Frederick Holland

The engineer was shocked.

The general, who appeared completely uninterested mere moments ago, now looked completely obsessed with a young boy who had yet to be presented.

And as soon as he turned back to the stage, the man began to speak.

"Thanks to all attending today! For those who might not know me, I go by the alias of Elias, and I represent the fifth-largest slave trading operation in Gruzia, the Red Circle"

The crowd loudly clapped in response, which was once again a massive shift in how the event had unfolded so far.

The tension, however, was at its peak. It was clear that what was about to be said was something everyone should pay close attention to.

Elias then invited the boy to stand in front of him while facing the crowd.

His features then became clear for all to see : an above average physique, dark brown hair, a pointy nose, pursed lips and a fairly slim face.

His clothes were, like Elias, of the highest quality, making it seem like he was his son instead of a slave. Ji-ho also noticed the same enslaving bracelet on his left wrist, causing him to think this was the go-to device for rich traders.

However, the feature that truly caught the engineer's eye was the boy's gaze.

His eyes exuded a searing hatred, with an intensity that Park had never seen before. It wasn't simply killing intent, either. He could tell the boy truly wanted to deeply hurt whoever he looked at.

It was chilling, to the point where he even caused a small commotion through the audience.

It was also probably why Mundeok took such an interest.

Before continuing, a vicious smile had begun forming on Elias' face.

"This is Frederick Holland, 10, son and direct heir of the now fallen Emperor Cedrick The Titan"

The revelation made the crowd rise in an uproar, with the engineer once again immediately asking the gatekeeper for more context.

The latter had become pale, with his eyes also growing wide in shock.

"This… This is insanity…"

He stuttered, and didn't seem ready to provide what Ji-ho wanted, causing him to turn towards the boy and finally use his skill.

[Frederick Holland (10) — Male Human]

<Title> : Fallen Heir

<Status> : Slave

<Empire> : None

<Strength> : 25

<Endurance> : 15

<Vitality> : 20

<Dexterity> : 40

<Intelligence> : 30

<Magic> : 40

<Spirit> : 100

<Luck> : 10

<Special Abilities> : [Unauthorized access. Requires <Arcadia's System> database]

<Affinities> : Berserker

The stats were simply phenomenal for someone so young, which made Park even more curious about his story.

Fortunately, Alejandro had finally gotten back to his senses.

"Not too long ago, there was an eastern empire named Xenith that imploded due to a military coup led by its three highest Generals. Their opponent and ruler was Cedrick the Titan, a legendary military figure who had earned his title from years of successful conquests and domestic peace. After a hard fought battle between the loyalists and revolutionaries, it ended in the old regime's loss and resulted in a three-way division of the empire's territory and population, of which the Generals lead distinctly. Of course, this resulted in the purge of the previous ruling family, but how it was done was apparently much crueler than usual… The rumors say that after teaming up and defeating Cedrick, they dismembered him, kept him alive and raped the Empress for hours on end in front of him and their children. Once she died of her injuries, they decapitated her before continuing with the younger sisters and so on and so forth until only one child remained, who in the end also witnessed the final decapitation of his father. What happened to that child had been a mystery, but not anymore…"

Ji-ho's fists were clenched with so much strength his nails had begun digging into his skin, resulting in his blood dripping on the floor.

The anger he felt At that moment was indescribable…

This was far past the point of cruelty, it was simply evil incarnate.

He had never felt the urge to kill before, and yet, here, during this very instant, he wouldn't hesitate to take the lives of those responsible.

Even the General, who had seen ungodly amounts of bloodshed, had trouble reigning in his anger. He understood the need to cleanse an old regime to prevent future instability, but to do it in such a fashion?

Disgusting.

Ji-ho's emotions were wildly fluctuating, and while he was trying to get them under control, he heard Elias speak again, who had patiently waited for the crowd to settle down.

"As you've just heard, this boy is quite valuable. The starting bid begins at 100 gold coins"

Elias' smile had yet to dissipate as he witnessed the crowd struggle to decide whether such a price was worth the potential headache it could bring.

Even Ji-ho was reeling from it.

Whilst talented, Frederick was also bringing a ton of baggage, with his current value being also tied to the political weight he had.

The engineer was sure that once his existence reached the ears of those concerned, they'd chase after him to either tie the loose ends or protect him at all costs.

The question was if he could capitalize on these loyalists joining his side while limiting his exposure to those seeking the end of his family line.

This was, after the magic crystals, his biggest gamble yet. If he messed up, he'd be caught in a crossfire involving multiple empires he had no information about.

"Do you still want him despite this, Mundeok?"

The General's grin grew even wider, with his expression viciously twisting.

"Without question"

Without waiting any longer, the engineer threw his right hand in the air before shouting at the top of his lungs.

"100 here!"

The previously awkward mood of uncertainty came to a screeching halt, with everyone's attention instantly turning to Ji-ho, including those towering above.

Who was this crazy person?! Was he aware of the level of danger this entailed?!

Even Alejandro couldn't believe it, as Park hadn't seemed like a merchant that would take such risks.

Meanwhile, Elias' expression had transformed into one of ecstasy.

The game had finally begun.

"Nobody else? Going once, twice…"

Park became bewildered. Was he really going to be alone in this bidding war?

"110"

Of course not.

Even with the high inherent risk, there was way too much upside for him to be alone in this race.

As for his new opposition, it seemed to be a woman, but he couldn't get a proper look at her.

Still, now that they were both involved, he expected others to also join the fray.

And just as he had raised it to 115, another voice joined in.

This wouldn't be easy after all…