Chapter 54 — The Last Lot

The address written on the old blacksmith’s note led Ren to a plain, two-story building on the quieter edge of the trading district. From the outside it looked almost abandoned. No colorful banners, no shouting touts, no crowd of richly dressed buyers waiting at the door. Only a few men in ordinary merchant clothes stood near the entrance, speaking in low voices. Their boots were dusty and their coats were practical rather than luxurious. Middle-class traders, not nobles.

Ren adjusted his cloak and walked forward.

Two guards blocked the doorway. Both were armed with short swords and carried the bored but watchful expression of men who had done this work for years.

“Documentation or entry fee,” one of them said flatly.

Ren produced the letter the old blacksmith had given him. The moment the guard saw the mark and the signature, his posture changed. He stepped aside and nodded toward the interior.

“Go in. Someone will take you to a seat.”

A thin clerk appeared almost immediately and escorted Ren down a short corridor into a long rectangular hall. The room was simply furnished: rows of wooden benches and chairs facing a raised wooden stage. Oil lamps hung from the beams, casting a steady yellow light. Only a handful of buyers were already seated, scattered across the middle and rear rows. Ren was guided to an empty seat near the center and left alone.

More people drifted in over the next few minutes. Most looked the same as the men outside — practical, cautious, and clearly here to buy cheap rather than to display wealth. Then the atmosphere shifted.

A fat noble entered the hall, flanked by four guards. His clothes were finer than anyone else’s in the room, the fabric heavy with embroidery, and a thick gold chain rested on his chest. The remaining guard stayed at the door while one followed the noble down the aisle. The owner of the slave-trading company hurried forward, bowing repeatedly, voice dripping with praise.

“My lord, it is an honor that you grace our humble auction. Please, this way — the best seat has been prepared for you.”

The noble was led to a larger, cushioned chair placed directly in front of the stage, clearly separated from the ordinary seats. Once he had settled, the owner bowed again and announced that the auction would begin at once. He disappeared behind the stage curtain.

A professional-looking host stepped onto the platform. His attire was neat, his voice trained and clear. He first offered a respectful greeting to the noble, naming him as the lord of the border city, then turned to the rest of the sparse audience and opened the auction without further delay.

The first lot was a batch of ten male human slaves. They were brought up in a line, ankles lightly chained. Most showed the signs of long malnutrition — thin faces, dull skin — yet they were not skeletal. Bidding was low and half-hearted. Individual prices settled between one and two gold coins. One slightly stronger man reached two and a half gold before the gavel fell. Ordinary townsfolk and minor merchants took them.

Next came a batch of ten human women. Several bore the dark stripes of old lash marks across their arms and backs. A few had plain, tired faces that drew almost no interest. They sold for two to three gold each. One woman who looked somewhat better kept than the others was purchased by the fat noble for four gold and fifty silver. He barely glanced at her after the winning bid.

The atmosphere changed when the male beastmen were brought out. Ten of them stood on the stage, ears and tails of different shapes marking their mixed bloodlines. Their bodies were clearly stronger than the human men, and a few glared at the audience with open hostility. The host explained that the company had decided to sell them here rather than risk trouble on the road. Bidding rose. Prices ranged from six to eight gold coins. Most were taken by the same middle-class merchants who had bought the earlier lots.

Then the female beastmen appeared. Soft ears and fluffy tails of mainly dog and cat lineages showed above their hair. None of them possessed the striking beauty of Lyra or Silvia, yet the bidding climbed higher still — nine to thirteen gold coins. The fat noble claimed the two prettiest of the group without visible effort. Ren activated Appraisal on each of them in turn, searching for any hidden potential that might be useful on the island. Nothing noteworthy appeared. He leaned back in his chair, already considering leaving.

Younger slaves followed — both human and beast-tribe children who, from Ren’s perspective, were under sixteen. The prices returned to the same range as the male beastmen. The noble bought several. Ren felt his interest fade completely. He had seen nothing that justified remaining any longer. Two women who already loved him were waiting at the inn; that was far more appealing than watching undernourished bodies sold by the batch.

He placed his hands on the arms of the chair and began to rise.

At that exact moment the host stepped forward again, voice lifting with practiced drama.

“Honored buyers, we have one final lot for this evening. A single slave of rare mixed blood.”

Ren paused, then slowly sat back down.

The curtain parted.

A young woman was led onto the stage.

She stood only four feet eight inches tall. Her figure was a very pronounced hourglass: full, plump breasts, a narrow waist, soft slightly chubby belly that looked plush rather than heavy, thick thighs, and a round, generous ass. Her skin was fair. The ears that rose from her hair were clearly elven in shape yet shorter than those of a pure-blooded elf. She kept her eyes lowered, expression calm but distant.

Ren activated Appraisal.

**Name:** Runa

**Age:** 65 (appears 18 in human years)

**Species:** Mixed (Half-Dwarf / Half-Elf)

**Level:** 28

**Skills:**

**Dwarf lineage**

- Mana Forging – Can channel mana into weapons and tools while forging to increase their strength and durability.

- Enchantment Inscription – Can carve basic magical circuits and runes into equipment.

- Material Analysis – Can identify the properties and potential of metals and ores.

**Elf lineage**

- Mana Sense – Can feel the flow, density, and quality of mana in the surroundings and inside items.

- Mana Refinement – Can purify and improve the quality of raw mana or mana stones.

- Basic Spell Construction (upgradable) – Understands how to create and slightly alter simple spells.

**Hidden Skill:**

- Great Engineer – Can learn any field of engineering if presented with the relevant knowledge.

Ren’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A living forge and a budding engineer in one small body. On an empty island that needed workshops, weapons, tools, and eventual modern manufacturing, she was not merely useful — she was a foundation stone.

He remained seated, gaze fixed on the small figure standing alone on the stage under the yellow lamplight.

The final lot of the evening had been presented.