A Horrible Business

The reason why "Silvia" had taken five long days wandering aimlessly through that labyrinthine underground market was due to a disastrous combination of factors.

"Ah! Yes, young lady! She is an authentic elf!"

The reasons boiled down to a practically non-existent sense of direction, a complete unwillingness to ask strangers for help, and, above all, her severe attention deficit.

"She is a high-born, pure-blooded elven scholar!"

Unless a matter directly involved combat, her beloved "Mama" Mireya, the strict knightly code, or the lore of the Masked Rider—that Blue World show Mireya had taught her to keep her entertained—Silvia's mind simply ignored her surroundings entirely.

"Captured directly from the great forest libraries! Sure, she's a bit untidy right now, and maybe a little noisy, but beneath all that mud lies an exotic treasure! I'll even give you a special discount if you take her off my hands today!"

Because of that, her sole reason for stopping in front of that cage was that, during her time in Ironholm, she had lived alongside elves for a while, which sparked a slight and specific curiosity about their species upon hearing the rumors.

"I see... Setting that aside... Do you know how to reach the grand witch in charge of this market, Scarlet Astrea?"

As a result, the hooded figure confirmed before immediately derailing the topic, showing not the slightest bit of interest in the deplorable state of the body put on display like livestock.

(My, how direct...)

And simultaneously, upon hearing her and carefully observing the figure in front of him, the merchant began evaluating his interlocutor.

"In fact, I know perfectly well how to reach her."

Noting her cold, electric-blue eyes devoid of any emotion, along with her build, height, and the massive stone urn she carried on her back, the man quickly came to the conclusion that he was dealing with a young adventurer.

"However, you must understand that such information isn't something I can just give away freely..."

Yet, what truly caught his attention was the individual's utter lack of surprise or disgust at the grotesque spectacle of the elf; perceiving that he was not facing an ordinary customer, the merchant decided to test her.

(METALLIC SOUND!)

But before the man could finish speaking, the echoing thud of a heavy pouch stuffed with gold coins slamming onto the table interrupted his words.

"I am buying the elf."

The merchant froze for a second.

"Is that enough?"

Seeing the ease with which she had thrown such an amount of money without even blinking, he changed his mind instantly...

"Ha, ha! Of course, esteemed customer!"

At that moment, the man realized he was not dealing with an ordinary boy, but rather a wealthy, high-born lady traveling incognito.

"It is more than enough!"

Before his eyes, that hooded figure had transformed into a genuine goldmine ready to be exploited.

"You see, to gain an audience with the grand witch, there are exactly three methods..."

Meanwhile, as he explained this cheerfully, the merchant stood up, pulled out a large stamp marked "SOLD", and without the slightest hesitation, slapped it onto the big, plump buttocks of the wise elf Filińska's body, who at that exact moment continued eating straw straight off the filthy floor.

"BUHIII~!"

Immediately after, the man proceeded to pull out a thick rope and began binding the elf's body tightly, like a butcher tying up a live pig ready for transport.

"And what are those methods?"

In response, "Silvia" merely asked, watching the entire scene without the slightest trace of interest or emotion.

"—Well, first off!"

As a result, after finishing the knot and effortlessly hauling the woman with one hand, the merchant handed her over to the hooded figure with a broad, beaming smile on his face.

"The first method is to schedule a formal appointment through a proper meeting, going through all the legal procedures... though going down that route usually takes anywhere between one to two weeks."

Right after saying this, the merchant stepped back, cutting his words mid-sentence as he vanished into the back room, only to return moments later carrying another elf in his arms.

"...What is the second method?"

Seeing what the man had brought out, Silvia stared silently at the sight for a short moment before asking about the second procedure.

"Ah, but before we continue with that, allow me to present another essential product!"

However, before continuing, the man declared with the theatrical flair of a late-night TV salesperson.

"I reveal to you... the Elven Lantern, which has recently exploded in popularity among the goblins!"

And right after his grand announcement, what he unceremoniously set down onto the counter was a voluptuous elven woman, completely amputated of all her limbs and bound with a thick gag.

"You see, the main material used in its creation is a humanoid elven body with its limbs removed..."

As he showcased the product, it became clear that her eyes and ears were completely covered with tight bandages and earplugs.

"Lately, as a direct result of the Demon King’s army conquering a nearby elven kingdom, the use of the local elves as tools has become wildly popular!"

A bulky gag had been forced deep into her mouth, reducing her voice to muffled "ooh" sounds as drool leaked continuously past her lips.

"Because of that high supply, despite her superior quality, she’s currently on a massive discount and extremely cheap!"

Furthermore, the stumps where her arms and legs used to be were linked by iron rod-shaped bindings, topped with a central handle crafted in a distinctly demonic design.

"—Ooh... mmph..."

The elf's body was arched in a position that clearly caused her immense discomfort; however, with no limbs left, she had no way to offer any resistance, unable to even beg for mercy through the thick gag forced into her mouth.

"When goblins, during their adventures, need the Elven Lantern for illumination, they place the elf upside down, insert a funnel into her vagina, and pour a special green solution into her body."

Nevertheless, despite the horrific sight, to the merchant, the elven woman was nothing more than a product...

"Once the solution fills the elf's womb, it emits an intense green glow right through her abdomen. This glow not only provides illumination, but it also repels wild beasts."

Because of this, he treated her merely as merchandise to be showcased, since at the end of the day, the man was hardly someone who considered himself righteous.

"To use it, you simply plug the elf's vagina with a specialized stopper, grab the lantern's handle, and hold her upside down with her glowing belly facing upward, allowing you to continue traveling freely through the dark."

Thanks to that mindset, he was capable of reducing everything to a mere commercial transaction, all to line his pockets and ensure his own survival in this era of war.

In addition to these features, this Elven Lantern comes with other incredible functions! First, when you've traveled a long way and feel exhausted, craving a quick nap in the wild, you can use the lantern as a pillow! Elven breasts are naturally large and soft, and experts have proven that resting on this "elven breast pillow" for just three to five minutes will help you fall asleep almost instantly! What's more, elves are extraordinarily alert; they undergo special training before leaving the "factory," so upon sensing danger, they tremble instinctively—sounding an alarm that wakes their owners and guaranteeing their safety while resting in the wild!

However, the more the man rambled on, the greater the danger everyone present in the building was falling into.

"...I see."

Because at that precise moment, "Silvia's" icy, suffocating aura was subtly growing stronger, without a single soul around her even realizing it.

"Secondly, these Elven Lanterns can also serve as emergency rations for wilderness journeys! As mentioned earlier, elves possess large, soft breasts and are naturally nurturing; the goblins who act as the main tasters only need to squeeze them gently to extract a generous amount of milk. This milk is rich in nutrients and elven magic, making it highly prized by goblins who spend long periods in the wild. However, these particular elves aren't domesticated or bred specifically on farms to produce elven milk, so neither the flavor nor the nutritional value of their milk is quite comparable. Furthermore, it's said that a young goblin, ambushed suddenly by enemies in the wild, repeatedly squeezed the large breasts of an Elven Lantern, spraying a massive surge of milk directly into the enemy's face and escaping their clutches! In other words, Elven Lanterns can even be used as a self-defense weapon in emergencies!"

Unfortunately, the man failed to realize when to stop, utterly absorbed in his sales pitch—a terrible habit that had previously made it impossible for him to find a buyer for the body of the elven scholar.

"Regrettably, Elven Lanterns cannot be used as sex toys. The green solution injected into their wombs is highly toxic, and inserting anything into their vaginas could prove fatal to a lustful goblin. Some goblins have attempted breast or oral sex; however, upon reaching climax, these elves can ejaculate large quantities of milk, which is extremely unhygienic and makes the experience thoroughly unpleasant. What's more, the gags forced into their mouths were designed to be virtually impossible to remove once installed, preventing them from using magic to harm goblins if freed from their oral restraints. Recently, scholars have been researching alternative non-toxic, eco-friendly solutions, but progress has been painfully slow..."

It was only when the man took a brief pause to look directly into the eyes beneath the hood that he abruptly stopped talking, suddenly sensing the mortal danger he was standing in.

"I will buy it. Now, the second option."

Faced with the blunt, sharp words of the hooded figure, who once again dropped a heavy pouch of money right in front of him, the man went dead silent...

"The second method..."

...Until finally, taking a deep breath once more, he spoke again.

"It would be by using a pass... a privilege exclusive to the market's VIPs, such as the ruling witch herself."