Chapter 36: A Nighttime Conversation

The shattered gates and the chaotic crowd marked a complete loss of prestige for the slave market. Watching the two depart in a carriage, the manager, Keville Dufour, finally let out a sigh of relief. Yet, the headache of explaining this disaster to the shadowy bosses behind the operation loomed even larger. Sensing the pointing fingers and the buzz of gossip around him, he realized that his troubles had only just begun; the slave market had suffered a devastating blow.

"Damn Eugene... Guards! Throw Eugene’s women and offspring into the auction cages! And send his men to his favorite arena!" He vented his rage on Eugene Fordy, deciding that killing a few would serve as a grim warning to maintain order.

Inside the carriage, the "fiancé and fiancée" sat facing each other, the atmosphere heavy with awkwardness. Lien did not make the tactless mistake of asking, "Haven't we already annulled our engagement?" He guessed that the woman had used that pretext to intervene, knowing full well that an outsider would have had no standing to interfere otherwise.

Still, after what they had just endured, they found it difficult to look at one another. At least the woman kept her head bowed, her face flushed, a demeanor entirely at odds with her reputation as a socialite. Perhaps unable to bear the discomfort any longer, Sariman was the first to speak.

"...Why did you only ask for that as compensation?" She was genuinely puzzled, and so she asked. Lien had not demanded legendary weapons, wealth, or storefronts; he had asked for something a Paladin should have been the last to request.

"You want to ask me why I requested slaves as payment?"

"Yes. While you prioritized skilled slaves, that wasn't a challenge for the market. Skilled laborers and craftsmen are always hot commodities, priced relatively high. But they don't compare to your Hero’s Blood. That kind of top-tier evolutionary material cannot be anchored by market prices; this trade was a massive loss for you..."

Top-tier evolutionary materials like Hero’s Blood were priceless and rarely seen on the market; their true value was astronomical. Even if Lien could have demanded better—such as divine weapons or rare evolutionary reagents—he had chosen what she considered the least valuable assets. That was the real reason the "settlement" had been negotiated so quickly; the slave market felt they hadn't lost much.

"Those slaves, I intend to set them free. Of course, it won't be without a price..." Since they were now allies, Lien explained his thoughts and plans. "...The condition is that these skilled individuals must sign a three-year contract to live and work in the docklands. They will have to earn their own way, of course."

Seeing Sariman’s continued confusion, Lien explained with greater patience, knowing he would need her cooperation and assistance in the future.

"In my view, the greatest harm the docklands' slave market inflicts on the surrounding area isn't even the secondary crimes it breeds. It’s that it constantly drains resources—be it manpower, wealth, or materials—and reduces everything to mere gold..."

The docklands, where the market was located, lacked normal, thriving industries. Artisans who wanted to make a living needed to work, and their work would naturally foster new industries. A baker, for instance, would need a family, which meant one woman wouldn't have to end up in the pleasure houses. If he opened a shop, he would need two apprentices, solving the employment issue for two young boys. Once those apprentices grew up, they would open their own shops, creating further demand and employment.

At the end of the day, entrepreneurship and employment were about this very cycle. Skilled people needed investment and development plans; once their businesses took root, they would revitalize the surrounding area. Having worked in investment promotion in his previous life, Lien understood this clearly. In this era, every skilled person was a high-quality "project," especially during economic downturns where small, flexible individual businesses and artisans became even more vital.

In his eyes, the slave market was not a normal "body tissue"; it was a greedy "cancer cell." It occupied every high-level ecological niche, distorting all surrounding industries to feed itself. It only needed the pleasure houses, gambling dens, gangs, and traffickers to profit from the passing population. If Lien wanted to change things, he had to start from the ecosystem; large investments alone would not be enough.

By releasing these artisans, whether they went into trade, textiles, or simply opened a cake shop, they could bring something new to a docklands currently defined only by vice.

"If possible, you could provide commercial loans to them when they have nothing. Even if they are high-interest, they would gladly accept..." Lien spoke with sincerity. He truly hoped the local nobles would do something decent, even if that "decency" was just predatory lending.

To Lien, since the slave market had devoured all resources, it had to be forced to cough some back up so that ordinary people in the docklands could find a righteous path and live like human beings. He had been thinking about this earnestly, unsure if his actions would yield good results, but certain that if he did nothing, nothing would change.

He understood the importance of "investors"—whether in technology or capital—as the golden keys to unlocking regional development. Rampaging through and killing everyone was satisfying, but that only started another cycle. What was the point of another hero coming along in a few years to do the same?

"...At the same time, I will ask for some young, able-bodied individuals who have committed no evil, and hand them over to Dimon."

With commerce, there must be an armed force to protect it. Oath Knights were not jobs for ordinary people... but in the eyes of many, slaves were not considered human—even they themselves felt that way. Dimon would attempt to recruit them, forming an armed force independent of the gangs, perhaps even considering teaching them the path of the Oath Knight. After gaining their freedom, if someone offered them power, they would do anything. Compared to being a slave, the rigor of training was nothing. The best part was that, having once been slaves of the docklands themselves, there was no need to explain how they would treat their former masters.

"This is just one direction, one possibility. I’ll take it one step at a time." Lien wasn't sure everything would improve, but he could try to guide the future within his means.

As Lien continued to talk, Sariman remained silent for a long time. When he finally looked up, he saw an expression of profound astonishment on her beautiful face.

She was shocked? Lien smiled. Perhaps, in her eyes, all knights were merely brutes.

"Heh, don't look at me like that. I’ve read books, you know."

"It's not that!! You—have you even considered yourself? You’ve done all this, and you’ve ended up with nothing for yourself!" That was the point. Having a deep understanding of the darkness of human nature, Sariman could not comprehend Lien’s choice. At that moment, Sariman, who had been sent by the Princess to rescue him, completely failed to understand the man before her.

"What do you mean... I’m quite happy. Money can't buy my own satisfaction." Lien’s dry joke didn't make Sariman laugh; she only watched him coldly.

The carriage fell into silence once more.

"How much longer until you lose your power completely?" the woman asked abruptly. In her view, Lien’s actions smelled too much like someone putting their affairs in order before the end.

"Four or five days, I suppose." The man still wore a smile, seemingly taking it in stride.

Sariman sighed. She didn't try to persuade him further; having read his heart, she knew this man could not be swayed. Just as the Princess had said, save his life and help him where possible... but perhaps the extent of that help could be a little greater than expected?

"Tell me more about your plans. Do you really think you can change anything..." This time, Sariman was a bit more serious.

"Change? I can't. Only the locals can change all of this. Oh, in my view, this is ultimately a problem with the royal family. A weak royal authority has ceded its ecological niche, allowing various forces to step in and fill the void, eventually forming this twisted faction of free nobles. They have become the de facto kings, yet they fulfill none of the responsibilities of a king..."

"Perhaps to you, these disasters seem sporadic, but the fact that those in power cannot act is the greatest sin of all. The slave market may only be a tumor to the entire Kingdom and Radiant City, but it has become the very heart of the docklands, the true ruler in the absence of royal authority. Solving it is not a simple matter..."

Even if it were a cancerous heart, ripping out the blood vessels would still lead to a fatal hemorrhage. Lien spoke these treasonous words right in front of a core member of the royalist faction.

"Everything is the royal family's fault?!" Soon enough, even the Princess was amused to the point of laughter.