Chapter 20: Hidden Dangers Silently Eliminated

On the other side, as soon as Verin stepped through the gates, a prosperous-looking merchant approached him.
“My lord, welcome to the Bashak Trading Company. I am Buck, president of this branch. May I ask what you require?”
Verin glanced around. Many strange and exotic races were imprisoned in ornate iron cages for display, including a few half-elves. He had to admire the merchant’s boldness.
“I want robust slaves, as well as blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons. Architects too, if you have them.”
Buck’s eyes gleamed at the request, his gaze growing warmer. “Rest assured, my lord, we have all you need. Bashak Trading Company may lack many things, but it certainly has plenty of skilled slaves.”
“This way, my lord. Mind the threshold.”
They passed through a tunnel into the basement where Bashak Trading Company kept its slaves.
Guards patrolled the area, their strength comparable to Orlando’s.
“My lord, look—these male slaves have excellent teeth, all around twenty years old. They can work another thirty years without issue.” Buck stepped forward, grasped a slave’s jaw, and showcased his teeth to Verin, energetically pitching his wares.
“How much for one?”
“My lord, twenty gold coins each. If you buy in bulk, I can offer a discount.” Buck hurried to answer, anxious lest Verin change his mind.
“Buck, I want to purchase three hundred robust slaves. What would the price be?”
“A twenty percent discount. The original price is six thousand gold coins; you only need pay four thousand eight hundred.”
“Add it to the tally. Take me to see slaves skilled in other trades.”
“Of course, my lord. This way.”
Seeing the deal sealed, Buck’s face was wreathed in smiles as he led Verin to the next section.
A blacksmith cost eighty gold coins, a carpenter fifty, a mason thirty.
After Buck’s round of salesmanship, Verin bought ten blacksmiths, fifteen carpenters, and twenty-five masons, spending a total of two thousand three hundred gold coins.
Finally, Verin spent an additional thousand gold coins to purchase one hundred boys aged eleven or twelve.
Loyalty must be cultivated from childhood, shaping their values; these youths were perfect for that purpose.
“Buck, where are the architects? Take me to see them.” Verin, having made all his purchases, could not help but inquire.
For the second phase—the construction of his castle—he feared a collapse midway without proper planning by an architect.

Upon hearing Verin’s request, Buck looked troubled. “My lord, there is one architect slave left in the company, but the price is steep. She is a half-elf. Are you sure you wish to purchase her?”
“A half-elf? It matters not, so long as she is useful. I have no qualms about a slave’s race, only their value.” Verin waved his hand, indicating his indifference.
Seeing this, Buck led Verin and his companions deeper into the basement.
They passed through a secret chamber, arriving at an isolated room.
“My lord, here she is. This half-elven girl is the architect—skilled in all types of construction, especially castles. If you buy her outright, we’ll even throw in a specially made carriage as a gift.”
Verin approached the iron cage, crouched, and gazed at the half-elf girl. She was strikingly beautiful, stirring something in him.
Her eyes betrayed utter despair, indifferent to everything around her.
Buck, anxious at Verin’s silence, pressed on, “My lord, she is still a virgin. Take her as an architect, or as a—”
“How much?”
“Three thousand five hundred gold coins, and Bashak Trading Company will gift you a custom carriage.”
“Very well, I’ll buy her. Send all the slaves I’ve purchased to the outskirts of the city.”
Verin rose, drawing eleven gold notes worth a thousand coins each from his pocket and handing them to Buck.
Buck’s eyes sparkled at the glittering gold notes. He received them reverently, inspected them carefully, then tucked them away with utmost caution.
“Here, my lord—four gold notes of one hundred coins each. Please accept them.”
Afterwards, Verin departed with his retinue.
On the road, Orlando suddenly asked, “Master, the Bashak Trading Company is clearly suspicious. Why did you choose to do business there?”
“There shouldn’t be any other issues,” Verin replied, pausing, “The problem lies with that half-elf slave. I suspect the local nobles covet her, but failed to agree on a price, leading to conflict.”
“After all, not everyone is as wealthy as your master.”
He patted Orlando’s golden hair, smiling as he spoke.
“Yes, master. I understand.”
Outside Bagamoyo, in a manor, Kazak—the son of the governor of Kadero Province—had gathered his dissolute friends for an outdoor banquet.
“My lord, I’m sure in a few days, Bashak Trading Company will deliver that half-elven woman to you.”

“Ha ha ha!” Kazak raised his glass, laughing to the noble youth beside him. “There’s nothing Kazak desires that he cannot obtain.”
The thought of acquiring the half-elven girl—worth three thousand five hundred gold coins—without spending a penny made him giddy.
Just then, the manor steward approached Kazak and whispered, “Young master, the half-elven girl has been bought by someone else.”
“Who? Who bought her?”
Kazak gripped his wine glass, his expression fierce.
“A pioneer knight, they say…”
“What? Some mongrel dares steal what I reserved? Does he have a death wish?”
Before the steward could finish, Kazak cursed, clearly ready to summon his men and wipe out the offender.
“Young master, he’s from the Exes family—we cannot afford to provoke them!” The steward hurried to complete his report, worried Kazak would cause more trouble.
The moment Kazak heard the Exes family, his confidence faltered.
He recalled how, just a month ago, a member of the Eagle family came to Kadero Province and killed a guard right before his father’s eyes.
His father could only smile and let it go, not daring to pursue the matter.
Afterwards, Kazak himself was summoned to the study and sternly warned never to cross them.
Though his family held the rank of count, compared to the Exes family, they were as mice to tigers.
Within the kingdom, not all count families were equal.
The powerful Eagle family surpassed most marquis families.
His own Dosk family was only slightly stronger than some newly ennobled counts.
“Boss, the fellow’s so disrespectful—shall I take some men and snatch back the half-elven girl for you?” The noble youth beside Kazak, seeing his leader’s ugly expression, hastily offered, eager to make a lasting impression.