The Heroines Who Framed Me Are Clinging to Me

Chapter 7 - The Slave Auction

To defeat the Demon King in this world, the [Blessing of the Gods] is essential. Typically, this blessing is bestowed upon a hero from another world, and that hero was none other than Lee Han.

He had genuinely cared for his comrades and sincerely wanted to vanquish the Demon King. The suffering caused by the Demon King was nothing compared to the number of people who were dying ‘because of’ the Demon King—those accused of being in league with her or of being witches. Lee Han wanted to save those people.

To Lee Han, this world was primitive, and that made it all the more necessary to help it.

As a result, despite his best efforts, his trusted comrades ultimately betrayed him, and he was beheaded.

Now, having been reincarnated as Lloyd, he once again saw the crests of his former comrades.

"10 million crones!"

Declared one of Princess Aina’s representatives.

"11 million from the Holy Constantine!"

Came the bid from Saint Aria’s faction.

"12 million!"

Followed the bid from the vice-guild master of Claire’s guild.

Lloyd’s former comrades’ subordinates were competing fiercely to acquire him, as if he were the only savior they could find.

‘Why are they so obsessed?’

Lloyd found it hard to understand.

They couldn’t possibly know he was Lee Han. Besides, these people had also competed to acquire other boys at previous auctions. While Lloyd’s price continued to rise, the increase wasn’t as dramatic as he had expected.

Regardless, the sheer intensity of their obsession was too strong to be mere coincidence.

From the murmurs around him, he soon found out why.

"Why are they so fixated on that boy?"

"You didn’t hear? The Church received a prophecy… Supposedly, if they don’t find a certain boy, the continent will be in grave danger. That’s why they’re making such a fuss."

"A prophecy, huh? Sounds like just another rumor."

"Maybe, but the rivalry between those three heroes isn’t new. It could just be simple competition."

Lloyd’s expression twisted into a sneer.

A prophecy about the Demon King’s resurrection, no doubt.

He remembered the Demon King’s final words before dying.

— I shall return.

To kill the Demon King, they’d need a hero.

That was likely why the three heroes were scooping up boys from the auction.

‘You severed my head, and now you’re looking for me?’

The absurdity of it all was beyond laughter.

It was their fault that the Demon King, whom they had tried to capture alive, had been killed. And it was their fault that they had beheaded Lee Han, the only hero capable of fighting the Demon King.

So, they could deal with the consequences.

Even if the resurrected Demon King were to sweep across the world, it was no longer Lloyd’s concern.

...In fact, a wave of satisfaction washed over him at the thought.

He let out a small gasp as he imagined a world ravaged by the Demon King.

\'Ah.\'

A world where everyone was annihilated.

In such a world, there would be no applause to torment him, no comrades to betray him.

This was a familiar thought. Whenever he imagined the world’s end, it was as if a demon deep within him awakened, craving destruction. It was undoubtedly a result of his PTSD, or something similar.

Lloyd bit his lip.

‘I need to stay focused.’

His mental state was deteriorating.

At times like these, Bella would have been there to help, but she wasn’t here now.

— Clap, clap, clap, clap!

The applause that erupted at that moment only made Lloyd feel more unstable.

He needed to control himself. He had to suppress his growing desire for revenge.

He was afraid of his own vengeance.

He feared the voice in his head that constantly whispered to him.

— \'Let’s kill them. Start with the mastermind.\'

He knew that it would be a never-ending cycle of revenge. He wouldn’t be able to stop at just the ones who had sent him to the execution platform. He would go after those who had trusted them, and then after the ordinary people who had cheered for his death. His thirst for revenge would only end when the world itself was at its end.

— \'No, just kill them all. Then you won’t hear the applause anymore. There won’t be any hands left to clap.\'

‘...Hold it in.’

Lloyd clenched his fist.

So tightly that his palm bled.

"15 million crones from the Holy Knights! The highest bid of the day!"

Drip, drip.

Blood trickled from Lloyd’s hand, staining the stage.

Revenge. Resentment. Despair. Anger.

In the midst of this emotional turmoil, Lloyd’s thoughts raced.

‘I won’t be sold to them.’

Even if the world were to end because of his absence, he would never serve under those women again.

Aina. Aria. Claire.

He had a bad feeling that if he ended up with any of them, it would only lead him down the path of revenge.

He didn’t want a continent soaked in blood.

— Let’s kill them all.

He couldn’t give in to that voice.

But how?

How could he avoid being sold to those damned comrades?

"Hey, kid."

Lloyd raised his head.

Standing in front of the stage was a noblewoman who exuded an air of refinement.

Her light gray hair and elegant purple dress, adorned with old-fashioned frills, marked her as someone of high standing—likely nobility or royalty.

She was the very picture of a "noble lady."

"You look like you could use some help."

Her voice was soft like cotton candy, yet it carried a hidden venom. She was noble but dangerous. Even so, Lloyd had no choice but to respond.

"Yes."

"You don’t want to be sold to those heroes. You must have your reasons, I suppose?"

Her voice slithered like a snake, full of ominous intent.

Two things were clear.

First, this woman had some hidden agenda.

Second, despite that, she was Lloyd’s only lifeline.

Lloyd bit his lip.

"...Yes."

"Then prove your worth."

With a flick of her wrist, she opened her fan and leaned back in her chair, as if watching a small game. She smiled as if daring him to impress her if he wanted to survive.

How could he entice her?

"......."

Lloyd scrutinized her.

Her dress was made of expensive fabric, but it revealed a lot of skin. It was easier to remove than most other women’s clothing. Her lips looked soft, and her cheeks were flushed with color. She enjoyed indulgence. Given that she was here at a boy auction, it was obvious who her target was.

"My body."

"...Your body?"

Her composure faltered for a moment.

Lloyd seized that moment of surprise and spoke confidently.

"My physique is well-formed. Including ‘that’ part."

"Hah!"

She laughed, her eyes scanning Lloyd appraisingly.

"You’ve got a sharp eye. Your body is well-developed, indeed. Enough to make one’s mouth water. But there are plenty of other boys with good bodies here. I might spend 5 million crones on you."

— "16 million crones from Princess Aina!"

5 million was a high price for a mere body servant, but it was nothing in the heated atmosphere of the auction.

"Value is what matters. Prove your worth. I’m the kind of person who needs to extract ten times the value of anything I buy."

But Lloyd wasn’t worried.

"I have a good eye for people."

"An eye for people?"

"I’ve just figured out your preferences, realized you’re one of the most powerful women in the Empire..."

The woman’s eyes sharpened.

"...And noticed that the blue-haired scout watching from the VIP section up there is with you."

Her eyes gleamed with interest.

She leaned in slightly closer to the stage.

"Interesting. 15 million crones."

The bid had jumped by three times.

She was interested in his eye for people, which meant she had ambition. That also meant she was deeply involved in politics.

Lloyd walked to the edge of the stage and whispered in her ear.

"I know a strategy to turn the three heroes of the Hero Party against each other."

Snap.

She snapped her fan shut, covering her mouth.

But her eyes sparkled with endless greed and deep-seated cunning.

Her lips parted into a slow smile.

"30 million crones."

It was a bid that would surely win.

She gestured to the upper level.

The blue-haired scout in the VIP section looked startled and glanced down at them. The woman nodded.

Soon, the scout held up a numbered paddle. It was number 44.

— "44! A bid from the Grey Duke’s family!"

The Grey Duke’s family.

Lloyd finally remembered who this woman was.

The Grey Duke’s family—where the infamous widow who would one day orchestrate a massive rebellion resided.

— "Oh, the illustrious Grey Duke’s family! The current bid stands at 23 million crones from the Harold Trading Company. Will you raise it?"

— "Yes."

A sense of foreboding.

The ominous feeling Lloyd had sensed from the moment he saw her was not unfounded.

Once sold, he would belong to the buyer for the next ten years.

Lloyd forced himself to remain calm as he spoke.

"However, I have a condition."

"A condition?"

"If someone wants to buy me for ten times the amount you paid, you have to let me go."

"Ahaha! What a cheeky and clever little boy. You want to give yourself a way out in case you need to escape."

"It’s a necessary condition."

"Alright."

Surprisingly, the woman nodded without hesitation.

The auction continued swiftly.

Lloyd glanced back at the woman.

She only moved her lips, silently mouthing the words.

‘Impress me.’

Her smile was beautiful.

Behind her, Lloyd could hear the scout placing their bid.

"The Grey Duke’s family offers the following amount."

"What is it?"

"100 million crones."

Silence fell over the auction house.

The only sound was the collective gasp of the crowd.

In that hush, the woman, her mouth hidden behind her fan, whispered softly.

"If you want to escape, you’ll need 1 billion crones."

Snap.

Her fan closed with a sharp sound.

Her smile was like that of a gray serpent.