Heavenly Castle

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

Looking up at the heavy clouds, Catherine Halfen muttered.

「...Skies...」

Rain clouds that hid the sun had a color with which it wouldn’t be strange for the rain to start any moment. With thunder coming from afar, Catherine felt like she was followed by a thunder cloud.

Fluke Kingdom, despite being a small state was relatively peaceful due to stable governing. Being scarce of ambitions, the king thought only of defense, showing no interest in anything apart from internal affairs.

Although the territory was small enough for neighboring countries to largely overlook it, due to the capable king it had prosperous agriculture, forestry, and leather goods industry.

Count house of Halfen belonged to that Kingdom and was a distinguished military family.

Even though the territory didn’t have much strategic value enemies still invaded it from time to time. However, House Halfen protected the kingdom from all of those attacks.

Being well-versed in defensive warfare they didn’t have many big battles, yet among foreign states, they were known as the most difficult opponents to invade.

Therefore, upon being invaded by Blau Empre, house Halfen was thoughtfully trampled and all the sons of the count’s family were killed.

The lands she grew on being overrun, her family members executed one after another, she witnessed all of that.

And then Catherine’s heart broke.

When she was dragged off by soldiers and purchased from Blau Empire for an outrageous sum by merchants of Koshmar Company, when she was stripped naked in front of Karluk Kingdom’s king and the president of Koshmar company, and when she was lined up as merchandise at the auction, Catherine is in a very dark and grievous emotional state.

For Catherine with her current unsound mind, both life and death made no difference.

In contrast to her, the man that rode on the same carriage with her was extremely overjoyed, twisting his lips in a grin while gazing at her profile and limbs.

The fat merchant-like man that won a bid on her.

To finish some of the formalities he was made to wait for a day, but his excitement didn’t subside as he spent that time loitering in the area or bullying slaves to death who were meant to be sold in the neighboring districts.

Such a man stared at Catherine and for who knows which time today and uttered his delight.

「Geh, Gehehe...... Just a little bit more, and it will be the last I see you. If possible I’d prefer to wholly and thoughtfully torture you, and have you taxidermied after killing you in a way that wouldn’t hurt your beauty...... But you have too much value as merchandise.」

The man said while licking his lips and then raised both of his hands to his face.

Then, he began folding his fingers one after another.

「The king and marquises of this country, dukes, counts, and viscounts of neighboring states, and in addition to all of them, wealthy foreign merchants. Fu, hahaha...... I don’t have enough fingers to count all who want to obtain you even at the cost of parting with a tremendous fortune.」

Saying that the man that finished happily folding his fingers, then narrowed his eyes looking at Catherine.

「But unfortunately, your buyer is already decided. As well as my, Nagib’s, promotion.」

Uttering so he shook his head in an exaggerated gesture and laughed, shaking his belly.

「The course of that auction was decided from the beginning. Yes. It was just a play aimed at powerful men of foreign states that would like to have you. To show that you were sold in a fair auction.」

With those words, a bit of reaction showed on Catherine’s face. Noticing that change in expression the corners of Nagib’s mouth curved in a repulsive smile.

「Oh, finally, some reaction. If they sold me a puppet it would’ve had no meaning. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve used both torture and drugs to make you into a perfect slave, but turning Miss Catherine into damaged goods is not permitted...... Still, if you are about to be broken anyway, isn’t it all the same......Hm?」

Nagib kept mumbling with a vulgar look on his face, but his expression soon changed to a frown when the carriage stopped with a sudden squeal from the horses.

「Who told you to stop?! Sauro! Do you want to be whipped again?!」

Nagib, instantly flying into a fury, stood up, jolting his flabby flesh, and poked his head out of the window.

And then, gulped.

A suspicious group in filthy robes surrounded the carriage, the coachman and guards were lying in puddles of their own blood.

「Im-impossible...... You bastard! Do you know what it means in this capital to mess with me, with Koshmar company?!」

With a yell from Nagib, one person from the robed group moved.

He silently pulled out a dagger from his bosom and spoke up.

「We know. That’s why there is a point to this.」

Saying that the man thrust his sword in front of him and looked at Catherine.

「Get out.」

「Do-don’t! Stay here! Don’t even move!」

In response to the man’s instruction, Nagib reflectively screamed in opposition.

Immediately, the interior of the carriage was splattered with blood.

「Gyaah!」

Screaming, Nagib held his injured hand.

「Blood, it’s blood! You, you dare to cut me?! You bastard, I will remember your face......! I’ll kill you even if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth!」

Ignoring the words Nagib shouted with his eyes bloodshot from rage, the man nimbly dragged Catherine out of the carriage.

And then pointed the blade at Nagib’s face.

「I can’t believe that you think that you will make it out of here alive...... Well, that makes you easier to kill than those who beg for their lives in tears.」

「Ki-ki-kill me......?! Do you understand the consequences! You don’t even get what that means?!」

「Shut up. I will be chased to the ends of the earth, right? I got it, now drop dead. Pig.」 fre𝑒𝘸𝚎𝚋n૦ѵℯl.c𝒐𝘮

Saying that with a sigh, the man thrust forward his dagger.

As an otherworldly shriek of death agony came from inside of the carriage, Catherine, who was now outside, looked back at the entrance.

As the man covered in blood emerged from there, other men that were encircling the vicinity also looked that way.

「Koshmar company’s supervisor for slave procurement, Nagib, killed. The next one is Murat, the one in charge of selling slaves. Let’s hurry.」

After the man announced, putting away the dagger, other men silently nodded and started running. Their movements were fast, clearly not belonging to amateurs.

The man scanned the surroundings, and confirming the sight of ordinary people observing the scene from afar took Catherine’s hand.

「For now let’s get away from here. What to do after that is up to you.」

He said, taking one look at Catherine, that stayed expressionless like a doll, and then began to run, pulling her hand.

As she ran after him, Catherine gave a sidelong look at the carriage that she previously rode in.