Chapter 49: Merchant

A few days went by after what had happened, and the inquisitors did not return at all. It seemed they had completely vanished. The old man had also healed up pretty fast. He used his aura to fasten his cell process and ensure that he recovered faster.

When he was able to get on his feet, he communicated with Tez that they would be heading to the merchant to discuss things with him.

Tez was seated in his room in the morning, his eyes pinned to the system screen. He had not checked it in a while, and he did not even know when the system shop had unlocked for him. All the system points that he had been gathering finally had a place where he could use them.

It seemed the taming system had everything imaginable, but it made items that had to do with taming relatively cheaper when compared to other items.

"Seems it wants me to purchase more taming items instead," Tez muttered. He grabbed his chin as he scrolled down the screen slowly and searched for something that he would need.

He had over five hundred system points with him from grinding in the sky palace, and he wanted to ensure he spent them in the right place, but everything that he was seeing was far too expensive for him to even use aside from the taming items.

’If the taming items are what are cheap, then I’ll make sure to search for taming items that might help in a fight.’

He kept searching until he finally stumbled on something that could actually help, and his gaze fixed there.

[Charm Eyes: When activated on beings of lesser levels, it breaks down their mental defenses and causes them to grow affectionate toward you. Effect is twice as effective on monster girls.]

"Lower levels?" Tez muttered. The information that the Charm Eyes gave him was not what he found shocking right now. It was the fact that the system stated everyone had levels.

"People have levels?"

Tez thought for a bit and realized that he had missed something that crucial. This was still a game world after all, and that meant that they would use some sort of grading system. He thought that the system would be something else and not be strict to the game, but from the way it seemed, it was sticking to the game.

"I need some sort of skill that allows me to see people’s levels if they do have levels. That can allow me to gauge what I am doing here. It’s shocking that I had not thought about the fact that they would be using levels."

He could not beat himself up over it for hours, so he shoved it to the back of his mind and focused on the skill he was about to purchase. It went for four hundred system points, and that seemed like a good price for it.

[Are you sure you want to purchase Charm Eyes?]

"Yes," he said, and immediately, the system rang out. The skill was now in his arsenal, and with a single blink, his eyes turned golden.

"I can already feel the mana gathering at my eyes, but it feels like I cannot keep it up for too long. It’s already straining my eyes." He rubbed his eyes and deactivated the eyes.

Knock, knock.

Tez looked at the door. He walked to it and opened it. Outside was Lia.

"The old man is waiting for us downstairs," she said calmly.

"Alright then, we should head down. Where are Mira and Leah?" he asked.

"They headed into the city together. They are running some errands since they will not be coming with us."

"And Amber?"

"She is already downstairs," Lia replied.

"Alright then, let’s go," Tez replied and picked up his sword.

They got into the carriage that was parked outside, with the old man driving it while the three of them were inside. Lia sat beside Tez, and Amber sat across from them.

"Should we really trust where we are headed?" Lia asked. Being a slave had made her unable to trust people properly.

"I don’t think we can trust anyone," Tez replied and glanced at the old man through the gap in the carriage. He turned around and faced them again.

"Even if the old man has no bad intentions, there is nothing to prove that his friend does. So when we arrive there, keep yourself on guard and ensure you don’t get yourself cornered in any way."

He looked at Amber after speaking, and her eyes were on him.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked suddenly.

Tez looked at her for a few seconds, then he leaned back and activated Persuasion and Charm Eyes at the same time.

"Simple, I don’t think you should be going through what you are going through. That’s the first. I believe that other races should live with humans as well.

Personally, I like beastfolk a lot, and I think everyone should be allowed an equal life. Finally, I think that helping you will be a good way to build a relationship with you, one that can be mutually beneficial."

He finished speaking and expected it to take effect. After all, he had Guard Charm and Persuasion. Instead, she smiled and responded to him.

"I do not fully trust what you have said."

The moment she said that, Tez knew that she had managed to block the two skills at the same time.

’Such mental fortitude. She managed to negate the effects of both skills at the same time.’

All that he could bank on now was that his words would manage to persuade her on their own. After all, he was the master of using words to get what he wanted.

"Still, you are the one that saved me, and you did not ask for anything in return, so if fostering a relationship is all that you want from this, then there is no reason for me to decline it.

But I must ask for your help in things. I alone can only do so much to ensure that I stay safe and alive, and it seems you have a good amount of strength. So, will you help me?" she asked.

"Yeah, I’ll help. There is no reason for me not to, really," Tez replied and leaned back into the chair. He might not have managed to get her under control in one swoop, but he had managed to get the ball rolling.

Soon, the carriage pulled into a beautiful manor. Right from the gates, it was clear this was a person who had a deep love for luxury and cleanliness. Everything was in place. The grass was well cut, the hedges were well trimmed, and everything was in place.

They pulled up at the front of the house, and a butler was already standing there, waiting for them.

When they all came down, he bowed to them.

"Welcome, Master Peter. My master is already in his lounge waiting for you. Please come right this way."

They followed him into the house. He led them through the sitting room toward the lounge where the merchant was.

Tez kept his eyes peeled. He saw many maids standing all around. Some cleaned the house, while others were arranging things. He also noticed something very crucial about the maids, and that was the fact that a good number of them were actually beastfolk.

’Seems this fellow carries the mindset that the beastfolk should also be free. He might be good, I guess.’ The thought had not fully settled in his head when he walked past a maid with dog ears and a tail, and he noticed a mark on her back through the gaps in her dress.

It was the mark of a whip for sure. It was red on her pale skin, and he knew for sure it was stinging.

’Seems I might have been too fast to judge. This fellow seems to have some punishment going around. The question is, does he whip all his maids, which makes him a douchebag, or does he whip only the ones that are not humans, which makes him a racist douchebag?

Either way, I’m not interested, and I want to find out what is happening for sure. After all, we are coming to him for help. I have to know what type of man he is for sure.’