ISMFB 28

CHAPTER 28

“On–one million runes.”

The auctioneer stammered at the shockingly high bid.

Everyone else was just as stunned.

“We have a bid of one million runes!”

An auction was always a game of money and time.

Linaria was racing against time. That was why she had asked for the auction order to be changed.

‘Seems the imperial family hasn’t arrived yet. If they had, there’s no way they’d let Kaas go for a million.’

She had learned in a past life that when time runs short, pouring money into the problem often solves it.

And Kaas was well worth that amount.

“Any other bids?”

The crowd fell silent.

All eyes turned toward the masked woman—Linaria.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the sudden hundredfold increase.

“One million runes! The golden-haired male slave is sold for one million! Thank you!”

Unlike the frenzied mood before, Kaas’s auction ended abruptly and anticlimactically.

As a staff member approached to finalize the transaction and collect payment, Linaria moved to show her signet ring—but Auguste stopped her.

“If you buy him with the Obel seal, it’ll stir up bad rumors. Let me handle it.”

“I don’t live with debts.”

“But I already owe the Obels a debt. Consider this repayment.”

He didn’t even know he had been destined to die, yet Auguste was being unusually generous.

Even without the reward money, his attitude was open-handed.

‘Is it because he’s a Brimstone?’

Naturally, ducal families were incredibly wealthy.

But if one were to rank them, Brimstone came out on top.

Their house’s primary industry was mining.

Born into a gold vein, it made sense that he was a bit careless with money.

Indeed, Auguste handed over a million-run check without hesitation.

He probably debated snack purchases harder than this.

“Buying people with money doesn’t seem like a knightly thing to do.”

“As long as it’s not with ill intent, it’s fine.”

“And how do you determine what’s ill intent?”

“Well, I know one thing for sure.”

Auguste said firmly,

“If you were the kind of person who came to places like this often, you wouldn’t have done something as naive as flashing your signet ring.”

“That’s…”

“I don’t know what your reasons are, and I won’t ask—but you must have one, right?”

Linaria opened her mouth to explain but Auguste made it clear it wasn’t necessary.

‘Maybe he already figured it out.’

Though he acted lighthearted, he was surprisingly sharp. He might not know the full truth, but seeing the golden hair and eyes of the slave, he must’ve sensed something.

“…I won’t forget what you did today. And I’ll repay the debt soon.”

“Haha. You really don’t have to. I did it because I wanted to.”

“Same here. A million runes isn’t pocket change.”

“It is for me?”

“Even if it is, that doesn’t diminish the help you gave me.”

Linaria spoke firmly.

Facing her unyielding gaze, Auguste reached toward her head—

Then hastily withdrew his hand.

“You should take your slave now, shouldn’t you?”

He quickly changed the subject and walked ahead.

Linaria didn’t understand what he had tried to do, but pretended not to notice and let him lead the way.

“This way, miss.”

They were led to Kaas.

“Would you like to stamp the seal?”

“No.”

She didn’t want to repeat what Maximilian had done.

“Then you know how to register a slave? Physical contact while naming them is enough.”

The collar Kaas wore served as a contract seal.

The collar and the signet had the same function—to compel obedience.

“And by the way, the slave was wearing a necklace before we put on the collar.”

“A necklace?”

“Yes. It had a real ruby. Of course, we tried to take it, but he clamped it between his teeth and wouldn’t let go.”

Linaria could easily guess where the necklace had come from.

“We tried everything to get it off. But that damn brat clenched his teeth, even in his sleep. We’d have to pull them out to get it.”

“Does that mean the item is damaged? That would be a problem.”

Auguste asked with a disarming smile.

“Of course not!”

The merchant, not wanting trouble from such a high-paying customer, quickly denied it.

“I just meant that the necklace is now yours as well. Just have him open his mouth—it belongs to you now.”

It had always been hers.

Linaria thought the whole thing was absurdly ironic.

Crash! Clatter!

“What’s that noise?”

When she turned to look, Kaas was surrounded by burly men trying to subdue him.

“The sedative must be wearing off. He’ll calm down shortly, no need to worry.”

The vendor watched carefully, likely worried about demands for a refund.

“Feels like we keep hearing things we should’ve known before the auction.”

“But sir, please hear me out—”

As the merchant frantically tried to plead his case to Auguste, Linaria approached Kaas.

“Ugh! This little—!”

The men were forcing Kaas to kneel in front of her.

The struggle had left everyone bloodied and bruised.

When Linaria gestured for them to back off, they hesitated but eventually stepped aside, concern flickering in their eyes.

Despite being shackled, Kaas hadn’t lost his spirit.

He even looked ready to fight Linaria, mistaking her for one of the men trying to restrain him.

At that moment, Linaria cupped his chin.

Only then did Kaas realize she wasn’t one of the slavers.

Her mask covered half her face, but her red eyes were unmistakable.

Kaas froze.

And Linaria took the chance to look closely at him—his tightly shut lips, the gleaming golden eyes, the new cuts on his skin.

They hadn’t touched his face, likely to keep his appearance intact for the auction. So the wounds below his neck stood out even more.

‘I thought he might’ve betrayed me and run…’

When he hadn’t shown up at the promised place, she’d wondered if he had just taken the necklace and fled.

After all, there was no rule that said trust had to be returned.

Trust isn’t always repaid with trust.

‘It was just a shiny rock with no meaning to you. Something to sell for a good price.’

But—

“!”

Linaria lowered her head and pressed her lips to his.

His mouth parted instinctively in surprise.

It was a brief kiss.

“Kaas.”

The moment she said his name, his golden eyes trembled.

And as Linaria stood upright again, something red peeked between her lips—like a tongue.

“I’m taking it back.”

The ruby necklace.

The one so precious to her.

Kaas had fought with all his might not to lose it.

Trust isn’t always repaid with trust.

But there are those who never betray it.

⋯⋯

“I’ll call a carriage. It’s late, and you’ll attract attention with a slave in tow.”

Thanks to Auguste, Linaria easily got a carriage after leaving the black market.

Meanwhile, Kaas was astonishingly calm and obedient—nothing like the man who had just been fighting so fiercely.

“I have things to do, so I can’t take you home. But it’s probably better for both of us if I leave now, right?”

“…Thank you, truly. And…”

“If you’re about to ask me to keep it secret, don’t worry. I already planned to. If word got out that you personally bought a slave at the black market, that’d be bad for you.”

“Please, I’d appreciate it.”

Linaria had just handed Auguste one of her weaknesses.

And because she still didn’t completely trust him, she intended to repay the debt soon.

Alone in the carriage with Kaas, Linaria returned home safely.

And the moment she got out—

“Riri!”

“Father?”

She saw Dante’s shocked face.

He ran straight to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Where have you been?”

His voice trembled with worry.

Only then did she realize it.