The Duke’s Madness

Arthur was intrigued and asked.

“Are you an elf? Are you of different races?”

“That’s right. A blood relative that disappeared a thousand years ago. A woman who inherits their blood is up for auction.”

“Hoo… . If you are a blood relative, you must also have a bloodline, right?”

“Yes. I heard that they are a race that was very familiar with spirit magic, and some of their ancestors made a direct contract with the legendary ‘spirit king’.”

Arthur was genuinely impressed.

“The Spirit King… . Incredible? You mean that elf comes out as a slave?”

“yes. Of course, it won’t be easy to get. top line… To be precise, a large number of sponsors attend.”

“oh… What about sponsors?”

“Under the rules, I can’t say more than this.”

Arthur nodded at the explanation.

Leon, who was watching the scene, suddenly became anxious and raised his ability.

[You’re not trying to buy a slave, are you?]

[A slave? Why do I buy slaves?]

[But why are you asking that! Not even buying slaves!]

[But you’re curious. A different species that disappeared a thousand years ago… . It’s not easy to meet people like this.]

Leon let out a sigh.

‘Should I be relieved of this or should I press on.’

In the midst of that subtle worry, a man wearing a clown mask bends down.

“There are three hours left until the auction begins. There will be a short party before that, would you like to attend?”

“A party?”

“yes. It’s a very private party that only those who attend the auction can enter. Saddam who hides and shares his identity. It is a very fun event and many people attend.”

At the explanation, Arthur stroked his chin and nodded.

“Then, will the person at the top come out?”

“that… It’s unknown. How can a lowly human being like me know the information of customers?”

In response, Arthur looked at Leon.

[Shall we go to the party?]

[why? Wouldn’t it be better to just wait?]

[I’m also curious about the person above him… I think I need to figure out some of the identities of the customers.]

[Do you know the identity of the customer?]

[I heard that Hamburg Ericsson has a connection with the people of the underworld, among whom are called giants.]

Leon is startled.

[A giant from the underworld? Are you talking about ＜Pirates＞ or ＜Seven Kings＞?]

[well. I don’t know that far, but I don’t think it’s bad to go to the party and check the status of the customers. I also want to check if those people really came.]

At Arthur’s explanation, Leon nodded.

Arthur looked back and opened his mouth.

“Can you guide me?”

“yes… But guests. I think you should change your clothes first.”

“… Why?”

“Parties are divided according to the attire, standards, and the status of the participants. And the most basic of them is the outfit.”

Arthur groaned.

“You didn’t bring our suits?”

“There is also a rental service.”

With these words, the man wearing the clown mask held out his hand.

Arthur burst out laughing and tossed a gold coin.

“… !”

The man’s tail trembled slightly, as if he didn’t know that he would hand over a gold coin as a tip.

“… I will rent you a top-notch suit.”

Along with this horse, the man wearing the Pierrot mask brought a really top-notch suit.

Rejoicing, Arthur and Leon headed to the party, receiving more hospitality than a moment ago.

“oh… .”

“… Is it big?”

With admiration, Arthur and Leon began to scan the party hall under the splendid chandeliers and lights.

ha ha ha-!

Ho-ho-!

Dozens of people clinking glasses with pleasant laughter.

Unlike the drugged people out there, they were full of leisure and grace.

‘They… Is this the real owner of this place?’

It was when Arthur raised the corner of his mouth with his thoughts.

The clairvoyant masked man who led the way to this place bowed and retreated.

“Then have a good time… .”

With these words, the man in the clown mask disappears, and Leon opens his mouth as if he had been waiting.

[Then information collection?]

[yes. Let’s go collect information.]

Leon confidently disappeared into the middle of the party.

Arthur, who was watching the scene, also raised his senses with a glass in his hand.

‘So this business… .’

‘I heard that the last redevelopment area was a bonanza… .’

‘Today, I’m going to buy one with a very good guy… . The last slave was broken too easily… ‘

A lot of stories that I hear in my ears.

Arthur, who divided the stories according to sectors and stored them in his head, was startled.

‘Shall we go?’

‘where?’

‘Do it in the bathroom.’

With these words, a man and a woman disappeared.

‘oh… . Aren’t the touches too bold? I’m not a light girl, am I?’

‘Don’t be shy… . It’s not something like that in a place like this.’

‘hahahaha~ He’s like a beast~’

The man and woman who leaned against the wall gradually became one body.

Arthur, who was watching the scene, blinked his eyes and muttered.

“oh… . Isn’t this just a place for socializing?”

Clearly, when I looked again, a sticky atmosphere had settled down throughout the party hall.

It was time to observe with interest the lump of desire that was a little different from the street outside.

A hoarse voice came to my ears.

“… Did you come alone?”

At this, Arthur turned his head.

A red-haired woman wearing a cat mask was smiling at her.

Arthur, who was worried, opened his mouth slowly and answered.

“yes. I came alone.”

* * *

clinked glasses

The woman wearing the cat mask drank at once, and Arthur pretended to drink.

It was because he didn’t know that there might be drugs in the glass.

However, the woman said casually, drinking from the glass.

“How amazing… . Usually, very few people come to a place like this alone.”

“is it so? Does everyone have a party?”

“I guess so… . Isn’t it more fun to do bad things together than to do bad things alone?”

Arthur nodded.

“It certainly is. Less guilty… .”

“Whoops… . That’s a witty answer. So, what bad did you do when you came here?”

“hmm… . well. I’m thinking of several things, but I don’t know.”

At these words, the woman’s hand stroked Arthur’s chest.

“Then would you like to go do something bad with me?”

“… .”

“I’ve been curious about it for a while. What kind of body is hidden in this suit… . I came in at a glance.”

Arthur, who looked at the hand full of desire for a moment, burst into exclamation.

‘ring? Is that a diamond too?’

It was the ring worn on the ring finger of her left hand.

Recalling that the rings usually worn in that position are wedding rings, Arthur couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked a question.

“Are you married?”

The woman’s hand stroking Arthur’s chest stopped.

“… So isn’t that better? Are you a married woman?”

“ah… . Is it better to be a married woman?”

“… ?”

“sorry. Because I don’t know much about this.”

The woman raises her head and looks at Arthur.

Arthur, who lowered his head, did not avoid his gaze.

After looking at each other for a while, the woman in the cat mask burst into laughter.

“You put on a tiger mask and ask puppy-like questions?”

“is that so?”

“yes. hmm… . I suddenly lost interest. Shall we have a light drink?”

Arthur nodded.

Of course, only drinking glasses were bumped, but no alcohol was consumed.

However, the woman wearing the cat mask was different.

She got more and more drunk with each clink of glasses.

At the same time, the tone of her voice gradually increased.

“There are two types of people who come to these places… . One is people who want to get away from the harsh reality. One is those who want to reveal their hidden desires.”

“Which one is your cat?”

“I am… . It’s both. I want to get away from reality, and I want to solve my desires.”

“hmm… . But wouldn’t it be very heartbreaking to see your husband? Are you married?”

The woman wearing the cat mask burst into laughter.

“well? Will you be sad? Because of me being a slave?”

Arthur asked in surprise.

“From slavery… What?”

“… I am a slave bought here.”

“… .”

“A successful businessman in Arcane… yes. he bought me And he has over 30 people like me.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“… 30 wives?”

“Nominally wives, can we really call them wives, including me? A pacifier doesn’t suit you.”

Arthur smacked his lips.

“… How did you become a slave?”

“It’s common. My parents owed a lot of money, and they left everything on me.”

“… It is a sad story.”

“It is a sad story. But I don’t think badly. I was sold into slavery and lived with that brutish man, but thanks to that, I got my freedom.”

The woman in the cat mask drank again.

“So I don’t feel guilty. you don’t have to have That man will probably be comfortable this way too.”

With these words, a woman wearing a cat mask stroked Arthur’s face.

“Enough of the sentimental story, how about it? Would you like to go to my room?”

Arthur pondered the question and answered.

“… no.”

“He’s like a dog, after all.”

“Dogs and cats don’t get along. and… ”

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

“Are you crying?”

“… ?”

“It’s a little painful to stay up all night with someone like that.”

The woman in the cat mask murmured in surprise.

“I am… Are you crying?”

“yes. So… hmm. I don’t think there’s any need to act like that. You don’t even have to comfort yourself.”

Arthur slowly pulled the hand of the woman wearing the cat mask from his chest.

“Forcing a smile to disguise sadness… . There’s nothing more painful than that. ”

With these words, Arthur called Undine.

At that moment, the refreshing energy permeates the cat mask woman’s body and drives away the weak energy.

As the startled Catwoman staggered back, Arthur waved.

“It was fun, Cat. See you next time.”

The Cat Mask woman ran out of the party at a loss.

Arthur, who had been watching the scene, looked away and murmured.

“hmm… . That’s a lucky case. I was treated well as a slave.”

The end of slavery did not go well with such luxury.

‘A human being close to livestock deprived of liberty. That’s a slave.’

And Hamburg made its Bavarian vassals its slaves.

Arthur, imagining in his head what kind of pain they must have gone through, raised the corner of his mouth.

“The reason to keep him alive is disappearing… . Well, it’s a good thing for me.”

With these words, Arthur turned his head.

“Hey~ Arthur!”

From far away, Leon was waving his hand and approaching.

Arthur narrowed his eyes and murmured.

“… Why are your clothes untied, Leon?”

* * *

“Hya~ All the ladies here are active. I almost died trying to get out~”

smile.

Leon asked with a smile on his lips.

“So did you have a good time too?”

“A good time?”

“okay. good times.”

Arthur nodded.

“It was a fun time.”

“Ohh? Fun times?”

“yes. But what did you find out?”

Leon raised an eyebrow and lowered his head.

“Humans here… They must all be the people who support this D-52 area.”

“Sponsorship?”

“They say it’s a playground in that term… . To put it simply, it’s a slang term for a place where people overflowing with rotten money can release their desires.”

Arthur’s eyes lit up.

“Then, if we destroy this place, all of those humans will become enemies, right?”

“That’s how it is. I felt it, but it’s a more dangerous place than I thought… . I never thought a place like this could be run like this.”

With these words, Leon raises his lowered head.

At the same time, Arthur stopped walking and turned his gaze to the huge theater.

There were only about 1000 seats visible to the eye, but considering that this was a slave auction house, it was an enormous number.

‘You mean all the seats are full?’

It was time to stroke Arthur and his chin with his thoughts.

A man wearing a clown mask approached and bowed.

“Let me check your ticket.”

Arthur and Leon held out the ticket they had just received.

The man wearing the clown mask carefully examined the ticket and then bowed.

“Come this way.”

It was a centrally located seat, neither too good nor too bad.

After sitting down, Arthur and Leon started sharing information again.

[Looks like there are more defensive troops than expected?]

[yes. He said he hired about 100 combat gang mafia, but I think there are more.]

[I think there are about 100 mafia fighters hired by him in Hamburg. rest of it… ]

Leon, speechless, pointed at the customers entering the auction house.

[It must be an escort force for those scum that entered this place.]

Arthur nodded.

Then he patted his fingers and murmured.

‘Then do I have to deal with those escorts too?’

I shook my head at the question posed.

If you cause an accident, not all of them will join.

However, there could be enough of those who joined.

‘Then I’ll have to put them in the realm of calculation and fight. hmm… .’

While Arthur, who was speechless, continued to ponder, the seats at the auction house began to fill up.

“under… . I always tremble when I come here.”

“What’s on sale today?”

“Anyway, today’s most anticipated sale must be an elf, right?’

Arthur and Leon murmur along with the sounds of conversation that can be heard.

“Looks like it’s starting?”

“yes. I guess so.”

At that moment, the blackout curtain fell.

The noisy audience all at once shut their mouths and turned their eyes to the stage.

That’s when everyone’s eyes were focused on the stage.

Pot-!

The lights turn on, and a man appears.

Arthur’s eyes widened as he watched the scene.

“what?”

A middle-aged man appeared on the stage.

It was because the man’s protruding belly was familiar somewhere.

In the meantime, the man who modestly bowed and greeted me raised his head.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have waited a long time.”

Applause broke out as if waiting, and the man standing in the center of the stage raised his arms and shouted.

“＜Lalalalal＞ The owner of the slave auction market… My name is Hamburg Ericsson!”