Chapter 91
Chapter 91
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Slave Auction House (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The banquet hall fell silent for a moment at Riya's appearance, but as the music soon resumed, it regained its lively buzz.
Something similar had happened at the Empire's Founding Festival, but the reaction this time was far more intense. The weight carried by an imperial royal wasn't just simple awe—it included fear as well.
“I told you you'd need me.”
Riya, who had been staring in the direction the Boyan Marquis had vanished, turned her gaze to me.
“The young count of the kingdom, an honorary noble of the empire. A war hero, and recently, a man of immense wealth.”
She ticked off my recent accomplishments one by one, folding her fingers as she went.
“…No wonder pests like these are swarming you now.”
She smiled brightly, but the expression was chillingly cold.
It wasn't so much a rebuke directed at me as a warning to the young ladies nearby who had been eyeing me.
“Heh. But don't worry. With me by your side, who would dare approach?”
She was right, of course.
After she appeared, no nobles sent glances our way.
Some shot regretful looks from time to time, but the moment Riya turned her gaze toward them, they hurriedly turned away.
‘At least it's a relief now.’
In any case, I could finally catch my breath.
Without Riya, this banquet—not to mention the social gatherings and birthdays I'd attend in the future—would have been a real headache. There was no guarantee someone like the Boyan Marquis wouldn't try again.
“By the way, where is Duke Gail…?”
“Right here.”
As I moved to accomplish the main purpose of coming here, Duke Gail approached me first.
It seemed he'd realized we were here thanks to Riya.
“It's good to see you again, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Count Banheart. You've saved my face.”
“Not at all.”
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Riya, who stood silently beside me.
“I greet Her Imperial Highness, the Sun of the Empire.”
“Heh. Feel free to be at ease, Duke.”
She spoke with a soft smile, but Riya showed not the slightest interest in the duke. Her eyes were filled with the sentiment that he should finish his greeting and leave already.
“Your Grace, might we speak somewhere quiet for a moment?”
“Hm? Weren't you spending time with Her Highness?”
“Indeed, but I have something to discuss.”
I glanced at Riya as I spoke, and though she furrowed her brow slightly, she nodded.
I stepped out onto the balcony, confirmed no one was around, and quietly opened my mouth to Duke Gail.
“Are you aware of the periodic Ain tribesfolk auctions held in Shioten?”
“…Hm. That's quite sudden.”
“I believe Your Grace must know about this matter.”
“You're right. I've been keeping an eye on it for a long time.”
Duke Gail glanced briefly at Riya beside me.
Riya met his gaze with a composed expression and nodded.
“There's no need to feel ashamed. It seems to be happening across the entire continent.”
“If you think that way, then I'm grateful.”
From the duke's position, it was probably quite embarrassing. It was as good as the kingdom's dirty secret reaching the ears of the empire's princess.
But this was all intentional on my part.
By bringing up the topic with Riya at my side, I was forcing him into a position where he had no choice but to act.
“I never imagined you'd bring up such a thorny issue.”
“We can't leave them be forever. You know as well as I, Your Grace—the empire has recently been implementing policies favoring the Ain tribes.”
“Indeed.”
“To align with that trend, I think it's best to actively eradicate these illegal auctions. The timing just happens to be now.”
“…Hm.”
He wore a troubled expression.
That was only natural. There wouldn't be just one or two nobles tangled up in these auctions.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have let it slide despite knowing full well.
“So, what is it you want?”
Soon enough, he seemed to reach a decision, opening his mouth with a serious face.
From the start, he only had one choice he could make.
As long as Riya was by my side.
“I'll explain the details from here on.”
I grinned and laid out the plan I'd prepared.
All the costs for this operation would be billed to Duke Gail anyway.
* * *
‘What are we going to do now?’
An elf girl trembled as she hugged her younger sibling tight.
It felt like a nightmare.
She never imagined her peaceful daily life would shatter so suddenly.
‘Father and Mother must be so worried….’
At the very least, she wanted to somehow get her sibling out of this place.
But that was impossible. Even the countless adults kidnapped alongside her were despondent, shedding tears.
‘These evil humans.’
The elf girl, Titiana, bit her lower lip in frustration.
She'd heard the stories, but she never dreamed humans could move so stealthily and elusively.
The Lavanteira Kingdom was largely divided into three races.
Elves, dwarves, and beastkin.
Each faction put forth a leader, and the selected representative among the three leaders ruled the nation as ‘king.’
True to their worship of nature's natural flow, they didn't have surnames like humans and lived in vast mountain villages.
Though called a kingdom, it was more akin to tribal collectives.
They lacked proper systems in place, and even with defenses, it wasn't easy to block every infiltrator.
Titiana and her sibling had been out picking fruit when they fell into human hands.
There should have been elven soldiers patrolling nearby, yet their skills were downright ghostly.
“Come out!”
As she comforted her trembling sibling under the dark curtain, a rough-looking man entered.
He dragged out the shivering Ain tribesfolk from under the curtain, had them washed clean, and dressed them in flashy clothes.
She wanted to tear off these cumbersome garments right then, but with her sibling at risk, she couldn't.
If they disobeyed, they'd be beaten mercilessly, just like on the way here.
“Number 7, Number 7! Where's Number 7?!”
Afterward, they were locked in a room with other Ain tribesfolk.
Then, one by one, they were called out by the humans' shouts.
‘Please….’
But Titiana didn't give up.
As an elf with particularly keen ears, she was exceptionally sensitive to sounds. To seize any possible chance, she focused intently on the noises outside.
“We've got a huge batch this time.”
“Jerbisia Lavanteira put in some effort. He said he can't help for a while, so he assisted to make this a big haul.”
It was the voices of the men who had been watching them until just now.
Titiana thought for a moment she'd misheard.
‘Jerbisia?’
She couldn't not know that name. He was the son of the current elven king.
Why would the king's son be involved in something like this?
Unlike other nations, in Lavanteira, the king's son didn't automatically become king.
But he was undoubtedly the noblest elf in the land.
For him to aid these trash humans?
“Man, what a jackpot. Isn't that one guy buying them all up?”
“Yeah. How much money does he even have…?”
Titiana felt someone yank her collar just as she was listening.
“Number 14! What the hell are you doing? Do you know how many times I called you?!”
Not Titiana, but Number 14.
The unfamiliar title, plus her focus on the outside sounds, meant she hadn't heard.
“S-Sis!”
“It'll be okay, Ker.”
Even as she was dragged out by the man's hand, Titiana comforted her sibling.
She bit her lower lip until it drew blood, and as she was pulled outside, countless masked humans stared at her.
As one would a commodity.
‘I don't want this….’
The humans watching her shouted something.
Probably her price.
It was infamous how humans enslaved Ain tribesfolk.
500.
1000.
2500.
As the gold coin bids climbed, a man who had been quietly observing raised his bidding paddle.
“Ten thousand.”
The heated voices vying in the auction fell silent in an instant.
‘What?’
Titiana was puzzled by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
The man who raised his hand wore a flamboyant mask. It covered his entire face and head, looking more grotesque than stylish.
“T-That guy's at it again!”
“How much money does he have?!”
“Damn it. We can't let him take everything. Especially a rare elf… Eleven thousand!”
As one man bellowed, the flamboyant-masked man raised his paddle again.
“Twenty thousand.”
No one could open their mouth at those words.
Twenty thousand?
Spending twenty thousand gold on a single slave?
If it were just one, they'd call him insane.
But he'd already bought fourteen slaves so far.
Elves, dwarves, beastkin—without discrimination.
“A-Any other bids? If not… sold to guest Number 48.”
Even the auctioneer, facing such a case for the first time, wiped cold sweat.
Normally, he'd stoke the competition to prevent this man's monopoly.
But the sums he offered were too sweet.
Who could block a tycoon dropping tens of thousands of gold at a time?
‘What is his identity?’
Everyone in the auction house thought the same. He wasn't your average famous noble or merchant.
And they hoped his money would run out soon.
There was nothing more boring than leaving an auction empty-handed.
But.
All thirty-two Ain tribesfolk up for auction that day sold to one man.
* * *
I sighed as I removed my mask. The auction had dragged on late into the night, leaving me quite fatigued.
Yet it wasn't a bad feeling. If anything, it was refreshing.
“Spending money can be fun too.”
Especially when it wasn't mine.
Not a single coin from this auction came from my pocket. Duke Gail had personally obtained approval from King Leogart to use treasury funds.
So I could spend freely.
What noble or merchant could outbid a national budget?
‘He approved so readily because he'll recover it all anyway.’
The backs of those withdrawing from the auction house already had Duke Gail's eyes on them. He'd dig up who was behind them step by step.
All the vast wealth they'd gained from selling Ain tribesfolk would be seized.
“Jade, did you get everyone safely to the mansion?”
“Yes. They're all gathered in one place. They refused to separate.”
The mansion, empty of people for so long, was suddenly filled to the brim.
Not just the Ain tribesfolk we'd brought, but the Thieves' Guild members disguised as servants living there—it must be utter chaos.
“…The butler outfit suits you well?”
“Thank you. I think this might be my true calling.”
I chuckled at Jade's amiable smile.
“Where's Riya?”
“She went ahead to soothe the Ain tribesfolk.”
Soothe them…
Sorry as I was to Riya, I couldn't take those words at face value.