Elias Leywin POV
The auction had drifted by in a blur of murmurs, polite applause, and the auctioneer's sharp voice echoing through the hall. I sat beside Mum, a little apart from Arthur, trying to focus on the stage below. Every so often, though, my eyes slipped to where Princess Kathyln sat poised and quiet next to her mother.
There were plenty of treasures being sold. Early on, a set of finely carved elemental stones went up, each shimmering faintly with stored mana. A merchant from the front rows bought them all without so much as blinking, dropping more gold than my father likely earned in a whole year of work. There were beast cores that gave off a weird vibe every time they were brought out, an attendant carrying them in on a velvet pillow. Even a basic C-class core cost 50 gold. When a B-class appeared, the bidding rose quickly. Voices stayed polite, but the numbers climbed so fast I lost track.
King Blaine claimed an A-class core with a simple lift of his hand, looking as if he were ordering breakfast instead of gambling a fortune. Queen Priscilla leaned close to him once or twice, whispering.
While the King pursued cores, the Queen bought a range of splendour. A mana absorption ring, a silver-chased wand, and an old grimoire in good condition. She barely raised her hand when she bid, yet no one challenged her.
As the auction went on, the items grew more expensive, and my interest began to fade until a large square container, covered in cloth, was rolled onto the stage.
'This seems interes-'
My thought cut off when Arthur covered my eyes.
I tried to shove him away. "What are you doing, Art?" I protested, kicking his chest hard enough to make him grunt.
"You shouldn't be seeing something like this."
"Why not?" I managed to wrench free and looked.
'Why are there girls... in chains...'
"Why are they..." I muttered as I stood and walked to the glass overlooking the hall.
A cage stood below, filled with girls chained together. They wore only filthy sacks over their private areas, looking only a few years older than I was.
'This is... Why are they...'
One by one they were dragged out by robed men as the auctioneer listed them like livestock.
I glanced back. Mum and Aunt Tabitha wore solemn expressions, but they turned away and covered Ellie and Lilia's eyes. Uncle Vincent looked guilty for a moment before smoothing his expression.
I stepped back from the glass and returned to Arthur. His fists were clenched so tightly that blood dripped from them.
I climbed back up and sat beside him.
The Queen covered Kathyln's eyes. The King and Prince frowned but looked away, as if pretending none of it was happening.
"Why are you looking away?" I asked the monarch of humanity.
His head spun around and locked onto my own. "Pardon?" he smiled, "I didn't quite catc-"
"You're the King, you can stop that." I pointed at the display they would rather have stayed ignorant to.
"It's far more complicated than that." He said as if he were speaking to a child. He was, but that wasn't the point.
"No, it isn't," I said plainly. "You're the king, right? Then people need to listen to you. So if you told them to stop, then they would."
"Even if I did, the trade would still continue in secret, making it even more dangerous for all parties involved."
"Then what's the point of a King if he can't do anything?"
Arthur let out a laugh as he stood with Sylvie, who leapt onto his shoulder.
"Elias!" my mother shouted as she slapped the back of my head. She lowered herself and began to repeatedly apologise on my behalf to the useless monarch.
"Your Majesty, I hope you're finding it worthwhile to visit this humble auction house of ours," Vincent said, assisting my mother in changing the topic.
"This place and event were anything but humble, Vincent," the King replied. "Securing an A-class core from a silvercoat bear is no small feat. Let's hope the beast will is still intact."
"Don't get your hopes up too much, Dear. You know how rare it is," the Queen murmured before she turned back and resumed her conversation with my now calmer mother and Aunt Tabitha.
I felt a quiet tug at my sleeve.
Kathyln stood beside my chair, her dark hair framing her pale face. "Hi," she said softly. "Do you... Mind if I sit here for a bit?"
I stared dumbly at her, then at the empty seat beside me. It had been temporarily vacated by my brother as he lingered near one of the cloaked men who accompanied the royal family.
"Oh-um-of course! Please do so," I stammered, scooting over abruptly. The Princess sat down, smoothing her dress.
"It's... loud," she said after a heartbeat, her eyes flicking toward the stage where a B-class beast core now gleamed under the lanterns. "I thought it might be quieter up here, compared to down there."
"Oh. Yeah. It was."
'Why am I so damn-'
A scoff drew us from each other as the Prince stood over us. "Room for one more?" He asked. Not waiting for a reply, he sat between the princess and me, pushing both of us towards the sofa's arms.
I leaned forward and looked to my side. The princess's gaze met my own as her brother stared daggers at me.
His expression softened after a moment. "You were right." He said plainly.
"What?"
"About Father." He said with a nod. "He should have done something about slavery years ago, especially if he wants peace with Darv and Elenoir."
"Were we not before, at peace with them, I mean?" I asked as I tilted my head.
"Whenever had we been?" He laughed as he leaned back into the sofa. "But father wants to change that." Pride radiated from the prince as he watched the ceiling.
I let out a heavy exhale as I went to speak, but my throat tightened under some unknown external pressure. My hand naturally found my neck as I held it.
'What the Hell is going on? This place should be safe...'
I looked up to see both royal children hunched over, clutching their chests.
My breathing turned shallow as the overbearing pressure continued gripping at my insides. With much effort, my body relented a little, and I was able to turn my gaze slightly to see if they knew what was going on.
Before us, the Princess of Humanity kneeled on the floor, holding her own neck. I released my throat as I rested a hand on the princess's back.
"Are you alright, princess?" I asked raspily.
She raised her head to look at me, "Kathlyn", she corrected between bated breaths.
The King sprinted over to us as he checked over his children.
"Who's there? You dare try and attack the royal family?" the King roared as he pushed his wife and children behind him. Queen Priscilla had her wand out and had begun to silently mutter a spell.
My mother pulled Ellie and me close as my Father made his appearance, picking up my brother along the way, carrying him over to us before walking over to Uncle Vincent.
Time ticked slowly for me as everyone in the room was in a state of panic and tension.
My father stopped by but soon left to search for the mysterious attacker.
It wasn't until a little bit later when they confirmed the killing of an intruder on the roof that everyone calmed down. We all returned to our seats as the Auctioneer's piercing Voice broke the temporary Silence.
"Now! For the final item, we have up for the lucky individual fortunate enough to acquire this!" The auctioneer's dramatic voice echoed from below as another cage covered by a silk cloth was dragged onstage.
After a dramatic pause, the tarp covering the cage was removed, revealing a small feline animal the size of a large dog.
"An infant world lion!" The auctioneer bellowed. "For those who are ignorant of this magnificent mana beast, an adult world lion has the capability to at least become a B-class mana beast. I dare say that if taken care of well, this infant world lion could even become an A-class mana beast! Do you know what this means? Taking care of and treasuring this fine beast will allow its master to become a legendary beast tamer!"
The audience below us erupted into a frenzy. Hands shot into the air, bidding without even waiting for the auctioneer to begin. To my surprise, King Glayder smacked the glass with his hand as his eyes glued onto the mana beast.
"Now, now! I won't be able to start the bidding until everyone gets settled!" The auctioneer shook his fingers with a satisfied grin as he waited for the crowd to settle.
As the bidders all reluctantly settled, the auctioneer finally announced the starting bid. "We will start at one hundred gold!"
Immediately, the price of the world lion soared. Soon, it passed four hundred gold, and the bidders had no intention of stopping.
"500 gold!"
"550!"
"600!"
"700!"
"1000 gold coins!" the King bellowed into a voice-amplifying artefact.
Simply by hearing their king's voice, the crowd's incessant bidding stopped. It was obvious that, while there were plenty who could afford to bid higher, they were more so debating on whether it was worth bidding against their own king.
After the auctioneer counted off, the price was eventually settled at either 1,000 gold coins or 1 white-gold tablet, as one of my tutors had taught.
Vincent walked up to the King, hand outstretched. "Seems like no one wants to bid against you, King Glayder," he congratulated.
"One white-gold tablet shouldn't be too unfair, right?" the King joked as he peered back down onto the stage, obviously excited.
"Thank you for the consideration," Vincent chuckled in defeat. "What are your plans with the new royal pet? Will you use it for yourself, or perhaps give it to your son?"
"While tempting it was for me to acquire a bond, I'm thinking of giving it to Curtis..." he said casually. "Of course, that all depends on how he does," he finished, patting his son's head.
"D-Dad!" Prince Curtis, whose face had visibly brightened at his father's first remark, stuttered out in worry.
Queen Priscilla, adding fuel to the fire, added, "Curtis, I remember you've been slacking off on your sword lessons."
"Ah! Mom! That was supposed to be a secret!" The fierce-looking prince tugged on his mother's sleeve as his eyes switched between his mother and father.
"Mama, can I have a pet?" Ellie asked.
"Haha! I don't know. Mana beasts only want to be pets for good Children," Mum teased, wagging a finger at her.
---
The Tenth Anniversary event concluded without further incident. The guards escorted us all back downstairs. I stayed close to Mum, watching Arthur out of the corner of my eye. He walked ahead of us, calm as ever, with Sylvie padding by his side like she owned the marble floors.
In the storage room behind the stage, Uncle Vincent handed Arthur something wrapped in dark cloth. I craned my neck as I tried to see what it was.
"Thank you." He smiled with a respectful nod.
"For everything you and your family have done for us, this is hardly enough, Arthur. We have some swords in the back if you want to look. They might not be anything fancy, but I'm sure you'll find a sturdy blade until you finish growing."
"Oh! Are you planning on taking lessons with the sword?" King Glayder interrupted as he rested a hand on Prince Curtis's shoulder.
"Swords are merely a hobby for me, Your Majesty. I would never hope to amount to the same level as your son," Arthur said evenly, turning back toward Vincent.
"Your Majesty, Prince Curtis would only become infected with bad habits if he began sparring with mere commoners." A royal guard with snake-like eyes commented with a scowl as he looked between my brother and his bond.
"Ah, you guys are here!" Dad said as he saw us. "How did you enjoy the auction?" Dad asked us. Noticing the royals also in the room, he dipped his head quickly to the King and Queen. Excusing himself, he pulled Uncle Vincent aside as he and the Twin Horns began debriefing about the event.
"Big Bro, what sword are you gonna get?" I groaned out as I played with Sylvie, holding her front paws as she stood up on her hind legs.
He patted my head slightly as his eyes lingered on the same robed man. The man leaned close to the king's ear.
Something about it made my stomach squirm.
King Glayder shot his royal guard an irritated glance, but let out a sigh. The King's gaze slid past me and fixed on Dad. "I never did catch your name. You must be this young boy's father, correct?"
Dad lowered his head a bit. "My name is Reynolds Leywin, and yes, that is the case. What might be the matter, Your Majesty?"
"Sebastian here has served our family loyally for many years. I feel the need to reward him for his service. He has taken a fancy to your son's bond. I know it's not easy to sever a contract, but I would be more than willing to hire a mage and compensate you for the trouble."
The room went cold.
'He wants Sylvie?'
I looked up at my brother. Fury radiated off of him. He didn't flinch as he stared down the King. The air around him grew heavy as he lifted his hand from my scalp.
Dad stammered, "Y-Your Majesty... my son found his bond on his own. I cannot speak for him about it."
The King turned his eyes, landing on Arthur.
Beside him, the man I assumed to be Sebastian slammed his staff down. "Boy. Didn't your father teach you to lower your gaze when speaking to your superiors?"
Arthur didn't move. His gaze only intensifies. The King raised a hand, silencing Sebastian. The air grew denser as even Dad fell quiet.
The King stepped closer to Arthur. "Hello, child. I'm sure you heard what I just said. How about it? My royal armoury has a sword fit for any aspiring knight."
Arthur didn't bow before the monarch. He didn't even blink at his words. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gracious offer, but I must refuse. A simple sword could never replace Sylvie."
Sebastian's face twisted, "How dare-"
"Sebastian!" The king snapped as he looked back at Arthur. "How about a trade then? The world lion cub I just purchased for your bond?"
"Father!" Curtis tugged at the King's sleeve. "I thought the mana beast was mine?"
The King ignored him. His eyes bore into Arthur.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I do not wish to give, sell, or trade my bond."
The King's shoulders tensed. He leaned in, closer to my brother. "I have asked you twice, child. I will ask once more: will you give me your bond?"
All eyes were on Arthur, but he didn't back down. "Then let me ask you a question in response, Your Majesty. How much are you willing to sell your children to me?"
The King's mouth opened to speak, but before he could, his face twisted in anger.
"You have asked me twice, and I have rejected you both times, yet it seems your pride won't allow you to accept my refusal. You don't seem to be aware of what you were asking me, so I hoped to clarify using my question instead. How much money should I give you in return for your son or your daughter, King Glayder?" Art reiterated, staring down the King of Humanity.
The sharp whistle of a sword leaving its scabbard rang through the room. "Insolent peasant! You dare insult the King and his family?" a guard roared as he charged at my brother.
As the sword arced towards my brother, he pushed Sylvie and me aside with a burst of wind mana, sending us skidding across the marble flooring.
I held my brother's bond close to my chest as he easily sidestepped the guard's swing. Continuing his movement, Art brought his fist to the outclassed guard's jaw, shattering it with a deep thud as he collapsed to the floor.
Art flicked his wrist as he stared down at Sebastian.
He took a step forward towards him.
'What the hell?'
In the very next moment, my brother stood over Sebastian. Both of the man's legs bent in opposite directions. Shattered as bone and tendon poked free of his flesh, as blood began to pool on the floor.
Art looked back at me. Back to Sylvie. As with a heavy exhale, he collapsed to the floor.
The room's silence was deafening, only broken by the cry of my mother as she sprang towards my unconscious brother.
---
Hello everyone, Rius here,
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. See you tomorrow for Chapter 9.
Thank you to Lancelot Dragonroad for beta-reading and editing.
Rius Out.