Miss Fortuatnet opened a user-friendly window and manipulated something, then pulled out suitcases—a total of three large suitcases—and showed me the contents of one of them. When I opened it, I saw a pile of opulent, golden casino chips inside the suitcases.
Miss Fortuatnet
"Here it is, 30 million golden chips. So, will you give me the scroll?" I nodded and pulled the scroll out of my inventory. When I gave it to her, she gave me the suitcases, and they were transferred to my inventory.
[YOU HAVE UNLOCKED A NEW WINDOW]
[FINANCE]
In inventory: 30,000,000 F.D
Private Account: 0
Locus Account: 0
"A new window. Apparently, it was something that was unlocked when I got my first win."
Miss Fortuatnet
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, handsome. You're too good at negotiating, so much so that I had to offer more than I should have. But it was a good deal." She stroked the parchment and put it in her inventory before giving me a small piece of paper with her name and a strange code on it.
Ban
"Hmm, what's this?" I looked at the card, not understanding what this was. Is it some kind of phone number?
Miss Fortuatnet
"It's my IP address. You can contact me when you're selling things as elegant and valuable as this one. Oh~ I almost forgot. You better run or stock up on those chips before they try to rob you." Her last words sent chills down my spine. Before I saw her walk away, I saw Kapi still at his post with a barely visible smile. I opened my inventory and took out 5,000,000 M gold chips and placed them on his table.
Ban
"I don't know if this is too much, but it's for you and your family. I know starting out in this world has been difficult for many." I said before quickly leaving. Her surprised face made it clear that it was enough to live comfortably with her family. I didn't give her time to thank me because I didn't want Koukova to remain in that cage much longer.
I passed by a place where they were selling some clothes and took the opportunity to buy some clothes, since my previous ones were already very neglected and torn.
"This new finance window will help me a lot because it tells me not only when I have my inventory to sleep, but also my Private and Locus accounts, which I imagine are banks or something like that."
(Alley near the center, hidden area of cages)
Koukova hugs her legs, her eyes staring at the dirty floor of her cage while all around her the other caged ones are begging for freedom or a good meal, tears forming in her eyes as she looks at the bars and gazes at the cage next to her.
Koukova
"Liar, I know you won't come back, why would you? For a stranger?" She whispered to herself, her forehead buried in her knees, complaining about how uncomfortable it was to be in that thing for days without eating properly or sleeping properly.
One of the kidnappers came in and left her a bowl with a strange green mass.
Raptor
"Time to eat, and don't ask for anything more, you know it's the only thing you're going to get," he resonated mockingly, leaving all the slimy food in the cages. Koukova looked at the dough in the bowl with disgust, but she was very hungry.
Koukova
"I don't know if this is hell... But it has taken everything," she said, holding the bowl in her hands, looking at the bubbly dough. She sniffed, and the unpleasant, herbal smell filled her nose. She set the container aside. Her shepherd was surprised when he saw me enter the delivery room. This time, I was different. I was dressed in new clothes and they accepted me as if I were a buyer instead of one of their merchandise.
Merchant
"Tell me what slave will you ask for? We have a variety, and we're sorry about before. We're in Arayamuki. It's legal to sell or buy slaves here, so I hope you don't hold a grudge." She looked at him with disgust. But I walked toward Koukova's cage, smiling immediately.
Ban
"Hello again. I told you I'd come back and get you out of here." She stared at me, her breathing more labored, and her tears formed even more, as if she'd never thought this would happen. I turned to look at the merchant.
"When for all of them?" My question took him by surprise; it seemed he hadn't expected me to ask to buy them all.
Merchant
"Hahaha, you're funny, young man, but seriously, what slave are you going to need? Each one costs 50 gold tokens for a man, 100 for a woman, and 150 for teenagers.
Ban
"I repeat, I'll buy them all... And since you told me the prices, I'll do the math myself to prevent theft from someone like you who sells things." I approached the cages and began counting. There were 15 cages in total: 9 men, 15 women, and 10 teenagers. I quickly calculated the price, and the final estimate was 3,450 gold tokens.
"That would be 3,450 gold tokens for all of them, so let them out." He looked at me in surprise and disbelief, but his gaze quickly changed to that of a materialist and opportunist when I took the 3,450 F.D. out of my inventory and placed them in his hands.
Merchant
"Oh my god... But of course, young customer, I'll sell to all of them. Slaves available, boys, free our merchandise." His assistants freed the prisoners, letting them out of the cage. Upon doing so, the vast majority ran away without giving them a chance to be detained.
Ban
"Well, that was the deal. I hope you don't try to kidnap people again; that's in bad taste." He seemed surprised that I didn't care that the slaves had run away.
Merchant
"Young man, your slaves have escaped."
Ban
"My intention was actually to free them, not to enslave anyone." When I turned around, I realized that only a few had stayed here. They wanted to leave. But before that, they thanked me as best they could and left. But Koukova didn't. She stood in front of me without saying a single word. I took her hand and led her to the exit.
"Why are you standing there?" You're free now, you can go and make a life for yourself." She stared at me, saying nothing, but her hope returned a little as she left that place and saw the sunlight again.
Koukova
"But... you paid for my freedom. I feel bad for not being able to repay you for what you've done."
I saw the shame on her face but quickly shook my head.
Ban
"You don't have to pay me anything. I did it because I felt it was right, not because I expected anything in return."
Koukova
"To be honest... I thought you wouldn't come back... Most people I've met sooner or later leave without saying anything, abandoning me to my fate. But you... Even though you were just a stranger, you've helped me... You've come back, and not just for me, but for those who barely made it and left without even thanking you."
Her eyes fixed on me as if searching for the reason for such kindness, so I just gave her a small smile.
Ban
"Well, I promised you I'd come back." For everyone, and I don't mind getting some benefit from it. I just wanted to be kind. I think starting out in this world has been very difficult for everyone."
She fell silent before looking at me, and a small smile spread across her face.
Koukova
"The problem is that I have nowhere to stay. I'm terrified of leaving the city because of the creatures. I've already seen people die out there. I don't know how I'll get money to even pay for an inn."
I placed a finger on my chin and quickly had a great idea to help both myself and her.
Ban
"How about we make a deal?" You could stay with me, I also have to find a place to live for the meantime, in exchange you will be my guide... There are many things I don't know yet about this world and I need help finding my little sister."
I didn't want it to sound like an obligation, but I need someone to teach me about things I don't know about here. She just smiled and accepted. This made me smile and I decided that first we should go to a store to buy her something to wear and then find a place where we could stay for the night.
Koukova
"So tell me, Ban... How did you get the money to free me and the others? It's rare for those with a lot of tokens to appear, since we've only just appeared in this world."
Ban
"Hmm, well, I sold my scroll, which they gave us at the beginning. I sold it for 30 million tokens to a woman with purple hair and golden eyes, who offered a lot," I said casually, but she was surprised and even stuttered.
Koukova
"Y-you sold your scroll? Something so important. But now how can you have an ability if you sold it..."
Ban
"It's not something I care about, those powers and all that stuff I'm seeing... I need that money. I wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping on the street with powers but without something to eat or a roof over my head." She doesn't seem to fully understand my answer. But she smiles.
"Is your desire to help so great that you'd sell something so important just to get someone out of a cage?" This is what Koukova asked herself in her deepest thoughts.