The basement's overall tone was dark and ominous. Descending the spiraling staircase, a lone oil lamp hung high above, casting a dim glow. Along the path were interconnected cells, from which emanated voices and moans of despair. Dried bloodstains in the corners added a sense of bloodthirstiness to the atmosphere.
About ten meters underground, the surroundings opened up abruptly. The entire subterranean area was divided into four sections, each representing a different price range for slaves. Felix glanced around briefly, then headed towards the area with the least expensive slaves. Needing some live specimens for experiments, Felix, who was running low on gold coins, had no choice but to opt for cheaper slaves.
The ceiling of the underground area was newly inscribed with various magical runes, likely not older than half a month. In this era, constructing a basement without the protective force of magic was dangerous, as a simple earth-based vibration spell could easily destroy it.
Felix did not scrutinize the magical markings closely, but he identified elemental isolation and other auxiliary runes like "Arcane Stability."
In dark corners were guards of the slave market, usually staying out of sight in the selling area, so as not to dampen the noblemen's enthusiasm for selecting slaves.
Currently, Felix was dressed in an alchemist's robe, and he was a certified mid-tier alchemist in the capital. This was one of the disguises he prepared before entering the Silver Domain.
It was common for spellcasters to acquire multiple professional certifications. In Felix's memory, many powerful archmages held over six types of professional certifications.
What did being an alchemist represent?
Gold coins! Shiny Caesar gold coins!
Whether it was heavy metal alchemy, creating magical tools and sentient golems, or venturing into potion-making and concocting alchemical elixirs – all of it meant that one could earn heaps of shiny Caesar gold coins!
There was no doubt about it!
Alchemists were among the wealthiest in the spellcaster hierarchy. Do you know about the Caesar gold coin? The old man's face on the front is not what matters; it's the symbol on the back. Do you know what that symbol means?
Alchemy!
The gold coins circulating across the continent were minted by the Alchemist Guild. The purity of gold, its weight, symbols, and other aspects were all standards set by the Alchemist Guild.
Alchemists across the continent used elemental transmutation magic circles to create over a thousand tons of gold annually, which was then used for magical experiments and heavy metal synthesis.
A mid-tier or higher alchemist often represented a moving treasury. So, upon entering the trading area, Felix immediately attracted the attention of all slave traders!
Even through his grey cloak, Felix could feel their greedy, wolf-like gazes.
The underground area had its own rules. Clearly, slave traders were not allowed to forcibly drag customers, so they cracked their whips, making the downtrodden slaves pose in various ways, hoping to catch Felix's eye.
Even under the traders' insistence, several women dressed in white lace dresses, exuding a certain noble aura, knelt in cages lined with soft down blankets. They caressed their mature, voluptuous bodies, emitting moans of hunger and thirst...
Felix glanced indifferently at the ladies striving to show off their elegance. They might possess decent beauty, but that was all. In this area, these captured or deceived noblewomen were at best the wives of viscounts. Or perhaps their husbands were merely ineffectual baron knights.
The truly prestigious and influential noblewomen were in the high-priced area, where countesses and even duchesses from the Saturn Empire or other small principalities gathered!
Felix, at present, had no intention of keeping any decorative vases. He briefly scanned the cages before shifting his gaze to the rear of the trading area.
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There was an unwritten rule here: the front of each trading area sold women of noble status and remarkable beauty, confined in cages, yet their living standards in terms of food and shelter were above average. The back of the area, however, was for selling men.
The slave traders didn't bother to treat male slaves with the same consideration. The standard for male slaves was simply not to starve or fall ill. Of course, this was also a result of market demand. Few nobles would find interest in a filthy woman.
When he reached the end of the Phantom Zone, Felix was suddenly attracted by a mother and daughter!
The appearance of this mother and daughter can only be said to be of middle and upper level, but when put together, the shock to Felix is a bit thrilling!
The mother, who was about 35 years old, wore a lavender dress with pure white fluff on her wrists and feet, and a short tail with rabbit-like fur on her full, rounded buttocks.
It seems that the slave traders did this specially to attract customers, and she also covered a pair of white rabbit ears with pink ribbons on the top of her head.
A mature and alluring woman, with a full and towering chest and round, perky hips, was dressed in a light purple dress adorned with bunny-like decorations. Even as she knelt on the ground, Felix could feel a surge of longing welling up from deep within himself!
The daughter couldn't be more than fourteen years old. Her petite and delicate body was clothed in a pink maiden's long dress, her tender and slightly childlike face making her look like an exquisitely detailed doll!
Fear filled her amber eyes, and she curled up, hiding in her mother's embrace. Every now and then, she would peek out her little head, looking around at the passersby with terror.
As if to mirror her mother, her hips and the top of her head were also adorned with small, delicate bunny accessories. However, hers were pink. She looked like a little angel who had descended to the mortal world!
It can be seen that the slave traders in this booth are preparing to make this mother and daughter the main brand of this issue.
Because the cage they were staying in was not only covered with snow-white soft goose blankets, but also decorated with some small and exquisite female accessories on the door of the cage.
And a small bed in the cage, it looked like a cabin with a certain alluring charm.
The cage holding the mother and daughter was already surrounded by a crowd. Pairs of eyes, filled with desire, watched them intently, as if they wanted to devour them whole!
Felix, in the end, couldn't overcome his own longing. He slowly moved towards the cage imprisoning the mother and daughter. A few somewhat influential nobles drooled over them, but upon seeing the price tag on the cage, they couldn't help but shake their heads in disappointment!
On the cage hung a small sign, listing the mother and daughter's price, names, status, and background. Fifty thousand Caesar gold coins!
Felix was slightly startled by the string of zeros. Based on the current market price, a beautiful female slave costs around a hundred Caesar gold coins, and if she's a virgin, the price could go up fifteen times, to about fifteen hundred Caesar gold coins.
Fifty thousand gold coins – that's enough for a minor noble to comfortably marry eight or ten wives and live a lifetime!
"Beatrice Tinia: Mother, Jessica Tinia: Daughter."
Seeing this, Felix was momentarily stunned. A daughter taking her mother's surname was a practice exclusive to the nobility of the Saturn Empire. Could it be that this mother and daughter were captured from the Saturn Empire?
The ongoing disputes between the Titans Empire and the Saturn Empire had resulted in a large number of enslaved civilians and nobility from the opposing nation. However, capturing such a prime pair of mother and daughter would likely require venturing deep into the heart of the Saturn Empire!
"A viscountess?"
Felix gazed curiously at the frightened mother and daughter. Although they tried to suppress their expressions, the inherent noble aura they possessed was unmistakably beyond that of a minor noble. Felix's instinct told him that this mother and daughter were definitely not just the family of a mere viscount!
There was also a row of small print written on the bottom of the price tag, and the information marked was nothing more than two points. The first is that the mother was not violated in any way after being captured, and the second is that the daughter is still a virgin!
As a mark of high-end merchandise, many slave traders are extremely professional. Unless they plan to keep a female slave for their own amusement, those intended to be sold for a good price are usually preserved in pristine condition.
This is a market standard; nobles are often very particular, and a significant number of high-profile nobles have a certain fastidiousness. They cannot tolerate their playthings having been previously toyed with by a lowly slave trader. Accuracy in this aspect of marketing is crucial, as deceiving a noble on this point could invite deadly consequences!
This is no joking matter – there have been numerous slave traders who have lost their heads over such deceptions!
Nobles are indifferent to life, at least to the lives of others!
A portly businessman with a large belly was haggling with a slave trader, trying to buy the mother and daughter for thirty thousand Caesar gold coins. However, the slave trader seemed adamant, sticking to a price of fifty thousand coins. The businessman argued vehemently, but couldn't lower the price by even a single Caesar gold coin!
Felix turned his head to take a closer look at the slave trader and was surprised to find that the merchant was a woman, a fierce woman with a scar across her face!
Honestly, Felix felt tempted too, but he hesitated.