Chapter 2 – The Auction Has Begun

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The auction venue was located underground.

Accessible from deep within an alley, it resembled a strip theater.

Inside, the space was cramped, with only a few seats available.

It could accommodate about a dozen people at best.

Surprisingly, the event was well-attended, as most of the seats were already filled.

The clientele was varied; some seemed to be adventurers or dungeon explorers, while others appeared to be nobles or merchants.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was out of place.

“Please, take any available seat.”

Guided by an auction staff member wearing a bow tie—unlike the man from earlier—I took one of the empty seats.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the very last available seat.

Apparently, I was the final person to arrive.

Somehow, I began to understand why that man had approached me earlier.

Perhaps anyone would have sufficed; once the last seat was taken, it didn’t matter who it was.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the auction will commence shortly. Please wait a moment. … Now, allow me to explain how the auction will proceed. After the explanation of the slaves, we will open the bidding. When you wish to bid, simply raise your hand and state an amount above the minimum bid. The highest bidder will become the buyer.”

It seemed the auction was about to begin.

A staff member brought a cocktail, saying, “Please enjoy while you wait,” so I gulped it down.

Since it was free, not drinking would be a waste.

Before long,

After the lights in the venue briefly went out, purple and pink lights scattered across the hall.

It appeared to have begun.

“――Ladies and Gentlemen!”

A man in a top hat stood on the stage.

The lights focused on him.

He was likely the master of ceremonies.

“――Thank you very much for attending our Silk de Slave slave auction today!”

I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but since the other participants started clapping, I joined in.

Clap, clap, clap.

“――We are a traveling auction group that gathers various rare slaves! I’m sure there is a slave here who will delight each of our participants! Please, participate with enthusiasm!”

Travel… Surely, this auction group must have visited various places. For a moment, I even considered that I might try traveling too.

After all, my house had burned down, and I had nothing left to lose.

“――Now, let the auction begin! First up is this one――!”

The master of ceremonies announced the start of the auction.

Then, from beneath the stage’s edge, an extraordinarily stunning beauty appeared.

Her hair, a pale golden hue reminiscent of mimosa, and her eyes, forest-colored like jade.

She possessed translucent, fair skin, exquisitely refined features with a distinguished nose, and—sharp, pointed ears.

“――She is an elf! A beautiful princess of the forest!”

An elf. I had never seen one before.

I had heard rumors that their beauty was almost otherworldly, but…

This beauty surpassed even those rumors.

“…This is the real deal.”

“…Elves are hardly ever seen in big cities, let alone as slaves.”

“…At first, I thought these people were sketchy, but it seems participating might have its merits after all.”

The other audience members were all astonished. It was hardly surprising, as one rarely got the chance to see an elf.

In a metropolis like the imperial capital, you might glimpse visitors from an elven nation during national events.

But in this city—a city on par with a royal capital—they were as rare as something out of a fairy tale.

Already being such rare beings, to see one presented as a slave was bound to cause a stir.

“――She is truly remarkable! Not only is she exquisitely beautiful, but she is also adept at magic and archery, and can even read and write in ancient Elvish! A slave like this—one that even renowned nobles, influential merchants, or heroes whose names echo on the battlefield might only see once in a lifetime—may be beyond your wildest dreams!”

It was a pitch designed to make you feel you’d be at a loss if you didn’t acquire her. Well, even if they managed that on me, I wouldn’t buy her… or rather, I couldn’t afford her.

“――Now, starting at the unbelievable price of 15,000,000 Robs!”

…Eh?

I don’t see how that’s a bargain price.

It’s way too expensive.

Fifteen million…that’s almost the exact amount I paid for my house.

Even if elves are rare, who would actually buy one—

“――35 million!”
“――67 million!”
“――100 million!”
“――290 million!”

—Plenty of people would. Moreover, they were rattling off enormous sums one after another. What on earth was going through their heads?

I couldn’t believe it.

“――526 million! 526 million! Is there anyone who’ll bid higher than 526 million!? …It appears there isn’t, so this elf is sold for 526 million Robs!”

In the end, it seemed she was sold for 526 million Robs.

The buyer was a huge man in armor.

Maybe he struck it rich in a dungeon, or perhaps he was the son of a noble.

Either way, wearing such incredibly expensive-looking armor probably meant he was rolling in money.

What a mind-boggling sum.

How many lifetimes would it take for me to earn that much?

Yet it all changed hands in the blink of an eye.

I felt dizzy.

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The auction continued.

Most of the slaves put on sale were beastfolk.

Dog-people, cat-people, goat-people—various kinds appeared.

Although not as rare as elves, these beastfolk were still uncommon in this city.

You might see them a few times a year—or not at all, depending on the year.

It seemed that claim about gathering rare slaves was true.

Generally, they were sold for around 20 to 50 million.

It was still an outrageous amount of money, but compared to the elf who went for over a hundred million, it somehow felt smaller.

Maybe my sense of what’s normal was starting to get numb.

Incidentally, there really were slaves starting at a “bargain” price of 10,000 Bro as advertised, though their final bid quickly soared and ended at 30 million.

“――Now, the next one will be our last.”

So, apparently the next is the final item.

Spinning theatrically, the emcee led a single girl out from the stage wings.

When I saw her, I felt a slight jolt of surprise.

Her skin was a light brown shade, and her white hair was tinged with a faint grayish hue.

Her features were refined, though still retaining a trace of youth: a well-shaped nose, a delicate jawline, and eyes of jade—just like the elf earlier.

And—pointed ears.

“――Our last offering is a Dark Elf!”

Indeed, the very last to appear was a Dark Elf.