"I was surprised that the merchant told me about Remu's connection to the Galleu Bandit Group on his own," I muse aloud. "Are they really obligated to disclose these kinds of details, or was he just an unusually honest merchant?" I ask Anastasia curiously.
"I am not entirely sure how the Slave Merchant Guild operates," she replies thoughtfully, "but I do know that the Merchant Guild instructs us to disclose any major negative aspects of a product to the customer. That way, the customer can make an informed decision on whether to proceed with the purchase or not."
"I didn't expect the Merchant Guild to be so conscientious," I chuckle, reminded of consumer protection organizations back on Earth.
"The Guild keeps a close eye on many of these special transactions, so most merchants refrain from outright cheating their customers. If they are caught, they can face severe punishment, or even be expelled from the Guild entirely," she explains seriously. "But, Master, we should still be cautious. In the end, merchants will always try to frame things in a way that benefits them—they still want to sell their product after all. I imagine the same applies to slave merchants as well."
"So you think the slave merchant earlier might have been hiding something about Remu?" I ask, intrigued.
"Hmm," Anastasia hums, rubbing her chin. "He did mention that he would tell us about her family, then quickly shifted to talking about her connection to the Galleu Bandit Group. It is possible he was downplaying the extent of her ties to them—perhaps her family has a deeper connection to the Bandit group, and she wasn't just an ordinary member, as he implied."
I raise an eyebrow. That makes sense. In fact, her counterpart's name in the anime was Rem Galleu—so maybe she might be the daughter of the Galleu Bandit group's leader or something.
"You are so sharp, Anastasia. Nothing gets past you," I say with a smile.
"Thank you, Master," the purple haired beauty replies with a bashful smile.
"But would her connection to that group put us in danger? I have a responsibility now, not just to myself but to all of you. I can't afford to make a reckless decision," I say seriously.
"That shouldn't be the case, Master," she assures me. "That group was likely disbanded already, and most slaves wouldn't even think about harming their owner. For Slaves their past remains just that—the past." She lowers her gaze slightly, a small sigh escaping her lips.
"Anastasia…" I murmur, understanding that she is speaking as much to herself as to me, trying to bury her own past.
"And besides, under Roxanne-san's watchful eye, Remu wouldn't be able to do anything even if she wanted to," Anastasia adds with a wry smile.
"That's true," I chuckle.
Still, the bandit group isn't my biggest concern. If Remu somehow houses the soul of a Demon King—like she did in that story—that would be no small problem.
The Demon Kings in that story were absurdly powerful. The power ceiling in that world was ridiculously high—levels didn't cap at 100, but went beyond 300. Compared to that, this world feels much lower-leveled.
But after all the surprises I have had with these otherworldly characters, I feel almost numb to it. This time, I am not panicking. Whether that story is tied to this world or not, it doesn't change the fact that I need to win her in today's auction. I can worry about everything else later.
I just hope the MC from How Not to Summon a Demon Lord doesn't get isekai'd here too—that guy is way too overpowered for me to handle. Then again, if he did, would we even be enemies? There is no real reason for us to be antagonistic. Maybe he could be a useful ally?
I shake my head, pushing these unlikely scenarios from my mind.
"This is the last room on this side," I tell Anastasia, who nods in reply as we approach the final door.
Even as I try to focus, my thoughts keep circling back to Remu. If she is a panther tribe member—a part of the catkin—then does that mean there are also leopard, jaguar, tiger, and even lion tribes in this world? The idea excites me more than I would like to admit.
However, my excitement quickly shifts into pleasant surprise as I step inside the next room and find a blonde elf girl sitting in the center, casually swinging her legs.
The room isn't empty. A Level 9 Slave Merchant stands nearby, accompanied by an Adventurer, an Explorer, and a man with the Job Sex Maniac, all positioned against the wall.
"Hello, welc—" The Slave Merchant begins, but before he can finish, someone else beats him to it.
"Welcome~ Welcome~~!" The elf girl jumps up enthusiastically, greeting me with a bright, happy smile.
[Shera
Forest Ranger Level 5]
Her bouncy, generous breasts move with her, and I can practically feel the attention in the room shift. The other men's gazes lock onto her, their expressions betraying their interest. The Sex Maniac in particular wears a lecherous grin.
"I should have expected this," I murmur, surprised yet unsurprised to encounter the other heroine from How Not to Summon a Demon Lord so soon after meeting Remu.
"Ahem, welcome, customer," the Slave Merchant says again, clearing his throat with a wry smile as he glances at the elf girl.
"Hello," Anastasia and I respond politely as we step inside. I also take a quick sweep of the room.
The Adventurer and Explorer glance at us but quickly return their attention to Shera, their expressions contemplative. However, the Sex Maniac's gaze locks onto Anastasia.
Feeling irritated, I activate my skill Intimidating Glare. His eyes snap to mine, and he visibly flinches. His body trembles, and without hesitation, he lowers his gaze and hurries out of the room.
"Oh, thank you for your time," the Slave Merchant remarks, surprised at the man's abrupt departure.
I smirk, satisfied. This skill is ridiculously convenient for dealing with pests like him. He wasn't the first Sex Maniac I had seen in the auction, but the others had at least exercised restraint in their staring. And as someone who also possesses that same Job, I am well aware of exactly what was running through his perverted mind. That alone was enough to annoy me.
Back in the room, I notice that Shera hasn't spared the fleeing man a single glance. Instead, her curious blue eyes are focused on Anastasia and me, particularly our clothing.
"This time, our store is displaying an elf girl, Shera," the Slave Merchant announces, gesturing towards her.
"Hello~! I am Shera!" she chimes, waving at us with a bright smile.
I hesitate before giving a small, awkward wave back.
Shera's height is comparable to Remu's, around 4 feet 9 inches. Her long blonde hair cascades past her butt, even longer than Erina's. Her pointed ears clearly mark her as an elf, and her big, curious blue eyes perfectly complement her delicate, fair-skinned face. She is unmistakably an elf, and her beauty is undeniable.
If her face can be described as cute, the rest of her body is anything but. My eyes can't help but be drawn to her huge breasts, which strain against the green tunic she wears. The tunic has a prominent cut in the middle, intentionally showcasing her deep cleavage.
Judging by size, her breasts fall somewhere between Roxanne's and Miria's, but because of her slim figure and short stature, they stand out even more, giving her an exaggeratedly voluptuous appearance.
She wears white pants underneath, but they do little to hide her thick thighs. I can already imagine that she must have a round, perky ass to match.
I take a deep breath, trying to rein in my horny thoughts before I get too carried away. Not only is she ridiculously sexy, but she also shares the same name and appearance as Shera from How Not to Summon a Demon Lord. That is different from Remu, whose name was only similar to the Rem of that story.
"Shera here is a powerful combat slave. She has trained extensively in the labyrinths and would be a valuable addition to any combat party, whether for labyrinth exploration or other tasks," the Slave Merchant says, smiling as he directs his words towards the remaining Explorer and Adventurer in the room.
While he speaks, Shera proudly poses, puffing out her chest. "Shera is very strong!" she announces with a grin. "I can take care of demons with my arrows—like this! Swish, swish, swoosh!" She mimics firing a bow, pantomiming the motions enthusiastically.
Her breasts jiggle with each movement.
"Wait, did she just say bow?" Anastasia asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, yes. Shera is a Forest Ranger, and she has exceptional skill with the bow," the Slave Merchant replies with a smile, though I notice a hint of nervousness in his expression.
I know that Forest Ranger is a race-exclusive job for elves, but I have rarely seen an elf with that as their job. Even in the original novel, the job was only mentioned briefly and never explored in detail.
"Yep! I have amazing talent with the bow. Even Granny said I was gifted!" Shera declares, flashing a confident grin before striking another pose.
"But Forest Ranger isn't a good job for labyrinth exploration," Anastasia remarks, crossing her arms skeptically.
I understand where she is coming from. While labyrinth layouts vary, even the widest corridors—like those in Quratar's labyrinth—only allow four people to walk side by side. In contrast, Vale's labyrinth is even narrower, fitting a maximum of three people abreast.
In such cramped spaces, an archer isn't an ideal party member. The risk of friendly fire is too high.
The Slave Merchant clears his throat. "I understand your concern, Customer-san. It is true that Forest Rangers typically struggle in narrow labyrinth corridors due to the risk of hitting allies. However, unlike other elves, Shera is a genius with the bow. She has made it up to the sixth floor with a party and has never accidentally struck an ally. You needn't worry about that."
I glance at Shera. "Is that true?"
"Yes! My arrows always hit only demons. I would never let my shots harm my party members!" she insists, placing a hand over her heart which just presses her breasts. Her big blue eyes shine with sincerity.
"But that still doesn't change the fact that Forest Ranger is an expensive job to maintain," Anastasia counters, shaking her head. "For labyrinth exploration, it's simply not cost-effective. Every arrow is a consumable—they have to be bought or crafted, and the party has to carry them or keep them in an Item Box while exploring."
"Ahem… Arrows aren't that costly," the Slave Merchant tries to argue, but he avoids Anastasia's sharp gaze.
The Explorer standing by the wall shakes his head, then promptly leaves without a word.
"Thank you for your time," the Merchant calls after him with a wry smile.
Even I can understand the issue. A job that relies on expensive, expendable ammunition isn't practical for a labyrinth party. Even if a team could afford the constant supply of arrows, most would prefer to invest in a more sustainable combat job.
"B-but… I-I can make arrows with my Magic Arrow skill!" Shera blurts out, looking at me earnestly.
Oh? So the Forest Ranger job has a skill like that? Interesting. But even if she can conjure arrows, I doubt she can produce enough before her mana runs out. And knowing how magic works in this world, there is probably some long-winded chant involved every time she casts it.
The Slave Merchant steps closer, lowering his voice as Anastasia instinctively moves back to give us space.
"Customer, she is a sixteen-year-old virgin who has agreed to be a sex slave," he says with a smile. Then, leaning in even closer, he whispers, "I can tell you must be a rich Nobleman. Let me share something special—Shera is also a Noble's daughter. If you win her, you will be able to enjoy the pleasures of a Noble Elf girl." He says with a smirk.
***
[Orvious has used his points to add waifu, Shera Greenwood to this story!]
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