Chapter 137
Chapter 137
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Putting the Cards in My Hand to Use Everywhere (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Time passed, and the auction resumed.
"Hmm, how boring."
Princess Violet ended up not buying a single item. It seemed there was nothing that caught her eye after all.
"That's all for the items prepared today!"
The auctioneer called out cheerfully. His face was flushed with delight.
"Thank you to all our esteemed guests for your passionate participation. With that, we will conclude today's auction!"
He bowed at the waist, pulling one arm close to his body.
"It's late, so please return home safely. Thank you!"
With a click, the stage lights went out.
"Ah, today's auction is over."
"Number 5, the gem—I wanted that one. Who outbid me?"
Murmurs of conversation rose alongside the rustling sounds from all directions. The guests who had finished their business were standing up.
"You will now pay for item number 5, which was sold for 100,000 gold."
"Please follow me. We will move to another room."
Some headed off to pay for their winning bids and collect their items.
What sounded like mild commotion to ordinary ears was crystal clear to me.
"Shall we go too?"
Princess Violet started to rise from the sofa. I waved a hand at her.
"Please stay seated for now."
"Why? The auction's over."
I gave her a meaningful smile without a word.
Knock knock.
A staff member knocked on the door from outside.
"Excuse me. May I come in?"
"Come in."
At her permission, the staff member opened the door and entered. He glanced at me and Princess Violet, still seated on the sofa.
"We've confirmed that guest number 15 has no winning bids. Is that correct?"
"That's right."
"Then allow me to guide you out."
I tilted my head slightly toward him.
"I'd like to participate in the 'final' auction."
The staff member fell silent at my words. After a moment, he slowly spoke.
"Understood. Do you know the rules?"
His tone was secretive, like whispering a grave secret.
"Of course."
I replied in kind, and he pulled something from his pocket.
"Here you are."
It was a pitch-black mask with no patterns.
"Hmm."
A meaningful smile flickered across Princess Violet's lips. Once she and I had both donned our masks, the staff member said,
"The final auction begins in ten minutes. Please remain in your seats."
After he closed the door and left, Princess Violet fiddled with her mask and asked,
"The final auction? What's that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like—the final auction. Only special guests who know of its existence can participate."
"How do you know about this?"
"I heard about it by chance. They said it would be interesting, so I remembered it."
To be precise, I knew from the original story.
The person appearing in this 'final auction' was my target. Or rather, the item?
The one I was waiting for was about to appear on that stage in the most wretched, pathetic state imaginable.
"I see. Quite intriguing."
Princess Violet smiled and tapped the edge of her mask.
"But I don't like this. Isn't it ripping off our casino?"
"Shall I call the staff back and give him a beating?"
At my brazen remark, Princess Violet frowned with an exasperated sigh.
"Forget it. I just meant the mask quality is too low."
The tip of her nail tapped the mask.
"At our casino, we have artisans craft them. We don't use cheap materials like this."
It seemed she was involved not just in the liquor circulating in the casino, but in items like this too.
Princess Violet certainly had a knack for business. She had bought out a failing casino and turned it into what it was now.
Of course, her hobby of showing up there to mess with other nobles was rather wicked.
'She'll flip out even more once she sees the final auction.'
That was part of why I'd brought her here—her temperament.
She revered truth and despised falsehoods. She valued fair and square competition above all else.
That rigid personality would help turn this auction house upside down later.
'And I'll handle my own business in the meantime.'
Hiding a smile, I waited for the auction to resume.
Focusing my hearing, I sensed other guests who, like us, had stayed behind.
It felt like waiting for the post-credits scene in a theater.
Exactly ten minutes later,
Click!
The stage lights came back on with a sharper sound. The lighting was different too, just as the noise had changed.
Earlier, it had been bright white light to showcase the items clearly. Now, it was dim with a faint reddish hue.
"Thank you for waiting."
Even the auctioneer was different.
A younger man's voice, wearing a golden mask that hid his face like ours.
"Thank you, esteemed guests, for joining the 'final' auction."
He bowed dramatically and straightened up.
"This auction deals in rarer, more valuable items than the previous one."
A secretive smile crossed his lips.
"Thus, all transactions are 100% cash, right here on the spot. Of course, no one unaware of the rules would have stayed."
The auctioneer grinned and stepped back.
"Now, allow me to introduce the first item!"
The curtain at the back of the stage parted, revealing the lower half of a man's body beneath it.
"A very healthy and attractive male item!"
The curtain fully retracted, exposing the man standing behind it completely.
Shackled at the wrists and ankles, dressed in simple white cloth. A young male slave with a resigned expression.
"A vibrant top-grade item in his early twenties. From the eastern regions, so he's tall, with solid muscles honed by training."
The auctioneer rattled off the introduction smoothly.
"His natural golden blond hair and clear blue eyes are sure to captivate any noble lady. His docile personality might be a slight minus for those who prefer a rebellious edge, though?"
Even standing right next to the male slave, the auctioneer spoke without hesitation. His voice carried a laugh, as if he felt no guilt whatsoever.
"Oho... not bad at all."
"I like his height. He looks like he'd be good at work."
"Not for me. I prefer ones with more spirit to break."
Murmurs leaked from the other guests' seats.
"10,000 gold."
Soon, someone raised their paddle to bid.
"30,000 gold."
"50,000 gold."
They seemed quite accustomed to this inhuman slave auction, where human worth was measured in coin.
"Good heavens..."
In stark contrast was Princess Violet beside me, who couldn't close her mouth.
"A slave auction? That's illegal under imperial law!"
Her blazing eyes fixed on the stage, unmoving.
"That's why they're doing it on the sly."
"These scoundrels! Doing this right under His Majesty's nose?"
Princess Violet looked ready to leap up at any moment.
"Please calm down."
I pressed down gently on her shoulder. It heaved roughly under my hand.
"Let go. How can you stay calm seeing that?"
"Look away. If you storm out now and make a scene, all they'll do is hide the remaining items."
The strength slowly drained from her shoulder.
"It's better to wait for the right moment. That's how you'll catch them all at once."
"When's this 'right moment'?"
"Not now, at least."
Her practical persuasion restored her composure.
"Fine, got it. But why are you so calm, Abel? You knew about this?"
"No way. I'm shocked too."
Princess Violet's brow furrowed slightly.
"You don't look shocked at all..."
"I'm good at acting."
I continued shamelessly.
"I had no idea the final auction was like this."
Though I did know.
My lack of surprise came from having seen such sights before.
Humans stripped of all rights and self, reduced to mere commodities. It wasn't much different from the slaves I'd seen in the Cadre territory.
Their treatment was comparatively better, judging by their physical condition and clothing.
'Or maybe not.'
A wry chuckle escaped me.
The fundamental difference between them and these auction slaves was that these weren't mere commoners.
Younger branches of defeated noble houses in territorial wars, or nobles stripped of all assets.
Fallen nobles who had lost their rights ended up sold here as slaves.
They knew noble etiquette, had outstanding appearances, and owning a once-noble underfoot gave a base sense of superiority.
Nobles bought them for such pleasures—bedside attendants or personal servants.
'Vile hobby.'
It wasn't amusing in the slightest.
Wearing a bitter smile, I watched the auction proceed. Princess Violet watched too, not hiding her displeasure.
"Thank you for your enthusiastic bids. Now, only one item remains."
Surprisingly, all nine slaves before had sold, and at quite high prices.
"I'll remember those nobles' faces later."
Princess Violet ground her teeth.
"Spending money like water on this filth?"
Ignoring her grumbling, I focused on the next item ascending the stage.
"Among today's items, this is our highest quality. I'm excited to see what it fetches."
The auctioneer spread his arms wide.
"Allow me to introduce it—the finale of today's auction, a beautiful boy item."
Tap, tap.
Small footsteps crossed the stage.
"Oh my, he's perfect."
"Isn't he a bit too young?"
"That's why I like him."
Praise poured from the VIP seats. Everyone was captivated by the boy on stage.
Rustle, rustle.
His clothes were too big, dragging at his ankles. Yet he didn't look ridiculous at all.
His silver hair shone dazzlingly, like melted silver. His youthful but sharply defined features were enchantingly beautiful.
"..."
Lips pressed tight to hide his shame. Above them, golden eyes burned vividly—delicate yet sharp.
'Finally.'
I smiled meaningfully at the boy.
Focusing on his eyes, I saw complex patterns in his pupils shimmering like they were alive.
'Confirmed.'
Those eyes signified magical talent granted to only a few in this world.
Ecarot.
The boy who would become the empire's strongest mage and future Tower Master of the Mage Tower. In the original story, he was saved by Cain and became his blind loyal spear.
But.
'This time, you'll wield that power for me.'
I intended to claim that spear—by saving him right here in this auction house.