Forty days ter I arrived in town Argon. One of the for great towns of Ashrin, it was located in southern part of Ashgrin and was closest town to Bcksmith cave. This was my first visit in this town so I used an opportunity to register myself in local Mage guild's magic circle.

  After renting a room in a local tavern, I went to the local cattle market. It was also a pce where humans sold sves, which was exactly what I was looking for.Market smelled, but was crowded. People bought there horses, cows, sheep, goats and also humans, beast folk and even dwarf sves.

  I found the biggest sve house and went inside. Unlike other pces this one had guards, but they let me inside without any questions.

  Tall man in dark robe approached and bowed.

  - Lady adventurer. Welcome to my sve house. My I be of assistance.

  - Sure. Can you tell me more about your product and also how do you keep sves obedient?

  - First time buying sves?

  - Considering it. Could use some, if you have any that will be of use to me.

  - I am confident in my ability to satisfy your needs, - he slightly smiled: - Please follow me, I will expin to you about sve use and show you my merchandise, as we talk. First you do not need to worry about sve uprising or disobedience. You can purchase sve colrs from us. There are two types of sve colrs. First will inflict pain, and second will burn down a sve who would disobey masters orders. You can personalize the colrs using drop of your blood and use them on different sves. Personalized colrs cannot be removed by anyone else, but their owner.

  - And how much do they cost?

  - Five gold coins for the colrs that inflict pain and six for another. As an elf you probably are worried about svery legitimacy. But I can remind you that svery is only forbidden in Elven kingdom. Other kingdoms of our continent allow svery, as long as only criminals, debt sves or war prisoners are kept as sves. Government official is visiting as regurly, to make sure that we abide by this w.

  In transtion - they did not have illegal sves, at least as long as they bribed the town representative. And in cases if they got suspicious sve, they could always cim that he was a criminal. In that case it would be a word of a sve against a word of a respectable sve trader. All you need to do is be careful and not to sell someone close to his home.

  I looked at the "criminals and war prisoners". Most of them were dirty, kept in small packed rooms. But there were also those who had separate rooms. Mostly young, beautiful woman. Sves were thin and probably had flees or lice.

  - What are the prices?

  - Cheapest sves will cost you a single gold coin. But that is the price of an old man or woman. Some people buy them, so they can take their life force. Younger men cost five gold coins. Most expensive sves could cost up to ten orichalcum coins, but I currently do not have anyone so expensive.

  - Do you have any elves?

  - Are you looking for anyone specific?

  - More like someone with long life span. Djinn would be god too, but that would depend on their skills.

  - Are there any skills that you have in mind?

  - Yes, some. But do you know what skills your sves have?

  - Yes. For most of my sves, I keep records about their skills. What exactly are you interested in?

  - Let me see. Someone with farming skill. Also someone who can be used as a guard. Former gdiator or adventurer, or maybe a soldier. Then two young woman. Elves if you have them would be preferable. And someone with mage skills. But not a djinn. They mostly have Air or Water magic skills, but I would prefer someone with Earth magic skill. And not a complete novice. Also someone with builder, mason and carpenter skill. Some dwarf perhaps. And I may consider buying a bcksmith, if you have one.

  - That is a lot.

  - Do not think that I will buy all of them. My money is very limited. I may just start one at a time.

  - I understand. Farmers will be easy, but since you asked about elves, first, let us start with them. I have two female elves and one male one. But I should warn you that elves make bad sex workers. Better to chose humans or beast folk for that. Bunny girls are popur in that area.

  - I will keep it in mind.

  He took me to one of the cells. Inside were too female elves. One looked young and beautiful with golden hair that now were dirty. The other one was older, beyond forty by human standards. Remnants of dirty cloth barely covered their bodies.

  - Do they have any skills?

  - Novice archery, the young one. Basic archery the oldest. Nothing else of interest.

  - I see. And what of their prices?

  - Three orichalcum coins for the young one and two for the other.

  - I see. What about the mail?

  - Men in his prime. Also archery skill. And also Scouting and Hunting.

  - No magic skills among them?

  - Sadly no.

  Elf looked like experienced man, but was beaten and with uninterested eyes.

  - Looks worn out.

  - Yes. Been her for a while, but he is not completely broken yet. Orichalcum coin and a half, if you are interested?

  - I will consider him, but I would like to see the rest first. Then I can decide who is more interesting for me and who should I buy first.

  - As you wish.

  Next he showed me some humans with Gardening, Farming and some other simir skills. They cost was between four to six gold coins.

  He had more than a dozen young woman. Among them were humans and beast girls. They costed between five gold coins to two orichalcum coins.

  Two men had Mason skills and another with Carpenter skill. He even had a dwarf with a Bcksmith skill, but at novice level.

  Men that he offered me as guards looked like bandits, and I grimaced at that.

  - Don't you have someone who does not look like someone who will slit his mothers throat in her sleep?

  - Have something special, but also expensive. A titan if you can believe that?

  - Sounds interesting. But I would like to know how did he ended up as a sve. Crazy titan's do not interest me.

  - He got drunk and killed a man in a tavern fight. Cimed that those men tried to rob him, but judge did not believe him, and he ended up as my property.

  My cynical nature whispered me that the judge was bought. That was an additional way how the sve master could increase his merchandise.

  Titan was sitting in his small cell. He was around three meters tall, which was too high for the small cell. He would not be able to stand in it and also cell was too small for him to comfortably sleep in it. But at least he had a private one. Titan gred at the sve master, but did not say anything. I noticed whip marks on his body.

  - Pride of my collection. Four orichalcum coins to answer your next question.

  - Actually I wanted to ask you about his travel abilities. What if I need travel on horses? Doubt that he can get on one. And he will not be able to run as fast either?

  - You are not wrong. But titans are known for their stamina. Also he can run much faster that humans and for a long time. He should be able to keep up with a slow ride.

  - I see, - I looked him over. Titan did looked like a catch.

  - What about mages?

  - Hmm. Only one with Earth magic skill is a young boy. But I doubt that he has any experience.

  - I see. What about Mage guild? Do they teach sves?

  - They will, as long as you pay them. They do not discriminate.

  Boy was around fifteen years old. There was nothing about him that would stand out. But at least he did not looked like a vilin. He was sitting around other men, with his head between his legs.

  - How did he got here?

  - Stealing. Got caught, and when judge asked him what he would prefer cutting off the arm or svery, he chose svery.

  I could understand such choice.

  - You kid! - I called him: - Can you use any spells.

  He looked at me and nodded: - Yes ma-am. Can use Stone skin spell. Former adventurer who lived in our vilge taught me.

  - Orichalcum coin and a half, - grinned sve master. I could bet that boys answer increased boys price at least by half the coin.

  - How did you ended up here?

  - My parents were killed by a monster. I came to town, because I wanted to become an adventurer, but did not have money for registration. Got really hungry and stole some bread. But I got caught. Judge told me that my hand will be cut off, or I could became a sve. Cannot be an adventurer with one hand mam.

  Not the most heartwarming story, and not most unusual one either. I used Appraisal spell on him. He was level one and had commoner job, but also Earth magic skill. Probably he was born with it. Rare, but not impossible as far as I knew.

  - I would like to talk to the bunny-girl and titan, before I make my decision.

  - Thought that they may interest you.

  Bunny girl looked around eighteen year old and was cute looking. She caused pity with her lowered ears, and reminded me a sad dog.

  - You, the one with bunny ears. What job do you have.

  - I am just a commoner miss.

  - Do you have any skills?

  - Farm worker and Cleaning skills, miss.

  - Good. For now I will take her. Can she accompany us?

  - I do not see why not, - shrugged sve master. He opened the sell and gestured to bunny-girl: - You there, come with us.

  She obediently nodded and followed us. Titan was sitting in the same position, but this time did not react to us.

  - Titan, do you understand your circumstances?

  - Yes.

  - What do you think is going to happen to you?

  - I will end up in a stone quarry, or will be sold as a gdiator.

  - That's right. What is your job?

  - Just a commoner. Nothing special.

  - Any skills.

  - Fistfighting and Traveler skills. That is how I ended up in her. Followed my Traveler skill. Last time I do that.

  - You are not wrong about that, - I turned to sve master: - I will take this bunny girl and mage kid now. But I want to buy also some more of your sves. I can show you which ones, but I can only return five days ter to pick them up and pay then. Can you set them aside for me, and do not sell either one of them until I come back. I will also take pain inflicting colrs for all of them?

  - How many do you wish to take?

  - Eight not counting first too. I will show you which ones, but I want bunny-girl to see them as well.

  - Unusual requests. I can do that, but I will need proof that you will come back for them.

  - I can leave nine gold coins as advance payment for them, if you promise not to sell any of them.

  - As long as you buy them all. Or you lose those coins.

  - Agreed, - I nodded. We walked around, and I pointed at the ones that I chose. Sve master counted their price.

  - Bunny-girl with the mage together with colrs will be four orichalcum coins. Another fifteen orichalcum coins and nine gold ones for the rest. With nine gold coins that you leave me now, it will be fifteen orichalcum coins for them all.

  - Good, - I handed him over the coins for my first sves and nine gold coins: - I'll bring you the rest of the money in five days time. Around midday.

  - Pleasure to do business with you. Let us get your colrs now.

  He took me to the storage room and gave me two colrs.

  - Use drop of your blood to confirm ownership. Then you can pce one of them on the girl.

  Not completely trusting him, just in case, I prepared my spell that took away artifact powers and then let drop of my blood to fall on the colr. It glowed slightly, and sve master nodded.

  I pced the colr on the girl and she shivered.

  - Now if she ever disobeys your order colr will inflict pain on her. May I suggest giving her an order never to harm you.

  That sounded like a good advice.

  - I am ordering you never to harm me and follow my orders. And do not even try to run away. Do you understand?

  She nodded and sighed. Next we picked up the boy. After putting on him the colr and giving the same orders, I left the sve house with my new property.

  - First we will buy clothes. You saw everyone that I am going to buy, - I turned towards bunny-girl: - Choose set of clothes for all of them. Ordinary and something for cold weather. Except for titan. Big cloak for him will be enough.

  Scared bunny-girl nodded, and we went to search closest shop that sold cheap cloth.

  - Do not mind the price, just chose something that they could wear, - I reminded bunny-girl: - Also you too will get new cloth.

  We spend a lot of time in the shop, while the owner chose new cloth for bunny-girl and the kid. After that we spend more time until we got the cloth for the rest of the sves. I asked shop owner to get rid of their old cloth, and asked her the way to the closest bath house. My sves smelled, and my enhanced senses tortured me more than I expected.

  I paid for the kid and ordered him to take a quick bath and then wait for us outside.

  Bunny-girl accompanied me to the woman part of the bath. I lowered into the water and rexed. It was a long time since I st enjoyed the bathhouse. Bunny-girl was silently sitting next to me. She had small chest, but pleasant looking body. She was completely naked, just like me, except for the bck leather colr on her neck.

  - May I ask, what you are going to do with me?

  - A while ago I became a house owner. But it is located in remote area in the mountains. Too hard to find people, who would want to work there, so I decided to use sves instead. Cannot promise you easy life, it will be hard work, and there might be days when there will not be enough food. There will be also monsters in the area. For that reason, I am buying the titan and the mage. Well archers too, so it should not be too dangerous to live there. So if you follow my orders, work hard and will not do something annoying, then hunger and cold nights will be the worst things that will happen to you.

  - I understand, - she nodded: - I will work hard.

  - Good.

  By the time we went outside, kid was already waiting for us.

  - Cheer up boy. Now we are going to mage guild, and you will learn new spells. You will not be an adventurer, but as close to it as possible.

  - Really?

  - Yes. As long as you do not get scared and forget to cast spells in front of a monster, you will be fine and even will get chance to increase your levels. And if you impress me, I might even take you dungeon hunting.

  He looked at me doubtfully, and I grinned. After buying them some food, we went to the Mage guild.

  - Adventurer Avone? I did not expected to see you so soon again, - receptionist looked at me with surprise. Well I did visited the guild just few hours ago and registered in their magic circle.

  - I want to buy grimoire for this kid and also pay for his magic lessons. I want him to learn Slow and Magic arrow spells. Slow spell first. He has Earth magic skill.

  - He is a sve? - she looked at his colr.

  - Is that a problem?

  - No. As long as you pay for him.

  - Good. Also give him twenty pages for practice drawing. You, study hard and do the things you are told. Also in the evening they will throw you out, so wait for us. We will pick you up after sundown.

  I put the necessary amount of money on the counter.

  - Can I leave him with you?

  - Yes. We will do the rest.

  - Thank you.

  Next five days I spend buying food, horses, anvil and hammer for the bcksmith, iron bars and many other instruments that I could think of, including two bows, arrows and some weapons. After buying everything that I thought that I will need and setting aside coins for the sves, I had only four orichalcum coins left. It was more than most adventurers would ever have, but was way less than I got used to.

  Kid needed five days time to learn the spells, but managed to learn both of them before the midday of fifth day.

  Sve master kept his promise and all of the sves that I chose were still there. I bought younger elf girl, male elf, human girl with Gardening skill, male human with Farming skill, dwarf with Bcksmith skill, titan and two more humans with Mason and Carpenter skills. I used colrs on them and gave them orders not to harm me and not to run away. After giving them new cloth and leaving old ones to sve master, I took them to the stables and allowed everyone to choose their horses. I bought enough for everyone except titan.

  - We will ride slow. Doubt that all of them can ride well, so you should be able to keep up with us, - I told the titan: - Let me know if you get too tired and cannot run anymore.

  He nodded and we left the town. I gathered my sves in front of me and looked at my new property.

  - We are going to my new home. You will work there and take care of my nd. My home is in the mountains, and there are monsters. I am ordering you to protect me and each other. Also look around and remember each other. I am also ordering you to protect each other, but you are forbidden to attack other humans or creatures unless your life or lives of your charges are in danger. But under no circumstances you are allowed to attack me. All of you have names, but remembering them all is annoying. So, - I started pointing at them: - I will call you bunny-girl, titan, kid-mage, elf, elf-girl, gardener, farmer, dwarf, mason and carpenter. I do not care how you call each other, but remember the names that I gave you. Now you will get your weapons.

  I took out of my magic purse weapons and divided them among my sves. Everyone got a dagger. Elves got bows and arrows. All humans, except kid-mage, received short swords, just like bunny-girl, while dwarf and titan got an axe, big enough for their sizes.

  - Does everyone knows how to ride, - they all nodded, and I felt relieved. Teaching them how to ride would be annoying: - Good, then get on your horses and follow me.