Chapter 58

Luckily, there was an auction that started an hour later.

She wondered what kind of auction was going to be held at nine pm, though Elysia wondered what it was like.

In the end, she came out to attend the auction as a three with Cassian and Ryan. Of course, there are a few knights guarding the surroundings.

“It’s my first auction, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“Don’t expect too much.”

With a slightly troubled look on Cassian’s face, he added that it was nothing more than she thought. He seemed to be afraid she would be disappointed, and Ryan had the same expression.

It seemed like she was the only one at an auction for the first time.

Ryan wondered when he had seen it, but since he was in the intelligence guild, she came to the conclusion that he might have some experience.

“Look over there.”

The auction was not far away, so they arrived quickly.

The one-story building had no windows, and the entrance looked like it had been covered with something like a black cloth.

“Oh, I feel like I’m doing something bad.”

That was what she thought unknowingly as it was exuding a gloomy atmosphere.

Cassian smiled and pulled her around the waist. Although he was hiding his figure with a robe, she could feel the eyes of the people lining up at the entrance keep turning towards him.

“Are we going to wear masks and enter?”

“I don’t know what this auction is like. It should be ready.”

Ryan said something to the staff standing at the entrance and stood still.

He was probably waiting to receive a mask.

The mask that Ryan received was a butterfly-shaped mask, although it didn’t seem like it was used to hide the face much.

“What’s this?”

“Just to make you feel better.”

He got it on purpose, so it was polite to wear it, so she wore the black mask.

After putting it on, she looked around and saw that the two men were just holding it in their hands. They didn’t seem to have much intention of using it.

“We have a separate entrance.”

Is this a taste of power again…?

They were able to enter the auction house through another entrance without waiting in line.

***
Whether it was true that this auction house was once a theater, there was a stage and the seats were arranged at regular intervals.

Elysia was guided to a separate space on the second floor.

It seemed to be a space mainly used by nobles. When she saw the people entering the first floor, she saw a variety of appearances, from those who looked like merchants to those who looked like foreigners.

It was definitely a city with an active trade with the business.

“Come on, let’s start the auction.”

The lights were turned on on the stage, and the moderator announced that the auction had begun.

The first item was a necklace, a treasure of a kingdom that might actually exist.

Still, it wasn’t a very interesting thing. And, neither the second nor the third one seemed to be all that good, so she got bored.

“You’re right.”

“Because really precious things don’t come up very often at auction.”

Cassian grinned and pulled Elysia’s head slightly, making her lean on his shoulder.

The stage lighting was dark, and she leaned against Cassian, which made her sleepy. Elysia began to doze off.

Cassian and Ryan exchanged glances and wondered if they should wake her up, though the host shouted in a louder voice than ever before.

“You are very lucky to be attending this auction today because there is only one in all of the continent to show to you.”

Not long after Elysia had started to doze off, she frowned and opened her eyes. When she opened her eyes, what she saw on stage was a girl with auburn hair.

The host pulled the girl’s hair and made her head up.

“…The slave trade is gone?”

“Yeah. But, I don’t think she’s just a slave.”

The girl opened her eyes, which had been grimacing as she opened her tiny lips in pain.

“See? Look at these eye colors. They are the same color as the Guardian’s eyes.”

‘There was only one color in this world,’ the moderator added detailed explanations.

Squinting her eyes and examining the girl’s eyes more closely, she noticed that the color of the eyes was completely different from the necklace she had.

It was a completely different color from Der’s eyes.

The original nickname of the guardian’s eye was derived from the fact that it is the same as the eye color of the tomb guardian. Elysia felt sorry for her. However, she didn’t think she was going to get the girl.

…Until she listens to the moderator.

“It’s like a mutant because there’s only one eye of this kind on the continent, this kid.”

The moderator giggled when he heard something from the guest seated in the front row.

“You’re talking too much about a monster. It’s just a rare existence. Start with ten thousand gold!”

Her stomach churned. The moderator then deliberately said harsh words as if he was squeezing and hitting her to make fun.

What really pissed her off was Cassian looking at his face.

Perhaps, it was because he’s said many times that the kid was a monster, though that was so upsetting.

Putting all those feelings aside, she started to think that that kid was just like her.

“That kid, buy it.”

“They changed the eye color on purpose. It’s a common thing, so you don’t have to worry about it…”

Elysia blinked at Ryan.

“Buy it, take her to a place where she won’t be caught again. I don’t really want to meet her.”

Ryan nodded his head at her words and meekly picked up the sign.

At the same time as the host shouted that the bid had been successful, she could feel the gazes heading in this direction.

“You’d better stop. Please do me a favor.”

“All right.”

***
Elysia returned from the auction, and she was soaking in the hot springs, waiting for Cassian.

Her head was cluttered as she started to think.

She didn’t want to be so emotional suddenly. She wanted to empty her head. She felt a little bit calm as she was immersing herself in hot water, the night sky was dark, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

The situation was so serene. Elysia felt like she was all alone here, so it was rather difficult to clear her head.

She just thought she should be in her room, and she just seemed out of place…

“…It’s hard.”

Drip. Something came up.

She doesn’t know why every day is so hard.

Those thoughts branched out into branches and furcated out into a completely different direction of loneliness.

Now, she was really lucky to have a family…

Ramote to whom she can confide. Ryan, who was on her side, and the man who loved her were also there.

However, when a lot of time has passed later… when these moments feel fleeting?

What can she do alone when they are not by her side?

One day, Elysia Lowell will be considered dead. And, she’ll leave the Empire and live in a place where no one recognizes her. It was like when she first came here and vowed to stay away from the main characters—moving from place to place, being careful not to get caught.

It would be nice to enter the tower, but there was a limit to staying there without revealing your identity.

She could also build a relationship with someone and be by someone’s side, though it was something she didn’t want to imagine right now.

As she thought about it, she suddenly felt a sense of loneliness. The thought that she might have to spend eternity alone in the future came to her with a terrifying fear.

Scared, terrified and those kinds of emotions seemed to come together and engulf her.

The thoughts did not stop there.

Another thought came to her mind when she saw a young couple she had seen on the way home.

A couple walking down the street with the pregnant wife.

“What I can’t give…”

Cassian must have wanted a life like that. To love normally, to have an ordinary family, to leave a mark on the one you love, to grow old and die with the one you love.

But… she couldn’t give them things that others take for granted and natural.

It must have been an illusion that she could live such a life being with Cassian. He had to give blood when he was in the same room with her, and it was natural for it to continue the rest of his life.

How long will it take to gladly accept the fangs that dig through his skin every other day?

As a master, he has a long lifespan, but one day he will grow old first. If they stay together, what will he think of her?

All sorts of emotions came up, and she felt like she was suffocated. The feeling of regret gradually increased.

Why did she become a vampire even after possessing a human body?

Even vampires have different souls from human souls.

Elysia realized that she had been looking forward to those ordinary lives more than anyone else. She just didn’t know and didn’t admit it because she had never imagined such a future.

Then, there was a click and the door opened, and a voice was heard.

“Haa… you were here.”

Come to think of it, Cassian said he would stay in the room, and now he was here.

He was wearing a slightly disheveled outfit as if he was still looking for her.

His well-groomed hair was also a little messy. His face was filled with anxiety and relief as he took a long breath, covering the corner of his eye with his hand.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“Why is that… I’m sorry.”

“Your face… huh? After all, I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

Cassian frowned and came closer, before raising his hand and touching her forehead and the nape of her neck.

Elysia rested her face in his hands and closed her eyes.

Seeing his hot hands feel cool, it must have been that he had been in there for too long.

“Cassian.

“Let’s go in.”

“Cassian.”

“If you’re concerned about what you did with the kid earlier…”

“Kiss me.”

At that, he grabbed her arm and lifted her up.

An unknown feeling rushed up to the tip of her neck as his solid body touched her. As his lips met and she felt the scent of his body spread through the gaping lips, all the thoughts in her head disappeared.

Cassian tried to part her lips first, so he grabbed her neck and entwined them again.

“Hold me.”

“I’m already holding you.”

Elysia then lowered her hand around his neck and unbuttoned his shirt.

“Don’t make me think. You’re good at that.”

“I know what your expression is like now…”

She didn’t want to hear the refusal, so she covered his mouth with her lips. If only her head was full of Cassian, and she couldn’t think of anything.

As if escaping from reality… As if they could stay like this forever.

That’s why she was so mistaken.

Cassian held her and walked into the bedroom. While he gazed down at her, lying on the bed, he seemed a little angry.

“As I said before…”

He pulled his neck away when she tried to kiss him as if not to talk again, then Cassian grabbed Elysia’s wrist and pressed it down again, opening his mouth again.

“I don’t care who you are. I don’t know what you think of yourself, but I can’t live without you.”

No, not now…

The words ‘don’t say anything’ reached the end of his chin.

The more Cassian confessed his feelings like that, the more she felt like she had to apologize. She can’t give him anything properly, so she’s sorry.

She had seen cases where humans who loved vampires were willing to put up with it, though it was heartbreaking that her lover had to.