Chapter 36

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on February 4, 2025

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It starts at 10,000 gold.

Cheap for a descendant of the Wolf King, but they’re merchants. Merchants always secure profit no matter what.

There’s no way they’d put out an unnecessarily low price without reason.

“65! 10,500 gold!”

“90! 11,000 gold!”

“5! 13,000 gold!”

“14! 13,700 gold!”

“11! 15,000 gold!”

“51! 17,000 gold!”

“6, 65! 17,800 gold!”

“51! 20,000 gold!”

In the blink of an eye, the price doubled, sending ripples through the auction house. A sly smile creeps onto the auctioneer’s face.

Ah, so that’s how it is.

An auction is ultimately about stimulating competition.

They set the starting price low to get as many people bidding as possible.

They won’t want to lose. Demons are naturally fiercely competitive, whether in physical combat or financial battles.

Anyway, with them driving the price up, the organizers certainly aren’t losing out. If anything, they’re gaining.

Truly, merchants are fascinating creatures. When money’s involved, they become sharper than anyone else.

I observe their schemes and take pleasure in it.

Well then, let’s see how high this goes.

“90! 21,000 gold!”

“37! 22,000 gold!”

“53! 24,300 gold!”

“76! 25,000 gold!”

“74! 27,000 gold!”

It’s climbing steadily even without my intervention. But it’s still woefully insufficient.

“27,000 gold! Any higher bids?”

“One.”

Oh, right.

“50,000 gold.”

“!!!”

Finally, she appears.

Lilith Clanaein. Now the eldest daughter of the Western Dukedom, but destined to become the Great Demoness Queen of Succubi.

The auction hall freezes at her chilling voice. The price has jumped nearly fivefold from the starting bid. Some give up, some grit their teeth, others gasp at the significant sum of 50,000 gold.

Even the auctioneer seems shocked, shouting loudly without using the microphone. His voice carries clearly despite this.

“50,000 gold! Any higher bids?”

His eyes tremble as he realizes the sudden price jump has dampened others’ competitive spirit.

Of course, 50,000 gold isn’t small change, but this is the bloodline of the Wolf King. The organizers probably expected at least 100,000 gold.

Consider this: a single scale from Dragon King Derous sold for 4,999 gold. And the Wolf King once stood against Horus, the King of Kings on par with the Dragon King.

It’s a legendary tale, and the bloodline has diluted over time, but still…

And in the future, Lua the Wolf King becomes as powerful as the Dragon King. The title “Ideal of Shadow Knights” isn’t given lightly.

What more needs to be said when he assassinated the empire’s emperor?

“(Stir them up more! Without the audience seeing! Make her act up!)”

In response to the ensuing silence, the auctioneer frantically gestures backstage.

Understanding his meaning, one of the staff pokes the wolf girl through the bars with a long stick.

The girl, who had been crouched motionless with her head buried between her knees, reacts violently to the sharp prodding.

“Kyaahhh! Gah! Krrr! Grrr! Urrrr!”

Instantly shifting into a wolfish battle stance, she glares forward while pressing her back against the corner.

“Grrr! Krrr! Grrrr! Urrrr!”

Her savage demeanor captivates the watching demons, igniting their passions.

Even if her body is damaged, even if her heart is torn out, she won’t fall – the indomitable spirit that the Demon God is said to have carefully infused into demons at the beginning of time.

Right now, the wolf girl is powerfully pumping that very essence of demons.

“Grgh… 73! 53,000 gold! We have to get her!”

“44! 55,000 gold! Try to keep up if you dare!”

“36! 56,000 gold! Who do you think I’m scared of!”

“24! 60,000 gold! For the bloodline of the Wolf King, his blood alone is valuable experimental material!”

Anyway, there are those who would suck you dry to the bone and fools being dragged around every which way. I smirk at the absurd scene.

“One.”

“One? Customer One?”

“One hundred thousand gold.”

Before Lilith’s second bid.

At the astronomical price of one hundred thousand gold, joy spreads across the auctioneer’s face. He’s covered his costs.

The bidders turn to look at the direction of the voice. I follow their gaze.

“One hundred thousand gold. Any objections?”

A girl with skin white as snowflakes, hair black as midnight, and crimson eyes like flowing blood.

At first glance, she resembles my sister Adela, but she’s different. Their auras differ.

Adela is pale in complexion and color. But this succubus girl is not. Dressed in fine black dress and surrounded by several guards, she exudes an air of haughtiness.

Haughty noble of the demon realm, Lilith Clanaein. In her past life, a conscientious demon who forgot her demonic duties due to debts to the saintess.

She looks to be about my age, roughly 15-16 human years? She’s around the same age as me and the Demon King, so probably 9-10 actual years.

Demons mature faster than humans. That’s my calculation.

“L-Lilith-sama! What brings you here…!”

“Lilith? Lilith of the Western Dukedom? Damn…”

“Hah… How are we supposed to compete with a duchy’s capital…”

“Damn… If only that number 99 guy hadn’t made me spend beyond my plan…”

Almost all demons are frustrated before an insurmountable wall. The name value of Lilith and especially the “Clanaein” family behind her is too great.

The auction dynamics were similar in her past life.

How could any ordinary demon dare cross Lilith Clanaein and incur her enmity? Common demons can’t withstand the wrath of one of the greatest demon houses.

It’s submission to backing rather than money. Not a pleasant sight at all.

Auctions should be about competing purely through assets and psychological warfare.

“One, one, one hundred thousand gold! Any higher bids?”

The auctioneer shouts excitedly, having secured his expected amount. No demons respond.

Looks like Lilith’s win is confirmed.

“Hmph.”

Rarely smiling Lilith finally does. It’s a mocking smile.

A smile steeped in the heavy sense of victory and superiority that has settled over the auction hall.

“Heh heh.”

What to do, I feel like putting down that arrogant nose.

Being so haughty in front of a troublemaker like me leaves me with no choice, doesn’t it?

“Hey, 99.”

The man sitting next to me speaks. Turning slightly, I see his W-shaped mustache twitch as he talks.

“You’ve been interfering in all sorts of auctions since the start, but are you going to stay silent this time?”

With my clear voice, I reply:

“Heh heh, seems you’ve been paying close attention?”

“Hard not to with that mask.”

“Guess I can’t hide my presence, huh? Though it’s surely a headache, why does it feel so good?”

“And… while you’ve been bidding all over, you haven’t actually won a single auction. Almost like your only goal is raising prices.”

“Oh, accurate observation indeed. Let’s talk later though.”

“?”

“I need to bid now. A real auction, not like before!”

Before the auctioneer confirms the sale.

“Yes! Since no one else is stepping forward-! The descendant of the Wolf King will go to customer One…!”

“99!”

All eyes turn. The spotlight that had been solely on Lilith shifts to me. Standing confidently, I spread my arms wide and shout:

“One hundred and one thousand gold!”

“…! Bid received! Customer 99! One hundred and one thousand gold!”

Those who had only glared at me before now look shocked. They didn’t expect me to have such capital.

Or perhaps it’s because I’ve wounded the pride of that haughty succubus girl.

“Sniff.”

The important thing is not losing composure.

Thus we make our young Lilith feel the unknown fear of how much capital I truly possess.

No matter how well-raised, demons still have fear. They just refuse to acknowledge it.

Wearing a completely carefree smile, I keep raising the price without a shadow of doubt. The key is consistently increasing by just 1 gold.

‘The price you offer, I’ll simply raise by 1 gold. No matter what price you offer, you cannot surpass me.’ This psychological pressure.

Though the method of breaking someone is continuously raising by 1 gold until the end of the day… Would that proud Lilith tolerate it?

“Dare you defy Lilith Clanaein, heir of the Clanaein house?! Do you have multiple lives to spare?!”

Lilith clenches her fists and scolds me. Reminds me of how she acted toward the saintess when visiting Tartarus.

Direct threats aren’t allowed in the sacred auction hall, but the auctioneer isn’t brave enough to stop Lilith.

Lilith knows this, which is why she’s threatening.

“How multiple? How can demons have multiple lives?”

“Obviously not! Don’t you fear death?”

“Haha! As long as I don’t die, it’s fine!”

“You fool! The moment you leave this auction hall, your body will be torn apart and your limbs crushed!”

“Whoa, too cruel much? Though why so talkative all of a sudden? Not focusing on the auction? Ah, already struggling maybe?”

“…! Two hundred thousand! Two hundred thousand gold!”

Infuriated by my mockery, Lilith’s face turns red and blue as she drastically raises the price. Trying to show me the difference in our capitals?

You’ll soon realize how futile that effort is, Lilith Clanaein.

“99! Two hundred and one thousand gold!”

“One! Two hundred and five thousand gold! Keep following if you dare! I’ll strip you bare until your assets are gone!”

“Wow! You want to eat me? Though curious about a succubus’ sweet night… we’re incorporeal beings! Forbidden love! Unauthorized indiscretion!”

“…! Wha, wha, what nonsense! Sw, sweet night?!”

“Eh? Maybe you wanted a sticky night? Hmm, how to use my supreme technique again… But then Lilith-chan might be unable to fulfill her succubus duties because she can’t forget her night with me… Anyway, two hundred and five thousand and one gold!”

Lilith’s face, filled with anger and bewilderment, gradually turns bright red. Noble girls are inexperienced with nighttime activities, even succubi who feed on men’s essence.

Meanwhile, my cheerful shouts without a hint of hesitation make her increasingly suspicious.

Two hundred and five thousand gold is an enormous amount of money. How can he treat it so casually? Her expression reveals this thought.

Her confusion is also evident. She’s flustered by the appearance of someone like me who openly defies her, someone who was untouchable to everyone so far, like a rare natural monument beyond a greenhouse flower.

Heh heh, if this were adult Lilith who could maintain a poker face, things wouldn’t be going this smoothly. But kids are kids, after all.

* * *

[Inner thoughts of the wolf girl]

“It’s noisy.”

“It hurts.”

“It hurts too much.”

“I’m scared.”

“Everyone please stop.”

“Why am I equated with something I can’t even eat, like ten thousand or one hundred thousand gold?”

“I’m the king, the king of wolves.”

“What gives you filthy demons the right to decide my worth?”

“I’ll kill you all.”