Chapter 63

Translator: penny

Chapter: 62

Chapter Title: Masked Auction

- Rumble, rumble….

The carriage, having left Belverk and traveled for quite some time, began to rattle noisily as it traversed an undeveloped, rough road.

"Hehe, I'm looking forward to this."

Realizing we had entered the empire's slums, I peered out the window with sparkling eyes full of anticipation.

"Rookie, what's got you grinning like an idiot?"

"...Huh?"

"You think the masked auction house is some playground?"

Just then, Lilien's cold remark flew in from the front.

"It's fine."

Of course, it was a valid point, but I wasn't too worried.

"If anything happens, Mom and my big sisters will protect me!"

I replied with an innocent smile, and Lilien opened her mouth with a slightly exasperated look.

"Getting bold and shameless now, huh? Rookie, even if we're friends, we're still rivals."

"……."

"A relationship where you could betray and stab each other in the back anytime. Got it?"

Though she said that, it was such a classic tsundere line that it lacked any real persuasion.

"...I got it!"

"You clearly don't... Sigh, whatever."

As I nodded with a grin, Lilien shook her head and turned her gaze aside.

"Anyway…."

"……."

"When did you two get so close?"

She glanced at Uriel, who had placed me on her lap instead of Mother—who was sitting across from her—and asked in a slightly tense voice.

"Got a problem with that?"

"N-no."

"Hehe, she still hasn't broken the habit of using formal speech only with me."

Watching the ongoing scene, it seemed Lilien was quite intimidated by Uriel.

"Anyway, I'm stepping ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out of the family heir competition now."

"……."

"So, you don't need to look at me with those cold eyes anymore. Ma'am."

Even now that we were fully friends, Uriel's half-lidded smile made her impossible to read.

If possible, I'd love to flip her open and see what's inside.

As that thought crossed my mind, tags suddenly appeared before my eyes.

'Why pop up now?'

I quietly tilted my head, and soon a system message followed.

So, is the condition for tags appearing becoming friends?

'But Lilien's tags showed up before we were friends...'

However, that contradicted the previous situation, deepening my doubts—

Ah, so it's an active skill, not passive? Then why not explain it sooner? The system is always so kind, yet mysteriously unhelpful about stuff like this.

"Don't look at Uriel like that!"

I frowned slightly at the system window, then shifted my gaze to Mother and Lilien, raising my voice.

"Uriel is my friend now too!"

"……!"

"Right, big sis?"

As I turned to Uriel with a grin—

- Swish….

Suddenly, Uriel's face paled with pity, and she began stroking my head.

"Talking to your friend again, huh?"

"Huh?"

"...Nothing."

Her touch felt even gentler now, making me tilt my head. Then I perked up at Mother's question from ahead.

"By the way, Kairen."

"...?"

"Do you have a mask?"

Ah, right. I haven't shown off the mask I picked up in the garden yet.

"I don't remember gifting you one…."

"Ta-da!"

I pulled out the white mask from my bosom and proudly showed it to Mother and Lilien, eyes sparkling.

"What do you think? It's a bit plain, but still pretty useful…."

But as I chattered excitedly, I had to shut my mouth, gauging their reactions.

"……Kairen."

The moment Mother saw the white mask in my hands, her face turned several times paler than Uriel's, and she asked in a trembling voice.

"Where did you get that mask?"

"W-well…."

"Tell me the truth."

Her tone was as chilling as the day I first met her, being interrogated in the carriage. I broke into a cold sweat and started explaining.

"I found it while strolling in the garden…."

"...The garden, you say."

"Yes! It's true! Uriel saw it too!"

As I urgently looked to Uriel, her face flushed red.

"...It's true."

After a moment of hesitation, as if recalling something embarrassing, she averted her gaze and vouched for me.

"……."

Silence fell inside the carriage for a moment.

"...That space still remains."

In the quiet, Mother murmured with distant eyes. I kept watching her expression, then spoke sulkily.

"If it's something I shouldn't have, I'll give it back…."

Finally snapping out of it, Mother softened her expression instantly.

"……No."

She caressed my cheek—still in Uriel's arms—and whispered softly.

"No one but you has the right to possess it."

"……?"

"So keep that mask safe."

With that, Mother lowered her eyes and fell silent.

'What is it….'

This sparked curiosity about the true nature of the mask from the secret garden, but now wasn't the time.

"It's a bit awkward that no one dies even when Mother exudes killing intent."

"R-right... yeah."

"Hehe, you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can drop the formalities, you know."

As the sisters' conversation wrapped up, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠carriage slowed to a stop.

"Oh, you've arrived!"

As we disembarked, the auction house owner and his men bowed in greeting.

"My head hurts, so don't make a fuss."

"M-my apologies."

Mother glanced coldly at them and stepped forward, wearing her mask.

"This way, please."

I followed behind with the masked sisters, glancing around before quietly asking Mother.

"By the way, shouldn't we cover our hair too?"

Mother turned to me, tilting her head.

"We're the only ones in the empire with black hair…."

"...Why would we?"

"It defeats the purpose of an anonymous auction."

Lilien beside me looked puzzled too, so I pointed to a familiar figure in the distance.

"Like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that person over there."

"Eek."

"What's Marquis Magnaris doing here?"

The participant resembling Marquis Magnaris in an owl mask startled, raised his voice, and fled inside.

"I-I don't know that person!"

I wonder if he even intends to hide, judging by his speech. Is this really an anonymous auction?

"Kairen, you have much to learn ahead."

"Huh?"

"In places like this, you follow the unspoken rules intuitively."

As I pondered with a baffled expression, Uriel—gripping my hand—smiled and explained.

"For example, even if you can guess who someone is behind the mask, act like you have no idea."

I listened intently, then asked sulkily.

"Does Belverk have to follow that too?"

At that exact moment, Mother turned back to me.

"Yes, that's the attitude. Kairen."

"Whoa?"

"I'm glad you're getting used to Belverk's mindset."

I flinched instinctively, but Mother suddenly scooped me up and praised me softly as she walked forward.

"But at least here, it's best to heed Uriel."

"Y-yes…."

"We could destroy a place like this anytime, but rebuilding is a hassle."

The auction staff trembling behind us at Mother's chilling words? I'll pretend I didn't notice.

"Then, if you'll excuse us."

Thus, I entered the auction house with the sisters glaring at Mother—who held me.

"The usual VIP route before the auction, as always?"

"Handle it."

"Hehe, right away."

The sight before me nearly drew a sigh.

"This year, we've got a huge influx of heinous criminals."

Men, women, beastkin—countless people with wretched expressions crammed in cages.

'Right, this is an illegal auction house….'

Of course, in romance fantasy settings, human trafficking is common at black-market auctions.

"More fodder for the beasts."

"Any with useful abilities?"

"...They look tasty."

Still, seeing my ever-kind-to-me Mother and sisters' eyes glow red with creepy mutterings was hard to get used to….

"This corner holds child criminals convicted of abuse, kidnapping, and various other crimes."

No, scratch that. The staff's explanation upfront made them all seem pretty decent!

"Help me…."

"Hm?"

"I'm so hungry…."

Wait, but those big sisters don't look like child criminals—they seem too frail. Maybe framed?

"Kairen, don't touch the slave elves."

"Huh?"

"Getting involved with them is a hassle."

As I reached out to the pleading elf sisters, Mother's cold voice snapped me back.

"It's Belverk…."

"Tch, get lost. Shoo."

"Come here, kid. Heh heh."

Their attitudes shifted suspiciously, and I could guess their crimes.

"Alright, you've seen it all, but one more left."

Thus, guided by the staff, as we toured the criminal merchandise—

"The final item, the highlight of this auction."

At the section's end, the staff cleared his throat confidently.

"The worst villainess of our time, who dared impersonate God's will to topple a kingdom…."

All eyes turned to the most heavily guarded cage at the corridor's end, holding a girl.

"...Introducing the Holy Church's fake saintess."

Silence ensued.

'Did he just say fake saintess?'

In the quiet, I blinked blankly before snapping to attention inwardly.

'That's a homophone for the real saintess who's been framed!'

Anyone unfamiliar with romance fantasy might miss it, but avid readers know without doubt:

In romance fantasy, anyone blatantly called a 'fake saintess' is actually the framed real one!

Especially if she's on the verge of ruin with suspicious rumors about the church. Perfect match.

All conditions fit now—I'd bet my growth plates she's the real saintess.

'Came to the right place.'

Alright, time to act. Rescuing her would deal a huge blow to the clearly villainous Holy Church.

"Mother."

"Hm?"

"I wanna look at that one for a bit!"

Still in Mother's arms, I made the saddest face possible.

"Hm…."

Mother pondered briefly.

"Rest assured, all merchandise has absolute obedience and safety measures."

"……."

"Our auction house has a 20-year accident-free record! Safety first! Haha!"

Mother glared at the helpful staff, then cautiously set me down.

"Go ahead and take a look, young master."

"Hehe!"

With the staff unlocking the door, I headed to the 'fake saintess' cage, smiling inwardly.

'...First, lift that curse on her body?'

Misunderstood due to a curse—classic cliché!

About three minutes later.

"Mother!"

Astridje and the sisters, watching Kairen curiously inspect the fake saintess with fond smiles, froze in place the next instant.

"I've been kidnapped!"

Kairen, who had quietly exited the cage, shouted with a bright smile.

- Sizzle….

Meanwhile, the fake saintess, who had touched Kairen's cheek, jerked back as black smoke rose, yanking her finger away in shock.

"Eek."

She made a tearful face briefly, locked eyes with Kairen, then spoke.

"I-if you don't meet my demands…."

She hugged Kairen from behind, trembling as she placed a shaky finger on her own heart.

"I-I'll purify this child!"

Silence descended on the underground corridor.