Chapter 82

“Damn, that’s a Succubus! I’m definitely buying that. No question!”

“Whoa, a scorpion monster? I’ve never seen one in such good condition, it’s like it was just defeated….”

“Gasp! A Medusa! And not even a single petrified part? It’s perfectly intact?!”

The auction hall was heating up.

The monster corpses Ariel brought out were extremely rare and valuable.

[Now, now, everyone, please calm down! I haven’t even introduced the items yet!]

The masked auctioneer stepped forward, trying to calm the crowd.

But the crowd wouldn’t calm down. They shouted at the top of their lungs, demanding the auction start immediately.

“Start it now! Or I’ll turn this place into ashes!”

“Do you want to lose your head?!”

“Do you even know who we are?!”

The auctioneer forced a bitter smile at the crowd’s rough reactions.

Nobles who usually live gentle lives turn tough as soon as they come here.

It’s like they’ve joined some shady organization, becoming rough and violent.

Of course, it’s all talk. They don’t actually do anything. They’re model nobles who wouldn’t even litter.

This shouting is just part of the act. It’s a performance to immerse themselves in the illegal, shady atmosphere of the black market auction.

[Alright, alright. I value my life too, so let’s start right away. You’re dangerous people, haha. Truly terrifying. Now, the first item is a Succubus! Give it a round of applause!]

“Woo!”

The crowd cheered and clapped. The auctioneer nodded in satisfaction and approached Ariel.

[Now, here we have a bunny girl who’s selling a Succubus. Even with the mask, she seems like a very lovely lady. Bunny girl, could you briefly explain how you obtained the Succubus corpse?]

In the black market, unusual items are usually traded.

There are ancient books and artworks, but the most popular are monster corpses. The rarer and better the condition, the higher the auction price soars.

And the story behind the corpse is also important.

Where the monster was encountered, how it was defeated—these stories can determine the corpse’s value.

A touching story or the hardships of defeating the monster are good.

Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter.

People will just display the monster corpse at home and tell the story to their guests. Of course, exaggerated and embellished.

So, the auctioneer asking Ariel about the Succubus corpse’s story is a way to hype up the auction price.

It doesn’t matter how she tells it, but it’s better to add some touching or exaggerated details about the battle.

“…Just.”

Ariel opened her mouth.

“I defeated it.”

Silence fell over the auction hall.

The faces of the cheering crowd froze.

[Ah…]

After a moment, the auctioneer regained his composure and tried to salvage the situation.

[So, you just defeated it! Haha, impressive. Did you defeat it yourself, bunny girl?]

“Yes.”

[Oh-ho, it’s hard to tell, but how did you defeat it?]

The auctioneer glanced at the Succubus corpse.

Aside from a slightly twisted joint, there were no visible injuries. The neck wasn’t cut, and the skin wasn’t slashed.

Moreover, there was no sign of decay, as if no magic or drugs were used. It looked like it was just defeated.

‘Top-tier.’

At this level, even without a story, it’s fine.

It’s the best condition I’ve ever seen.

And it’s a Succubus corpse. It’s not something you can just find. With the demon invasion quiet lately, such corpses are almost impossible to find.

“Just, with my hand like this….”

Ariel swung her hand through the air.

Not even a punch, just a clumsy hand motion.

“Haha.”

A small laugh spread through the crowd.

Ariel’s action looked cute.

The auctioneer didn’t miss that.

[Aha~! So the bunny girl defeated it like this, with her hand like this!]

“Yes.”

[Amazing. You must be incredibly strong. Should we have an arm-wrestling match? Hahaha!]

Someone in the crowd shouted, “So cute!”

The auctioneer nodded in agreement.

[Indeed. A very cute bunny girl.]

The people in the auction hall probably didn’t believe Ariel.

A little kid like her defeating a Succubus by just swinging her hand? Impossible.

Maybe if it were the lion-masked man next to her.

But that lion-masked man, Belmont, could believe Ariel. He was absolutely sure.

‘That’s actually possible, this monster kid….’

*

The Succubus auction began.

[Everyone, look! This Succubus corpse has no external damage! The joints are slightly twisted, but that’s a minor flaw. And most importantly, this face! Look at this beautiful face! Even without the Seduction Mist, wouldn’t you be tempted? I’d gladly become her slave!]

“Woo!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Especially the fat man in the pig mask in the front row, whose cheers were the loudest.

The man’s name was Edmund.

The last baron of the Blatt family.

His chubby cheeks and frizzy brown hair peeked out from under the pig mask.

Edmund wasn’t particularly good at anything and had no passion for anything.

Except for his hobby of collecting corpses.

This bizarre hobby mostly took place in his mansion’s basement, earning his mansion the nickname “Blatt’s Creepy House” and Edmund the title of “Eccentric Baron.”

Thanks to his parents’ inheritance, Edmund had no financial worries, but he avoided social interactions and spent most of his time alone in his mansion’s basement.

The only thing he cared about was collecting monster corpses.

He claimed he collected them to “explore the mysteries of death,” but in reality, it was just a way to escape reality.

When he did go out, he’d boast to his servants, “I have a meeting today. It’s an imperial secret, so I can’t say much,” but in truth, Edmund never attended any meetings.

He just wore a pig mask and bought monster corpses at the black market.

‘I must have that.’

Edmund trembled with determination.

It wasn’t just because it was a rare corpse.

Complex emotions were rising in Edmund’s heart.

First, Edmund had no woman in his life.

He had avoided social interactions all his life and had no relationships with women.

But if he had the Succubus corpse, he felt like he could communicate with her in his own world.

It would be a great comfort.

Of course, the Succubus’s beautiful face was also a big attraction. For Edmund, who had never been popular with women, the Succubus’s beauty was an ideal.

Beautiful, sexy, a seductive demoness.

‘I’ll keep you by my side forever. You won’t reject or laugh at me. It’s okay. You just need to smile beautifully.’

Edmund was excited at the thought of decorating and admiring the Succubus.

[Now, the Succubus corpse defeated by our cute bunny girl with a swing of her hand! Starting bid is 200 gold!]

The crowd quickly started bidding.

“250 gold!”

“300 gold!”

“500 gold!”

The auction price skyrocketed in an instant.

Everyone seemed to want the Succubus corpse, just like Edmund.

“…….”

Edmund’s chubby chin trembled.

The most he could spend at the auction was 1000 gold. Anything more was impossible.

The bidding continued to rise, eventually reaching 900 gold. Thankfully, it didn’t go higher.

[900 gold! Now, we have 900 gold! Any more?]

Edmund’s heart pounded. 900 gold for a corpse was already close to his budget.

Sweat poured down, but Edmund couldn’t give up. That Succubus had to be his.

“1000 gold!!”

When Edmund shouted desperately, all eyes turned to him. His face was red and he was panting.

A brief silence fell.

Everyone held their breath, looking between the auctioneer and Edmund.

[Ahem, the eccentric baron… no, the distinguished gentleman in the pig mask has bid 1000 gold. Any more?]

Edmund closed his eyes. He desperately prayed no one would bid higher.

[Last call. Succubus corpse, 1000 gold. Any more?]

Edmund felt his heart pounding in his ears.

Finally.

Just a little more, and the Succubus would be his.

Edmund slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Succubus’s beautiful face on the stage.

‘Wait. I’ll save you soon….’

“2000 gold.”

But someone bid 2000 gold, shocking Edmund.

“Huh?!”

A sound like a pig being strangled escaped Edmund’s mouth.

[Oh, 2000 gold! Any more?]

Edmund’s lips trembled.

1500 gold would’ve been a stretch, but 2000 gold was impossible.

To get 2000 gold, he’d have to sell his mansion.

‘My… Succubus….’

Edmund hung his head and slumped his shoulders.

In the end, the Succubus corpse was sold for 2000 gold, and Edmund had to drag his fat body away from the black market, dejected.