The Benellia Heir's Degradation
Isabel Benellia looked like she was in agony just watching the slave auction. Was she superimposing her siblings' faces onto the slaves putting on their obscene displays up on stage?
The sight of slaves performing tricks to fetch a higher price was misery incarnate.
If a noble fell into a position like that, their mind might shatter completely. After all, those perched high up have that much farther to fall.
Whether Isabel Benellia writhed in torment or not, the auction proceeded smoothly. Most of the lots sold for high prices.
There were a few slaves I wanted to bid on myself, but with her watching, I held back from participating.
"Thank you for waiting! At last, today's main event. I'm sure everyone here came to see this."
At the auctioneer's words, Isabel Benellia's eyes bulged wide. Veins stood out on her tightly bitten lips. Her fists clenched so hard they might bruise, trembling violently. Her eyes seemed bloodshot.
"Finally, that lot?"
"It's been ages since a noble was put up for auction. And not some backwater minor noble, but from the wise house of Benellia. It'll start at least at 10 gold, easy."
"Anyone short on funds, get the hell out quick and don't waste our time."
The room heated up with excitement. Expectation lit every face. The auctioneer surveyed the crowd with a satisfied grin.
"No more beating around the bush—let's get to it. The Benellia family, meritorious retainers boasting five centuries of illustrious history and tradition in the Dove Kingdom! But the truth behind the so-called 'wise Benellias' was that they were filthy traitors selling out their country's secrets!"
The auctioneer raised his voice, riding the swelling heat of the venue.
"Allow me to introduce the eldest son of the Benellia family—Ajes Benellia!"
"Kkh!"
Isabel Benellia couldn't even bring herself to look at the stage, turning her eyes away.
The handler came out dragging a leash just like before. At the other end was a sturdy man around 180 cm tall. The handler was over 190 cm himself, making the man look small by comparison, but he was clearly taller than average.
Ajes Benellia was handsome. Like Isabel, he had green hair, and his features were sharp and refined overall.
With his height came perfect proportions—he could've been an entertainer in the real world without anyone complaining about his looks.
Surprisingly, his outfit was quite normal. He wore a green silk jacket that matched his hair, white pants reaching below the knee paired nicely with black shoes.
A red muffler around his neck and a white beret with a feather completed the aristocratic ensemble.
But this wasn't the slave house treating a prisoner with honor out of respect for Ajes Benellia. Around his neck hung a massive placard that read:
'I am a traitor. I submit to my homeland's judgment.'
Far from it—the noble attire was just a tool to mock him further. The intent landed perfectly; bidders ogling Ajes snickered and jeered.
"Fitting label for a filthy traitor. The 'wise Benellias'? Kek! What a perfect nickname."
"Hey, rebel! Happy you didn't get the noose? If you're so thrilled, bark like a dog!"
"Benellias were always a bunch of unlucky bastards. All high-and-mighty up front, but spitting seeds like this behind closed doors."
The mockery didn't stop there.
"Alright! Rotten tomatoes and eggs for sale—one for just 1 silver!"
"Gimme ten—no, twenty!"
"Take my money!"
People clamored to buy rotten tomatoes and eggs. Obviously to hurl at Ajes Benellia. The auctioneer shouted with glee.
"To throw tomatoes or eggs, you need a separate jeering pass. Buy one now for the bargain price of 10 silver each!"
Like a game company hawking DLC, they were pros at upselling. The crowd griped about the ruthless sales tactics but bought the passes without complaint.
"Oppa..."
Unable to hold back any longer, Isabel Benellia tried to call out to her brother, but I clamped a hand over her mouth. She glared at me, eyes flashing with outrage.
"If you get spotted here, it's over. I get how you feel, but you have to hold it in."
Isabel Benellia bit my finger—not hard, more like she was stuffing her emotions down her throat to keep them in check. She finally nodded with effort.
"Alright! Looks like all the tomatoes and eggs have been thrown—time to start the bidding! Opening bid: 1 copper!"
The auction kicked off at the price of a single bread roll. By now, the slave house's intent was clear. This wasn't just about selling a slave; it was a show to utterly destroy the Benellia family's honor.
Probably the Second or Third Prince pulling strings behind the scenes.
Normally, direct kin of a traitorous house get executed. Sparing them was likely to grind their rivals into the dirt so thoroughly they could never rise again.
Smart move. Honor and reputation are hard to earn in the first place, even harder to maintain—and once shattered, nearly impossible to rebuild.
That's why knights and nobles demand duels over the slightest insult, and never back down from a gauntlet thrown.
Once branded a shameless pleb or coward who dodges challenges, the stain is near-impossible to erase. For the Benellias, this blow to their honor was a punishment crueler than death.
"1 copper? Ain't that too pricey for trash like this? The auction house should pay us to take him off your hands!"
"Kek! Spot on!"
A shill-looking guy clapped and jeered at Ajes Benellia. His body already reeked, splattered with rotten tomatoes and eggs.
"We've got 10 copper! Anyone higher!?"
Isabel Benellia, lips chewed raw, shot her hand up.
"1 gold!"
All eyes turned to Isabel Benellia. The auctioneer gave her a nasty smirk.
"1 gold, huh. Well, traitor's still got a fine frame—perfect for any lady looking for a useful toy. Just watch out; he's good at betrayal. Alright! 1 gold going once! Higher bids!?"
"2 gold."
A muscle-bound brute quietly raised his hand. Shoulders so broad his suit strained at the seams—the same bastard who'd bought that hairy male sex slave earlier.
"Urk...!"
Isabel Benellia's face drained pale. It was obvious what would happen if he got her brother. No way his ass would survive intact.
The man even licked his lips while eyeing Ajes Benellia.
"Traitor or patriot—long as he tastes good, who cares."
Isabel Benellia's fists shook as she upped the bid.
"2.5 gold!"
Up to 2 gold 50 silver. But the musclehead countered nonchalantly.
"3 gold."
"Oho! Unexpected competition! The traitor's price—Ajes Benellia—hits 3 gold. Bet Ajes is thrilled!"
The handler cracked his whip with a sharp thwack! Ajes's body twitched on reflex. He'd taken plenty of those lashes, clearly.
"Th-thank you..."
Ajes Benellia muttered in a voice thick with anguish. Too shell-shocked to even notice his little sister bidding to save him.
"Kahaha! 'Wise Benellias' fits after all—grateful to his buyer like a good pet."
"Wonder how the hell he's still alive. I'd have offed myself by now. Dude ain't even a man."
"Sold to Count Kengor, he'll be a woman soon enough. Matches perfect. Kek!"
The guy now dueling Isabel Benellia fiercely was apparently Count Kengor.
Before long, Ajes Benellia's price climbed to 5 gold.
"5.5 gold..."
Isabel Benellia murmured uncertainly. Seemed like her entire fortune. Spotting that, Count Kengor grinned at her—a veteran's move.
"10 gold!"
He nearly doubled it in one go, flaunting his wealth gap. Isabel Benellia's face plunged into the same despair as her brother on stage.
"Ahh... no...!"
"10 gold! We've hit 10 gold! No higher bids!? From 1 copper—a hundred thousand times over! 10 gold going once, twice—sold!"
In the end, Ajes Benellia went to Count Kengor.
"10 gold for a pretty noble boy? Count Kengor don't mess around..."
"Rumor has it servants at his manor keep vanishing one by one?"
"Eclipse Church sent inquisitors over it..."
"Traitor or not, starting to feel a bit sorry for him."
Ajes Benellia was dragged off by the handler—probably to wash up. Laborers cleaned the filthy stage before the next lot.
"Oppa...!"
Isabel Benellia bowed her head, tears like chick peas streaming down. I patted her shoulder lightly.
"Too early to despair. Don't give up till the end. How many siblings do you have total?"
"Above me: Oppa Ajes and sister Irina. Below: little brother Brown."
So two more to go?
She probably had around 5 gold left—nowhere near enough for both. Noble slaves like Ajes fetched top dollar, especially female sex slaves.
"Thanks for waiting! Stage is cleared—next auction up. Finally, the grand finale! Two lots this time."
At the auctioneer's cue, the handler appeared on stage gripping leashes in both hands.
"Oh ho! The real main event at last!"
Irina Benellia and Brown Benellia were led out on leashes. Like Ajes, both in proper noble attire.
Irina Benellia was plainer than expected. Not ugly, but the kind of ordinary face you'd see in any village. She gave off a gentle, kind impression.
Brown Benellia, on the other hand, was strikingly attractive. Even without his status, he'd fetch premium in the slave market.
Problem was, unlike big bro Ajes's rugged handsomeness, he was effeminate.
Brown wore not men's noble garb but an ivory dress. If Isabel hadn't tipped me off, I'd have mistaken him for a girl too.
"Huh? Two chicks? Wasn't Brown Benellia a guy?"
"Idiot. The one on the left in the frills—that's Brown. Stuck in the house reading books all day? Looks like a real girl."
The venue swept up in a wave of violation-lust. Isabel Benellia turned from the stage, fists quivering.