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Chapter 21
“Same for you? Actually, I came here for that too. As you know, there’s nothing more interesting these days than news about the Ferriel Count family.”
“That family is really unfortunate. I wonder where their old glory went.”
“Right? Hey, did you hear that rumor? They say the Ferriel Count’s daughter ran away with a noble from the Kingdom of Iber, and because of that, Count Ferriel had to pay a huge compensation.”
“Ah. I heard that too. Wasn’t the marriage arranged in exchange for receiving investment money from Count Robert?”
“Exactly. With the investment money and the compensation both to be paid, Count Ferriel supposedly collapsed from stress. That’s also why the Young Count Ferriel is attending this auction instead of him. Tsk tsk. How much betrayal must he have felt when his daughter ran away overnight?”
A noble from the Kingdom of Iber.
As expected, rumors were never trustworthy.
I slowed my steps and focused on their conversation.
“There’s another rumor too. They say Count Ferriel’s daughter kidnapped a high-ranking holy knight.”
“A high-ranking holy knight?”
“You know, don’t you? That holy knight who became vice-captain at a young age.”
“Ah, I know who you mean. You’re talking about the holy knight, Adriel?”
“They say that knight suddenly disappeared too. Coincidentally, it was on the same day Ferriel’s daughter went missing.”
“Hm… but isn’t Adriel a commoner? I doubt a spoiled noble girl would fall for a commoner like that.”
“Even so, is that holy knight an ordinary commoner? With his outstanding looks and remarkable skills, he captured the hearts of the empire’s people. There are even rumors that Ferriel’s daughter had admired him for a long time.”
Flinch.
For a moment, I almost tripped.
“Master, be careful!”
Luckily, Wit quickly grabbed me from the side, preventing me from falling. I straightened myself and quietly looked at them.
You people… know too much.
“Hm?”
“Why is that?”
“Did you feel a chill somewhere…?”
The men who had been whispering turned toward me and flinched, shoulders shaking.
A hooded, unidentified stranger was silently staring at them—it must have been unsettling.
“Master, what’s wrong? Don’t like those humans? Should Wit kill them?”
“Shh, quiet!”
I quickly covered Wit’s mouth.
But it seemed they had already heard him, because their expressions hardened.
Ah, great.
Sensing the atmosphere turning hostile, I quickly slipped away into the crowd with Wit.
After confirming no one was chasing us at the auction entrance, I finally sighed in relief.
“Huff… huff…”
“Ki-kikik. Fun. This is fun. Running with master is fun.”
Could you not be the only one enjoying this?
I sighed and looked around.
“There are… a lot of people.”
At the auction house, there were many people wearing robes like mine or masks covering half their faces.
Wol’s Auction House was a place where not only nobles but also commoners could enter freely as long as they had money.
Because of that, some nobles would hide their identities, ashamed to be in the same place as commoners.
“What are we doing now, Master? Kik.”
“I’m planning to wait for Echo for a bit.”
Of course, even if I met Echo, I only intended to exchange a light greeting.
A proper greeting would be difficult, considering Violet was always by her side.
Well, there were quite a few people dressed like me here, so it wasn’t like I would be easily recognized.
Still, being careful never hurts.
Just as I was about to move to a corner because the entrance was too crowded—
“Rosemary, what do I care about that bastard’s whereabouts!”
…Me again?
From the side of the building, a furious voice echoed loudly.
But what is he so angry about?
Unlike the gossipers from earlier, these didn’t seem to be talking about me.
And strangely, it felt like they knew me, which made me a little curious.
I carefully peeked around the side of the building.
“…!”
They look exactly the same?
Pink hair like cotton candy and an atmosphere that resembled Rosemary perfectly.
Only the eye color was different.
So I immediately understood.
That man was the Young Count Ferriel—Rosemary’s older brother.
I quietly watched him.
Beside the Young Count Ferriel stood a man who seemed like his friend.
“Hey. ‘That bastard’ is still your sister.”
“What? Are you crazy? I have never once acknowledged that trash as my sister! Say that again and I won’t let even you off, got it?”
“Ugh. Fine, fine.”
The man’s laugh only made the Young Count Ferriel even angrier.
“I was so close to success. If I had just received the investment from Count Robert, my business wouldn’t have collapsed like this. But that girl ran away and ruined everything. Everything… she destroyed my life… that useless piece of trash who never helped me even once… argh!”
“Hey, lower your voice. The guards might come.”
“Let them come! Do I look like I care right now? I’m supposed to stay calm while my family falls apart because of that girl?!”
Unable to contain his rage, the Young Count Ferriel began kicking the wall.
The man beside him looked around nervously.
I quickly stepped back before our eyes met.
“Damn it, damn it! Rosemary Ferriel! That cursed girl should just be stabbed somewhere and die!”
“Hey! Keep it down—!”
…Oh.
The resentment toward me is pretty intense.
But if you wanted that investment so badly, you should’ve married Count Robert yourself.
“Master, I don’t like that human. Can I kill him?”
Wit growled like a fierce dog.
I shook my head.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Why? Why not, Master?”
“There’s a famous saying.”
“If you just sit by the river long enough, you’ll see the corpse of that person float by.”
“Huh? What does that mean, Master?”
“If you don’t know, forget it. Let’s go.”
I patted Wit’s shoulder and started walking.
Main hall of the auction house.
Rows of chairs were lined up in front of the stage.
I sat in the back row, watching Echo’s back in the center.
Violet, sitting next to Echo, was as usual busy chatting with other nobles approaching her.
Her younger sibling was completely treated like air.
Surrounded by many people, Echo looked especially small beside Violet.
Maybe I should go say hello.
As I was thinking that, Echo suddenly turned around.
Our eyes met, and Echo smiled brightly while blushing.
“……”
I smiled slightly and gave a small wave.
At that moment, Violet looked at Echo curiously and tried to turn around.
Echo and I both quickly turned our heads away.
What? Weren’t you busy talking to others?
I calmed my startled heart just as the auction began.
“Lot 280, 5,000 gold. Do we have 6,000? 8,000…”
Watching the auction was more interesting than expected.
Especially the auctioneer’s smooth, flowing speech—it made time pass quickly.
After several rounds—
“This next item is the Ferriel Count family heirloom, the ‘Fairy’s Tear,’ said to bring good fortune.”
Finally, the long-awaited main item arrived.
Another “fairy” thing? What kind of family is the Ferriel Count family?
More importantly…
I looked toward where the Young Count Ferriel was sitting.
He already had a greedy expression, as if imagining how much he could sell it for.
“Let us begin.”
As the auctioneer finished speaking, people began raising their number paddles.
But then—
“Wit.”
“Got it, Master.”
Not a chance.
At my signal, Wit cast a spell.
Crash—!
“Kyaa!”
“W-what?!”
Just before the auctioneer could speak, a large decorative flower pot near the stage cracked and shattered.
A commotion broke out, and guards rushed in, claiming everything was fine and trying to resume the auction.
However—
Crash!
Bang!
The strange incidents didn’t stop.
Every time the auction was about to begin, windows shattered and the ceiling trembled.
Wit looked at me.
“Did I do well, Master?”
I nodded and silently applauded.
Good job, good job, our Wit!
I smiled faintly and looked at the Young Count Ferriel.
As the auction was delayed by chaos, panic and anxiety were clearly written on his face.
Sitting quietly by the river, huh.
I’m not the type to just wait patiently.
“Goodness…”
Amid the confusion, I casually let my voice slip.
“A family treasure… Could it be haunted by ancestral spirits?”
