Chapter 76: Suspiciously Wealthy (2)
“Welcome! Please proceed inside!”
“…….”
What’s this? I came with my usual face this time, so why the VIP treatment?
Of course, when I previously cleared the dungeon below Gef City, I was awarded a VIP membership for discovering a hidden worshiper and defeating a bishop.
But I didn’t expect to be treated like a VIP before even presenting that card.
Moreover, Carla currently has her head lowered, so her face isn’t clearly visible. They wouldn’t recognize her either.
As I hesitantly stepped into the auction house, a suppressed chuckle sounded from my side.
“Hehe.”
“Laughing? You find this funny?”
I gave Carla’s behind a firm squeeze as I growled, but Carla only seemed to enjoy that.
“Heehee. I’m sorry, Master. But isn’t it proof of how perfect your act was?”
At her cheeky remark, my expression sharpened a bit. Carla then swayed her hips subtly, brushing her behind against my hand, and wore a mischievous smile.
“Oh dear. You’ll have many chances to get back to me soon. A little ad-libbing is okay, right?”
“Thinking back, isn’t this act just catering to your taste, Carla?”
“It’s killing two birds with one stone! Killing two birds!”
As she spoke, the dark corridor ended, and the dazzling interior of the auction house greeted us.
The Colosseum. It resembled the stage of an opera house.
The previously playful Carla instantly shrank back, leaning into me.
It felt a bit different than acting.
Although right now she seems rather excited, it’s been just a little under two months since Carla was sold to me.
She might be remembering her past.
I gave Carle a gentle and rhythmic pat on her behind, and it seemed to calm her down.
In a barely audible whisper, Carla murmured,
“…Thank you, Master.”
“Who else would care if not me?”
“Hehe. I’m a bit jealous thinking Elisha will soon receive such treatment from you.”
“Don’t bother her because of that.”
“Of course not. I just aim to always be adorable to you… Now, let’s start our act.”
“Right. Let’s find our seats first.”
Slap!
“Ah!”
After I loudly smacked Carla’s behind, her demeanor instantly changed, reminiscent of livestock being sold. Her reluctant steps and pitiful appearance were genuinely heartbreaking.
Even knowing it was an act, it reminded me of the strange guilt I felt when I first bought her.
“Hurry up. Do I need to drag you?”
“Eek! I-I’m coming, Master.”
“Tch. You should’ve done so from the start.”
Carla, who had been dragging her feet, quickly adjusted her pace to mine. And our destination? The pathway to the VIP seats.
As we walked, enjoying the trembling Carla clinging to me, I noticed the increasing stares from the surroundings.
From those sneaking glances to those openly staring.
Most were casting lascivious eyes on Carla… but that disappeared once we took our seats in the VIP section.
They probably felt that I was out of their league.
In fact, the Gef Auction House didn’t hand out VIP memberships to just anyone.
You either spend an astronomical amount of money at the auction or achieve an undeniable feat.
Or directly assist Gef City.
“It… It really does feel different.”
Unlike the regular seats, the chair was much more plush, and there was a spacious gap between the seats.
Of course, there was a tool that displayed images up close for a detailed view of the items.
There was even a catalog that showed, at a glance, what would be auctioned off today.
I wondered if there was an option to order a simple meal or snack. The lady next to me, whose name I didn’t know, was leisurely slicing some meat.
Playing H&A, at some point, you naturally get a VIP membership, so I wasn’t particularly excited about it…
But experiencing it in real life, I really liked it.
Since I’d suddenly come into a lot of money in this world, maybe I was also a kind of nouveau riche?
For such reasons, I chuckled, thinking I was flaunting my newfound wealth, and before long, a middle-aged man in a butler’s outfit approached me.
I showed my membership card to him, who seemed like a dedicated VIP section staff member, and ordered some fruit.
It seemed there was still some time before the auction began.
I sat Carla on one knee, caressed her with one hand, and, while eating grapes one by one with the other, skimmed through the catalog.
Like a scene where a mafia boss was petting a cat, except the cat here was replaced with Carla.
But wasn’t this a little lacking?
I saw some madman covering himself roughly with a coat earlier.
Even if I don’t do something similar, I should leave a memorable impression.
…It wasn’t revenge from earlier. It was just an ad-lib.
I put down the fruit plate, picked up the catalog, and then gave Carla a command while tapping my chin.
“Try putting one in your mouth.”
“Huh…?”
Carla, who had been petted incessantly by me (with a slight smile on her lips), swallowed hard, looking at the fruit plate laid in front of her.
“Excuse me then.”
With a delicate motion, Carla picked up a grape and placed it in my mouth.
I flipped through the catalog and tasted it.
The sweetness spread throughout my mouth. However, without showing it, I spat it out.
“Ptooey.”
“Master? Is there a problem…?”
“A problem? Did I say there was a problem?”
My voice naturally took on a mocking tone.
At this, Carla lowered her head like a frightened person and began to tremble.
“I’m sorry… I apologize, Master. If there’s any inadequacy, I’ll correct it. Please show mercy…”
Was it the remnants of pride that hadn’t faded yet?
Carla’s face showed humiliation, shame, and engulfing terror.
Just like a slave on the verge of submission.
…Was this really just an act?
When acting in front of Elisha before, she was awkward, but why was she so good at this one?
Maybe she was in an enjoyable mode.
Indeed. Lately, we had just been playfully bantering.
Sometimes I do feel like dominating her like this.
I tried to give her the most malicious smile, pulling up one corner of my lips.
“Using hands is what humans do. You’re not one.”
“Ah.”
Carla’s eyes started to tremble as if she were realizing something.
She understood what I meant earlier but hesitated to act on it.
But I knew the truth. The twitch of Carla’s lips wasn’t due to tension but to suppressing a smile.
Unable to decide what to do, I gave Carla more specific instructions.
“Transfer it with your mouth. Like a beast.”
“…Yes, Master.”
With resigned eyes, Carla slowly lowered her head to the fruit plate.
Then she bit off a grape and brought it to my mouth.
Our lips met, with a small grape sandwiched between them.
I felt a soft touch, and a hot breath enveloped our lips.
“Uh…”
We were close enough to count each other’s eyelashes if we wanted to.
Carla threw me a silent, playful glance from an angle only visible to me.
A gaze full of satisfaction.
Sneaking a quick look around, a few people seemed envious of our position.
That should do it.
To any onlooker, I would appear like a naive young master manipulating his slave as he pleased.
While I nonchalantly consumed the fruits Carla presented to me with her mouth, I momentarily paused my reading of the catalog.
Not long after, a man wearing a whimsical mask took the stage.
I recognized him. He was the auctioneer from the last time.
Swish.
As I licked my lips, slightly moistened with Carla’s saliva and juice, I recalled the contents of the catalog I had seen earlier.
Of course, the main attraction of this auction was Elisha and the other elves.
Whether they were mere fillers or secondary attractions, several other valuable items were up for bid.
Rare magical texts, potions, high-level magical instruments, and various other items.
Since I’m here, I might as well buy everything I need.
I certainly had the money.
And my status as an academy student would undoubtedly serve as a golden shield for me.
While I’d covertly flaunted my wealth several times before… this was my first time doing it so openly.
A smile unknowingly crept onto my face.
“Heh.”
“Hiccup.”
For some reason, upon seeing my face, Carla hiccuped.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting!”
The masked man exaggeratedly announced the start of the auction with theatrical flair.
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