185 Hero Auction Begins♡

185.

“Jeo, Hero-nim… How long do I have to wait…?”

The innkeeper, who had come to the inn to pack my things, asked me with very burdened eyes. She even started to sob.

“J-Just wait a little longer. It’ll be soon…”

“…Heueuk, please. I’m even working part-time at a construction site to help with the recent repair costs. Heueueuk, the economy is already so bad these days…”

To make such a deathly face… I feel bad.

…No, I have no reason to feel bad. It’s Blade’s money to pay for breaking the wall, originally…

Come to think of it, I’m worried about Blade, who went after Bonaparte. A little bit…

And Selina, who hasn’t contacted me yet.

Well, no news might be good news.

The immediate problem is getting 500,000g to this poor innkeeper.

500,000g… Where do I get that? I’ve come full circle.

But I feel like I’m forgetting something.

Hmm… What was it?

Well, it probably wasn’t important.

At that moment, a group of men burst into the inn.

“Are you Hero Elena?”

The person who seemed to be the leader spoke to me.

“Yes, that’s me?”

He took out an incredibly long bundle of paper. The paper, long enough to touch the floor, was covered in numbers. And he said.

“This is a record of the losses incurred by your breach of trust. You are aware of this, as it was stated in the contract, correct?”

Ah.

What I had forgotten. It was the fact that I was in astronomical debt.

But it’s unfair. I’m also an innocent victim.

“W-Wait a minute! There’s a reason for that… It’s the fault of the security manager, Jeff! I didn’t do anything wrong…”

The man raised his palm to stop my words.

“I am merely a messenger. If you have anything to say, I believe it would be less troublesome to speak directly to my master.”

“Master?”

“Yes. Triaiya-nim, the emperor of the Garan art world, wishes to see the Hero-nim. He has prepared a proposal that will not be unfavorable to the Hero-nim.”

Haa…

I can roughly guess the pattern of this dating sim, but it wouldn’t hurt to hear what he has to say.

It’s probably nonsense, though.

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“D-D-D-Don’t say such ridiculous things!”

As befitting the emperor of the Garan art world, Triaiya’s room was luxurious.

A bold-style decoration, made by processing the skin of a giant beast-type monster almost in its original form, adorned the floor of his reception room.

Various genres of artwork that I couldn’t understand were hung on the walls. I could only guess that they were incredibly expensive items.

It was a decoration befitting Triaiya’s career, whose main job was as an art dealer before taking on the role of auction organizer.

“But Hero-nim, don’t you have any other options? I believe this is an unavoidable method to raise that amount of money.”

“No matter what, no matter what… A h-hero auction…”

What Triaiya proposed to me was the holding of a Hero Auction.

…It sounds good to call it a Hero Auction, but in the end, it meant putting myself up for auction.

The last day of the underground auction was canceled because Warehouse 3 was completely emptied.

Nobles, auction maniacs who had gathered in Garan from all over the world, waiting only for this day. Triaiya explained that a new, attractive auction was essential to satisfy and send back those nobles whose dissatisfaction had piled up.

Hero Auction.

Like the underground auction, it would be held for 7 days. But the only item on display there is one.

It’s me.

Of course, I’m not being sold as a permanent slave. If that were the case, I would have kicked him and left without even listening to the story.

One night. Only one night. The Hero Auction was an auction to sell the right to do whatever you want with the hero for one night over 7 days.

“And at the next day’s auction, we will screen the Hero-nim’s shameful records from the previous night in front of the participants! Every day, everyone’s desire to buy will soar to the sky! What do you think?”

What do I think? It’s a fucking trash plan.

Even if I’m a pervert, doing such a perverted thing…

Doing such a thing…

“I-I would never do that! Are you out of your mind?”

It’s crazy.

Yes, even if I’m a pervert, there are things that can be done and things that shouldn’t be done.

There is a line that people should not cross.

“Heo, that’s a pity, really a pity…”

Triaiya shook his head and said.

“It’s such a shame that someone with such perfect beauty as Hero-nim is buried in the world. Well, I won’t stop you. Days of adventure, smelling of dust and blood like a vagrant, living in danger… If that’s really what Hero-nim wants. Even if it’s just a one-night dream, there are nobles who truly know how to judge aesthetics waiting to generously give 100 million for Hero-nim’s perfect beauty.”

…100 million…?

“Well, if the main character, Hero-nim, doesn’t like it, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s just pretend this plan never happened… Ah, but please make sure to pay back the debt diligently.”

Triaiya was about to get up from his seat without hesitation. I grabbed his wrist without realizing it.

“W-Wait a minute…”

“What is it?”

“R-Really? 1, 100 million…? M-Me… Really…?”

Triaiya sat back down. He started rubbing his hands together and talking.

“Of course, of course. This is embarrassing to say, but even though I’m in this position, I’ve never actually seen anyone as beautiful as Hero-nim. Hehe, I feel embarrassed after saying this. As for me, I’ve seen countless noble ladies and young ladies from all over the world while organizing these auctions, but Hero-nim’s appearance was the best among them. You can trust me, as I am confident that no one in the world can beat my eye for identifying beauty.”

My heart started beating. I started to regret not putting enough effort into styling my hair.

That much…? Am I that pretty…?

Am I that much…? Of course, even I think I’m cute, but… I’m unbelievably cute, but 100 million…

“But well, it’s a pity. It’s a pity if you live like a wild person without being accurately evaluated for that beauty. Well, it’s Hero-nim’s freedom to live that way, but as Triaiya, who has lived worshiping beauty, I can’t help but feel sorry.”

…Eut…

My wariness of this man was gradually weakening.

No, this is sweet talk. He’s just showering me with compliments he doesn’t mean to throw me into an auction of ugly desires.

But why is my expression gradually relaxing?

“U-Um… If, just if. If I get b-bid on by the guests… How do you plan to divide the money?”

“Of course, I plan to divide it exactly in half.”

Half… Half of 100 million is 50 million…

The total amount of losses I caused to the underground auction is said to be 16,243,599g. It’s a merciful amount considering that Warehouse 3 was completely emptied.

Originally, it was an even more ridiculous amount. This was the result of the objections I raised to the items that were beyond my control being accepted and adjusted.

From my point of view, it’s just unfair.

But if I have 50 million, I’ll have a huge amount of money left over even after paying off the debt.

In fact, if it goes that far, I don’t know what’s what anymore.

Anyway, it just gives me the impression that it’s a huge amount of money.

My limit for big money seems to be around 10 million. Roughly, once it exceeds 10 million, it only comes to me as a vague feeling.

“R-Really, do the nobles really feel like that…? S-Such a large sum of money for just one night, it doesn’t make sense… I’ll just be embarrassed if no one buys me…”

…At that point, my thinking may have deviated a lot from the normal track.

“I guarantee it. Hero-nim has the qualities to become a star. It will definitely be enthusiastic.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes, I guarantee it. I bet my pride as an auctioneer.”

…Dangerous. Because Triaiya was so sure, I started to think that it might be okay.

For some reason, I couldn’t keep my feet still. It was hard to sit still because my head kept itching.

“I-If you say so much… S-Should I try it…? Just a little…”

I said that with a feeling of floating in the air. My mind was strolling through a flower garden where doubt did not exist.

“Good. You are making the right choice after all. A high-class person like Hero-nim has a stage that suits them. Now, sign here.”

“Yes…”

I signed the paper he handed me without looking at it, as if possessed. Without thinking.

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Triaiya politely saw me off until I left his mansion.

Outside the mansion, darkness was now slightly setting in.

I felt a little more sane after smelling the cold evening air.

…I was played by that devilish tongue again, what the hell am I doing…

Hero Auction.

In front of all sorts of perverted nobles, I became a product to be sold under the name of a hero.

…Of course, it’s my fault without anything to blame.

When I went back to the inn room and told Riel what had happened, I got scolded.

A lot.

“You’re an idiot! Hero-nim is an idiot! Pervert! Super pervert! Idiot pervert! What are you going to do!”

…Everything was a fact, so there was no room for excuses.