Domirella: The Surreal Succubi

Domirella: The Surreal Succubi - Chapter Thirteen

As I suspected, she was enslaved. She gave me a slight bow before turning to go inside the building behind the stand. A few moments later, a lanky-looking man comes out. He didn't look like the reputable type. 'Third criteria met!' The fact is that he was not affluent as the other vendor merchants meant I had a better chance of getting a premium for my candy bars. It didn't help that he appeared more like a thug or criminal. He was human, for sure, with jet black hair all stringy and messy, and fell to his mid-chest. He wore a short sword in a sheath around his waist.

I recognize the type of sword from history lessons. 'A Roman Gladius.' He wore a sleeveless black medieval leather shirt with buckle straps and dark brown leather pants without armor. I made a mental note of that fact. The man's height is several inches taller than mine. He has arms built like a tank. In terms of overall height, he is like a basketball player with the physique of a professional national football linebacker. His arms and neck are also longer than mine. The man's genes endow him with a handsome triangular yet squarish face, enhanced by his hooded royal blue eyes and slanted jet-black eyebrows. There was no denying that he had a large, long, prominent nose that gave him an intimidating appearance. His high angular cheekbones and angular trapezoid jawline combined to create a handsome appearance. Similarly to the elf slave girl, he had a skinny waist but a larger midsection than me. I could tell that this man was a formidable warrior just by looking at him, and I could tell a lot about him through his eyes. Other than that, he had no facial hair. He folded his arms, waiting for me to speak.

"I am interested in making a trade. So if you don't mind, this is what I'm offering," I said, pulling two candy bars from my backpack.

"What is this?" he snapped.

"A type of food called a chocolate bar. It's very sweet and plentiful in calories," I said.

"Chocolate bar? Is this some joke? Yeah, it's good, and all, but anyone in the market can sell blocks of chocolate," he said.

"I understand that, but these are not what's currently being sold. I can assure you of that, sir," I said.

Toria and Tonia already informed me of these chocolate blocks on the journey here, among other interesting things. The candy bars I brought from my world are on an entirely different level than the bars of unsweetened chocolate bars one can find in this world. The sweetness alone was hundreds of times better. Local manufacturers also add nothing extra to chocolate here. At least in this region.

"Hmph, go ahead, woman. Taste it," he ordered.

Stepping closer to the counter, she bows slightly. Taking a candy bar from my bag, I offered her a piece. At first, she nibbles on it, then turns her head to look at her master. He gave her a nod, and she brought her attention back to me. She took a large bite of the piece of chocolate, and her face lit up. She wastes no time putting the entire bar into her mouth. The man looks at her, then at me.

"How many are you trading?" he asked.

The man came closer to the counter. As he considered my offer, he stared at me for a long time. I stared at him intensely, as I did not want to back down. He suddenly leans over the counter and slams his hands firmly against the counter. I took a step closer, as I did not want any of the other vendors to hear.

"Ten bars...," I said.

A chocolate block is worth one silver serpent, as it is an exotic and rare item that's scarce. The plant that chocolate comes from, the Theobroma cacao tree, isn't native to this world. Someone like me brought it from my world or a similar one. Apart from being an excellent cook, my mother was a skilled gardener. She grew Cacao trees in her garden. From what I understand, no one is skilled at how to grow them here. That's an opportunity for me.

"I'll give you three silver serpents apiece," he said, looking me in the eye.

His gaze was fierce and determined.

"You should taste the quality for yourself, my good sir," I countered.

I put the other half of the bar on the counter within his reach and took a step back. The man wasted no time taking it and eating it, and within seconds, his gaze returned to me.

"Alright, kid, I will pay five silver serpents apiece. I can't offer anything higher than that. Understand?" he said.

"Deal," I said, extending my hand.

We shake hands, and he walks inside. He returned shortly with the serpents, and the trade was complete. Fifty silvers are half a gold serpent. That would last at least a week or more. We might have had money problems if I hadn't purchased a bulk shipment of chocolate bars last month.We might have had money problems if I hadn't purchased a bulk shipment of chocolate bars last month. All the candy bars were not for me, of course. Heather from KEJX-8 radio station is the one who actually made the chocolate bar. She makes homemade chocolate bars as a side business. I promised to buy as much as I could. Just a day before I came here, I received the shipment. I planned to give a candy bar to all my coworkers at the plant.

I could help promote her business. But I will not lie. Heather is part of Minah's inner circle. My calculations at the time gave me a good chance of getting closer to Minah. In the pamphlet, it says you can make friends with people you have trouble approaching by finding a common interest with them. I bought other food products from Heather as she is a gorgeous girl. She is still way younger than me, though. So I'll have to take any food from my SUV back to Tonia and Toria's hideout for storage. The man even gave me a leather pouch to carry them in. The woman smiles as I am about to leave. Her owner is happy with his sale and is out of sight in seconds. I imagine he is probably running the numbers on the potential profit.

"Excuse me. Are you a slave, correct?" I questioned softly.

"Yes...," she whispered, looking down at the ground.

"How much did he pay for you, if I may ask?" I said.

"My previous owner paid ten bronze serpents for me. My current owner killed my last in a bar fight," she whispered.

"I see... Well, take this. You looked like you enjoyed the taste," I said, giving the slave girl another bar.

When I offered her the bar, her eyes lit up. In a flash, she took it and hid it in her clothes. It is hard to believe that she could hide anything inside that raggedy gray dress that she was wearing, but her sleight of hand is amazing. No one would have even noticed. I shouldn't have caught that. She must be so excited that she let her guard down around me. I don't particularly like her circumstance, but I have no clue how to help. Suppose this is part of this world. Then there are plenty like her.

"I'll be back tomorrow with more to trade. Is that okay with you?" I asked.

"By all means, do so, good sir! My master will be quite happy for some time," she said, making eye contact for the first time.

"What's your name?" I questioned with a smile.

"Lythienne Loraran, that is my name," she replied, bowing.

"That's quite a beautiful name, Lythienne. But, of course, I must also say that you are exponentially beautiful. I'll see you tomorrow, my lady," I said with a bow and a smile.

My simple compliment seems to give her a pleasant delight. I smile at her, and she returns my smile for the first time. I wave goodbye before leaving. The numbers were running through my head. From my observations, there were slaves here, but few. Tonia and Toria didn't like the idea of enslaved people and, to an extent, their mother. That was an assumption, but likely true. Slavery isn't a crime either. That is a critical concern of mine, but I need to deal with one thing at a time. As I returned to the gathering area, I put those thoughts in the back of my mind. The ladies are right where I left them. Cathy looked well-adjusted to her new companions. We should stay in one of the higher-quality inns tonight. It's a good idea to get a good night's rest.