The Protagonist was Sold as a Slave chapter 14

Before Luke could react, soldiers burst through the blizzard and intercepted the bear.

Ill-equipped for fighting monsters in the snow, they were still far better prepared than us.

These were soldiers of the Northern Monster Subjugation Squad—exactly the people I’d come to see.

While a mage began casting a spell, a few soldiers drew the bear’s attention.

The spell activated, freezing the bear’s legs and locking it in place.

The creature’s immense strength would surely break the ice soon, but the soldiers didn’t waste the opportunity.

With practiced movements honed from countless battles, they struck at its vulnerable spots.

Before Luke even had a chance to act, the massive snowstorm bear collapsed onto the snowy ground with a resounding thud.

Luke stood there, dumbfounded, his sword barely drawn.

“I—I could’ve handled that!”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

“I mean it!”

“Then prove it next time.”

In truth, snowstorm bears weren’t particularly fearsome monsters.

They only looked intimidating because of their size.

Here in the North, they were so common that the soldiers stationed here were sick of dealing with them.

But Luke didn’t know that.

Frustrated and feeling outdone, he took out his anger on the snow, digging into it with unnecessary force.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?”

The soldiers ignored the fallen bear and rushed over—straight to me, not to us.

“I’m fine! I didn’t even need your help in the first place!”

Luke’s indignant shout went completely ignored.

The soldiers didn’t spare a glance at the slave wearing the spiked collar.

Instead, they directed all their concern toward me.

“What brings you to such a dangerous place with only a slave for company?”

“Did you perhaps get separated from your party?”

“You must be cold. Let us escort you to the camp. A warm stew will help you recover.”

Even with my face hidden behind a mask, nobles and commoners were easy to tell apart.

My glossy, well-kept hair, fine, luxurious clothing, and fair skin—untainted by any hard labor—marked me as someone from high society.

To them, I must have seemed like a pampered noble.

Helping me might bring a hefty reward; leaving me to die could lead to disastrous repercussions.

Between those two outcomes, the choice was obvious.

“I’m fine,” I replied.

“This outfit is enchanted to keep me warm. And my slave is quite capable.”

“Slave? Are you kidding me?”

I heard the faint grinding of Luke’s teeth.

Some of the soldiers glanced at him warily, but none intervened.

As much as his demeanor was threatening, they couldn’t justify taking action against someone else’s property.

They turned back to me, pressing their point.

“Even so, this place is dangerous. We don’t know why you’re here, but you should speak with our commander at the camp.”

“He’s right!”

The soldier who had just been lamenting his woes suddenly grew enthusiastic, supporting his comrade’s suggestion.

“Today’s encounter was lucky—it was just an ordinary snowstorm bear. But lately, the monsters have been getting stronger. Even our unit is struggling to keep up.”

“Not that the central government cares,” another muttered bitterly.

“They won’t send us more support…”

“Shh! Stop complaining. What if they just leave because of you?”

Another soldier clamped a hand over his comrade’s mouth.

Herace clicked his tongue.

‘As a reader of this world’s story, I already knew: the reinforcements they desperately needed would never come.’

This world had to follow the plot.

This Northern Monster Subjugation Squad was where Luke Clayton—cast out from his noble family—would fight to earn merit and reclaim his status.

But the soldiers would eventually be wiped out by the increasingly powerful monsters, leaving only Luke alive to flee in disgrace.

“How difficult it must be for you,” Herace said, feigning sympathy.

The soldier brightened at his apparent understanding.

“Yes, it’s terrible! Our weapons are falling apart, we’re short on manpower, and our supplies are almost gone…”

“Yet our mission is essential to protect the capital!” another chimed in, suddenly worried about offending me.

The Great Dragon of Light had been sealed for five centuries.

During that time, monsters had grown weaker, and vigilance had waned.

Unless they saw it with their own eyes, the nobles in the central capital wouldn’t take the rising danger seriously.

‘Not my problem.’

“Well, I’m glad to be of help,” Herace said, throwing out some bait.

“In fact, I came here to sell my slave to the Northern Monster Subjugation Squad.”

“What?!” Luke turned to Herace, utterly baffled.

The soldier’s face lit up.

“That would be most appreciated!”

“A strong, well-built slave like this would be invaluable.”

“Though I imagine the price might be steep…”

With his broad shoulders, well-defined muscles, and striking face—even snarling in anger—Luke looked like the kind of prized slave a noble might have kept for fun.

“Get lost!” Luke snapped.

A soldier grabbed Luke’s bicep, inspecting it like merchandise, only to be violently kicked away.

Propelled by Luke’s monstrous strength, the soldier barely managed to land on his feet, stumbling and wide-eyed.

“Are you serious? Selling me? That’s a whole different story!”

“…As you can see, he’s quite an unruly slave,” Herace replied coolly.

“I thought I could tame him, but he’s as untamed as a beast fresh out of the wild.”

“Do you even remember how much you paid for him? This doesn’t add up! A whopping…!”

Luke’s lips were clamped shut by a pale hand.

Even for him, mentioning the price—a billion gold—was unwise.

“Mmph!”

“It’s a test,” Herace murmured deliberately, though he didn’t need to repeat it.

Luke’s fiery gaze, brimming with betrayal, locked onto him.

“Ah…”

The soldiers nodded, though Luke, despite the slave collar around his neck, glared at Herace as if he were ready to devour him.

“Sometimes you get slaves like that,” one soldier remarked. “If you’re worried about him causing harm, we can take him off your hands.”

The insinuation was clear: they were offering to remove Luke from his master.

Realizing this, Luke furiously shook his head and struggled to remove the hand clamping his mouth.

But against the strength enhanced by magic, even his raw power was insufficient.

“No, I just want to say goodbye—give me a moment.”

When Herace tried reinforcing his grip with magic, Luke bit down hard on his hand.

“Ah!”

Blood welled from the bite mark.

Herace stared at it, dumbfounded.

Of all the things Luke could’ve done, this was beyond expectation.

Didn’t he usually comply when told it was part of a test?

“What is wrong with you? Are you a mad dog?”

“You!” Luke growled, seething.

“You said you’d sell me first!”

“You’re a slave. Of course, I can sell you.”

“Don’t sell me.”

“…”

The lingering pride of a noble—being sold twice as a slave was too much for him to bear.

“Ridiculous.”

Herace dismissed the quarrel with a wave of his hand.

Once Luke joined the monster subjugation unit, the story would naturally align with its original trajectory.

Until then, he’d keep watch to ensure Luke acquired the “miracle” mentioned in the text.

It wouldn’t be long now.

“Fine, then.”

“So… what will you do?” asked one of the soldiers hesitantly.

“He doesn’t want to be sold. I’ll say I’ve temporarily entrusted him to the nation for the greater good.”

“Entrusted, you say…?”

“Yes, you don’t have to pay me anything for him.”

Naturally, the soldiers preferred this arrangement.

Luke hesitated, glancing at Herace.

“If it’s just an entrustment, you’ll come back, right?”

Was he asking if Herace would return to monitor him?

Herace nodded without hesitation.

If Luke tried to escape after slipping out of the Grand Magician’s sight, it would only cause trouble.

“Yes, of course. It’s a test.”

That would keep him from entertaining foolish ideas.

Luke seemed about to say something, but Herace had already turned away, preoccupied with finding traces of a bookworm nearby or pinpointing the original dungeon’s location.

“Hey, are you leaving already?!”

A harsh snowstorm swept over the fading figure of Herace.