The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 67

9. Relic: The Blockaded Bastard

Even after obtaining the Mermaid’s Tears, I consistently worked to keep the Twilight spies in check.

Now that they know how much money I have, people disappear the moment I hold up a sign, no longer trying to compete.

I infused mana into my ears to listen to the whispers, and it was full of people guessing my identity.

“Could he be an imperial from the Empire?”

“Even if Liang is a free city, why would someone of imperial status come all the way here?”

“He might be a powerful figure from the Desert Kingdom.”

“His attire is ambiguous.”

“He’s definitely not from the Elden Kingdom.”

I am from the Elden Kingdom, though.

While I was enjoying watching them make wild guesses, another tempting item appeared.

“We will introduce the 170th item! This is something we never imagined we could obtain. It is the heart of a low-grade demon who died during the final battle 20 years ago. The starting price is 2,000 gold, and the bidding increment is 100 gold.”

It’s been 20 years, and being a low-grade demon’s heart, it’s practically a souvenir.

Still, humans’ fear-mixed interest in demons always stirred up buying desires.

I would have let the demon’s heart pass by in the past, but I can’t now.

Isn’t the Dragon Egg in the subspace gourd already shaking violently from side to side?

“4,100 gold.”

In the end, I paid a hefty sum of over 4,000 gold and won the bid for the demon’s heart.

Just in case, I touched the subspace gourd, but even after paying that much money, the height of the golden mountain had only decreased by the size of an ant’s eye.

Wouldn’t I have to go to at least twenty more auctions like this to feel like I’ve spent some money?

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting.”

After the demon’s heart, the stage lights suddenly went out.

Host Alfredo deliberately lowered his voice to focus the audience’s attention.

“Finally, the last item of today’s auction is coming out. Yes! I see some people are already cheering. Some of you have already heard rumors that a great item would be coming out.”

I know what the last item of today’s auction is through Haman’s ledger, but I crossed my arms and watched the situation.

“You’re all curious, right? I won’t drag it out. I’ll reveal it right away. The last auction item of today is…”

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of drums echoed from somewhere, raising people’s expectations, and the lights that turned on all at once illuminated the center of the stage.

Flash!!

A space where all the light was concentrated.

There, a pitiful girl trapped in a cage was staring blankly into the air with unfocused eyes.

Hair like a sparkling starry galaxy.

Fair white skin like fine porcelain.

Long silver eyelashes and silver eyes reminiscent of innocent beauty that matched her hair color.

Above all, long, pointed ears drooping on both sides.

It was an appearance that transcended the mortal realm.

Everyone, regardless of gender, stared blankly at the delicate elf’s face with dazed expressions.

However, I had seen two high elves through past memories, so I was relatively familiar and had some resistance compared to others.

Was it because I was the only one among the many audience members showing a different reaction?

For a moment, the elf and I made eye contact.

Her silver eyes and my green eyes intertwined in the air.

What did that high elf read in my eyes? At least, I read ‘resignation’ and ‘resignation’ in that elf’s eyes.

“The last item was an elf! But that’s not the end. It’s hard enough to find just any elf, but this elf is no ordinary elf.”

Alfredo paused for a moment, confirmed that everyone’s attention in the hall was focused on him, and then spoke again.

“An elf among elves! A royal family in human terms! It’s a high elf!!!”

The level of the item jumped even higher.

Buyers didn’t know how to react to the last item that exceeded expectations, so they simply responded with silence.

As if he had expected this reaction, Alfredo smiled contentedly and presented the starting price.

“The starting price will be… 10,000 gold. The bidding increment starts at 1,000 gold.”

A staggering starting price.

But it’s an understandable price.

Because having a high elf is something to be proud of for the rest of your life.

Even the imperial family of the Calon Empire would want to have a high elf but can’t.

“Please note in advance that this elf was exiled from her tribe, so you don’t have to worry about any repercussions from keeping her. So don’t worry and bid as much as you want.”

With Alfredo’s words, the buyers’ reins were released.

“11,000 gold.”

“12,000 gold.”

“14,000 gold.”

A huge sum that even the empire’s tycoons would find difficult to offer was being presented as a bid in Liang’s market.

That’s how serious the buyers were about buying that high elf.

On the other hand, I watched the situation.

It’s not that I’m not interested in the high elf, but the Twilight Church’s spy was still.

“15,000 gold…”

“20,000 gold.”

Finally, he’s here.

Among the Twilight Church spies I had checked so far, the one who had never participated in the auction stepped forward, immediately bidding 20,000.

The Twilight’s executive, Greed, had mentioned the high elf to Haman separately, so they would definitely try to secure the elf as well.

“Kuh! 25,000 gold!”

A noble who appeared to be wealthy made a big decision and bid 25,000, but the Twilight spy countered by raising it by 5,000 at once, as if he had expected it.

In the end, the noble couldn’t hide his regretful expression and gestured to give up.

As the atmosphere shifted, Alfredo, who was also a member of the Twilight Church, breathed a sigh of relief and tried to quickly end the auction.

“30,000 gold! Are there any more bidders? Then we will auction off the high elf as is…”

“50,000 gold.”

Holding up a sign, I calmly called out the price.

Everyone looked at me with a stunned expression.

Alfredo also had a doubtful look in his eyes.

Because 50,000 gold is not an amount to be easily mentioned.

“Participant number 58, I apologize for saying this, but…”

“You’re wondering if I have the ability to pay.”

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to be. I’ll show you right here.”

I took out a treasure sword from the subspace gourd and placed it on the table.

The people next to me were startled and trembled when a sword suddenly appeared from the air.

“I entrust the appraisal of this sword’s value to Liang’s appraiser.”

Appraisers wearing white gloves carefully took the sword.

What I took out was just any sword I randomly picked from among the swords stuck in the golden mountain.

Still, it was in the Dragon’s Lair, so it was at least over 5,000 years old, and it had tremendous value just from withstanding the storms of time.

Moreover, despite the long time, it still maintained its sharp blade and subtle luster, so it was a treasure of sufficient level to be the last auction item of this black market.

“This is!!”

The appraisers’ eyes widened in shock.

They are people who make a living appraising treasures every day, so there’s no way they wouldn’t know the value of that sword.

However, since those appraisers are also members of the Twilight Church, I expected them to lowball the appraisal price, so I took out a handful of ancient gold coins from the golden mountain and placed them on top.

“Add this if it’s not enough.”

I blocked them from speaking.

As treasures continued to pile up on the table, other people now had the look of watching to see how things would turn out.

“Ahem! I understand. Then 50,000 gold! Is there anyone else who wants to bid higher?”

“6…10,000 gold.”

The Twilight Church spy who called out 50,000 gold trembled and called out 10,000 gold more.

He still seems to have lingering feelings about securing the high elf.

I decided to cut off the bud of that lingering feeling.

“100,000 gold.”

I took out another treasure sword identical to the treasure sword I showed earlier from the subspace gourd and placed it on the table.

Game over.

“100,000 gold! Are there any more?”

There’s no way there would be.

Everyone must be busy guessing what my identity is now.

Alfredo looked at the Twilight spy with an anxious look, but the spy raised his hand and shook his head from side to side.

“Then the high elf has been won by customer number 58!!”

Thud, thud, thud.

The auction hammer echoed on the floor.

The last auction was over.

“Today’s auction is over. I sincerely thank the distinguished guests who attended the Full Moon Market, and I would be grateful if you would visit again at the next full moon.”

People got up in droves.

Even while everyone was leaving the auction house, they looked at me with curious eyes.

They’ll probably be busy guessing my identity even after they leave.

On the other hand, Sion didn’t get up and was sitting slumped with her head down.

“Sion, what are you doing? Get up.”

“Ah…yes!? Yes!”

What’s wrong with her today?

She’s completely out of it.

“Are you sick? Your face is very red.”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Tell me if you’re sick. It’ll be a problem if you just endure it and it interferes with the mission.”

“I understand.”

I grabbed Sion’s hand and helped her up.

And as we were about to leave, a woman approached from over there.

“You!”

Ah.

I wondered who it was, but it was the woman who had a standoff with me in front of the Mermaid’s Tears earlier.

The middle-aged woman wearing a blue dress had a mask covering her eyes and a large mole at the end of her left lip.

“What’s the matter?”

“You seem to have a lot of money, so is there really a need to be greedy for that jewel?”

“Are you talking about that again? The auction is already over, so please leave.”

“No. I must get an apology.”

Her hand on her hip and her huffing and puffing form is the epitome of a troublemaker.

A pathetic soul who wants to somehow recover her wounded pride and feel superior is acting unreasonably.

“Especially since you openly insulted me by comparing that fox-like woman to me. Apologize right now.”

“If I apologize, will you just let it go?”

“If you also hand over the Mermaid’s Tears for 2,500 gold as a sign of apology. This is really letting you off cheap.”

I knew it.

A robber-like woman.

Even daylight robbery wouldn’t be done like this.

Originally, I would have dealt with her right away, but right now, this woman is just a fly that has intervened at a time when the Twilight forces need to be eradicated.

It’s not a priority.

Above all, seeing the mole on the woman’s left lip, one name written on the list suddenly came to mind.

“Countess Hilton.”

As soon as I accurately identified her, the woman flinched greatly.

“How do you know me?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is that the Countess was in Liang’s black market and traded slaves, which is prohibited in the kingdom.”

“No…”

“Does the Count know that his wife is here?”

There’s no way he would know.

I could see the expression on Countess Hilton’s face under the mask becoming more and more uneasy.

After hesitating for a moment, she turned her body away.

“I don’t know who you are, but be careful on the night road. I will definitely reveal your identity. Especially that vixen’s purple hair, I’ve definitely remembered it.”

Countess Hilton left.

Sion, who was watching from the side, said.

“Young master, are you going to be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s Countess Hilton, we may meet again someday.”

“It’s okay. It’s not us who are feeling guilty, it’s them. And even if it’s not this matter, we’ll clash with the Hilton family someday.”

From the territory war over the Albus territory, we have been steadily building up bad blood with the Hilton family.

The fact that Countess Hilton came to the slave market today is also something I’m not using right now, but I planned to detonate it later if the Hilton family blocked my path again.

Anyway, that time was not now.

The communication crystal ball buzzed.

Holding the crystal ball in my hand and flowing mana through it, Tom, disguised as Haman, appeared.

-The situation is urgent, so I’ll get straight to the point.

“Please speak.”

-I received a call from the Twilight Church member in charge of the Full Moon Market. He asked if he could deal with a guest he had never seen before who was interfering with securing slaves.

As expected, the Twilight side had no intention of handing over the auctioned items, including the high elf, to me willingly.

Rather, since I showed a lot of expensive treasures, they were planning to kill me and check what I had.

“So what did you answer?”

-I told him to get rid of it.

“You did well.”

-Can you handle it?

I chuckled at Tom’s worried words.

“We are a group gathered to catch Greed. We can’t not deal with his subordinates.”

-I’ll trust you.

“I’ll clean up the underwater cave and return. I’ll see you at the guild building.”

The communication was cut off.

Looking at Sion next to me, she had been dazed as if dreaming for a while, but now her eyes were clear as if she had come to her senses.

She seemed to be sick, but it’s fortunate that she came to her senses before the big event.

“You were here.”

Host Alfredo.

The tall middle-aged man with a bow tie and suit approached with a friendly smile.

I could clearly see the snake-like intentions hidden between his kind eyes.

“I would be grateful if you would follow me as I will give you the auctioned items.”

I followed Alfredo.

The three headed deep into the underwater cave.

As time dragged on, I opened my mouth.

“Isn’t it taking too long?”

“We’re almost there.”

Eventually, we entered a large cavity inside the cave.

There were no auctioned items at all in the cavity, and there were only a few luminous stones, so it was dark.

Sion and I stood in the middle of the cavity.

Alfredo, who was walking ahead, turned around to look at us with a satisfied smile.

“Is it here? Where are the auctioned items?”

“There are no items to give to you.”

Alfredo’s attitude changed.

I tried to hold back my laughter and deliberately staggered, making a flustered expression.

“What are you talking about?”

“You should have noticed by now. Guys! Come out!”

The Twilight Church members who had hidden themselves in the dark where the light of the luminous stones did not reach appeared, tapping their tools against their palms, and there seemed to be almost fifty of them.

Among them were the disguised merchants and nobles who had competed with me by holding up signs earlier, the burly gatekeepers who guarded the entrance, and even the rabbit mask beauty who guided us, a mix of various figures.

“Liang can’t do this! Aren’t you merchants who make a living with trust! Stop it now. If this is known, you’re finished.”

“The dead have no words. You’ll become fish food here, so what are you talking about announcing? Hahaha!”

Alfredo laughs wildly.

At the same time, one of the men inserted an iron bar into the door we had entered.

Clang!

The iron bar was fixed between the doorknobs.

It was tightly locked to prevent us from escaping and opening the door.

“By the time that door opens, you will be corpses.”

Alfredo said triumphantly.

At that point, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

“Pfft! Hahahaha!!!”

Alfredo frowned as I grabbed my stomach and giggled.

“What’s so funny? Are you losing your mind because it’s time to die?”

“No. Your thoughts are too absurd.”

[Wind Control]

[Activating Haste.]

The wind lightly wraps around my ankles.

At the same time, my figure became blurred.

The place where I appeared was the door tightly locked with an iron bar.

As soon as I arrived, I grabbed both sides of the iron bar and bent it as it was, filling my arms with mana.

Crack!!!!

The solid iron bar bent like taffy, and now it had not only locked the door but had completely sealed it.

Since the iron bar had become like that, there was no way to get out of here unless the iron door was broken.

I gave a bright smile to Alfredo and the Twilight Church warriors who were dumbfounded by my antics.

“Unfortunately… you’re the ones who are trapped.”

Sion takes out her sword and lowers her stance.

I also drew the Heavenly Demon Sword from my waist.

The hunt had begun.