The Jilted Noble Lady's Windfall

Chapter 7

Due to the angle, Marianne hadn't noticed the warehouse keeper's tail earlier, mistakenly assuming he was just an ordinary person with a smattering of magic.

“How fascinating,” Marianne said, beckoning the warehouse keeper over with a wave of her hand, gesturing for him to turn around.

“Is he a half-breed?” Marianne observed that the warehouse keeper possessed only a small, imp-like tail, lacking the demon's signature crimson eyes and jet-black horns.

“You're quite right. He's a quarter-demon hybrid,” the slave trader replied, sensing Marianne's interest and continuing his pitch. “Demons possess talents in dark magic that rival those of humans. But as you know, hybrids simply don't match the longevity or resilience of true humanoids. That makes them a tough sell in the market.”

At this point, the slave dealer wore a pained expression. “Unless it's a noble with a morbid curiosity or a modest household seeking extra labor, no one would consider a half-breed.”

“That's only natural,” Lucius added from the side. “Anyone who's been to the arena understands the vast difference between hybrids and humanoids. While they possess stronger bodies or longer lifespans than humans, they're like second-rate apprentices—hardly capable of matching humans or true humanoids in any single skill.”

Lucius glanced at the expressionless storekeeper, utterly unconcerned about the psychological impact his words might have: “Beyond menial labor and entertainment, they serve no other purpose.”

“Sounds like a waste of time to train them,” Marianne countered. “So, do you have any half-breeds worth cultivating here?”

“Seriously... have you even been listening?” Lucius sighed in exasperation. “Half-breeds inherently lack developmental value. What's the difference between this and throwing money into the ocean?”

“The difference is, I want to buy a half-breed nearly indistinguishable from humanoids,” Marianne countered. "You don't think half-breeds are limited to humans and humanoids, do you? If it's a hybrid between two humanoids, it won't end up being inferior to both humans and humanoids."

“But can you really find a hybrid between two humanoids?” Lucius expressed his skepticism. “Without human blood to act as a buffer, those humanoid hybrids would either die in the womb or be unable to survive ‘normally’ in the world.”

“But I have no interest in ordinary merchandise.” Marianne turned to the slave trader, whose smile had deepened, finally showing genuine interest. “Only the uncertain holds investment value. If you can't manage even this minor detail, you have no right to call yourself a seasoned supplier in the slave market.”

“Your words have truly made me reconsider my opinion of you.” " The slave dealer motioned for the storekeeper to step forward and dispel the illusion magic within the room.

Lucius and Marianne saw only a sprawling, crooked rune pattern radiating outward from the storekeeper on the floor, coalescing into a circular magic array with a radius of one meter.

"Unless it's some eccentric noble client, few show interest in ‘physically impaired’ high-grade hybrids. " The slave dealer watched as a teleportation gate slowly rose from the magic circle, then invited the guests to follow him inside.

“What a colossal joke,” Lucius sneered without restraint. “‘Defects’ actually serve as criteria for judging half-breeds? And half-breeds with human bloodlines are supposedly inferior to the defective hybrids produced by humanoid species?”

“After all, aside from the most superior humans, other sentient beings rarely produce healthy hybrids with their own kind. For the gods first created their favored children—thus these human rejects lack the qualifications to compete with humanity.” The slave trader lit a magic lamp, allowing Marianne and Lucius to see the high-grade hybrids confined within.

Unlike the cages and chains used for the half-beasts at the entrance, the area housing the high-grade hybrids was far more intriguing, filled with all manner of “training tools.”

Whether it was water vats filled with strange liquids or iron spikes with roots like cacti, each item reflected the preciousness and untamable nature of these “premium goods.”

Lucius had never witnessed such a bizarre spectacle.

As a Sacred Knight, he wasn't traditionally devout, but he certainly didn't harbor any morbid curiosities either.

“You really do have... peculiar tastes,” Lucius muttered, nearly vomiting at the sight of the hybrid mermaid inside a large vat as they passed by.

Unlike the traditional image of mermaids, the one sealed in the vat bore demonic black horns and serpentine scales. Perhaps due to her insectoid bloodline, a ring of soft, downy fur graced her temples, and her face bore the distinctive patterns characteristic of insectoid races.

“Human...?” The hybrid mermaid, seemingly not very intelligent, pressed herself tightly against the hard glass the moment she saw Lucius. Then, with unimaginable force, she pounded against it, chanting: “Human... food. Human... food.”

Marianne and the slave trader both turned toward the commotion. Marianne even tilted her chin toward Lucius, teasing, “Like her? If you like her, I'll buy her and give her to you.”

Lucius tore his gaze away from the hybrid mermaid and pinched Marianne's cheek, signaling her to stop talking nonsense.

The slave trader always sensed something off about Marianne and Lucius's relationship, but adhering to his principle of “speak less, do more,” he wisely looked away before pulling back the white cloth draped over a large cage.

“This is my finest merchandise,” the slave trader declared proudly, pointing to the high-grade hybrid within the cage. " “Unusually shaped high-grade hybrids aren't rare. What's truly rare is a hybrid, after generations of crossbreeding, that looks exactly like a human.”

The slave trader held a magic lamp close to the iron cage, illuminating the stunningly beautiful, pure-white slave inside.

In appearance, he was indistinguishable from a human. Even completely n***d, Marianne couldn't discern any unusual organs.

The only discernible differences from ordinary humans were his exceptionally rare white hair and skin so pale it lacked any trace of blood color.

Only when this hybrid drew near did Marianne understand why he was the slave trader's pièce de résistance.

For he possessed a pair of exquisitely gorgeous rose-red pupils that would abruptly constrict into vertical slits when someone approached.

“This is a high-grade specimen I cultivated with great effort,” the slave trader declared, circling the cage with Marianne to emphasize the merchandise's rarity.

“His father is a forest elf and mermaid hybrid, while his mother is a serpentine half-beast and insectoid hybrid.” As the dealer spoke, he instructed the warehouse keeper to activate the enchantments within the cage. Under the pressure, the pure white-skinned hybrid slave revealed the humanoid features concealed beneath his ordinary appearance.

“An absolute rarity—her physical prowess and magical aptitude rival those of true half-beasts or elves.” The dealer reached into the cage, pinching her chin to force her gaze upon Marianne.

“And setting aside her innate qualities, this face alone warrants a premium price!” “The slave dealer gazed at the youthful, beautiful Marianne, flashing a suggestive grin. ”If you desire, he can offer you the docility of an elf, the song of a mermaid, the endurance of a serpent-kin half-beast, and the variety of an insectoid."

“Your Highness, the opportunity to possess such a precious toy is yours only now.”

“Are you truly not tempted?”