Althea stood on the platform, surrounded by a sea of masked faces. Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced nervously at the crowd, the eyes of these people were like knives, piercing through her, all their eyes were fixed on her.
At this moment, she asked herself, "How did I even end up here again? "
She thought for a second while looking at her surrounding and she said, "Well? I volunteered for this", she reminded herself. But now, as the bidding began, she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness.
Well, if she had stayed right next to Lady Cynthia she wouldn't be here in the auction house, but upon seeing the beast man inside the cage, Althea was curious to what was happening, eager to help out the beast people to let them all out, to let them be freed.
But because she wandered around the bustling street of the Lazourel empire. Athea then witnessed a lot of slave people from other races, being locked up inside a cage. She knows she's not a hero, but she knows she must help those who are in needs of help.
And now here Althea sits, motionless, grinning prettily at the nobles, which has caused her value to steadily rise as everyone with masks on their faces wants to buy her.
Here she was, the auctioneer's voice echoing throughout the the room, his remarks echoing in her ears like the sound of impending doom.
But our Althea had no idea that, in the middle of everything that was happening, a man was seated at the back and staring directly at her.
Althea knew right away who she was staring at as she made eye contact with him—it was none other than her father, Archduke Willard.
Althea met her father's gaze, and judging by the way he appeared, he was furious about his daughter being here in such dangerous place while keeping an eye on her from the shadows.
As the bidding inside the auction house still continued,
Althea find herself encircled by masked people all of whom were dancing deceitfully to hide their identities.
Her objective was supposedly to understand the operations of this criminal group, but for many reasons, she might not be able to accomplish that at this time, since Archduke Willard is merely staring at her with an expression that suggests he is unhappy to see her in such a dangerous place.
The masked auctioneer's voice rang through the hall as he said, "The last product for tonight, a jewel among gems, a daughter of a noble, hair as black as the night sky, eyes that resemble to a diamond, our product, the purple orchid."
"Shall we start from two million?" The auctioneer says with a grin on his face.
While the noblemens were bidding, Archduke Willard was furious.
With wrath in his voice, he said beneath his breath, "This man...how dare he auctioned my daughter for only two million..."
"Does he think my daughter's value is only a mere two million?!" He says, just enough to be heard by his right hand who was just standing right next to him.
"Your Royal Highness, Archduke Willard, please do order us of what we should do." X says the man who have been standing on his left side.
His voice soared throughout the room, ordering his troops to capture each and every one of them.
"Seize them all! Capture every criminal in this room!" Archduke Willard's voice echoed throughout the room, causing panic.
The guards then invaded the auction house with the command of Archduke Willard.
At this very moment, the man who was standing right next to Althea, to save himself, he immediately held Althea as his hostage, threatening everyone in the room that he would kill the child if they make a sudden move.
And Althea, realizing what has the situation become, she somehow locked eyes with her father, she knows quite well hat her father isn't happy with the situation. I mean, who would want to see their child being held hostage by a criminal? Logically, no one, unless you don't really give a F to your child.
Once again Althea locked eyes with her father, Archduke Willard's fury becomes intense as he fought his way toward the stage, determined to free his daughter from the clutches of the man who is holding her hostage.
"Stop right there if you don't want me to hurt this kid," the man with a sneaky grin says.
Archduke Willard stops and stares back at the criminal, then chuckles and grins widely at him.
"Do you really think... my sword can't reach you?" Archduke Willard asks, still smiling, his expression turning dark and menacing.
"Ah... Let's pretend you don't recognize me," Archduke Willard says with a smile, gripping his sword in his right hand.
"Should I know you?" the man responds sarcastically, to which Archduke Willard laughs.
"There's only one way to find out," he says. Without warning, he throws the sword straight at another man's neck, slicing it in a mere second, startling the man holding his daughter hostage.
The man, still holding Althea as his hostage with one hand and a knife in the other, suddenly feels an overwhelming fear wash over him as he recognizes the person standing before him.
"Y-You...!" he stammers, trembling while staring at Archduke Willard.
"You're..." he trails off, a profound sense of fear creeping over him as he locks eyes with Archduke Willard, who smiles menacingly, his expression dark and foreboding.
Looking around, the man sees chaos erupting as Archduke Willard's subordinates spring into action. Some try to flee, while others engage in combat, swords clashing and spells crackling in the air as a battle unfolds within the auction house.
Feeling utterly trapped and unable to escape, the masked man drops to his knees and begs for forgiveness, but he is met with disdainful disdain from Archduke Willard.
"Forgiveness? Why should I spare your life?" Archduke Willard's voice drips with anger. "When you dared to threaten my daughter's life by holding a knife to her neck!"
As Archduke Willard raises his sword to strike, Althea rushes forward, placing herself between her father and the kneeling man.
"Father! Stop!" she cries, locking eyes with him.
"Althea... Step away from that criminal," Archduke Willard orders, his anger still evident.
"Father... Please, don't take his life. This is not right," Althea pleads, her eyes pleading with her father. For a moment, Archduke Willard's expression softens as he takes a deep breath and gazes at his daughter.
"Then what exactly is right?!" Archduke Willard demands, his gaze fixed on his daughter. "This man just threatened your life. Isn't it only right that I take his in return?"
"But he didn't kill me, Father," Althea argues, her voice firm as she defends the man who held her hostage just moments ago.
"Thea! What part of 'get away from that man' do you not understand?!" Archduke Willard's voice rises in anger.
"You shouldn't have been here in the first place, and weren't you supposed to be out with that woman?" he scolds, gesturing angrily. Meanwhile, his subordinates have already captured the man who had been kneeling behind Althea, tears streaming down his face.
"But he didn't do it! He asked for forgiveness—" Althea tries to explain, but her father cuts her off.
"I do not wish to argue about this, Thea. It's best for you to stay out of it and go back home now. The knights will escort you," Archduke Willard says, turning away from his daughter.
However, Althea is stubborn. She immediately calls out for Keilbuss, the dragon.
"Keil, come out. I know you're watching," Althea murmurs. Suddenly, a man sitting in an empty chair, casually drinking wine, appears before her.
"Yes? Your Royal Highness?" Keilbuss smiles. "You called?"
"Take me back to where I was twenty minutes ago," Althea requests, her gaze unwavering on Keil.
"Now... don't tell me you're disobeying your father's orders, Your Royal Highness," Keil responds with a smile.
"Stop calling me that. I'm not some princess," Althea retorts, crossing her arms. Keil chuckles at her response.
"But you are considered a princess in Khisfire Elzura, the kingdom ruled by King Leonid Valor Crawther, your father's older brother," Keil points out, causing Althea to sigh.
"So, yes, you are a princess," Keil adds, prompting another sigh from Althea as she shakes her head.
"Just... take me away before Father sees us," Althea says, and Keil nods in agreement. Just as Archduke Willard turns around after speaking with a knight, his eyes widen in shock as he sees Keilbuss about to teleport with his daughter.
But it's too late for him to react. Althea and Keil vanish, leaving Archduke Willard frustrated, upset, and worried about where his daughter has gone.
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Well...took me awhile to update, was busy at school since I'm about to graduate from senior high school now, can't wait to be on stage! ^^
And thank you for everyone who have waited for seven months for this update, I appreciated it. I know the feeling of waiting for a story to update and it took so long for that to happen, I do apologize for the lack of commitment in updating chapters regularly.
I did have some trouble of creating a few chapters and having trouble of how to end this story...something that everyone might expect...or not expecting for the ending to be like that.
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nothing special..
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In my existence, I will make my stand,
To safeguard those I hold in hand.
A sinner's mask upon my face,
Yet love's embrace, my saving grace.
I'll bend the light, twist the truth,
To shield my cherished from fate's cruel sleuth.
Though villain's guise may stain my name,
Their safety, still, my only aim.
With every breath, I'll weave my plot,
To shield them from a darker plot.
A guardian fierce, a heart undone,
To fight, To win.
What am I, with darkness spun,
A protector fierce, 'til life is done?
I'll tread the path of villain's art,
For love's embrace, my beating heart.