I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 86
CHAPTER 86
“Is that it?”
“Yeah.”
Ringo nodded his head.
“From what I gathered, that place down there is a slave market. More precisely, it’s where they auction off slaves and illegal goods.”
I let out a bitter laugh while looking at the seemingly ordinary grocery store.
So close by, yet it looks so ordinary and it’s an auction house?
Where Ringo brought me and Lionel was right in the heart of the capital.
It would only take an hour or two by carriage from the palace.
To think there was a slave auction house so close.
‘So that’s why Ringo kept an eye on it.’
Ringo was an elf.
Elves were one of the races targeted by slave hunters.
Especially since Ringo was sold for a hefty sum.
Moreover, Ringo had made a contract with a spirit.
A rare elf with a rare spirit.
In other words, Ringo was valuable just by being called.
“It reopened recently.”
He casually licked his lips.
“Since the recent crackdown ended. I suppose now is the safest time.”
As I furrowed my brow, I noticed something and widened my eyes.
A carriage was pulling into the back of the grocery store.
It looked like an ordinary carriage, but then again.
An ordinary carriage wouldn’t have iron bars on the windows.
It was a carriage carrying captured individuals.
“Tsk.”
“I saw a carriage like that moving when I last checked. It seems like the auction is starting soon.”
I had the same thought.
Licking my lips, I turned my head towards Ringo.
“You just watched that happen?”
“Yeah.”
Ringo nodded with a nonchalant expression.
“Hey, even if you knew…”
I was about to say something out of frustration but stopped myself.
Right, there was nothing he could do about it.
Even if the descendant of a swindler returned to the capital.
Even if he opened auctions selling humans and other races like himself.
He could only helplessly watch.
Wasn’t he living just hours ago with the mark of a demon slave?
“…Sorry. I got too excited.”
One of the wisdom I gained from living for a long time was that apologizing quickly was best.
And without adding any excuses.
Ringo smirked at my apology.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Honestly, aren’t you remembering me from when I was young and brimming with energy? So, that kind of reaction is understandable.”
Well, soon enough we’ll be back to those times!
Ringo laughed confidently.
“Anyway, are you planning to go in there?”
“Why give up? We have to find a way in.”
I slowly closed my eyes.
There was a vivid scene coming to mind.
Flames raging, people screaming, and then.
And then.
“It seems the auction is today. Shall I try to get an invitation?”
A large, slender hand covered my eyes.
As the hand exerted pressure, my head naturally tilted backward.
Thud, my head hit something.
Warmth, and a pounding sound.
“Getting an invitation and pretending to be guests.”
I still heard Lionel’s voice, even as my eyes were covered.
Naturally, the flames etched inside my eyes subsided.
Ah, I messed up.
I can’t comfort him, but I’m being comforted.
“How do we get an invitation?”
“Well, let’s see. Shall we try knocking out the people going in?”
At Lionel’s mischievous suggestion, I removed the hand covering my eyes.
“We might be able to capture them that way, but reaching the vault would be difficult.”
Honestly, if I informed the palace about this situation, it would have been resolved easily.
Evidence? Witnesses?
Why would I need those?
I am the princess, after all.
Moreover, I had recently reconciled with the emperor.
If I spoke up, the emperor would send royal knights, even without evidence.
But the reason I didn’t do that was simple.
‘Then I wouldn’t be able to retrieve the money, right?’
Ringo had been swindled 100 years ago, beyond the statute of limitations.
Instead of even a token amount of compensation, he was left penniless and driven out.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
I gritted my teeth.
I would strip them bare, down to the bone!
“Well, I’ve come up with a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Yeah, a really good one. Can you reach the vault and where the slaves are locked up in one go?”
We might even lay out the red carpet from that side.
“Oh, what’s the plan?”
Innocent Ringo’s eyes sparkled.
As I looked into those innocent eyes, I pulled out an item.
A rope.
A very sturdy and tough rope.
I had purposely brought it from the stables where horses use it.
“Uh…”
Ringo’s complexion darkened instantly.
He started taking steps back, step by step.
“Hey, you wouldn’t… No, right?”
“Yeah.”
With the rope in hand, I grinned wickedly.
“Let’s use you as bait, Ringo.”
Snap!
The blue sky.
Ringo’s silent scream echoed.
* * *
“Alright, now I’m rich.”
Suppressing the laughter that kept bursting out, Shaun rearranged the items displayed in front of the shop.
Once today’s auction was over, he wouldn’t have to do such things anymore.
If only today’s auction went well!
‘Everyone will know I’m someone amazing!’
Since childhood, Shaun had been filled with arrogance.
He believed he would succeed, that he was a genius and that everyone would recognize him.
With only that belief, Shaun did nothing.
He just played at home, spent money at the gambling den, drank alcohol, gambled again, came home, and yelled.
That was all Shaun did.
As he diligently squandered his father’s inheritance one day, he met those people.
“You’ve been showing up frequently lately. Aren’t you tired of gambling?”
“Shall I show you a new world?”
That’s where they first met, the slave auction house.
Each person they met seemed to hold high status, and the sound of gold coins pouring could be heard from everywhere.
Some were even piling up coins on one side and diving into them.
The only thought in Shaun’s mind as he witnessed such scenes was, Ah, he should open something like this too.
This is how you make money!!
Since then, Shaun followed the people who brought him there, striving to open a slave auction house himself.
He did everything they asked, truly!
He abandoned his wife and children to keep the secret.
He opened a shop at a suitable distance to avoid suspicion and operated it for a long time.
And each time, he paid a large sum of money.
It had been ten years. More than ten years of hard work.
“You did well, didn’t you?”
The girl smiled with the same face as when they first met.
“So, would you like the right to open an auction house?”
“If you would grant me that!! I’ll do anything.”
“Reliable~. Then, please take care of it. If I have time on the day of the auction, I’ll come see.”
“Yes, yes. Thank you, thank you!”
“Do well, okay? You have to do well.”
He had to do well.
This was his extraordinary first step!
‘But the auction items seem a bit lacking.’
Using the routes they provided, he bought various races and people.
Thanks to that, the first auction items were reasonably abundant, but…
‘Still, there should be at least one elf.’
An elf was something.
Wasn’t it the most popular item?
Women, men, children, even elderly people.
Those with pointed ears were always in short supply.
‘Damn, why can’t I find a single elf anywhere?’
“Are you the one in charge of this auction house?”
There was a voice calling Shaun.
Huh? When Shaun turned around, three people were standing there.
A red-haired girl holding a rope, a man with black hair wearing a mask. And.
“Uh, uh!!”
A man in a large robe was causing a commotion.
“What’s going on here?”
Shaun furrowed his brows and waved his hand as if to shoo them away.
Humans were enough.
Didn’t each lord bring plenty of goods to sell?
Moreover, there were plenty of adults to the point where registering them was a hassle.
‘I would have accepted children though.’
“It’s already too late to register auction items. Aim for the next opportunity.”
“Oh, really?”
When the girl uncovered her face, pointed ears were revealed.
“An elf?!”
Shaun’s eyes widened.
Seeing Shaun’s surprised face, the girl smiled.
“Is it registered now?”
“Well, it is. But, is this…”
“We’ve come to sell.”
The girl nodded emphatically.
“An elf. And a high-grade one at that.”
“Oh wow…”
Shaun approached and pulled down the robe, revealing the elf with purple hair.
Exceptional looks, excellent physique!
“And this one is a water elemental mage.”
“Approved!”
Shaun inadvertently raised his voice.
But he couldn’t help it.
Exceptional looks, excellent physique, and on top of that, a rare water elemental mage?
That was more than enough qualification for today’s main attraction.
Alright, today’s auction was going to be a hit!
“But we shouldn’t be doing this here, should we? Wouldn’t it be better to go inside? Even though it’s a shop, a quieter place would be preferable, right?”
Shaun hurriedly led them inside through another door in the shop, saying so.
“But which mercenary group are you with?”
In his haste to let them in and see, Shaun couldn’t tell which mercenary group they belonged to.
Until now, those who came to sell humans or other races would immediately declare their affiliation upon seeing him.
“We are.”
“They were sent by them.”
Before the girl could say anything, the man stepped forward this time.
“They hope this auction will be successful.”
“Did they say that?”
Before Shaun could finish speaking, the man threw something menacingly.
His eyes widened as he caught the object with both hands.
It was the cloak decoration worn by those who had first led him to the auction house!
So that’s it!
He, he was the one they were expecting!!
They thought he was so amazing that they paid attention to him like this!
Shaun’s eyes spun.
He wasn’t just being called stupid by one or two people.
Even his discarded wife and children had scolded him for just playing around and gambling at home.
‘You fools, I’ve always been this amazing and you didn’t even know!’
How dare they point fingers at him!
He was such an outstanding person!
“Hyuk, hng.”
“I trust you’ll take care of the pricing adequately.”
“W-Well of course! Trust only me, believe only in me! It’s not just anyone, it’s those people who sent me!”
Shaun laughed heartily.
His laughter was full of greed and clung to his face.
“Come this way. Let’s get the counting done!”
Shaun said so, opening the secret door hidden inside the shop.
Hyuk, hng.
Even as he descended the long staircase, Shaun couldn’t stop laughing.
And so, he didn’t notice.
He didn’t notice that the girl following him was smiling strangely.