Oliver allowed himself another mouthful of food, and a sip of the sweet berry tea before he began to formulate his answer.
"I suppose it's a measure of returns, no? Can my reputation get any worse? Any nobleman with sense doesn't want to touch me. Any noblemen close enough that talk of me buying up slaves would cause them problems are noblemen close enough to know that I am offering them opportunity, rather than proliferating their enslavement," Oliver said.
"Fine, my Lord," Verdant said, more iron in his voice than he'd normally talk to Oliver with. "Let us talk, indeed, of returns. What would be the positive returns of stooping as low as slaves? Surely this Greeves can find you peasants to work just as cheaply? And even if you do, what is the real worth of owning slaves and peasants, when they can not perform the job required of them? After all, its years of training these soldiers endure before anyone hires them. A peasant fresh from the fields isn't worth nearly as much."
