A month had passed, and my condition had finally stabilized. I was well enough to leave the house and enjoy a stroll, so today, I decided to visit the auction house.
My attire was deliberately simple. I had no desire to attract attention or be recognized.
I wore a modest dress that still managed to flatter my figure, its fabric a deep black accented with streaks of crimson. Over it, I draped a black cloak, carefully concealing my beauty from prying eyes.
Heh… how amusing.
Since I knew exactly which auction house Laura frequented, that was precisely where I would go today. My goal was simple, to seize everything she intended to buy.
After several minutes of travel, we finally arrived in town.
I stepped down from the carriage and turned into a narrow alleyway.
"Milady, w-why are we going here? I-It looks dangerous," Martha asked nervously.
I merely smiled and glanced at her.
"Martha… just follow me. Nothing bad will happen to us."
After all, even if this was an alley, no one would dare harm us here. This place was the territory of the Black Widow Guild, an infamous organization that operated in the shadows.
They owned the very auction house I intended to visit. They did not only trade rare treasures. They also dealt in information… and assassination.
As we walked deeper into the alley, we spotted an old man sitting quietly by the side. I approached him, but Martha quickly grabbed my arm.
"M-Milady, please don't go near him. He might hurt you…"
"No. Trust me."
I stepped forward, though I had to admit, his intimidating appearance sent a flicker of unease through me.
"Why is someone like you in a place like this alley?" the old man asked, his voice rough and suspicious. "Don't you know you could get hurt here?"
I met his gaze without hesitation.
"I need a black spider. Where can I buy one?"
That was the code phrase required to enter the auction house.
But how did Laura know about it?
Even I didn't know. That woman was far more suspicious than she appeared.
The old man stared at me intensely for a moment before slowly standing up. Without another word, he pushed open a hidden door.
"If that is what you seek," he said, "then we have many black spiders inside. Follow me."
We silently made our way down the corridor.
Martha clung tightly to my arm, clearly frightened by the eerie surroundings.
We walked along a long stretch of aging concrete walls, their surfaces cracked and worn. Only a handful of dim lamps provided light, casting long, trembling shadows that made the entire place feel unsettling.
After a while, we descended a staircase and entered another hallway.
We turned corner after corner, navigating the maze-like passage, until at last we reached the very place where the auction would be held.
Why was it hidden? Because this auction house was illegal.
They could auction not only rare artifacts but also humans and other beings, selling them as slaves.
Slavery had long been outlawed by the kingdom.
But I was not here for slaves.
I was here for relics… and other priceless valuables.
I glanced around the room. Outside, the place had been dark and sinister, yet inside, it was the complete opposite.
The interior was lavish and extravagant, filled with luxurious furnishings. Nobles crowded the hall, their identities concealed behind elegant masks or flowing capes, like predators gathered for a very expensive hunt.
We took our seats on an empty row of plush velvet chairs, their cushions soft yet slightly worn from countless secret dealings.
The low murmur of masked nobles filled the grand hall as everyone patiently waited for the auction to begin.
"M-Milady… W-Why is this auction house hidden?"
Martha whispered timidly beside me, her voice barely louder than the rustle of silk.
I turned to her and offered a small, knowing smile.
"Because it's illegal."
The moment the words left my lips, her eyes widened in shock, and fear quickly crept across her pale face.
"M-Milady… W-What if the Royal Family finds out about this and—"
I gently raised a hand to stop her and leaned closer, lowering my voice into a quiet whisper.
"Don't worry. Once I've purchased everything I need, I'll report this auction house to the higher authorities so they can shut it down for good."
Suddenly, a soft chuckle echoed from the seat beside me.
The sound was low and amused, like someone entertained by a private joke.
My head snapped toward the source.
Did he hear what I said?
I glanced at him carefully. Even though he wore a brown cloak that concealed most of his appearance, I could clearly tell he was a man.
His broad shoulders and relaxed posture carried the unmistakable confidence of someone accustomed to power.
I couldn't see his face beneath the shadow of his hood, yet I could feel his gaze fixed on me, sharp and unyielding.
"Do you have a problem?" I asked coldly, my tone edged with irritation.
"None at all," he replied calmly. "But it won't be easy to shut this auction house down. Several high-ranking nobles are involved in its operations and now, it seems, you are as well."
My brows knitted together into a deeper frown.
"Excuse me," I said sharply. "Why are you inserting yourself into someone else's conversation? From your tone and posture alone, I can tell you're a noble. A noble who clearly lacks proper manners."
Instead of taking offense, he laughed again, this time louder, the sound rich with amusement.
That only puzzled me further.
There was nothing funny about what I said.
Tsk. Talking to him would only drain my energy. It would be far wiser to ignore him completely.
I turned my gaze forward, pretending he no longer existed.
"Hey… are you going to ignore me?" he asked, his voice laced with playful persistence. "I'd like to be friends with you, young lady."
"I already have many friends," I replied without looking at him.
"Milady… you don't have any friends," Martha said honestly beside me.
The moment those words slipped out of her mouth, the man next to me burst into even louder laughter, his amusement ringing through the air like bells in a cathedral.
And just like that, my dignity took a tiny, dramatic tumble down the stairs.
"So it's settled then. I will be your friend."
He said it with unmistakable arrogance, as if he were granting me a rare privilege, like a noble bestowing a favor upon a commoner.
"Sorry, but I don't make friends, especially not with a complete stranger like you."
He was about to respond, but at that very moment, the auction finally began.
A sharp bang echoed through the hall as the auctioneer struck his wooden hammer, known as a gavel, against the podium. The sound sliced through the chatter, instantly commanding everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Let the bidding begin."
One item after another was presented on the auction stage, each placed carefully on a velvet cushion while attendants circled the room displaying the goods to potential bidders, the people competing to buy the items.
Antique paintings. Jeweled rings. Rare relics.
Each treasure was announced with a starting bid, the minimum price required to begin the competition.
I raised my paddle again and again, placing offers with calm precision.
Twenty items.
I had already won twenty items in the auction, each secured after the final call of the auctioneer.
"Going once… going twice… sold!"
And now, at last, the item I had been waiting for finally appeared.
The Duchess Nolad's Necklace.
A hush fell over the room as a servant carried forward a small velvet box. When the lid was opened, a soft, radiant glow shimmered under the chandelier lights.
To most people, it appeared to be made of diamonds.
But its true value lay far beyond ordinary gemstones.
That necklace was crafted from the Tears of a Siren, the rarest and most expensive pearls in the world, said to be formed from the sorrow of sea spirits themselves. A treasure whispered about in legends and fought over by kings.
The auctioneer lifted the necklace carefully.
"Lot Number Six: The Duchess Nolad's Necklace. Opening bid: One million cros."
I immediately raised my paddle.
"One million cros!" the auctioneer announced loudly.
"Do I hear another bid? Going once… going twice..."
I was certain I had already won.
But then the man beside me raised his hand.
"Two million for Lot Number Six."
The words fell like a stone into still water, sending ripples of tension through the hall.
I narrowed my eyes.
I raised my bid again.
Three million.
Five million.
Ten million.
Each time I increased the price, he calmly doubled it, as if money were nothing more than falling leaves.
Until the number climbed to a shocking height.
"One hundred million?!" the auctioneer exclaimed, nearly choking on his own words as the crowd erupted into whispers.
I turned to glare at the man beside me.
"It seems you know the true value of that item," I said coldly.
Though I could not see his face beneath the shadow of his hood, I could feel it.
He was smiling..
Tsk.
At this rate, I would burn through my entire monthly allowance like dry paper in a bonfire.
Still, I refused to lose.
I lifted my paddle once more, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside my chest.
"Two hundred million for Lot Number Six!"
Gasps rippled through the audience. Even the seasoned bidders shifted in their seats, their eyes gleaming with excitement. The tension in the room tightened like a drawn bowstring.
I could see the thrill written all over the auctioneer's face. A bidding war like this was the heartbeat of an auction, the moment when fortunes clashed and pride refused to bend.
Please…
Please…
Don't place another bid.
"Fine. I'll give it to you. Just think of it as a gift from your friend."
"WHAT?!"
My irritation flared instantly, hot and sharp.
Tsk!
In the end, the necklace was awarded to me. The auctioneer struck his gavel with a decisive crack, officially declaring me the winner of the lot, the item being sold.
At least I managed to secure it.
I could always recover the money I had spent later.
Urgh…
A sudden wave of weakness washed over me, as if the tension had finally slipped its grip. My shoulders felt heavy, and I let out a quiet breath.
Ever since I regained the memories of my past life, my sense of spending had changed. It had become… painfully practical, like that of a cautious commoner counting every coin.
Back then, I could easily burn through an entire year's allowance without a second thought.
Now, every purchase felt like watching gold melt in my own hands.
"Why did you suddenly go quiet, young lady? Have you already exhausted your budget?"
The man beside me asked mockingly, his tone dripping with amusement.
I shot him a sharp glare.
Should I just strangle him so he can't speak anymore?
He continued to chuckle softly, clearly entertained, even though he couldn't see my face beneath the shadow of my hood.
Was there something funny about this?
Before I could snap back, the auctioneer's booming voice thundered across the hall, loud enough to rattle the chandeliers.
"NOW! THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! LET US BEGIN THE AUCTIONING OF SLAVES!"
My hand tightened into a fist.
The moment the heavy iron doors opened, a line of figures was led onto the stage.
Slaves.
My chest clenched at the sight.
They were of different races and backgrounds, their clothing worn and their expressions hollow.
Some were adults with weary eyes. Others were women clutching their arms tightly around themselves.
And then there were the children.
Small.
Frightened.
Silent.
The air in the room shifted. The excitement among the nobles grew thicker, darker, like a storm cloud gathering overhead.
"Tsk."
The sound escaped my lips before I could stop it.
I turned slightly toward the man beside me. For the first time since we met, he had fallen completely silent. The playful humor had vanished from his posture, replaced by something colder, heavier.
He was watching the stage.
Carefully.
"Do you want to buy them?"
His voice was serious now, stripped of teasing, as steady as stone.
"Yes."
I answered without hesitation.
Firm. Unyielding.
For a brief moment, I felt something dangerous in the air, like the tension before lightning strikes. It was as if he was studying me… weighing my words.
Did he intend to buy them too?
And if he did… what would he do with those children?
My jaw tightened.
"I will buy them," I continued, my voice low but resolute,
"and set them free."
Because of what I said, he lowered his head… and laughed again.
What a strange man.
"Then it seems we thought the same thing."
In the end, I managed to purchase only four slaves, while six of the ten being auctioned were bought by the man beside me.
A wave of weakness washed over me.
If only I had brought enough money, I could have bought all of them.
But my true intention was not just to rescue a few people.
What I really wanted… was to expose this auction house and have it permanently shut down.
Still, one question lingered stubbornly in my mind.
Why didn't Laura do anything about this place?
Maybe you truly are a wicked woman, Laura.
Now, I found myself inside an old warehouse, the air thick with the scent of dust and aged wood. The building creaked softly, like a tired giant settling into sleep. I sat on a worn wooden chair, crossing my arms as I studied the people in front of me.
The four individuals I had purchased were kneeling before me, their bodies tense, their eyes filled with fear and uncertainty about the fate that awaited them.
One of them was a fox-kin boy, around fourteen years old. His hair was a striking shade of crimson, matching his sharp red eyes that flickered with nervous energy.
Beside him knelt a beast-man, roughly sixteen years old, with pale blue hair and broad shoulders that hinted at strength despite his exhaustion.
The third was an elf, a young woman whose age was difficult to determine. Her delicate features carried an air of quiet dignity, even in captivity.
And the last one…
Was a child from the serpent race.
He had snow-white hair and deep red eyes, his small body fragile and thin. He looked no older than seven years old. What unsettled me most was the emptiness in his gaze. No fear. No anger. No tears.
Just silence.
All of them remained kneeling, waiting for judgment like prisoners standing before a throne.
"Don't worry," I said gently.
"I will set you free."
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then their eyes widened in disbelief.
Tears began to fall.
Some covered their mouths. Others lowered their heads as their shoulders trembled.
Relief poured out of them like water from a broken dam.
"But tell me," I continued softly, "do any of you still have a home to return to?"
The elf was the first to speak.
"Yes… in the Kingdom of Elfrodin. I was captured by bandits while traveling."
I turned to the two older boys. Both of them nodded quickly, hope flickering in their eyes like newly lit candles.
Good.
I would help them return home.
But one of them remained silent.
The smallest one.
The seven-year-old child.
I looked down at him, my voice gentler than before.
"And you, little one… where is your home?"
"Gone."
His answer was cold and flat, as if the word had been carved from stone.
My chest tightened.
A quiet ache spread through me.
I stepped closer and gently placed my hand on his head, patting it softly. His hair felt light, almost weightless beneath my palm.
"Then you can come to my manor," I said warmly.
"It's very large, and there will always be a place for you there."
I turned to the others.
"As for the three of you, I will help you return to your homes. I will provide support until you are safe and settled again."
The three of them broke down in tears, bowing repeatedly as they thanked me, their voices trembling with gratitude.
But the youngest child…
He did not cry.
He simply stared at me, wide-eyed and confused, as if trying to understand a language he had never heard before.
Martha soon returned and informed me that the carriage had arrived.
We stepped outside the warehouse and walked toward the carriage waiting for us in the dimly lit street.
The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of dust and iron. The horses shifted impatiently, their hooves tapping against the cobblestones.
Just as I was about to step into the carriage, a voice called out behind me.
"Miss Valeria."
My brows furrowed, and I turned around.
It was him.
The same man who had mocked and irritated me inside the auction hall.
I walked toward him slowly, my gaze sharp and suspicious.
"How do you know my name?"
He gave a small, casual shrug, as if the answer were the most ordinary thing in the world.
"That's a trade secret."
My expression hardened.
"If you have nothing important to say, then stop disturbing me," I said coldly.
"And before anything else, if the entire kingdom ever finds out that I was in that place…"
My eyes narrowed into a warning. "I will kill you."
Instead of being offended, he laughed softly, clearly amused by my threat.
"Of course, I won't spread rumors that the Duke's daughter visited an illegal auction house," he replied, his voice laced with teasing humor. Then his tone shifted, turning serious.
"I only called you to ask one thing. What are you planning to do with them?"
I crossed my arms, irritation rising again.
"Do I need to report to you about my decisions? Who are you to give me orders?"
Before I could react, he suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him.
My breath caught.
His other hand gently held my cheek, forcing our faces dangerously close together. The world seemed to shrink into a single, tense moment.
Even with the mask covering his face, I could clearly see his eyes.
Ash-gray.
Cold.
Sharp.
Eyes that looked like they had seen too many secrets.
"Yes," he murmured quietly, his voice low and steady. "So that I'll know whether I should get rid of you or not."
My heart pounded once, hard.
"Because," he continued, a faint smile touching his voice,
"I happen to like you. It would be a waste to kill you."
A chill ran down my spine, crawling like frost across bare skin.
I immediately shoved him away from me, putting distance between us.
Those words… they sent shivers through my entire body.
"I will not do anything bad to them," I said firmly, my voice trembling with anger rather than fear.
"As I said earlier, I will set them free. If you have nothing else to say, then leave before I lose my patience."
For a brief moment, silence hung between us.
Then he sighed lightly, as if indulging a stubborn child.
"Very well. I'll leave for now," he said calmly.
"Until we meet again, young lady."
Before I could react, he reached for my hand.
And kissed it.
The gesture was slow, deliberate, and unbearably bold.
The strange shiver running through me only grew stronger, like static crackling along my nerves.
Then, just like that.
He vanished. As if he had dissolved into thin air.
"Urgh!!!"
Frustration boiled inside my chest.
Who in the world was that damned man?!
And more importantly…
Why did I have the uneasy feeling that this would not be the last time our paths crossed?
I could only hope that I would never see him again.
EVER!