This B Was a Bit Hard to Keep Under Control

This B Was a Bit Hard to Keep Under Control

Elves in Blackleaf Forest had different surnames.

Only the royal family bore the surname Black Leaf, named after the first two characters of Blackleaf Forest.

And that surname had only been changed after the Black Leaf Elves moved into the forest.

Back when the Gods Continent had yet to shatter, this branch of the Elven Royal Family bore the surname "Dawn," the same first two characters as the battle aura William cultivated.

As for why the Elven King had changed the surname, there were many rumors...

Some said it was deeply connected to certain secrets within Blackleaf Forest. Others even claimed that Blackleaf Forest possessed a World Tree Sapling...

However, the Black Leaf Elves themselves had spread word that the Elven King wanted his descendants to remember the humiliation of retreating from the continent, to remember the shame of being confined to the forest and unable to appear on the continent.

As for whether they intended to rule the continent again, that was open to interpretation.

In any case, humanity still did not dare to truly attack forests inhabited by Elves. Human nations were busy fighting over territory among themselves, while Orcs and Demons also caused them plenty of trouble.

Under the rule of the royal family, the Black Leaf Elves rarely appeared in human sight. The current surname of the Elven Royal Family was little more than a legend to ordinary people, with far too few records remaining.

In many remote regions, even Elves themselves had become legends.

There were three Elf Kingdoms on the Legendary Continent.

In the south of the continent stood Blackleaf Forest, home to the Black Leaf Elves.

On Central Island stood Moon Forest, home to the Moonlight Elves.

In Icefield Forest in the north of the continent lived the Snow Elves.

Three kingdoms, three Elven Royal Families, each with over ten million Elves.

These more than thirty million Pure-Blood Elves were all that remained of the Elves on the Legendary Continent. Compared to the billions of people across the Human Empires and kingdoms, they were utterly incomparable. This was one reason the Elves had secluded themselves from the world.

The fact that Kuri knew the surname of the Black Leaf Elven Royal Family meant that he had at least encountered Elves before, perhaps even learned some secret information.

At that thought.

William smiled lightly, led Kuri aside, and said bluntly, "Those things you mentioned are just trifles. I only want to know whether you have the means to buy slaves."

"Slaves???" Kuri widened his eyes and could not help glancing at William several more times. After all, he had never heard of Pure-Blood Elves being interested in buying slaves.

The Elves were the race that valued freedom most. They rarely truly restricted the freedom of other races, and they had never practiced buying slaves.

William shrugged, his tone carrying a trace of sorrow. "I only want to buy slaves so they can become commoners again. I want to develop my territory, and that requires manpower.

"If you help me buy slaves, I'll immediately grant them commoner status. I only hope they can help me build the territory. Whether they choose to stay or leave afterward, I won't interfere."

Kuri suddenly understood and hurriedly nodded. "My lord is kind-hearted. May the Gods bless you forever."

At the same time, he said with a confident expression, "Of course. I just wonder what kind of slaves you want, my lord?"

It was as if he could buy whatever type of slave William desired.

William had no choice but to believe him. The traveling merchant caravans of the Legendary Continent all had some influence behind them, and someone within a caravan might even be a noble.

After all, it was a form of training. Many great nobles did not want their descendants becoming mercenaries or joining adventuring parties to court death, so they threw them into merchant caravans instead. Those who could return to their families alive after a few years were usually no fools...

Of course, the descendants sent out for training were generally not core members of the family, or else they were simply unloved by the great nobles.

And when facing Kuri, who might be a noble and might have discovered his identity, William did not mind pretending to be more powerful than he was to intimidate him. "Professionals!"

"..." Kuri pondered for two seconds. "Sure. How many?"

William also pondered for two seconds. "What's the price?"

Obviously.

William still wanted to keep up the act.

"That depends on age, race, gender, profession, and rank. But they're generally professionals who have only just entered Low-Class...

"Of course, there are absolutely no Elves or Half-Elves. Elegant and powerful beings like Elves can never be slaves. They ought to be born nobles."

Kuri was very experienced in this regard. He had done plenty of human trafficking, and William could not be bothered to respond to his latter explanation.

Did Kuri have Elf slaves?

He truly did not...

After all, even slave traders in a small duchy did not dare act so arrogantly as to capture Pure-Blood Elves. If the Elves of Blackleaf Forest found out, they would not merely take revenge on a few nobles.

They would directly crush cities and destroy nations!

For a long time after the Pure-Blood Elves withdrew into the forest, humans believed the Elves were finished and everyone wanted to bully them.

As a result, many Pure-Blood Elves disappeared without explanation, captured by human slave traders and sold to nobles. The Elf girls among them suffered the most miserable fates...

The royal family of Blackleaf Forest did not refrain from revenge. Whenever they discovered such incidents, they would certainly retaliate, and those nobles often died horribly.

But such warnings meant nothing to the nobles. There would always be nobles who ordered people to secretly carry out such inhuman transactions again.

Thus.

After tens of thousands of Elves had been brutally abused.

The Elves of Blackleaf Forest finally erupted.

Thirteen Legendary Rank Elves destroyed seven Human Duchies and three Human Kingdoms in just three days. A major city of a Human Empire was annihilated by a forbidden spell...

That day, millions were killed or wounded.

From that day onward, few people dared cause trouble in Blackleaf Forest again...

As for whether humanity ever sought justice?

Very few people knew...

Of those thirteen Legendary Elves, six later died one after another. They were buried beneath the Black Tree of Dark Night City. Their tombstones were covered in flowers, their heroic deeds were sung by the Elves, and their achievements... endured forever.

There was no justice or kindness to speak of in such matters. This was a war between races.

To the Black Leaf Elves, the actions of those thirteen Elves made them heroes.

To the innocent humans who had died, they were Demons.

William seemed to be recalling something. Kuri swallowed and did not dare say another word. At that moment, he only wanted to slap himself a few times, as though blaming himself for speaking carelessly.

Because he too knew about that dark period of heightened tensions.

As for Half-Elf slaves?

There would certainly be unlucky Half-Elves captured and turned into slaves.

William let out a deep sigh. "Five hundred Warrior-type professionals, no older than twenty-five.

"For production-type professionals, I want one hundred each of blacksmiths, tailors, jewelers, engineers, and architects.

"For non-professionals, half male and half female. I want three thousand slaves between fifteen and twenty years old!"

"Five hundred Warrior-type professionals would normally cost fifty gold coins each, but since you're so generous, my lord, thirty gold coins apiece will do.

"The five hundred production professionals originally had different prices, but twenty gold coins each will be enough.

"As for the three thousand ordinary slaves, because they're so young, the lowest price is five gold coins each.

"That comes to forty thousand gold coins total. If you truly want them, my lord, thirty-eight thousand gold coins will be enough. That is already the lowest price I can promise!"

Kuri was extremely experienced in slave trading. The moment William finished speaking, he had already calculated the price. His proficiency made William feel sorry for those slaves...

The lord raised an eyebrow. Kuri did not explain anything. This truly was the lowest price. If William haggled any further, Kuri would lose money...

As for Mages?

Neither of them mentioned them. Buying a Mage as a slave was not buying a slave—it was buying one's own father...

William did not say anything else. He merely patted Kuri on the shoulder. "Seven days from now, bring the slaves here, then take crates of gold coins back with you."

Kuri had not received the deposit he wanted, but after looking into William's eyes, he bowed. "A pleasant cooperation, Your Highness!"

William heard those words but did not explain anything. He merely smiled faintly and turned to leave.

Kuri watched him go.

The weight in his heart finally dropped into his stomach, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had guessed right. The man before him was definitely an Elven prince!!!

Was money still a problem...

"Money... is a huge problem." William clasped his hands together, his gaze gradually turning vacant.

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