The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed-Chapter 180: Vampire Elise ver.■■■■■■

I parted ways with Ashies in the cleanest, most definitive way possible and arrived in the city where the priest was waiting.

He had been staying at a small chapel in the city.

It seemed he had been waiting for my arrival because, as soon as I arrived, the chapel’s priest welcomed me as though I were some kind of savior.

High priests are rare even in the Holy Kingdom and are typically only stationed at the kingdom’s grand cathedrals. It felt akin to having a general visit your unit unannounced.

When I glanced back as we departed, the chapel’s priest, exhausted from entertaining the high priest, was crouched on the floor.

Having joined up without incident, we boarded the carriage bound for Kassilon. The carriage, adorned with white lilies and black patterns, symbolized the Holy Kingdom.

As befitting a high priest dispatched from the Holy Kingdom, the four-horse carriage was luxurious. The horses were pure white, the carriage itself was white, and even the interior was completely white. The lack of any decorations made it feel like a place designed to induce madness, but the priest seemed unfazed, likely because he was used to it.

Or maybe he’d already gone mad.

As I entertained that thought, I suddenly made eye contact with the priest. For a moment, I wondered if he had read my mind, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Instead, he smiled serenely and began speaking.

"Come to think of it, I haven’t properly introduced myself. I am Lucas, a high priest of the Order of Balance and Harmony, serving Ordo, the God of Order."

"I’m Karami."

"It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Karami. From what you mentioned earlier, you’re heading to Kassilon to find someone. But the lady who was accompanying you is no longer here?"

"She’s a princess from another kingdom. I’ve escorted her to where she belongs."

At that, Lucas widened his eyes in apparent realization and let out a sigh of understanding.

"I thought as much... She had an extraordinary air about her that one doesn’t find in ordinary people. To have traveled with someone like her, Mr. Karami, what exactly do you do? Might you be a noble?"

"Haha, no, just an ordinary commoner."

"There’s no way you’re ordinary. Meister Wulbram requested support from the Holy Kingdom specifically for your treatment, paying the price by crafting items we needed in return."

"Is that so?"

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"Indeed. Not for a dwarf, but for a human like you, Mr. Karami."

I wasn’t privy to the specifics. Torvar had simply told me to wait, so I waited.

Still, it wasn’t as if even a Meister could casually summon key figures from another nation. The fact that he took on such a cost for my sake...

I might’ve been a little touched.

"You must truly be a benefactor to the dwarves. For someone like you to claim to be ordinary is absurd."

That was likely why Lucas was showing [N O V E L I G H T] me goodwill.

Of course, if he knew I was a slave trader, his attitude would likely shift drastically.

"Excuse me. There’s somewhere I need to stop by. Would it be alright to make a brief detour?"

"A detour? Where to?"

"A city on the way to the Holy Kingdom. It won’t take long. If it’s a problem, we can part ways here."

Traveling with a high priest was convenient, but it wasn’t strictly necessary.

However, Lucas, who had just started showing interest in me, didn’t seem eager to part. After some thought, he quickly made a decision.

****

The city of Harlem.

An ordinary, unremarkable place. The reason I had to visit? The final slave was here.

I headed straight to the black market. As expected, Lucas showed visible discomfort.

"There’s an ominous aura here. Mr. Karami, what business do you have in the black market?"

"I’m here to buy a slave."

"Human trafficking? I’m deeply disappointed."

"You only know half the story."

"What?"

Lucas frowned, clearly offended by my comment.

A high priest who couldn’t understand my grand vision—was even a cleric unable to match my benevolence?

"Lucas, what is a slave?"

"A slave is a slave. What more is there to say?"

Though Lucas’s displeasure was evident, I calmly and concisely explained so he could understand.

"Who in this world wishes to become a slave? Everyone simply wants to live happily and peacefully. Slaves are pitiable beings."

"Hmm?"

"And this slave market is the only place where such slaves can be saved. Otherwise, they might be sold to unsavory individuals and face terrible fates. They must be liberated first."

Finally grasping my point, Lucas’s eyes lit up.

I added a bit of seasoning that the Order of Balance and Harmony types would appreciate.

"Order can only manifest where there is chaos to balance."

"Ah... Such profound wisdom!"

Lucas and his accompanying paladins let out exclamations of realization.

"I was so narrow-minded, only seeing what was in front of me. I never realized the essence of order was hidden within... You truly are the benefactor of the Meisters. My apologies for doubting you, Mr. Karami."

"Haha, it’s understandable."

We each took our seats as the auction began. Slaves and goods were introduced one by one, with the auctioneer explaining each item and bidders competing for them.

The latest was a sturdy male slave.

"Mr. Karami? Aren’t you here to save slaves?"

"I am."

"Then shouldn’t you have bid for that one?"

"You’re right."

"Then why did you let him be sold to someone else?"

Lucas was both curious and expecting an explanation after my earlier lecture.

"Slaves are pitiable, but this argument has a flaw. It’s difficult to discern who truly deserves liberation."

"Excuse me?"

"There are those who became slaves due to crimes. Liberating such individuals would only disrupt order."

"Ah!"

Bullshit.

What do you want me to do, pay money for a man?

Clothe him, house him, feed him?

Are you insane?

Liberating someone doesn’t include men, kid. If you’ve got a problem, go castrate yourself and reincarnate as someone prettier.

TS...?

Hold off for now.

In other words, if you want one, pay for it yourself. I won’t stop you.

Next up was an old woman.

"Surely, she must be an innocent victim!"

I shook my head.

"There’s always a reason for everything. Logically, wouldn’t her age have made her less valuable and earned her freedom already?"

"What does that mean?"

"It likely means she committed a crime so severe that even at her age, freedom was out of the question."

Sorry, nameless grandma.

But even if you’re female, a grandma is a bit...

"She’s your responsibility," I almost said.

Slaves kept coming, and I kept coming up with excuses to pass. Until the very last one arrived.

"That one...!"

Lucas shot to his feet, stunned.

The final slave was a young woman. She wore a torn nun’s habit that barely covered her, her figure accentuated by ropes binding her body.

Her slightly dirtied silver hair and deathly pale skin only added to the allure of her frail beauty.

Anyone could tell she was the highlight of the day.

"And now, our final offering! Take a good look—a nun! Still pure! I trust no fool here would miss the chance to defile such purity!"

The auctioneer’s provocations ignited wild cheers.

The auction house was consumed by madness and desire.

"Trading a nun like this is unacceptable! We must put a stop to—"

"Hold on."

I stopped Lucas, who seemed ready to use force with the paladins.

"What are you doing? Are you going to claim she committed a crime, too? If so—"

"Of course not. I simply mean to follow due process."

"Due process? For a helpless nun sold into slavery?"

"Would you break the law to punish them for breaking it?"

Lucas fell silent.

"This is my expertise. Leave it to me."

"...Very well. I’ll trust you, Mr. Karami."

Lucas calmed himself and returned to his seat.

I understood. The religion of Taosel only had the Order of Balance and Harmony.

In other words, the nun was part of the same order as Lucas. It would be strange if he weren’t furious.

But she hadn’t been captured.

She’d walked into this herself.

Or rather, she was pretending to be a slave.

The bat that feeds on people.

[Vampire Elise ver.■■■■■■]

The final slave.