episode_0014

“Lady! Let’s go together!”

“Follow me quietly, Erica.”

For some reason, the streets in the dark evening were quiet.

The shops and street vendors closed as if they had made an appointment, and the sparse streetlights illuminated the streets.

Isabelle walked away without looking back.

Erica hurriedly followed Isabelle with her short legs, and the family guards guarded the streets behind her.

“Miss, is this really the right place?”

Erica took a breath and asked Isabelle.

Isabel sighed as if she was annoyed and answered half-heartedly.

“This isn’t your first time going to the auction house. Do you think you’ve forgotten the way?”

“What do you mean by that? When did you visit the auction house?”

“… That’s what it says.”

Isabel took a precarious step.

As I turned the corner and passed through the gloomy alley, an old-fashioned building caught my eye.

There was a crowd of people lining up at the entrance of the building, and the attire of everyone entering was unusual.

‘I never thought I’d come here again… ‘

As she got closer to the entrance, Isabelle became more and more anxious.

‘Kyle… ‘

Isabel’s reason had been rapidly worn away over the past few days.

However, it was not Kyle’s cold attitude toward her that drove Isabelle crazy.

Feeling ashamed of yourself.

Longing for Kyle.

A sense of guilt that accumulates day by day.

Nothing else.

Even as Kyle demands to break off the engagement, he is so selfish that he cannot let go of Kyle.

The ugly contradiction arising from that gap drove Isabel into an endless abyss.

perhaps.

Anyway.

If only there was even the slightest possibility.

Wouldn’t Kyle be able to look back at himself just once?

In response to that slim possibility, Isabel burned herself like that.

Breaking off the engagement? like this? No, I can’t.

I’ll give you my whole body and mind, so please don’t leave my side.

I will spend my whole life atonement, and until I die, I will only look at you, so please…

“… Ah.”

I know that I am not normal.

However, Isabelle could not stop.

Her life without Kyle is no different from a pile of ashes where everything has been completely burned down and scattered.

“Lady, this way.”

Isabel stood behind the long line with Erica.

After adjusting the robe that covered my entire body once more to conceal my identity, I smoothed out the admission ticket in my pocket.

The long line shortened quickly.

Before we knew it, Isabelle’s turn had arrived.

After a while.

“Would you please show me your ticket?”

A large man with knights walking on either side held out his hand.

When I presented the prepared admission ticket, the man’s eyes widened.

“Oh my, I didn’t know this precious person.”

The corners of the man’s mouth drew an arc.

“Go inside and move to the passage on the right. I hope you have a great time.”

Isabel passed the entrance and walked in the direction the man pointed.

It was an exclusive passage for VIPs, the so-called nobles.

“The auction house is here.”

After passing through the passage, the woman waiting began to guide us.

As I walked through the dark, dead-end road, a narrow staircase was revealed.

“Phew… ”

Isabel followed her slowly down the stairs.

Erica, who was behind me, looked around the whole time going down the stairs to see what was so unsettling.

How long has it been?

At the end of the stairs, faint light leaked from the crack in the door.

Squeak—

When the door opened, a wide space reminiscent of an amphitheater was revealed.

“You can sit here.”

Isabel was ushered to the front seat.

It was a space specially prepared for a small number of nobles, and the entire auction house was clearly visible at a glance.

“ Instead of raising your hand, raise your paddle up to the top of your head.”

The woman who seated Isabelle handed her an auction paddle.

She left the place after saying that if you are interested in purchasing, you should first hold the paddle.

Erica looked around with a surprised expression and expressed concern.

“Lady, I’ll say it again, since you came out without the Count’s knowledge, you should only spend an appropriate amount… ”

“I know that much.”

I’m sorry Erica, but I had no intention of spending only a reasonable amount from the beginning.

In order to get the ring back, I was even thinking about robbing all the money I had.

“Welcome, distinguished guests! My name is Gerald from the Auction Association!”

Sigh—!

As soon as the man standing on the podium finished his greeting, a cloud of light pouring from the ceiling illuminated the podium.

The full-scale auction has begun.

The atmosphere changed in an instant as the items listed in the catalog came up to the stage one after another, and Isabelle sat down and watched the auction with a calm expression.

“What is 10,000 loops? 11,000 loops! 12,000 loops!… ”

Prices start to rise without stopping.

Madness flashed in the eyes of those shouting out praise.

“15,000 Rupees! Are there any additional bids?”

The heated auction house was filled with silence as if it had never been like this before.

“Successful bid for 15,000 looprans!”

Taaang—!

The host announced the final winning bid by slamming the auction hammer.

The next item comes out.

After a fierce psychological battle to win the bid.

Soon, the item is sold at a ridiculously high price.

Isabel swallowed a yawn as the boredom continued for a long time.

and.

“The long-awaited item has finally arrived!”

The long-awaited item has arrived on the podium.

“The ring is crafted with the highest quality haegeum stone!”

Isabelle, who had been watching the auction with indifferent eyes, suddenly got up from her seat as soon as she saw the ring on the podium.

It’s definitely true.

It was Kyle’s ring.

The whispers spread like ripples.

At the same time, greedy gazes aimed at prey were entangled.

“What’s special about this ring isn’t just the haegeumstone! Craftsman Skadi handcrafted it! A ring crafted by the best craftsman in the empire for days and days!”

Kyle’s voice, telling me that he would only give me the best, rang in my ears.

Isabel’s face, which had been calm the whole time, cracked.

“Starting price is 100,000 Rupees!”

What is 100,000 loops?

A small mansion in the outskirts can be purchased for a large sum of money.

I was momentarily shocked by the insane amount.

“105,000!”

Before we knew it, prices were soaring at an alarming rate.

“110,000!”

“115,000!”

“120,000 Rupees! Is there more?”

Isabelle’s eyes sank coldly.

and.

“2, 200,000 rupees! 200,000 loops are out!”

Isabel held the auction paddle confidently.

200,000 Rupees is twice the starting price of 100,000 Rupees.

A look of deep astonishment appeared on the host’s face.

“200,000 Rupees! Is there more?”

An eerie silence oppressed the auction house.

The eyes of those sitting in their seats were all focused on Isabel.

200,000 rupees per ring.

No matter how rare the value of the Haegeum Stone is, there is no crazy person who would burn down two mansions for just one ring.

“Ah, lady! What on earth is this… !!”

And that crazy person is the young lady he serves.

Erica jumped up and pulled Isabelle’s sleeve.

‘doesn’t care.’

No matter what the price was, no matter who asked how much.

That ring is yours.

This means that it was a gift prepared solely for Kyle, when he asked me to get engaged.

Isabel clenched her fists.

Soon my fingernail pierced my skin and blood flowed out.

I frowned for a moment due to the tingling pain.

Kyle must have been in much more pain than this.

The thought that I shared at least some of that pain gave me a little comfort.

“200,000 Rupees! I will win the bid in 10 seconds!”

The host began the countdown in a raised voice.

“10! 9! 8!… ”

I miss Kyle.

“… 6! 5! 4!… ”

If you carry this ring, wouldn’t people understand your sincerity a little bit?

“… 3! 2!… ”

The host picked up the hammer to make the winning bid.

It was then.

“2, 250,000!! 250,000 loops came out!!”

Someone threw a bet.

Isabelle’s lips parted in shock.

She urgently turned her head in the direction everyone’s eyes were looking.

Right behind the seat.

An all-too-familiar face was etched into Isabelle’s eyes like a nail.

“… !”

Luna Winfred.

She raised her paddle and raised her bid.

‘money… !’

The Justia family is wealthy.

However, the Justia family’s wealth is not entirely Isabelle’s wealth.

Isabelle is not the heir to the family or anything, she is just a daughter.

The amount Isabel prepared in advance was 230,000 rupees.

This was also the amount of money that had been scraped up to the bottom.

The corners of Luna’s mouth drew a graceful curve.

That smile was full of composure, as if he was confident of victory.

“Ha… haha… ”

Isabelle’s shoulders were shaking with an indescribable face that was neither smiling nor crying.

“Miss, it’s unfortunate, but I’m giving up at this point… ”

Isabel closed her eyes.

Every time I repeated the word “give up,” my skin itched.

give up? Kyle? What can I do?

My heart was congested.

I just stood there and took a deep breath.

‘The method… ‘

You have to find a way.

But by what means?

Should I sell the jewelry I wore? Or even hair?

I can’t even tell what I’m thinking right now.

The only obsession that bordered on stubbornness to get the ring back was in my head.

In such a crazy situation, a solution suddenly passed through her mind.

‘loan… ‘

Auctions hosted by the association provide some services to provide convenience to customers.

One of them is loans.

For those who are short on money, part of the bid is lent on the premise that they have sufficient credit.

“Lady… ?

Isabel smiled.

She held the paddle with trembling hands.

and.

“3, 300,000!! 300,000 Rupees were received!!”