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I cleared my throat, brushing off the exchange that had just happened. "As I said, I was told their price was 80 gold."

I saw a small swirl of emotions in his face followed by almost imperceptibly clenching his jaw. In that brief moment I gleamed that he had hoped I didn't know that because he needed to haggle me up here. For whatever reason, he didn't have a choice.

"I'm sorry but after they destroyed a dungeon and gained two Rare titles, their price went up."

I had leeway here but I wouldn't allow myself to be taken advantage of.

"And why would each of them having dangerous titles that draw people's ire, be a benefit to me?" I retorted. In his eyes I could tell that he hoped I didn't know the impact of the titles he was talking about but after my response, I showed that I clearly did.

"They are very rare titles that make their value in the Adventurer's Guild quite high. They are titles that while useful to a group such as yours, could be dangerous for them if sold to someone who instead loved them for their beauty."

That was a threat. His Karma even took a noticeable hit from it and burned off some of the positive Karma he had. It was time to take him off this road and onto one more favorable to me.

"Let me remind you that it is the Slavers Guild that owes me a debt. Meanwhile, the Adventurer's Guild would much prefer them returned to my care. We both know that selling them to me now will save both guilds from a nightmare of bureaucracy, time, and money. Their price was 80 gold before."

I could almost picture him sighing internally as his shoulders dropped slightly. He knew he had lost on this front. He was now forced switch to a slightly different tactic. "Still, titles aside, they have leveled up many times since their last evaluation. But perhaps in this circumstance 200 gold for the pair before your discount is a bit extreme considering you are already acquainted. How about we settle on 125 for the pair and 75 gold in further trade."

I immediately saw through his game. At first it looked like it was a concession but he changed the terms to be in trade rather than coin. He wanted to sell me 75 gold in slaves instead of paying me out.

"And we both know that I was the one that trained them up to that level. Charging me for a service I have done for you is bad form." His eyebrows flicked and I seized it. "And you know it." I grinned at his slip up. "I'll take the two of them for 100 gold and I'll take the rest in coin." I chose to give him a little, ultimately my goal was the twins so I couldn't push him so far away that the deal would just break apart. I gave him a little bit of rope so we could actually come out of this with an agreement.

He sighed, defeated. After a few moments in silence he looked back up. "Right now we are in a bad position. We just can't pay out more than 50 gold in coin. However I do recognize your point on the cost of these two. This is the best I can do, I will give you Morrigan and Torien for 100 gold, I will pay you 50 gold in coin and I will give you a gold slave token in trade, currently worth around 60 gold, though the price fluctuates. However, this offer comes with the added stipulation that you can only redeem the token for a slave if you choose to redeem it in Traehall."

I had basically won on all fronts here. I would have preferred all of the remainder in gold but if this was the best I could get I would take it. If it's true that they just don't have enough liquid cash on hand then I can't push any further and actually get what I want. I'll just have to sell the slave token off later. That trip to the capital was looking better and better.

"Very well. It's a deal then."

Jacob smiled in relief. "Morrigan, Torien, come here and kneel. Present your necks."

Both of them looked at me as they crossed the room. Torien's expression was confused and Morrigan's face was confident. The two girls kneeled on the floor between us and brushed their hair away to reveal the back of their necks. Their collars were also different from the norm. Rather than a normal steel collar or a locking choker they wore glossy dark metal collars with blue lines.

Jacob stood up. "Alright, please tell me your full name and I'll complete the transaction."

I followed suit and stood up. "That won't be necessary, just release them from bondage instead."

There was a pause as Jacob didn't know how to react but it was Morrigan who actually broke the silence. She bent forward and pressed her head to the ground in a full body begging pose. "Lilith please take us as your slaves. There would be no better mistress for us to serve. I know this isn't your wish but regardless we will serve you faithfully. If you refuse us this kindness we will only be sold to someone who will see us as nothing more than tools."

I took a step back, Torien had also gaped at her sister through her pleading but to my surprise joined her in prostrating right after. "Please Lilith. I vow that we will serve you faithfully. Please show us this kindness."

I was shocked and looked up at Jacob in confusion. His face looked grim. "Morrigan and Torien are demi-humans that belong to the Pantherian Tribe of Beastkin. Their ancestors eight generations ago belonged to a tribe of assassins who committed heinous acts against the founders of this kingdom. No one can free them from slavery but the King of Torlimal himself and this has not happened once in eight generations. They were born into slavery and they will die in slavery."

My hands curled up into fists as I looked down at the two girls still prostrating naked on the floor in front of me.

"Please Lilith!" They said in perfect unison, almost as if they had practiced it.

I grit my teeth. "Fine. I will take them. My name is Lilith. Just Lilith."

"...If you have a noble family name it would be appropriate to say so here or the magic won't activate correctly. I swear that sort of information will never leave this room."

I tore my eyes away from my naked friends and looked him in the eye. "I have no noble family name."

Jacob lips puckered but he nodded, he didn't seem to want to comment further. "Morrigan, Torien, please kneel," he said gently.

They both sat up, still on their knees, heads down with their collars revealed. Collars that were special, they were made of blueish black metal that I now noticed had no seam. They were collars never intended to be removed, collars that bound their ancestors for generations. How they got on there in the first place was beyond me. Magic was the obvious answer.

“I Jacob, hereby willingly transfer ownership of this slave to Lilith.” The collar’s runes began to glow red like Bruno's had once done.

I stepped forward and gently touched Morrigan's collar. The touch settled the red runes and they faded back to blue.

[Karmic Energy reduced by 750]

“I Jacob, hereby willingly transfer ownership of this slave to Lilith.”

I stepped to the side and touched Torien's collar. Her collar also faded back to blue.

[Karmic Energy reduced by 750]

The feeling was bittersweet. I had rescued my friends from being sold to someone they didn't like, by becoming their mistress myself. When I had bought Bella from slavery, I had always intended to free her. Here I wouldn't have the choice, these two were now my slaves. Even my karma took a hit, reducing my pool of 2200 karma down to 700. My Luck and Charisma dropped from a 220 point bonus to a 70 point bonus. I quietly turned off [Karmic Seduction]. I got what I needed out of it and right now it would be too much of a distraction.

"I apologize Lilith but if you do not also appoint a next of kin, they will automatically be remanded to the king's court if you were to die."

I sighed. "How do I do that?"

"Place your hand on their collars and state 'I Lilith, hereby appoint someone to take ownership of this slave upon my death.' like the other ritual, it must be their full name."

I look over to Bella. She was giving me a concerned smile. "Bella, what's your last name?"

She shook her head. "I have no last name in the eyes of the system."

I glanced at Jacob and he nodded. I placed my hand back on Torien's collar.

"I Lilith, hereby appoint Belladonna to take ownership of this slave upon my death." The runes pulsed red once before settling back to blue.

I stepped over to Morrigan. "I Lilith, hereby appoint Belladonna to take ownership of this slave upon my death." Those runes pulsed as well.

I sighed, already feeling exhausted. "Are we done then?"

"Yes." Jacob nodded.

"Can I have their gear then?"

"...I'm sorry but their gear was borrowed from our stores of equipment. Unfortunately I cannot give them to you. These two also didn't list any personal effects so this is everything."

Just great.

"Alright, can I at least get some clothes for them? I'd prefer not to take them through town naked."

He nodded. "I will prepare some basic robes for you. Give me one moment." Jacob left the room with Mary in tow, leaving just the four of us alone again.

Morrigan's shaky voice broke the silence once Jacob had left the room. "Thank you for buying us Mistress Lilith." She still stared at the floor, not having moved since the ritual.

I had to force myself not to snap at her. She sounded very vulnerable right now, perhaps even more than when she admitted to being lesbian. I took a deep breath. "Please do not call me Mistress." I paused in consideration before adding, "Unless you know for sure that not calling me Mistress will cause a lot of trouble. That goes for you too Torien."

"Yes Lilith." They said in unison. I sighed again. We should go back to the baths after this, I feel like crap now.

"May I make a suggestion?" Torien asked.

"Sure, and please sit up, there's no reason to continue staring at the floor."

When the two girls sat up my voice caught in my throat. Both of them were crying.

I wasn't able to say anything before Torien continued. "I... know that equipment will be an issue but if you dress us as servants then it will be less odd for you to treat us closer to equals in public."

"Torien!" Morrigan hissed.

Undaunted Torien wiped some of her tears away and continued. "Normally it's very disrespectful towards our master or mistress to suggest being elevated like this but... it's pretty clear to me that you are unaware of this custom."

There was a pit in my stomach. I didn't like it but this was a better idea than just pretending they weren't slaves until it caused an issue. Like when I took Bella to eat with me at our original inn.

I sighed heavily. "Alright, what do I have to do?"

"It's as simple as dressing us in clothes recognizable as servant wear and covering our collars with a special identifying band."

"What about your adventurer's gear?"

"Slave adventurers are still slaves, it might be best if our adventurer's gear itself was fashioned after servants gear," Torien answered.

I frowned. "What does servants gear look like exactly?"

Morrigan sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Something like Mary was wearing."

I slumped into the couch and looked at the ceiling. Even the 10 Charisma I had without that skill equipped told me I probably shouldn't be sitting like this if I wanted any kind of respect. But for fucks sake, for my friends to receive a modicum of respect I have to dress them up in matching maid outfits.

The thought of a tomboy-ish girl like Torien and a headstrong mage like Morrigan wearing maid outfits did make me laugh a little though. I let out a weak laugh at the incredulity of the situation.

Bella put a hand on my thigh with concern. "Are you okay Lilith?"

I sighed for probably the twentieth time today. "Lets go see Ameliana after this."