The waters below were dark and foreboding, but Isaiah couldn't tear his eyes off the calm waves as the ship sailed by, it felt hypnotic as he watched the smooth dark canvas that seemed to beckon him to throw everything away and jump. The ship sailed smoothly down the river thanks to the strong night breeze. He had just gone out onto the deck to relieve himself from the stuffy cramped rooms below after having been invited out to dinner with some of the merchants.

He heard them talk much about this voyage, despite its small scale it was a very profitable trade. This ship alone was carrying goods that were worth more than what Isaiah could reasonably earn in a single year. And he heard the reason why that is.

For one, Koln is part of the Duchy of Dachia, one of the big three in the Germanic regions. Unlike its Earthern counterpart, the regions here do not have access to the coast and are mostly landlocked, mostly is the key word here as some cities do have access to the oceans via a dozen rivers, but these rivers are tiny and too shallow for trading vessels to safely go up and down, save for the Club. Now the Club, as known by Dachia, was once a small channel that emptied into the Black Sea down north, but through the efforts and sacrifices of a million people over the course of 50 years, the river was widen and deepened, allowing ships of strategic size to pass through.

This made the Club the single most important lifeblood of trade for many kingdoms around the river, Dachia included. Thus many merchant and government forces had fought for control over the few trade lines the river could handle, and those that did earned massive profits. The river even became the focal point during the civil war of Dachia between the House Steiner and House Azerback, back when Caleb was not yet born.

Isaiah pried his eyes away from the river as a ship passed by, it was similar to the one he was riding, albeit owned by another company. There were plenty of eyes watching from the decks of both ships as they sailed past each other, one cannot be too complacent in such a hotly contested trading route. Isaiah took out the Kitsune's bronze tag and began to rub it to calm his beating heart. Every time ships like those pass by they always have this terrifying aura with them, big, bold, and dark with dozens of cannons lined up ready to fire. Isaiah wondered if he could take on an entire armed ship all by himself.

"Is that yours, herr Isaiah?"

"Hmmm?" Isaiah looked back and found the merchant who offered him the job, "Oh, it's uh, I found this somewhere."

"I see... Well bronze tags are common enough to be found, it could be that its owner died in the middle of a quest or criminals using them as a way to dodge identification."

"That... That is pretty terrible security if I could say."

"So you say, but in reality, things aren't as easy as they may seem." The man coughed as he leaned over the railings beside Isaiah, "I once worked at the guilds you know, the town of Maruipol over the west, a cold place most of the time. Security is a very serious issue with the guild, especially with identification and the way they deal with it is extremely quiet so as not to raise any suspicion. I am not too sure how it is dealt with here in Dachia, but registration is only allowed in big cities like Mariupol and Koln, towns and some villages might have guilds over in their location but it is mostly to facilitate quest and a place for adventurers to gather and all, registering can only be done in bigger towns and you will be asked to go if you want one."

"Well, that is a big issue for criminals,"

"Exactly, then there is the registration process. Remember the pen they gave you to register? Well, that is a magical item filled with runes, it can record your hand which the guild then copies out."

"Wait, you mean fingerprints?"

"Yes, those pens can record your fingerprints, the pen then uses heat to inscribe the fingerprints onto a paper for record-keeping purposes. But if you are a mage, then your registration gets a lot easier. The reason why mages get registered quickly isn't just because they are powerful but also because it is easy to identify you just by your mana."

"I remember a wind mage saying he can see my mana, is that related?"

"That is indeed true, wind mages can see your mana and trained ones can even figure out who is who just by mana alone, and since wind is the second most common element amongst mages there is no shortage for the guilds to hire. So mages get fast-tracked into signing, and then their fingerprints and manaprints are recorded, so when a mage commits a crime and leaves his mana on the scene well it's not that hard figuring out who did what. Sure you could run, and change your face and name, but at the end of the day, you cannot change your soul. Or what my people call mana back at home."

Isaiah could hear his heart beat very loudly inside his chest, if that was true then his mana and fingerprints would have been recorded already, and not just that, with an army of wind mages they could very easily hunt him down.

"So... Err, how long does this kind of thing well, work?"

"Pardon?"

"I mean like, how would the other guilds know who someone is when your profile is only made in one guild."

"Well, every time a new adventurer comes to register, their information is written down on paper and then sent to the main branch at the capital where they would be painstakingly copied and sent to the other guilds to be used."

"Ohh... I see, that would take weeks or months to complete don't you think?"

"Aye that is true, wherein lies the problem, and though a criminal can falsely their information once or twice eventually they would be forced out of the bushes. Research is being done to make this process quicker and I heard that wind mages can now even send messages through long distances without moving at all."

"That's good I see, I see..."

"It is indeed, the day might come that we merchants can feel safe knowing that the adventurers we hire ain't some criminal or worse, a runaway slave." He began to chuckle whilst Isaiah laughed nervously, "Now seriously, do you know just how dangerous it is to harbor runaway slaves within your company... Oh dear, oh dear."

Isaiah nodded as sweat poured from his brow,

"How... How dangerous do you mean?"

"Eeh? Well, it's thievery you know. In most places, thieves are required to pay the price of the goods stolen multiplied by ten. Slaves are amongst the most expensive commodities, with cheaper slaves going for 5,000 to 10,000 marks and 100,000 for special types of slaves now imagine that number multiplied by ten. I heard one slave got sold for 330,000, that slave got sold to a king for her incredible beauty."

"Oh..."

"Now that is if the slave is sold, things are a lot easier to deal with. But if the slave was never sold, that's far worse."

"Unsold?"

"Yeah, like those who escaped Eisansurburg for example. Lord Caleb Azerback owns the mansion, and any who is found harboring them will have to face the wrath of Dachia's most powerful noble... Most unsold slaves are owned by people who have lots of power and wealth, so going against them is just asking for death..." He then whispered to Isaiah, 'And you know, just between you and me, but Britanicca mostly does its dealings in Dachia with the slave trade, so we have like a lot of money to think of, and if we anger lord Azerback that could mean the end of our guild... So if you ever see an escaped slave do tell us, especially if they have the mark of the scorpion. Especially with the whole escape in the mansion and all, we recently caught one working as one of our servants. Easy to say, my masters do not want a repeat of the incident.'

"Hehehe... Will do, no slaves can escape me... Hehe."

The merchant looked at him with a very serious face, "I mean it, by the way, I really do... But don't let that damper our relationship, I am sure we have great things ahead!"

"Y-yeah! Money!"

"Ahahaha, money indeed... You did the right thing and joined us..."

Isaiah silently gulped his saliva 'So God Help Me...'

***

The ship's third deck was hot and cramped, with over 30 sailors and passengers sleeping in hammocks scattered randomly alongside some cargo. The smell of flour, cloth, bodies, and stale air mixed in to create a strange scent. Though Isaiah was pleased with the sight of a hammock, the heat was somewhat unbearable. But it wasn't the heat nor the discomfort that made him unable to sleep, rather it was what the merchant just told him.

'They would find out...' He told himself, 'They would find out soon enough,' He could feel the mark burning in his chest aching as the thought of him opening the door and finding inquisitors to capture him back ran so vividly in his mind, a cold sweat ran down through his cheek.

He had thought that he would have much time before they would come back to find him, having been complacent considering the low scientific level of this world. As long as he was careful with the tattoo he might be able to stay hidden for quite some time, but he had badly underestimated just how advanced this world was.

Suddenly, his brain went into full overdrive. He had at first thought of fighting back, but he has nowhere near the strength required to properly deal with his enemies, particularly that black knight the size of an elephant who was somehow immune to his magic. Then going against an institution as large as slavery in this day and age was outright impossible no matter how strong he became.

'I should've stayed in Koln, at least there I was somewhat safe...' He sighed, 'And the pay was extremely good.'

He had planned to work with these merchants to earn cash so that he could eventually leave for other more lucrative and safer businesses, steadily raising his wealth while also going out to find ways to level up. But just within the first day, everything was about to come crashing down.

'No wait... Maybe, just maybe I still have some time, like it would still be weeks right?' It was here he realized that it had been close to a month since he escaped, 'I am a slave, a valuable one since I could use magic, they must have gotten me in their radars right? And him, right him.' The image of the blonde man smiling at him flashed before his eyes, 'He had wind magic, and windies can detect mana... Yet the fact that he approached me and tried to enter me into his troupe...'

Suspicious was the only word he could think of.

'They know me, so must be looking around for me too. But the fact that they want to keep everything quiet means something alright...'

Something he could use for example.

The merchant already told him that the guild would not protect him as they would risk losing access to Dachia's markets and their massive investments. But if the other party was keeping things under wraps then he might have some time to build up a reputation in the guild and make him a much more costly asset to lose. This would hopefully give him some leeway to make the guild hesitate on deciding allowing him time to escape or to negotiate.

A smile crossed his face,

'New heading set.' It was here that streaks of warm sweat crossed his face, 'That said it's too hot here, might as well get a refresher outside.' And so he hoped but was met with a heavy rain bearing down on the deck, so he decided to get a tour of the ship instead.

At the center of the main deck was a trapdoor-like contraption that opened up to the first deck. Here, the master's quarters lay alongside some private bunks for some merchants, and an open hole at the center was covered by planks of wood that would lead straight down to the cargo hold. On both sides were six cannons each, facing an open porthole, ready to fire at whoever might dare impede her journey. About a dozen or so sailors hanged their hammocks here for sleep, only a few were awake for night duty.

The second deck was where the cargo was. Sacks and barrels were pilled up high, tied down by rope, and nailed in for security. There was little space for people to walk around. Isaiah met four sailors inside though they were all asleep in the weirdest of places. The storage space was just as large as two of their classrooms combined, with each room just enough for fifty students.

He explored the place, somewhat bored out of his mind, and was trying to assuage his fears when he stumbled upon the cages he had helped load a while back. This cage, in particular, had about 15 people inside, all men except for one woman who was lying on the ground. The cage itself was just as big as Isaiah's old room but was filled to the brim.

The slaves here were filthy, and stank of sweat, blood, and urine mixed with all kinds of matters. Isaiah gently covered his nose as he looked at the people inside, none stared back at him as they were mostly asleep or drugged as was the custom when carrying this many slaves from one place to the other. Despite the high price of such narcotics, the slavers take a great deal in their wares safety ensuring they do arrive at the markets. Slaves fetch a high price, it made him wonder how much he would have cost had he been bought.

As he continued to look around, his eyes caught onto someone in particular, an old man stood frail at the cage, butt naked and dirty from top to bottom, his mouth was frothing with some kind of white substance that dripped on his centuries-old beard that looked like a Persian rug. He was drugged like the others and was wandering aimlessly in his mind, but as Isaiah went closer to him it dawned on him just who this man was.

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"Old man Porridge."

After hearing his name, the old man looked around, confused and dazed, before he looked at Isaiah. He squinted his eyes, craned his neck, and even sniffed him, but at this point Isaiah backed down, realizing that if he was identified by this guy his slavery status would be found out.

He tried to back off, but then...

"Wait a second..." Porridge grabbed Isaiah by the neck and pulled him back, "To think you are here..."

"I don't know you."

"You don't know me eh? You called me before."

"Look, man." Isaiah removed Porridge's hand off his neck, "Leave me alone okay."

"Alright, alright whatever... You look like you are living a good life, fine... Just let me out."

"Why would I? You guys left me when Titan appeared."

"And what do you expect me to do then? Fight him back, please... Now that you say that, did you actually beat him?"

"Me..." Isaiah blushed in pride after being asked the question, "Why yes of course, very easy in fact."

"Whatever... Let me out of the place now! I've been in prison for 10 years already..."

"Look man, no can do."

"Why not, you're out and you defeated Titan aswell? You could get me out."

"No, I mean like, where would you go next?"

"I'd just follow you around."

Isaiah was unconvinced, he wasn't sure whether or not it was a good idea. Especially since he was about to be on the run. Sure Porridge had magic but it wouldn't be that great anyway. Thus he decided to leave. But just as he did, Porridge called him out,

"Wait don't go... If you do I'll tell the others!"

Isaiah stopped, "Tell what?"

"I'll tell them you're an escapee. So what about it, huh, are you gonna free me or are they gonna find out?"

Isaiah deliberated, and seeing the hesitation on his face Porridge began to relax,

"Look man, I don't want no trouble, so if you let me out right now there'll be none."

"Fine." Isaiah replied as he reached his hand out, "Move out."

"Right, I knew I could trust you."

However, Isaiah wasn't going to free Porridge, at all this man left him back when Titan appeared, not just that he would be a great liability. Porridge was old, and unskilled in his magic in the first place, plus as an escaped slave, he wasn't going to help Isaiah in the political and legal field anyway. If he was going to follow him around he was basically carrying his own noose. So Isaiah decided to knock him out here would be the best solution.

He reached his hand out and Porridge backed away, knowing how Isaiah's powers would work, but instead of the metallic bars giving way for him, he felt his neck tighten, and before he knew it his face was slammed against the metallic bar. He could taste rust on his tongue whilst blood splurted out of his mouth. The second shot knocked him unconscious.

Isaiah paused after seeing his head go limp, but knowing that this man would definitely tell them if he woke up, he decided to kill him.

His heart began to race. He had killed before, surely he could do it again. But Nightstalker died by his own hands, not because of Isaiah. So this would definitely be the first... He gripped his hands and was about to go when suddenly,

"Oi!" He turned to his side, there a sailor with red eyes and long hair yawned and with a sleepy voice told him. "Try not to hurt the slaves, they don't sell well if their faces are bruised or something."

Isaiah, thinking he has been caught reached his hand out towards him but for some reason,

'What the?'

His magic didn't affect the guy, panic quickly settled in as he tried again and again to connect his magic but it never worked. No matter how hard he pulled the guy remained in his place. The sailor was confused but nonetheless continued on his words,

"Look man, if you're that desperate, desperate enough to go for an old man, just wait till we get to shore there are plenty of brothels at Sardis. Don't bother with the slaves jeez..." The sailor placed his hands on his hips as Isaiah blushed, realizing that the man had misunderstood him. Nonetheless, he'd rather have that misunderstanding than be found out.

"I understand, okay then..." Isaiah looked back and released the now limp Porridge, he planned on continuing later on but realized that the man wasn't leaving, he was waiting,

"You gonna release him or what? We need those guys intact for sale you know?"

Isaiah thought of trying to convince him to leave but decided against raising more suspicion, he instead left quietly, his heart beating quickly after realizing that he had planted his own time bomb.

***

Featuring a plethora of berths, ports, and piers it looked as if it was built on the sea. Due to the complexity of its layout when the ship arrived the next morning multiple smaller tug-boats arrived to assist their ship, their ship was then towed towards a long pier that was capable of hosting three vessels of similar size on both sides. As soon as the ship was in position, the men began their work, and the merchants took off in droves as they headed to the offices to settle the paperwork, minutes later the workers began to arrive carrying out the cargoes and wares the ship brought while sailors went off to their own thing.

The deck was opened allowing the cranes to carry the heavier loads, they were larger and more powerful than the ones at Koln, however despite the advancements they were still bulky and tedious to operate requiring a crew of six to work, and so, while they were busy preparing Isaiah readied himself for the task, the quartermaster quickly gave his orders and Isaiah obliged, with but a swing of his arm the metal cells that held the slaves were lifted out of the ship as if held by invisible hands, they were slowly lowered onto the waiting carriages below.

His head did ache, but by this point, he was used to it. What he wasn't used to, however, was the large-eyed look he was getting from the many people working about the pier, from workers merchants, sailors, and even the adventurers who saw his powers, it was quite the spectacle. Especially to the adventurers who had never seen such utilitarian magic before, they were well aware that mages capable of lifting metal boxes were everywhere but one who could lift things like straw sacks, barrels, and boxes was peculiar

That said, many cheered when they realized that their work might be done in a day or two, the merchants in particular were incredibly ecstatic, it felt as if they had just hit jackpot. Though Isaiah was happy that he was being recognized, he was focused, his eyes scanning every cell lifted out of the boat for signs of Porridge, upon the last cell being lifted, he finally found him still unconscious.

'Great' He thought, but still he was nervous, for without a doubt the moment he opened his eyes, it would be chaos. He wanted to smack him in or kill him but found no opportunity to do so. By the time the cell was placed in the carriage, he was already low on mana.

"I need to rest." He told the merchant who stood near him,

"Yes sir, ahh, right this way."

As he sat down to rest and recover his mana, Isaiah watched the whole work unfold. Without him, the work began to slow down but still, it carried on. He looked around, watching the people that went in and out of the ship, checking the guards and the merchants but found nothing suspicious.

'Porridge kept his mouth shut.' He thought as he gulped down the cup of water handed to him, 'Back to work I guess.'

Sadis' port however wasn't just for show, it was far bigger in not just size but also scale than the one at Koln, that was because, unlike Koln, Sadis was never invaded and thus had plenty of time to improve its infrastructure and expertise required for trading. What would have taken Koln a week took only half in Sardis, and with Isaiah in the mix then the two-day bonus would be taken easily. By the time night had fallen, the ship had already started loading procedures.

There was a smile plastered on everyone's faces, save for the sailors who knew that their time off was shortened considerably. The workers were happy and so were the merchants as bonuses came flying around. And Isaiah being the cause of this was of course well treated.

The merchant liked his service especially and so treated him well, from dinner to even his bed they went out lavishly. He was booked at an inn called Squid Ink which boasted comfortable and neat rooms, he was finally in a decent inn. It had all the furniture one would need, from a cabinet to a shelf, even a raised bed with a proper mattress and blanket. It even featured its own bathroom, though it was only meant for showers. Vents were plentiful in the rooms so the temperature was cool.

Isaiah decided to hit the bath first before preparing for the night, as he lay in his bed he decided to take out the bag he had hidden underneath the pillow, spilling its contents onto the bedsheets.

"4,500 marks." He counted and returned 72 extra marks. The amount of money he had earned in only two weeks of working was far more than what he had expected. "And it might be the last..." Worry filled his face as he sat on the bed, with the discovery of Porridge being around there was no telling just when exactly he'll start telling people, they might not believe him at first but should it fall in the wrong ears then that might spiral out of control.

After all, he was an escaped slave and they would have every financial incentive to rat him out or to blackmail him into submission.

He was therefore wondering, should he abandon this highly lucrative job and remain at Koln or perhaps leave for somewhere else or risk it all and hope for the best? Is the Britannica Guild even powerful enough to protect him?

'I could offer them some perks and stuff... I could work harder with reduced pay, just not too much. My magic is that valuable, I'm sure... No, they want the trade networks with Dachia, that will complicate things for them...' He took out the kitsune's bronze tag and began rubbing it, he was beginning to feel calmer.

As he thought about his situation, he noticed that the city outside was still vibrant and filled with life. He had thought that everyone would go to sleep but the lamps were still open and the vantage point of the inn gave him the full view of the night market. He decided to give in to his temptations and look for things to spend his hard-earned cash,

'Wait, didn't they say that the slaves would be sold here, if that's the case Porridge should be in one! A slave market should exist here somewhere, maybe...'

He recounted his money, he was sure that he had enough to buy low-quality slaves at best, this should allow him entrance into the markets where he could then kill Porridge without attracting any attention, he closed his fist, he was sure he could crush his throat or cause the oxygen to disappear for awhile allowing for some stealthy kills, but he wondered if he could do so, though the thought of assassinating an old man made his heartache, it was for his own safety and thus he had no choice.

That said, there were other concerns in mind. First off his clothes were getting old and dirty, it might have been only a few days but the amount of work wasn't boding well for his clothes, so he needed to buy some as well as soap to wash them. Secondly, he needed weapons and armor, his plan of setting off on his own would require prep work especially now that he knew just how difficult it is to go on an adventure, weapons and armor would aid him in this endeavor. He needed to level up after all and weapons would provide him a much easier time doing so.

'Right, let's go see the market.'

For now, he was planning on only spending as little as possible so that he could compare the prices between the cities. That said, it didn't last long before half his salary was spent on just apparel, there was more stuff than what Isaiah expected he could buy. A new pair of shoes, a pair of sandals, five sets of clothing, two sets of jeans, a new bag and underwear. As Isaiah counted his remaining cash reserves the merchant finished packing his stuff,

"Thank you." The merchant smiled as he waved goodbye to Isaiah, he was certainly happy as Isaiah didn't even bother negotiating the price, "Please come again."

Isaiah waved back as he checked the sack of clothes he had purchased. A grand total of 2,000 marks, expensive but since they were brand new he didn't feel overcharged. As for weapons and armor, however...

'20,000 marks...' Isaiah looked at one set of plated armor that was being displayed on an extravagant stand. Sure it was an A-grade ware but still, 'The weapons are ridiculously expensive too, do they have magical abilities and stuff?'

He decided to go look for cheaper options and found a stall that looked cheap and low-grade.

'No description.' Isaiah thought as he picked up a good-looking knife amongst the wares, he chose this desk specifically because the seller was busy with another customer. Isaiah tried blinking multiple times but no pop-up appeared that told him the knife's quality or description.

'Why is this stuff... Augh.'

He found it annoying that even basic description text was missing in the system. For all its perks it definitely wasn't handing him everything on a silver plate.

"Ah sir, that knife sir was made with by Sardis' finest craftsman." The seller quickly approached Isaiah after the other customer left, and he then bombarded him with his sales pitch. "Blah, blah, blah... And all that could be yours for just 1000 fins."

"Fins?"

"Yes... Ah, do you have money with you?"

"I only got marks, you accept those?"

"Swadian marks?"

"No Dachia,"

"Ah Dachia, I believe the rate is 2 marks for every fin. So that should cost you about 2000 marks."

Isaiah paused after hearing those numbers, he nodded and smiled before leaving without saying a word. '2000 marks for a knife, what was that?'. He had at first thought it was a scam, but after looking at other shops the prices remained sky high. The second-hand market seemed non-existent as most shops either had their weapons already reserved or contained weapons that required extensive repair.

"Sardis isn't a weapons-heavy trade center you see." A blacksmith told him whilst pounding on a plate of steel, "Most of the weapons we make get sold to the army, or by the adventurers. People wait weeks to have their weapons serviced or made."

"So what's my best option then?"

"Either order one made for you, or you can go west to other cities that have bigger factories like Koln."

"Ahh..." Isaiah gritted his teeth, "If I want one made, how much would it cost? In Dachia marks."

"Depending on the shape, size, and materials used." The man pointed over to his right where multiple swords were displayed. "A claymore would cost you about 5,000 marks, broadswords for 3,000 to 5,000. Halbeirds around 4,000 and spears, 2-3,000. Then there is the issue with materials, which are a separate cost. Bronze weapons are the cheapest with iron rather expensive. Steel is the most expensive and sadly I cannot create steel weapons so you will have to buy me steel ingots."

Isaiah looked over the display rack and examined the swords. No matter how hard he squinted no information bubble popped up to help him choose, so he was left clueless in choosing a design.

Both the broadsword and claymore were too big to be of any use when considering Isaiah's magic-based skill. The spears meanwhile though great were too much for his current abilities, plus they were long and a hassle to bring with him. What he needed was something short, something meant for defense rather than a main offensive tool. Kinda like a shortsword,

"Hmm... Are you a mage perhaps." The blacksmith asked,

"Why yes. Is there anything you could recommend?"

"A mace, or perhaps a morningstar... But if you really want something fancy, then..." He reached out from underneath the counter and pulled out a sword, "Model 17 as they call it. Rather popular with the adventurers and mages. Its also cheaper than usual but has very little utility, that said it should be good enough."

The Model 17 was a short curved sword, the same kind he saw in many movies. It was short and a sword, and that was all he needed to know,

"How much is it?"

"Assuming you want it done in iron, that should cost roughly 3,000 marks and I could do it in a week or so. If you want steel then you might want to wait for a month, I'm not even sure how much it would cost. Bronze weapons can be done in three days but they lack durability and are more prone to damage Though they will cost 2,000 marks instead."

Isaiah wanted it made of steel, but one month was too long for him to wait, on the other hand a bronze weapon, though cheap, was easily destroyed. So Isaiah settled for an iron one instead, one week was rather long but Isaiah could wait that much.

"What else would I need?"

"A whetstone and oil. I can get you both for 300 marks."

Isaiah then placed 2,000 marks on the counter, the merchant nodded after counting it out.

"Downpayment..."

"Come back next week.."

"Say, any chance you can do it quickly?"

"Make it 5,000 marks and I'll see..."

Isaiah only had 2,000 marks as a budget for today, but with tomorrow's salary on the mix he was sure that he could afford these terms, plus he could always take out a loan, something which he had heard the merchants could do by collateralizing their salary, "Done deal then, but I'll pay the difference once it's done."

"Very well, what else do you need?"

"Armor I guess..."

"Armor huh, if you're a mage, then some light paddings should do. Good enough to protect you from arrows and some stabs."

"Do you have any for sale?"

"Not my specialty, sorry... Might try asking others about that."

"I see, how much would they cost though?"

"Cheaper ones go about 800 marks, 300 for used ones."

"Well, that, uhm,"

"Cheap is it? Well, unlike weapons you could outgrow armor, you see so there is plenty in the after-market."

Isaiah nodded as he left the stall. Although he wanted to buy armor, he didn't have the budget to do so for now considering the tall list of things he needed to buy.

"That said, there is no need to rush, still got loads of time for me... Plus Koln should have cheaper options." He took a deep breath, "I should have bought stuff in Koln, he did say weapons are cheaper there..."

He grunted, this was one habit of his that he could not part with.

Isaiah then started roaming around and found himself in a large clearing where cages were set up everywhere. That said it was clear that the slave market was now closed as when Isaiah tried to enter he was denied by the guards. He thought he could force himself through but decided against it fearing being found. He circled the area, trying to find if he could locate Porridge but alas he could not, and worry filled his heart.

'Should I return here tomorrow?' He wondered, he could not see beyond the outside perimeters due to the dark place and the thick bars and eventually gave up the search. 'Let's just hope he is dead or sold far away.'