Ethan paused mid-step, his hand resting on the rickety banister leading to the upper floors of the inn. His fatigue momentarily forgotten, he turned toward the source of the commotion. The voices outside were growing louder, excitement rippling through the night air.
What were they so excited about? He wanted to see.
As he stepped outside, he was met with a bustling street. People of all ages were streaming toward the town square, their faces lit with anticipation. On closer inspection, most of them were men.
Huh? Ethan raised a brow. He grabbed the sleeve of a passing young man. "What's going on?" he asked, keeping his tone casual.
The man grinned, his excitement palpable. "You new here? It's the slave auction! Happens once every few months. They sell all those who have blasphemed. I heard they have so many good-looking ones this time!" He pulled his arm free and hurried to join the growing throng. "You don't want to miss it!"
Ethan froze in place, feeling mortified at what he heard. Blasphemed? What was he talking about? He walked over to the town square and saw the spectacle in person. A crowd gathered tightly around a large wooden platform illuminated by torches. The air was thick with excitement, and people jostled for a better view.
Ethan weaved through the crowd cautiously as he took in the unsettling scene.
On the stage stood a line of captives, each bound in shackles. Men, women, and even children stood with hollow expressions, their gazes fixed downward or darting nervously across the crowd. They were dirty and visibly worn, but the fear and resignation in their eyes stood out more than anything else.
At the center of the platform, an auctioneer, a stout man with a booming voice and an air of arrogance, began the bidding. His words dripped with the practiced enthusiasm of someone who had done this far too many times.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, we have a fine selection of laborers, artisans, and companions. A rarity among rarities, ready to serve your every need!"
Ethan's stomach churned. The crowd cheered, some shouting their bids as the auctioneer highlighted each captive's supposed merits. A muscular man was described as a "perfect farmhand," while a slender woman was paraded as "a jewel for any household."
Ethan stood there for a while and then silently turned back. It looked like this was one more thing he needed to get used to in this new world. This world had its own rules, its own horrors. If he let every wrong claw at him, he'd drown in his own helplessness before he could find solid footing.
He exhaled deeply and prepared to head back into the inn to go to his room when suddenly he heard another commotion near him.
"Can't afford the A-tier slaves? Worry not. I have the rejects here for you. Need some cheap slaves to take care of menial chores? This is the right place for you. Come one. Come all."
A smaller crowd gathered around the less formal slave auction, which seemed more like a flea market than anything else.
"These blasphemed creatures are not good for anything, but they can still work hard for your pleasures!" The men running this part of the auction were shouting over each other, their voices a chaotic mix of aggression and false cheer.
"Two for the price of one! Perfect for hauling trash or—" one man hollered, dragging forward a pair of frail-looking men who could barely stand.
"Only one silver for this one!" another yelled, shoving forward a young woman whose head was bowed low, her long hair covering her face. "She doesn't talk, doesn't fight, completely docile!"
"Lad, I saw you observing keenly. Interested in a woman or two? They are very cheap. You can use them and throw them." A fat man walked toward Ethan with a polite smile, pushing a woman at his feet.
The woman listlessly stared at the ground, her face hidden by a curtain of unkempt hair. Her thin frame trembled slightly, and her hands, bound in frayed ropes, twitched as if expecting another blow.
The fat man continued with his sales pitch, his tone dripping with sleazy enthusiasm.
"This one? Barely a silver coin. She does not know how to do anything. You can have fun punishing her for all the mistakes." He chuckled, revealing a vicious grin.
Ethan's first instinct was to tell the man off, to shout that no one had the right to treat people like this. But he forced himself to stay silent. He was new to this world and even though this was very brutal, he could still use a slave like this, someone who wouldn't betray him.
He was about to say something when another man walked towards them.
The man had a towering presence, his broad shoulders clad in a worn leather coat and a wide-brimmed hat that cast a shadow over his stern face. The man's sharp eyes flicked between Ethan and the fat salesman and then down to the woman crumpled at Ethan's feet.
"She doesn't look worth a silver," the newcomer said in a gravelly voice, his tone dismissive. "Half a silver at most."
The fat man's polite smile faltered for a moment before he quickly recovered, laughing nervously. "Ah, sir, it's you. Back already? Ha Ha. You've got a sharp eye, but surely you can see she's still got some use left in her. Also, she is a virgin. A full silver is a bargain, I tell you!"
The towering man ignored the sales pitch and turned his gaze to Ethan. "You buying her, boy?" he asked, his voice low and firm.
"Yes," Ethan said, "I'll take her." He needed a person who knew this world, and he needed someone who wouldn't betray him if they knew his secrets. This woman could work.
She could even walk around the city and ask around for information on his behalf. He needed someone, so why couldn't it be her? No one would doubt a slave.
The towering man studied him for a moment longer, then gave a curt nod. "Hmm. Okay." He then turned to the merchant and waved at him in annoyance. "You have more, don't you? What are you waiting for?"
The fat merchant scrambled to regain his composure, his smile becoming wider. "Of course, sir! We have plenty more! If you're interested, I can show you some of the finer selections in the back."
The towering man gave him a hard stare, one that immediately silenced any further chatter. He then started walking.
"Lad, hand me the silver coin." The fat merchant snatched it with a greedy grin and waddled after the towering man without a second glance.
Ethan turned his attention back to the woman at his feet. She was still trembling"Hey," He said softly, crouching beside her. "It's okay now. You're coming with me. No one's going to hurt you."
He felt a little guilty knowing that he was not saving her just for the sake of saving her and had some selfish intentions of his own, but his situation was such.