#chapter 65
—
Arthur, intrigued, asked,
“An elf? Are they another race?”
“That’s right. A bloodline that vanished a thousand years ago. A woman carrying their blood will be appearing in this auction.”
“Oh… if she carries their blood, then she must also carry their lineage?”
“Indeed. From what I’ve heard, they were a race exceptionally gifted in spirit arts, and among their ancestors were some who directly made contracts with the legendary ‘Spirit King.’”
Arthur gave a genuine exclamation of admiration.
“The Spirit King…? That’s impressive. And this elf is being put up as a slave?”
“Yes. Of course, obtaining her won’t be easy. The higher-ups… to be precise, the sponsors, will be attending in large numbers.”
“Oh… and sponsors, you say?”
“By regulation, I cannot tell you more than that.”
Arthur nodded at the explanation.
Watching him, Leon suddenly grew uneasy and stirred his ability.
\[You’re not thinking of buying a slave, are you?]
\[A slave? Why would I buy one?]
\[Then why are you asking so many questions! When you’re not even planning to buy one!]
\[But it makes you curious, doesn’t it? A race that vanished a thousand years ago… it’s not every day you meet such a person.]
Leon let out a sigh.
‘Should I feel relieved about this… or should I scold him?’
In the midst of that subtle dilemma, the man wearing the Pierrot mask bent at the waist.
“There are three hours left until the auction begins. Before that, a short party will be held. Would you like to attend?”
“A party?”
“Yes. A very private gathering, only accessible to those attending the auction. Hidden identities, whispered conversations. It’s quite an entertaining event, and many choose to participate.”
Arthur stroked his chin, then nodded.
“Then… might these higher-ups also show up?”
“That… I cannot say. How could someone as lowly as myself possibly know the identities of the guests?”
At this retort, Arthur looked toward Leon.
\[Shall we go? To the party?]
\[Why? Wouldn’t it be better just to wait?]
\[I’m curious about these higher-ups… and I think we should try to grasp the identities of some of the guests.]
\[Grasp their identities?]
\[From what I’ve heard, Hamburg Erison is connected with the underworld’s men—those called big shots.]
Leon stiffened in surprise.
\[Big shots of the underworld? You mean like <Pirates>, or the <Seven Kings>?]
\[Well… I’m not sure to that extent. But going into the party hall and gauging the state of the guests doesn’t seem like a bad idea. We could confirm whether such people are really present.]
Leon nodded at Arthur’s reasoning.
Arthur turned back and spoke aloud.
“Would you guide us there?”
“Yes… though, sir, I think you’ll need to change clothes first.”
“…Why?”
“A party, by nature, is defined by attire, form, and the social standing of those attending. And the most basic of these is attire.”
Arthur gave a low exclamation.
“But we didn’t bring suits with us.”
“There is a rental service available.”
With that, the man in the Pierrot mask extended his hand.
Arthur smirked and flicked him a single gold coin.
“…!”
The man’s voice wavered slightly, as if he had not expected a gold coin as a tip.
“…I’ll fetch the finest suit available.”
As promised, the masked man truly brought back the finest suits.
Dressed anew, Arthur and Leon received noticeably higher treatment as they were escorted to the party hall.
“Oh….”
“…It’s big.”
They marveled as their eyes swept across the hall glittering under grand chandeliers and lights.
Ha ha ha—!
Ho ho ho—!
Dozens of people were clinking glasses with bright laughter.
Unlike the drugged rabble outside, these people radiated poise and leisure.
‘So these… are the real masters of this place?’
As that thought flickered, Arthur’s lips curled faintly.
At the same time, the Pierrot-masked man who had led them bowed and withdrew.
“Then please enjoy yourselves….”
With his departure, Leon immediately spoke up, as if waiting.
\[So—information gathering?]
\[Yes. Let’s go gather what we can.]
Confidently, Leon disappeared into the center of the party hall.
Watching him, Arthur too picked up a glass and raised his senses.
‘So this business is….’
‘That redevelopment zone was a gold mine….’
‘Tonight, I’m taking one real fine piece home. The last slave broke down far too easily….’
Voices drifted into his ears. Arthur mentally categorized them by sector and stored them away, until one particular conversation startled him.
‘Shall we go?’
‘Where?’
‘The restroom.’
With that, a man and woman slipped away.
‘Oh my… your hands are quite bold. I’m not that kind of light woman, you know?’
‘Don’t act coy… this isn’t the kind of place for that.’
‘Hahaha\~ What a beastly man you are\~’
Leaning against the wall, another man and woman melded closer together.
Blinking, Arthur muttered,
“Oh… so this isn’t just a place for socializing?”
Indeed, upon closer look, a sticky air of lust pervaded the entire hall.
As he watched this bundle of desires, so unlike the outside streets, a silky voice brushed his ear.
“…Did you come alone?”
Arthur turned.
A red-haired woman, face hidden under a cat mask, was smiling at him.
After a moment’s thought, Arthur slowly answered.
“Yes. I came alone.”
—
—
Their glasses clinked.
The woman in the cat mask downed her drink in one go, while Arthur only pretended to sip—aware that the wine might be drugged.
Yet she seemed unconcerned as she drained her glass and said,
“How curious… hardly anyone ever comes here alone.”
“Really? Most come with company then?”
“Naturally… isn’t doing bad things together far more fun than doing them alone?”
Arthur nodded.
“That’s true. It also lessens the guilt.”
“Fufu… witty answer. So, what kind of bad thing have you come here to do?”
“Well… let’s see. I’ve been thinking of a few things, but I’m not quite sure yet.”
At that, her hand glided over Arthur’s chest.
“Then… why don’t we go do something bad together?”
“…”
“I’ve been wondering all this time… what kind of body is hidden beneath this suit? You caught my eye at once.”
Arthur, watching her desire-filled touch, gave a small exclamation.
‘A ring? And that’s a diamond.’
On her left ring finger.
Remembering what that usually meant, Arthur’s curiosity overcame him.
“You’re married?”
Her hand paused.
“…Isn’t that even better? I’m a married woman.”
“Oh… so being married makes it better?”
“…?”
“Sorry. I don’t know much about these things.”
The woman lifted her head to look at him. Arthur too lowered his gaze, unflinching.
After a long stare, the cat-masked woman burst out laughing.
“You’re wearing a tiger mask, yet asking puppy-like questions?”
“Am I?”
“Yes. Hm… suddenly I’ve lost interest. Shall we just have a drink?”
Arthur nodded.
Of course, he only clinked glasses—never drinking.
But the cat-masked woman was different. With each clink, she drank, and her voice grew louder as she became increasingly drunk.
“People who come to places like this fall into two types… one, those wanting to escape a harsh reality. Two, those wanting to bare their hidden desires.”
“And which type are you, Miss Cat?”
“Me? …Both. I want to escape reality, and I want to indulge my desires.”
“Hm… but wouldn’t your husband be heartbroken if he saw this? You’re married, after all.”
The woman laughed.
“Who knows? Would he even grieve? Considering I’m just a former slave?”
Arthur blinked in surprise.
“A… slave?”
“…Yes. I was bought here as one.”
“…”
“A successful businessman in Arcane… yes, he purchased me. And he owns more than thirty others like me.”
Arthur blinked.
“…Thirty wives?”
“Wives in name only. Could you truly call us wives? Playthings is more fitting.”
Arthur clicked his tongue.
“…How did you become a slave?”
“It’s a common story. My parents fell into massive debt, and they shoved it all onto me.”
“…A tragic tale.”
“An unfortunate one, yes. But I don’t think badly of it. Even though I live with that beast of a man, being sold granted me freedom of a sort.”
She drank again.
“That’s why I don’t feel guilt. No need to. That man probably prefers it this way too.”
She caressed Arthur’s face.
“Enough sentimental talk. So… shall we go to my room?”
Arthur hesitated, then replied,
“…No.”
“As I thought, you’re like a puppy.”
“A dog and a cat don’t match. And besides…”
Arthur’s lips curved faintly.
“You’re crying, aren’t you?”
“…?”
“See? You don’t need to pretend so hard. No need to console yourself with an act.”
He gently drew her hand from his chest.
“Masking sorrow with a forced smile… nothing is more painful than that.”
With those words, Arthur called forth Undine.
In an instant, a refreshing aura spread through her, driving out the traces of drugs.
Startled, the cat-masked woman stumbled back.
Arthur waved lightly.
“It was fun, Miss Cat. Let’s meet again another time.”
Flustered, the woman hurried out of the hall.
Watching her go, Arthur murmured as he turned away,
“Hm… a lucky case. For a slave, she’s treated quite well.”
For the end of a slave was never luxury—slaves were humans reduced to livestock, stripped of freedom.
And Hamburg had turned Bayern’s vassals into such slaves.
As Arthur imagined what torments they had endured, the corner of his lips rose.
“There’s less and less reason to let him live… all the better for me.”
With that, he turned—
“Hey there, Arthur!”
Leon was waving from afar, approaching.
Arthur blinked.
“…Why are your clothes undone, Leon?”
—
—
“Phew\~ the ladies here sure are aggressive. I nearly died trying to get away\~”
Beaming, Leon asked,
“So? Did you have a good time yourself?”
“A good time?”
“Yes. A good time.”
Arthur nodded.
“It was an interesting time.”
“Oh-ho? Interesting, you say?”
“Yes. Did you manage to find anything out?”
Leon smirked, lowering his head.
“The people here… seems they’re all patrons of this D-52 sector.”
“Patrons?”
“They call it a ‘playground’ in their jargon… in short, the place where men overflowing with wealth come to indulge their desires.”
Arthur’s eyes gleamed.
“Then if we destroy this place, all of them will become our enemies?”
“Pretty much. I already sensed it, but this place is even more dangerous than I thought… who’d have guessed it was run like this.”
Leon lifted his head again.
At the same time, Arthur stopped and turned his gaze toward a massive theater.
By rough count, there were about a thousand seats visible—and considering this was a slave auction hall, that was staggering.
‘All those seats will be filled?’
As that thought flickered and Arthur stroked his chin, the Pierrot-masked man approached and bowed.
“Tickets, please.”
Arthur and Leon handed over the tickets they had received earlier.
The man examined them carefully, then bowed again.
“This way.”
They were led to central seats—not the best, but not bad either.
Seated, Arthur and Leon resumed their exchange of information.
\[The security force seems larger than expected, doesn’t it?]
\[Yes. They said Hamburg hired about a hundred mafia mercenaries, but I think there are more.]
\[My guess is Hamburg did indeed hire around a hundred. The rest…]
Leon trailed off, pointing at the entering guests.
\[Are probably the bodyguards of these scum.]
Arthur nodded.
He tapped his fingers lightly, muttering inwardly.
‘So… will we have to deal with those bodyguards too?’
If trouble broke out, not all of them would intervene. But some surely would.
‘Then I’ll have to include them in the calculation. Hm….’
As Arthur pondered, the seats quickly filled.
“Ha… this place always makes me shiver.”
“What merchandise will it be tonight?”
“Surely the top item will be the elf, no?”
Amidst such chatter, Arthur and Leon murmured,
“Looks like it’s starting?”
“Yes, I think so.”
At that moment, the curtains fell.
The rowdy audience simultaneously fell silent, their eyes fixed on the stage.
When all gazes had gathered,
Pop—!
The spotlight lit, and a man appeared.
Arthur’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Huh?”
A middle-aged man with a bulging belly—it looked strangely familiar.
The man bowed politely, then raised his head.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience.”
Applause broke out as he lifted both arms and shouted from the center of the stage,
“I am Hamburg Erison, master of the <Lalalala> Slave Auction Market!”
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