“…Number 4…?”
The auctioneer, who had been raising the bidding price with an elevated voice, glanced at Marian, gauging her reaction and asking for her decision.
Marian took a deep breath. She tried to calm herself by fanning, but the fan’s connection broke, causing its ribs and feathers to scatter pathetically.
“Honey, perhaps it’s time to stop…?”
Her husband, ever cautious, took the fan from her and glanced around nervously. As a son-in-law who had married into the family, he was always anxious not to upset Marian.
“……..”
A pair of pearl earrings, originally worth 100 million or perhaps even less since they were said the pearl earrings to be the counterfeit ones, has now become worth 1 billion.
‘What kind of fool would buy that at such a price!’
It could only be Reytan. But who would be held accountable for the fake?
“At this rate, in four years, sister’s annex will be mine.”
Hidden under the table, her trembling hand clenched into a fist. Her nails dug into her skin, drawing blood.
Marian gritted her teeth and muttered through her lips.
“1.2 billion.”
With her words, all eyes turned to one person.
The man, dressed impeccably from head to toe, maintained his calm composure, even in this suffocating atmosphere.
Reytan’s lips twisted. A brief chuckle escaped, but it was quickly overshadowed by his next words, which no one noticed.
“I give up. It’s too expensive.”
Reytan lowered the numbered paddle he had been holding.
“…Sold to Number 4 for 1.2 billion kona, the pearl earrings from the Shushubia Islands!”
The auctioneer’s gavel struck the wooden block three times.
Ttak.
Yossel excused himself to the restroom.
Ttak.
Reytan shrugged at Holt, the priest who offered him comfort.
Ttak.
Marian, suppressing her rising fury, remained motionless, staring intently at the auction stage.
‘It’s not over yet…!’
A fake pair of earrings had fallen into Marian’s hands, and 1.2 billion kona had disappeared.
Reytan and Yossel.
Though her rage was directed at both, her anger towards Reytan was far greater. At this point, she wouldn’t feel any relief until she saw his nonchalant face twisted in pain.
‘Soon enough!’
Any moment now, the maid she had deliberately allowed to escape from the punishment room would step onto the stage and appeal to Holt, the high priest of the Aubawth Order, about the injustice Reytan had inflicted upon her.
Marian held her breath, waiting for the maid to appear.
But—
“She’s not coming out…?”
The auction items were being moved off the stage, and the sound marking the end of the auction echoed through the room, yet the stage remained quiet.
The numbered paddle slipped helplessly from Marian’s hand.
***
“Dismiss the knights and have the servants open the door. No one will stop you as you head to the auction hall.”
Just as Marian had said, the door to the punishment room slowly opened in the late afternoon.
Anne hid behind the door. If she pretended to be absent, the servant would come inside looking for her.
Anne held her breath, afraid the sound of her breathing might give her away. She gripped the tin kettle tightly in her hand.
“Come out, Anne.”
“……..”
“Why no response? Goodness… These days, even maids have it easy. Sleeping in the punishment room instead of reflecting.”
The servant walked toward the rusted bed. The bedding had been stuffed with straw to make it appear as though someone was lying there.
Just as the servant reached out to pull back the blanket—
“Wake up. Madam-.”
Thud!
Seizing her chance, Anne swung the kettle she had been holding with all her might, striking the servant’s unprotected back.
The servant collapsed onto the bed, unconscious. Anne, breathing heavily, stared at the servant’s still form.
“…Madam?”
He had said ‘Madam’ instead of ‘Miss.’ In the Count of Travel’s household, only the countess could be addressed as ‘Madam.’
It raised questions, but the deed was done. There was no time to waste. Anne escaped from the punishment room and hurried outside the main building.
Sunset was approaching.
Shhhhh.
The leaves of the surrounding trees rustled in the wind, creating a sound like rain, while the distant cries of crows echoed in the air.
Anne hesitated for a moment in front of the main building.
To the right was the banquet hall where the auction was taking place. To the left, there was a secret passage to sneak out of the Travel Count’s estate.
‘I have no choice but to trust it.’
Anne recalled the contents of the note she had torn and swallowed last night.
ˊ•••••••••••••••••••••••••`
Plan: If Marian has ordered you to do something, do nothing.
※If you want to escape from the Travel Count’s estate, do it. Your brother is at the Evening Primrose Inn in Hispoth Town.
(Important) The 10,000 kona is buried under the statue of the little urinating boy in the Evening Primrose Inn’s backyard.
(Important) Do not tell anyone about this note. Chew and swallow it so no one can read it.
(Travel Count Estate Escape Map)
ˊ•••••••••••••••••••••••••`
The gold coins Marian had promised were just gold coins. No amount of money could cure Jeffrey’s illness. What Anne needed was a miracle, and last night she glimpsed a part of that miracle.
“Kyaa…! The blanket is flapping…!”
“The straw is dancing…!”
“…Are you the Aubawth god…?”
There was nothing in the room but herself.
Inanimate objects seemed to move as if they were alive. It reminded her of the power of the Aubawth god who creates life.
She had never seen anything like that before.
If she could cure Jeffrey’s illness by following the note’s instructions—
‘I’d give not just 10,000 kona, but my life as well.’
Anne turned to the left and ran.
She ran for a long time, her breath catching in her throat. She soon saw the entrance to the deserted hunting grounds.
Beyond that, there was a secret passage that would lead her out of Travel’s inner walls.
“……..”
The sun had fully set. Large trees loomed ominously at the entrance to the hunting grounds.
As Anne ran towards them, something moving caught her eye.
At first, she thought it was just the shadow of a tree, but as she got closer, the shape became clearer. It was a person.
I shouldn’t be seen. I have to escape.
Anne turned around. She tried to run, but her feet wouldn’t move.
‘Where to?’
She was staring at the massive Travel estate she had just run through. From the sloped hill, she could see two long, tall walls encircling Travel. They seemed endless. Anne felt as if they were enclosing her, trapping her like a cage.
“Don’t go. I don’t need the medicine.”
Jeffrey, I—.
The area near the hunting grounds was quiet and dark. Even the smallest sounds were clearer than in the daylight.
Anne heard her heavy breathing and someone else’s footsteps behind her. And then—
Clink.
‘Oh no.’
Anne recognized the sound coming from the person descending from the entrance of the hunting grounds. She had heard it countless times over the past few days.
It was the sound of a sword clinking against the metal ring of a belt, the same noise she had heard when the knights guarding the punishment room moved.
“……..”
The footsteps stopped right behind her. Anne bit the inside of her lips, hard. If she didn’t, she felt like she would burst into tears.
Please, Aubawth god, take my life and save Jeffrey.
Sensing the end, Anne slowly turned around.
