Of course, it was none of my business who the Badnikers considered their enemies. As I had mentioned, I held no regrets toward the family I grew up in. Still, two reasons drove me to stop this death.
First, the Badnikers were the most active family in opposing the church. If their power weakened, the Dark Church would flourish. It sounded exaggerated to claim that a single family's strength could directly influence the empire's greatest enemy, but it was the truth. Even without the deterrent of the Iron-Blooded Lord, the Badnikers had long surpassed every other family in power. I had become the family's deputy head, yet I barely knew half of what they could do.
Second, and more importantly, I wanted to observe the Iron-Blooded Lord closely. He never compromised when it came to the church and demons, and perhaps the same applied to his children. I wanted to see how far this blood-obsessed man would tolerate wandering, deviation, or depravity within his bloodline. If he intended to kill Raizen because of some connection to demons, I believed the Iron-Blooded Lord was wrong and needed to change.
A rigid person would inevitably make many enemies. I had no intention of asking him to bend his beliefs or make peace with them. Yet he could not misdirect his hatred and resentment, especially someone as strong as the Iron-Blooded Lord.
He needs to be flexible too.
First of all, the Raizen I had seen so far hadn't committed a crime deserving death. Compared to the youngest son, a priest of the Dark Church, Raizen even seemed almost innocent.
"Luan, this place is roughly under control."
"You didn't kill them, did you?"
"No."
"Good." I paused, then added, "Keep watch over these guys for a while."
"What about you?"
"I need to go backstage for a moment."
"Alone?" Haro's tone sharpened, as if questioning my authority to go alone.
Before I could respond, Zial interjected coldly, "Just let him go."
"What?"
"It's a family matter. Not something we should involve ourselves in."
Haro flinched slightly at the blunt truth and muttered, "Got it."
"Good. I'll leave it to you." I nodded and moved toward the back of the stage.
The stage remained bright, but the seats were still shrouded in darkness, allowing me to move without exposing myself.
"1,000 gold coins!"
"1,100 gold coins!"
"Damn, 1,500 gold coins!"
The auction was in full swing. The sums of money climbing steadily were enough to make my hands and feet shake. I could not predict how high the bid for the demon—the centerpiece of today's auction—would go.
Amid the frenzy, I finally slipped backstage. On the way, I barely encountered anyone connected to the auction, let alone anyone who could stop me. It seemed those who had fought us earlier made up most of the auction house staff.
"Who are you?"
"This area is off-limits!"
Four or five figures, likely guards, blocked the storage area where the auction items were kept. None wore animal masks, which suggested they posed only minor threats. With a few swift moves, I subdued them and scanned the space. Cages lined the room, each holding slaves.
I learned a lot from how the slaves carried themselves. Most flailed in denial, despair, or hopelessness, while a few restless ones radiated gritty resentment and rage. Whether born a slave or forced into it, their status had shaped them into this. Some, however, displayed unusual attitudes.
"Oh, it's so cramped I could die. Move over!"
"Why don't you just fold those pigeon wings of yours?"
"Easy for you to say! Which idiot thought it wise to shove a lizardman and a winged race into the same space?"
"The auction is dragging. I'm sleepy."
"Damn it. I should have been up there ages ago if I'd just won the draw."
They did not seem like slaves trapped in a cage. They acted more like people paying for the experience of being caged. They ignored the guards I had knocked out, some even whistling in amusement.
Then I caught the gaze of a striking female fairy. "Wow, quite the guy..." I flinched.
"You're handsome," she said with a smile. "You come from a well-off family, don't you? Huh? Right?"
"I wasn't exactly poor," I replied.
"Then buy me. I'm skilled in spiritual arts and can read ancient languages to some extent. I'm only 120 years old. Still vigorous."
"Lies," a blunt voice cut in. A dwarf in the neighboring cage said, "This one's 300 years old this year. In addition, this fairy is male."
"You crazy bastard! Why are you interfering with other people's business?" the fairy snapped.
"Yes. This is revenge for last time. And me? I might be from the south, but I've lived in the capital for fifty years. I even have a diploma from a craftsman school. I can handle anything from painting to sculpture, calligraphy, crafts, and architecture. And right now, the price is only five hundred gold coins! How about it? Cheap, right? Right?" the dwarf boasted.
"Don't fall for it! This jerk has terrible eyesight and will go blind soon. You'll need a high priest from the Sun Church to fix his eyes, and that'll cost you at least a few hundred more gold coins!" the fairy warned.
"You crazy bitch!"
I stepped closer to the two, clearly the liveliest among the slaves. "Let me ask you something."
"Hmm? Uh, sure..."
The female figure—no, the male fairy—tilted his head. "Have we met before? You look familiar."
"One of my ancestors was a fairy," I replied.
"Ah, but you feel a bit different."
"Because it was a Dark Fairy," I explained.
"Makes sense."
Although they shared ancestry, fairies and dark fairies had vastly different temperaments and cultures. They were not as close as other races. Even grouped under 'fairy' in the seven-race classification, that distinction caused considerable backlash. Creatures often avoided those most similar to them. It was like a talking gorilla being more unsettling than a talking pig.
"Okay. Ask me anything. What do you want to know?" the fairy asked.
"You're both slaves, but you don't seem dissatisfied with your situation."
"Right? Well, I got into this mess entirely on my own by acting foolishly."
"That's true. In the first place, Zyren Trading Company's contracts are relatively fair for the industry," the dwarf added.
"Zyren Trading Company?" I asked.
"Yes. I borrowed money from Zyren Trading Company and signed a contract agreeing to become a slave if I couldn't repay it," the fairy explained.
Zyren... Was it based on Raizen? Likely a company he had founded directly. Not surprising. Running an underground auction at this scale required immense capital.
"Isn't calling someone a slave for failing to repay a bit harsh?" I asked.
"That isn't the case. We're called slaves, but ownership doesn't pass to the next generation. Once the master dies, we gain freedom. It lasts at least twenty years, at most thirty to forty. Of course, that can feel like a long time for a human," the fairy replied.
"If subjected to abuse, confinement, or inhumane treatment, you can terminate your contract at any time," the dwarf added.
"Then... isn't this more like long-term employment?" I asked.
"Exactly."
If that were the case, this wasn't a slave auction. In reality, it resembled an intermediary company connecting employers and workers. It was a bit twisted, but most of the slaves here had apparently agreed to their current circumstances. Selling other things—monsters or spirit beast eggs—wasn't strictly illegal in the empire. The Abyss Auction couldn't be called legal, but it occupied a gray area between legality and illegality.
There is only one exception.
One item in the catalogue broke not only imperial law but also attracted the attention of the Iron-Blooded Lord: the demon.
At first, I thought Raizen was insane. The more I heard, the more I reconsidered. Raizen was surprisingly skilled at guarding the bottom line.
Business was a constant tightrope walk. Every transaction, territorial dispute, distribution network, or move to form a business district carried risk. A single mistake could bring immediate loss. In that world, Raizen's talent for running an auction of this scale was extraordinary.
Something stinks. Did I miss something?
I pondered for a moment before asking the two, "Have you seen any demons?"
"Demons? Ah! I heard about them. I didn't see one myself. I didn't know they dealt in that," the fairy said.
The dwarf spoke next. "It's possible, given the Zyren Trading Company. They claim there's nothing the Abyss Auction can't trade. They said they could get anything for money."
The fairy nodded. "Right. I also heard there's high demand for demons at this auction."
I frowned. "Why?"
"A demon king almost appeared in the capital, right? One of the Archmages even retired because of it," the dwarf explained.
They were surprisingly knowledgeable for slaves. Were they given newspapers to read?
"This is all anyone in the empire is talking about right now," I observed.
"That's natural. Demons exist only in books, and now one suddenly appears in the capital. Wealthy opportunists will naturally be interested," the dwarf said.
Many such people worked with the Zyren Trading Company.
The fairy added, "The Abyss Auction has never ignored its clients' demands. If someone wants ice from the desert, they'll get it. That trust and reliability is the company's greatest strength."
The image of the trading company, Raizen Badniker's tendencies, the testimony I just heard, and the very existence of a demon—all these clues intertwined in my mind, and I formed a conclusion almost instantly.
Could it be that this bastard... My legs moved before my mind could dwell further.
"Wait! I answered everything. You're going to buy me, right?" the fairy shouted.
"No! I'm better than this ghost!" the dwarf interjected.
"Enough!" I barked.
Where was Raizen?
The space behind the stage was large, making it difficult to find anyone. I decided to think from the Iron-Blooded Lord's perspective, not Raizen's. If I were the Iron-Blooded Lord, how would I have infiltrated this place?
It is in the least noticeable grade.
Blacks were the most common; whites were the rarest and lowest. The Iron-Blooded Lord and Sky-Destroying Sword had probably participated in the White-grade auction. With their energy detection, they had surely picked up the noise of the battle near Raizen. At that time, most response forces in the auction hall had focused on the three of us, creating the perfect opportunity for those two to move unnoticed.
The Iron-Blooded Lord doesn't want to reveal himself in this matter.
The security forces were not particularly strong. Even if he acted alone, the Iron-Blooded Lord would face no real threat. Yet he sought help from me, the Sky-Destroying Sword, and his two disciples. In other words, he wanted to complete his task quietly.
Wolf told Raizen to check backstage... Perhaps this was to mislead us. Even after searching, Raizen was nowhere to be found. Maybe backstage referred only to him and Wolf. Then his intent was clear: Escape immediately.
I activated the Fiery Golden Eyes and scanned the area. Despite the darkness, I could see everything. I spotted the hidden staircase leading to the rooftop and Raizen's head as he hurriedly climbed it. Unfortunately, he had yet to notice the reaper waiting at the top of the stairs.
I reacted instantly, using Thunder Stomp Footwork. Electric currents filled my vision. My joints creaked under the strain, still weakened as I moved, yet I crossed the backstage in an instant and reached the hidden staircase. I climbed swiftly.
Raizen and the Iron-Blooded Lord were already confronting each other.
The moment Raizen flinched, the Iron-Blooded Lord had already finished drawing his sword. Raizen's vision was sharp, and he twisted to evade the attack. Yet his opponent was the Iron-Blooded Lord. Raizen couldn't dodge the sword's blade or the sword wind it generated.
I arrived just before the eerie gust reached him, used Scorching, and blocked the sword wind with my outstretched fist.
The force sent shivers down my spine. If I had been even a moment later, Raizen would have died. Also, the Iron-Blooded Lord's sword attack had felt unusual.
The Iron-Blooded Lord tilted his head slightly. "Why?"
The question was brief but loaded. I knew that any wrong word now would put me directly in his sword's path.
A smirk twisted my mouth. "I think you are making a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"Yes. We must not kill Raizen."
The Iron-Blooded Lord's eyes demanded an explanation.
I stated my conclusion clearly. "Because there is no demon here in the first place."
I glanced behind me. "Am I right, my brother?"
Raizen fell silent, his expression unreadable.