Viers was experiencing an energy crisis.

Victa might be a renewable natural resource but the supply couldn't keep up with the demand.

He had stocked up some Victa during his time in Pecan Village but the travel afterward drained a significant amount of it, again. Viers didn't seek out trouble this time. He even tried to avoid them but things kept happening that required him to use Victa.

Viers’ soul energy project was far from finished. He lacked the ability to make breakthroughs.

He needed to find another way.

The gears inside Viers’ head turned to solve this crisis until he had a eureka moment.

What produced Victa? Pathseekers. I just need to have more Pathseekers in my party, problem solved!

Viers had just awakened to the benefits of a group.

If there’s another person with the same Level as me, the collective Victa generation would be twice as much. God, what a simple solution! I should have thought about this before.

Now that he got a solid idea, he must find ways to implement it next.

So how would Viers do it?

Joining another adventurer group? Forging friendship and becoming buddy-buddy like his previous experience with Lena’s group?

Unsustainable.

More people meant more clashing interests. Viers wanted to go to Valkut city, they might not want to go there. There was also Viers’ trust issue, would he trust a bunch of strangers that he just met? Moving in a group might expose his secrets and Viers didn't want to share secrets, he was petty that way. He was also a criminal, would there be any group that would accept him still?

Hire bodyguards?

There were Pathseekers that provided bodyguard service. Alternatively, he could post a quest in the adventurer’s guild to ask for a company escort to Valkut city.

Unlikely.

Viers had some capital but the cost would be too high. He’d rather use that money to grow as a Pathseeker. Buying mana crystals to speed up his cultivation and buying better gear or wildland products. He also couldn't trust them.

So Viers needed to be in a group but the group must be with people that he could trust, or at the very least, people that wouldn't go against him.

Unrealistic.

Paina, Farley, and Clarissa were the best candidates for the group making but they were souls. They had no body thus they couldn't cultivate thus are unable to produce Victa.

Since he couldn't trust people, how about dead people? He had soul affinity, he could create an undead. He could control them so Viers’ trust issue was not a problem.

Unsafe.

Other than the uncertainty whether the dead produced Victa or not, the risks were too high. People regarded the walking dead as dangerous, let alone the man walking beside the walking dead. Viers would bring down loads and loads of Silver Legion upon his head.

He needed a living, flesh and blood Pathseeker.

Fine, people living or dead had their drawbacks. Viers changed his thinking angle, how about minimizing his own Victa expenditure?

His Victa expenditure was because of battle, so let others do the battle for him.

Viers had a few ways off the top of his head. Taming monsters, making golem constructs, or demon summoning.

Unobtainable.

They were just… out of his reach. He didn't have a way of taming monsters. He didn't have the knowledge to make or the opportunity to buy a golem. As for demon summoning, diabolism wasn't his shtick. He didn't want to get screwed by demons like thousands of other small fries.

This is getting tedious… hold up, hold up! I know a Fable. The man had trust issues after he was betrayed. He needed to level up by killing monsters but he couldn't because he was a defense specialist so he bought a slave!

Shieldbro shows the way!!!

Viers was hit by a thunderbolt of inspiration. That was one of the reasons he chose to go to Marakkus city.

***

While Viers was led to the inside of the slave shop by Barnabas, Paina protested, just like he thought she would.

“I object! Viers, owning a slave is immoral!”

“I agree with you completely.”

“Then why are you still buying a slave!? It is like saying lying is bad but you keep lying anyway! It is not enough to agree in principle but you must show it with action as well!”

“Well, murder is bad but people keep murdering each other. Famine is bad but how many times have you heard of the wealthy starving themself to feed the poor? Besides, slavery is legal. I’ve done many illegal things without batting an eye if it needs to be done, you think I’ll balk at doing something legal?”

Slavery was part of human history, it was undeniable. Even on modern Earth, there were still victims of slavery despite the illegality of it. Human trafficking, forced labor, child soldiers, the ugly facet of human civilization.

In this world, where social justice and technology were not as sophisticated as Earth’s, slavery naturally existed. There were cases where people voluntarily sold themself to slavery because of debt and poverty. Famine and natural disaster resulted in parents selling their children, Viers had seen it happen.

Those were the lives of the non-Pathseekers, for Pathseekers they were no different. If a Level 5 wanted to make a Level 3 his or her slave, the weaker one would be powerless to resist. They could comply or valiantly choose death.

Governments and authorities made laws to regulate slavery so it didn’t go out of control. A person couldn't go to his neighbor and put a blade to his neck and make a slave out of him.

The Estellian Church was firmly against slavery and made significant efforts to abolish slavery but the church’s helping hand couldn’t reach every slave there was. The continent was full of warlords, Level 5s that had the power to create mountains and seas. Would they tolerate others to dictate how they rule their domains?

He was not an otherworlder with a heroic disposition like those Japanese high school students that got isekai-ed as a hero to defeat the demon king. He was a bad guy.

“Paina, calm down. See, not all slave owners made a hell of their slave’s life. Those children who are too poor to buy a slice of bread? Those without a roof to sleep under? Slavery might be better for them. Unbought slaves live in misery because they are a burden to the slaver. Lord Viers is not the type of person who would torture slaves for fun. Think of it this way, Lord Viers would save the slave he picked.”

Farley, ever faithful, tried to placate Paina and defend Viers but Viers himself paid no attention.

He didn't need to justify anything to anyone. If having a slave is beneficial to him then he would have a slave. If his Victa was always at a critical level, what would happen when he didn't have enough Victa but must fight? Gracefully accept death? Viers refused that fate.

Those who disagree were free to stop him, if they can.

Viers muted the heated debate inside his head as Barnabas opened a door to the places of the slaves. It was a big warehouse-like room. Cages with people inside them.

“The slaves with the criteria you seek are this way, or would you like to look around first?” Barnabas asked.

“Alright. I’m in no rush.”

“Take your time, dear customer.”

Euryale Sight.

The place was dim so Viers’ glowing green eyes were more eye-catching than usual.

Time to settle once and for all if I’m in a harem story.

It didn’t escape his attention that most members of his group were female. Paina, Farley, Clarissa, Luca, Dia… all of them were girls. Young, beautiful/cute/cool girls at that. Viers didn't have any romantic inclination to any of them but he couldn't say anything for the future.

He didn't purposefully gather them to make a harem, it was just how things happened. But after five people, not even he could deny it was starting to look suspicious. People with potential that were in his inner circle were females? Five times in a row?

Coincidence?

Not impossible but not probable either.

That was why he intended to choose his slave solely based on his or her potential in combat. Gender or looks wouldn't sway his judgment. He didn't plan to buy a slave to treat him or her as a meat shield. Viers would nurture the slave to become a major ally.

If the slave I pick is female, then there’s some cosmic intervention at work. I might be a protagonist in a harem story! That is both good and bad!

Dismissing his harem protagonist paranoia, Viers scanned the slaves with his super eyes.

His criteria were thus: Young, because young slaves had more potential to grow. Level 2 or below, because a young Level 3 would be too extraordinary. His or her background must be complicated and Viers didn't want a stronger slave than him.

The slaves were looking at him with varied looks in their eyes. Some were hopeful, some were afraid, some had already given up on life. They wore rags, ribs showing because of how thin they were. Most of them were human. From other races, there were beastfolks, lizardmen, and halflings.

I’ve seen some of them before, no elves yet though.

There were more female slaves than males, Viers wasn't surprised. The female gender had a higher price, as he expected.

A few slaves begged him to buy them. There were also those in a state that invited pity. Viers’ steeled his heart. It wasn't like he didn't feel any sympathy, he simply realized he couldn't help every single one of them.

“Show me the others. The ones you kept in reserve. Show me the sick slaves too,” Viers demanded from the slave trader.

He reserved judgment until he had seen all of them.

The slave trader hesitated but seeing Viers wouldn't budge, he capitulated.

The next round was… harsher to Viers’ conscience than before.

In the end, he announced his decision.

“That one.”

Viers pointed at one slave.

It was a boy.