chapter 14

After the auction's end. The cage with Mirabelle was pushed backstage once more.

300 million gold coins… She never expected that she would be worth so much. She was the person who designed this entire game. Naturally, she understood quite well the worth of things.

Although she didn't know who was rich enough to afford such an exorbitant price, it wouldn't have anything to do with her. She was going to use the moment that her cage was opened to escape. The noble who purchased her probably wouldn't want to take the shoddy iron cage, right? At most, the noble would take her, the "product", away.

Thus, it didn't matter who purchased her. The only thing she wanted to know was just when would she finally be able to come out from this cage. It really wasn't comfortable inside a cage at all. She was unable to calm down.

Being locked up in the cage made her feel like a lion who was locked up for the viewing pleasure of others. Yet, she obviously wasn't a lion. Her treatment was much worse than a lion's. Not only would she used for the viewing pleasure of others, but she might also even become food for the vampires.

This made her feel chills run down her spine.

-Sigh…

Mirabelle gave a long slight sigh. At this moment, the elf girl behind her spoke up.

"Princess, I'm truly happy to have met you today! Although we met in such circumstances, it's my honor to have met the princess before we were sold today."

Nim, who was in the next cage over, deeply lowered her head to Mirabelle. Nim had been purchased by some other vampire for the price of one million gold coins. As for Nim's quality, although she couldn't compare to Mirabelle in many aspects, she was in fact quite the cute girl as well.

"No, perhaps this won't be our last meeting after all…"

Mirabelle smiled resolutely. Her water-blue eyes reflected Nim's appearance. At the same time, her water-blue hair was flowing unevenly in the air. Even though she was clearly in a cage, she still seemed rather prideful. As if she was outside the cage.

Having such an expression meant that she had either gone insane or had an absolute guarantee. Yet, it really didn't seem like Mirabelle had much of a guarantee.

So, Nim asked Mirabelle with concern, "Are… are you insane? You're clearly locked up in a cage and completely helpless. Just what can you do?"

"..."

Although Mirabelle remained silent, Nim's words gave her a mental critical hit. In fact, Mirabelle couldn't help but sit down on the cold cage floor upon hearing this.

"Yes, I might be captured again if I escape. But, am I just supposed to accept how things are without trying to escape? Just let the vampires do as they please to my body? Impossible! I won't be able to accomplish anything if I give up right here. But, there's still a sliver of hope if I keep struggling. So, no matter what she says, I'm going to escape from here," Mirabelle quietly whispered to herself.

Not long after, most of the vampire nobles outside had left. The vampires who paid the price to purchase Mirabelle and Nim coincidentally came to receive their products simultaneously. The vampire who came to receive Mirabelle was a maid with an ice-cold aura. Meanwhile, the male vampire who came to receive Nim was incredibly muscular.

In fact, he was gigantic and approximately three meters tall. He was probably the bodyguard of some vampire noble. The maid appeared to be really weak.

-Only two people? It seemed like there was hope for escaping…

Mirabelle didn't use [Data Analysis] at this time. That would take up too much time. If only she had used it, she would have discovered to her surprise that the icy maid was actually stronger than the muscular male vampire.

She was released from the handcuffs that locked her in the cage, but then she was immediately put into another pair of handcuffs that allowed her to walk freely. Still, the second pair of handcuffs were just as heavy as the first.

Luckily, there was a rather long chain between the handcuffs, so it didn't obstruct her too much.

"Come with me…"

The maid coldly stated only these three words after putting the handcuffs on Mirabelle, so the latter silently followed the maid. Although Mirabelle was quite unwilling, right now she could only follow the icy maid. She was waiting for a chance. She was waiting for the best opportunity to take action after going outside.

They went around the now empty rows as they slowly walked towards the narrow and long corridor. The entire arena was completely silent, as if only the four of them remained here.

Only after Mirabelle slowly followed the maid did she discover what place she had been brought to. She had been knocked unconscious before being brought here, after all. She was probably the most pitiful elf here.

This was an auction house. This auction house specialized in slaves. There were also some masters who would sell their slaves here after getting bored of them. All the elves here had really dark and lifeless expressions. They seemed just like zombies who were being dragged by the collars around their necks.

If she didn't escape now, then she would become just like those other elves. She would be heartlessly used, followed by being heartlessly abandoned. She found it difficult to accept such a thing. She could only take advantage of this time before she had been taken away and branded with the mark of a blood slave. This was her best opportunity to escape.

Mirabelle stopped walking as she thought this. She began to search among the crowd. She was looking for the other girl in the same predicament – Nim. Since she had already promised to take Nim away, she would naturally carry out her promise.

"What's going on? Hurry and follow me. Are you still trying to resist?"

The maid spoke to Mirabelle in a severe tone, yet Mirabelle still remained where she stood. She was preparing to run the moment that she found Nim. Besides, were the vampires really expecting that she would just accept slavery!?

"There she is…"

Mirabelle finally located the small green figure of Nim amongst the crowd. Nim was being pushed by the bodyguard from earlier. The bodyguard was about to push her onto a horse-drawn carriage.

-This is bad! Once Nim is put on the carriage, it will become quite difficult to take her away!?

Just as Mirabelle thought this… She started running towards Nim's direction.

"Wait! This girl…"

Mirabelle ignored the maid's shout of surprise from behind her. Not only would she ignore a mere maid, even if the maid's master was here… Mirabelle wouldn't behave or obey. The vampires were her enemies, as well as the entire elf species' enemies. How could she possibly just obey her enemies?

Mirabelle quite easily unlocked the handcuffs that were tightly bound around her wrists. She started running at an incredible speed. She directly stole Nim away in a princess carry.

"What!?"

"What just happened!?"

All the guards around the auction house simultaneously surrounded Mirabelle who was carrying Nim.

"Princess… You… you're truly trying to escape?"

Nim found it rather inconceivable, since the two of them had clearly just met not long ago.

"It really is impossible, trying to run away from so many guards…"

"It would be strange if it was impossible!"

Mirabelle spoke in a resolute tone. She also took a deep breath and forcefully stepped on the ground, then lightly jumped onto a building.

"What's going on? How could a mere elf have such powerful physical abilities…?"

At this time, the blonde-haired girl was getting impatient. Her outstanding hearing helped her to hear the commotion happening outside. She slowly walked out of her carriage. Her red eyes immediately spotted Mirabelle, who was standing on a rooftop while also carrying another elf.

Wasn't that the pet that she had just spent 300 million to purchase? Why was her pet standing on the rooftop? Could it be that…

Just as the blonde-haired girl was thinking this, Lucy ran over to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Milady, I allowed your pet to escape…"

"It's fine, I won't blame you. Lucy…"

The blonde-haired girl waved her hand and easily forgave the icy maid beside her. She even watched with interest as Mirabelle was chased by a large number of vampires.

"If the prey doesn't run, the hunter won't be interested in the hunt, you know? How am I supposed to train my pet if she doesn't resist?"

"Oh… I see. Milady is so wise."

It was quite obvious that Lucy was in a bit of a daze as she replied. It was quite often that Lucy couldn't really understand what her master's words meant. At any rate, it was fine as long as her master wasn't angry. Lucy raised her head and spoke to the blonde-haired girl.

"You should rest here for a while. We'll immediately capture her…"

"There's no need. I'll personally go to capture her. It's been a long time since I last exercised…"

The blonde-haired girl's blood-red eyes were filled with excitement. Lucy had believed that her master wasn't interested in anything at all. She hadn't expected that this so-called elven princess would pique her master's interest.

Normally, when others gave tributes to the blonde-haired girl, she would typically just give a single glance before showing an expression that it wasn't worthy of her time.

She seemed to be disinterested no matter what was given as a tribute to her. Thus, many others had no idea what she was thinking, Lucy included.

"Help me watch over Yuuki. I'll go chase after them right now…"

She looked at Mirabelle who was darting between rooftops. She made up her mind to absolutely capture this pet. The blonde-haired girl then directly tossed her tattered rabbit doll to her maid's hand.

She then used all her strength to jump from this location. She shot out like an arrow towards Mirabelle, who was far away in the distance.

"Princess!"

Nim seemed to be reminding Mirabelle of danger while being princess carried.

"!?"

Mirabelle also noticed the approaching danger thanks to Nim's reminder. She saw a blonde-haired girl pouncing over towards them. Mirabelle used all her strength to jump away in a hurry.

"Her speed is like a nuclear bomb's. I never thought that this place would have such a scary person…"

"Nuclear bomb? What exactly is that?"

Nim couldn't understand what Mirabelle was saying.

"It's… it's nothing. I'll explain slowly to you after we escape… Although, things don't seem to be going so smoothly."

Mirabelle looked at the blonde-haired girl who now stood before her. The blonde-haired girl had clearly just arrived at a nuclear bomb's speed from a great distance.

This blonde-haired girl actually managed to stand before her in just this short conversation's time.