Chapter 114: The Joy Between Girls

Brest was even larger than Peretti had imagined—walking along the streets for a long time, there was still no end in sight.

She finally understood why Anasha had chosen to ride a horse within the city. From the outskirts to the church, relying on just two legs would take who knows how long.

It was just a pity there didn’t seem to be anywhere in the city that sold horses. Otherwise, Peretti would’ve liked to try what riding one felt like.

Not that she needed to worry about her ability.

Peretti had even ridden dragons before—mere wild horses were nothing to her.

Slaves could be seen everywhere along the streets, mingling with the flow of pedestrians—a sight Peretti had never witnessed before.

“Excuse me, beautiful miss, please wait a moment, nya~”

At the roadside, a sub-beast catgirl swayed her hips and called out enthusiastically to Peretti.

“You’re talking to me?” Peretti glanced around suspiciously. Among the passersby were quite a few pretty girls, but aside from her, no one stopped.

So… was she being targeted?

As a newcomer unfamiliar with local customs, it was easy to get tricked—vendors often used obscure jargon or manipulated prices to take advantage of outsiders.

That kind of opportunistic behavior could practically be considered part of the local “culture.”

“Yes, nya~ I’m talking about you~”

The pink-haired catgirl flashed a flattering smile, stepping closer and wrapping herself around Peretti’s arm, pressing the girl’s slender arm into the soft fullness of her chest. Half-pulling, half-dragging, she led Peretti toward the market behind her.

“Master must be a traveler who just arrived, right? Welcome, welcome~ Would you like to learn about the unique customs here?”

The catgirl leaned in close, her gem-like pink eyes shimmering before Peretti. Her gaze drifted downward, locking onto the girl’s collarbone—where a metal ring engraved with alchemical runes was firmly fixed. It was proof of her status as a s*ave.

Even though slaves trained under nobles could not be forced into relations, if a noble took a liking to them, becoming their plaything was considered a great “honor.”

“Mr. Peretti, is this beautiful catgirl your new s*ave? Would you like to bring her into the market so she can get familiar with the surroundings?”

Peretti was startled by the sudden closeness, but she had seen enough of the world to quickly regain composure.

“No, she’s not a s*ave. She’s just my attendant. And I don’t like being touched casually.”

She removed the girl’s arm from her own, her expression stern, tone cold.

“S-sorry, Mr. Peretti… I didn’t mean to offend you. I was just too happy…” The catgirl’s face turned pale, clearly not expecting to anger her.

“It’s fine. Just be more careful next time.” Seeing her reaction, Peretti softened her tone slightly.

“Thank you, Mr. Peretti! Thank you!” The catgirl’s smile returned instantly.

“Come on, Mr. Peretti, let me show you around the market!” She grabbed Peretti’s arm again and excitedly pulled her forward.

Peretti sighed helplessly. This girl’s enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming.

“What do you like, Mr. Peretti? I’ll help you pick something,” the catgirl asked eagerly, pointing at the goods in the market.

Peretti remained cautious, arms crossed, watching her carefully.

The catgirl, however, seemed to misunderstand—thinking Peretti was staring at the soft curves pressed against her arm. She traced her fingers along her own skin, her sharp claws lightly catching the thin fabric, revealing glimpses of pale flesh beneath.

“Master~ do you like it?” Her voice dripped with seduction.

Peretti froze, clearly unprepared for such a situation. Her cheeks flushed red as she hurriedly turned her head away.

Now she understood why noble young masters liked catgirls so much—this natural allure was like a sweet poison, irresistibly addictive.

“That’s enough. I’m not here to buy slaves. You should leave.”

Her gaze shifted to the shop behind the girl. An older man stood at the entrance, hands behind his back, staring directly at her.

Clearly, he was the one in charge of the catgirl.

The catgirl covered her mouth and giggled.
“That ‘refusing while inviting’ attitude… does Master like being in the submissive role? It’s okay~ Whatever kind of play you want, we can satisfy it~”

“Please—we’re both girls! How could something like that even happen?!”

“Between girls, there’s a special kind of fun too~” The catgirl licked her lips.

“What nonsense are you talking about? I really don’t have that kind of idea.”

“But this is a s*ave market~ If Master doesn’t have those thoughts about slaves, why come here~?”

“A s*ave market?” Peretti looked at her in confusion. She had no idea—she had just wandered in out of curiosity.

No wonder there were slaves everywhere. She had thought it was simply Brest’s unique atmosphere—never expecting she’d accidentally walked into a s*ave market.

“I came here by mistake… would you believe me?”

The catgirl briefly looked at her like she was an idiot, but quickly resumed her charming expression.

Even she, a s*ave who had spent years here, knew that Brest’s s*ave market was famous across neighboring cities. Anyone coming here should have known.

“My apologies, miss. This s*ave has overstepped.”

The s*ave owner approached, greeting Peretti while openly sizing her up like a piece of art.

The catgirl trembled slightly at his presence, immediately stepping aside.

“Hm… forget it. It’s my first time here, I don’t know the rules.” Peretti exhaled. “But leaving slaves outside like this—aren’t you worried about accidents?”

To her, beastfolk slaves were unstable variables. Even with runic control, there was no guarantee nothing would go wrong.

Though admittedly, it did attract customers.

The man chuckled awkwardly.
“There are many travelers in Brest. Displaying them outside helps people understand what we offer. As for rebellion, no need to worry—these runes are far stronger than you imagine. The moment dangerous intent arises, they activate immediately.”

Peretti nodded, then looked at the catgirl. The girl was still trembling uncontrollably, clearly terrified.

“What’s her name?”

“A s*ave doesn’t need a name.”

The s*ave owner held up a small stone and squeezed slightly. The catgirl shuddered violently, her legs going weak, barely managing to step forward.

“Since you’re new, I can give you a discount—one gold coin. What do you think?”

A human life… worth only a single gold coin?

Peretti was genuinely surprised. She had expected it to be more expensive.

The catgirl looked at her with a hint of envy in her eyes.

“Forget it. I don’t want to buy a s*ave. Traveling with someone would just be a hassle.”

Peretti waved her hand and turned to leave the way she came.

Not long after she left, faint screams from the girl echoed behind her—but Peretti pretended not to hear.

She hadn’t forgotten that she was still being hunted by beastfolk. Since the s*ave market accepted all captured beastfolk regardless of strength, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

Better to leave as soon as possible.

Her stomach began to rumble—the few white loaves she had eaten earlier hadn’t been enough.

And there wasn’t even a bakery in the s*ave market. She’d have to find food outside.

With that thought, Peretti quickened her pace, completely unaware of a girl standing in the distance, staring directly at her.

“Hey, beautiful miss.”

Ignored—she walked right past.

“Miss.”

Still ignored.

Finally losing patience, the girl stepped directly into Peretti’s path, nearly colliding with her.

“Miss, you have beautiful eyes… it’s just a shame they’re not very useful.”

Peretti was utterly baffled.

Wasn’t she the one who walked into her? How did it turn into an accusation instead?