Chapter 51
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body. Chapter 51 —Cletan Imperial Capital, Hessen Secret Auction House. Despite the late hour, the place burned with fervent activity, a venue where items too scandalous for daylight could be traded in shadow. And today's central figure, Fabron Marquis, surveyed his surroundings with a darkened expression. The gallery was packed shoulder to shoulder, not a spare inch of floor visible.
"Now then, our first item is..."
Eyes gleaming in the pitch darkness turned toward the auction stage. The Auctioneer, who had been waiting to heighten the tension, extended his hand with exaggerated flourish.
"A slave with hair as blue as the sea and eyes that sparkle like jewels!"
Preceded by his theatrical voice, today's first "item" emerged upon the auction block.
"We shall commence bidding at fifteen million trib!"
Those captivated by the figure's mysterious bearing—so androgynous it defied easy categorization—swiftly raised their paddles. Twenty million trib, thirty million trib.... The price affixed to a living human being climbed without restraint.
"Ugh."
Fabron Marquis shifted one step aside to escape his neighbor's encroaching presence, then exhaled the groan he had been suppressing. These people—conducting human trafficking as though it were nothing, then laughing and chattering over the results—were nobles like himself.... Though his title was modest and his coffers meager, he valued the honor of nobility; such conduct was incomprehensible to him. And yet.
"Ha."
He could only muster a self-deprecating smile. After all, he too had come to this place to obtain an item for auction. Fabron Marquis bore the reputation of being exceptionally impoverished even among his fellow marquises... But his reason for liquidating his entire fortune and visiting this clandestine auction house today was singular.
"Darling, I... I so desperately want that tumbler. *Cough, cough!* Sob, sob...."
It was at his ailing wife's request—to obtain the tumbler, today's marquee item. Moreover, he had heard from somewhere that the tumbler possessed exceptional insulating properties. If that were true, the soup he prepared for his wife would remain warm far longer—all the better. 'So it is essential to me as well.' With this reasoning, before the auction commenced, Fabron Marquis kindled his resolve with every fiber of his being. He could already envision his wife's radiant smile as she received the tumbler she so desired. But. But...!
"Eighty million trib—we have reached eighty million trib!"
The price that had surged in mere moments now far exceeded the cost of a modest mansion in a provincial territory. As Fabron Marquis watched the slave—now pallid as death—exit the stage following the final bid, he could not maintain even a shred of optimism. 'These... these madmen...!' Tremor, tremor, tremor. His tightly clenched fists began to shake slowly. How could a single transaction involve more than five times the amount of money he currently possessed? If a slave with a rather peculiar appearance was worth the price of a mansion, then what could possibly be the value of this tumbler, the object of such intense desire? While Fabron Marquis sat in a daze, the auction proceeded smoothly, and before long, the star of today's event—the tumbler—made its appearance.
"Ooh...!"
"That must be the Ghost Duke Castle's tumbler."
"Even from this distance, it seems to shimmer with light like a magical lamp."
The hall erupted once more with fervent excitement. The tumbler's sleek body gleamed with an elegant blue hue throughout. Because of this, the illustration of Ghost Duke Castle drawn on its exterior seemed all the more striking. And at the bottom, there was even the Ghost Duke's signature engraved in fine detail. The refined design made it appear so valuable that it could rival even the finest luxury tea cup brands. The Auctioneer, taking in the murmurs of the agitated crowd, slowly licked his lips.
"Most items circulating in the market are counterfeits, but we have brought a tumbler whose authenticity has been verified by our specialized personnel."
After a brief pause to build tension, the Auctioneer cried out in dramatic fashion.
"Then we shall begin the limited edition tumbler from 【Safety Precautions for Ghost Duke Castle】 at 50 million Tri!"
The outcome was predictable. Though 50 million Tri was no small sum, the price skyrocketed before the Auctioneer's voice had even faded. 70 million, 80 million, 85 million... 90 million Tri. Fabron Marquis also raised his paddle with determination, thinking of his wife lying helplessly in bed. 'Please...! I absolutely must obtain this!' But there was no way a mere impoverished marquis could compete with the wealthy magnates of the capital. As the hammer price exceeded nine figures, Fabron Marquis, completely losing his will, clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. 'At this rate, there's no way....' As the atmosphere grew increasingly heated, his shoulders began to slump lower and lower, when— "W-what is that sound?"
The sound of weapons clashing began to reach Fabron Marquis's ears from outside. Not only he, but those around him also grew uneasy and looked about nervously.
"It sounds like someone is fighting outside, doesn't it?"
"There shouldn't be such a commotion here...."
"Something is going wrong, isn't it?"
Their concerns were not unfounded—the small disturbance from outside the auction house grew louder and drew steadily closer. Those who realized something was genuinely amiss rushed to their feet.
"Get out! Leave!"
"If we get caught up in this, we're finished. Move aside quickly!"
"No, let go of that! I need to get out too!"
But before the people could escape, the auction house doors burst open and Knights clad in heavy armor stormed inside.
"Everyone, stop! By order of Blaire Grand Duke! We are placing all those who have illegally bought and sold goods under emergency arrest!"
A bolt from the blue. 'Why did this have to happen on the day I came to the auction house...?' Fabron Marquis, seized with fear, fled alongside the others, stumbling as he tried to escape. However, the Knights swiftly subdued those attempting to flee, bringing order to the chaos one by one. 'What do I do?' As Inyeong drew steadily closer and he stood there in bewildered panic, unable to decide what to do. Thud. Unable to see ahead in time, he collided with the approaching figure without noticing.
"...Huh?"
And in that very moment, the heavy weight in his inner pocket grew light. Fabron Marquis, quick to notice the change in weight, lifted his head in alarm.
"Hey, hey, hey! Wait!"
However, the person he had collided with offered no apology and swiftly vanished into the crowd. Fabron Marquis stared blankly at the people around him before suddenly understanding dawned. 'A, a, a Pickpocket?!' The flow had been so natural that he couldn't muster an appropriate response. No, this was his first experience with such a thing, and he had never even imagined it could happen. 'Did I... did I just lose my entire fortune?' Amid that sense of futility and the unreality that wouldn't settle in, Fabron Marquis moved in the direction the Pickpocket had disappeared, thinking he had to do something. But there was no way he could catch the Pickpocket now, having never even seen their face. As he moved in the opposite direction among those slipping outside, he soon encountered a Knight of massive build.
"I, I am...."
Fabron Marquis stammered, attempting some excuse, but the Knight did not wait for his words and roughly seized his body.
"Wait, please!"
"Take him into custody!"
Thus Fabron Marquis was seized by the Knights and dragged out of the auction house. There, other nobles who had participated in the auction were also being detained.
"Those who purchased items will be separated and transported!"
After several nobles were selected and removed, Fabron Marquis was placed in a carriage for transporting prisoners. Observing the ominous atmosphere emanating from the Knights seated on either side, he steadied his trembling heart and carefully opened his mouth.
"Um, excuse me...."
"Please, speak."
At the cold voice, the Marquis regained some composure and began to plead his case with lamentation.
"I did not purchase any items whatsoever. And at home, my ailing wife awaits me.... C-could you possibly release me?"
Though it was an obvious statement, the Knight remained unmoved. Instead, a curt question came forth.
"Are you perhaps of noble birth?"
"Yes, yes.... That is correct. I am Fabron Marquis."
Even as he revealed his station, the Knight did not abandon his overbearing demeanor.
"There are no exceptions, even for nobility. Since this remained an attempt, you may be released after cooperating with a simple investigation and paying the prescribed fine."
"What? A, a fine?"
"It is the Imperial decree."
"Ah, ah...."
Where exactly did things go wrong? I've already been robbed by a Pickpocket, and now I don't have a speck of dust to my name. The moment I thought of my wife lying ill at home, my nose stung with emotion. In the end, the Marquis wet the carriage floor with tears as pitiful as chicken droppings.
"I, I'm truly wronged...! So terribly wronged!"
He was genuinely so frustrated he felt he might die. Yet despite Fabron Marquis's anguished cries, the carriage did not stop and raced on through the night. 'I, I only wanted to make my wife happy....' The tumbler I was going to give her. The promissory note I exchanged my entire fortune for. Having lost everything, today was truly an unlucky day for me.
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