Chapter 4: The Auction

For ones who had prostrated themselves and vowed bloody revenge, they drove the horses rather clumsily.

The person holding the reins was indecisive, so the horses tired quickly. Eventually, the carriage came to a halt in the middle of the wasteland not long after. Since it was the middle of the night, taking a break wasn’t a bad decision.

“Sister, are we even going the right way?”
“I don’t know…”
“Aren’t we going to run into a group of fanatics at this rate? The ones… the ones who perform human sacrifices…”
“Ah, damn it…”

The older of the two sisters sweated nervously as she looked at the map.

Bel paid close attention to one word in their conversation.
Fanatics.
Come to think of it, the slavers had mentioned them.
That a group of fanatics had passed through this wasteland.

Then there was a high possibility that the person who summoned Bel was one of them.
Someone who summoned her with pure mental strength and will alone, without a sacrifice.
Who had even made the absurd wish to destroy the world.

But for now, there was no way to know anything about that group or the summoner.
Perhaps she could get that information at the slavers’ headquarters.

Watching the sisters stomp their feet as they looked over the map, Bel stepped in.
“Give it here.”
“Kyah! Ah, th-thank you…!”

As Bel snatched the map and reins, the surprised older sister bowed deeply.
The format and notation were different from the maps she’d seen in the past, but there was no indicator easier to understand than a map.
It would be better for Bel to look at the map and drive than leave it to them.

While Bel was figuring out the general route by comparing the standard map with the slavers’ version, the sisters looked at each other nervously.
Honestly, for someone who had slaughtered the slavers so brutally, she had only shown them a gentle attitude.

Is it because we’re not prey that she doesn’t show much interest?
But then again, she was granting their request like this…

While the sisters hesitated, Bel—having grasped the terrain—folded the map.
“Do you two know anything about the fanatics?”
“Pardon?”
“I heard a group of fanatics passed through here.”
“W-we… don’t know much.”

The sisters glanced at each other. After a rather long silence, the older sister spoke.
“Generally… fanatic is used to mock followers of the Supreme God Luxlon, but the slavers probably meant something else.”
“In what sense?”
“Heretics… who use the power of a god through human sacrifice.”
“Hmm. I see.”

Supreme God Luxlon.
It seemed to be a concept treated as a god in this era.
But even so, it should only be called that in a limited area.

Is this religion spread across a fairly wide region?

There was one more strange thing.
It was even more bizarre because Bel was often awakened by being called the name of a god—in any era, in any place.
It was also unusual that they didn’t call on the Supreme God Luxlon, despite making a wish with such strong cherished desire.
Since they were treated as heretics or fanatics, perhaps they didn’t believe in Luxlon at all.

“Alright.”
In any case, nothing was certain now.
If they didn’t know, then it couldn’t be helped.

Bel brushed it off as unimportant, took the reins, and climbed into the driver’s seat.
Then she spoke to the sisters, who were still standing awkwardly.
“You two get some sleep.”

“Uhm, Bel…”

When she turned her head, the woman spoke again, still unable to relax her tension—still so afraid, she couldn’t even make proper eye contact.
“Why are you helping us?”

Bel said indifferently,
“You prayed for it.”

Someone’s intense wish.
It might be a little less than this century’s summoner, but since the past, only such voices stirred Bel.
And Belmias awakens upon hearing such voices.
As always.

The slavers’ hideout wasn’t far away.
At a certain point, the visible road disappeared, but the horses, as if familiar with it, found their way to the hideout easily.
Upon reaching a secluded cave-like location, several rather large and ornate carriages came into view.

However, their family crests were covered up.
It seemed this was the designated gathering point.

Bel’s party, having found identification tags by searching the belongings of the dead slavers, passed through the gatekeepers at the entrance without trouble.
Since they had taken the slavers’ clothes after killing them, they probably looked like part of a similar group.

“We’ll look for our sisters, in case any are still here. Just… wait for a moment.”
“Alright.”

Bel answered, but the woman, still anxious, pleaded once more.
“Please don’t kill everyone just yet. Really—just wait a little.”
“Okay. I like watching auctions.”

Even as they left Bel alone, the two sisters kept looking back nervously.
But Bel truly wasn’t unfamiliar with this kind of atmosphere.

Perhaps because of her clean appearance and confident demeanor, no one stopped her as she headed toward the upper level where the nobles gathered.
Sipping a drink meant for auction guests, Bel blended in smoothly.

No matter where in the world, in any era, the atmosphere of a s*ave auction was more or less the same.

First, there were many beautiful women.
All were shackled, wearing nearly transparent clothing, and unable to resist the men who brought them.
Occasionally, there were women with bruises—likely from too much resistance—but their faces were never damaged.

Someone acted as auctioneer, and someone else called out prices.
When a particularly popular product appeared, the room would heat up.

But it was all too predictable.
Especially for Bel.

Watching the slaves come up to the stage and the prices being called out, she could also discern the preferred human traits in this era.

Light hair color and a gentle appearance.
Bel chuckled.
Some things never changed.

Watching only the faded eyes that showed no will, it was starting to get boring.

“Next item!”

However, the next item caught Bel’s interest.

“Once the Sword of Lucilonia, the very honor of Luxlon itself—a former Holy Knight!”

Bel, who had been about to doze off until the sisters returned, opened her eyes slightly at the word knight.
A human who was once a Holy Knight.

“But he was dismissed on charges of heresy, and we caught this bastard fleeing from punishment!”

Bel, who liked receiving sacrifices like knights from humans, watched with interest.
Unlike the women before him, this human had a different presence and physique.
And, of course, a different gender.

He had bright blond hair and a sharp impression.
Though currently emaciated and sallow, his underlying features hinted at a strong, striking appearance.

Judging from the crowd’s stir, Bel noted another fact.
Aha. That’s what they call handsome in this era.

But he wasn’t just ordinarily handsome.
Her eyes were particularly drawn to his forearms and legs, exposed under the light cloth.
They were covered in strange patterns—not for beauty, but for restraint.

Despite his shining appearance, he resembled more of a grotesque display than a beautiful human.
Bel could see the essence of those patterns.

A unique method.
The patterns were imbued with restraining power.

Normally, slaves wore shackles—they were cheap and easy.
But they had gone to the trouble of using something else entirely.
So it likely wasn’t just for simple restraint.

He also wore chains around his limbs.
As Bel watched the holy knight with more interest than anything else so far, the auctioneer called out:

“Although he’s a heretic dismissed for his beliefs, you all know how humiliating it is for a man who was once a Holy Knight to become a s*ave and follow orders!”

The knight didn’t seem to be accepting his situation.
His rebellious eyes were blazing.
A stark contrast to the lifeless women before him.

But every time he tried to move, his motions were awkward and jerky—the patterns clearly restricting him.

“How are we supposed to use him? Won’t he just kill himself out of humiliation?”
“Don’t worry! We’ve attached a tool to make him obey. His physical abilities are suppressed by patterns carved by an Apostle! If he acts out, just do this!”

The slaver fiddled with something in his hand.
Soon, the metal binding the knight’s body trembled.

“Ugh, k’ak!”

It wasn’t visible, but something in the slaver’s hand could punish the knight remotely.

“You can just do this! Now, we’ll start at 20!”
“21!”
“22!”
“Hmph, 25!”

When the number 25 came out, murmurs broke out.
Sounds of ridicule followed.
It was high for a male s*ave.

“You’re paying 25? Do you think a heretic who abandoned the Supreme God will follow orders?”
“If he doesn’t, I’ll kill him and count it as the cost of the restraints. Still—getting a Holy Knight to obey? That’s something!”

Aha. It’s the tool they’re really bidding on, not the s*ave.
So this is an era where a human life holds little value.

Bel became curious about that tool, too.

“And who says we have to use him for that?”
“He’s not bad-looking, even like that.”
“That devout chastity of his is about to suffer.”
“They say it still stands tall even with all four limbs cut off.”

Loud laughter followed.
Someone whistled.

The intent was humiliation—and it worked.

The knight’s face turned red, then blue.
As he tried to get off the stage, the restraints dragged him back down.

“Ugh, aack!”
“I’ll go with 30!”

And the price rose again, mockingly.
The knight, now kneeling, lifted his head in fury.

And his eyes met Bel’s.

Green eyes—once surely admired by many.
Still blazing with intense light.

Bel opened her mouth.

“Three hundred.”

“3… 300 has been bid!”

The auctioneer nearly choked at the sudden leap in price.
Understandably so.
Judging by the reactions, 30 was already high—so a jump to 300 was shocking.

But Bel had no intention of paying.
This was merely a way to pass the time.