Volume 5 - CH 13

Chapter 13 – Slave Trader Kabs

The slave trader Kabs brought a mug of ale to his mouth and drank half of it at once, making him subconsciously leak out a satisfied sigh. The two month journey from the Margrave to the Royal Capital was about to end. After passing the town of Ment where their caravan will rest for the night, the Royal Capital is already within a stone’s throw, and they should be able to arrive at the gate of the Royal Capital by tomorrow morning.

However, Kabs couldn’t find his subordinates whom he was supposed to meet in this town, and that made him think ‘What on earth are they thinking by making me wait like this? Just try to make me waste my time. I’ll turn you all into slaves.’ Feeling irritated, Kabs bit into the fried horned rabbit meat and poured the remaining ale into his throat.

“Isn’t this Kabs-dono?”

It was at that moment someone called out to him from behind. As Kabs turned his body, he saw a familiar slave trader staring at his group.

“Tamara-dono, long time no see.”

Kabs stood up in a hurry and extended his right hand, which was then shaken by Tamara.

“As expected, it’s really Kabs-dono. Long time no see. I didn’t expect to see you in this kind of place.”, Tamara said with a smile.

For Kabs, Tamara, who was a successful slave trader, was an object of jealousy. He has a mansion that looks like a noble’s mansion in the center of the royal capital, and many of his customers are high-ranking nobles, successful merchants, high-ranking civil officials, and military officers. Let alone doing business with the local nobles, even getting a letter of introduction to Tamara is already difficult for him.

Besides, Kabs has never done business with Tamara. His first encounter with Tamara was just at the level of exchanged greetings at the merchants’ round-table conference which was held a few years ago, and it was also because he was introduced to Tamara by a merchant that he knew. Since then, he has come to several similar gatherings, and exchanged short words with Tamara each time.

“I’ve heard from Tulle-dono. It seems you two are about to conduct a joint venture next time.”

Kabs then showed Tamara the information he was holding.

“As expected of Kabs-dono, you sure have sharp ears. I just thought maybe I could handle a different product.”

“I see. If that’s the case, I think I can take part in a consultation.”

“If I’m not wrong, Kabs-dono is having a partnership with Tulle-dono, right? I’d love to join that partnership.”

“That’s something that I wished too. For now, let’s order more sake and food.”

In a good mood, Kabs called the clerk.

At that moment, even the feelings of irritation that his subordinates didn’t appear have been blown away. Because he knew if he can do a joint business with Tamara, besides getting more profit, he will also be able to gain personal connections in the Royal Capital, which was a one-off opportunity for Kabs, whose activity was based in the Margrave of Erven which is far from the Royal Capital.

At the recommendation of Kabs, Tamara then takes a seat. Although Tamara didn’t say anything concrete, apparently he was thinking of doing business that only introduces products that are difficult to obtain through the regular route to trusted customers. Hearing that, Kabs couldn’t even imagine how much profit he could get if he can sell the products to customers selected by Tamara.

“Well, well, looks like I just heard something good. It was really fortunate for me to meet Tamara-dono here. I would love to join that new business, too.”

“Kabs-dono sure has a keen intuition. The fact that you were able to understand immediately after hearing what I said means your wavelength is also suitable. Having the same policies is important in order to develop a new business together, after all.”

“I felt that way too! What a great night. To think we were able to understand each other this much, I’m glad.”

“I, too, think this was a good discussion. Besides, I also thought I had to repay Kabs-dono someday.”

“Repay me? I don’t remember doing something that makes Tamara-dono have to repay me, though?”

Kabs became confused. Even if he tried to recall when he met Tamara before, nothing came to his mind.

“Although you weren’t helping me directly, do you remember? About the product that Kabs-dono sold to Tulle-dono.”

Tamara said, while mimicking pulling a bow.

“To Tulle-dono…. By chance, are you talking about the criminal slave elf?”

Kabs asked in a low voice.

It was common sense for slave traders not to declare that they’re selling slaves when there was an unspecified number of people around them. However, that custom is mainly just for precaution, not an obligation or something strict like that.

“Ee, ee, that’s right. That product has been bouncing around place to place until it arrived at me. And we were introduced by a certain person to a young and energetic adventurer who, in the end, bought it. Who do you think that adventurer was, Kabs-dono?”

Tamara asked with a big smile.

“An adventurer, huh. He should be a famous person, right? And that elf was the catalyst for the connection between that adventurer and Tamara-dono. Hmm, who is it? No one comes to mind.”

Kabs said while opening his arms, as if surrendering.

“Actually, that person is the hero who protected the Royal Capital from Stampede, Eto-sama.”

Needless to say, Kabs also has heard the rumors about that adventurer. He is said to have come to the royal capital like the wind and had the power to subdue a Wyvern alone, and in Stampede, he brought his slave party members and made a great achievement with them. As he thought that one of the slaves mentioned in the rumor was that woman, Kabs eyes became grim.

“Kabs-dono, Kabs-dono, what’s wrong?”

Tamara asked in worry.

Realizing that he had forgotten Tamara’s existence for a moment, Kabs hurriedly replied, “Nothing.”. Even after parting with Tamara, Kabs remained in the bar, vacating the mug with a grim face, thinking about a certain female elf in his head.