Chapter 27

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 27

Chapter Title: Heaven Goes Up in Flames

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The longer the auction dragged on, the more stunned I became.

'Heaven, my foot. This is hell.'

'Slave auctions are illegal, aren't they? Then why are there so many people here?'

"This next lot is a pair of Runsha siblings. With their silver hair and silver eyes—even their eyelashes are a pure, pristine white. A rare find indeed. And the girl can read the imperial tongue."

The siblings dragged onto the stage were shackled at the wrists and ankles.

Pathetically, they were covered in horrific wounds, as if they'd been through hell.

"What do you think?"

At Ishak's question, Henri propped his chin on his hand and replied lightly.

"The boy looks too frail. If you're buying, just the girl. She can read us fairy tales."

The next slave up was a towering man.

His shaggy hair completely obscured his face as he let out a roar like "Kraaak!"

A spiked iron collar pierced his neck like barbs, and he was bound tight in countless ropes.

He looked even worse off than the previous siblings.

Ishak's eyes sparkled.

"That one's sturdy enough to haul a palanquin around the castle all day."

"Too wild. What if he hurts Leblain?"

Henri turned to me and asked.

"Any toys catch your eye?"

"……."

"Leblain?"

"No slabe... (I hate slaves...)"

Ishak tilted his head at my words.

"Why?"

"They pwitty sad."

"Nah, Gramps said weak is bad."

That damn Gramps of theirs.

I ground my teeth.

What the hell were they teaching these kids? Part of me wanted to drag him back from the grave and shake him silly.

It was then.

"Kraaak!"

A guttural scream rang out, followed by a massive thud! from the stage. An enormous gust of wind blasted from the source all the way to the audience.

In that instant, the man's ropes snapped.

He kicked off the ground and leaped straight toward our second-floor VIP box.

Bam!

With a dull thud, the man landed on the railing.

He quickly scanned the room, searching for an escape route.

But there was nowhere to run. Gritting his teeth, he turned his gaze to me.

'He's not seriously thinking of taking me hostage, is he?'

The thought had barely crossed my mind when he reached out for me.

'He's gonna grab me...!'

I squeezed my eyes shut without thinking.

But no matter how long I waited, nothing touched me.

I cracked my eyes open, and there...

"This bastard's a mage, huh."

"Interesting."

The man's hand was blocked by Ishak's sword, while a vivid red aura emanating from Henri's hand enveloped me protectively.

Ishak swiftly hooked his foot behind the man's leg. As the man toppled toward the seats below, I gripped the railing and leaped up. Landing on his chest with my sword tip aimed at him, another massive thud! echoed out.

I hurriedly grabbed the railing and peered down to the first floor.

The floor was cratered like a meteor had struck it.

Ishak's seal glowed blue on the man's chest, with lines extending from it, binding him tight.

The auction hall had frozen solid.

Terror etched the faces of the crowd who'd just witnessed the otherworldly power of these young masters.

It was only natural. Even I, who'd experienced the prowess of temple holy knights, felt my heart pounding.

Ishak waved at me.

"Hey, squirt! This one's tough as nails. Perfect plaything!"

The half-masked auctioneer nodded eagerly in agreement.

"A truly special item. A half-beast born from beast and human. And tougher than he looks. He'll last you a good long while."

'What the hell are you babbling about, you psycho.'

I glared at the half-mask spewing garbage.

Id rather regress again than buy slaves from a dump like this.

But refusing might be tricky with these boys. One punch from Ishak and I'd be regressing for real.

How do I turn them down without bruising their monstrous little egos?

I pondered, then sighed inwardly.

'Ugh, I didn't want to pull this in a crowd.'

I put on my best shocked face and cried out, "Wow!"

"Ishak, Henri stwong!"

Ishak's eyes lit up. Henri's widened a bit as he looked at me.

"Weblain no need toy. Pway with Ishak and Henri betta. 'Cause you two supew, supew stwong."

I hugged Henri's waist tight. He stiffened in surprise, but just when I thought I'd failed, the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Then... should we skip the toys?"

"Yesh!"

Good. Let's head out.

I'll report this cesspit to the temple or the palace the second we're back.

Ishak grinned wide.

"Eh, if that's what you think, let's bounce. But..."

"Hm?"

"...Playing with us is the best, right?"

His voice was a touch shy.

I smirked inwardly.

'What do you take four lifetimes of survival skills for?'

Flattery's child's play—even in my sleep.

I beamed.

"Best in the wowld!"

Seeing Henri and Ishak's faces light up, I smugly turned away.

Then I spotted a very, very familiar figure.

"Duckie?"

The duke had somehow entered Heaven, his face a mask of stone. Like the sky itself had fallen.

And for some reason, the boys' expressions turned downright arrogant.

***

A few hours earlier.

Hearing that Henri and Ishak had taken Leblain out to the shopping district, the duke scowled.

'Sneaky bastards.'

Losing the gift race, so they jumped the gun.

First impressions always stick the hardest.

If they got ahead in line, their gifts would outshine his in her memory.

The duke grabbed his jacket and stood.

Nos and the administrators begged him to review just one more document, but he ignored them.

He hated the current state of affairs.

Alone with Leblain, life had been leisurely and fulfilling.

She'd spent entire days on his lap, whined that she'd stay with him forever.

Even after formal adoption, busier days had cut their time together, but he'd always ranked in her top two.

But since the boys came down, everything changed.

Whenever he had a moment and thought of visiting her—

[She's chasing after Young Master Henri.]

Or

[She's with Young Master Ishak.]

That's what they'd say.

Days without Leblain were dull.

If the man from months ago saw him now, he'd think he was possessed and snap his own neck.

At first, she was just a nuisance.

This fearless brat trailing after him everywhere.

He'd snap at her to buzz off, she'd sulk for the day, then chase after him bright and early the next.

When had her absence started feeling off behind him?

Leblain had seeped in gradually.

He couldn't pinpoint when or why.

Just that her pale face whimpering "I did wrong, I did wrong," hands wringing, weighed on his chest.

It hurt when she hurt, and it pissed him off.

"Duckie!" Her call was music.

And her desperate "Be my daddy," it stung.

As he sat in the carriage with eyes closed, a horse's neigh broke the silence—hee-haw!—followed by the coachman's voice.

"We've arrived."

Stepping out into the shopping district, the duke asked Nos, who'd followed.

"Where are Leblain and those brats?"

"In Heaven."

The duke furrowed his brow.

Heaven was Viscount Dubos's recent headache.

It specialized in auctioning foreigners and war captives.

Slave auctions were illegal, but prisoner trades were tacitly overlooked, making it tricky to touch.

Plus, so many powerhouses attended that cracking down would cause chaos.

"Leblain's gift is a slave, then."

"Seems that way."

The duke's lips curled coldly.

"Pointless nonsense."

Slaves? Twenty wouldn't match his gift.

Or so he'd thought...

"...Playing with us is the best, right?"

"Best in the wowld!"

An absurd scene unfolded.

The duke stared blankly at wide-eyed Leblain and his smirking sons.

Then he told Nos.

"Blow it up."

"Pardon?"

As Nos swallowed nervously,

The duke declared with murderous intent.

"Raze this damned place to the ground."

***

I stared blankly at the building engulfed in flames.

'Fitting for a dump. Burns real nice.'

For some reason, the duke blew Heaven sky-high.

No chance to ask why.

The moment he gave the order, four black-robed figures dashed out in unison, drawing mana seals in the air.

He sauntered over, tucked me under his arm like a football, and strolled out.

Then boom!—the place exploded.

Good news: no casualties.

Thanks to Nos yelling desperately, "Anyone who wants to live, run!"

'Even the slaves got out.'

I'd seen the half-mask count them off: "All goods accounted for. All here." With relief.

'Should've blown up with the building.'

I shot the half-mask a deeply regretful look.

"Why? You like that one after all?"

I almost scowled at Ishak's words. As if I'd like trash like that.

But Ishak wasn't looking at the half-mask. His gaze was on the hulking man cowering behind him.

The slave who'd attacked us earlier.

"Wanna buy him? Better now before the building collapses. No auctions for a while."

"……."

"You can still play with us if you buy him. 'Cause we're the coolest in the world!"

I had no idea how that connected, but anyway, I really didn't want a slave.

'If carrots fail, time for the stick.'

I sighed at Ishak. "Hoo... No. No pway with that."

"Huh? Why?"

"Think 'bout it. Ishak not that cool."

"What?! No, I am cool!"

Ishak yelled, utterly flustered.