Predatory Marriage

Predatory Marriage — Chapter 78. Blood (1)

Translator: Atlas / Editor: Eyljee

While waiting for the auction to begin, the guests got tired. Their faces became bitter, full of restlessness. Even the diligent servants who were attending to the guests had disappeared. The irritation could be felt in the atmosphere until finally, a customer began to shout out loud.

“What happened? Did something bad happen?”

The guests became more and more anxious with every minute that passed. When the auction house began to rumble, the curtain finally rose.

The curtains were supposed to go up without a problem, but they were lifted slightly differently. It was lifted crookedly, as if lifted by one person using only one arm.

When the scene was revealed, it was completely dark. A strange man came out of the darkness.

He was wearing a loose outfit that looked as if he had stolen it from somewhere. He approached the center of the scene and shouted emphatically.

“Genin!”

Suddenly, the lights came on. The complete figure of the man, now visible, stunned the guests. Their jaws dropped and their eyes grew larger.

On the scene was a barbarian. A Kurkan.

“Thank you for coming to the auction today!,” he exclaimed, his voice sounding happily in the air. His dimples accentuated his wide and endearing smile. Customers, even without understanding the situation, wondered if it was all part of a presentation. It could be an introduction organized for the final slave auction of the kingdom.

However, the more insightful guests realized what was happening, and immediately began to look for a way out.

The man on stage continued to speak, capturing the attention of the crowd.

“As everyone has foreseen, today we celebrate a very special event! That’s right…” The man extended both arms and shouted: “Now you are all slaves, being chased by slave traders!”

The auction house was immediately silent, as if ice water had been thrown over the entire audience. The man laughed happily as he stood in front of the paralyzed guests. His dimples, which decorated his face like two elegant holes, seemed to burst out as he showcased a wicked smile.

“What do you think? Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”

The stillness was broken. The guests screamed frantically, passing over other people, chairs or tables. They stumbled on the way to the exits, making the whole place a total chaos. The man laughed as he watched people run towards the doors, abandoning their dignity. The man’s eyelids narrowed, his eyes shone with ecstasy.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! From now on…”

The wild beasts suddenly appeared from all directions. The man jumped from the stage and joined the crowd.

“I hope you are all good at running!” he shouted.

***

As soon as Leah released the girl from her chains, the little Kurkan girl ran to the trader who had owned her. She jumped up, trampling him savagely, as if he would die a second time.

Ishakan grabbed the girl who was jumping on the man and pushed her aside. Then he searched the body and took out a bunch of keys from it. They were in his hand, the first symbol of freedom of the Kurkan slaves.

“Haban, Genin.”

At his call, the two appeared, then he threw the keys at them.

“Everyone will gather here,” he said.

Haban and Genin, taking the keys, began their search. They finished soon after, returning with all the Kurkan captives. They were decently dressed because they had been captured just before they headed for the auction. While Haban was guiding them, Genin reported to Ishakan.

“Contrary to the number we expected, I think there is one missing. Maybe it’s somewhere else,” she said.

“He has a very hostile attitude, so I think he was trapped in a separate room,” the girl shouted. She was squatting in the corner, but suddenly intervened. She walked with determination when she met Ishakan’s gaze. “I can lead you to where he is.”

Ishakan turned to Haban and Genin. “How much time do we have before the auction starts?”

“We are a little short of time,” Haban responded.

Ishakan thought about Haban’s answer for a moment before deciding. “I will go with the princess. As for all of you…” he stopped, the corners of his mouth raised. “Please greet the guests of the auction.”

Haban’s and Genin’s eyes shone. It’s been a while since they had any good action, and all this was on a completely different level. Excited to lead the other Kurkans, they disappeared.

Leah hoped that Count Valtein would not be too horrified by the impending bloodbath. She and Ishakan left, following the girl.