Chapter 32

“I don’t feel like arguing anymore, so let’s make this easy. If you stay put, I’ll let you off with a prison sentence.”

“I don’t know who you’re relying on to act so cocky, but you won’t gain anything here.”

The auction house owner stepped forward confidently, a smirk splitting his lips.

“Well, whoever you’re counting on, my backing is probably more impressive.”

She glanced briefly at Eched, the most reliable of her supporters.

“And the one who won’t be able to protect anything… is you.”

She sneered, motioning toward the window with her chin. Outside, the capes of the Imperial Knights, embroidered with golden crests, fluttered magnificently as they seized control of the auction house.

The people who turned their heads simultaneously to assess the situation gasped in shock. Even the ever-composed owner seemed taken aback.

“T-the Imperial Knights?”

“R-run…!”

The sudden appearance of the Imperial Knights sent everyone into a frenzy.

“How did they…?”

“You don’t need to know that. Just tell me where the dark sorcerer is—and about the assisting mage too.”

The owner gasped audibly, his expression betraying that his secret had been discovered. Clearly rattled, he unknowingly revealed his guilt.

He didn’t seem to realize that his reaction confirmed he knew the whereabouts of the dark sorcerer and had been aiding them.

“Look, I know this is shocking, but why don’t you just give up…?”

“…Honestly, I’m surprised. I didn’t expect the Imperial Knights to show up. But really, as long as I escape, isn’t that all that matters?”

“What?”

A man suddenly appeared behind the owner. Dressed in a blue cloak, he grabbed the owner’s arm. The magical artifact in the mage’s hand buzzed ominously.

“Then.”

With a sinister laugh, the mage hurled something that smashed to the ground with a loud thud.

The object shattered, spilling glass shards and a transparent liquid across the floor. It was a love potion purchased from an underground shop.

“Aaagh…!”

As the vial broke, the dark sorcery within it activated, consuming the mage. The clash of magic caused him immense pain.

Eched didn’t miss the opportunity. With a swift kick, he knocked the auctioneer to the ground and held his sword to the man’s throat.

“Stay still, and you won’t die.”

Eched’s words brought Shaterian a sense of relief. The aura of the dark sorcerer, often referred to as “Black,” was far more dangerous to those with magical power than to those with divine energy.

Divine power granted resistance, but magic did not.

This was why there were few dark sorcerers, and even fewer dark mages—they were rare and difficult to become.

Most mages who delved into forbidden realms in pursuit of becoming dark mages ended up writhing in agony and dying, their souls consumed.

The sound of knights climbing the stairs reached her ears.

The knights entered through the VIP passage as well, ensuring no one could escape.

***

Even as they were being taken away, the noblemen continued to talk incessantly. However, when Eched removed his mask and hood, revealing his face, they fell silent as if on cue.

They realized there was no way to bribe their way out of this situation and foresaw their grim futures, their faces turning pale.

Eched took command of the scene while Shaterian rummaged through a nearby drawer but found nothing related to dark sorcery.

It was strange. There was no doubt that this auction house was connected to dark sorcery.

“Nothing useful is coming out.”

She grumbled while flipping through the ledger. What she sought was information about the dark sorcerer, but all she found were client details from the auction house.

The only useful discovery was that the Nen Earldom supported this auction house.

“…Nen, huh.”

Memories from her academy days resurfaced.

She didn’t think she was at fault for the harsh words she had exchanged with Clunchid, the eldest son of the Nen Earldom. Clunchid was notorious for being a troublemaker.

That troublemaker had picked a fight with her, boasting arrogantly, and she wasn’t the type to let such things slide. She had thoroughly crushed his spirit, verbally attacking him every time they crossed paths to ensure he didn’t recover.

Since he had been quiet for a while, she thought he had changed his ways. Perhaps that was a mistake.

“Let’s head down.”

“Alright.”

She handed the ledger to a knight and followed Eched.

While she was glad they had shut down the illegal auction house, the thought of the paperwork awaiting her back at headquarters made her feel faint.

As they descended the stairs with a sigh, a commotion from below caught their attention. Picking up their pace, they arrived at the prison, now in complete chaos.

“What’s going on…?”

The prison was filled with screams and scuffles. People consumed by dark sorcery were wreaking havoc, while the knights struggled to maintain order amidst the confusion.

Not everyone had succumbed to the dark sorcery. Some knights were busy protecting the unaffected prisoners, delaying their response.

“Eurell…”

He was tending to the injured. Many had sustained serious wounds amidst the chaos.

“Commander!”

A knight who spotted them called out to Eched, who swiftly subdued an attacker lunging at them and pulled shaterian into his arms.

“Eched, leave me with Eurell.”

It would be better for him to deal with the situation without worrying about protecting her.

Eched glanced at Eurell and nodded.

Once their destination was decided, everything became easier. Eched placed her among the injured, who were being guarded by several knights, and then dove into the fray.

Not wanting to stand idly by, she tried to help the medics tending to the wounded.

“Over here…”

“Deputy Commander, here.”

“Lay them down this way!”

“…”

However, the medics worked so seamlessly together that she couldn’t find a way to assist.

The knights and medics, who had likely coordinated in such situations many times, moved with perfect synchronization, needing no verbal cues.

Although the chaos gradually subsided, the increasing number of injured made the situation worse.

All she could do was cover the eyes and ears of a trembling child huddled in the corner.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be home soon. Try not to be too scared.”

She hoped this would all feel like a trivial nightmare once the child woke up.

It was too cruel for the child to remember everything.

“Knight…”

The child clung tightly to her robe. She gently patted the child’s head.

“My little brother was taken by a bad man earlier…”

The child sobbed. Flustered by the sorrowful cry, she held the child close.

“Don’t worry… The knight will find him!”

If the boy was still somewhere in the auction house, finding him would be easy. The problem was that, even with the commotion settling, moving alone would be difficult…

Eurell was busy treating the wounded, and Eched was occupied giving orders.

As the child sobbed in her arms, her mind grew foggy.

“Did you see where your brother went?”

“Over… over there…”

The child pointed to a spot behind a nearby tent. Lifting the edge of the tent revealed a passageway leading to the auction stage.

“Alright, let’s just take a quick look and come back. Okay?”

“Yes…”

Holding the child’s hand, she stepped behind the tent. The passage was unremarkable, apart from slightly muffling the noise.

Soon, they found the child’s brother crying in a corner.

“Karon!”

“Maron!”

The siblings, who looked identical, hugged each other tightly. Their short arms wrapped around each other in an adorably earnest embrace.

“Now, let’s head back to the knights.”

As she urged the children forward, a chilling sensation ran down her spine. Glancing up, she saw someone passing through an intersecting corridor.

‘Who was that…?’

Her thoughts didn’t last long. The man in the hooded robe was the one who had taken Anella’s life in her dream.

Although he disappeared in an instant, the ominous air brushing her cheek confirmed her gut feeling.

“Karon, Maron.”

She called the children’s names. They looked up at her with wide eyes.

“When I count to three, run back. Got it?”

“W-what…?”

“One.”

She reached into her robe. Her hand brushed against a dagger.

“Two.”

“Knight…!”

She gripped the hilt. It fit perfectly in her palm, as if tailored for her.

“Three!”

The children ran. At the same time, dark sorcery engulfed the passageway.

“Lady Shaterian.”

The breath on her neck was unsettling. The aura of dark sorcery always carried the stench of decay.

“Gusto. You stink.”

She sneered, slashing through the air.

“Ugh…!”

She had aimed for his side, but Gusto dodged, leaving only a long gash across his abdomen.

She shook off the unpleasant warmth from her hand and grasped the hilt again with regret.

The wound was shallow, but the consecrated dagger had a potent effect. His body, already consumed by dark sorcery, began to burn.

His bloodshot eyes glared at her with fury. From his pocket, Gusto pulled out a piece of paper inscribed with a spell circle.

The paper tore. The spell circle activated, and the space around them distorted.

An unknown scream echoed, shaking her vision. The nausea overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t even stand.

Her body collapsed. Her consciousness faded.

Through her blurred vision, she saw Gusto’s twisted face.