4. Enoch Walter 2

The short schedule in Bert was truly like a dream to Enoch.

There was the matter with Luciella, and also thanks to the king who held grand banquets day after day treating them like honored guests.

On the road back to the Empire, all the members felt regretful, so this wasn’t something only Enoch experienced.

Once they returned, everything went back to the way it was before.

Enoch was a common-born low-ranking new knight, and no one treated him with special care. No, rather he was in a position to be ignored.

Cold reality struck Enoch like waking from a dream. He was returning to his daily life once again.

* * *

Should he call it luck.

Enoch had exceptional talent in swordsmanship. He was even superior to noble young masters who received thorough education from childhood. This despite never having properly learned how to hold a sword.

Enoch’s skills began to shine around three years after joining the knight order.

Not only did he rise to the highest position a common-born knight could reach, but victory flags were planted daily in every battle he participated in, so his prestige grew day by day.

However, naturally there were side effects too. Participating in countless battles without rest, Enoch gradually felt fatigue. The imperial family, noticing he was becoming exhausted, offered him a title like a carrot.

But the position of marquis rather made Enoch uncomfortable. Amid marriage pressures coming from all directions and nobles’ checks against him, he became completely fed up.

“You and I are similar, aren’t we. We have no interest in power games.”

It was then that Sejef approached Enoch in a friendly manner.

“Since I can’t belong to any faction, I’ve been feeling a sense of kinship with you.”

“No, how could I dare……”

“Haha, no need to be so stiff. I’m just trying to introduce some enjoyable entertainment in case you might be bored.”

Sejef held out an invitation to Enoch. It was secretly sealed so the contents couldn’t be seen immediately.

“Everyone covets this. This invitation can’t be obtained by just anyone.”

What if Enoch hadn’t accepted the invitation Sejef offered? Enoch still often thought about this day.

“I run it small-scale out of boredom, so if your life becomes tedious, drop by sometime.”

And it didn’t take long for Enoch to learn about his secret hobby.

An illegal auction house where all sorts of illegal activities were carried out and whether objects or lives, everything was sold off indiscriminately.

That was the identity of the place Sejef had called Enoch to.

* * *

The more days Enoch had to participate in noble gatherings, the more he came to know things he didn’t want to hear.

This was especially true because he got involved with Sejef. Whether Sejef truly felt kinship with Enoch, he looked after him who was an outsider in noble society and took him to all sorts of gatherings.

But contrary to this aspect, Sejef was a man more vicious than expected.

Despite having wealth piled up like mountains, perhaps because he couldn’t covet power, he constantly pursued pleasure and dabbled in all sorts of dangerous things. He didn’t hesitate with drugs strictly prohibited by law either.

Was that all? Rumors were secretly circulating that numerous missing women were inside his mansion.

Enoch, who had initially dismissed these as absurd rumors, was now beginning to suspect him little by little.

“Come to think of it, I heard the Bert princess is looking for a marriage partner……”

“Ah, you mean Luciella?”

It was then that he heard Luciella’s name.

That name he had buried in his memories from very long ago, a one-night memory.

But despite the passage of time, Enoch hadn’t forgotten Luciella’s name and face and remembered them clearly.

Sejef and his group began giggling and having some conversation. Originally he tried not to pay attention. He thought it would be presumptuous behavior for him to dare interfere based on just exchanging a few words in passing.

“She’d be good for the next plaything, wouldn’t she? Her face is damn pretty.”

“Well, there haven’t been any suitable ones lately.”

Even though vile remarks continued one after another, Enoch thought.

Still, she’s a princess so she’ll manage on her own.

There would be a king to back her up if needed.

“Luciella…… That would be fine. It’ll be fun.”

“Haha, poor wench. She got caught wrong and will really roll in the sh*t pit properly.”

“Sh*t pit? When she comes to our mansion, I’ll treat her so well.”

Sejef raised the corners of his mouth with a meaningful remark.

“The people of Bert’s public sentiment has been hitting rock bottom lately anyway.”

“It’ll be easy then. We should look for mercenaries to bring Luciella first.”

Even until then, Enoch didn’t understand half of what they were saying. Though an uneasy feeling continued to remain in one corner of his heart, he only tried to erase it.

* * *

It was a peaceful morning like any other.

After washing his face simply and changing clothes, he headed to his office where that day’s newspaper was placed neatly on his desk.

Enoch naturally reached for the newspaper while sitting in his chair. He planned to lightly skim through the articles, then have a cup of coffee and finish the remaining work.

If only what decorated the headline wasn’t news related to Bert.

〈Breaking News! Bert military coup, successful palace entry. All royalty scheduled for execution. Princess missing…….〉

For a moment, scattered puzzle pieces in Enoch’s mind seemed to fit together.

The conversation Sejef and his group had shared. The princess who went missing simultaneously with the coup that happened at just the right time.

Enoch, who had been sitting blankly staring at the newspaper, began frantically rummaging through his desk drawer like he was possessed. Then from deep inside appeared the invitation he had received from Sejef long ago.

‘Did he say it was held every Saturday.’

Even when he received this invitation, he thought he would never set foot in such a place…….

Strangely, right now his instincts were screaming to go to this place.

While hoping that what he was imagining wouldn’t happen.

* * *

Enoch’s expectations were shattered miserably fast.

The moment he confirmed what was called the highlight of the auction, he felt the blood in his entire body turn cold.

His head was numb. His hands trembled and he even broke out in cold sweat. Looking at Luciella standing on the platform, he was swept up in intense anger he had never felt even on battlefields.

‘Why on earth is the Grand Duke……’

What scheme is he pulling this for? Did he say he’d make her his next toy? If that’s the case, there’s no need to go this far.

Enoch clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug deep into his palms. Though he should have felt pain, he didn’t even blink an eye. Like it didn’t hurt at all.

“Now, let’s begin the auction. Starting at 100 million gold!”

Enoch ground his teeth while staring at Luciella on the platform.

Her hair that once sparkled like the moon in the night sky was stained with dust, and her complexion wasn’t good either, suggesting the journey had been difficult.

“110 million.”

“120 million.”

“130 million.”

“140 million.”

Everyone began excitedly raising money over her.

‘How can the same humans do such things.’

Even with so many people existing in this auction house…… not a single one thinks to report this.

He wanted to tear off the masks of all the humans in this place. He wanted to examine the faces of these ugly criminals one by one.

The woman he had dared not even covet and had kept only as a memory to long for was now having her price go up and down in the mouths of vulgar men, which was utterly lamentable.

Finally, unable to watch anymore, Enoch raised the small sign given for bidding.

“1 billion.”

“1 billion! 1 billion gold! 1 billion gold! Is there nothing higher?”

The moment he uttered the amount, the auction house instantly became quiet. Then soon murmuring noise could be heard.

“Tsk, she’s just a plaything you can’t even take out publicly…… 1 billion gold is a bit……”

“Exactly. Bert Kingdom is just a common small country after all……”

Every single word reached Enoch’s ears.

A plaything. He thought their thinking was so vulgar it wasn’t even funny.

“1 billion gold! Then we’ll close the bidding at 1 billion gold!”

Enoch tried to suppress his anger and sat among them pretending nothing was wrong. He only carefully watched Luciella from a distance.

Whether she was hurt anywhere, whether she had suffered terrible treatment. All sorts of thoughts covered his mind.

“The final winning bidder please follow our guide staff to pay the contract fee and complete the contract.”

Even while signing the contract, Enoch couldn’t believe this situation.

He had never even imagined he would meet her again like this.