Chapter 94
Chapter 94
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: The Planned Slave Rebellion (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Before the auction began.
In stark contrast to the heated fervor of the banquet hall above, the atmosphere in the underground prison was dark and oppressive.
The underground prison served as a temporary holding cell for the slaves about to be sold at auction.
A wide array of races were gathered there.
From the moment they were thrown into this place, they had essentially been stripped of any right to be treated as living beings.
They were nothing more than commodities waiting to be sold.
That's why they were separated by race.
It was a measure taken by the Demon Realm Merchant Guild to prevent any damage to the merchandise in case of trouble.
The captives' stories were incredibly varied.
Adventurers who had failed in dungeon raids.
Sold remnants of armies or kidnapped mercenaries peddled by slavers.
Even a few illegitimate children of noble houses were among them.
Of course, monsters were no exception.
They had their own diverse tales.
Some were monsters snatched up while wandering.
Others were dungeon owners who had fallen into slavery after racking up massive debts with the guild.
There were even cases where dungeon masters sold off their subordinates to pay off debts.
Or monsters imprisoned when their dungeons collapsed.
All these varied fates converged in one place.
At the same time, those locked up together knew they were destined to be sold off somewhere.
They had no idea what end awaited them.
Until they witnessed that conclusion, the shadow of despair would not lift from their faces.
Even in this midst, there were those who sang of hope.
In one section of the prison, rather than being buried in despair, they clasped their hands in prayer and spread songs of hope.
They knew hope was the power that illuminated the darkness.
"Ah, Goddess. Please look upon us with pity and grant us the strength to overcome this trial."
Repina, a priestess of the White Church, prayed quietly.
Since being imprisoned, Repina had filled every moment with prayer, without fail.
She hoped the Goddess might one day extend a helping hand.
She longed for her faith and earnest pleas to reach the Goddess, keeping the spark of hope alive.
Finishing her brief prayer, Repina looked around.
Beside her was another priest, a man named Talin.
"Talin..."
Talin's condition was poor.
He was wrapped in bandages even now, lying on the cold floor.
The wound from the dungeon subjugation had festered without proper treatment.
Without adequate care, his life could be in danger.
The reason they ended up here was simple.
As priests of the Church, they had set out to subjugate a dungeon and failed.
To make matters worse, they were captured by the monsters guarding it.
And now they had been brought here to be sold.
That was their story.
"Talin, just hold on a little longer. The Goddess will surely hear our prayers."
Repina comforted the suffering Talin.
Fortunately, Talin was also a priest of deep faith.
Even in the worst circumstances, he never let go of hope.
Repina gently stroked his shoulder once, then turned her head to the back.
Behind them were seven Holy Knight trainees.
But none were full-fledged Holy Knights; they were all still in training.
In a situation where even experienced Holy Knights might not guarantee escape, they had only trainees.
'Haa...'
Escaping this place seemed nearly impossible.
The situation was that dire, yet Repina refused to despair.
Perhaps this was all a trial from the Goddess.
Overcoming it would surely bring greater growth as reward.
"Let us all pray."
Repina said quietly.
At her words, Talin forced his pained body upright.
The two priests and the yet-to-be-ordained Holy Knight trainees clasped their hands together.
With fervent hearts echoing to the heavens, hoping to reach the Goddess, their prayers continued in this hellish space.
'Someday, salvation from this hell...'
How much time had passed?
Footsteps echoed through the once-silent underground prison.
The steps soon stopped somewhere.
"......"
Right in front of the cell holding Repina and her group.
Repina sensed the presence and opened her eyes.
"...Who are you?"
Turning her head, she saw a small demon standing outside the bars.
This diminutive demon, with its red face and tiny wings, barely reached Repina's waist.
The little demon stared at them silently, ignoring Repina's question.
An awkward silence flowed.
After a brief moment, the little demon finally spoke.
"I am a servant of Lady Serinu. I have no permitted name, so call me whatever you like."
Repina grasped the situation.
'Serinu...'
She didn't know who that was.
But it was clear this was connected to those who had imprisoned them.
And such a being had sent her subordinate.
Conversing with this little demon might reveal what was happening.
"What business do you have with us?"
Repina responded as politely as possible.
There was no reason to provoke with aggression.
Besides, the demon was treating them gently.
And her guess proved right.
The little demon pulled something from its bosom and passed it through the bars.
Small glass vials.
The liquid inside radiated holy power, even from a glance.
"......"
Why did holy power emanate from something handed over by a demon?
Repina harbored doubts.
There were exactly nine vials.
Matching the number of her group, including herself.
"These are potions that temporarily and dramatically boost holy power."
The little demon had given them potions.
But the description was peculiar.
Potions that boosted holy power, no less.
"...Why would a mere demon possess such potions?"
Naturally, no kind words came from Repina's mouth.
"Ah, please don't misunderstand. I'm not here to quarrel with you priests."
Repina calmed her agitation at the demon's words.
"I'm simply here to relay a message from my master, Lady Serinu, to Priestess Repina."
Repina wore a dumbfounded expression at the little demon's words.
She had no recollection of telling it her name.
'Well...'
It wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
An organization bold enough to traffic Church priests would have this much intel.
"The potions I just gave you will temporarily enhance your holy power. Oh, and no need to worry about side effects. High-ranking priests participated in their creation."
Repina bit her lip at the little demon's explanation.
Mysterious potions that boosted holy power.
And they were made with the involvement of Church priests? It was too bizarre.
Not content with mere involvement, the end product was now in a demon's hands.
Repina wasn't foolish enough to miss the implication.
"To think there are those in league with demons..."
Repina muttered despondently, but the little demon continued unperturbed.
"Your task is simple. Drink those potions before going up on stage. And then—"
The little demon's request was straightforward.
Drink the potions and attack the opponent it designated.
Do that, and it promised to safely release everyone here.
Repina pondered the demand.
'Surely not a trap...?'
If the demon's words and the potions' effects were true, it meant a slim chance of escape.
With their current numbers, escape was impossible anyway.
That's why they could only pray.
The others' eyes lit with hope at the demon's words.
'To use the Goddess's power for a demon...'
It grated, but they had no choice.
"Haa... haa..."
Above all, Talin's condition was worsening.
'Perhaps...'
Maybe this very situation was the path the Goddess had opened?
Repina comforted herself with the thought as she gazed at Talin.
As Repina glanced at Talin, the little demon handed over something else.
"A high-grade potion. To fulfill our request, it's best if at least one more of you stays in good shape. We can draw up a contract if you wish."
Repina felt bewildered yet relieved at the demon's paradoxical act of trying to heal a priest.
If they just met the demands, they might really escape.
The thought filled her mind.
The high-grade potion wasn't enough to fully heal Talin's wounds.
But it could buy time.
"So... who is the target?"
By now, curiosity burned.
Why go to such lengths to enlist their help?
The prison held not just them but various monsters.
Would such a massive organization command an attack on just one target?
"If it's someone from the Church, we won't do it."
Repina was firm.
If the target was Church-affiliated, she absolutely refused.
"Ah, it's not a fellow human, so rest easy."
As the little demon conversed with Repina, another being approached.
This time, a different monster: a skeleton in a tuxedo.
"Clack—"
(It's your turn.)
Of course, Repina couldn't understand the skeleton.
"Clack clack."
(Lady Serinu has added one more condition.)
The skeleton relayed Serinu's orders faithfully.
The little demon nodded at the skeleton's words.
Then casually informed Repina.
"Your turn is coming up. Just one thing to remember: drink all the potions I gave you and head upstairs. There'll be someone wearing a black mask. Attack that one."
The skeleton's message had been to attack both the Arch Lich and the black-masked figure beside it.
But telling Repina's group to assault two at once would burden them too much, in the little demon's view.
It had served Serinu for a long time.
And it noticed Serinu was currently more focused on the black mask than the Arch Lich.
That's why it phrased it that way.
"I'll give you 5 minutes to prepare."
With that, the little demon handed over a key.
It unlocked the chains binding Repina and her group's hands and feet.
Coming to this auction had truly been an inspired choice.
'Who would've thought I could scoop up this many monsters with just these gems...'
Drawing 10 monsters via gacha cost a whopping 5,000 gems.
Gacha, they called it.
Mostly 1-star monsters, practically.
Spending 5,000 gems on ten 1-stars?
The worst cost-performance imaginable.
But not this auction house.
Several monsters had fallen into my hands for just a few hundred gems.
'Gotta take that gargoyle back to Earth.'
I'd initially passed on bidding for the gargoyle, but the auctioneer's words changed my mind.
'Never imagined a gargoyle had that kind of trait.'
Gargoyles found on Earth were all F-rank monsters.
But this one grew stronger the more powerful magic you infused it with.
A fact unknown even among hunters.
The moment I heard, I quietly commanded the Arch Lich.
—Bid on this one too.
The Arch Lich handled the proxy bidding perfectly on my orders.
Thanks to it, every monster up for auction ended up mine.
'Hope they hold these auctions more often.'
I meant it sincerely.
Best content I'd encountered so far.
What slave would come next?
Heart pounding, I waited.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the auction! Next up is a group of humans!"
The atmosphere chilled at the auctioneer's words.
"Let's skip this one."
I whispered to the Arch Lich, who nodded.
The human group was Church affiliates: two priests and seven Holy Knight trainees.
No need to bid on trainees who weren't even full Holy Knights, and the priests didn't seem particularly useful.
'Yeah, monopolizing everything isn't good.'
I was already sweeping the auction house clean.
Other monsters were glaring at me and the Arch Lich with dissatisfaction.
This time, I yielded to others and quietly watched the stage.
Moments later, the Church group ascended the stage.
Exactly nine people, instantly distinguishable as priests and trainees.
One female priest and one male, it seemed.
"Tch."
Sighting the priests, I clicked my tongue unwittingly.
Only two, and one looked in bad shape.
Bandages wrapped around his body.
"Come now! Who will take this entire lot? Wouldn't it feel refreshing to vent your grudges against the Church on them? Haha!"
The auctioneer turned toward us mid-pitch.
As if looking right at me.
'What the—?'
Then it happened abruptly.
"“Wha—?””
Surrounding monsters started screaming.
The priests and trainees on stage suddenly leaped forward.
The problem was...
"!"
They were heading straight for me.
No weapons, but their clenched fists glowed faintly.
No need to guess what that power was.
'Holy power...!'
Why the sudden attack on me?
And how had the slaves' chains come undone so easily?
"Shit!"
No time to think.
I had to block the charging foes right now.
At least some trainees were stalled by nearby monsters.
But the female priest charging with ferocious momentum was the real threat.
I immediately raised my hand and activated a skill.
The one I'd acquired recently: Holy Shield.
A C-rank skill, but based on the goddess's blessing and holy power.
First time using it, though.
I needed a moment.
"Cover me!"
The Arch Lich snapped its fingers at my command.
A skeleton beside it exploded in place.
"?!"
The sudden blast made the attackers hesitate.
'Now!'
As the assault paused...
Holy Shield (C-rank)
Shield of divine protection manifests
"Holy Shield!"
Holy power gathered in my hand, forming a shield-shaped barrier.
The vast holy shield flashed like light, illuminating the surroundings.
At the same time, the female priest's fist, now upon me, slammed into the shield.
Boom—
The collision between her attack and my Holy Shield unleashed a deafening roar.
The impact rippled like thunder meeting lightning, erupting in blinding light.
While the shockwave scattered outward, I felt nothing.
Neither did she.
'Maybe because same attributes clashing.'
Normally, same attributes colliding should still have some effect.
But the source here was holy power.
Perhaps this situation stemmed from holy power's unique nature.
I accepted it calmly.
But the priestess seemed shocked.
Staring at me in horror, she even stuttered.
"H-How... how do you wield the Goddess's power...!"