yemalu

Chapter 578  To Join, Just Accept The Fine Print

There were a few more merchants who tried to approach us but Mother told them the same phrase and they retreated without another word.

I noticed that a few of the merchants that did not approach us were looking at the ones that did with a mocking gaze.

"Stupid newcomers."

"They don\'t even recognise the Nilm Family…"

"Worse, that\'s the Matriarch herself…"

"This is why the standards are dropping so low."

"Is that the rumoured child then? Maybe we can sell to her instead…"

"Did no one tell them about the standard procedures?"

"Someone should stop them before they get pissed off…"

For them to say things like that, I\'m guessing our family comes here often for there to be some kind of \'standard procedure\'.

Either Mother did not hear the things being whispered or she did not care since she remained focused on moving towards our destination.

Soon enough, we reached the other end of the slave market where there were fewer people around..

Mother headed towards the very end where a cloaked figure was seated on a stool with several slaves huddled together behind him.

He paid no attention to everyone around him but quickly stood up when we approached, even pulling off his hood to reveal he was a dark skinned Mahun with rather handsome features.

"My humblest greetings. If I had known the Matriarch would be here herself, I would have dressed more appropriately."

"Marcus," Mother greeted the man curtly before stepping aside to gesture to me. "I believe this would be the first time you are meeting my child."

The man turned and bowed to me as well, "Of course, but I have already heard about the miracle child of the Nilm Family. Well met, Young Mistress, I am Marcus, acquisition specialist under the employ of your esteemed Family."

In other words the one in charge of procuring slaves for us I suppose.

I curtsied, "Well met, Marcus."

"Ahaha, no need to be courteous with me, missus. I am merely just a slave trader and not some noble. I\'m not anyone important, really."

I can\'t actually tell if he was underselling himself or he was genuinely trying to tell me that I should not treat him with that much courtesy or it might undermine the other servants\' positions.

Mother then turned to gesture at Mary, prompting her to step towards him, "Let us see who you got for us this time, Marcus."

He straightened himself and took a step to the side, revealing the slaves that slowly got to their feet when he motioned towards them.

"I\'ve gathered them as requested, Miss Mary, twelve of them in total. Six of them were left homeless and without next of kin because of monster attacks, three of them were sold away by their families, two of them ran away from abusive homes and one of them lost everything due to debt. Four Mahuns, three Nekomatas, two Inugamis, two Trasifs and one Infrid. Four males and eight females. All of them have accepted the terms of joining the Nilm Family."

Just by the way he delivered that report, I could tell that he had done this multiple times before.

Mary turned to the group of slaves that were huddled behind him, examining them for a moment.

While I couldn\'t say that they were dressed well, they were at least not wearing rags and were clothed enough to be decent.

While one or two of them seemed to be a little malnourished, none of them seemed to have been abused so I\'m guessing their state of health was not due to Marcus neglecting or abusing them.

Mary stepped aside and Mother took her place, moving closer to the group of slaves that were still huddled together. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Marcus had his head bowed but even from here I could tell he was nervous.

Mother waved her hand slightly and Mary turned to the slaves, "Line yourselves up in a line."

The slaves did as they were told, though most of them did so hesitatingly, most likely because they weren\'t used to taking orders.

Mother then gestured for me to join her and I did so which prompted her to slip her hand into mine while Katsuki and the others watched from where they were.

Mother then slowly walked down the row of slaves, "Is there anyone that strikes your fancy, my little one?"

I was about to say no when I noticed one of the slaves looked a little weird. More specifically, it was the Infrid slave.

I don\'t know how I should say it, but it\'s more like the aura around her seemed different?

No… I think the word I was looking for is \'familiar\'. Yeah… It\'s like I\'ve met her somewhere before?

I pointed at the Infrid and Mother\'s lips curled up into a smile, like I had managed to answer a quiz correctly.

"Did you think you could just slip in?" She asked the Infrid.

Eh? What is Mother saying?

Mary and Katsuki reacted by pulling out their weapons from underneath their skirts but Mother waved at them to stay.

The Infrid I pointed out was shivering pathetically under Mother\'s gaze while the other slaves stepped away from her out of fear. Even Marcus was visibly sweating now.

Now I felt a little bad for singling her out.

Mother took another step towards her, "How long are you going to keep up that act?"

Then, as if a glass had been shattered, the Infrid suddenly straightened herself and puffed her cheeks, "What\'s wrong with this? Can\'t I just have a little bit more fun?"

"I think you had enough fun with my little one when I wasn\'t looking, don\'t you think? Why do you even need another one?"

"Two is better than one~ Come on~ Just let this slide and buy me as a slave already~ I want Aster\'s dick inside me again~"

No way… Hiandoca?

Mother made a shooing motion at her, "I know my little one is irresistible but I shall not have you take her away from me while she is still growing. Also, return the poor Infrid you switched places with. I\'m sure the others would not stay still if they knew you were doing this, yes? Show some restraint."

The Infrid grumbled, "Grrr… Fine. Then stop showing off too."

She then spun around in a circle before disappearing from sight, right before another Infrid with the same appearance took her place with a confused look on her face.

Marcus did a perfect ninety degree bow, "Forgive me, I had not realised she had been switched with an imposter!"

Mother waved at him, "It\'s not your fault. I would have been more surprised if you saw through a disguise like that in the first place. Everyone is fine, we shall take them in if they can accept the additional requirements."

Marcus peeked at her, "A… Additional requirements? But I thought that all they needed to accept was to devote their loyalty to the Nilm Family and swear to never reveal their secrets or they would perish?"

Mary stepped towards him, "Yes, but now there\'s a few additional requirements and we will not take them in if they are unable to accept the requirements."

Marcus frowned and turned to the slaves who were looking back at him with unease.

"What are the requirements?" He asked.

Mary lifted her hand and started counting them off, "First, the Young Mistress\'s real identity and name shall be kept secret at all times until said otherwise. Second, until Young Mistress has decided to make her identity public, no servant is allowed to leave the Nilm Family\'s service under any circumstances. Third, the Young Mistress\'s needs triumph over anything else."

…

Err… That\'s some requirements there and I see they are all related to me…

I know about the second one and I suppose the first one was also expected… But I didn\'t expect the third one to be an actual requirement…

One of the female Mahun slaves spoke up, "Wait… We can\'t leave?"

Mary turned to her, "If you wish for us to take you in, yes. You shall remain as a servant of the Nilm Family until the Young Mistress decides to make her identity public."

The woman furrowed her brows, "This wasn\'t what we agreed on! I was told that as long as I played the part of a maid, I could at least have a comfortable life! I did not sign up for this!"

Marcus scowled at her, "I had already made it clear who you would be serving did I not? You are the one receiving a favour now in case that was not clear."

"Fuck this! I won\'t play along to the whims of some stupid girl trying to play at being mysterious! Who the fuck even cares if she--"

"Mistress."

I was distracted from the woman\'s ramblings by Katsuki calling out to me.

Turning back, I found her presenting several chocolate chips to me.

Ohhhh! Where have you been keeping those? Me want!! Om nom nom~

Hmm? It got quiet all of a sudden?

I turned back after finishing the chocolate and I realised the woman that had been complaining had disappeared.

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"She has already shown that she would not accept the requirements, Mistress, thus we have already escorted her out," Katsuki explained.

Oh, ok.

Hmm? There\'s some red stains on the ground. Is that paint?

Mother nodded at the others, "Are there any more complaints? You are free to reject being bought by us, but that would mean you can be bought by others since you\'ve all been collared as slaves."

Everyone else shook their heads.

Mother then turned to Marcus, "Very well. We shall compensate you for the loss and we\'ll buy everyone else here."

Marcus bowed, returning to his previous flamboyant air, "Many thanks Madam. It is a pleasure to do business with your family as always."

That was an interesting business transaction I would say…