Chapter 29: On the Road Again
---D-Day+19, Nizhen 22nd---
"Fresh Fish!" "Perfumes from Granya!"
"Master, do you like this bracelet?" "Look at the cut on this ruby Jon."
Its the late afternoon of a cloudless spring day and we are browsing thru the 'Grand Bazaar' of Partilla. A trade city of fifty some thousand over two hundred miles from Carloc. In the two days since putting the vault behind us? We've reached the halfway mark to Raelera.
With so many stalls and people its hot, humid, and dusty. The sun beating down doesn't help either. Air is heavy with body odor. Like being trapped in comicon with the air conditioning on the fritz. At least the sun is starting to set.
The wives want to shop and I see no reason not too. We looted a lot of coin from the templars. Again, Alex was loaded. Unfortunately, price tags have not caught on in this world. Everything is ask the price and pay it. Or try to haggle them down.
Its exhausting and I suck at it. Avi, I mean Ushi, is a genius at it though.
Our travel habits have done a 180. Now we walk into the nearest town in the morning. Check into the nicest local inn. Make love for a couple of hours. Use the baths. Take a nap. Have lunch. Screw some more. Nap some more. Then shop and have dinner.
Once the sun goes down, we walk out of town. Kill the inevitable idiots who think we are easy marks. Meet the living shadows guarding our gear where we hid it. Summon the dark chargers. Load the gear. And ride off into the night.
Stopping for breaks to use the bathroom, snack, and snog.
Watching them shop thru the markets is, relaxing. Very, familial. Besides clothes? Ushinua is hooked on necklaces and rings. Edelys's new addiction is hair accessories. Rings, pins, combs, picks, etc... Both love bracelets.
Its great that I can focus on Edelys and Ushinua. Just couldn't when I half a dozen plus competing for my attention. Also didn't care as much because I really did plan on letting them go as soon as they recovered enough to not need me or my crotch as a crutch.
But now they're dead.
Dammit. Stop. Gotta keep my eye on the prize. I wasn't here for them.
Edel and Ushi contrast as much as Sanctity and Tormentor.
Knight-wife seems part tsundere and part kuudere. Acts very stern and reserved. Maybe compensating for how socially ostracized she was for most of her life? Yeah, the story's not good. Ends up running hot and cold. Very affectionate in private and very harsh in public.
Tries to be the adult but is really pretty naive.
Priest-wife, don't like using slave-wife, acts a bit yandere and a bit deredere. Appears very outgoing and sympathetic. Possibly compensating for how abused she's been for years? Also not a pretty story. That public sweetness turns into private obsession. Guess I'm her personal jesus.
Very experienced but tries to look vulnerable. Very very experienced.
*whipsh*
"Wha?"
The sound of a whip startles me. Bad flashback to when the girls nearly killed each other. Ushi starts squeezing my arm. Awe. Thank you. Both wives have taken it upon themselves to interrupt my thinking whenever it turns dark.
I'm grateful, but I am their husband. Not their younger brother. Not their child. Not the neighbor's kid who got caught in the rain but his parents aren't home. For the last time lady? I've got a key! Back off!
Sometimes? People should get murdered.
During our shopping we've wandered into a section I really didn't want to see. The slave market. The ad hoc hallways created by stalls suddenly open up into a larger paved space with a pillar in the middle. A forum?
Crowd is even denser here. I'm using [Minor Barrier] to nudge people away. Maintaining a perimeter around us. Otherwise? Wandering hands keep trying to molest my wives and steal our coin.
If you follow our trail backwards? A sprinkling of severed fingers can be found. Stealthily assaulting persistently handsy douchebags in public? Another thing creatures that can move and hide in shadows are surprisingly good at.
Alex gets an almost perverse level of pleasure out of it. Becoming sneakier and sneakier on when to strike.
Even without our link, I would be able to tell my wives are nervous. Atmosphere here is very different from the stalls. This is where people sell other people.
"A sturdy dwarf slave for...!" "...the breeding hips on this fine sow!" "Perfect age for training...!" "...double your revenue with twins!"
Around the edges of this place are platforms raised above the heads of the crowd. On each a naked person chained to a post is being paraded. Men and women, mostly young, mostly human. Disturbing number of children. Some are so scared they are peeing themselves.
Each has a salesman loudly screaming the virtues of this or that slave and running an auction at the same time. Bids and asks fly back and forth but most of the buying is done by ones being carried in litters. Palanquins.
None of items for sale have magic tattoos that I can see. That strange crest with mana identifying both owner and owned. Some have regular tattoos on their neck, cheek, or forehead. No fancy crest, just the word 'slave' in tourinese or aquecian. Others have the word branded instead of tattooed.
Seriously, its fucking burned into their skin. Even some of the kids. All have shackles around necks, wrists, and or ankles.
Even kids? Some of them look like they aren't even ten! I don't give a fuck if its your 'culture' or not. Heard dumbfuck excuses like that before! This place should, should just, bur-
"Red?"
How did I get in Red's arms? She's pinning my arms to my side from behind while Frankie is trapping me from the front? Why is Ushi locked onto my eyes? Oh... Oh shit. What was I about to do? Whoa. I almost went jesus and the money changers on their asses. Am I insane?
"Jon. Please, stop. Just stop." "Master. Please don't. Don't."
My wives' words cut off the sound of the crowds and auctions.
Their warmth, smell, and boobs, bring me back from the edge. What a shitty world. This isn't an isekai where I buy a partner or student. Shit, I would buy every one of these slaves if I let me. Always been overprotective when it comes to kids. That won't fix this though. Strong hurt the weak. Rich exploit the poor.
I would be lying to myself if I pretended my world was innocent.
"Ushinua?"
"Master?"
Their grip has relaxed a bit. I'm still way to pissed but at least I'm back in control. What would I do if I found my son up there?
"Where are the [Slavery Magic] slaves?"
Do not recall seeing or even sensing a single person with a bond like mine and Ushi's.
Grey skin blushing looks so exotic.
"Ou-ours is s-special, m-master."
Fuck, have I been tricked again?
"Special?"
My look and tone is harsher than I planned. Her cute exposed shoulders shudder.
Edel comes to her nervous rescue.
"[Slavery Magic] is difficult and rare, Jon." Stop. Stop whispering in my ear. "Only the most powerful magicians can do it." So why did Avi, I mean Ushi do- "If you were difficult the Oracle was to trick you into becoming her slave." ...God dammit. "No one expected her to give herself to you instead." Well, a lot of things happened. "Or the others begging to become yours too."
Her hands are starting to, explore. Crap, where is that motel? Even an alley will do in a pinch.
"No one imagined such strength." Frankie's hands start exploring too. "So, strong." And that sparkle is back. "The bond should have given you control." What a cute giggle. "But you had so much power it shattered the enchantments."
*whipsh*
The sound of a whip and scream of a girl yanks us back to reality. Or whatever this is. We are surrounded by smelly, sweaty, greedy, evil, men. And a few evil women too.
They are buying people. Even children. Houston? We do not, I repeat, do not have liftoff. People being sold like this. Its just so pitiful. I should ask. I don't want to know, but I should know.
"Where do they come from?"
Edel answers first.
"Many are refugees from the east." A sad distant look. "They lost everything and became prey for slavers."
Ushi continues.
"Others are poor." Have seen a lot of beggars. Ignored them like the homeless back home. "The invasion brought war taxes." Shit, she's got tears again. "Families who cannot pay? Have to sell what they have. Maybe even their children."
Don't cry, grey girl. What a shitty world. Red is holding Frankie now too. Reaching past me. I'm the ham in a ham sandwich.
Edel tries to bring us both back.
"There are real criminals too. Bandits, thieves, and deserters also end up on the platforms." She's acting motherly again. "There are those who have raped and murdered too." She points to a platform with a rough looking man on it.
Didn't notice before but the pole they are chained too? Has a plaque hanging from it. And on it written in chalk is the slave's name, age, crimes, and skills. This man's crimes are banditry, rape, and murder. And he looks it too. Lots of attitude. Even has a boner.
Is it immature of me to be proud that mine's bigger?
"What will become of them?" I ask.
Edel answers.
"The violent criminals go to the mines and quarries. Dangerous places to work." She's musing. Its cute. "Some go to the arenas to fight." She points at a young muscular man. "The not violent criminals go to the plantations."
Ushi points at a girl who can't even be fifteen.
"The cute girls and pretty boys? Go to brothels. Either to work or train." Train? She sighs and moves her finger to another, plumper, girl. "The lucky not cute girls end up servants." She leans forward, over my shoulder, and catches the corner of my eye. "Wives do not like competition."
"And the unlucky ones?"
Ushi shudders but stays quiet. So Edel answers again.
"Brothels too but..." What is she hesitating for? "Not inside. Work the alleys with the addicts, crazies, and drunks." Whoa. "Do not often live any longer than the mine and quarry slaves." What the fuck? "The mines and quarries buy some too. As rewards when slaves make quotas."
Served up to violent criminals who are already under a death sentence? What a horrible fate.
Ushi somehow works up a smile again.
"Its not all horrible, master. Those with skills?" She points at an older man with 'read, write, add, subtract' written on his plaque. "Are treated better and bought by merchants or nobles." Reading and writing are not common in this world. "So any slave who can is always trying to learn a skill or trade."
At least some have hope.
"I don't see any listing magic."
Edel actually snorts.
"Any mage who ends up publicly sold? Isn't a mage." Ushi's nodding. "Jon, those who can use magic are rare in this world. Its hard to learn and hard to use. A slave mage could end up fodder for experiments or even be used as a breeder."
Ushi's gone a bit pale but she speaks now.
"A mage can only really be owned by a stronger mage. So any that are sold master? Are done at private auctions and use [Slavery Magic]." Ushi's eyes get teary again. "A dire fate awaits those unfortunates."
My dark elf places both hands on my cheeks and shows me that amazing smile.
"I'm happy though, master. I have an amazing husband. And an amazing sister." Lip-lock heaven... Released. "When I die? Today? Tomorrow? Ever?" That cute giggle. "The goddess will find my heart so light, it floats."
I turn a little so I can wrap my arms around both of them.
"Lets go." I'm done here.
Even while adjusting to, well, me. Neither is neglecting their duties. Edelys is still sending reports to monocle and training me in the martial art of her family. The Silver Reaver sword style.
Yes, there are a variety of martial arts in this world. Many focusing around certain weapons. Most have one or more secret body magic moves involved.
Ushinua is building her grimoire of dark magic from what the shadow priests and oracles received while also teaching it to me.
Edel continues instructing me on fire magic while Ushi does the same with water and air magic. Both give me lessons in language, etiquette, and other topics. In return, I regularly fill them with mana, deepening their reservoir, and tell them about my family and home world.
Also spend time exercising my shadows, preparing to create more.
Wish this could go on forever.