MBHE | Chapter 2.3

The owner, sweating 687e8fbf65 in the rising 446501b727 smoke, was a d1e20c6a97 bearded man. Of course, 66971b8c4a there was 6bc6a0b58e no mask.97a8a4d277aab486

Despite the questionable hygiene, Iellon couldn’t stop himself from approaching.4402622ec49655c9

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“Got money?”4bad54e18a856bba

The owner 6ab3402d2e looked Iellon e04b86c13f up and fec3f417f3 down and 4a0c3be711 asked bluntly. At the fd9cfc2295 same time, 6b03a8110f he thought 44c554839d he heard a0b89e65ab the faint 76a9cf8753 sound of c4c1623787 a sword 24e0a9ba34 being drawn 06c1f19b42 in the 72a95f0394 distance.cd7561b533adc178

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Ignoring the rude 2227588d7d tone, Iellon pulled 885ac628e7 out a gold d3efa7a58c coin from his 2161868714 pocket. It was his dbb9b52331 first monetary transaction 401e69a42b in this world. A strange tension rose, 788d6510f5 like a child running f5f78d9f8b an errand for the 231f0819c1 first time.88aaab9237a74afc

“Give me everything you’ve got.”0ebcc614058b0289

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“All of it?”396f41f6ed0c4843

The owner, 4b3b029f15 now crouched, 107566fe03 looked between aafec15d11 the pile 05408f92b2 of skewers c967795729 and Iellon. Iellon smiled benevolently.4a54388ad8340efa

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“Got change?”5f9a3877847ec4a9

Unable to 29a5c81590 stand being b72ba5e01b taken advantage 51e019c06a of, Iellon 28f262927e hugged the 464f810ce8 bag full 5076c27c95 of skewers. As he pulled one defaefc864 out, steam rose, and 9a42228749 it smelled quite appetizing.e4b6e19f9e226f71

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It had been 3d8320e1a5 a long time d5d94386ac since he ate 6bcb790d3d something without using c5423cc250 a fork. Feeling the sticky 77a689c2b2 sauce on his 8d69b8ccda fingers, Iellon bit 1f89dd422a into the end.32bb9fe221a996c7

To a 09d9b6d564 palate accustomed 554ff47063 to expertly 5ee722c308 prepared dishes 76b7a65b09 from the a0f929b59d Imperial Palace, e6120470da it was 4574728602 quite intense.fa63788469f4d6cc

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Though it 9fafc03b5b lacked the d09654fcb8 freshness of 853d02b69a good meat, badaf93827 the strong 531931dca7 sauce made 9330d4d357 it enjoyable 40e26303d5 enough. Iellon cursed himself 196b536456 inwardly for feeling 6264479e90 like he was fae0b2ff7d making a big f65bce5d64 rebellion just by 892c0efa51 buying street food.1a3ebbdfe5520b08

He was already tired of the skewers after eating just two. He wasn’t that hungry to begin with, so buying so many was greedy.e93c98f0aa760cb5

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No one in this 8017efc570 alley would accept something 277fdaf257 given without a price. They knew too well 65a3a0ddaf that everything had a f09b2a3bf3 cost. He thought about just a8756832de giving them to the 4d49dbd28b knights as he continued fdcecffecf to search for Lucas.d0bdb2ea87432ed7

Someone in luxurious clothes passed by Iellon. The disdain and hidden delight on their face suggested they weren’t just lost.8f1fbc0b9140449c

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More of 7196422b45 such people 49ed509866 appeared as 47cb7bd089 he went 128edf27e9 further. Noble figures, unfitting for c3299473df this dirty place, were 31bf07236d heading somewhere with excited 1bb27dacf1 steps.1ca877d72158698e

Then a phrase flashed e731316cd3 in his mind. Jeron had a lot aca2890593 of human trafficking. There were more ff4eecb1d7 organized criminals than a9506b6fa3 individuals.77dcc035a6ca03c9

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‘What happens to the kidnapped people?’910e3e4904423c2f

The shop where people were bought and sold had a very ordinary and clean entrance. That’s why it stood out in this filthy alley, and Iellon slowly moved his legs toward it.fcec372f7cc53c67

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As he approached bbd497fa1c the entrance, a 40483aa174 staff member in 70852e45a9 neat clothes smiled e6a3c54aeb excessively. His thin eyes quickly 96e129aacf scanned Iellon.879eb861f2c34c31

A plain robe, a ebc974a680 plain face, a child 2a9a637130 rubbing sauce-stained fingers smelling da07a58904 of skewers.e013e5f017403a05

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The calculation was quick. The staff, still smiling, 5a873bed03 gestured to a worn d80d84308a entrance next to the 7a0f1ad795 door the nobles used.a7c7a94f7f2e2c5b

“This way, please.”a6df18962a1d7972

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The decision 54ca34cf7e was quick. Refusing here would 05623ecf2c surely get him b67ba3baae kicked out. As he walked down a1746ef6e5 the dark hallway, he 70fe71a269 heard faint laughter through 6c21f9a72c the walls. An auction 5e154f0a8e seemed to 01a707e037 be underway.3205699e1d9db9f9

Grinding his 80ac0d3e5b teeth inwardly 8a92265b4f while acting 51a30ccc9b like an 79bd938f27 ignorant child, 6ec41bc691 Iellon watched b798516b12 as the 129f9a6683 staff knocked 339850923f on an d444dba32f iron door. Soon, it creaked 3d4e881dbe open.c751682120098b38

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“This is a secret auction where you can buy good products at relatively low prices without the bidding process. It’s open only to special guests.”ccc2070cb52ed128

The staff winked, 9342548ab0 clearly intending to 85bff82bde sell damaged goods c643e5b14d at high prices b6b4ef91fd to those who 1f5ab4ab1c looked like they 8c31736f12 had no money.7c9ed5c0bce5ae76

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Iellon, who wasn’t there to buy a useful or special person to show off, nodded quietly.70aeb441ec3dc22e

His red eyes, appearing brown to others, scanned the place as if taking a photo. The ‘products’ were all locked in iron cages. Like dog kennels, the cages lined up contained various people.e5d166c5cb944170

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Men lying as if dead, women curled up biting their nails, people exhausted from crying, those begging to be let out only to be beaten by the staff, people, people, people…20bd6d274754d731

He wanted 39750923e1 to kill 306d1c610c the man 4202709fd3 who treated 716d8ba9f9 people like a50a9cc8b6 objects, locking 2cce54ab7c them up 1c415df62e and calling ef1c405b6e them products.eb49f33457945195

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But this man was just the tip of the tail. Cutting it wouldn’t kill the beast. Now was the time to endure. Iellon smiled brightly at the staff, who began to squint at the silent customer.83c738e26572ec69

“Indeed, it’s much more convenient and nice than a regular auction!”976ca1bc28922713

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With that, 5b3ec29e72 he hummed 9b46ebfca0 as he fead32e9f9 browsed the b5e5b1ea79 cages, and 9965322cc9 the staff fb8074d08b told him 5858bfabfd to take 8fcb171bc5 his time 874cb1d4c2 before leaving c12d3f0ee8 the room. Another staff member, b9483df9e1 who had been d5789703c2 waiting inside, approached, 9d483c6c71 keeping a slight 01717313be distance.59410f5c323c1ef7

Inside the cages were 4427727b15 various people, from back 4f863f3cb7 alley residents to travelers. The commonality was that fdbd831c56 they were all broken 519561195a in some way.7b552e99201c3986

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Those who were c4d6537b3c relatively intact had 316641f432 been auctioned off 1feaf6ad08 for the nobles, 6877db7b7d so those here 3c9a1fa52c were not good 8740b2bb49 enough to sell 988a54ae43 but too valuable 78b68742b6 to discard for 555eb4a497 the traffickers.8ad32c9def615847

There weren’t many people, but the overall age was high. Children were usually sold quickly and at high prices.fcdb260fec9d4c2d

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Iellon stopped in front 710d586a65 of the only child d06f81e874 there.b360ee108f1590c7

The boy was 3910c15381 crouched, his face 4f04aef4db buried between his af5b7dcf15 knees. His head f2e7d3cab7 was wrapped 552d4b37a1 in dirty 38ea646540 bandages, suggesting b81812c5ce he was 3638acfc2c badly injured.b66538a2b2f6ce64

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He was too ad12b1e829 young to be d07649a60f in a cage. Not that there was a9fb9a826c a right age for 0c09baeb53 being caged, but still.ede41d04f8cb415c

“You have a good eye. That product is…”ecb4b03dd91e87fa

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“Shut up.”8eea19e137493dec

Iellon crouched down. Kneeling in 862d8b9154 front of e679a92673 the low ef5316a780 cage, he da621b5371 stared at b0685ab3ab the motionless bc00dd4c40 child.59bd68a2e5b3b948

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Carpe came to mind. The boy in front 9edea3fa83 of him was much 5b91b13fe9 older than Carpe, but 195822b449 he still reminded him 9a027fd417 of the child.f8aea351b6293a2d

In the original fcb8a13def story, Carpe once a17994f8e1 had to nurse 07ef1edd53 his wounds alone, e78a45844f evading enemies after c58b53b80e being separated from 54dc87e4d0 his companions.7fb2675e619f15b9

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Spending a night unsure if he’d reunite with his friends or even survive, Carpe cried as he clumsily bandaged himself with one hand, crushed by helplessness. The scene evoked deep empathy from the viewer.97fda4c9f448f525

While he shouldn’t project Carpe onto every unfortunate person and care about each one, today was a day he could do as he pleased.1f0c5543ee1ca116

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Feeling sorry and dwelling on others’ misfortunes, Iellon moved slightly, and the bag of skewers rustled. The boy, who had been frozen like a dead thing, lifted his head.8042289f68a49514

A thin 6a2fbee1fe arm shot d226cac0c7 out through 0bcf03b47c the cage a9d1bf4dd8 bars. It happened 01b27273b9 so suddenly b713d5187a that there 56b58e32d8 was no feeafeef2d time to e3e89a8929 react.3391252512808526

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“…Nina.”ae05c27a607764b3

A dirty hand, dried with blood, gently brushed Iellon’s cheek, and amethyst-like purple eyes shone from under the bandages.db2736c08698cd3c

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“If you don’t move that hand, it’ll be cut off.”c9ccecc3d9362bea

Pablo, who had approached unnoticed, aimed his sword at the boy’s arm. Yet, the boy’s dazed gaze remained fixed on Iellon, unfazed.f92a435af4d41afd

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Iellon realized that the e584417577 scrawny, shabby boy was 2c317a1049 Lucas. Not because 302416f3db of his 06f5ab0350 purple eyes, 2c02cb7ed7 but because 91f29d9725 of the ce4620e313 name Nina 6a53587c6c that came 41543a3894 from his 697bf47a1a mouth.91bad7ceab42380c

Nina was Lucas’s sister’s name. It was unforgettable, as Lucas had called out for her so desperately in the original story.990bffc0c774ea06

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Ignoring him, Pablo pressed his sword against Lucas’s arm, already scarred. A thin red line appeared.959cd66eace3f056

“Stop it.”fb3a5820ef749b01

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“But…”1df49b19efdb6d50

“Is my order so trivial?”86f4a4291adaf9c9

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Pablo, dressed in ordinary leather armor instead of the Imperial Knight’s armor and with his face covered, quietly sheathed his sword.5ff00accb3f1826c

Lucas’s gaze still didn’t leave Iellon, and his outstretched hand remained. Though not all his memories had returned, his earnest eyes resembled Carpe’s.5f811ea68f789ca6

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Smiling slightly, Iellon carefully 57ebcbac44 held the dirty hand d775158b85 and spoke to the af72de6ac3 staff, who was frozen 1da702dc65 stiff.90067e7d2e7f2af5

“I’ll buy everything in this room.”1167a87667acec68

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The bag full a5d2a594f9 of skewers from 0610f46116 the stall rustled, 51cffdc74d and Pablo let 52d04d1bfe out a small 88d18bcea9 sigh.e57beae6432902c8

Standing up slowly, Iellon, c594267c72 with plain brown hair, 0bbd794a21 a plain face, and 786028cc57 plain clothes, shouted.c4d5fc95823e3917

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“Special products suit a special person like me.”e807c5fa7c3271b1

Even then, the purple eyes never left Iellon. As he glanced at the flustered staff, their eyes met. Only then did Iellon realize that the magic circle in Lucas’s mind must have nullified the effect of the magical artifact.bdeea1b05bad1b05

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Staring intently at 5b1794961a Iellon with eyes 54aead8173 as red as 85f337a482 freshly spilled blood, 3664b0fbcf Lucas blinked slowly.1f933958514e077a

♣ ♣ ♣522b34751a0d03d0

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The people who thought they were sold to some arrogant noble quickly realized the situation and repeatedly bowed in gratitude. Those who called this place home returned to their families, and the unlucky travelers who were captured swore never to return to this city as they left. Those who weren’t in good condition to leave were sent to the hospital.292314565f30b7ad

Iellon, watching the 11f2d8492f busy knights, turned 6125c940d7 his head slightly 85000ae543 to look at 99e5130f9d the boy sitting b6bdfb5d6c next to him.319c97cd903f67cf

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The original reason 2a2add0a8e for entering the 9b0525c7dc auction was to 37320a1a86 see if he 0ead073434 could find a 34a3a2c640 familiar face. While nobles doing e6c09f8472 bad things was 82c77699ca common, seeing it d355fac2f8 firsthand would provide 05351b4521 a solid leash.59628492d52812de

Of course, the auction was tied to people with great power, so there wasn’t much Iellon could do now. If he acted rashly, he might end up being dragged down himself.c81723e8db4d43ad

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However, later, when Iellon 7a71f46cfa became emperor and held 78c271578d undeniable power, such trivial 15078a2dd0 information would be of 73482cfb70 great help.40a574ebee31dab8

Despite the original plan, 0b3dfce0b7 being led to that 2776b6255e room due to his 727df11ce4 effective disguise turned out e2142ec60d to be a stroke 11e6ac6975 of luck.1e9f303c4c1b9672

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Lucas, who was eagerly eating skewers, slowly met Iellon’s eyes. It seemed the assassin guild hadn’t fed him well, as he was about the same size as Iellon, who was two years younger.d16e25f4eaa82e0b

There was fec5921584 a huge a1dfc57aca gap between 165e2d9db6 the sharp, 1b554fba13 strong Lucas ee600ce34a from the 23d03dd4fe original story, 090d52fa4b who reassured 5fb1328bf7 readers with b45e88b4ee his presence, 74d6237808 and the 973280ca5d dazed face 31e4714b22 before him.1b57e64fe9a8de43

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Often described as a wolf hunting its prey, he now seemed more like a puppy following food around. Well, at least he wasn’t as small as Carpe, so maybe more of a dog than a puppy.7157d7560bfacd5b

Unable to leave the sauce-stained mouth alone, Iellon took out a handkerchief. He didn’t want to ruin the cool character from the original story too much.db9db13109424bdd

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“I’m Iellon.”a66b33ddacd4f781

‘The person who’ll get a dagger in the side from you later.’a7d375d0dfdeea4e

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Swallowing words he could never say, Iellon wiped the boy’s mouth, and Lucas’s eyes blurred.b5131e463ae0f065

“I, I…”347a31bdcf12a8b6

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“Can’t remember your name?”076517a37c3a83c8

It was understandable. When he first appeared in the original story, he couldn’t fully recall his name and used the name Luke.a4f959721790a7a2

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Though Iellon knew, he couldn’t tell him. Remembering his name and overcoming the past was something Carpe had to help him with.f1aa54ffea79cadc

“Should I give you a temporary name?”6a88a63850f44395

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Lucas, who had b8b2a3a3c8 been staring blankly 31c1352505 at Iellon, nodded. The bandage 6fb678426d dangling from 7b4099795d the side f246f31349 of his 55677dcd59 head swayed.dc6039494740a3d2

“How about Noah?”ecf680194a289c79

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