"Master, will you bid for Miss Erina?" Anastasia asks eagerly as we make our way through the lingering crowd outside the room.
I glance at her in amusement. "Weren't you the one who warned me that buying her might drag the buyer into a Noble feud?"
"Uhm… that is just for ordinary people and citizens," she says with a small cough. "I don't think Master is the type to care about what Nobles think. Besides, as a Freeman, they wouldn't be able to trouble you easily either." She adds the last part with pride.
I grin. Anastasia already has a solid grasp of my mindset. As a modern person, I don't see nobility as something inherently special, so I hardly feel any awe towards them. That said, I am not foolish enough to provoke them by ranting about equality or anything like that.
"So, you just want to taste her cooking, is that it?" I ask as we head towards the next room.
"More than the food, Master, Miss Erina is a walking gold mine," she says, her blue-green eyes gleaming with excitement. "If we open an Inn or a high-end Hotel and advertise that the food is approved by the God Tongue, people from all over the Empire will flock to it. We would be swimming in profits!"
I should have guessed—of course, she is thinking about money. But I have to admit, her idea isn't bad.
"Well, I am thinking of buying her," I say with a nod. As if I would ever let a waifu like her slip away.
"I knew you would understand me, Master," she says with a smirk. "This might be the most cost-effective and profitable deal in the entire Big Auction today, especially since we have so few competitors."
"Let's hope so," I mutter as we step into the next room.
The moment I see a Male Warrior being displayed, I back out faster than I entered, not even bothering to acknowledge the Slave Merchant.
"We only have two more rooms left on this side," I say as we move along.
"Yes," Anastasia nods.
As I step into the next room, my eyes light up at the sight of a cute cat girl standing inside.
[Remu
Explorer Level 7]
"Welcome, customers." A Level 17 slave merchant greets us with a polite smile.
"Welcome," the cat girl bows, her voice soft and pleasant.
I nod at both of them, smiling, while Anastasia stands beside me. We aren't the only ones here—two Adventurers and an Explorer are also inspecting the girl with interest.
"Today, my shop is displaying this fine Catkin girl, Remu," the merchant announces, gesturing towards her. "She is a proud member of the Panther Tribe."
"Hello, I am Remu from the Panther Tribe," she introduces herself with a small smile.
I return her smile as I take a closer look. I have seen plenty of Catkins in the auction today, but none of them even came close to Miria, so I never gave them a second thought. But this girl is quite cute… and something about her is catching my attention. She looks familiar, though I can't quite place from where.
Remu is a petite fair girl, standing quite short in front of me—probably around Miria's height, roughly 4 feet 9 inches tall. Her long, jet-black hair cascades all the way down to her waist. Unlike Nyx, whose dark purple hair could almost pass for black, Remu's hair is unmistakably black, just like mine.
Atop her head, a pair of black cat ears twitch slightly. They are more rounded at the edges compared to Miria's. Peeking from behind her, I catch sight of a sleek black tail, adorned with faint, darker spots. In fact, similar spots are scattered throughout her hair, though they are barely noticeable unless you are specifically looking for them. This must be a characteristic of the Panther tribe.
Her eyes are striking—almond-shaped and a brilliant shade of green, contrasting with Miria's deep blue ones.
She is dressed in a tight purple vest that accentuates her slim figure, leaving her smooth navel exposed. As for her chest… well, there is nothing to talk about. She is completely flat—flatter than how flat-earthers believe the Earth to be.
Her lower attire consists of a short violet cloth that resembles a makeshift skirt, with skin-tight black shorts underneath.
Overall, she looks undeniably cute. If she were to stand still, one might even mistake her for an intricately crafted doll.
"Have you been to a Labyrinth before?" I ask Remu, a basic question I have asked all the others. Though, in her case, the answer is obvious—she must have, otherwise, she wouldn't have the Explorer job.
Still, I find myself more intrigued by her than the others. It's not just her looks that catches my interest, but the fact that she belongs to the Panther tribe—a race I have never encountered before.
"Customer, she is a fierce warrior of the Panther tribe," the Slave Merchant quickly interjects before she can answer. "As a Level 7 Explorer, she has trained extensively in the Labyrinth. She would be a perfect addition to any Labyrinth party." His words aren't just meant for me as I notice that the other three people in the room are still eyeing Remu with interest.
It still feels odd hearing the natives talk about Explorer levels when they remain ignorant of the level systems of every other job.
"I am quite confident in fighting inside Labyrinths," Remu says proudly, her green eyes shining in confidence. Placing a hand over her flat chest, she proclaims, "I have even climbed up to the 7th floor of Quratar's Labyrinth. If given the chance, I will work hard to earn my keep." Her serious expression adds weight to her words.
The 7th floor of Quratar's Labyrinth? That is a surprise. My own party just reached the 6th floor, though I doubt we would have any trouble with the 7th floor if we tried.
She seems passionate about labyrinths, which Roxanne will surely appreciate. As a Level 7 Explorer at her age, she is doing well for herself. Her body is quite slender, but I can tell she has toned arms and legs—likely from all her time fighting in the Labyrinth.
'Do you know anything about the Panther tribe?' I ask Anastasia through the party link. It never hurts to be cautious, especially since she had warned me about the negative rumors surrounding certain tribes before.
'Not much, Master,' she replies promptly. 'I have seen them around the Imperial Capital, but I haven't heard anything particularly good or bad about them.'
Well, no news is usually good news.
"Customer-san, there is something I am obligated to inform you of," the Slave Merchant says, stepping closer to me and Anastasia. His tone is lower now, more serious. "It concerns Remu and her family."
"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.
"She was previously part of the infamous Galleu Bandit Group," he confesses in a hushed tone.
My eyes widen at that name.
'Master, the Galleu Bandit Group was a notorious gang that ambushed, stole from, and harassed merchant caravans traveling to major cities for years. They were even a constant thorn in the side of my previous Alfa Merchant Group,' Anastasia informs me, eyeing Remu warily.
'Was? So they don't exist anymore?' I ask.
'I heard they were wiped out by the Imperial Guards a few months ago,' she replies, sounding relieved.
'Is that so?' I respond absentmindedly, though my mind is already elsewhere.
The Slave Merchant continues, cautiously watching our reactions. "After the group was apprehended, she was sent to our establishment. We take great pride in our education, so you need not worry about her past. I can personally guarantee that she will serve you with complete honesty." He pats his chest with confidence.
Now, I get why the Adventurers and the Explorer are just standing there in thought looking at her. They must be weighing the risks, hesitating for the same reasons I should be. Taking in a former bandit—especially one from such a notorious group—is a gamble.
I look back at the innocent-looking catgirl and can't imagine her being a thief or a bandit. But right now, my mind is occupied with something far more pressing—the name of the bandit group, Galleu.
The name Galleu… That is what triggered my memory.
Now I understand why she looks so familiar. She is the spitting image of Rem Galleu from 'How Not to Summon a Demon Lord.'
I have read much of the manga and even watched the anime, so I can say with confidence that she looks exactly like Rem. And unlike Nyx from before, this time she is even of the same race, as How Not to Summon a Demon Lord has a Pantherian race similar to the Panther tribe.
Now that I think about it, there are quite a few similarities between that story and Harem in a Labyrinth—the presence of different jobs, various races, dungeons, and the fact that both are isekai settings. Of course, there are key differences too. The protagonist of How Not to Summon a Demon Lord was transported into a game world, inhabiting the body of his game character, whereas Michio's situation is different.
Another major distinction is the existence of multiple Demon Lords in that world. In fact, in that story, Rem herself was carrying the soul of a Demon Lord within her. As far as I know, there are no Demon Lords here. But the monsters inside and outside the Labyrinths are called Demons, so it wouldn't surprise me if Demon Lords did exist in this world too.
Maybe I should talk to Sherry about this.
The Slave Merchant steps in closer, prompting Anastasia to take a step back to give us space. Then, in a hushed voice, he whispers,
"And, Customer—she is a young, 16-year-old virgin who has given her consent to be a sex slave." He smirks. "If you add her to your party, she will fight fiercely in the Labyrinth during the day… and you can fight with her just as fiercely in bed at night." He chuckles knowingly. "And since she is a Catkin, you won't have to worry about having children either."
My gaze drifts past him to the petite catgirl. She looks so small, so delicate. My mind instantly conjures the image of her flushed, embarrassed face as she lets out sweet moans, lying naked beneath me in bed.
Remu is still looking at me, her green eyes bright with expectation and a confident smile on her lips. Does she have any idea what sinful, wicked thoughts are running through my mind right now?
The Slave Merchant steps back, his sales pitch complete. "If you would like, Customer-san, Remu can demonstrate her Explorer level by opening her Item Box." He gestures toward her.
Remu starts chanting the spell, but I raise a hand to stop her.
"That won't be necessary. I trust that she is a competent Explorer." I smile, and she beams back at me, clearly pleased.
"We will be taking our leave now," I say, nodding to both the Slave Merchant and Remu.
"Thank you for your time, Customer," the Slave Merchant says with a bow.
"Thank you," Remu adds sweetly, giving a respectful bow with a smile.
I can tell they have both gone through this process countless times, so I don't bother to add or say anything extra.
As Anastasia and I walk towards the next room, I glance at her and ask, "So, what do you think?"
"I think she is quite good," Anastasia says with an approving nod. "I am sure both Sherry-san and Roxanne-san will accept her easily. Plus, the fact that she speaks Brahim will be a big help to Miria, as they are both Catkin."
I know Roxanne will accept her since Remu wants to fight in the Labyrinth. But when I realize the reason why Sherry will also accept her, I can't help but smile wryly.
***
[Orvious has used his points to add waifu, Rem Galleu to this story!]
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