The slave market is in the Commerce Street.
The slave trading business was just barely scraping along on the Milis continent and in the southern parts of the Central Continent. However, it's different here in the north.
Here, the slave trade is perfectly legalised in most countries, and is endorsed. To the countries in the northern parts of the Central Continent, the slave trade is an important business. They're reliant on it to the point where the countries wouldn't be able to survive without it.
There are a variety of reasons for a person to become a slave.
Those who are orphaned in a war.
Those who are up to their ears in debt due to bad harvests, and so sell their children.
Those who sell themselves off to save their family.
It's also rumoured that in the dark side of the Thieves Guild, there's something like a slave farm.
The Ranoa Kingdom that is included in the 『Magic Triumvirate』 would survive even without slaves. However, heading further east are a great number of poor villages that have to sell children at fixed intervals.
Those slaves are bought by warrior and mercenary groups or countries and used as disposable soldiers in warfare.
However, there are those in the business that are connected with the Kingdom of Asura. Slaves that are beautiful or have a lot of ability are brought to the Kingdom of Asura to sell. The Kingdom of Asura is a place that doesn't know poverty. Though there are those who live in destitution, there's nobody who suffers from starvation. Slaves who are brought there are basically winners. I honestly think that you've lost the moment you become a slave though.
Also, because the slaves here in the north are excellent and robust, there are those who come all the way here to make their purchases. There are many looking to buy people.
"So it's this place, huh?"
In fact, I'd gathered information at the Adventurers Guild beforehand.
In a district as big as this, there are numerous slave markets. This particular district has 5 of them,
Though there are 5, they range in quality. For example, I was told about one of them "absolutely never buy from there". I was told that in a slave market with low credibility, there are slaves who are diseased or dying that people try to pawn off to others with a straight face. Well, I also heard that you could occasionally find a bargain there, but since we're all beginners we'd all have no way to tell the difference.
Because we're new to this, we head to a better slave market.
"Hmm, it's quite different to my homeland."
Zanoba nodded in interest.
The slave market looked just like a normal building at a glance. Made of stone and earth, it was a typical building for these parts. Judging by from the standards of this world, this building was on the large side. There were three of them in a row. Written above the door that served as the entrance was 『Rium Company - Slave Trade Centre』.
There were fires burning at the entrance, and standing around were men who wore leather armour over winter clothing. They were unshaven, but didn't give a particularly bad feeling. ...I've spent 2 years as an adventurer though, so it might be that I've become used to this kind of appearance. I probably would've thought different about them in the past.
"The slave market isn't outside huh..."
Fitts-senpai's voice sounded surprised. In the north, there are many slave markets that are held indoors. The reason is simple.
"Shall we enter?"
When we enter, a waft of hot air surrounds our bodies. There are fires throughout the inside of the building.
And on top of the countless daises are naked slaves lined up in a row. The reason they don't do it outside is basically because it's cold. The slaves would catch colds.
However, because indoor markets would lose passing customers, there are those who still do it outside.
"Hmm, there are a lot of different sales places, aren't there? Shishou, what should we do?"
"Since it's my first time buying as well, first let's look around as appropriate."
We start to walk around without much of a plan. The 8 slave stands are merchants associated with the Rium Company. Gathered around each place are possibly those who are selling slaves they've bought.
They probably alternate when they've sold out, or it might be something like switching over after their designated timeslot has passed.
It's quite a successful business, and there are crowds of people around each of the stands. Their outfits are quite varied; there are those like me who are dressed like adventurers, those who like Fitts-senpai and Zanoba are dressed like nobles, as well as those dressed like merchants, townspeople, commoners and students. Among them are merchants whose aim seems to be the resale of slaves. Further away from the stalls are those who have just purchased their slaves and are having a chat with each other.
Could the seedy looking ones be pickpockets? No, pickpockets wouldn't come to a guarded place like this. They might be slaves who are sent by their masters to purchase other slaves.
Nonetheless, I clutch onto the coin purse under my robes. This time I've been entrusted with the funds. It wouldn't be a joke if they were stolen.
"U-, uwah, uwah... They're really all naked..."
Seeing the slave stalls, Fitts-senpai's eyes are staring in surprise. His face is bright red. Because he's wearing a mantle I can't really tell, but he seems to be bashfully standing pidgeon-toed.
"T-, they're big, huh...? To become like that..."
Following his line of sight, I find that he was looking at some slaves who seemed like warriors, being introduced as featured goods. Whether man or woman, every one of them was well built. In particular, the female warrior in the middle was good. She was big. It goes without saying that her stature was big, but her bulging chest was something that made you look on with longing. Though it seems that goods as big as those would get in the way of battle, as I understand from Eris, in this world even if they're huge, there's not really a problem.