The Sleeping Devil

"Father, what's happening now?"

"Hmm? It's the Dark Auction."

"And the birthday celebration?"

"Well, I've been planning to celebrate your birthday for a while now, so I thought this would be a unique way to do it."

This conversation didn't seem to match at all. While Didier didn't show much surprise, Julius wore a dark expression. Perhaps in the world of nobility, using a Dark Auction for a birthday celebration was quite common. The guards accompanying us were surprisingly enthusiastic, and no one seemed bewildered. Even Mary staying behind with the carriage made sense now; it was likely to protect her from this.

Unable to confront the legality of this event in the bustling streets, we continued walking until they reached the outskirts of the city. The voices of the crowd could still be faintly heard, and the number of streetlights diminished, giving the place a suspicious atmosphere. Yet, it was within walking distance from the city center, which made one wonder if this was indeed the location for a Dark Auction.

Could it be that there was a surprise party waiting behind the door, with Hermes and Licht? With such thoughts in mind...

Her expectations were in vain. When they knocked on a certain door, a masked man welcomed them. After a quick body check, they descended a staircase that led underground. The room behind the door was pitch black.

"You'll get used to it quickly. If you're concerned, I can enhance your vision," Sergio reassured as he led her. Gradually, her eyes adapted to the darkness, revealing a large auditorium-like space. Was this where she was bought a few years ago?

Was her birthday present in this place, and would they buy another slave similar to her? It was an incredibly distasteful hobby.

She wanted to voice her protest but, when she looked up at Sergio, his lips were upturned more than she had ever seen. He seemed to be looking forward to this.

To keep their identities concealed, there was almost no conversation among the audience. Finally, they settled in the front row, right in the center. Didier also seemed a bit excited, and Julius sat calmly with an enigmatic smile. She was the only one lost in this situation.

The stage lit up, and a man who appeared to be the host came forward. The voice was familiar to her, and at that moment, she was convinced that this was the place where she had been brought several years ago. Rare gems and paintings were displayed and the man's voice read out the numbers. She glanced briefly behind her, and the colored numbers she remembered were glowing.

According to the stage's commentary, the light would appear when numbers were written on the boards. It didn't seem to be a magical device, but rather a special type of ink or board.

"Now, next up, what you've all been waiting for, a seven-year-old boy. He's already been trained, so you don't have to worry about impurity. However, due to a decrease in supply over the past few years, we can't guarantee availability for the next auction."

"Oh no, just as I suspected." She frowned at the host's introduction, silently praying that they wouldn't participate. Sergio, however, for some reason, raised his hand without even holding a board.

Suddenly, the auditorium lit up.

"What... What's happening!?"

"Hey, is it malfunctioning? What's going on?"

"Please, everyone, stay calm. We're currently investigating the cause!"

Confused guests began to panic. Some hid their faces, while others tried to escape toward the entrance. Strangely, the doors at the entrance wouldn't open, and gradually, the entire venue fell into chaos.

"Sheriel, didn't you tell me to crush this place if it's illegal? That's why I came to crush it."

Didier looked at her with a loving smile. What did he mean?

She quickly recalled that she had once said, "If it's illegal, we should just destroy it." It had been during a discussion about the cost of her purchase by the company.

"But does that justify bringing a child here?"

"I wanted to see it directly. I didn't like it either. If it weren't for them, you would've become my sister much sooner."

Her brother...

Well, she couldn't indulge in her brother's affection at this moment. Sergio had apparently insisted on the barrier for this purpose. Knights who had been scattered around the area stood ready, their faces concealed with cloth. They systematically subdued and bound the burly men. It looked like a terrorist attack, and she suddenly remembered that she had been sentenced for terrible deeds in a dream.

By the way, wasn't she involved in some bad activities in the real world, like misrepresenting her status, murdering a priest, and inciting an attack on facilities in another territory?

Sergio had already taken the stage and was subduing the host before he could finish his insignificant lines.

"You! Do you think you can get away with this?"

The man's voice cut off before he could finish his dramatic lines. Sergio proceeded to the backstage, where there were screams and crashing sounds. The boy who had been brought as an item was just sitting there, unresponsive.

"Sheriel, what should we do?"

"You are truly loved, aren't you? I think I should help a bit too. It's my dear student's birthday celebration, after all."

Oh, even the teacher. Julius emerged from the shadows wearing a serene smile and went up to the stage. He picked up the boy and moved toward where Sergio had disappeared.

Didier had been doubling as her bodyguard and hadn't left her side. She was quite worried, sitting in the front row of the panicked audience. But, well, if this illegal facility were shut down, that would be a good thing, right? Probably a good thing. Even if the current situation looked like a terrorist attack.

After a while, Sergio returned to the stage and, still wearing his hood, spoke in a cheerful voice.

"Alright, everyone, listen carefully. You know that participating in an illegal Dark Auction alone carries penalties, right? Nobles may get away with hefty fines, but commoners could face imprisonment. However, today is a celebration, so we'll let you off the hook. Now, you're free to go! Please be careful as you leave!"

With Sergio's signal, the doors were opened, and the guests jostled each other to make their way back to the surface.

"Sheriel, everything has been settled, so shall we stay and observe a bit more? I thought about letting Sheriel participate in battle during our swordsmanship class today, but it seems we don't have the time."

"I'm not skilled in physical combat yet. And no, Father, please don't send children into battle."

Led by Sergio, they advanced further and arrived in a room that resembled a warehouse with various items scattered about. At the back, there were three children confined in cages. They must have been the children who were intended to be sold as slaves.

"Father, what will happen to these children?"

"They'll probably be entrusted to the lord of this domain, and they'll be taken north while weaned off the drugs. Didier, what do you think?"

Didier squatted in front of the cages, carefully observing the children while speaking to them. After completing his assessment, he instructed the knights to release them.

"No, it's not looking good. Their emotions are completely closed off. Besides, they are barely conscious."

"Overdosed, I presume. They take things too far. Children sold at the Dark Auction are usually robbed of their emotions through drugs. This allows them to be used differently from ordinary slaves."

"That's... will these children recover?"

"They're still young, so once they're weaned off the drugs, they should be fine."

That was a relief. But it was still a terrible thing to do. Maybe Sergio should have allowed them to carry a dagger or two.

Certainly, the children in the room where she had been were probably deprived of their emotions as well. That would explain why they didn't cry or talk. As she pondered this unpleasant realization, she suddenly found herself wondering about her own situation.

"Why wasn't I subjected to the drugs?"

"They only use the drugs on children three years and older."

Oh, really? Julius seemed to be casually present, but did he know that I was purchased here? The question must have been written all over my face, as Julius promptly continued speaking.

"I have good hearing."

"Oh, I see."

Ah, so he had heard the rumors. Even so, I'm grateful that he's my teacher.

"By the way, have they found the organizers?"

"They are currently under investigation. What to do with them is up to Didier."

"Thank you. Since we're here, we might as well maximize the profit."

Bam!

With a loud noise, the door suddenly swung open, and a small child rushed in. Sergio grabbed the child by the collar, and she struggled vigorously. Upon closer inspection, she appeared to be a girl about the same age as me.

"Let go! Let go of me! Give Leo back!"

Was she a family member of one of the captured children? The other children released from their cages showed no response, but the girl held by Sergio, her limbs flailing, desperately tried to reach a particular boy. When Sergio let go of her, she rushed to the side of a boy she called Leo.

"Leo! Leo! It's me, do you understand? Answer me!"

Leo, the boy, gazed back blankly, with just a faint increase in blinking as his only response. Nonetheless, the girl did not give up and continued calling out to him. For a while, the warehouse echoed with her anguished cries. Gradually, her voice quivered and transformed into a fragile plea that seemed to fade away.

"What's your name? Are you his older sister?"

"Shut up! Don't come near, you beast!"

"Don't worry, we're here to shut down this auction."

We're here to shut it down; that's right, isn't it? We didn't come here to buy.

The girl, with Leo still in her arms, gazed at us with her eyes void of light. I tried not to provoke her and spoke slowly, making eye contact.

"We'll make sure he can go home with you, but he needs some treatment. He won't remember you in his current state."

"I have nowhere to take him back to..."

"That's right, so we'll have to find a place to take him back to."

"Can Leo... be cured?"

"He can."

The girl's eyes, filled with tears and now rimmed with redness, began to show signs of returning color. She sobbed, mumbling words that were barely comprehensible.

I removed my hood and asked her for her name once more.

"What's your name? I'm Sheriel."

"I'm Mia... Please help Leo."

"Of course, I promise. It's brave of you to come here alone."

A young girl coming here alone was a tremendous display of courage and determination. I gently patted her head to comfort her, and Mia started crying with a loud voice.

"Well, this is one way to do it."

"Brother, that's quite insensitive."

I kept Didier, who seemed likely to cause harm, at bay and had the children individually carried by the knights. Outside, there was a horse-drawn carriage waiting, and the maids had prepared warm blankets and food.

Peering out from the back of the carriage, I saw the familiar ash-brown head, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"With healing, it's best to do it after we've weaned them off the drugs. Using healing magic in their current state would only intensify the effects of the drugs."

It seemed that Didier had some interest in people's emotional states or in the drugs used. Had he anticipated this situation? The maids efficiently administered a liquid from bottles.

"What's that?"

"It's an antidote, I think. Julius, would you like some too?"

Wearing a mischievous smile, Didier offered Julius a bottle of the liquid, making the sound of liquid sloshing within. Julius did not get angry but gazed silently at Didier before allowing a faint smile to grace his cheek.

"Mine is all-natural."

"Is that so? What a pity. But you've softened up a bit."

"You think so? I don't get bored when I'm with you all."

They were laughing together again in a conversation that I couldn't make heads or tails of. Unable to keep up, I headed towards Mia and Leo.