“I’m not interested in the seat next to you, but in your seat. I just can’t sit on the edge by nature. I feel at ease only when there are people on both sides of me.”
“That makes me even less willing to move! I will never give you a sense of security, Sister Nana!”
Since Shumel and Nanaen’s bickering showed no signs of ending, I switched seats with them to quiet things down.
A little while later, Sister Lilliana and Sister Orlette arrived and took their seats in the front row. Sister Lilliana turned her head to look back, and when our eyes met, she huffed and quickly straightened her head. Sister Orlette, noticing this, spoke to her.
“It’s time, but I don’t see Sehera. Lilli, do you know what happened to Sehera?”
“How would I know?”
“You’re close, aren’t you?”
“Every time I visited her during her probation, she just cried and whined. I got tired of it and stopped talking to her. I think it’s already been about two weeks?”
“You didn’t even visit her on the day Sir Jerom died?”
“…” Lilliana flinched and started twirling her lemon-colored blonde hair around her finger, pretending to be distracted.
“The time has come. Entry is now closed.”
In the end, Sehera didn’t show up. A neatly dressed host stepped onto the stage. Beside him stood an elderly archbishop, draped in ornate accessories over his priestly robes.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin the charity auction, we have a few words from Archbishop Gremol.”
“His Majesty, a man of great virtue and faith, has arranged this wonderful event for us today. Not only does he grace us with the sight of precious treasures from the imperial collection, but he also vowed to use the proceeds for the betterment of the world. All the profits from this charity auction will be dedicated to the goddess. Therefore, please remember that what takes place here today is not indulgence but a sacred offering. May the great nobles present here demonstrate their faith and loyalty by generously opening their purses.”
He sure had a holy way of telling people to spend a lot of money.
“Is His Majesty not planning to come?” Sister Vivian seemed somewhat relieved as she relaxed the tension in her neck and shoulders.
The mad emperor was probably watching from one of the box seats, but I didn’t bother to say it out loud.
After Archbishop Gremol’s tedious sermon finally ended, the auction began in earnest. The first item was an antique worth at least the price of a grand mansion. It was a luxurious ornament shaped like an egg, made of metal and encrusted with countless jewels.
“This is an art piece known as Saber’s Egg. A masterpiece where beauty and extravagance serve as its function. The bidding starts at 100,000 gold.”
“This is a masterpiece known as the Egg of Saber. Its beauty and splendor are its very function. The bidding starts at 100,000 gold.”
“110,000!”
“115,000!”
More and more luxury items followed, all perfectly suited to the mad emperor’s extravagant tastes, featuring gold and gemstones in excess. The nobles bid aggressively, as if they believed that buying into the emperor’s taste, they could also buy his favor and power. Even among the princesses, some participated in the bidding. Lilliana and Nanaen each won a piece of jewelry.
Whenever the attendees’ interest waned due to the similarity of the auction items, special items were introduced—rare treasures like the Holy Grail, legendary swords, and porcelain dolls.
Shumel showed interest in a porcelain doll, but bidding for it was beyond her personal allowance. Seeing that, Nanaen didn’t miss her chance to tease the sulking Shumel.
“Want me to buy it for you?”
“What?”
“If you say, ‘I’ll become the most devoted follower of the world’s most beautiful, Sister Nana,’ I’ll buy it for you.”
“No way!”
Their bickering made Sister Vivian laugh softly, her finger pressed against the beauty mark near her lips. It was nice to see her relaxed and at ease.
And just when the mood had settled into a comfortable lull, it was the perfect time for a shocking event.
“Now, only two auction items remain. To introduce the next item, we ask Archbishop Gremol to come up to the stage.”
“Huh? Me?”
Archbishop Gremol, who had been maintaining a dignified demeanor as a spectator, was suddenly called out. Though surprised, he didn’t seem to dislike the attention. Clearing his throat, he climbed onto the stage—only to find himself in the middle of an unexpected event.
“Behold, everyone! The auction item has been revealed!”
“W-What?”
“This auction item is the position of archbishop. Bidding starts at 200,000 gold!”
“W-What nonsense is this?!”
Not only the archbishop, whose face turned red with outrage, but all the attendees were equally shocked.
Buying and selling sacred positions was nothing to the corrupt nobles. However, with Archbishop Gremol, who had the emperor’s trust, standing there with his eyes wide open, the situation was hard to comprehend. Of course, it didn’t take long for the chaos to be resolved.
The doors of the auction house burst open, and the emperor’s personal knights stormed in menacingly. Leading them at the front was a blond knight, Dominic.
“By the order of His Majesty, arrest the archbishop for the crime of defaming the imperial family.”
“Defaming the imperial family? What nonsense is this! W-What I even have done!”
“I heard you’ve been keeping a secret wife and children hidden away in a private house. The archbishop is supposed to be a man of celibacy, isn’t he? You, corrupted by the world and unfit that position, deceived His Majesty. That’s more than enough to charge you with defamation.”
“…!”
Archbishop Gremol, who had been screaming in protest, suddenly went quiet as if he’d given up. His face had already turned ashen, like a corpse.
Dominic grinned savagely. “Enjoy your stay in the underground prison, Archbishop. I will personally request Marquis Osbond to make sure your execution is handled with extra care.”
“H-How could you do this to me! Do you know how much I’ve done for you, Sir Dominic…!”
“Ha, shut up.” Irritated, Dominic ran a hand through his blond hair before gripping the archbishop’s throat with that same hand. “Do you know how many eyes and ears I have planted in the imperial palace? And yet you dared to wag your tongue. You cursed my future children, and now you have the audacity to speak?”
“Ch-Children? Keugh, what do you, uugh…”
Watching the farce unfold, I couldn’t help but frown openly for the first time in a while. It wasn’t just because of the brutal sight of someone being strangled. But my mind had wandered to an unnecessary thought.
“If you speak like that, you will be punished. Can you bear the consequences if the sin falls upon the child you will carry in the near future?!”
Did he really take that as referring to his own future children?
“Crazy b*stard.”
“…Eek? Sister Sasha, just now—”
“What?”
“N-No. Shushu didn’t hear anything. Shushu heard nothing at all…”
With that, Dominic and the imperial knights dragged the Archbishop Gremol away. The auction hall, which had become chaotic, was smoothed over by the host with a sly grin.
“Alright, alright, there was a bit of a commotion, but it’s been taken care of, so let’s resume the auction. The position of archbishop, starting bid at 200,000 gold. It can be transferred after purchase, so if anyone has a celibate son at home, we encourage your participation.”
There were no bidders. Everyone was too steeped in the decadence and indulgence of corruption to consider a life of religious devotion.
“What a shame, it seems we have no buyers.”
Bang, bang, the sound of the wooden auction gavel echoed through the hall. For a sentence declaring the execution of a corrupt clergyman, it was an oddly resplendent sound.
It’s over.
Those who offended the mad emperor are usually executed within a fortnight. Since everything will be settled with the deadline I set when I made my covenant, I’ll soon reap considerable power from it.
Unconsciously, I straightened my posture instead of relaxing. The auction was still ongoing, and the stage I prepared was finished, but I couldn’t rule out the possibility that the mad emperor had his own stage ready. And as expected, not letting my guard down was the right choice.
“Now, it’s time for the final item!”
Suddenly, the auction hall went dark. As the murmuring grew with anticipation, a spotlight illuminated the stage.
“…!”
The moment the auction item was revealed, I almost jumped out of my seat in shock.
“The final item up for bid is the deposed princess, Lady Sehera Istinel!”
My own sister, stripped of her title, was being auctioned off.
