Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 430: Frey

Duke and Vivian walked side by side on the broken and oppressive streets of Iron Rock City, whispering about their observations of the city.

Just as they were passing a crossroads, a round of shouts and the heavy drag of chains came from ahead.

They saw a group of fierce-looking Knights escorting a string of people bound with heavy chains.

These chains were made of Magic Metal, specifically used to bind Wizards, though they could also be used to bind others with Extraordinary Ability.

Essentially, these chains are a limit on energy methods; if you have enough physical strength, there’s still a chance of breaking them.

This group’s attire was not simple at first glance; they were likely people of wealth or influence before.

Being bound in chains also meant they hadn’t been marked with the Slave Mark yet, which was why they were controlled in this way.

It made sense, as Iron Rock City had just been conquered, and much work remained to be done.

The vast majority of captives hadn’t been marked with the Slave Mark yet and could only be controlled by other means.

However, not just anyone could be marked with the Slave Mark; at least some combat capability was necessary.

For the Devourer Plane, at least an Apprentice Awakened or someone with the potential to become an Awakened qualified for the Slave Mark.

As for ordinary people, they were imprisoned in cages outside the city, staying in enclosures like farm animals.

Because after being marked with the Slave Mark, they’re essentially part of this side’s force, naturally, a selection process ensues.

Duke’s gaze swept over these people doomed to tragic fates, feeling little ripple in his heart; the rules of war were just that cruel.

However, when his gaze fell on a thin figure among them, his steps suddenly halted.

"Frey..."

Although Frey’s golden hair had turned ashen, her delicate face was covered in grime, and her luxurious gown stained with dirt, Duke still recognized her.

Frey had once counted as someone who helped Duke, though he didn’t know her motives at the time; Duke remembered it clearly.

Seeing Frey again, Duke naturally recognized her at a glance.

Even though she was extremely downcast now, the aura on Frey was still unmistakable, different from the surrounding nobly dressed but despondent people.

Vivian also noticed Duke’s oddity, and following his gaze, she softly asked, "Do you know her?"

Duke nodded: "Indeed, when I infiltrated Toulouse’s territory before, she helped me once."

"What’s going on with these people?" Duke stepped forward to inquire.

The squad leader escorting them was a First-level Knight. He glanced at Duke and Vivian, noticing the robes marked with Black Sail and the Thorn Holy Tower insignia.

His attitude was quite respectful as he said, "Dear Wizards, these are products about to be sent to the temporary slave market."

"Slave market?" Duke picked up on this term.

"Yes, sir," the squad leader explained, "according to legion rules, Awakened, beauties, and other natives of certain value are marked as slaves, then after centralized custody, they are evaluated and eventually sold through various channels."

Frey heard the familiar voice; she also looked up at this time, seeing it was Duke, was evidently a bit surprised, mixed with other complex emotions.

Duke’s gaze met Frey’s; although her situation was dire, her golden hair covered in dust, her elegant clothes torn, her emerald eyes hadn’t been entirely consumed by despair. Instead, they shimmered with a resilient grit and clear reason, as if calmly observing and thinking amidst adversity.

He said to the squad leader, "When and where will this batch of products be evaluated and priced?"

The squad leader quickly responded, "To answer the sir, just up ahead at the temporary registration point, where the quartermaster conducts unified evaluations. After pricing, they’ll be marked and await sale."

"Lead us there." Duke’s tone was flat, yet carried an undeniable command.

"Y-Yes! Please follow me, sirs!" The squad leader didn’t dare hesitate and quickly led the way.

Vivian watched quietly from the side. When she noticed Duke’s focused eyes on Frey and Frey’s undeniable beauty and unique resilient charm despite her plight, her clear eyes flickered slightly.

Duke also noticed Vivian’s movement, exchanged a glance with her, and received nothing but a roll of her eyes.

He understood much from Vivian’s eye-roll and scratched the back of his head.

The group arrived at a hall temporarily requisitioned, where a quartermaster in the legion’s standard black robes was conducting simple checks and evaluations on the prisoners, with someone recording at the side.

Soon it was Frey’s turn. The quartermaster scrutinized her, looked at the register, and showed a hint of interest: "Frey, daughter of the former lord, Level 1 Awakened, outstanding appearance and figure, well-educated... Hmm, evaluation price: eight hundred thousand Magic Stones."

An ordinary Level 1 slave being surely wouldn’t fetch eight hundred thousand Magic Stones, not even a Storm Dragon Eagle could, priced at six hundred fifty thousand Magic Stones.

This price had already exceeded the range of a Level 1 slave being; Frey’s appearance and figure added considerably to her value, ensuring she’d be in high demand. Even eight hundred thousand Magic Stones seemed low.

At the slave auction, Frey might fetch several million in price.

Duke watched Frey’s evaluation complete in silence, preparing to inquire about purchasing Frey, when Vivian leaned in.

She glanced at Duke and said, "I happen to need an assistant for some experimental research right now. Frey, being a more capable Level 1 Awakened, should be of some help. She also helped you once; buying her is like repaying that favor."

Duke chuckled and said, "That approach is indeed better. Having her with you is much better than selling her at the slave market. But you don’t have to pay; I’ll buy her for you."

He had over thirty million Magic Stones in his pocket, and a mere eight hundred thousand Magic Stones was indeed nothing.

Vivian didn’t refuse. They agreed and went over to inquire.

The quartermaster glanced at Duke and Vivian, hesitating, clearly reluctant to sell to them.

After all, eight hundred thousand was just a starting price, and a real sale surely would fetch more.

However, both Black Sail and the United Legion had an implicit rule that internal members had the right of first refusal.

Because purchasing slaves directly here as internal members would be much cheaper, it was a kind of benefit.