The mannequin employees lined up in formation and applauded in unison. It was their enthusiastic response to my declaration that I would buy the ring.
And the two fellow trainees who had followed me in were staring blankly at this situation.
The ring I had chosen, and the two human beings behind me with appropriately equivalent value for barter.
Clap, clap, clap…
The mannequins stopped clapping. Then, as though to proceed with the payment, they all began walking toward the two standing behind me….
I raised a hand.
“However, I would like to change the method of payment a little.”
They froze.
The halted mannequins turned toward me.
Right. Of course this boutique accepted human beings in barter. Even now, that was how a transaction could be made.
But why did they take human beings?
If you got down to the fundamental reason…
Labor.
Whether they used them as low-level workers doing drudge labor, or whether they worked well and were promoted into mannequins like these—that was already a fact described in the wiki.
In other words, they accepted human trafficking as barter because it was undeniably helpful in running the store.
Then what else, besides labor, would be a definite help in running a store like this?
Even if you thought only of Baekilmong Co., Ltd., one thing came to mind immediately.
Raw material procurement.
I slipped a hand into the tattoo and pulled something out.
The most valuable substance among the things I had brought with me.
“I would like to pay with this.”
A gold bar.