Chapter 54
My journey through the city this morning was interesting. The effect of having a high Charisma was pretty noticeable to . It was actually insidiously subtle. My posture slightly shifted, I was quicker to smile at the people I walked by, my gait was more graceful yet confident. This led to many people turning towards in my wake, a few did double takes, others stared.
You might think that this kind of attention would bother when I'm not used to it but the effect of Charisma ran deeper than that. It kept calm, collected, hyper aware of the people in my surroundings. Once Bella had told that rchants and Nobles usually had so but after feeling the effects of it, they would probably be stupid not to have at least so points in Charisma.
What was reassuring about it too was that it didn't make more charismatic, it was more like I could better predict how people would see . It was more like I had more control over the situation rather than just making act like soone else. That isn't to say it doesn't have an automatic effect on my actions. The knowledge of how much my walk affects people's perception of is going to make automatically adopt a more confident looking walk. It's not that it changes how I act, it's more like I now know how to act to achieve the result I want and I'll do that automatically unless I'm intentionally thinking about it.
The effect I was having on people around wasn't lost on Bella either. She had been staring at essentially nonstop since we left our room. I didn't pick up on it in the baths but in retrospect it was pretty obvious. Her eyes had been glued on just enough that she didn't crash into things.
I looked over and on reflex I smiled at her, making her blush hard and look away. "L-Lilith, what are you doing? What did you do?"
Ah. So she had detected it. I was rather curious if people who knew would notice a dramatic change. Magic was still rather mysterious to and I didn't know if, I don't know, it would just make people not notice too.
I decided to talk to her through [Soultouched Connection]
-- "I got a new skill from our threeso last night that gave a ton of free Charisma. I was wondering if people would be able to tell the difference or not." --
-- "I can tell alright," -- she replied without hesitation. -- "If I didn't know better, there would be no way you would be able to convince you weren't a noble now. Is... are you going to stay this way?" --
I looked over at her and she blushed again. -- "I don't know. Right now my goal is to get the twins back. I think that at the mont, using this ability is my best bet to do that. The ability does let turn it off though. Do you think I should?" --
She gulped in response and sharply looked away again. I think that question may have co off as much more seductive than I expected it to.
We continued walking and she didn't look back at when she answered. -- "I don't know. You're very... intense like this... But it's not a bad thing. ...it does make my underwear a little tight though." --
I laughed and her ears turned bright red. She turned to stare at the ground as we walked. -- "I didn't an for you to hear that..." --
Without thinking I reached over and squeezed her shoulder gently before I realized it. It stuck out because it was a bit unlike and imdiately it registered as sothing that my high Charisma had thought I should do to build attraction. I did it automatically because ultimately that was sothing I wanted but it kind of gave whiplash. Even if the high Charisma didn't make feel different inside it would still probably lead to others perceiving differently than I feel inside.
-- "Don't worry. I'll turn it off when I don't think I need it." --
Bella snuck a peek at but looked at the ground again. -- "Good ...but maybe it would be okay sotis... in private too..." --
I smiled and interlocked my fingers with hers. Charisma told to do this too but I didn't feel bad about it because it was sothing I'm pretty sure I would do anyway.
Not long after we had set out we once again stood outside of the Slavers Guild. The clean and tidy looking building stood out from all of the ones surrounding it, hiding away all of the dirt and gri of their business behind clean walls. Most of the people entering had pitifully low karma and because of that it wasn't hard to pick out which people were there to be slaves rather than buy them. This place made sick.
I took a deep breath, let go of Bella's hand and stepped through the doors. It was only monts before I spotted Jacob, the man who had helped us before, from across the room. His positive karma stood out from across the room compared to everyone around him and a quick touch to Bella through [Soultouched Connection] confird that he stood out for her too. He had been chatting with soone else but the mont his eyes passed over he imdiately excused himself from that conversation and ca to t us.
"Ah, perfect. I had heard you ca back to town and you caught before I sent soone out to track you down." His eyes trailed over , sent a quick glance to Bella and settled back on . "Your presence is very different from the last ti we t."
"I am aware." I let myself relax just a little bit. Traditionally speaking this would normally not be ideal when trying to shine but I knew that relaxing a bit would dispel so of his confusion. Naturally, it worked.
"Mmm, yes well, you seem to be in much better shape since your return to the city. Let us go to a private room to discuss so business."
I nodded and he began to lead the way. I glanced over at Bella, she seed content to stay behind and let do the talking. Probably for the best in this situation. We were led into a different room from last ti, this one was much higher class and seed to be the kind of room you would take a high profile client. I wasn't sure what to make of that, was he trying to butter up or had my gambit with the noble clothes and the high Charisma worked to change his opinion of ?
We sat down on a pair of comfortable couches that faced each other. Rather than a coffee table which might have been more expected from this layout, there was an open space between us and tables to our side instead.
"Mary, please make so tea for our guests." Jacob said to a human woman wearing an outfit rather similar to a maid's outfit. Instead of the usual steel collar most slaves I've seen have, she instead was wearing a simple choker locked to her neck in its place.
If he was trying to butter up, showing off his slaves weren't the way to my heart. My Charisma didn't let break my illusion though. I took the offered tea and respectfully nodded to her. It was ant as a bit of a jab but instead I could tell that Jacob had appreciated the gesture instead. I ntally chided myself, this guy wasn't all bad. He worked in a business I find morally repugnant but ultimately the society he was in didn't view it that way. And considering I was here to reinforce this system by receiving paynt for a slave I had sold and turning around and trying to buy two others, my stance made a bit of a hypocrite. I didn't need to like it though.
I took a sip of my tea. It was bitter. I looked at the tray and added two small spoonfuls of sugar to my tea as I ntally prepared for this exchange. I took another sip, that was better. When I looked up, Jacob was smiling and Bella was staring at . I didn't really know what I had done that was strange so I just brushed the mont off.
"So, let's begin. How did the auction go?"
His smile was strained and one of his eyes slightly twitched. I could tell from a glance that there was going to be so sort of problem. He pulled a file out from a bag he had brought with him and opened it. As his eyes slid down the sheet his mouth held a smile that his eyes didn't share.
"Your share of Bitch's selling price is 200 gold coins." Bella had a sharp intake of breath next to and my brow furrowed in confusion, or at least it would have had my high Charisma let it. That was a lot of money wasn't it? I didn't know what the problem was.
His smiled faded as he continued, "Normally this would be good news but there is a bit of a problem with that sum. It is such a high sum that this branch of the Slavers Guild simply doesn't have the gold on hand to pay it."
My expression was neutral but I was smiling in my heart as I took a sip of the tea. "So what do you suggest?"
Jacob turned to the human maid. "Mary bring them in dear."
She nodded before opening the door and allowing a muscular male slave to lead two naked catgirls in on a leash. Morrigan and Torien deferentially stared at the floor as they were led in, not looking up once as they walked. Even my high Charisma couldn't stop a frown from touching my face at their treatnt, though only for a mont.
My eyes looked over their bodies, glad to see no marks of punishnt marring their skin. Though perhaps sothing like that could have been healed before they were bought before a prospective buyer. They were both very attractive under all of their normal outerwear, milky white pristine skin and both of their breasts were much larger looking without their armor and robes covering them up. Their limp black tails gave away that they weren't very happy to be in this situation.
"Rather than giving you the full amount that we owe, we could instead give you these two slaves worth 200 gold for a re 150 gold instead and give you the other 50 gold either in coin or further trade."
Without even needing to look at my system I imdiately changed my class to [Novice rchant]. I hadn't read the description of the class before but I knew what was happening here. This class, combined with my high Charisma, would give every possible advantage I could get right now. I needed to get the girls out without getting fleeced at the sa ti.
"I was told that their price was 80 gold." Torien and Morrigan's heads shot up in shock as they heard my voice. Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open in complete disbelief that I was the one sitting on the couch. Mary pulled out a cane and was about to discipline them for their reactions but my harsh glare caught Jacob's attention imdiately.
"Mary, don't."
"Yes Master." Without any question she put the cane back behind her back. Torien looked at Mary, then Jacob and then back to . She had the least amount of confidence I had ever seen on her. Morrigan's eyes however hadn't left for a second. In her eyes I saw determination. For what I wasn't sure yet.
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