Only a smattering of applause for the winning bidder separated the host’s smooth transition from one item to the next. Again, prospective buyers made signals and called out, deftly setting prices that were just as quickly exceeded. Amid the pattern of activity, the princess seated at the venue’s center remained still, watching in silence.
“It must be tiring, looking so grim all the time,” Rashid observed with his usual amusement. “Since you’re here, you might as well enjoy it a little.”
“I refuse—as I’ve already made quite clear.”
“Is that so? Well, that— Ah. They’re finally up. This might go without saying, but do brace yourself. Their appearance might not match your expectations.”
“Those are—!”
Lynne raised her head to see five children being urged into a neat row atop the brightly lit stage. Their features matched those of the pale-haired boy sitting next to her.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Today’s centerpiece listing: a group of juvenile demonfolk—a race known for its rarity. That’s right, you’ll be bidding on all five at once! While you admire their curious appearances, please allow me to direct your attention to the items around their necks.”
Another buzz of excitement rippled through the venue—genuine, this time. Each of the children onstage had something fastened around their neck.
“You should all recognize them as slave collars. Well, these are a powerful, custom variety made specifically for demonfolk. Allow me to demonstrate. Dance!”
The hostess issued a cheerful command, holding what appeared to be a small key, and the children began to step and sway, moving their limbs in a truly absurd performance. Though the spectacle evoked laughter from the audience, the children’s eyes remained hollow, unable—or unwilling—to focus on a single point.
Lynne averted her eyes from the brightly lit stage, her hand pressed to her mouth. Beside her, the boy whose features matched those of the children onstage did the same.
“As you can see, despite the demonfolk’s reputation as savage, abhorrent, and difficult to handle, these magical collars will grant you absolute control over them. Uncover other people’s secrets, or have a pack of monsters at your beck and call—a listing with this much potential might never come around again! As these demonfolk are being sold together, let’s start the bidding at five billion gald!”
“Ten.”
“Twenty.”
“Thirty!”
“Forty!”
“Fifty!”
“Already, we’ve reached fifty billion gald! No, I see a call for sixty over there! Anyone else? Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
Cold, calculating shouts rang out as participants voiced their interest, growing louder and more intense with each raise. As their calls echoed throughout the venue, the princess and the boy beside her kept their eyes squeezed shut, unable to bear the idea of opening them.
“So this is what it’s like in person,” Lynne muttered. “I’m sorry, Rolo. I...”
“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. But this... It’s just too...” Rolo’s voice came out hoarse. He pressed his hands to his ears as he wept, tears streaming down his face. “It’s too awful.”
The princess rose from her seat, prompting a questioning “Lynne?” from the long-eared woman seated nearby.
“Astirra...” Lynne said, her voice frosty and clear. “I appreciate your offer, but I must retract my interest. I no longer need to borrow money from you.”
In almost mocking contrast, the venue’s excitement surged to a fever pitch.
“Incredible! We’ve just reached five hundred billion gald! Do we have any other bids? Be sure to raise your coins high into the air. Six hundred billion! Can we go any higher? We’ve surpassed the highest bid on record, but the listing is still open! These are our final items of the day, so if there are no more— Oh? We have a bid from the young lady over there—one of our first-time participants! A round of applause for her bravery!”
Only a few people deigned to clap as all eyes turned to the center table, to the girl who stood with her hand raised.
“Ma’am—please indicate your offer, if you would. Do you remember how? If you don’t know the hand signs, you may simply state—”
“My offer?” Lynne scoffed. “This is all I have to offer.”
The princess threw her coin into the air, and a great pillar of flame erupted from her outstretched hand.
“[Hellflare].”
In an instant, the coin was reduced to vapor, leaving not even a trace of metal. The flames faded, dying out as quickly as they had appeared, leaving only the hostess’s dumbfounded voice in their wake.
“M-Ma’am?”
“Are you sure about this, Lynne?” Astirra asked.
“I am. At long last, I understand what Instructor Noor was asking of me. He never approved of this auction. That’s why he took our funds with him, despite instructing me to handle it.” Amid the icy hush, Lynne slowly raised her head, tear tracks still visible on her face. “I’m sorry, Rolo. I should have realized it sooner. You shouldn’t have had to witness this.”
“It’s...okay. Thank you, Lynne. For getting angry for my sake.”
The princess clenched one fist, her shoulders trembling. “Instructor Noor is a kind man. Foreign lands or no, I should have known he could never abide such inhumanity. I am ashamed to have let such trivialities bind me.”
Astirra chuckled and slowly stood up as well. “You’re always so bold, aren’t you, Lynne? Though I must confess, I was moments from taking action myself.”
A violent gale burst forth, snatching the participant’s coin from each bidder’s hand before scattering them against the well-polished white walls.
“It’s honestly unthinkable,” she continued. “All these people, treating others like toys without remorse. I’m really quite angry, to be honest with you. I haven’t felt this heated since that rotten old bag of bones.”
“I understand exactly how you feel, mother, but acting like this within foreign borders could have long-lasting consequences...” Tirrence noted.
“Oh, forget about that. I can’t turn back now, so why not go all the way?”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. In for a copper, as they say. I’ll do my best to smooth diplomatic matters over later.”
Breathing a quiet sigh, Tirrence rose to his feet, joining Lynne and his mother in their act of defiance. As if on cue, enormous golems burst up from the floor, surrounding their table at the center of the venue.
“They really were waiting for us,” Astirra said. “And now they’re sprouting up like mushrooms. Yuck.”
“These golems aren’t to be underestimated,” Lynne warned.
“No, apparently not. But if we combine our strength, we— Ah!”
“I wouldn’t try anything, if I were you. We know exactly what you’re after.”
The hostess onstage had vanished, replaced by a slender young man and an overweight boy. Each clutched an ornamented golden knife, pressing its wicked edge against the neck of one of the children. Even then, the poor slaves’ eyes remained completely vacant.
“Aren’t those...?”
“My dear younger brothers!” Rashid announced. “Still hanging around, are you?”
“Much to your chagrin,” said the slighter of the two boys with a smirk. “You came here for this lot—we’ve known that from the start.”
The plump boy let out a dry chuckle of agreement. “Naturally, we made sure to prepare ourselves. And while that freak might have been with you before, I see we have the heavens themselves on our side. To think he’d turn tail and run before even setting foot in the venue! I had no idea he was such a coward. I was a fool for getting even slightly nervous.”
“Not that his presence would have changed anything. You’ve seen what these collars can do. Mental dominance goes without saying, but they also provide life support. Try to remove them by force, and you won’t have any children left to save. It’s a marvel what a little tinkering can achieve.”
“As you can see, you’re out of options—unless you intend to sacrifice your demonfolk friend’s long-lost people, that is. Even with that freak on your side, your failure was assured before you even got here. Ah ha ha! Too bad for you!”
The brothers laughed, keeping their knives pressed to the pale-haired children’s throats. Lynne uttered not a sound, regarding them with cold eyes.
“What’s wrong?” the slender brother asked. “Lost your nerve all of a sudden? You seemed so bold just a moment ago, spoiling the sanctity of this auction with your barbarism. If everything I’ve heard about foreigners being savages is true, perhaps this will make more sense to you.”
He alighted from the stage and sauntered past the hundreds of golems surrounding his “guests.” When he reached the princess, he looped an arm around her from behind and pressed his blade firmly against her neck instead.
“King Clays’s daughter, in the flesh,” he remarked. “You’ve stirred up more trouble than you’re worth—and in another country, no less. Strolling into the seat of our power without any information, did you really think you’d come out on top? I bet you enjoyed looking down on us, convinced you had a winning hand. Well, that arrogance was your downfa— Hmm?”
The thinner of the two brothers paused, his mouth snapping shut when he noticed the look on Lynne’s face. Despite having a knife at her throat, she was smiling—and so was Rashid, standing next to her.