The group of eight walked down a street. Suddenly the ones behind them screamed as they rushed to the side of the road. A carriage was rumbling down the street. A young man sat in front of the carriage, whipping a horse, urging it to run faster. Seeing that a group didn't move aside, he frowned.

The frown eased a bit after the group jumped aside at the last minute. The carriage dashed further down the street. As Libertas glanced after it, he saw behind the fluttering drape a little girl. She had unique golden hair falling to her hips. He skin was as white as the clouds, and eyes blue like the sky. The lips were fiery red as the sun, and her bearing was like the mother earth.

Libertas stood dazed, helplessly starring after the carriage even if it has already disappeared at the distance. Someone tapped on his shoulder, though, it was ignored until the taps became uncomfortable. It was slapped away, as Libertas broke away from his daze, "Judas, stop hitting me. We need to go."

Judas pouted, "Humph, I didn't delay us like a certain-"

The succubi intervened, "Stop with you grumbling! Let us go fast!"

There was a certain yearning in their voice which brought Judas to shiver. After a short glance to a particular building, he turned to take Libertas hand and hastened on the way. There was a slight bulge at his pants.

Finally, they reached the marketplace. There were three fountains in one straight, each at the centre of a circle. Every circle was made out of stalls with the merchants standing behind them. At every quarter circle, there was a passage for the customers instead of more stalls. Some merchants fawned over the customers, luring them to his or her stall. Others were ardently debating with their customers about the prices of their products.

To the right and left of three circles of stalls were neatly placed stores. There it was a lot calmer, as there was no shouting merchants or debating customer. Though, once in a while a troublemaker was thrown out of the stores to the street.

At the entrance to the market stood one of the blood marked slave. He smiled at them, letting his gaze swept over them, and continued to observe the passing crowd.

One of the products the Merchant sold were slaves. They were driven like livestock, and maybe even lower. A price shield hung down from them like they were goods. And in this case, they were goods in the eyes of the sellers and buyers.

The mood of the group was low, one of the 'goods' could have been them. Soon they reached the third intersection. Besides a grand building near the intersection, was the carriage which rumbled down the street. The young man stood at the entrance to the building and spoke with someone else.

That someone else had an arrogant expression which was further denoted by his luxurious clothes. His nose was high up, and a stick was elegantly held to the side. After they noticing that came to them, they turned their heads. That someone else smiled, as he raised his hand to his hat. On the contrary, the young man beside him frowned in annoyance.

Coincidentally both stepped forward, the young man shouted, giving the other a surprise, "What do you want? Are you here to seek revenge? Then come if you dare. One step forward and my Master will enslave your pitiful soul and work you until death."

Igor stepped forward, "Who dares to threaten His Highness?"

"You dare to impersonate-"

The head of the young man was pressed down by the one beside him, "I'm terribly sorry for the behaviour of my servant. I am the young master of this city. My father is the city lord. I hope you can excuse him."

Libertas waved his hand, "Don't worry, no harm was done."

"We thanks for grace, Highness."

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

The young man gazed dazed at his master then at Libertas. Quickly switching between them, upon realizing the truth, he fell on his knees. He pleaded, "Your Highness, please forgive this ignorant fool!"

The young master steeped in front of his servant, smiled, "Your Highness, please disregard him. Did Your Highness come for the morrow's auction?"

Though he did ask, he didn't wait for an answer, "Then, Your Highness should have told us. We would have prepared a grand welcomes banquet. You, go, prepare a Deluxe VIP Card. I can guarantee Your Highness, it was a wise decision."

The young master pointed at a servant and instructed him to fetch a card. Soon the servant came back with a card in his hand. He careful raised it in front of the young master who casually took it before he threw it to Libertas.

"Your Highness please come tomorrow. There will be a special slave, one that was never seen before."

The young master turned around, walking into the building. He laughed, "Your Highness, don't forget to bring your toys with you!"

Libertas frowned. He glanced at the ones behind him. Did he mean with toys them? With a sigh, he shook his head, "Don't bother about him. Let's go."

Then he let the card fell to the ground, and turned right, walking away from the card. Judas glanced at the building, then at the card. After that, a glance after Libertas' departing back, a flash of doubt passed by his eyes. He sighed and picked up the card.

Following Libertas lead, the group took the first possible road to the left. Thereafter they reached the Mercenary Guild. It was a grand building with a plaque placed at the entrance to the building, stating, "The Guild of Mercenaries".

From the building could raucous laughs and shouts be heard. Once they entered a waft of liquor hit their nose. Most of the smell and noise came from the second floor. The walked by some Quest-Boards and finally stood at the reception.

A professional clothed lady was at the reception, she sat behind a counter. She smiled habitually at them, "Good afternoon, Sirs! How may I help you?"

Igor stood in front of the counter, greeting the receptionist, "Hello. At your branch in the capital, we hired a mercenary to transport and to track our path. Did he already arrive?"

"The name, please?"

"Igor."

"Hmm, the quest stated that the given good will be handed in at the gates. Is that wrong?"

"No. We-"

"Ah, wait a minute, Sir. There is a report about a bandit attack at you which led to that you are kidnapped. As the ones tasked to protect you didn't fulfil their task, he gave up. Sir, is-"

"See! Didn't I told you I said the truth?"

A skinny man walked out a room behind the counter. He shouted angrily at a man following behind him, who is similarly clothed like the lady in front of Igor. And coincidentally, he was the one Igor tasked to track them. The men following tried to calm him down, "We are-"

"Ha, if you are truly sorry, then give me a compensation! Do you understand? A! Com! Per, sa..."

The skinny mercenary voice quietened in disbelieve before he shouted while doubting his eyes, "How can you be here?"

The shivering finger was pointed at Igor as if he saw a ghost. The men viciously glanced at the mercenary, then happily asked, "Sir, could you explain that?"

"I, I can't…"

The man pointed back into the room they just walked out, "Then, could Sir please go back in?"

"No. No! Wait a minute!"

He shouted helplessly as the man dragged him back in the room. The lady spoke again, "Sir, where were we once again interrupted? Ah, yes. The bandits. Sir, had the bandits truly kidnapped you?"

"It can be said like this."

She stood up, and bowed, "Thanks for the answer. If you would like to excuse me now."

Then she walked in the door in which the poor Mercenary was dragged in, and dragged him and the man out. After that, she threw him at an empty counter, and commanded, "He stated the truth. Take out that box and give it back to its owner!"

The man grumbled to himself, "Shouldn't a lady like you be gentle?" as he took out a box. He carried it over to them, though, he didn't hand it immediately over but placed it on top of the counter. He then took a step back from the lady, "Would you please show us the verification paper?"

Igor pulled out of pocket a paper and gave it to the lady. Following she looked over it before she threw it to her colleague to see. Seeing that, Igor took the box. After the group left, the lady grinned at her colleague. She cracked her knuckles.

"So, what did you say? I should be more gentle!? Come, don't flee! Let us see how gentle I can be!"

Libertas gazed at the sky. The sun was going down, there wasn't enough time to reach the village before the stars appeared in the sky. He glanced at the box, "Let us find an Inn. We will stay here tonight."

"Alright, but will we stay for tomorrow's auction?"

Libertas glanced at Judas, "Why?"

Noticing Libertas gaze at him, Judas shrugged his shoulders, "If you don't know, I won't tell. If you won't stay, our paths will part here."

"Sigh, I will stay."

Judas took out the Deluxe VIP Card, "Though, I ask myself, how you would attend the auction without this card?"

After Libertas saw the card, he remembered he threw it away. With an awkward smile, he laughed, "Ahaha. Isn't it enough if you have it?"