Chapter 208: Brilliantly Dazzlingly (2)
The Mytilene Auction House was always at the center of continental attention.
Every summer, the grand auction was the talk of the town, with people buzzing about which items sold for how much.
From the previous summer’s grand auction, where the Empire’s second prince purchased a glass that emitted birdsong every time he sipped wine for one hundred thousand gold, to the sale of a now-uncreatable subspace artifact for ten million gold.
It was a place where the rarest items and the wealthiest individuals from across the continent gathered.
Boooooooon—
A majestic horn blares.
In the distance, massive warships approach Mytilene in formation. The small merchant ships floating nearby hastily scatter to avoid a collision.
“They’re awfully big……”
Nicholas, who had come out in advance to receive the Administrative Duke’s representative, mutters under his breath.
The Seven Wise Men, who held the world in their hands.
The ‘Commons,’ composed of ordinary people from all corners of the world.
And even the Twelve Sisters of Dawn, the Daybreaker, and the Apostles. They had assessed themselves as forces capable of overturning this world, but.
“It was all for naught.”
The existing powers of the old world were so colossal that they wouldn’t even acknowledge such things.
Nicholas smiled bitterly, realizing that he, too, had become intoxicated by the self-importance that ‘pureum’ provided.
He recalled why the higher-ups had always emphasized caution.
Kooong—
The largest warship docks at the auction house’s harbor.
Normally, it would have anchored further out at sea and transferred passengers via smaller boats, but as its intention was a show of force, it simply barged in.
“The plenipotentiary representative of the Administrative Lord Duke!”
Flutter—
Crimson flags are hoisted throughout the warship. It was a flag symbolizing the Administrative Duke, said to be rarer than the imperial family’s flag.
“Her excellency, Morning!”
Boooooooon—!
The horn blares as if soaring.
The sea breeze constantly flutters the flags.
Thud.
A young woman, escorted by knights, descends the gangplank from the warship.
Nicholas’s eyes widen at the sight of her face.
‘As expected……’
As he had anticipated, it was the imperial girl who had been by Cain’s side.
More than the question of how such a young woman could be the formidable Administrative Duke’s plenipotentiary representative, it was the fact that she had a dagger hidden beneath her chin that sent chills down Nicholas’s spine.
At that moment, his eyes met Morning’s.
Cold eyes devoid of any emotion or intent.
Nicholas acted instinctively.
“I am Nicholas, the humble acting general manager of the Mytilene Auction House.”
“We meet for the first time.”
A subtle way of telling him to shut up.
“Yes. How could a lowly person like myself have ever had the honor?”
A vow not to utter another word.
They exchanged words, concealing blades within their seemingly ordinary conversation.
It was then.
Ooooooh—
If the Empire had horns, the Holy See had the chorus of a choir.
From afar, a pristine white warship began cutting through the water, approaching them.
Nicholas stopped in his tracks, and Morning, furrowing her brow, questioned him.
“Why have you stopped?”
“Pardon?”
“Is the Empire so inferior to the Holy See that you intend to receive them first?”
“……”
Nicholas was at a loss for words.
It was obvious that both sides were in cahoots, but he had no retort when Morning brought up the delicate relationship between the Empire and the Holy See.
To say yes would be to declare war on the Empire.
If he said no, he would have to leave Morning here and welcome the cardinal of the Holy See.
As Nicholas broke out in a cold sweat, Morning pressed him again.
“I ask again. Do you intend to keep the Empire’s plenipotentiary representative waiting to witness the arrival of the Holy See’s envoy?”
“That’s……”
“As the acting general manager of the Mytilene Auction House, answer me.”
Thud.
Just as a harsh rebuke was about to follow, the Holy See’s white ship arrived at the harbor.
“All things are by the light.”
Aurelia, clad in her cardinal’s robes—a departure from her usual monochromatic attire—disembarked along with paladins and priests.
Aurelia made her way straight to Nicholas and Morning.
“The light is ours. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am most grateful that you awaited my arrival.”
“That……”
Morning seized the opportunity to retort.
“So, you made the Empire wait for the Holy See.”
“That’s not……”
Aurelia interjects.
“Acting General Manager Nicholas’s piety is renowned even within the Holy See. As expected of one who knows the true light.”
“……”
Aurelia and Morning spoke only to Nicholas, neither glancing at nor acknowledging each other.
Caught between the representatives of the two superpowers, the Empire and the Holy See, Nicholas thought to himself.
He had always imagined dying by the sword someday, but at this moment, he felt like he might just die of exhaustion.
🔹🔹🔹
As Morning and Aurelia grilled Nicholas, driving him to the brink of insanity…
Step.
Cain and Elena walked through the back alleys of the Mytilene Auction House. Normally, if clueless youngsters like them wandered into such a place, they would be swarmed by unsavory characters, but…
Step.
No one dared approach them, sensing the faint aura of killing intent emanating from Cain and Elena.
“You’re not going to ask where we’re going?”
“Everyone else left for their respective tasks, and I didn’t have anything specific to do.”
Magic Marquis Wiseman and Olivia had gone to see if there were any items worth acquiring at this summer’s grand auction.
Lourens and Anje had yet to return.
As for Lesbos, he was by Morning’s side, whispering instructions to her according to their grand plan.
That left only two.
Cain and Princess Elena.
Cain had decided to go somewhere, and Elena followed him.
Cain smiled wryly.
“To be honest, I don’t have anything particular in mind either.”
According to Lesbos’s plan, Cain’s time to shine would come when everyone else’s actions had reached their peak.
Therefore, Cain’s role until then was to lie low and avoid drawing attention.
“But there’s something I’d like to check out.”
Elena responded with a smile.
As they followed Cain through the back alleys, they spotted someone writhing amidst a pile of garbage in the distance.
“D… Damn it.”
A faint curse reached their ears.
Swoosh.
Cain concealed himself in the shadows, raising a finger to his lips. Elena quickly moved to his side.
“Damn it—!”
The one who rose was a young man.
He was dressed in an almost comically outdated style.
Allen Enges.
The former noble wastrel from the Empire who had tried to forcefully take Morning’s skewer and was subsequently chased away.
He collapsed back onto the ground.
Oblivious to the filthy water from the garbage seeping into his clothes, he buried his face in his hands.
“Those bastards. How could they……”
Tears streamed down his face.
Elena tugged at Cain’s sleeve and mouthed a question.
[Where did the thugs who were following him go?]
Cain shrugged.
He stepped out of the shadows and spoke.
“Let’s ask.”
“Yes.”
Allen, startled by the sudden voice, lifted his head. Upon seeing Cain, he furrowed his brow and shouted.
“You! Don’t tell me you’re here to get revenge for earlier!”
His voice was full of anger.
He sprang to his feet, sputtering and pointing a finger.
But his steps…
His feet slowly moved backward, preparing for an escape.
“One is wrong, and one is right.”
“……?”
Allen Enges paused at Cain’s words.
“It’s not revenge, but it’s true that I followed you.”
“If it’s not revenge like that Tucker guy, then why?”
Cain didn’t answer immediately.
He glanced around the back alley and asked.
“By the way, where are all those thugs you were hanging around with?”
“As if I’d tell the likes of you—”
“I guess Tucker Spencer killed them.”
“Damn it.”
Allen cursed under his breath, his head hanging low.
—I cannot tolerate your disrespect towards the lady earlier.
It was as if a bolt from the blue had struck Allen.
Tucker had even brought a notary, essentially ambushing Allen and his companions. The thugs Allen had been with were killed then.
—You’ve been subjected to such humiliation, surely you’ll challenge me to a duel?
Allen ran.
He ignored Tucker’s subsequent provocations and simply fled.
—Haha, you foolish former noble wastrel. If you wish to die a noble’s death, then face me. I shall spare your life then.
He ran and ran.
Fearing that Tucker’s men would come after him, he kept running through the unfamiliar streets of Mytilene.
That’s how he ended up hiding in this deserted back alley.
Meeting Cain in such a state only made Allen more defensive.
“Seems like the noble hunting is getting pretty intense.”
Cain turned to Elena and asked. Observing Allen’s disheveled state, she nodded.
“There are too many eyes watching in the Empire, but here, they can manipulate things however they please.”
Money, magic, and the sword.
The new nobles, who had earned their noble ranks through their own abilities, now set their sights on hereditary nobles with land.
However, the Empire’s land was finite, and all the positions were already filled. The solution was simple: eliminate and kill the old nobles, taking their places.
While Morning’s administrative orders prohibited such actions within the Empire, it was a different story in the neutral zone of Mytilene.
“And a weakling with a bad temper like him makes for perfect prey.”
Cain walked towards Allen.
Allen, gritting his teeth at the sight of the two discussing him as if he were a mere object, shouted.
“No matter how I look or what I’ve become, I’m not someone who can be ignored by the likes of you! The commoners who live under the grace of our Enges family━”
“This here is the princess.”
Cain gestured towards Elena.
Elena, removing the ring from her finger, smiled faintly. As her true power grew, the magic concealing her appearance weakened.
But with the ring removed, her breathtaking beauty illuminated the dark alleyway.
“T,Then, you are?”
Upon seeing Elena’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to deny her status as a princess. Even if she wasn’t actually royalty, someone with her looks would undoubtedly hold some position of power.
Allen then turned to Cain and asked.
Thump—
Cain tapped the ‘Summer’ at his left hip and said.
“Well, I have many titles, but what I’m pushing for right now is Hero.”
“……The Hero from that whole Demon King and Hero thing?”
Allen wasn’t well-versed in the legends of heroes. However, as someone from the continent, he had at least heard of them through childhood stories.
“Yep.”
Shing.
Cain effortlessly drew ‘Summer’ halfway.
“……”
Once again, Allen couldn’t deny the truth.
He could sense it as naturally as the cycle of life and death—the sword Cain held was ‘Summer,’ one of the 〈Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons〉.
“Then what about that girl with the skewer from before?”
“You’re better off not knowing.”
Cain replied nonchalantly.
Unable to offer any further rebuttal, Allen slumped back onto the ground.
“Mother always said that you could get ripped off even with your eyes wide open in the city, but I guess I’m the one who ripped myself off.”
In the Enges barony, there were no nobles other than themselves.
Having grown up unaware of any higher-ranking nobles or other powerful figures, Allen was in for a rude awakening every single day.
Cain approached the dejected Allen.
Swoosh—
He lifted Allen’s tear-stained face by the chin and examined it closely.
“Now that I get a good look, you do have some resemblance to your old self.”
“……?”
“Was your nickname Bedwetter by any chance?”
“……!”
Allen’s wide eyes spoke volumes.
‘[Winter’ is surprised Cain recognized him despite his changed appearance.]
“Found you, Bedwetter.”
If Rude Crowl was the Great Wall’s warrior, Bomberman, then Allen Enges here was also a warrior under Cain’s command.
Cain, who remembered and cherished everyone, recognized him instantly despite the significant changes in his appearance.
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