Look at doesn't sound too awful. He tries to force his body to still be tense, hiding his immediate relief. Being referred to as a purchase certainly helps with that. He's yet to find a good reason for why anyone would even be interested in buying him, and then actually doing it too. But that's what he is now, something that's been bought. Like a loaf of bread.

"Uhm, okay?" This time, he doesn't gulp down the sake and puts it onto his thigh, rolling his thumb along the edge of the cup. "If he's the one who introduced you, why'd he need to look at me? Just curious what you picked?"

He's spent time with slaves -- not very talkative folks -- but not with any, uh, owners. Maybe it's less like being a loaf of bread and more like a new vase. New decoration. In that case, he can kind of get behind the idea of wanting to show off. His own morals stand on slippery, sandy ground. He's not going to judge.

"He's gonna be disappointed, but that's your problem."