The moonlight highlighted the dark street of Caro. The city was located west of Juva continent. The street was empty bar people coming home drunk from the pub. Beyond the empty streets though, the hidden activity of Caro blooming.
Known for one of the central trade city, despite it's being not that big, Caro handle a lot of shady business in the shadow.
One young man is walking through hundred of cages. Behind them were creature ranging from dangerous beast, helpless beastfolk, captured elf, and even weak human. The young man look at this scene with disgust. He have the power to destroy this place and set them free.
But that still won't solve the root of the problem.
This slave trading site is open even under the sun light. Everyone buys a slave. It's a normal thing. Destroying one site of slave trading isn't going to change anything.
"Is there anything that caught your eyes?" the Slave Master approached him.
Other than the whole circus of this sorry place, he remember the first time he arrived at this city.
It was a few days ago when he first came to this land. The light that enveloped him faded revealing unfamiliar sight of a forest. However, the forest felt more vibrant than what he know. It's like the forest is more colorful.
He took a step back before vomiting whatever he has in his stomach. I was actually isekai'd! he thought.
His eyes had a hard time to adjust but one thing that stood out to him was the naked lady standing next to him. Her plump breast, white hair, big ass, and wavy body contour made his stick standing.
"It's inappropriate for human to be naked I suppose," she chimed before her body enveloped in light that turn into clothes, concealing almost all of her sexy features.
"Now that I think about it, I didn't fazed by your body before."
"Yet you convinced me to be your accompany in this world?" her voice was out worldly. There is a certain flavor he couldn't taste about her voice.
"I want you to accompany me because you are Aurel, not lust," he protested. "it's hard to describe but, I didn't even think of satisfying my needs using your body when I converse with you in the afterlife."
"I forgot that mortal realm is filled with desire."
It was a short exchange before another thing interrupted him. A voice --it was like screaming for help-- was heard from a far. After nodding to the goddess Aurel, he quickly made his way to the source of voice. Halting behind a bush, he took a peek to see what happened.
It was a group of elves, something he thought would never see with his own eyes, was being surrounded by a group of mercenary.
His mind was racing. I thought this world is at war against the Demon lord. Why are they fighting against elf? Is elf part of Demon Lord's army?
That thought was quickly intercepted by the goddess. Nope. These mercenary is trying to capture those elf as slaves.
Hearing that word, he couldn't believe it. This world is less advance than he thought. He then realized that he shouldn't be surprised. A lot of isekai has slavery in it. He started to wonder why a lot of isekai has something to do with slavery.
Regardless of his moral question about slavery, he wanted to save those elves. He mull over how he should do it. The goddess didn't say anything more. She just crouching behind him, staring at him silently.
You have any clue how I should approach this?
No. But it should be easy for you. If things comes to worst, you can always use my blessings.
At that answer, he jumped out of the bushes without hesitation. The two opposing party was stunned by his sudden appearance. Without saying much, he quickly conjure his weapon. Light comes out of his hand creating the form of a Sabre.
"Leave them alone!" he cried.
At that the human mercenary didn't know how to react. Their face was full of confusion for a second. They didn't try to attack him until they realized he distracted them --letting their target run away.
Angry, the band of mercenary lunged at him. Without much of a problem, he was able to annihilate them. Decapitated head rolling on the ground while some died of blood loss.
The fight ended, he look around searching for the elves but they were nowhere to be found.
That is until he arrived at the slave market. He stood in front of a cage containing one naked elf with their signature pointy ear. Her body was full of wounds: bruises, cuts, and whip marks.
"I'm interested in this one," he said pointing at her.
"Oh, an elf. They are known to be rebellious one. I would suggest to use stronger slave mark. Of course, the price isn't going to be cheap," explain the slave master.
"Fine by me."
The elf glare at him fiercely as the cage was opened. It was a task just to bring her out of the cage. The slave master had to activate the slave mark in order to make her comes out.
He couldn't look at it. It was like she was electrocuted with a high voltage of electricity. In his old world, it was used as death penalty.
She was brought into a room. It was only the slave master, him, and her inside. At first, the slave master removed the mark but not before paralyzing her with a paralyze spell. After the mark was removed, the slave master put up another mark using concentration that include the young man's blood.
He watched all of this while using Identification Eye skill.
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The slave mark was successfully planted. The paralyze spell was lifted. She stood up again, carefully this time. She still didn't took his glare off of him. Not even until they arrive at the inn where he and the goddess stay. Luckily, the inn allowed slave to stay inside.
"You got a fierce one, Vane" remarked the goddess.
"Couldn't help it. Remember her? We helped her from the mercenaries only to get abducted elsewhere."
The goddess turned her face to the elf. She put up a serene smile that doesn't budge the elf's glare but instead made Vane blushed.
"C'mon, let's get you clean," the goddess. The elf still put her guard up. But then the goddess speak in what Vane would assume the elvish language. The elf was wide-eyed in surprise.
They went to the inn's bath, leaving Vane alone. He sat on one of the two single bed closer to the window. He put his hand up in front of him and do a lot of many different gesture.
I wish it was a more video game driven world. Would've been much easier to get stronger.
Look at it on the bright side, the goddess chimed in through telepathy, you and your friends now start at the same level.
I guess that's true. Azel would get a big head start especially since he plays a lot of rpg and mmo.
He sighed. He conjure his sabre. He could've conjure anything, but he thought sabre would be something cool to use.
As he ponders, the room door opened. It seems like they finished cleaning themselves. The elf comes in cleaner than before, although not by much. At the very least, she no longer stinks.
"I think I can leave you both now."
"Thanks for cleaning her, Aurel."
"No worries." She approached him, her lips met with his. Her soft hands hold his head, caressing it. "I'll go back to my realm."
"Take care."
"You too."
In a blink of an eye, her body was vanished, leaving the two of them alone.
"You can use that bed. It's vacant," he said pointing at the other bed.
She didn't glare at him anymore but he can see she is still putting her guard up.
"Can you understand me?"
She answered by nodding.
"Well, I hope that's a yes. Now go sleep."
He let himself fall into the mattress and pillow. There is still a lot of question in his mind about this world. How can they have a very game-like skill like Identification Eye but the world itself is using a lot more vague and soft magic system it seems.
He wonder if he could survive in this world alone. What if the deified Aurel couldn't come to his side when he needed it? Aurel was his girlfriend. She was older than him. He was about to go to college while Aurel is probably working on her undergraduate thesis. Three or four years difference he supposed.
Aurel's age is probably no longer matter as she is now a goddess. He just can't help but to feel that he want everything to go back to what it was.
Before all this happened, she went missing. She couldn't be contacted by any means. The people around her haven't seen her for a week. Her family also don't have any idea of her whereabouts.
But then, he saw her. He followed her. The next things he knew was he stood inside a big hall. In front of him were people sitting on a throne. One of them was Aurel.
The scenery changes before him. It was dark but slowly, he opened his eyes welcomed by bedroom he was staying at. The elf he bought from the slave master was still there sitting on the other bed.
I guess the mark is prohibiting her from running away or killing me while I'm asleep.
"I'm off to clean myself."
The bathroom was very minimal. All he did was just pouring water onto his body. No soap. No toothbrush. He just gargled the water to clean his mouth.
He went back to his room, finding the elf not moving at all. The other thing he found was a set of clothes.
"Get yourself ready. We are going out."
"I'm ready," she answered in a very low voice.
"Then off we go."
They went through the city. No one bats an eye to the view of someone walking with their slave. If anything, the slave is a common sight in this town. He can see them hauling goods, building a structure, and pulling a cart.
He tried to ignore it. But the reality says otherwise. In the end of the day, it is something he has to live with. He look at the sight once again, this time with less anger. This is the world he live in.
He arrived at the river far from the city. It was rumored that lately a group of goblins activity is seen around this place. It would be a good place to train his spell swordmanship skill.
"You seem to dislike the town," said the elf disturbing his train of thought.
"How do you know?"
"It was written all over your face."
"Is that so? I might have to practice my acting skill," Vane hoped that she was the only one who noticed his disdain towards the city's slavery. "I hate how common slaves were in that city."
"Rich coming from you!" The elf knit her brow. Her tone was angry. "Slavery exist everywhere in this world. Your kind was the one who enslave others. You slave me!"
Wind swirling around her hand harshly. "Your kind aren't even native of this world! Yet you mercilessly conquered us!"
Vane stunned at that claim. Before she could continue he raised his hand in front of him, "stop it right there."
He didn't budge even if she was ready to launch a spell at him. "My kind already got over slavery."
At that statement, she got even more red. Before she could do or say anything, he murmured something, "goddess Aurel, grant me your blessing and break the seal that bind her!"
The mark on her was gone. She was flabbergasted at this turn of event. She looked up to him as he speak, "I came from another world. And in my world, slavery was over. That's why I hate the city. That's why I can't stand the abomination that happens in front of my eyes."
"I bought you just so that I can get you out. I was planning to remove your mark once we get out of the city. You can run now."
Yet, she didn't run. She was still processing what just happened. Her mark is gone, she no longer bound to him. Yet, she might get caught again. The human are ruthless. In one on one, they may be easily beaten. But that weakness they made up in number and cleverness.
She can't survive alone when the last time she got caught was because she was outnumbered.
"I can't," she muttered. "I can't win against your kind, not alone."
"Then I have a plan, a proposal."
Her head perked up.
"Be my party member. If you can't do it alone, then be my companion in this journey. I'll help you until you got to your safe place. I assume you elves would have some kind of secret hideout. Then, we can part ways when you are safe. How's that sound?"
It was not a bad plan. He won't be able to go in. But, to have someone covering her back would be good. But she still wasn't sure if he has any ulterior motives. What if he is a spy trying to get info on elves hideout.
What if him removing her mark was just a facade.
"I'll be your companion. However, I want to revise the plan. You will not go anywhere near our hideout. We'll be together only until I'm safe. I'm sure I could meet my friend along the way."
"It's a deal then. Welcome to the team, partner." He offered a handshake.
"I still don't trust you fully." she rejected it.
"That's fine."
Right just as they finalized their agreement, an arrow shoot past them. They were quick to dodge it. From behind the bush, a pack of goblin appeared.
They quickly had their back against each other. He readied his sabre while wind swirling around her hands. The goblins circled them, giving them no option to run away. Not that they even consider running away as an option.
Five goblins run at them but then quickly stopped as gust of wind flew them back. Without any moment to collect themselves, Vane's Sabre cut through one of the goblin's head. He heard something from behind the bush. An arrow fly right at Vane's head. The side of the blade deflected the arrow away and then a gust of wind fly past him towards where the arrow comes from. The wind cut leaves along the way, blowing them away along side the splutter of blood coming from the goblin archer's body.
Taking the chance, the other goblin lunged at the elf, swinging their handmade sword down at her. However, clanking was all that heard. The elf blocked it with a sword that appear out of thin air in front of her to then following the block up by creating a strong gust of winds that mince the goblin's body.
Footsteps could be heard from behind her, two goblin's was already swinging at her. She couldn't do a successive cast, only a wind strong enough to slow them down but it was enough for Vane to run back and decapitate them. Their body slumped to the earth.
The last one was already taken care by Vane on his way to help the elf.
"By the way, we haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Vane. And I'm a spellblade user."
"I'm Danith."
"Nice to meet you, Danith. Seems like we are going to help each other."