Meski yang diperjualbelikan sebagai budak bukanlah manusia melainkan iblis, tetap saja pemandangan itu membuat Simon merasa tidak enak—melihat anggota sukunya sendiri diserahkan kepada si saudagar layaknya makhluk tanpa nilai.
Iblis-iblis yang diperdagangkan itu adalah anak yatim, iblis gelandangan, atau iblis yang menderita penyakit tak tersembuhkan. Tidak satu pun dari mereka sehat, dan tidak ada satu pun anggota keluarga yang berani tampil protes atau berusaha menyelamatkan mereka.
Simon juga bisa melihat bekas pemukulan di tubuh beberapa iblis, dan ia tahu bahwa tidak semua dari mereka menyetujui perdagangan ini dengan sukarela.
'Karena kondisi ekonomi suku kita, kepala suku memutuskan mengambil langkah yang lebih ekstrem dengan memperdagangkan anggota suku yang pada dasarnya... tidak berguna bagi suku.'
'Kondisi sukulah yang membuat mereka jadi tidak berguna, tapi kepala suku memutuskan untuk membuang mereka seperti sampah. Dan demi berapa? Apakah semua ini sepadan?'
'Kalau jumlah yang ia dapatkan bisa menyelamatkan suku dari krisis ekonomi ini, ya sudahlah. Tapi memperjualbelikan saudara sendiri adalah hal yang selalu membuatku muak.'
'Aku ragu iblis-iblis ini, anak-anak dan orang-orang tua ini, akan diperlakukan dengan baik. Bahkan mungkin mereka tidak akan selamat.'
'Iblis adalah makhluk tanpa hati, dan aku cukup yakin saudagar itu tidak tertarik pada begitu banyak iblis berperingkat rendah dan menyedihkan ini demi menolong mereka.'
'Ia tidak punya alasan untuk menolong mereka. Artinya, ia ingin melahap mereka untuk dirinya sendiri, atau ingin memakai mereka sebagai bahan eksperimen.'
Wajah-wajah di bumi muncul kembali di benaknya—saat ia pernah berhadapan dengan para penjual budak dan penyelundup manusia yang memperdagangkan anak-anak dan manusia lain kepada iblis, serta iblis-iblis yang menyamar berkulit manusia.
Hal yang bahkan setelah bereinkarnasi pun tak bisa ia lupakan.
'Mereka semua sama saja. Semua penyelundup manusia dan penjual budak adalah iblis, kejahatan murni.'
Simon menoleh ke sekeliling, dan ia bisa melihat keraguan di wajah beberapa iblis. Setelah mendengarkan dan mengamati beberapa saat, ia tahu ada iblis yang ingin melawan dan mendepani kepala suku karena perbuatannya, tapi kehadiran Sang Saudagar sendiri menjadi penghalang yang terlalu besar.
Fakta bahwa jantung iblisnya jauh lebih kuata saja sudah membuat hampir semua iblis nyaris berlutut. Garis darahnya bahkan lebih mengerikan lagi, dan andai Sang Saudagar tidak sengaja menahan auranya, banyak iblis di suku ini akan terkapar sesenggakan di tanah.
Meski semua orang merasakan tekanan yang luar biasa dari Sang Saudagar, Simon tidak merasakan apa-apa. Bukan karena ketangguhan mental dari kehidupan masa lalunya, tapi karena skill, Fearless.
Dengan Fearless, ia tidak merasakan ketakutan naluriah maupun penindasan dari iblis berperingkat lebih tinggi—itulah sebabnya ia begitu tenang, tidak seperti yang lain.
'Ya sudahlah, terima saja.'
Simon memutuskan untuk hanya mengamati jalannya peristiwa. Kalau Sang Saudagar memang hanya datang untuk membeli iblis-iblis dari kepala suku, berarti semua rencana dan pemikirannya semalaman sia-sia belaka.
Waktu berlalu, dan setelah transaksi antara Sang Saudagar dengan Kepala Suku selesai, para penjaga membawa iblis-iblis terbelenggu itu mendekati gerbang suku.
Simon baru saja hendak pergi, tapi kemudian Sang Saudagar menatap kerumunan iblis yang memandanginya dengan rasa takut, takjub, dan sedikit kemarahan.
Zaglur tersenyum tipis saat melihat kerumunan itu.
Despite the fact that it was not humans but demons that were being traded as slaves, it still left a bad taste in Simon’s mouth as he watched members of their tribe being given to the merchant like worthless beings.
The traded demons were either orphans, homeless demons, or demons that had a terminal illness. None of the demons were healthy or had a family member that came out to protest and try to save their family.
Simon could also beatings on some demons, and he knew that some of the demons had not agreed to be traded willingly.
’Because of the economic state of our tribe, the chief decided to take a more extreme measure by trading members of the tribe that are basically... useless to the tribe.’
’The state of the tribe is what makes those demons useless, but the chief decides to discard them like worthless garbage, and for how much? Is doing such a thing worth it?’
’If the amount he’s selling them for is able to help get the tribe out of this economic state, it’s all good. But trading of your kin is something that would always revolt me.’
’I doubt these demons, these kids and elderly people would be treated right or would even survive.’
’Demons are heartless individuals, and I’m fairly certain that the merchant does not want so many low ranking and wretched demons so to help them.’
’He has no reason to help them, which means that he either wants to devour them for himself or he wants to use them as an experiment.’
Images of scenes on earth where he encountered slave traders and human traffickers smuggling children and several other humans to demons and demons in human skin.
It was something he could not forget even after reincarnation.
’All of them are demons. All human traffickers and slave traders are demons and completely evil.’
Simon looked around, and he could see the hesitation on the faces of some demons. After listening and observing for a few seconds, he knew that there were some demons that wished to fight and confront the chief because of what he was doing, but the sheer presence of the Merchant was a massive deterrent.
Just the fact that he had a much more powerful demon heart was one that caused nearly all the demons to almost fall on their knees. His bloodline was worse, and if not for the fact that the Merchant was not releasing his aura on purpose, many demons in their tribe would be gasping for air while on their knees.
Although everybody felt immense pressure from the Merchant, Simon felt none of that. Not because he had the mental fortitude of his past life, but because of the skill, Fearless.
With Fearless, he did not have that instinctual fear and suppression of higher ranking demons, which was why he was extremely calm unlike the others.
’It is what it is.’
Simon decided to just watch what was going on. If the Merchant just came here to buy other demons from the tribal chief, then all of his planning and thinking overnight were all for naught.
Minutes went by, and after the Merchant and the Tribal Chief concluded the transaction of the Merchant, the guards brought the chained demons close to the entrance of their tribe.
Simon was about to leave, but then the Merchant looked at the crowd of demons that were looking at him with fear, reverence, and also a bit of anger.
Zaglur gave a light smile when he saw the crowd.
"My tribal chief. Surely you don’t mind if I try to sell some of my goods to them." He looked at Varkamon with the same smile he had from the moment he stepped foot in the tribe.
"It won’t be good if I don’t try to make back some of my money as a Merchant."
Varkamon nodded with a forced smile and sweat appearing on his forehead. He had no idea why Zaglur kept on referring to him as "My Tribal Chief". It was absolutely putting him on the edge. If possible, he wanted Zaglur who was basically a walking disaster to their tribe, to leave as quickly as possible.
"Of course you can sell some of your products, Sir Zaglur."
Zaglur nodded, and then he approached the crowd of demons.
"Hello there, my people." Zaglur greeted with the same smile.
"I know some of you may wonder why I’m taking those young ones, but let me tell you that their going to serve a greater good. They would finally get the rewards they deserve for all the suffering they’ve suffered."
Zaglur paused, and then he waved his hand. A black table covered with a red cloth appeared in front of the merchant. He snapped his fingers, and then an array of multiple items appeared on the table.
The eyes of everybody including Simon glittered with surprise and desire the moment they laid their eyes upon the items.
"I am but a humble trader of curiosities... curiosities that whisper, that hunger, that change their owners."
"So... who wants to trade with me?"
Everybody looked at Zaglur for a second before approaching the merchant. Although they were poor, the items Zaglur was selling caused their hearts to quiver in awe.
Because of his cat-like agility and body that was extremely flexible, he was able to weave through the crowd to get a front row view of the items.
When he did, his eyes flashed with an unknown light.
’Crimson Fang Powder? Soul Ink? Gloomweed Extract? Ashheart Charms? Blood crystals? Whispering Skull? Shard of a Fallen Rune? Night glass Dagger? Eye of the Forgotten?’
Simon had a slightly baffled expression as he saw the items the demon was selling, and although he had the urge to ask the demon about their uses and descriptions, when he saw the price on them, his lips twitched.
’Infernal shards? Not bone coins? Is this demon trying to make fun of us?’
Simon was about to look at the demon with a frown, but then his eyes landed on a particular object.
’A blood essence?
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