"That's... a Traveler? Are you sure?"
"His hair is so white, his skin too. Are we sure they didn't just put powder on him?"
"He's so beautiful. I... I need to buy him!"
"Boring, I was expecting someone that looks like a fish. That's not a Traveler!"
"Folks, folks! Please, settle down so we can start!"
The whispers and murmurs of the people filled the entire hall. And even as the auctioneer slammed his hammer on the podium several times, the people still continued to talk to themselves as they all looked at Riley from head to toe.
"Just so we can get rid of your curiosities. Yes, the thing in front of you truly is a Traveler!"
"!!!"
The auctioneer's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to travel through the ears of each of the buyers; finally making them close and shut their mouths as they already calculated how much they were willing to spend on the white-skinned, white-haired individual standing in front of them.
There were some, however, who stood up from their seats and started backing away—and for someone like Riley, the fear in their steps might as well be screaming in his ears.
"T... traveler!?"
"It really is a Traveler!?"
"Folks, folks! Calm down!" The auctioneer once again hammered his podium as he gestured to the guards to stand beside Riley, "None of you have to worry—like most of our merchandise, the collar around its neck prevents it from doing anything harmful to us, and to himself."
"...Newbies."
"Sit down, don't ruin this auction for us!"
The other buyers were starting to roll their eyes and click their tongues as they looked at the scared patrons.
And while the people were trying to settle themselves down, Riley was once again touching the collar around his neck. The people of this world seem really confident about the strength of this collar—does that mean that the other Travelers were unable to remove or destroy it?
While it is true that the prisoners thrown here may not be physically strong, what about the likes of Bounty Hunter Kerrigan? This prison was originally and specifically made for him—and as a norinlad, the laws of physics do not really apply to him.
Is it possible this collar was also capable of forcing him to become tangible?
...Should he try breaking it? It would definitely be fun to watch all these people around him scream and panic. Or he could just laser each and every one of them with his eyes? If he does that, will this so-called Deity act to save them?
But then again, maybe not—these are slave traders, after all. But then again, would a G.o.d really even care if its people are bad or good? Perhaps in its eyes, all the people here are just the same, sheep to be saved.
...Do G.o.ds have morals?
"...Morals, hm. Weird," Riley blurted out, slightly surprising himself from his thoughts. Morality wasn't a foreign concept to him, no—he knows what is wrong and what is not—he just doesn't care. Are the G.o.ds perhaps the same?
Riley continued to talk to himself, but his words barely even escaped an inch from his lips before they were drowned by the voice of the auctioneer.
"This Traveler was just found a few days ago..."
The auctioneer introduced Riley to the buyers, saying things that didn't really happen to try and raise his value.
"Let's not delay this any further, I know all of you folks are excited!" The auctioneer then clapped his hands as he pointed his palm at Riley, "Everyone, we start the bidding at 40,000 deni! We increa—"
"100,000!"
The auctioneer was not even allowed to finish his explanation as someone already raised their number.
"Well, alright then! 100,000 from the beautiful lady over there!" The auctioneer spoke; his words, almost as fast as Tempo.
"..." 100,000? Is that high, or low? Riley has never really thought of how much he actually is as a person—but if this was his universe, then he should be worth a lot, a whole lot.
And considering the gasps of the other buyers, then 100,000 shouldn't be low at all. Riley squinted his eyes to try and find who bid for him, only to see a skinny woman, whose lips were probably the fattest part of her body.
"That's not a beautiful lady, Auctioneer."
"105!"
"105 to that beautiful redhead over there!"
"110!"
"110 from No. 110! Oh my, why are all our bidders women!?"
"150!"
"150 back to our first bidder!"
"..." Riley's eyes still haven't left the skinny woman, and yet the top bid was already back to her. He had watched an auction scene like this before from Italian Mafia Reborn... but it didn't move this fast.
"200!"
"200! And finally, we have ourselves a male patron!"
"..." Riley quickly turned to look at his first male buyer, only to see him wink at Riley while he licked his lips.
"3... 300!" The skinny woman seemed to have no intention of giving up as she raised her number even higher—her voice, almost cracking as she looked at the male buyer with a fierce glare.
"400!" The man only smirked as he returned the skinny woman's glare.
"F... five—"
"One million."
Their bidding war was cut short before it could even start, however, as a quiet voice whispered throughout the entire hall. Everyone turned their eyes toward the new challenger, only to see a group of robed men standing on the corner of the hall—all of them, wearing a golden brooch with some sort of intricate insignia.
"One...One million one hund—"
"Two million."
"T—"
"Sold! Sold to Kritika Academy!"
The skinny woman seemed to still want to bid, but before she could open her mouth, someone from backstage rushed to the stage and grabbed the hammer from the auctioneer, hitting the podium several times as he pointed at the group of robed men.
The robed men just looked at each other, nodding before they all just started walking away to the door. As for Riley, the guards beside him quickly grabbed his arms, forcefully escorting him down the stage as they followed the robed men.
As for the skinny lady, she was still staring at Riley—biting her nail as she truly seemed desperate to have him.
"..." And as Riley pa.s.sed by her row, he looked at her and nodded. After all, she deserved at least that from being the first to bid on him. And as soon as he did so, the skinny woman's plump lips started to shiver. She seemed to be saying something...
...but Riley couldn't really hear anything as the guards continued to push him away.
***
"Thank you for your continued support. I'll... I'll inform the academy again as soon as we procure another Traveler."
"It is fine even if you don't, we already spent too much on this one alone."
"O... of course! You two, hand him the Traveler, gently."
"Are you not going to check if they gave the right amount?"
"Of course, they gave the—What the, you don't speak unless spoken to!"
"It's fine."
"But—"
"You may leave, Sir Fel."
"O... of course."
Riley was expecting the process to be more sophisticated due to the lavishness of the auction, but the owner of the auction hall just grabbed the two sacks that were given by the robed men and left—
they did not even sign anything whatsoever.
They were even holding the auction for slaves right in the middle of the city—were they really that confident of the collar? Should he really test what it could do?
"I was going to hand you a translator, but it would seem you already have one."
And while Riley was contemplating on what to do, one of the robed men removed his hood and approached him; his long red hair, almost bouncing from as it stood straight up like a tuft of gra.s.s.
"I was given one by—"
"Kuntz, how many times do I have to tell you not to talk to the slaves!?"
"...Hm?" Riley felt a trickle of electricity tickle his neck as another one of the robed men approached him; this time, holding some sort of remote and pointing it at him.
"W... why is he not reacting!?" The man pointed the remote at Riley again, pressing it even harder.
"Oh...?" The collar attached to Riley's neck started to emit strong currents of electricity, and yet all it really did was cause Riley to tilt his head as he looked at the remote,
"Are you able to turn the intensity higher, or is this it? I was expecting something more since your kind seems to be confident with this collar."
"Don't... don't come any closer!" The robed man pressed the remote again; the electricity emitting from the collar, now shooting outward from how strong it was.
"But I'm not moving."
"St—"
"That's enough! What are you going to do if you damage it!?"
And before the remote could be pressed again, it was grabbed by the one that seemed to be the leader of these mysterious robed men.
"I truly apologize for my men's actions," and before anything else could happen, the man also removed his hood—revealing his aged face. And due to their gray skin, he looked even older for Riley.
"I would like to introduce myself," the man then bowed his head as he placed the remote in his robes, "My name is Dr. Whis, I am the head of the research department of Kritika Academy."
"I'm Riley Ross, Hannah's brother," Riley also nodded, "Research department? Then...
...I suppose you'll be studying me?"