Chapter 14: Mutually Protecting the Losing Heroine

The Gilishon City Auction was an event so big even members of the royal family had to pitch in to keep the whole thing running without a jam.

First Queen Esmarie handled the seating charts for the foreign nobility and managed political implications of the auction - if someone from Soron wins an item meant for Dunamis, she has to smooth things over.

Third Queen Lucelia was the official authenticator of all auction items. She had the [Magic Eyes of Appraisal] that let her see the true nature of any magical item to identify forgeries or hidden enchantments.

Fourth Queen Minerva was the inventory manager.

Meanwhile, Adonis was relaxing on a soft wooden lounge chair right in the middle of the palace courtyard. His eyes were peacefully closed while a maid stood beside him, diligently fanning him with a large feather fan.

Near the courtyard entrance, a dozen heavy-armored royal guards marched out of the main palace gates, carrying secure iron-wood crates and loading them one by one into a colossal armored carriage bound for the ultra-secure vaults of the Halcyon Auction House.

Minerva stood nearby, holding a long scroll that dragged along the stone floor.

"Item 312: A dragon-bone staff. Checked."

She marked her scroll with a quill.

"Item 313: Immortal Dragon Egg... Checked."

She looked around only to spot Adonis proudly slacking off in broad daylight.

Minerva’s brow twitched.

"Tch!"

She rolled up her long scroll, stomped over to his chair, and placed a sharp hand on her voluptuous hip.

"Adonis!"

Minerva glared down at him.

"When I asked for your assistance with inventory prep for the upcoming auction, this is NOT what I expected."

Adonis didn’t even open his eyes.

"Don’t worry, my lovely Queen. I’ve mobilized a whole army of maids to help you."

A deeply disappointed Minerva looked over her shoulder. His "army" consisted of six slender maids who were currently struggling, gasping, and pulling with all their might just to drag one medium-sized wooden crate across the floor.

Minerva turned back to Adonis with a stern pout as her ruby eyes narrowed and her nose scrunched up adorably.

Adonis cracked open one eye, caught her face, and chuckled nervously.

"Uhh... did I mention you look sooooo beautiful today?"

"Hmph!"

Minerva huffed, rolling her eyes as she marched back toward the carriage to resume her duties.

[Ding! Queen Minerva is annoyed with the Host for being incredibly lazy.]

Adonis let out a quiet sigh.

He sat up slightly and called out after her.

"Minerva?"

Minerva stopped, turning around with a slightly excited shine in her eyes, secretly hoping he was finally going to get off his butt and help her.

"Do you happen to know a Baron Korvan Thale?" Adonis asked nonchalantly.

Minerva’s hopeful expression became a disappointed pout.

"No..." (⸝⸝⩌⸝⸝⩌⸝⸝)

She grumbled, looking thoroughly uninterested.

"Who is he?"

"Oh, just some super-rich merchant. Not important."

Adonis shrugged, leaning back down.

Minerva gave him a dramatic eye-roll and walked away without another word.

Adonis relaxed into his chair once more, crossing his arms behind his head.

A shadow passed over the courtyard.

Looking up, he saw Prussia soaring through the sky on the back of her wyvern. Clinging desperately to her waist from behind was Third Prince Leander, looking mildly terrified for his life. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

The wyvern landed right in front of Adonis, kicking up a gust of wind. Minerva offered a quick, sharp glance at the sudden arrival, but immediately looked away the second she recognized Leander and Prussia.

"Did you see the way that drake’s neck snapped when I brought my spear down?!"

Prussia laughed loudly, hopping off the wyvern’s saddle.

"Please, my blade cut straight through its mana core before your spear even touched it!"

Leander argued back, stepping down with trembling legs but trying his best to look manly.

Adonis frowned at them.

’Unbelievable. Around everyone else she’s having the time of her life, but around me she treats me like a dog.’

A few maids rushed forward to help them down.

"Welcome back, Lady Prussia! How did your dragon-hunting date go with the Third Prince?"

"Date?"

Prussia scoffed lightheartedly.

"It wasn’t a date. But it was quite fun! There aren’t any true dragons around Falsbane, but we killed a decent amount of drakes."

Leander’s face twitched in frustration.

’How can she humiliate me like that in front of the servants?! It was clearly a date! But I can’t even call her out on it because this proud, battle-obsessed woman can’t be romantic to save her life!’

His blood boiled as he recalled his painfully desperate attempts throughout the afternoon... trying to hold her hand, trying to recite poetry, trying to share a drink, but she ignored every move and focused on gutting drakes instead.

Worse yet, the entire time they were flying, she kept asking him bizarre, detailed questions about Adonis!

"When did Adonis awaken his class?"

"Who does Adonis talk to?"

"Is Adonis seeing anyone?"

Each question burned him more than the last.

’Why is she so obsessed with him?! Is she into that trash?!’

Catching sight of Adonis casually lounging in a luxurious wooden chair without a care in the world made Leander snap.

He needed to humble this bastard right now.

Leander unclipped his dirty, monster-blood-stained hunting cloak and heavy leather gear, walking over and aggressively tossing the filthy gear straight onto Adonis’s chest.

"Clean them up."

Adonis blinked, staring down at the mess on his lap.

"Huh?"

The maid holding the fan panicked and stepped forward.

"Y-, Your Highness, I can clean the gear instead—"

"Shut up! Know your place, bitch, or I’ll have your tongue!"

"I-, I apologize, Your Highness!"

Prussia watched the exchange without saying a single word. She didn’t care in the slightest. In her mind, Adonis was her personal dog anyway, so a dark part of her actually wanted him to scrub her own gear too... though Korgan would handle it later.

Adonis smiled very innocently.

"Third Brother... you’re really testing my patience today."

"Testing your patience? You’re disowned trash! Clean my gear, or I’ll drag you through the mud myself—"

"All this to impress a girl is just..."

Adonis shook his head and sighed.

"Clean it yourself, boy."

Minerva said, glaring at Leander with bright, red eyes.

Leander burst out laughing.

"Oh? Look who’s talking! Are you still bitter because I dumped your aging ass for Mariella—"

PAH!

A fierce slap that snapped Leander’s head to the side.

"Speak out of line to me again and I will make you regret ever being born."

"I... I..."

Leander held his burning cheek in total shock. He couldn’t even summon a single word. There was a time when this woman used to feed him grapes in private. Now, she slapped him in front of so many servants and looked at him like he was a pathetic insect squished beneath her boot.

Glares of pure hatred were hurled at Adonis, but Leander ultimately spun around and stormed off toward his quarters.

Minerva sighed and leaned down toward Adonis.

She gently stroked his golden hair with maternal concern.

"Are you alright, Adonis? Did he hurt you?"

"I’m fine."

Adonis pushed the filthy hunting gear off his lap and got up.

It wasn’t her fault, but Minerva always felt bad at how Adonis got treated by everyone.

"You don’t have to accompany me to the Halcyon Auction House to secure the vault. I know you’re tired. I’ll handle the carriage escort myself. When I get back, we can talk... okay?"

Adonis chuckled softly and took her slender hand in his.

"Ohoo? And what would my girl do without me? Of course I have to escort you."

Minerva raised an awkward, embarrassed eyebrow as her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Adonis... I’m a grown woman."

"Heh."

"Just behave when we get there!"

A tomato-faced Minerva hurriedly walked away to shout final orders at the royal guards.

She’s clearly embarrassed.

Adonis walked quietly behind her.

’If I don’t go with her to the auction house, how am I going to have a good excuse to case the vault layout? I need to know the security before stealing the dragon egg and fairy soil, otherwise Prussia will have my head. Sometimes I wish I was summoned with some overpowered combat class.’

[Notice! Following Queen Minerva to the Halcyon Auction House will trigger a major meeting! Lady Ariel Halcyon, Matriarch of the Halcyon Corporation, one of the richest women on the continent.]

[Note: Her son possesses ’Protagonist Status’. A ’Losing Heroine’ route associated with their faction is available for acquisition!]

Adonis’s slender lips became a subtle, dangerous smile.

’Who says you can’t kill two birds with one stone?’

As he walked past the dragon landing pad to join Minerva at the carriage, a hand suddenly grabbed his hussar jacket, yanking him into the shadow of a pillar.

Prussia stood there, giving him a sharp, lethal glare.

She shoved a small, glowing magic item into his hand.

She leaned close to his ear, gripping his collar tight.

"Listen here, you better be a good dog and steal the dragon egg and the golden fairy soil from the vault today, or you’ll certainly regret it. Is that clear? House Dunamis can make your life hell in this kingdom if I haven’t made that clear already."

Adonis remained completely expressionless.

"Doing that would mean inciting war between our nations."

Prussia grinned viciously.

"War? Nobody cares about a dog like you! Your spineless father is terrified of Fangfather. He won’t risk these peaceful times for talentless trash like you, isn’t that right?"

Adonis narrowed his cold blue eyes at her.

"You’ll regret this."

"I don’t think I will..." Prussia chuckled softly.

"Remember this."

Adonis yanked his collar out of her grip and left.

[WARNING! Stealing the Immortal Dragon Egg and Golden Fairy Soil from the auction house will trigger a disastrous chain reaction!]

[Plot Route: Queen Minerva will be put on trial for the missing inventory. She will be blamed for the loss, destroying her reputation and inciting severe anti-witch persecution across the realm! When she finds out you stole it, she’ll be overwhelmed with sadness and anger and wreak havoc on the nation which leads to her getting beheaded.]

[Host’s duty is to protect your love interests. Subjecting Queen Minerva to this path will result in severe System Penalties!]

Adonis stretched his arms tiredly and yawned.

"Relax, I have a plan."