Raon lightly squeezed his hand as if grasping a leaf.
"Aaaaargh!"
The aristocratic young man had learned some martial arts, but he could only scream without struggling due to the enormous difference in strength.
"Y-You crazy bastard!"
"Let go of him right now!"
"Do you have a death wish?!"
The martial artists who were sitting with the young man rushed over and drew their swords.
As if they had killed a person or two before, their killing intent itself was sticky like blood.
"Other guests are having their meals, you know."
Raon smirked and tossed the young man he was holding behind his shoulder.
"We should have our conversation in a quiet place."
He threw the man he was holding towards the empty right wall.
Crash!
The arrogant guy smashed through the wall with his back and collapsed onto the floor.
"Aaaaargh!"
He didn't pass out, but he screamed in agony, writhing on the floor in severe pain.
"Uh..."
"Th-that madman..."
The martial artists trembled, their jaws quivering as if they never imagined such a situation would unfold.
Leaving the stunned martial artists behind, Raon stepped over the shattered wall and grabbed the arrogant guy's head again.
"How dare you! Do you know who this person is?!"
A middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader of the martial artists approached, his lips trembling.
"Who is he?"
Raon asked while maintaining an aura barrier to prevent information from leaking out.
"He is Lord Makren, the second son of the Komarn Sword Family!"
The middle-aged man pointed his sword, demanding that Raon release his grip if he didn't want to die.
"M-Makren, the second son of the Komarn Sword Family?"
Raon's mouth formed a perfect O as he heard those words.
"If you're a martial artist, you must know what kind of family Komarn is! If you don't want your family to die too, put him down right now!"
"Kuhehe..."
The so-called second son of the Komarn family, Makren, curled up the corners of his mouth.
"It's already too late. Not just you, but everyone here, and even your family. I'll kill them all!"
He flashed a bloodthirsty smile, as if everything was over.
"Scary. But where exactly is this Komarn attached to?"
Raon let out a deflated laugh and looked at Dorian.
"W-What?"
"You crazy bastard!"
Makren and the middle-aged man, who had been sneering, widened their eyes.
"It's a newly emerging swordsmanship family located in the south-central part of the continent."
Dorian, who was paying the restaurant owner for the collapsed wall, nodded. The owner was actually smiling, probably because he was given quite a lot of money.
"Are they strong?"
"I think the Vice Leader could wipe them out alone."
"W-What nonsense!"
Makren screamed as if it was absurd.
"Kill these insolent fools right now!"
At the middle-aged man's cry, the sword-wielding martial artists rushed towards Raon.
Shing!
Raon turned his back as if it was meaningless, and Dorian, Rimmer, and Leylan moved.
"It's troublesome. Lower your swords."
"We don't want to kill people in someone else's restaurant. Please cooperate."
"I'll kill you."
The three of them aimed their swords and bow at the martial artists' necks, exuding a chilling killing intent.
"W-What the!"
"I couldn't even see them..."
The Komarn family's martial artists, instantly realizing the difference in skill, lowered their swords with trembling hands.
"W-Who are you?"
Makren Komarun asked, his lips quivering.
"I'm the one asking questions."
Raon smiled faintly and added a little more strength to his grip.
"Aaaaargh!"
Just from that, Makren screamed as if he couldn't bear it, his arms stretched out.
"What did you mean by offering more than the auction?"
"F-First, your hand..."
He begged Raon to loosen his grip, his lips trembling. Raon slightly loosened his grip so he could speak.
"If you don't speak straight, I'll crack your skull."
"I-It's exactly as I said. I meant I would buy the elf."
"How did you notice when they were wearing robes?"
"L-Lately, elves have been appearing in the market, so it was a bit o-obvious."
"Appearing in the market, you say?"
"D-Don't you know? After the Great Forest burned and Sepia's barrier collapsed, injured elves are being sold as auction items... Aaaaargh!"
At the mention of auction items, Raon's grip unconsciously tightened. Makren thrashed his limbs, screaming that he was going to die.
"So you're saying injured elves are being kidnapped and put up for auction?"
Raon summarized what Makren had said and asked for confirmation.
"Y-Yes, that's right. Elf slaves are extremely rare, but after that incident, they've been appearing at auctions..."
Makren explained that he was on his way to buy slaves, which is why he thought Siyana and the other elves were slaves too.
Raon frowned as he looked at the trembling Makren.
'This isn't good.'
He had hoped his predictions were wrong, but it seemed they had been confirmed in the worst possible way.
"Where is this Maritime Market?"
"I-It's on the Peren River."
"A river, not the sea?"
"It's a river connected to the Lable River, but it's so wide that calling it a sea wouldn't be an exaggeration."
He answered everything, even things that weren't asked, as if terrified.
'The Lable River, huh...'
The force that controls the Lable River is the South-North Union.
"If we go now, can we participate in that auction?"
"Y-Yes, that's right."
"What about the invitation?"
"Pardon?"
"There must be an invitation, right?"
These slave auctions don't let just anyone in. There must be an invitation that only special individuals can use to enter.
"H-Here..."
Makren pulled out a black envelope from his breast pocket that seemed to swallow light.
Upon opening it, there was Makren's name and a message inviting him to the Maritime Market.
"These devilish humans!"
Leylan slammed her clenched fist on the ground, unable to contain herself.
"Lord Raon."
Siyana approached and bowed her head. Her eyes didn't show the usual shyness.
"Could we delay our journey to Zieghart a little?"
Even her soft voice was burning with anger.
"Of course we have to go."
Rimmer also showed a cold killing intent, devoid of his usual playfulness.
"Dorian."
Raon gestured to Dorian while looking at the three.
"You have disguise tools, right?"
"Of course, they're essential items."
Dorian nodded and pulled out a large box from his pouch.
"If we disguise ourselves as these people, we won't be suspected."
Raon pointed at Makren and the Komarn family's martial artists with the invitation in his hand.
"I'll rescue our kin, so Lady Siyana and Lady Leylan should wait outside..."
"N-No way!"
Leylan shook her head firmly.
"Please let us go with you!"
She knelt down, pleading.
"I also request this."
Siyana also bowed her head carefully next to Leylan.
"Even with disguises, elves will be quickly discovered because of their ears."
"Ah, that won't be a problem."
Dorian shook his head and pulled out an elf-specific disguise tool that could change the shape of ears from his disguise kit.
"Why do you have that?"
"It's an essential item, isn't it?"
Dorian grinned and waved his hand dismissively.
-What isn't an essential item for that guy?
'I don't know either...'
* * *
After completing their disguises, Raon headed towards the Peren River with Rimmer, Dorian, Leylan, and Siyana.
As Makren had said, there was a wide river that looked like a sea, with a medium-sized ship floating in its center.
'Is that the Maritime Market?'
Makren had said the Maritime Market was inside that ship.
It looked like an ordinary ship on the outside, but when observed closely with aura perception, the mana flow was slightly distorted.
"Let's go."
Disguised as Makren Komarun, Raon arrogantly gestured with his chin and approached the boatman who had a small boat resting on the gravel shore.
"I'd like to cross the ages."
As Raon presented the invitation and spoke the password to the boatman, a blue glint flashed in the boatman's weathered eyes.
'A master.'
He could sense a lower Master-level martial prowess. It seemed this boatman was responsible for the initial screening.
The boatman bowed his head, his eyes crinkling.
"I'll guide you far, far away."
He raised his hand, gesturing for them to board the boat.
Raon nodded and boarded the old ferry. Despite its dilapidated appearance, the boat glided smoothly, reaching the ship floating in the center of the river.
A rope ladder was lowered from the ship to the ferry, inviting them to climb up.
"I'll go up first."
As Dorian reached for the ladder, Raon swatted his hand away and shook his head.
"Don't do unnecessary things."
To act like the willful Makren, Raon pushed Dorian aside and climbed onto the ship first.
The deck of the ship was ordinary. A few sailors were cleaning the deck, and among them, a bare-chested, bear-like middle-aged man gestured with his chin towards the crew quarters.
"Hmph."
Raon snorted and opened the door to the crew quarters the middle-aged man had pointed to.
Inside, there were several doors on both sides, all dark, with only a faint, candle-like light illuminating the central corridor.
As Raon tilted his head, unsure where to go, a man in a suit emerged from a door on the left and bowed.
"Mr. Makren Komarun. Welcome to the Maritime Market."
He bowed and raised his hand, inviting them in. The room looked like a normal cabin, but there was a staircase in the center leading underground.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Harry, your guide for today, Mr. Makren."
The man in the suit introduced himself as Harry and bowed again.
"Please, come this way."
Harry turned his back and descended the stairs, indicating for them to follow.
'There are masters hidden here.'
Martial artists were hidden all around the staircase, above, below, left, and right.
They were quite skilled, so Raon assessed their positions as he descended. After going down about one floor's worth of stairs, Harry pulled back a blue curtain, revealing a new world.
Under the dazzling light of golden chandeliers, people in luxurious suits and dresses were enjoying various gambling games.
There were familiar games like poker and roulette, as well as bizarre gambling games Raon had never seen before.
"A little entertainment for our guests."
Harry raised his hand as if suggesting they try a game.
"Not interested."
Raon shook his head firmly.
"I see you're focused on one path."
Harry smiled brightly and nodded.
"What you're looking for is below."
He walked calmly through the gambling hall, indicating for them to follow.
Raon glanced back, relieved to see that Rimmer showed no interest in gambling. When it was time to be serious, he was more solemn than anyone.
Harry led them through a dark door and down another flight of stairs. It was deeper than the gambling floor. They had to descend about four floors before reaching their destination.
"This is the place."
Harry opened an antique-looking door made of red leather, revealing a dimly lit room with soft lighting on the floor.
It was shaped like a tiered lecture hall, incredibly wide and deep. It looked like a lecture room you'd only see in a magic tower.
'There sure are a lot of despicable bastards here.'
Even though the auction hadn't started yet, most of the seats were already filled with people.
"This way, please."
Harry guided them to seat number 253. As Raon sat in the luxurious chair with a black leather backrest, a woman in a maid's uniform approached and poured wine into a glass.
"The auction will start in 30 minutes, and the items you're interested in will be presented in about 2 hours."
He smiled knowingly, as if he already knew what Makren wanted.
"I see."
"Then, please enjoy your time."
As Raon waved his hand dismissively, Harry quietly withdrew.
"We'll just have to wait a little while."
After creating a thin aura barrier so no one could hear, Raon looked at Leylan and Siyana.
"Phew..."
Leylan raised her head, her hands trembling.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can hold myself back."
"What?"
"I can sense our kin inside."
She bit her lip, seeming to have already sensed the presence of elves.
"..."
Siyana, having sensed it too, trembled, her fists clenched on her knees.
'Hmm...'
Raon furrowed his brow.
'I intentionally didn't mention it...'
He had deliberately avoided mentioning the presence of elves to prevent Siyana and Leylan from getting excited, but it seemed both had noticed on their own.
"Don't get excited. Let's wait for now."
Rimmer closed his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck. Though he appeared as composed as usual, he seemed angrier than anyone else present.
Raon took a deep breath and waited for the auction to begin. Soon after, lights came on at the podium, and a handsome man in a black tuxedo appeared.
"Welcome to the Maritime Auction. I'm Eren, your auctioneer for today."
He placed his hand on his chest and bowed politely. The auction participants silently watched the auctioneer.
"I see we have many reserved guests today."
The auctioneer nodded with a refreshing smile.
"Then, let's get started right away."
As he clapped his hands cheerfully, a woman in a red dress emerged from behind the right curtain, carrying a small jar.
"We're starting with an excellent item right off the bat."
The auctioneer took the jar and placed it on the central table.
"This jar is called Sionen, an ancient artifact. When fruits or food are placed inside, it enhances their sweetness to the extreme. But if that were all, it wouldn't be in this auction."
He carefully set down the jar and raised a finger.
"The true use of the Sionen jar is to enhance elixirs. It's said that elixirs made with this jar increase in effectiveness by more than 10%. In these times when elixirs are scarce, this is an indispensable item."
The auctioneer stepped back behind the jar after finishing his explanation.
"Then, let's start the bidding at 10 gold coins. Oh! Immediately 100 gold coins! The gentleman at number 222 has bid 100 gold coins!"
People who hadn't shown much interest in the jar quickly raised their hands at the mention of enhancing elixirs.
-Buy it!
Wrath jumped up and raised his finger like the other bidders.
'Why buy that? It's not like you're going to drink elixirs...'
-Didn't you hear? It enhances sweetness!
Raon frowned as if Wrath was saying something stupid.
-Just imagine putting bead ice cream in there! Can you imagine how delicious it would be?!
"..."
For a moment, he had been greatly mistaken. He shook his head with a sigh.
'Please, just hold back today.'
* * *
As Raon watched the auction while making light conversation with Wrath, time flew by.
Thump!
Half of the lights on the podium suddenly went out. The remaining lights dimmed, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Thank you very much to our VIP guests who have stayed with us until now."
The auctioneer raised his voice slightly, offering a subtle smile.
"From now on, we will begin the special auction that our auction house operates exclusively."
As soon as he heard the words "special auction," Raon knew the moment they had been waiting for had arrived.
"All of you who have come today have seized a lucky opportunity. Because this is truly special."
The auctioneer clapped his hands lightly twice.
Clink.
With the sound of rattling chains, a woman in a yellow dress walked out from behind the right curtain. Around her neck hung chains that didn't match her attire.
Though her face was hidden behind a thick veil, her silhouette alone revealed that she was an extraordinary beauty.
"Everyone here must be aware of the recent great fire in Sepia. We were 'fortunate' enough to rescue some individuals who were injured there."
As he said this, the auctioneer touched the shoulder of the veiled woman. She trembled, as if terrified.
"We treated these injured individuals and even gave them the opportunity to meet good masters. Isn't this what a charitable society looks like?"
The auctioneer wagged his finger as he spouted nonsense.
"Now, let me introduce you. This is Kasia from the Uren Branch Tribe!"
With those words, the auctioneer removed the woman's veil. Pointed ears, translucent skin, and flowing hair were revealed. The enchanting face of an elf appeared under the lights.
"Ohhh!"
"A real elf!"
"What a beauty..."
"It was worth the wait!"
The excitement of the crowd engulfed the entire auction hall.
"She is..."
"Enough! Start quickly!"
"Ahaha! You're in a hurry. Very well. Then let's start this auction at one gold coin."
"1,000 coins!"
Instead of raising hands, some people were shouting out gold coin amounts directly.
"Hmm..."
"Damn it..."
Siyana and Leylan's shoulders trembled as if having a seizure, seeming to recognize the elf named Kasia.
Blood trickled from between their lips. It seemed they were restraining themselves with all their might.
"We don't know how many others there are. Please wait a little longer."
Raon waved his hand at the two while maintaining an aura barrier. They nodded heavily in understanding.
"What a generous gentleman! Kasia has been sold to the guest at number 210."
In the meantime, Kasia's auction had already ended. She was sold to a pot-bellied old man for an astronomical sum.
"There's no need to be disappointed. No, you all know. We've only just begun."
The auctioneer smirked and clapped his hands again. Before the second clap even finished, another woman, slightly smaller than Kasia, appeared with her face similarly veiled.
"Sadly, this child lost her parents in the recent fire. She's looking for new parents who will treat her kindly."
He grinned as he approached the child and removed the veil covering her face. A female elf with short golden hair and slightly upturned eyes trembled, her lips quivering in fear.
"Heylin from the Cotton Branch Tribe is looking for a mast-"
"Heylin!"
Unable to contain herself, Leylan screamed. She had anticipated this outcome from the moment they mentioned the Cotton tribe, the same as hers.
"Ah, sister..."
Heylin's pale lips trembled as she looked at Leylan.
"You bastards!"
Leylan drew her bow, exuding a terrifying killing intent.
"Well, it seems we have some special guests here."
The auctioneer smiled brightly, not showing the slightest sign of disturbance.
"How beautiful and kind this world is, where auction items come walking in on their own."
As he snapped his fingers, martial artists who had been hiding throughout the auction house sprang out and surrounded them.
'This can't be helped.'
If the maids from the annex had been in this situation, I would have found it hard to restrain myself too.
"Elves? This isn't Sepia. There's no guardian here to save you."
The auctioneer grinned and turned his head. This didn't seem to be the first time he'd dealt with such a situation.
"All rivers belong to the South-North Union. Once you've entered the river, you can't leave as you please."
"Hah..."
Raon exhaled shortly as he stood up.
"You say the South-North Union owns this river? Just a bit upstream is Zieghart territory, isn't it?"
"It seems you're not an elf, but rather affiliated with Zieghart."
The auctioneer smirked and nodded.
"You're right. A little upstream is indeed Zieghart territory. But that's land, and this is river. The only flag planted in this river is that of the South-North Union..."
"No. From now on, this river belongs to Zieghart."
Raon removed the hood covering his face. His flowing golden hair fell, and his red eyes that seemed to erase darkness flashed with a fierce light.
"Because wherever I am is Zieghart."