episode_0098

Episode 98 Auction (3)

As I left the room, an employee who had been waiting outside asked.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“Well, I want to be alone, but the auction is too bright. Do you have a private room?”

“Of course, we do. However, you will not be able to participate in the auction if you go to a private room. Is that okay?”

“I don’t care, just guide me.”

“Understood.”

The employee bowed and guided me.

As expected of the dark side doing illegal auctions, the security in the hallway is no joke.

Guards were stationed every 100m to prepare for any possible situation, and various magic spells caught my eye.

“We have arrived. Please call if you need anything.”

The employee said, opening the door. The private room was not much different from the room I was in with the group. It was just more focused on rest.

“You can go now.”

“Yes.”

He carefully closed the door and left.

Step, step.

The employee’s presence fades away. But I could feel the energy of a guard nearby.

‘Well, there’s no problem.’

The guard’s skill is only around Expert mid-to-highest. They have no ability to recognize what I’m about to do.

Of course, there will be a Master-level person waiting somewhere, but even if they realize it late, the situation will have escalated to a point where it cannot be resolved.

I took out a bomb made by modifying a part of the Black Mana Stone from my chest. And then, with a sigh, I took out the original Black Mana Stone as well.

“I didn’t originally plan to use this… .”

In fact, the bomb alone was enough for this plan.

I knew the structure of the underground auction house, and Barto Bennett is helping me. So, if I just cause enough of a stir, I can rescue the elf and escape without much trouble.

But seeing the children who were put up for auction, I couldn’t just let it go. I could see clearly what kind of life would unfold if I left them alone.

Of course, the children are extremely low in importance. Less than extras. Just that level of role.

But I couldn’t just leave them alone. Even if I can’t save everyone in the world, I could lend a hand to the pitiful people in front of me.

“…I’m not used to doing villainous things.”

It would be okay to show a bit of a terrorist-like side, right?

Immediately after, I drew out the power of the Black Mana Stone. A jet-black light crawled out. I wrapped it around my whole body.

The clothes I was wearing were dyed black, and a black cloak was created on my back. A pure white mask was placed on my face.

I couldn’t show my true self because I was going to appear in front of people from now on.

Preparation complete. I attached the bomb to my belt and held the Black Mana Stone in one hand.

“Shall we go cause some trouble?”

Black magic – Lich Summon

Let’s start lightly.

***

The auction proceeds.

Auction participants called out amounts from a minimum of a million to a maximum of a hundred million, and countless items were handed over to them.

Among them, the largest number were humans. Men, women, and people of all ages were being sold off.

Evan, who was watching the scene, said quietly.

“Did you see Hyung-nim’s face earlier?”

“Yeah, I saw it.”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen Hyung-nim so angry.”

His face was clearly the same as usual, but the atmosphere was so angry that he seemed ready to destroy the auction house at any moment.

The killing intent was so intense. I was trembling.

“Kyle likes children, after all.”

“Well, he does.”

If you think about how he treated Lia during the festival or the scene at the orphanage, Hyung-nim liked children.

“He wouldn’t do anything weird, would he?”

“Who knows?”

Lana couldn’t give a definite answer to her junior’s words.

Of course, Kyle will do his best in the task he’s been given. But, based on his personality, she had a feeling that things wouldn’t go according to plan.

“I hope nothing goes wrong… .”

Evan was also disgusted and angry at this auction. He wanted to round up everyone gathered here and throw them in jail right away.

But he understood what should be prioritized. The most important thing to consider was rescuing the elf.

But he’s worried about how Hyung-nim will act. Even Hyung-nim, who seems like he can do anything, sometimes pops up with strange things.

“Idiot. Don’t worry about your disciple, just take care of yourself.”

“Hyung-nim’s senior. How important is this job? If Hyung-nim makes a mistake… .”

“He doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Just believing that so blindly… .”

KWAANG!!!

At that moment, an explosion filled the auction house. It was Kyle’s signal.

“Lana-sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

Lana nodded and immediately received the signal from her summoned creature. She had used her summoned creature to explore the inside of the auction house in advance.

“Hurry and get on my back.”

“…I don’t want to.”

“You have no choice. Or are you going to run?”

“No… .”

Ruina had no choice but to get on Evan’s back.

Time was important for this plan. She didn’t know how the situation would change rapidly if they were delayed even a little.

As they waited for the second signal, something emerged from the darkness of the auction house.

“Oh, that’s… .”

“It’s a lich… .”

A figure she had seen somewhere before. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it was similar to the lich she had seen at the library.

“Hyung-nim didn’t do that, did he?”

“It’s possible. With a Black Mana Stone.”

Ruina knew that with the Black Mana Stone, which is called the essence of black magic, summoning a lich was easy.

“Hyung-nim, how are you going to handle the aftermath… .”

Evan rubbed his forehead with an incoming headache.

Even so, a lich was crossing the line. What if he gets caught doing that? Of course, Hyung-nim would get away with it somehow… .

Anyway, Evan, who thought the plan was a little twisted, immediately prepared to kick down the door and leave.

KWAH-AH-AH-AHNG!!!

A roar five times louder than before is heard. It was the alarm sound announcing the start of the operation.

But Evan and Lana couldn’t move right away. Because a figure appeared after the lich.

His face was clearly covered with a mask and his clothes were dyed black, but they could tell who he was from his figure.

“Ah, I don’t know. Whatever will be, will be.”

Evan stopped thinking. It seemed like his head would only hurt more if he did.

“Lana-sunbae. Let’s go.”

“Ah, uh-huh… .”

That was the same for Lana, who liked Kyle.

After that, the three ran towards the waiting room where the elf was being held.

***

Before the auction starts, slaves take a bath and undergo quality inspection in the waiting room.

They can’t show a flawed appearance when they’re about to meet their master. So, they check them for about 10 minutes with a magical tool.

The most anticipated item of this auction, the elf Elena, was also staying in the waiting room.

Empty inside.

All the guards had left somewhere, and Elena was left alone.

She didn’t know why. But after watching for a moment, she considered this an opportunity and took action.

Click-

She fiddled with the handcuffs.

“Ugh-”

But Elena soon frowned. A pain that felt like needles pricking her nerves swept through her body.

Nevertheless, she endured the pain and tried. She tried to remove her hands by dislocating her joints, or break them by hitting them against the wall.

But it was impossible with her body restricted by magic. It was hard to see her as the leader of the knights who protect the World Tree.

“If only I could use divine power, or even mana… .”

Elena muttered, grinding her teeth.

She didn’t even need divine power. She could escape this situation if she just summoned a spirit with mana.

But due to the magical tool, her physical abilities had become so weak that she couldn’t even kill a goblin, and she was blocked from using divine power and mana.

A situation that was so precarious that escape was impossible.

The only comfort was that the connection with her mother, the World Tree, was intact. If even that had been cut off, she would have surely gone crazy.

[Elena?]

“Yes, Mother.”

At that moment, she heard her mother’s words. She immediately knelt on one knee.

[How is your body?]

“Fortunately, there is nothing wrong.”

Perhaps because she was a valuable auction item. Elena was treated with the utmost care, unlike other slaves.

When she says utmost care, it only means that she was allowed to live a little more like a human. It wasn’t like she was being treated with extreme preciousness.

[I’m relieved and sorry. I made you do something unnecessary.]

“It’s not. I’m the one who is sorry for getting caught.”

The reason Elena came to the Great Desert was to recover a certain item. She was caught in the process due to her own shortcomings.

[I just got a message. They have started moving to save you.]

“…Is that so.”

She had a slightly lukewarm expression. Because her mother had to step in directly because of her mistake.

[Don’t blame yourself too much. It hurts my heart when you do that, Elena.]

Elena smiled slightly at those words. As expected, the only one who cares about them is her mother.

[Oh, I’ll tell you in advance, the personality of the child who’s going to save you isn’t going to be good.]

“You mean Kyle Ardeen… .”

The irreverent human who made a contract with her mother, not one who came into her arms.

“Why such a human… .”

Elena, who protects the side of the World Tree, had also heard the name of the rascal. And she roughly figured out what kind of person he was.

That’s why Elena couldn’t understand why she entrusted the job to the rascal.

[Don’t be like that too much. He’s a cute child in his own way.]

“I understand.”

Elena didn’t express any more complaints. The words of their mother, the World Tree, were absolute to them, the elves.

[Let’s cut off the connection now. He must be busy too.]

“Then I’ll see you when I get back.”

[Come back without getting hurt.]

“Yes.”

After that, Elena’s connection with the World Tree was cut off.

At that moment.

KWAANG!!!

An explosion was heard inside the waiting room.

Elena realized that this was a kind of signal.

If they were going to make an escape plan, they should have made it quietly. It was like advertising to everyone that they had come to save her.

But what could she do? Elena herself was too weak right now. Right now, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and wait for someone else’s help.

KWAH-AH-AH-AHNG!!!

Another explosion follows.

There were no guards. Elena just waited silently.

As time passed.

Crack!

Someone broke down the door and came in. Elena’s head turned towards the door.

‘That human is Kyle Arde… Huh?’

She felt a sense of bewilderment at the appearance of the person who entered. The Ardeen family was born with blonde hair and golden eyes, and Kyle Ardeen was known to have sharp eyes.

But the human in front of her had navy blue hair, and his face was quite… .

“Hello! My name is Evan Felix. Hyung-nim is drawing attention, so I came to save you.”

With those words, he swung his sword and cut the bars. Likewise, he easily split the handcuffs in half with a single strike.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

Elena carefully reached out her hand at his outstretched hand.

“Yes, y-yes… .”

When she took his hand, for some reason Elena felt heat rising to her face.

‘She’s pretty… .’

It was no different for Evan.