Volume 5 - CH 15

Chapter 15 – Disgusting Person

“Kabs-sama, I think it would be difficult to secure another place for the slaves to sleep at this time….”

One of Kabs’s subordinates hesitatingly said.

Kabs wanted to leave the warehouse he rented from the Tulle Firm as soon as possible. Because he knew that if the knights managed to track them, he and his group wouldn’t be able to run and would be caught at once with the number of slaves they brought. The problem is, even after sending his subordinates to some several inns, they still couldn’t secure a place for the slaves to sleep.

“It cannot be helped, we will stay in this warehouse tonight and return to Saltgar early in the morning. At any rate, we have to regain our footing and check the movement of the Knight’s Order.”

“Yes.”

Saltgar is a large town which also happens to be the capital of the territory of Giral. That is why Kabs thought that if it’s there, they would surely be able to secure accommodation for many slaves in a less conspicuous way. Besides, there were stores of the slave merchants whom he has a relationship with in Saltgar. In case of emergency, he can sell the slaves and escape to the Margrave territory by themselves.

As Kabs handed the arrangements for tomorrow to his subordinates, the door of the warehouse opened vigorously and knights poured in one after another, fully equipped with silver armor.

“Kabs-sama, it’s the Kingdom’s Knight’s Order!”

The subordinates who happened to be near the entrance rushed to give the information to Kabs.

“Don’t make a fuss! You lot, don’t ever talk about unnecessary things. Leave this to me.”

Kabs then waited for the knights’ movement to subside.

The knights brought out a magical tool that emits intense lights into the warehouse, illuminating the appearance of Kabs and his subordinates. Eventually, a tall knight stepped forward and opened his mouth, looking at Kabs’s group.

“Where is the slave trader named Kabs?”

“… I am Kabs, why is Knight-sama looking for me?”

“You are suspected of being involved in illegal human trafficking. I’ll have you come with us.”

“Illegal human trafficking? Does Knight-sama have any evidence for accusing us like that? We came from the Margrave to the royal capital purely for business. And the slaves that we brought have official slave certificates. Shall I show you?”

“You don’t need to, Kabs-dono.”

A man appeared from the wall where the light didn’t reach.

“You are… Tamara-dono. Why are you here…”

Tamara walked straight to Kabs and looked at the carriage that Kabs used to trap the slaves one by one.

“The slaves that you brought from Veil are all in the carriage, right? Kabs-dono, to tell you the truth, the fact that you forced many people into slaves by kidnapping them has already been revealed by the Knights and the Adventurer’s guild. I think you should obediently admit your sin.”

“No way… All I did was just buying and selling slaves, th–”

“An old castle in the woods, southwest of the Royal Capital. There is also no village nearby, and it is a forgotten place. You sure found a good hideout.”

“Tamara-dono…did you sell me out?”

“Please, I just can’t let someone who was involved in illegal trafficking freely conduct such a criminal act. I was working with the authorities from the beginning.”

“Wha! Then the talk about the joint venture was?!”

“Ee. A lie to keep you and Tulle-dono off guard and gather information. However, that turned out to be unnecessary. If I had to say, your method was, at best, fearless, and at worse, sloppy. As the authorities began to seriously investigate, signs of criminal acts were found one after another.”

Kabs glared at Tamara, as if wanted to curse him. However, Tamara continued to talk as if he doesn’t care about such gazes.

“But well, if Sorano-san wasn’t a party member of the hero Eto-sama, the truth regarding the official slave certificates that you guys made would have likely been suppressed by the power of the Acting Lord, though. A criminal slave like her doesn’t have the right to be the witness, after all.”

“That female elf…”

“However, Sorano-san’s testimony is just the beginning. We already know that some of the slaves that you brought here were civilians that you kidnapped in the Margrave. Our investigators have delivered the characteristics of the missing person from the Margrave while you were in the middle of your travels to the Royal Capital. In other words, you have been under the watch of the authorities all this time. You can’t escape anymore.”

“…”

“Speechless? We also have heard a lot of information from your subordinates. It seems the brother and sister who were trapped in the basement were kidnapped at your order.”

“T-that’s just nonsense! How could it be like this… I just… moved as ordered. That’s right! It’s all at the command of that–”

“Oh We will also interrogate 『That person』 that you are talking about. You don’t have to worry about it. After all, we know who it is.”

As Tamara turned his gaze to the knight, the tall knight nodded deeply.

“Ah…”

Kabs groaned and sat down on the ground powerlessly. He hung his head down and muttered something incomprehensible.

“Kabs-dono, do you understand what you have done all this time?”

“What… have I done?”

Kabs lifted his head, looking at Tamara.

“Slave merchants are those who buy and sell humans on a daily basis. That is why they are obliged to manage the slaves under strict rules. And that is also why, kidnapping someone and forcibly enslaving them is outrageous! Such a person cannot be called a slave trader! I’m sure you will be remembered as the most disgusting person in our industry for a long, long time1.”

Tamara glared at Kabs with sharp eyes that made people unable to think of him as a merchant. And glared by such gazes, Kabs stopped moving, and turned his face down in silence.