The Mad Dog of the Dukes House - Chapter 70



Only Krnovel

Episode 70 21. Auction House

One.

When we usually think of slave camps, we tend to imagine something dirty, smelly, and horrible.

In fact, the same was true of the concentration camp that Charon experienced in his previous life.

A place where many people get sick and die.

There is no place more fitting than the word hell: a concentration camp.

But there was something terribly strange about this place.

“Do you see? Our Cobbler camp is on a different level from other camps. Look! It is managed very thoroughly and systematically.”

The ‘camp’ we arrived at by moving through the underground passage was not underground but above ground.

A huge house, a large yard, and a high wall surrounding this space.

The only thing that stood out was the barbed wire on the wall that indicated that this was a place to keep someone locked up.

The rest of the facilities were very clean, if not excellent.

“Hello, boss.”

“Oh, yeah! Dale. You said you were really sick last time?”

“Thanks to the doctor you sent me, I got better safely. Thank you.”

“Okay! Just let me know if you need anything!”

What on earth is this conversation about?

A neat, middle-aged man wearing glasses suddenly approached, greeted Cobbler, and left.

A situation that I just don’t understand.

Could that man just now be the manager?

“Hehe, how is it! Young Master! That friend of mine, he was a professor at a famous academy in the Southern Kingdom. Doesn’t he look smart at first glance?”

“Is that guy the manager?”

“Ah! There’s a misunderstanding. That guy also relies on us. That is to say, he’s a product. He’s a smart guy, so his price is a bit high… … Are you interested?”

“… … That person is also a slave?”

“If you really want to be specific, yes. In fact, I’m just telling you this now… … . We try to avoid the word ‘slave’ as much as possible here.”

The cobbler roughly rubbed his ugly nose with his hand, then bowed down to Charon and said.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I am Cobbler, the director of the Cobbler Human Resources Office! I too am a slave, so I do not have a specific last name.”

“A human resources office on the topic of slave trade? This is a bit too much.”

“That’s the key difference that allowed us to survive in this Levin. We don’t treat our goods carelessly like other slave traders! Trust! Honesty! Quality guaranteed! You can get the best labor from the South at a very low price!”

I just realized it now.

This is not normal.

Look at those thin, slitted eyes of the cobbler, gleaming.

This guy was definitely out of his mind.

Caron let out a hollow laugh and looked around. From men exercising to young women tending their gardens.

“What about those women?”

“I’m learning the skills of gardening. Isn’t thorough repetition the only way to become an expert?”

“No, so why are you learning something like that in a place like this?”

“Of course, to increase value. You have to learn skills to make a good living! That’s my belief. Oh, do you have any friends among those who you like?”

After all, this guy’s essence is slavery.

Female slaves are prone to being treated badly. Aren’t they treated less than human from the moment they are captured as slaves?

But after a while, Caron was left speechless by Cobbler’s words.

“Well, unfortunately, those guys are not for sale. If you’re looking for that kind of slave… … . I’ll ask other slave dealers… … .”

“I asked about those women. Explain it so I can understand.”

“There are many old bachelors like me in the Empire. I have made an agreement with a Theban marriage agency… … . Yes! International marriage, international marriage. You know that refugees are not granted citizenship in the Empire, right? But if you marry a man of the Empire, you can receive citizenship! Young women of refugee origin can settle down in the Empire and the old bachelors can get married and enjoy it! This is killing two birds with one stone!”

“You get paid for arranging things?”

“Wow, the young masters of prestigious families are different. How can you understand so easily without me even telling you?”

First of all, I confirmed that this guy and his organization are not in their right mind.

I never knew there were slave traders like this in the world.

No, can you even call them slave traders in the first place?

‘Is this some kind of advanced acting?’

I briefly thought that maybe he was acting to make people let their guard down.

“Kuuuuu. What do you think? Isn’t it amazing?”

Whenever I looked at Cobbler’s stupid expression, that thought would suddenly disappear.

“Wouldn’t you be able to make more money if you just sold the slaves you caught?”

I checked again just in case.

Then the cobbler answered with a mean laugh.

“Isn’t that what other slavers do now? You can’t compete that way! You’d be surprised how many slave-handling groups there are in this city called Leven.”

“… … So this is just for the money?”

“Huh? If it weren’t for the money, why would you do such a bothersome thing?”

The greediness that is evident in his voice.

For a moment I thought maybe this guy had good intentions, but that couldn’t be the case.

“Besides, we are not big enough to go out and buy products like other slave traders… … . We focus on quality rather than quantity! Ten well-raised slaves are better than you! That is our motto… … .”

Taaaaaah.

Caron slaps Cobbler’s cheek once again.

But the cobbler kept smiling and bowing.

“Oh my! Hehe, Master. Your palm is so spicy, I can’t help but feel respect for you!”

“When you say ‘running the scene,’ you mean slave hunting, or something like that?”

“Yes, yes, to put it simply, that’s right. Even though it looks like this, my kids aren’t very good at fighting… … .”

“Then how come those people are here?”

Caron gestured to someone else with his chin. Then Cobbler answered, cracking open his mouth.

“It’s a trade secret… … .”

Cobbler, who was about to change the subject, looked at Charon’s palm again. Then he immediately answered.

“We bring in escaped slaves from other slave traders.”

“… … Bring me?”

“Yes, yes, a kind of re-kidnapping! In return, we guarantee their safety and arrange for suitable clients. As you can see when you come here, this place is quite safe from external threats. Outside the outer walls of the camp, soldiers sent by the lord patrol regularly.”

“You’re leaving Count Leandro behind?”

“Hehehe, that’s right. That’s because our human resources agency pays the highest amount of tribute.”

I roughly understood how things worked.

But even though I heard the story, I couldn’t make a judgment right away.

Because it was too absurd a story to be believed at face value.

Kidnapping? Even including my previous life, it’s the first time I’ve heard that word.

Besides, doesn’t that mean you’re kidnapping someone? Doesn’t that just mean you’re providing protection?

And on top of that, it connects people to places that need them?

… … That too, a slave trader?

‘I have to say something that makes sense.’

The guy who believes that is weird.

“If what you’ve said so far is a lie, you’d better be prepared.”

“Who would dare to lie about my safety! Hehe. Thank you, my precious one, for giving me your time!”

I felt like I needed to check with Poina again.

If those words turn out to be true.

‘… … I think it might be useful.’

I didn’t know it would help me solve this problem.

So Charon withheld judgment for the time being.

2.

That evening, in Cobbler’s room on the top floor of the ‘camp’.

Slurp.

The cobbler, who had poured a generous amount of wine into Caron’s glass, smiled faintly as he rubbed his hands together. Then he spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Hehe, how is it? Do you like our facilities?”

Charon took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass and nodded slowly.

“I’ll believe half of what you said.”

After thoroughly touring the camp, I was able to confirm that what Cobbler said was not entirely wrong.

The meals provided to those imprisoned in the camp were plentiful, and their health was very good.

If you think about the situation in other camps where they deliberately withheld food in order to rob people of even the strength to run away, it was definitely a place where they were treated well.

In fact, some slaves used to say this:

-At least you can survive here, right?

-You don’t know how hellish it is outside. It’s better to be here…

It was not entirely possible that they had been brainwashed by the cobblers, but it was clear that the conditions here were much better than in other camps.

And above all.

“Your Majesty. How much money can we get in return for taking you to the elf auction house…?”

“You’re thinking about it. Are you afraid I’ll steal your money?”

“I’ll pick it up right away! Haha, I’ve never doubted you for even a moment!”

Judging from the fact that he didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was revealing money, he didn’t seem to be that thoroughgoing.

Caron was lost in thought, fiddling with the surface of his glass.

‘It’s true that this was a situation where I needed help anyway.’

Even Caligo said that they didn’t know much about Leven. And due to the nature of being a border city, it is a city where the lord’s authority is extremely strong.

A count is a title that guarantees considerable autonomy.

Therefore, the moment the Knights of Haerang were called in, there could have been talk of interference in internal affairs.

Of course, Cheonghae Castle has the power and authority to lightly suppress such words, but in this situation where it is clear that Count Leandro is involved in the slave market… … .

‘I’ll hide like a mole.’

Clearly they will try to cover it up.

That’s why we needed a helper based in Leven.

In that respect, this cobbler guy was perfect.

Caron, who had made his decision, looked at Cobbler with a smile.

“I like your business philosophy, Cobbler.”

Then the cobbler answered, repeatedly bowing as if he was deeply moved.

“Oh my! Thank you!”

“So I was wondering if I could make a little investment. What do you think? Are you interested?”

“Investment! You said investment now! This day has finally come for me… … .”

“I need a back pocket, right? But it looks like a money-making business.”

First, throw out the bait.

Of course, I don’t think I’ll get it right away.

This is because the more someone does something like this, the more suspicious they are.

“Filling your back pockets is my specialty. Money that you can eat without worrying about getting sick! Isn’t that the most important thing to nobles?”

A cobbler who continues the conversation with exaggerated gestures.

Even in the midst of all that, the guy rolled his ugly eyes and looked Caron up and down. Then he continued speaking in a quiet voice.

“But, Master, this investment… … shouldn’t mutual trust take priority? This cobbler, it’s not that he doubts you… … .”

“You want to know my identity. Why are you beating around the bush like that?”

“Kuuuuu, isn’t it good that it’s good?”

A cobbler who tries to find information in the most cowardly way possible.

It was an obvious number.

First, we are making an estimate to see if the person is worth using.

“If only we could know what kind of picture you are drawing, we could support you more actively… … .”

“It’s too early to talk about trust between us. If we’re going to work together, we need to build trust… … That’s right. Let’s try building up the trust we lack.”

Fortunately, Caron knew a thing or two about building trust.

Caron smiled faintly and immediately stood up from his seat.

The cobbler nodded with an evil grin. Then he licked his lips and said.

“I’m already looking forward to it… … .”

Srrrrrrrr.

“Heeeeeeek! What, Master?”

It took only a second for the guillotine, drawn from Charon’s scabbard, to meet Cobbler’s neck.

The guillotine’s dark blue blade began to glow eerily under the light.

Cobbler looked down in disbelief at the guillotine aimed at his neck.

“Suddenly… … . Why all of a sudden… … .”

“You say there is a lack of trust? This is the best way to build trust.”

This is the ultimate trust.

Caron continued speaking with a shameless expression.

“I could kill you right now, but I don’t. If you think about it, I’m actually saving your life. Wow, where else can you find a relationship of trust like this?”

That’s crazy.

And that’s not just crazy talk, it’s seriously crazy talk.

But Cobbler couldn’t even argue with that statement.

The fact that my pants were soaking wet from peeing wasn’t that important right now.

This sword.

Because it felt like the sword aimed at his neck would pierce his neck at any moment.

“How is it? Do you think this is enough for trust?”

It wasn’t a rich, snobby young master who entered his precious nest.

“Okay, now let’s have a productive conversation.”

devil.

Yeah, this guy is the devil.

But when I realized it, it was already too late.

The cobbler said with a forced smile.

“Please spare my life, my lord! I will serve you with all my loyalty… with all my heart!”

Shouldn’t we live and see for ourselves first?

It was the moment when the Cobbler’s Human Resources Office was occupied by Caron.

There’s a mad dog living in the duke’s house