Chapter 254

254th Episode: Hassan Goes to the Auction – Part 2

Two days had passed since Elpride’s arson attack.

“Hassan, it’s dangerous outside with fires breaking out and everything so chaotic. Wouldn’t it be better to just stay home?”

Luna expressed her worries as I prepared to step out into the streets.

“It’s raining hard too, and you’re not in the best condition. Why don’t you just rest?”

It seemed my bandaged body wandering around in the rain didn’t sit well with her.

I too believed resting at home would be for the best under normal circumstances, but I couldn’t stay put this time.

Today was the first trial for the heinous criminal who had partially arsoned the eastern part of Sodomora, the arsonist Elpride Desmund. I was to participate as an important witness.

Even if I didn’t have such an obligation, given that it was Elpride’s trial, I was already fully set on attending.

I felt it was necessary to watch with my own eyes what would unfold and how the situation would proceed. This case centered around me, after all, and I needed to show some measure of sincerity and responsibility.

Though Elpride has remained silent for some reason regarding her motives, it’s only a matter of time until the truth comes to light.

“Shouldn’t take too long. I can pick up some bread on the way back.”

With my bandaged body, I put on a robe coated with special wax to repel the rain. It was an expensive piece I had bought during an underground waterway exploration, and today was a good day to finally use it.

At this point, Luna no longer tried to dissuade me.

“You don’t have to bring back bread, but if you’re going out anyway, could you do me one favor?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Just wait a second.”

Luna rummaged through a jar on the first floor and pulled out a rainbow-colored spider crouched on her palm. She then handed it to me.

“Take Keng Keng for a little walk!”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been so busy these last couple of days and haven’t had the time. I asked Paranoi, but I can’t seem to find her anywhere.”

Grrooowwrr-.

On Luna’s palm, the spider the size of a human palm crouched and growled softly.

Keng Keng, who had been enduring a poor diet of tasteless centipedes and insects instead of his favorite mice, growled sharply now and then, unlike his usually docile nature.

Dieting indeed makes people, and evidently animals, moody.

Grrooowwrr, Keng-Keng!!

“Keng Keng seems really mad. Shouldn’t we just leave him here?”

I frowned slightly at the menacing spider. Luna answered, gently petting its back with her palm.

“No, he’s happy to go out.”

“Is that so?”

I recalled how Spotty, the large dog I used to take for walks, always wagged his tail and acted excited whenever we prepared for our outings. Perhaps Keng Keng was the same.

Grrowwlll-

Still, no matter how I looked at it, this spider seemed to just be driven crazy by a lack of mice.

I’ve faced numerous monsters since becoming an adventurer, but this rainbow-colored wolf spider the size of a palm was one thing I just couldn’t get used to.

Take Keng Keng for a walk? How in the world should I do that?

“Hassan, take care not to lose Keng Keng!”

As if unaware of my thoughts, Luna placed the giant spider on my shoulder.

Keng Keng stayed completely still on my shoulder, not moving or twitching, simply growling softly. I could tell he was extremely angry.

Ultimately, I stepped outside with the peculiar rainbow wolf spider perched on my shoulder.

The spider didn’t seem bothered by the rain, which fell directly on him, showing a natural resilience from having lived in the wild.

Grroowrr-.

“Want a mouse?”

Keng Keng made a sound akin to a growl.

I picked up a pebble and aimed it at a few young rats foraging in the refuse of the slums.

Pish-Wooosh!!

The sharp whistling stone struck one of the rats in the waist with precision. My rock-throwing skill might not be on par with that time Hippolyte famously launched a goblin head with a stone, but I’m getting pretty good.

Pssst.

At that moment, Keng Keng leapt off my shoulder towards the fallen prey at an astonishing speed my eyes could barely follow.

Apparently, spiders that don’t rely on webs, like this one, are incredibly fast, even catching cockroaches with ease.

Does Keng Keng have his own stealthy movements?

The thought of techniques brought to mind what Kalidur had told me last night—a secret art of footwork.

After continuously training the lower body, one rapidly propels themselves off the ground several times to generate a flash-like burst of speed. Kalidur said it was enough to move like lightning.

Ta-da-da!!

So I tried pushing off the ground several times as instructed, but all I managed was an awkward tap dance that reverberated through the floor.

The martial arts and skills of this world are bafflingly complex to me. It would probably take at least a month of consistent practice to begin to replicate something like that.

Still, according to Kalidur, this was knowledge not easily shared, so it seemed worth the training.

While lost in these thoughts, Keng Keng returned to my shoulder, having already devoured the entire rat.

Grroowll, grroowll-.

He emitted an odd frequency sound. Recalling how cats often purr when they’re content, I assumed it might be similar.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Hiooong.

Though we couldn’t converse, it was clear that Keng Keng’s mood could change quickly for better or worse. It’s a surreal feeling to be walking around with a giant spider like this on my shoulder.

Perhaps it’s a sign that I’ve grown in some way.

Grroowlll-.

Despite this, looking at the glaring red eyes and fangs practically beside my face sent shivers down my spine. Conquering my fear of spiders will take a bit more time, it seems.

*

Before I knew it, my walks feeding Keng Keng with rats led me to the Civic Plaza where Elpride’s trial was to be held.

Although the designated trial time had passed, this large outdoor amphitheater-like place appeared completely empty.

Hmm?

Did I get the time wrong?

Just as I thought that, I remembered that the venue could move indoors if it rained.

So I moved towards the indoor plaza located next to the city center’s outdoor square. Typically reserved for expensive plays and famous musicians’ performances, it was a place I rarely frequented.

As I wandered a bit lost, Keng Keng pointed a front leg towards somewhere.

Keng Keng?

It appears Keng Keng knows the city geography better than me. Perhaps he senses the presence of people due to his wild instincts.

Though I found it odd, right now, getting inside was the priority, so I approached the entrance.

Two guards wielding halberds crossed their weapons to block my way.

“Who are you?”

“You can’t just attend the trial. Tickets are available over there for ten silver pieces.”

What? Seriously? Tickets for a trial?

Still, looking inside, quite a number of people, maybe dozens or even a hundred, were gathered.

I pulled out a jade traveler’s badge from the pocket of my trousers and showed it to the guards. After verifying it, they seemed to relax.

“Hassan of Samaria, related to the case, huh? You may enter. The trial has been underway for a little while now. By the way, what’s that on your shoulder?”

“It’s a spider.”

“What? I know it’s a spider, but… never mind. Go on in.”

“Thank you.”

I nodded at them and entered.

Some muffled speech came from the front, but without microphones or monitors, I couldn’t hear or see anything from the back rows.

“Let’s move through, shall we?”

“What, what the heck is this? Why so wet? What even is it?”

And so, I gradually pushed through the crowd. People grimaced and glared, likely due to my soaked robe, but whether from my bandaged appearance, my size, or the spider Keng Keng on my shoulder, they quickly let me through.

“What the hell, walking around with a spider on his shoulder.”

“That thing sure looks scary.”

“His face is all wrapped up in bandages. Is he some kind of monster handler?”

They didn’t realize I was Hassan of Samaria. While lately it’s been slightly tiresome yet gratifying to be recognized here and there, this complete treatment as a stranger was oddly fascinating.

Anyway, I eventually made my way to the center of the Civic Plaza where the trial was underway.

At the barrier, I could see people sitting on high and low platforms, wearing strange hats and holding scales and hammers embroidered on their clothes, presumably the judges conducting this trial.

The memory of my own d*ath sentence sent a wave of nausea through me.

Of course, this trial wasn’t about me, but the white-faced witch kneeling with a gag in her mouth.

Arsonist Witch Elpride. “I have committed a great sin. I am sorry.”

A rather humiliating wooden sign hung around her neck. Her face was bruised, her hair disheveled, revealing the ordeal she had gone through in the last two days. There’s rarely any talk of criminal rights in the legal procedures of this world.

Still, Elpride’s eyes gleamed fiercely, as if ready to set fire to her surroundings should the gag be removed.

A tall man in black holding a long staff spoke.

“Therefore, Panatello, prosecutor of the Sodomora City Council, I am requesting the d*ath penalty for the defendant Elpride Desmund.”

This was met with cheers and cries of approval from the crowd. People hurled tomatoes and vegetables they had in their hands at Elpride.

Clang.

“Witch!”

“d*e!”

Clatter.

The impact reddened her already white hair. Goodness, what was I witnessing now? The people were truly treating Elpride like a punching bag.

Just as my thoughts drifted, either from the recent rain, the aches of my body, or the rustling of Keng Keng on my shoulder, my mind struggled to process what was happening.

“Execution! Execution!”

“Witch! Hang her!”

The crowd was heated, as if fueling a fire, their excitement reaching a boiling point. The guards placed around didn’t seem to help calm the crowd, only muttering curses.

“That clothesline I hung outside caught fire! I had so many clothes there!”

“My fence also caught fire. How will I ever pay for that, d*mn!”

“My skin turned dark! I’m uglier now!”

“Zimmer, you’ve always been dark and ugly.”

“Is that so?”

They were all residents of the long street who claimed to be victims of Elpride.

Each wore long wigs and elegant staffs, appearing to be affluent city dwellers. Indeed, most were middle-aged rich men, their heads balding and bellies protruding. Even the women were distinguished ladies holding fans over their mouths.

Though officially labeled as a trial, the public’s thirst for such events was clear—stoning festivals and public executions were few of the world’s scarce forms of entertainment.

Previously, during my own trial, the slum-dwellers had caused a racket throwing stones. Compared to this, the current scene was relatively tame.

The 10 silver piece entry fee must have kept out the riff-raff, favoring instead those with more refined appearances and facial hair.

As I pondered this, the presiding judge at the highest platform hammered the stand twice.

“Silence, please. The prosecutor’s statement has been heard.”

The noise-filled venue quieted instantly, not due to the rule of law, but perhaps the fear induced by the judge’s robust hammer strikes. The judge seemed incredibly strong—authority indeed springs from strength, doesn’t it?

“Then, the defendant, begin your closing argument.”

With the judge’s nod, attendants removed the gag from Elpride’s mouth.

“I… I have nothing to say. Do whatever you want.”

“The court rejects the defendant’s disrespectful attitude which mocks the sacred trial!”

“Prosecutor, quiet down. So, defendant, does this mean you admit your guilt?”

“…Think what you want.”

“Hmm, I see. Then defendant, no counter-argument to the prosecutor’s suggestion of possible accomplices?”

“Accomplices?”

Elpride’s eyes flickered thinly, then looked around briefly before meeting mine for a moment.

Could she recognize me among so many people? My face was heavily bandaged, and a ridiculous giant spider perched on my shoulder.

My heart sank slightly, but her gaze merely passed over me.

“There’s no way there were any accomplices. I did it by myself. I set the fires alone.”

Elpride’s confession was met with a chorus of murmurs. The judge struck the surroundings with his hammer and asked again.

“What’s the reason? There must be a reason you set the fires. If you cooperate, we might consider reducing your sentence.”

“Is there even a reason for a witch to set fires? I just… everything didn’t suit me. There’s nothing more to say. I did it all alone.”

Elpride remained silent after this. Despite further questioning by the prosecutor and the judge, she stayed steadfastly mute.

“Normally, we would proceed with another round of trials, but as the defendant has admitted to all charges, there’s no need to prolong the proceedings. Verdict-.”

Elpride’s verdict was ultimately the d*ath penalty.

“But, in accordance with the compassionate laws of the Kingdom, and the need to provide even the most heinous criminals with the possibility of reform, the representative of the righteous and fair Jupiter declares her sentence to be a slavery term.”

Clunk, clunk, clunk-.

Alright, now it begins.

With a quality product, this should be an interesting time.

The judicial hammer struck powerfully, and the atmosphere around changed. Amidst the sound of abacus calculations being rattled, a voice said:

“Thus, according to the report, the damage caused by the defendant Elpride totals 200 gold, 25 silver, and 12 copper pieces. Any who wish to purchase the defendant may begin bidding at a base price of 200 gold pieces.”

We can now consider this as the beginning of the thrilling slave auction following the d*ath sentence.

The meager human rights previously held by Elpride as a free person are now suspended, and she will be treated like merchandise.

[Afterword] Auction… Episode…!!! The time to gather the results of the numerous hooks I’ve been planting has come…!!!!

The inhabitants of Sodomora who suffered due to the unexpected summer fire…!!! Proper compensations will soon be issued, so please calm down and continue with your daily lives…!!!

Let’s continue lightly…!!

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