Chapter 1: I'm Free?
The roar of a rowdy crowd echoed through the building, bouncing off the pristine walls of the establishment. Sitting at luxurious mahogany tables were men dressed in black suits and matching hats. Some were hairy, some were bald, some had thick beards, and others sported mustaches—but every single eye was locked onto the center stage.
On that stage, an announcer with a wide, manic grin shouted excitedly to the crowd.
“And now, for our main event! This final piece isn’t just your typical slave. She has flawless, porcelain skin with delicate features. Her ears are pointed, and she is petite, yet her breasts are perky and full. Long, blonde hair falls past her waist, and her eyes are as deep as the blue ocean!”
The announcer paused for dramatic effect before delivering the punchline. “Yes, gentlemen! She is an elf. A rare commodity in this market, highly sought after by merchants and slave collectors alike!”
He gestured to the side of the stage. Emerging from the shadows was the elf, matching his description perfectly. She was dressed in tattered rags, a heavy collar clamped around her neck. With every hesitant step she took, her iron shackles jingled against the floor.
“Please welcome… Elfina!” the announcer bellowed, his enthusiasm met by a roaring wave of cheers, whistling, and crude catcalls from the crowd. Some of the patrons were already ogling her, stripping her naked with their eyes.
Elfina dragged her feet toward the center of the stage, each step heavy and exhausting. Her hands and legs shook violently. Her eyes were hollowed out with deep despair, a single tear trembling on the edge of her eyelid, ready to trace its way down her left cheek.
The moment she reached the announcer’s side, her gaze remained glued to the floor. Smiling tightly, the man reached out, grabbed her chin, and forced it upward.
“You have to make yourself presentable to these generous patrons, Elfina,” he hissed with a mock gentleness. “Show them your pretty face.”
He turned his gaze back to the crowd, his smile widening. “This elf is also a virgin… pure and untouched. Whoever beds her tonight will undoubtedly be pleased, as she is naturally submissive. You can train her to fulfill your every desire.”
The crowd roared in approval once more. The sheer enthusiasm in the room was deafening until the announcer raised his hands to quiet them down.
He grinned. “Now… shall we begin the bidding? Since she is such a rare find, her starting value will be two hundred gold coins!”
“Two hundred twenty!” a man shouted.
“Two hundred forty!” another chimed in.
“Two hundred sixty!” another retorted.
The announcer laughed, basking in the chaos. “Such eagerness and generosity!”
“Two hundred eighty!” a voice added from the back.
“Three hundred!” a man from the side bellowed.
“Three hundred thirty!” another threw out aggressively.
Elfina tried to swallow, but the saliva caught dry in her throat. The malicious aura radiating from the crowd was suffocating her, forcing her to shrink into herself as she tried desperately to look small.
The value kept climbing as the men competed to claim her, making Elfina grow increasingly uncomfortable while the announcer revelled in the massive profits he was about to make.
Until one voice cut through the noise...
“Five hundred gold coins!”
As the voice boomed, collective gasps and tense murmurs filled the room.
The announcer’s eyes widened. “O-Oh my goodness… This patron desires Elfina deeply! Anyone higher than five hundred?”
He scanned the crowd table by table. “Higher than five hundred? Anyone? None?”
He reached for the gavel on the mahogany table beside him, but before he could slam it against the sound block, another voice tore through the silence. It was a deep, booming voice—not shouting, yet it carried effortlessly across the room.
“One thousand gold coins.”
A man at the back had his hand raised. His face was completely obstructed by the brim of his hat, though the stark paleness of his skin was clearly visible.
An even louder gasp erupted from the crowd. The bidder who had just offered five hundred gold coins glared back at the newcomer, clicking his tongue before settling into a smirk.
“O-One thousand!?” The announcer stammered in disbelief, his expression quickly twisting into a greedy smile. “Anyone higher than one thousand?”
“Higher than one thousand?” The announcer’s eyes darted frantically across the room, desperate for another bid, but the tables had fallen dead silent.
He raised the gavel and slammed it hard against the sound block.
“Sold to that pale man at the back!” the announcer cheered excitedly.
The crowd clapped in applause as the announcer called him to the back of the building. The announcer then disappeared into the side of the stage, with Elfina following closely, her steps heavy and reluctant.
The pale man slowly stood up from his seat with a stoic expression, towering over the guards at the doorway, who instinctively flinched and stiffened against the wall as he passed. As he made his way to the back, the applause gradually died down, fading entirely as he walked further down the empty hallway.
The floor was lined with a plush red carpet featuring diamond-shaped patterns, while the walls were plastered with luxurious wallpaper boasting a deep damask design. Every few steps, glass chandeliers cast a golden glow, lighting the hallway.
Reaching the end of the corridor, he was greeted by two more guards clad in silver armor and chainmail, holding heavy spears. Beads of sweat rolled down their temples, and a collective gulp echoed softly in the quiet hall as he drew near. They hurriedly led him toward a set of double doors, each guard taking a handle with trembling fingers and opening them simultaneously to reveal a grand office.
Tall bookshelves flanked a massive mahogany desk, with two chesterfield sofas facing each other in the center of the room. Sprawled between the sofas was a large, circular rug with a golden snake embroidered intricately upon it.
On one of the sofas, Elfina sat timidly. All of her chains and shackles had been removed, leaving only raw, red marks on her skin. She refused to look at the pale man, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the floor.
The announcer stood beside the mahogany desk, grinning as he held out the slave contract. “I just need you to sign this document, and she’s all yours.”
The pale man walked toward the desk. Slipping off the leather glove from his right hand, he bit his thumb and pressed his bleeding digit onto the document, stamping it with his own blood.
The announcer quickly rolled the contract up and secured it with a red lace. “And about the payment—”
Reaching into his suit, the pale man pulled out two bulging sacks of gold. The fabric stretched precariously, threatening to burst from the sheer volume of coins packed inside.
Psst! If you are reading Vladimir and Elfina’s story on an unverified site, you’ve sunk your fangs into the wrong place. Come read it for free on official platforms, or binge advance chapters directly on my main hub at Ream! Support the Savage Turnip by reading officially.
He gently set them down onto the desk, but the sheer weight still made the wood moan under the burden. The announcer’s eyes widened, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead as he stared at the staggering fortune.
“T-Thank you for your patronage, Sir!” the announcer stammered.
Something is off with that man, the announcer thought, watching the stranger’s broad shoulders. But whatever. He gave me a mountain of gold anyway.
The pale man glanced coldly down at Elfina, then turned back toward the door. Elfina finally looked up, her eyes wide as she hurriedly fell into step behind him, remaining dead silent.
The pale man didn’t look back once as he marched toward the exit. The terrified elf followed closely behind him, maintaining a respectable, cautious distance. Her movements were noticeably more agile now that her heavy restraints were gone.
As they walked down the opulent corridor, the man slowly and smoothly slid his leather glove back onto his right hand, adjusting his black suit without missing a single stride.
As they reached the streets, the pale man finally looked down at Elfina, though his eyes remained obscured by the shadow of his hat.
“Your feet are bare,” he muttered in his deep, resonant voice.
Elfina looked down at her feet before glancing up at him with wide blue eyes. “Yes… I am only a slave, Master…”
“Don’t call me that. Just call me Vlad,” the pale man said, his face remaining entirely stoic.
“Vlad…?” Elfina murmured, tilting her head in confusion. “Why did you buy me?”
“No reason,” he replied. He slowly closed the distance between them, causing Elfina to instinctively take a step backward.
“Your feet will get cold. I’ll carry you,” he said.
“Carry me…?” Elfina stammered, but before she could finish, she was effortlessly scooped up into his arms, eliciting a sharp gasp from her. “Kyah!”
I cannot read this man... What will he do with me…? Will he violate me…? Elfina thought, panic swirling in her chest as she was cradled against him. She tried to steal a peek under the brim of his hat, but she still couldn’t see his eyes; his facial features were heavily obscured by the deep shadow.
“W-Where are we going?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The pale man glanced down at her, stopped in his tracks, and gently set her down onto the sidewalk before sliding off his suit jacket.
“What are you doing…?” she whispered, shrinking back slightly.
“You’re cold,” he replied flatly.
Before she could protest, he draped the heavy fabric around her shoulders, completely swallowing her smaller frame in black wool before effortlessly scooping her back into his arms.
Vlad continued to walk down the street, passing dozens of lamp posts. Some flickered weakly, some had no light at all, and others shone brightly, illuminating the empty cobblestones around them. It was the dead of night, so there were no people walking around, nor any stagecoaches using the vacant roads.
A cold wind blew towards them, forcing Elfina to shield her eyes, while Vlad remained entirely stoic against the chill.
The leaves of the towering live oaks swayed gently in the breeze beneath a night sky choked with dark clouds. The tall buildings around them appeared to be sleeping, their windows pitch-black and their curtains drawn tight to block out the world.
“Vlad?” Elfina called out softly.
Vlad simply continued walking, his eyes fixed ahead without looking at her.
“You haven’t answered my question from earlier…” she muttered, but the pale man didn’t spare her a single glance.
Elfina quickly looked away, pulling his massive jacket tighter around herself. “I’m sorry. That was out of line…”
After taking dozens of steps, Vlad’s walking suddenly halted. The lamp post a few paces ahead, which had been shining brightly only moments before, began to flicker frantically before dying out completely, plunging the area into darkness.
When the light buzzed back on, three imposing figures stood directly in front of them, blocking their path.
A familiar figure emerged from the shadows behind the three large men, dressed in a sharp black suit.
“Remember me, Vladimir?” the man smirked, his eyes narrowing. He pointed a finger at Elfina, who was still cradled in Vlad’s arms. “You have something that’s mine.”
Vlad’s expression didn’t change.
To Be Continued...
