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– Chapter 3 ………………………………………………………………………
On a deep night so quiet that not even the sound of insects could be heard, two people wearing masks and black hoods walked down the road.
Their movements were so silent that not a single footstep could be heard.
At last, they arrived at a forest on the outskirts of the Grand Duke’s territory.
Under the dim glow of magical lamps, large tents could be seen, guarded by well-built sentries.
The people entering the tents were also wearing masks and hoods, just like the two of them.
When the pair stopped in front of the largest tent in the center, a guard blocked their path.
“Please show your tickets.”
One of them pulled out two gold-plated badges from inside their robe.
The moment the guard saw them, he quickly bowed respectfully. Those badges were admission passes possessed only by VVIP guests.
“I will guide you to your seats.”
Following the guard, they were led to a private second-floor central seat with blocked sides and a perfect view of the stage.
Once the guard left, the two finally removed their hoods and revealed their faces.
“This is my first time in a place like this.”
Melina looked around below with curious eyes.
It was disgusting since it was a slave auction house, but at the same time, it fascinated her because it was her first time seeing such a place.
“This will be the first and last time. You banned slave trading, after all.”
Ran’s words carried a determination to make sure no one would ever dare disobey the leader’s orders again.
“That’s how it should be.”
This incident was also a test to see whether she could truly live as Berta instead of Melina.
That was why she desperately wanted to succeed.
To live as Berta, she had to escape from being the obedient and kind child she once was. Otherwise, she would never be able to endure a place like this.
Even now, the old Melina occasionally resurfaced, making her hesitate and struggle. But each time, she killed that version of herself over and over again in her heart.
Because she could never return to the past again—and no longer wanted to.
Melina’s eyes shone with determination.
“Shan.”
At her call, Shan silently appeared.
“If this place turns chaotic, capture Bern first. You must do it yourself.”
For generations, only the closest aides knew the leader’s face. It was one of the measures taken to protect the leader’s safety.
That was why Ran and Shan acted as the leader’s representatives. In particular, Shan’s presence meant that the leader herself had personally come.
“When would be the most dramatic moment to appear?”
As Shan disappeared once more, Melina smiled faintly and looked toward the stage.
“We will now begin the auction. Today, we have especially prepared many premium items that are sure to stir your desire to purchase, so please look forward to it.”
The stage curtain rose, and the host appeared, energetically riling up the atmosphere. Then the slaves were introduced one by one.
Around halfway through the auction, a report came in that Bern’s location had been confirmed and preparations were complete.
Melina rose from her seat and lightly stretched her body.
At that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out on the first floor.
“Stop!”
A deep male voice echoed throughout the hall. Silence fell instantly, and everyone’s gaze turned toward the man.
The host stared blankly at him in confusion.
“Who is that?”
Having had the initiative stolen from her, Melina glared at the man in displeasure.
His face was hidden behind a mask and hood, making it difficult to identify him.
However, his tall stature, sturdy build, and above all the fierce aura he emitted made his presence unmistakable.
“Ran.”
Melina looked at Ran, silently asking whether he knew anything about the man, but Ran shook his head.
“Stop the auction immediately! From this moment on, no one is allowed to leave this place!”
Melina, who had been hesitating over what to do, realized she could delay no longer after hearing the man’s declaration.
Bern had to be dealt with personally by her, the leader of Temno. Otherwise, she would become a laughingstock.
“I can’t allow that.”
Standing atop the second-floor railing, Melina leapt down below.
Then she shouted loudly.
“Black Wolves!”
The Black Wolves revealed themselves and surrounded the entire hall.
Everything happened in an instant, leaving the people bewildered. Even the man widened his eyes in surprise as he looked at Melina.
The Black Wolves blocked those who tried to flee in panic.
Soon after, the auction house guards rushed in, but they were all subdued by the Black Wolves.
The host on stage turned deathly pale the moment he saw them.
“Do not interfere in Temno’s affairs.”
As Melina brushed past the man, she whispered quietly.
The man’s eyes trembled slightly for a moment.
“My deepest apologies to our esteemed guests. If you wait quietly, we will safely send you home once everything is settled. Therefore, please remain seated.”
Melina stepped onto the center of the stage and gracefully bowed her head, drawing everyone’s attention toward her.
The murmuring gradually died down, and those who had tried to escape quietly sat back down while nervously watching her.
As Melina finished greeting them and raised her head, her expression suddenly darkened. At the same time, her hand flicked lightly.
“Urgh!”
The host, who had been trying to flee backstage, let out a scream and collapsed to the floor.
A hidden weapon thrown by Melina had pierced his ankle.
“Where do you think you’re running?”
Twisting her lips into a sneer, Melina hurled hidden weapons at the others attempting to escape.
Ran followed her, taking down the men nearby.
Wherever the two passed, auction staff members lay sprawled across the ground groaning in pain.
The slaves on stage trembled as they looked at Melina.
After that, everything proceeded swiftly.
While Melina and Ran dealt with those involved behind the stage, the Black Wolves seized control of the entire auction house.
As Melina exited the stage and headed toward Bern’s location, she suddenly stopped upon sensing an unfamiliar presence nearby.
‘It feels like they’ve been lying in ambush for a while… Are they companions of that man?’
No matter how she looked at it, the man’s identity seemed suspicious.
For now, she decided to put the matter aside and continued onward.
Following the guidance of the Black Wolves, she entered a room where Bern was kneeling on the floor, bound tightly.
Shan stood before him with a sword pointed at his throat.
“Bern.”
At Melina’s cold voice, Bern trembled.
Even though her face was hidden by a mask, Bern reacted because of Shan and Ran.
Since Bern was not one of her closest aides, he did not know Melina’s face to begin with. He had identified her based on the presence of the leader’s representatives.
“You know what your crime is, don’t you?”
“Please spare me. I was wrong. Please spare my life.”
Bern pressed his forehead against the floor, desperately begging.
“If you knew it was wrong, you should never have done it in the first place. Did you think you could survive after defying my orders?”
“I-I’m sorry. You suddenly changed the policy, and I had no way to make a living. Please forgive me just this once.”
No way to make a living? She had compensated him for the losses and even provided support funds.
Melina’s gaze turned icy.
“Who is the leader of Temno?”
“T-That would of course be you, my lord.”
Bern answered in confusion, as though wondering why she would ask such an obvious question.
“Really? I almost thought you were the leader instead.”
Still unable to understand her meaning, Bern stared blankly at her.
“It’s my decision whether to change policy or not. Your role is simply to obey my orders. Because I am Temno’s law.”
Only then did Bern understand what she meant, and his face turned pale.
“Please spare me. I overstepped my bounds. Please forgive me.”
He repeatedly slammed his forehead against the floor in apology.
“You said you had no way to survive? Then what happened to all the money I gave you? Bring me the records of how you spent it.”
Bern froze in place.
His darting eyes answered for him.
“If you break Temno’s laws, there is no second chance. Drag him out!”
As Melina took the lead, Shan dragged Bern behind her.
Outside, Bern’s subordinates were all kneeling on the ground, bound tightly.
The Black Wolves surrounded them.
It seemed all the guests had already been sent home, because the surroundings were quiet.
No—not everyone had left.
That man was still standing there ahead of them with his companions.
When Melina’s gaze turned toward him, a Black Wolf approached and reported.
“We told him to leave, but he insisted on meeting you before going, so we left him for now. What should we do with him?”
Normally, they would have threatened and forcibly removed him.
But judging by the man, it did not seem like he would back down so easily.
Besides, she had a strange feeling that he should not be treated carelessly.
“I’ll speak with him myself.”
Melina walked toward the man.
Since the moment she emerged from the tent, he had never once taken his eyes off her.
“Do you still have business here?”
“Is that man the owner of the auction house?”
The man pointed at Bern as he asked.
Melina gave a slight nod.
“Then hand him over to me.”
“And why should I do that?”
“I came here under orders from His Grace Grand Duke Caster to investigate this place. I have the authority to arrest those responsible for illegal slave auctions, so hand him over.”
At the mention of Grand Duke Caster, Melina’s eyes widened slightly.
To think the name of the person she had been waiting to meet would come from this man.
“Can you prove your identity?”
She had no way of knowing whether the man was telling the truth.
The man pulled something from his chest and handed it to her.
It was an identification badge proving he was a knight of the Grand Duke’s house.
Melina stared silently at the badge.
It could still be fake. If so, what should she do?
After a brief moment of thought, she spoke.
“Even if it is by order of His Grace, I cannot comply with your request.”
“Why not?”
The question was filled with genuine confusion, making Melina stare at him silently.
She had expected anger or intimidation after refusing to comply with the Grand Duke’s command, but his reaction was unexpected.
“As I said earlier, that man is a member of Temno. Temno handles its own affairs. You should know that well.”
There was no citizen of the Empire who did not know this.
Especially not a knight of the Grand Duke’s house.
Which made her wonder why he was so insistent on taking Bern.
“How do you know he’s a member of Temno?”
“Among people involved in things like this, is there anyone in the Empire who doesn’t belong to Temno?”
Unable to refute her, the man fell silent for a moment in thought.
“Then how will milady prove that you are from Temno?”
Melina frowned, feeling as though the man was deliberately provoking her.
“And why should I prove that to you?”
“This is the territory of Grand Duke Caster, so as a knight of the ducal house, I have the right to verify identities. Moreover, illegal acts were committed here, so isn’t it only natural to request identification?”
With her meeting with the Grand Duke approaching, she could not afford to act forcefully toward one of his knights.
‘How much should I reveal?’
She debated whether to introduce herself merely as a high-ranking officer or reveal that she was the leader.
Melina lifted her head and carefully observed the man once more.
Strangely enough, he did not feel unfamiliar.
‘Especially that voice. Where have I heard it before?’
That height. That physique. That extraordinary presence.
And finally, a knight of the Grand Duke’s house.
As the puzzle pieces slowly came together, the corners of Melina’s lips curled upward.
She thought she finally knew who he was.
At her gesture, one of the nearby Black Wolves stepped forward and stood at attention.
“Remove your glove.”
The Black Wolf quickly removed his glove and extended his right hand toward her.
“Look carefully. There’s nothing there, right?”
Melina held out the Black Wolf’s hand toward the man.
The rough, calloused back of the hand looked no different from that of any ordinary swordsman.
When the man nodded, Melina placed her own hand briefly against the back of the Black Wolf’s hand before pulling away.
Then she showed it to him again.
“…!”
The man’s eyes widened suddenly upon seeing the back of the Black Wolf’s hand.
A black wolf emblem had appeared there.
