CH 5

The crowd of onlookers dispersed after the knight drove them away.

Nate Case said, “You have to know that two gold coins is the lowest price I can give, I bought him from Gaynor for fifteen gold coins.”

“He used to be a brave knight commander, now he’s definitely the most expensive slave.”

On the Western Continent, slaves are the cheapest people, the price ranges from seventy copper coins to five silver coins. Sometimes they can even exchange food or things in exchange for slaves.

Picking slaves is like picking goods.

In addition to whether the slave is healthy and whether his limbs are intact, what is more demanding is his appearance, knowledge, skills, and so on.

Xia Zuoyi, “Fifteen gold coins is really expensive. Why is he worth that price?”

Nate Case, “Before killing the lord’s brother, he has achieved enough achievements to become a baron.”

Xia Zuoyi couldn’t help looking at the man who is still kneeling on the ground.

The man slightly lowered his eyes, covered with blood, and had no reaction to the conversation between them. If it weren’t for his chest still slowly rising and falling, he’s like a dead man without a sound.

Why did he kill someone before he became a baron?

Nate Case tutted, “He’s a rare slave.” 

Xia Zuoyi, “Then you’re going to kill him?”

“He disrespectfully rebuked me!1“

Nate Case proudly raised his head, “The dignity of a noble is not to be offended. A single strand of my hair costs more than 15 gold coins.”

“So do you usually pay with hair?”

Xia Zuoyi’s small mouth opened slightly, with a “Wow—learned” expression on his face.

He said while grabbing his hair, “I’m the earl so my strands of hair must be more valuable. I will give you one, you can keep the change.”

“…”

Seeing that he really wanted to pull out a hair.

Nate Case hastily said, “No…it’s just an exaggerated metaphor. Do you understand metaphor?”

Xia Zuoyi blinked innocently and nodded, indicating that he understood.

He said, “Brother, two gold coins are still a bit expensive. After all, he was injured, what if he died because of bad treatment?”

“Make it cheaper.”

“…One gold coin, the lowest price.”

“Okay.”

Xia Zuoyi simply and neatly agreed.

Pay the money with one hand and hand over the “goods” with the other.

After Xia Zuoyi left with the “goods”.

Nate Case heaved a sigh of relief for no reason, “It’s finally sold… Wait, why do I have to do this transaction?!”

And it’s a loss making business that makes him lower the price again and again?!

He can obviously refuse!

When Xia Zuoyi returned to his temporary residence, he asked Udit to find a doctor.

The doctor thought he was going to treat the earl, but he didn’t expect to let him treat a slave. He couldn’t help showing his disgust, “Lord Earl, the lives of slaves are so cheap, they’re usually just left to fend for themselves. It’s not worth wasting money for them…”

Xia Zuoyi, “Shut up, I’ll give you the money, you just do it.”

There’s so much bullshit coming from nowhere.

The doctor angrily closed his mouth and began to treat the wound.

He took out a flat iron tool and asked to burn coal in the basin.

Xia Zuoyi, “What do you want to do?”

Doctor, ” Stop the bleeding, Lord Earl, and prevent wound infections.”

“…”

Xia Zuoyi somewhat overestimated the level of medical care on the Western Continent.

Just like before, if he didn’t wake up from a high fever in time, he would definitely be treated with bloodletting or craniotomy2.

He remembered a report evaluating the backwardness of the Middle Ages—medicine regressed to primitive times, doctors killed more people than viruses, and they were a bunch of deadly butchers.

The original report was not exaggerated.

Xia Zuoyi had to instruct, “Clean his wound with clean water first… Is there any herbal medicine? Painkillers? None?!! Gauze… Clean cloth will do…”

He saw useless bottles, drills, hammers, and knives in the box brought by the doctor… strange-smelling spices, sulfur, etc.

He even saw a live, moving leech crawling around…

…… 

The doctor bandaged all the wounds on the man’s body according to Xia Zuoyi’s instruction, wiped off the sweat from his forehead and said, “Lord Earl, do you want me to leave the medicine?”

The medicine he said is a bottle of turbid holy water after performing a prayer.

“…No need, you can go.”

The doctor retired and left.

Xia Zuoyi looked at the man who had been silent since meeting him, “What’s your name?”

“Fernandi Edwards.” 

The man’s voice was deep and hoarse.

He didn’t seem to have much respect and awe for the nobility.

Even if Xia Zuoyi called a doctor to treat him, the expression on his face had not changed, and he lacked even the slightest gratitude.

His hands and feet were still heavily shackled. After the blood stains were cleaned, he showed a handsome and masculine face. The scar on his right cheek was cut from the side of his ear to his chin, about a finger long, adding a bit of ferocity.

Xia Zuoyi, “Can you tell me why you killed the lord’s brother?”

Fernandi Edwards, “You don’t need to know.”

Udit frowned, “Pay attention to your attitude.”

Although he didn’t know what happened to Fernandi Edwards, he would abandon his promising knight commander position and even the Baronial title to assassinate the nobles.

But he could not treat the Earl who saved his life with indifference and disrespect.

Fernandi Edwards only continued in a flat voice, “If you are angry, you can order someone to kill me.”

Xia Zuoyi, “But I bought you with a gold coin. Can you give it back to me first? Or after killing you, can gold coins pop out from your corpse?”

Obviously not.

Fernandi Edwards became silent again.

Xia Zuoyi looked at him twice and ordered, “Udit, take care of him, don’t let him die.”

Udit, “Yes, my lord.” 

After the attendant sent the signed territorial transition document, the gray Pal Mountain in the system interface was instantly lit up and turned into color, and the territorial range data was updated.

Xia Zuoyi did not leave in a hurry, and stayed in the royal city for three or four days before slowly setting off to return to Wissas.

Fernandi Edwards’ wound had almost scabbed during this period, and would not split and bleed.

He followed behind the craftsmen and guarded by knights, the shackles on his hands and feet had long been removed, making it easy for him to move.

On the way, they passed through a mountain forest and took a rest.

Xia Zuoyi took a nap in the carriage with a small hiccup.

The knights and craftsmen had eaten and drank enough, each found a place to rest or gather in twos and threes to chat together.

After confirming that Xia Zuoyi was asleep, Udit walked to Fernandi Edwards, “Lord earl’s  original plan was to leave the royal city as soon as the documents were issued.”

“The reason why he stayed for another four days and walked so slowly on the road… I’m sure you won’t fail to feel why.”

Fernandi Edwards, sitting on the rock alone, raised his head and silently glanced at the direction of the carriage.

At first he was determined to die.

Whether deliberately offending the noble Nate Case or attempting to let the wound worsen…

If it weren’t for the devil taking his soul away if he committed suicide, he would have taken his life long ago.

“What does he want from me?” Fernandi Edwards muttered.

Udit, “You have nothing now.”

Fernandi Edwards laughed at himself, “You’re right, so I don’t understand.”

Udit gave him a deep look, “For my lord’s sake, I only hope you can have a grateful heart.”

After speaking, he turned and left.

After a long time.

Fernandi Edwards inaudibly sighed, “The person I was grateful for…has made me betrayed…”

Translator’s Notes: