Chapter 11 - Noviosk #2
I don’t know if Xhor was aware of the conditions these creatures were kept in.
A real leader would have been. And if he did know, then I have to question what the hell he was trying to achieve. It’s obvious that the worse their condition, the lower their value.
Under my rule, the slaves will be washed and dressed in uniforms marked with the Vagantu insignia.
Abuse without cause will be banned.
Of course, I’m not talking about punishment.
We’d lose all credibility if we weren’t ruthless.
But harming slaves without purpose? That’s counterproductive.
And rape will be forbidden—even for Vagantu guards.
Prisoners will be allowed to gain privileges in exchange for favors, but nothing will be forced.
The next room holds a group of Human children huddled together, clinging to one another for comfort.
Their faces are dirty, their hair matted, and their wide, fearful eyes watch me with silent anxiety.
“Kids?” I ask Banny, turning to him.
“Their parents must be in other cells,” he answers with a shrug.
“From now on, we don’t trade in unaccompanied children.
They stay with their families. Some buyers just want labor.
If having offspring is an issue, they can choose a slave without any.
Make sure that message gets around—we’ll avoid dealing with kids whenever possible.
They’re too much trouble. And I hate complications. ”
“Understood, Lord Noviosk. But… what should we do with these ones?”
“Find out if they have any surviving parents in our dungeons and reunite them. If their father or mother’s already been sold, we’ll figure it out. Maybe we keep them, train them up as guards for Vagantu.”
Banny looks stunned by my response.
I don’t care.
New boss. New rules.
The next cell reveals Humans of advanced age.
I approach a woman who appears to be the oldest in the group.
She looks at me with a flicker of hope in her eyes, as if expecting me to end her suffering. Her hands tremble slightly, and I notice the marks of chains on her wrists.
She whispers words of comfort to the others, trying to keep them calm.
She’s not wrong.
These people have no business rotting in a dungeon.
Who would pay for Humans this frail?
What do I even do with them?
I let out a long sigh of exasperation.
I don’t enjoy being cruel for no reason.
How the hell did such pathetic creatures end up here?
Did Xhor seriously think he could profit off this?
I don’t have many options.
Option one: drop them off at a Confed base.
They’d welcome them with open arms.
But that’s not happening—there’s no way we’re getting anywhere near that organization.
Option two: kill them. It’s quick, clean, efficient. Considering the hell they’ve already endured in this nightmare of a place, maybe that’s even the kindest solution.
Option three: keep them here and put them to work.
But that’s starting to add up—especially if I include the orphaned kids we’re bound to find.
And I have zero interest in looking like some bleeding-heart leader.
I inhale sharply and turn to Banny.
“Clean them up and give them a meal. Tomorrow, assess them. The ones still capable will work as servants here. Somebody’s gotta cook and clean, after all.”
“And the others?”
“We’ll end their miserable existence,” I say, flatly.
Banny gives me a satisfied smile.
I don’t know what his long-term ambitions are, but for now, it seems he’s just fine with the new regime.
“Lord Noviosk, shall I show you the rest?”
“Lead the way.”
The next section is similar, just with a different species of slaves—and the same goes for the next one. And the two after that.
I end up having to put a few of them down—too damaged to be worth the effort it would take to make them presentable again.
Clearly, Xhor was a bit too lax with his assets.
Maybe he thought turning a blind eye to his guards' vices would buy their loyalty?
The Srebats have never condoned rape.
Only a weakling stoops to take by force what a female won’t give willingly.
When you’re powerful, these lesser beings offer themselves freely—either for temporary protection, in exchange for favors, or simply because of the irresistible pull we exert on them.
Rape is beneath us.
The dungeon wing finally comes to an end.
The rock wall opens on the right, directly onto the wild sea, revealing a long, dark cave.
“The guards’ quarters are farther down, along with the technical areas and storage rooms,” Banny informs me.
“And this place here? What’s it used for?” I ask, pointing at the massive cavern we’re standing in.
“Nothing but fishing. The guards drop lines here and bring up whatever they catch to feed everyone. For things like fruits or vegetables, we have to import them from the neighboring planet. Nothing grows on this rock. We’re lucky we can even fish!”
“I’ve got plans for this area too. We’ll set up small bathing boxes. Slaves will still wash in the regular scrub station, but if they want access to these, they’ll have to trade favors. And obviously, we’ll rent them out to clients as well.”
“That’s an excellent idea, Lord Noviosk… but I have to mention—the Vagantu sea isn’t exactly friendly. Besides the fish, there are these carnivorous slug-like things, and supposedly a few terrifying sea monsters,” he adds, looking uneasy.
“Then figure something out for the slugs—that’s not my problem. As for your so-called monster, I’d love to see what it looks like,” I say, mocking him openly.
“I haven’t seen one myself,” he admits. “But some say they’re huge. Still… they don’t come too close to the island. Not enough depth, I think.”
“There you go—see what happens when you try. Problem solved. Now you’ve got two days to come up with a viable, profitable solution. We’ll have clients coming from the farthest corners of the galaxy to Vagantu.”
The task ahead is massive, no doubt.
But I will reshape this slave market to fit my vision.
This place has enormous potential.
Under my rule, Vagantu will thrive like never before.