Kael leaned back in the royal box, quietly observing the frenzy below.
Four of the Top Ten lots had already come and gone, each one sparking bidding wars that climbed into the millions of gold crowns within seconds.
The true wealth of the empire was on full display — sums so enormous they made his earlier reckless spending look like pocket change.
He didn’t bother raising his voice even once.
These items are impressive, he thought, but none of them are truly useful to me right now.
Wasting his limited chances on flashy but ultimately mediocre treasures would be foolish.
He needed to save his ammunition for the lots that could actually strengthen his Void Core or advance his plans.
The succubus host’s smile never faltered as she raised her hands once more.
“For the next lot, we have something very… interesting,” she announced, her tail twitching with cruel excitement.
“Two slaves — a matched pair.”
A fresh wave of murmurs rippled through the hall.
Slaves were nothing new at Vantress auctions, but placing them in the Top Ten of the Grand Auction was almost unheard of.
The crowd leaned forward, curiosity and dark anticipation mixing in the air.
In the royal box, Kael tilted his head.
“What’s so special about them that they’re placed in the Top Ten?” he asked Diana.
Aurora looked equally surprised, her brows furrowed.
Diana smiled faintly.
“Normally, we would not sell them in this manner, my Prince. However, their captor — Duke Neil — specially requested it. We had no choice but to honor his wishes.”
Kael’s interest sharpened instantly.
“Now my curiosity is truly piqued.”
The succubus let the tension build for a full minute, her voice dripping with theatrical suspense.
“This lot comes as a pair… a male and a female.”
The crowd grew even more agitated.
“Get on with it already!” someone shouted.
“Stop the suspense and show them!”
The succubus’s smile widened, her tail flicking in delight.
“Well then, let us not keep our honored guests waiting any longer. For one of the Top Five positions… we present Baron William and his wife, Lady Nadia.”
The entire hall fell into a stunned silence.
Then chaos erupted.
Gasps and shocked exclamations exploded from every corner.
Nobles shot to their feet.
Merchants stared in disbelief.
Even the most jaded VIP boxes broke into frantic whispers.
“Baron William?! The ruler of Silverfield?!”
“Elarion’s hometown… the man who supported the hero from the very beginning!”
“They captured an entire ruling noble family?!”
From one of the highest boxes, Duke Neil’s loud, mocking laughter boomed across the hall, clearly enjoying the spectacle he had orchestrated.
In the royal box, Aurora’s face drained of all color.
Her hands gripped the armrest so tightly her knuckles turned white.
William and Nadia… the baron who treated Elarion like a son… the family that helped him when he was still just a boy from a merchant household…
Down in the common seats, Elarion felt as if the world had tilted beneath him.
His golden aura flared uncontrollably for a split second before Astrid clamped down hard on his arm.
His mind reeled in horror and rage.
Baron William and Lady Nadia were not just any nobles — they were the ruling family of his hometown, the people who had believed in him, supported him, and treated him with genuine respect long before he became the chosen hero.
The succubus host simply smiled serenely, as if she had not just dropped a bomb on the entire empire.
Aurora shot to her feet, her face burning with absolute fury.
“Diana, what the hell are you people doing?!” she demanded, voice low but trembling with rage.
“Enslaving a noble family? No matter what their rank is — have you all lost your minds?”
Diana let out a small, weary sigh, as if explaining something painfully obvious.
“You should listen before jumping to conclusions—”
Aurora’s golden eyes flared dangerously, cutting her off.
“Diana Vantress, you will answer me properly before this becomes an official imperial matter.”
Diana didn’t flinch.
She met Aurora’s glare with cool, unflinching purple eyes.
“Aurora… you really are ignorant of the world’s affairs, aren’t you?”
Kael sat between them, momentarily speechless.
His violet gaze drifted down to the stage where Lady Nadia stood in chains.
A perfect milf… he thought, the faintest appreciative smile tugging at his lips.
Diana continued calmly.
“Six months ago, Baron William’s family was caught with connections to demons. Duke Neil arrested them under imperial law. As the captor, he has every right to do whatever he wishes with prisoners taken in a demon-related crime. He specifically requested we sell them here. Refusing a Duke’s lawful demand was not an option.”
Aurora’s face paled, then flushed with fresh anger.
“Connections with demons? That’s impossible! Baron William is the one who supported Elarion before he even became the hero! Even after Elarion offered many times to raise his noble status, William and his wife refused, saying they were content guarding Silverfield — Elarion’s hometown. To him, they were like his own parents!”
She stood straighter, voice trembling with barely contained panic.
If Elarion hears about this, he won’t stop.
He’ll go straight after Duke Neil… Everything is becoming far too complicated.
Aurora’s heart clenched painfully.
” Diana, we should stop this immediately.”
Diana shook her head.
“We cannot change anything now. The agreement is already sealed with Duke Neil, and both of them have been marked with slave seals. The only one who can revoke their status is the Emperor himself.”
Kael finally spoke, his tone light and almost bored as he glanced toward the stage.
“Umm, sister… sorry for interrupting your conversation, but the bidding has already started.”
Aurora spun toward the stage, her face drained of color.
Below, the succubus host smiled serenely as bids flew in rapid succession.
The price for the matched pair of Baron William and Lady Nadia was climbing into the millions, fueled by nobles and merchants eager to own a piece of the hero’s personal history.
Elarion couldn’t stay seated any longer.
The moment the succubus announced Baron William and Lady Nadia as the next lot, something inside him shattered.
The couple who had treated him like their own son — the only nobles in Silverfield who had believed in him when he was still just a rebellious merchant’s boy — were now standing on stage in slave collars.
His golden aura flared violently beneath his hooded robe.
Astrid grabbed his arm, voice urgent.
“Elarion, no — you can’t!”
But he was already moving, pushing through the crowd with long, determined strides.
The common seats gave way to the elevated VIP section reserved for the empire’s highest nobility.
Two House Vantress guards stepped forward to block his path, hands on their weapons.
“Authorized personnel only,” one growled.
Elarion didn’t slow down.
He lowered his hood just enough for his golden hair and sky-blue eyes to catch the light.
The guards froze.
“Holy Son…” one whispered, recognition hitting like a hammer.
No one dared challenge the Goddess’s chosen hero in public.
Astrid hurried after him, her face pale with worry.
“Elarion, please think about this. If you reveal yourself now—”
He didn’t answer.
His jaw was locked tight, fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
Every step up the stairs toward the private Duke boxes felt like walking through fire.
He stopped in front of the largest and most opulent box — Duke Neil’s private suite.
Without knocking, Elarion pushed the heavy velvet curtain aside and stepped in.
Duke Neil lounged in a gilded chair, a glass of wine in hand, laughing with two of his retainers.
The moment he saw Elarion, his expression shifted from amusement to smug satisfaction.
“Well, well,” the Duke drawled, not even bothering to stand.
“The hero himself graces us with his presence. To what do I owe this unexpected honor?”
Elarion’s voice was low, cold, and trembling with barely contained fury.
“Explain yourself, Duke Neil.”
He took another step forward, golden energy flickering dangerously around his clenched fists.
“Baron William and Lady Nadia. They were like family to me. They supported me long before the Goddess chose me. Why are they collared and being sold like common slaves in this auction?”
Duke Neil took a slow sip of wine, clearly enjoying the moment.
“Ah, that. A simple matter of imperial law, Holy Son. They were found with connections to demon cults. As the arresting authority, I had every legal right to claim them as spoils of war. House Vantress was kind enough to facilitate the sale.”
Elarion’s aura flared brighter, golden sparks dancing across the floor of the box.
“Lies,” he growled.
“William would never betray the empire. He protected Silverfield for decades. He believed in me when no one else did.”
Duke Neil’s smile widened, cold and mocking.
“Belief can be a dangerous thing, hero. Perhaps you should ask your precious princess why she’s sitting so comfortably beside the mana-less prince while your surrogate parents are being auctioned off like livestock.”
Astrid stepped forward quickly, placing a warning hand on Elarion’s shoulder before he could do something irreversible.
Elarion’s eyes burned with raw pain and fury as he stared down the Duke, who had just shattered one of the few pure pieces of his past.
“You will pay for this, Duke Neil. I will make sure of it.”
The Duke laughed with open amusement.
“We shall see, Hero. Unlike you, I’ve been hearing some very interesting rumors lately. And now even our princess is attending this special event with someone else…” His eyes traced the concealing hood still partially covering Elarion’s body.
“Hiding like a rat… It seems the rumors aren’t false, huh?”
Astrid’s face paled.
If the nobles heard that Elarion’s rank had fallen and learned about the curse, everything would be ruined.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him forcefully out of the box.
The door shut behind them with Duke Neil’s mocking smile still lingering in the air.
Outside in the corridor, Elarion wrenched his arm free.
“Astrid, why are you stopping me?”
Astrid sighed, her expression heavy.
These days, Elarion was losing the sharp edge that once made him unparalleled.
“Hero, first let’s find out what actually happened. You can’t just barge into a Duke’s box and demand anything you want.”
Elarion’s voice cracked with frustration.
“So I should just let them sell William and his wife like cattle?”
“I’m not saying that,” Astrid replied firmly.
“If they were wrongfully enslaved, we can request that the Emperor remove their seals. That’s the only option we have right now.”