became a slave, it was over.
The moment the slave brand was etched on me, I wouldn't even be able to resist anymore.
It would be ideal if I got sold to a kind female owner.
But I knew well enough that such a dreamlike future wasn't for me.
Sold from a wholesale slave dealer to a retailer, then passed on to individual owners.
I might even end up thinking a fat noblewoman was a blessing in disguise.
It was horrifying.
'...Please, won't someone come save me?'
My wish was a futile hope.
No one was coming to rescue me.
If there were a hero nearby, that would be lucky.
Even the heroes couldn't change the slave system itself.
Slavery was a given in their worldview.
They never even thought it needed changing.
Except for Luke—
'...Luke just graduated from the Academy, damn it...'
With his current power, Luke couldn't dismantle the slave trade.
He'd grow someday and smash these injustices, but not right now.
Escape on my own, or quietly become a slave.
Neither option appealed to me.
The wagons sped toward the city.
Soon, the pace slowed.
Unfamiliar noises began filtering in from outside, like city bustle.
'We've arrived.'
After nonstop travel, the slave caravan reached the city.
While I floundered in random thoughts, I'd taken another step toward slavery.
"You, me, those kids—we're all done for now."
The old man chuckled.
A wry snicker leaked out, as if his lungs were full of wind.
It was so absurd I wondered if I'd gone mad.
"This is really fucked."
"Here's hoping you find a good master."
"...Do you think any 'good' people claim to be masters? They buy and sell humans—"
No matter how well they treated you, it was still master and slave.
A relationship where one side could crush the other could never be good, no matter the packaging.
"Beastkin aren't treated as people. That's why they're traded as slaves."
"...Fucking bastards."
I could understand the old man's point.
But what crime had these kids committed?
"If I join a hero party, I'll change everything."
"...You mean become a slave in a hero party? Hope the hero buys you, then."
"..."
Slaves.
Slaves dreaming dreams.
Not of their own liberation, but something else.
It was truly pathetic.
Could you even call groundless hope "hope"?
I wasn't sure.
We passed through the city gates.
I couldn't see outside, but I knew.
The driver was handling the horses more carefully.
He wasn't speeding up anymore.
In the city streets, it was just the right pace.
The wagons came to a stop.
The horses neighed, and the outside grew noisy.
The chatter changed tone.
─ All slaves, get out!
One of the underlings swept back the wagon curtain and climbed in.
He unlocked the cage and had us disembark one by one.
"Get down."
His face wore a grin, but his voice was vicious.
Fear was the most effective tool against slaves.
Sunlight poured down outside the wagon.
Having been inside since last night, the brightness stung.
I squinted.
Still, I didn't forget to check my surroundings.
An alley beside a grand building.
Right ahead was a two-story annex.
All the slaves from the wagons gathered in one spot.
We lined up in our ragged clothes.
The slave trader scanned us over.
He grimaced slightly at the old man but nodded, satisfied with their haul.
I wanted to smash his head in right then.
Last night's humiliation resurfaced, anger overtaking me.
But it cooled quickly.
The rattling handcuffs and shackles snapped me back to reality.
Any resistance would just boomerang back bigger, tormenting me more.
Restraints and violence left a person powerless.
The emotion I felt now wasn't unfamiliar at all.
For some reason, I recognized it immediately.
'...Stronger than what I felt at Nonsan.'
I couldn't escape with my own power.
The frustration from that fact was bigger than I'd expected.
At Nonsan, in the unit, staring at the barbed wire—that same feeling.
"Follow me."
The slave trader led us into the two-story annex.
A sign on the building read Wild Flower in elegant script.
We walked down a well-decorated hallway.
The slaves trotting in line behind had eyes full of anxiety.
The bright lights inside hurt our eyes.
The trader's underlings surrounded us like guards.
No matter how I looked at it, escape was impossible.
I sighed involuntarily.
"Watch them for a bit. I'll go inform Mr. Greg."
"Yes, sir."
In front of a fancy door, the slave trader caught his breath.
Someone higher up than him was waiting inside.
Knock knock knock.
"Mr. Greg, it's Jack from the White Dream Merchant Group."
─ ...I'll be out, so wait.
"Yes, we'll wait."
A deep voice came from inside.
Slave trader Jack obeyed Greg meekly.
He left us by the door, leg trembling with tension.
Soon, the door opened.
It was a man named Greg.
'Who is he?'
Reading the original didn't mean I knew everything.
The protagonist and heroine.
Their supporting allies and obstructing villains.
That was it.
No matter how closely I read, I couldn't memorize every minor extra.
Greg eyed Jack coldly.
Jack bowed his head and didn't dare look up.
"Jack. You barely made the auction time. Is this how you always do business?"
"...I'm sorry. But once you see what we brought, you'll understand, Mr. Greg."
"Hmph. Cocky."
Greg looked away from Jack.
His expressionless gaze was eerie.
"Let's see how good your goods are."
"You'll like them."
"I'll be the judge of that. If I don't, no more deals with you. Remember, I'm only buying this batch because of past favors."
"Yes, sir."
Jack was confident.
As if to say "take a look," he presented the slaves.
Greg's eyes began appraising us one by one.
Like checking merchandise.
For male beastkin, he checked build and type.
For females, face, figure, and virginity.
"Hic... Sob..."
In front of everyone—
He ripped away the cloth covering the female beastkin's groins, forced their legs apart, and checked their hymen.
His nonchalant attitude was chilling.
'Fuck.'
He didn't just glance at the males either.
He checked their manhood sizes as a matter of course.
But it felt more cursory than with the females.
Meaning they were less valuable.
This way, my pants were next.
Last night's nightmare repeating.
Standing erect amid men, being appraised like meat.
My stomach churned.
I felt like puking.
"...Eastern Continent human?"
"It took some time to catch this one."
As soon as Greg stood before me, Jack explained why they'd been late.
Greg scanned me with keen interest.
"Handsome face, and well-endowed below. He'll fetch a nice price from horny bitches in heat."
"I'll need to verify."
Greg's hand moved downward.
At the motion to pull down my pants, I thrashed instinctively again.
"You fucking bastard!"
Thwack.
Greg easily blocked my knee and arm.
He slowly lifted his head, as if he'd seen it coming.
Looking at me calmly, his gaze was utterly infuriating.
"Feisty. Heh heh, thrashing even now without fear?"
"He's usually meek and passive, but he flips out if a man touches him."
"...Popular with those perverted old pervs who like boys, then."
Jack blabbed about my personality like a salesman.
Behind Greg, he smirked, convinced of a huge success.
'Men? Not the color blue, but men?'
The worst.
Worse than a fat noblewoman.
Despair rang in my dizzy head.
My vision shook.
"I need to check the goods. Hold him."
Greg didn't back down.
He resorted to force.
Jack's underlings grabbed my arms.
I gritted my teeth.
Clenched my fists and resisted, but my dick wouldn't obey.