## Chapter 165 – 165. Midnight Auction (3)
#165. Midnight Auction (3)
“…A deal? I’m not sure what you’re suddenly talking about.”
The moment the word “deal” came up, all emotion vanished from Lina Hessler’s eyes.
It was hard to believe she was the same person who, just moments ago, had learned that her maid had not only been knocked unconscious by someone else right in front of her but also had black magic inscribed on her. Her emotional shift was that quick.
The way she pretended to grab her teacup while observing me was quite unnerving.
Not that anything would come of it.
“It seems Lady Hessler is quite suspicious, so as a token of trust, I’ll reveal one of my cards first.”
I took the lion mask out of my inventory and placed it on the table.
“…?!”
After staring blankly at the mask for a moment, Lina Hessler’s face, which had been looking at me, was filled with bewilderment.
For the record, the lion mask I used at the auction house was already broken and left there that day. This one I bought as a souvenir from a street vendor.
Of course, I was planning to throw it away since it was just taking up space in my inventory.
“…Haa, Henrik, do you even realize what you’re doing right now?”
“Not really.”
“Haa… My father is very angry right now. Not only were three of the elf slaves he worked so hard to capture stolen, but the guards and combat slaves were killed as well, so the losses…”
Thump!!
At that moment, the magic power inside me expanded outwards.
I hadn’t reached the point where I could exert physical force with magic power, but it was more than enough to pressure her, a commoner.
Lina Hessler, her complexion pale and trembling slightly, turned her gaze to me.
“It seems you need to learn how to watch your mouth, Lady Hessler. Elf slaves and stolen, you say…”
The images of Bella, Grace, and Mia flashed through my mind at the words “elf slaves.”
If it were before, I would have been angry only for Iris’s sake, but this was purely an emotion that welled up from within my own heart.
“I would appreciate it if you would never refer to elves as slaves in my presence again, let alone treat slaves as objects.”
I have no intention of interfering with the slave culture of this world.
But depending on who the other party is, I may show a contrasting reaction.
Even if a strong man unfairly becomes a slave, I would most likely stand by and say it’s none of my business. The same goes for an old woman.
But what if the other party is a beautiful woman or a child?
My heart might waver, or I might try to save them. No, I probably would.
You can say I have no backbone.
That’s just human nature.
When I stopped the pressure of magic power, Lina Hessler seemed more at ease and took a calm, deep breath, glaring at me.
“…I’ve heard that wizards often buy… no, take slaves for human experimentation, but I never thought you would be interested in the human rights of slaves.”
She complained to me even while sweating, but my interest was elsewhere.
‘…Human experimentation?’
For wizards, human experimentation was a tag that followed them everywhere.
Even on Earth, some civic groups held protests every weekend condemning wizards’ human experimentation.
Of course, wizards didn’t actually conduct human experimentation.
It was just a rumor spread by people ignorant of magic.
In the first place, most of the fields in magic that require human experimentation are concentrated in alchemy, and would alchemists, who have money to burn, do such an inefficient thing?
From saving people to keeping secrets, everything is cumbersome.
It would be several times better to conduct clinical trials with the lure of high hourly wages.
In fact, clinical trial part-time jobs led by alchemists were famous on Earth. As soon as I became an adult, the first thing I did was a clinical trial part-time job.
I remember the competition being quite fierce because it provided room and board and the hourly wage was incredibly high.
‘Should I see the fact that wizards are conducting human experimentation with slaves as a peculiarity of this world?’
When I glanced to the side, I met Iris’s eyes.
In that fleeting moment, we knew we were thinking the same thing.
“You said wizards bought slaves, has that been frequent?”
“Pardon?”
Lina Hessler asked back as if she was dumbfounded.
Well, she probably brought it up to mock me, so she must be taken aback that I mentioned it.
But this was important.
Of course, the magic system may be different from Earth, so human experimentation may be necessary.
Even if that’s not the case, it might be a rumor created by people ignorant of magic, like on Earth.
But the black magician I met at the auction house, the black magic circle inscribed on the maid’s thigh, and the human experimentation.
A series of events seemed to be connected by an invisible chain.
“…I don’t quite understand the point of your question. I was just mentioning that wandering wizards bought slaves in large quantities.”
“In large quantities? How many is considered a large quantity?”
Just as my suspicion was turning into conviction, Lina Hessler frowned, revealing her emotions.
“Haa… Henrik, are you trying to test my patience right now?”
I quietly stared at her, who looked like she was about to get up and leave at any moment.
“How long do I have to indulge in this ridiculous farce? Do you think I’m easy to deal with just because I’m the daughter of a baronet?”
Lina Hessler’s eyes, which seemed angry, occasionally turned to the lion mask on the table.
Only then did I realize that she wasn’t really angry.
She’s probably planning to mention my rudeness and gain an advantage in future deals.
“I have grounds to imprison you. The reason I’m staying here is because I respect you, so keep that in mind…”
“You don’t seem like a noble lady. The way you look at people, your trivial words and actions, and so on.”
I cut her off and spread my palm.
Then, a pulsating blue heart and four rings surrounding it appeared.
“…A 4-circle wizard?”
Her eyes were more shaken than ever before.
“Let’s overlook the previous rudeness since we both have a share in it. Instead, I’ll be direct.”
I took out a suitable iron sword from my inventory. The blue aura blooming along the blade caught her attention.
“If you keep just one promise, I will make you the next Baroness Hessler.”
You might say I’m being too reckless, but my current identity is just a fake one anyway.
Even if problems arise, I can just cancel the magic and leave the city.
Then, I’ll completely destroy a few major slave trading groups and head to the next city.
But to prevent elves other than Luna and Ellie from being captured as slaves, it would be several times better to get the cooperation of the next lord.
The risks to bear increase, but the stability is incomparable.
Besides, there are quite a few things I can get from her, who inherited the title, such as information on the common sense and international situation of this world, and the fastest route to the Santala Kingdom.
“…I don’t know where you heard such a story, but I have no intention of inheriting the title. My brother will inherit the title through legitimate procedures.”
“Is that so?”
“Let’s pretend this never happened…”
“You’re surprisingly bad at lying.”
The moment she saw the four magic power rings blooming in my hand, I still vividly remember how her expression changed.
“Shouldn’t you at least lower the corners of your mouth that are raised?”
A glimmer of hope blooming in the midst of terrible anxiety and despair, that was the change in the emotions of the woman named Lina Hessler, who was looking at me.
Lina Hessler, who was observing me with a subtle expression, seemed to think that probing any further would be a waste of time, and leaned back against the back of the chair, abandoning formalities.
“Could you give me some time to think?”
I nodded lightly, leaned back on the sofa, and drank my tea.
It probably won’t take long anyway, so there’s no need to wait in another room.
About 10 minutes passed, and Lina Hessler, with a determined expression, opened her mouth.
“…There is a knight who has reached the upper level of Aura Expert. He is the bodyguard of my father and brother. Could you handle him discreetly?”
“Assassination?”
“That’s the fastest way.”
“Wouldn’t that complicate matters as much as it’s fast?”
“That’s my problem.”
There was no tremor in her hand holding the teacup.
It meant she had no hesitation in killing her own family.
“If you take care of my father’s bodyguard, I’ll take care of the rest.”
“You’re not going to kill your brother?”
“He’s just a lower priority. The biggest obstacle in the current situation is my father. Besides, if I touch my brother first, it’s hard to guess how my father will react. In the worst case, he might try to return the title to the royal family or adopt an heir.”
From the conversation, I could tell which way the succession was leaning.
The reason she accepted my proposal, which might be a trap, was probably because of that.
“Alright.”
Sylvia will be here soon anyway, so if we attack together, we can quickly deal with a knight of the upper level of Aura Expert.
Lina Hessler smiled as if she liked my cool answer.
“Instead, I want you to handle it tonight.”
“…Isn’t that too sudden?”
“There’s no need to drag it out.”
“That’s true, but…”
Lina Hessler, who was lost in thought again, opened her mouth after a short deliberation.
“…Okay. But could you postpone it until after the auction? I want to avoid problems at the party where distinguished guests are present.”
It wasn’t a difficult request, so I nodded lightly.
“Then, can I hear your request?”
“I’ll tell you later after the work is done.”
I didn’t want to reveal what I wanted to the other party from the start.
After all, once this is over, she won’t be able to pretend she doesn’t know me.
“…That’s troublesome. Even if it’s something that can’t be left in a contract, shouldn’t we at least check each other’s requests?”
“You don’t have to worry, I won’t ask for anything unreasonable.”
Lina Hessler sighed at the words that implied ‘What can you do if I don’t want to say it?’
But she couldn’t back out now that she had come this far, so she didn’t say anything more.
“I’ll trust those words.”
“I will repay your trust.”
Thus, the negotiation with the baronet’s daughter, which was not in the plan, was concluded.
All that was left was to wait for the night.
“…By the way, how long are you going to keep touching my maid’s thigh?”
“Ah.”
I think my hands are getting worse lately.
