The opulent carriage groaned with every creak.
Its wheels turned slowly, finally halting before the auction house.
The moment it stopped, the girl on the front seat leapt down and hurried to the rear.
Her attire clearly marked her as a maid.
She reached her hand straight into the carriage.
Then—the girl behind the curtain—
placed her slender, delicate hand onto the maid’s.
Legs sheathed in black over-the-knee socks emerged gradually from the carriage.
The girl descended the steps with elegant grace.
Nearby nobles gaped in stunned silence.
Yet, her face was veiled in black gauze, radiating deep mystery.
Even unseen, they knew the face beneath was exquisitely lovely.
Golden hair was tied in a small ponytail, spilling over her slender shoulders.
She cradled a rabbit-shaped plush toy in her arms.
The guards at the entrance, seeing her lavish dress,
assumed she was a wealthy noble’s daughter.
Hearing of the Elven Princess, she’d come to buy her.
They bowed politely to the golden-haired girl.
When the maid handed the girl’s ID card to the receptionist,
she urged the front-desk attendant.
“Prepare a VIP room for us quickly…”
“Alright, just a moment…”
The receptionist replied calmly, searching drawers for available rooms.
With so many guests tonight, it took longer than expected.
“Luce, handle these trivial matters outside swiftly.”
But the golden-haired girl had already strode impatiently down the corridor.
Vampires crowded the venue, drawn by curiosity.
Nearly all Blood Clan nobles from the arena had gathered here.
All eager to witness the Elven Princess.
Yet the golden-haired girl pushed through the crowd, gazing up at the stage.
To her disappointment, the princess’s auction hadn’t begun.
The icy maid Luce rushed to her side.
“My lady, this place is beneath your dignity. Please follow me to the VIP suite…”
“…”
The golden-haired girl neither agreed nor refused, silently letting Luce lead.
“My lady, why come to such a place?”
“In this situation, call me ‘miss.’ Remember—I’m just an ordinary noble now, and you’re my maid. Understood?”
She corrected the maid’s words.
They’d agreed to hide their identities before arriving.
So now, they were merely common nobles.
“My apologies, miss… Then, miss, may I ask again—why here? You’ve never shown interest in such things.”
“Luce, today—I have a strong premonition. I’ll find what I seek here. Hearing of the Elven Princess, I couldn’t wait to come. Honestly, this place reeks of Vampire nobles’ filthy desires. I’d rather avoid it. But missing this treasure might haunt me forever. So—”
She spoke like a close friend, their master-servant roles invisible.
“But with your power, miss, why bother with an auction? If you demanded her, they’d dare not refuse…”
“True. If I asked this auction house for her, they’d comply. But I won’t cause a scene here. Sometimes, buying things properly is… refreshing.”
As they spoke, they reached the VIP room door.
This auction house had only six such suites.
Each offered private space and a clear view.
From the window, one could see items on the central stage.
“Miss, tell me what you desire. I’ll fetch it immediately.”
“Fine, fine—I know how it works. Step back. I’ll signal when I want something bought.”
The golden-haired girl sat by the window, chin resting on her hand.
She watched the auction about to start.
No—the bidding had already begun.
The auctioneer introduced other items.
But the golden-haired girl felt no interest, tuning out the chatter.
—How precious the Elven Princess was, how hard she’d been to capture.
They kept hyping their star item.
This caught the girl’s attention. She narrowed her blood-red eyes.
Somehow, hearing “Elven Princess”
stirred an unquiet feeling deep within her.
—This pounding in her chest… she hadn’t felt it in years.
Hestia’s cheeks flushed crimson without reason.
“Enough talk! The auction begins now!”
After several rounds, Hestia found the preamble tedious.
Her crimson gaze fixed coldly on the stage.
She had no time to waste here.
These items were trivial to her.
Why did nobles fight so fiercely over them?
“How boring~ I’ll never understand why nobles go wild over such dull things.”
“Miss, you wouldn’t know. For lower nobles, these items are rare treasures. That’s why they scramble…”
“Is that so? Auctions truly are dull. Let’s leave…”
Hestia yawned, rising from her seat.
“Miss, won’t you stay? You wanted to see the Elven Princess?”
“Hmm. Every item here is tedious. Nothing appeals to me. That so-called princess is probably just another cliché. Skip it.”
She turned sharply toward the exit corridor.
The path from the room led through rows of seats.
A roar from the front rows reached her ears.
She glanced casually at the stage—and froze.
The announcer’s voice boomed through speakers.
“Next—the star item! Royal blood of the Elvenfolk! The Elven Princess we hunted for years! Our auction house struck gold finding her. Elves replenish magic superbly; royal blood is even rarer. Enough talk—behold her! Bring out the Elven Princess!”
Mirena’s cage rolled onto the stage.
At first sight, the crowd fell silent.
All stared at the breathtakingly beautiful girl.
Time seemed to freeze.
Mirena wore only a thin nightgown, revealing vast stretches of flawless skin.
Every inch was perfect.
Especially her neck—pale pink and delicate.
For Vampires, a neck’s value defined the item’s worth.
So slender, it seemed soft enough to sink teeth into.
That spot promised fresh, rich blood.
Plus, the scent of blood clinging to her fair skin.
It saturated the entire hall.
Many swallowed hard in the shadows.
Her face was devastatingly lovely, eyes brimming with helpless sorrow.
She curled in the cage’s corner, lost and trembling.
But she only pretended fear.
To lower their guard, she had to seem weak.
“Our star item—the Elven Princess! Who will take her home? Starting bid: eight million gold coins.”
This price was staggering.
Ten thousand gold coins could support a common family for a year.
Eight million was astronomical.
“Eight million!” “Nine million!” “Fifteen million!”
Nobles still bid fiercely.
Hestia kept her gaze locked on Mirena.
Their eyes met—and a strange restlessness surged in Hestia’s heart.
“Luce… get her for me. No matter what.”
“Understood. If it’s what you desire, miss…”
The icy maid bowed deeply.
She dashed back to their VIP room at top speed.
The bid jumped to ‘three hundred million.’
“Th-three hundred million! Any higher bids? Speak now!”
The auctioneer’s voice trembled.
He’d grabbed this ‘item’ off the street.
Now it sold for a fortune.
Like finding three hundred million gold coins on the pavement.
The hall fell deathly silent.
No one expected a leap from fifteen million to three hundred million.
The figure in Room Six… was clearly a force to reckon with.
