I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 72

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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72

 

Chapter 16. How Much Do You Want? I’ll Buy It with Money Now (3)

 

The man kneeling on the stage had his eyes covered and wore a leather mask over his mouth. Like some kind of beast.

 

Though the distance made it hard to see clearly, he definitely didn’t look comfortable. I wanted to free him as soon as possible.

 

“Right away, more than double?”

 

“If you don’t have enough money, I’ll lend it to you.”

 

His nonchalant face, as if it were nothing difficult, was reassuring. I guess you really should keep powerful and wealthy people close by… Raven was even someone who combined both. Let’s stay friends for life, buddy.

 

Perhaps because I had called out such a high amount at once, the hall fell into brief silence, then slowly filled with murmuring commotion. The stinging gazes of the people around me who had looked at me like a beggar were particularly sharp.

 

Surprise, shock, and a bit of suspicion.

 

They were wondering if I was just bluffing without having any money.

 

See, that’s why you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.

 

‘…But my appearance looks more decent than ever, so maybe they judged me by my actions…?’

 

Then… I guess they saw correctly…

 

Having changed my mind, I grinned at the person next to me who made eye contact. The man and woman who had been staring at me noisily, wearing glasses and even masks on top, were startled and looked away when I smiled and even waved at them.

 

They don’t like it even when I smile… I was a little hurt.

 

“Any, any more bids?”

 

It was a voice filled with desperate hope asking if they would really end this interesting auction with just one bid.

 

“I was planning to mention this after the atmosphere heated up more, but I should tell you how good this item is so you’ll participate more actively.”

 

So I’m not enough, what’s that about.

 

“This isn’t an ordinary beastman. As you can see from his build, he was an alpha who led a pack. He’ll make an excellent guard, and though he looks wretched now, if you dress him up nicely, he’ll also make a beautiful accessory.”

 

“5100 gold!”

 

Someone shouted. How petty.

 

“6000 gold.”

 

“Gasp…”

 

The auctioneer looked at me resentfully. What. Why.

 

“Really… you won’t regret this, but…”

 

“…”

 

“Any more bids…?”

 

Perhaps hoping for a process where hands would shoot up everywhere and the price would skyrocket, the auctioneer looked quite disappointed.

 

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…”

 

He’s going to cry at this rate… Five, four, three, two, one.

 

“This item goes to the lady who bid 6000 gold…”

 

He’s really crying.

 

And so the game that the auctioneer had expected to be the most exciting of the night ended emptily and anticlimactically.

 

***

 

Shortly after, a staff member approached Raven and me. They wanted us to go inside for payment.

 

“I’ll come with you.”

 

“It’s fine. We’ll go by ourselves.”

 

Evelyn naturally tried to follow me, but I refused. I didn’t want to show Evelyn any more of how humans treated their own kind. Ian stepped forward.

 

“Our mission is to guard you.”

 

“I have him.”

 

I put Raven forward, and Ian objected. When I pulled his elbow, Raven leaned his upper body toward me a bit more and grinned. That guy, he’s doing this on purpose to annoy Ian. Ian said through gritted teeth.

 

“Switch with me.”

 

“Yes, please take him instead!”

 

Raven snorted as if it were ridiculous.

 

“Do I look weaker than you?”

 

“Well, I don’t know. But I have no intention of gambling with the young lady’s safety.”

 

Ah, young lady?! I looked at Ian with shocked eyes.

 

“Young lady…?”

 

“Then what should I call you? You are a young lady.”

 

“Adding formal speech makes it even more cringey. I almost threw up.”

 

“…”

 

Sometimes when Ian glares at me with sincerity, it’s so thrilling…

 

“I’ve prepared various things in case of dangerous situations, so I should be able to cause a commotion, and then you’ll know too. Come running with the playboy then. That should work, right?”

 

Surprisingly, no one was curious about who the playboy was. Not even Raven. I felt a bit dejected, wondering if I was the only one who didn’t know this side of my friend.

 

Honestly, I didn’t really want to know. I don’t need to know about the romantic affairs of a friend who’s like a younger brother.

 

“Let’s go! Please show us the way.”

 

Before my heart could soften, I pushed the staff member’s back and dragged Raven along. Raven obediently let me pull him while saying to the kids.

 

“Leave the young lady to me! How about you two enjoy a nice date together?”

 

“Don’t start unnecessary trouble.”

 

I think Ian and Evelyn just cursed. I must have misheard, right? But the profanity that brushed past my ears was confirmed when Raven burst into loud laughter at the same time, proving I hadn’t misheard. Why are you laughing so much? You weren’t like this before.

 

“You’re really going to get beaten up by them at this rate.”

 

“Think I’d let them?”

 

Raven’s lips curved into a crooked smile as if he’d heard the most amusing joke.

 

“Our kids are pretty strong… but there’s no winning against a group beating.”

 

“Are you worried about me?”

 

“It would be troublesome if our kids got dragged away for treason or blasphemy charges.”

 

Considering my position as Raven’s fiancée, I could be misunderstood as having instigated the kids. It would be fine if I were misunderstood, but it wouldn’t be fine for our kids.

 

Why are Ian, Leon, and even Evelyn so fearless?

 

“They take after you.”

 

“Where did you learn mind reading?”

 

“It’s written all over your face.”

 

“You can see that more than half my face is covered right now. Don’t lie and keep that kind of skill to yourself for the world’s sake.”

 

Where are you peddling your tricks? It wasn’t enough that you became a fox over 11 years, now your mind reading has reached another level. What are you planning to become when you grow up—no wait, you’re already grown…

 

I wrinkled my nose bridge hidden under the mask to hide my subtle feelings.

 

The 23-year-old Raven and the 12-year-old Raven were just different people.

 

‘He talks so naturally though…’

 

Just as I was always startled when I saw myself in the mirror lately, I was still unfamiliar with my adult appearance. If even my own appearance, which had grown slowly day by day, was like that, then Raven was beyond words.

 

It was something like that.

 

It was like the feeling when a nephew who was just born or toddling around suddenly appeared one day having grown up and wearing a school uniform, saying he was entering middle school.

 

‘When did time pass by like this…’

 

I muttered inwardly with the feelings of an old person.

 

Could this world still feel like a dream to me? My parents, grandfather and grandmother, Raven, Evelyn, the twins, Renate and Ron, Lili… I had gained so many precious people.

 

Raven said.

 

“When we get back later, take it off and look all you want.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s nice that you’re stealing glances, but I’m telling you to look openly.”

 

“It’s true that your face is nice to look at, but I’m not going to appreciate it that much.”

 

Excessive confidence isn’t good.

 

“…I was just looking because I was amazed at how much you’ve grown.”

 

After saying it out loud, it sounded even stranger. Instead of being dumbfounded as I expected, Raven just smiled brightly. Is it a rule that foxes have cheap laughter…

 

“You may go in. Well then.”

 

The staff member who had been walking ahead opened the door for us.

 

Inside the room stood the man who had been the auctioneer, and behind him, burly men stood like moai statues.

 

“Welcome, we’ve been waiting! Tonight’s most discerning…”

 

“Where’s the merchandise?”

 

When I cut off his words and asked, the auctioneer closed his mouth awkwardly. He was probably cursing me inwardly for being arrogant. Regardless, I wanted to get out of this disgusting bunch as quickly as possible.

 

“You, you’re quite impatient. We need to confirm payment before handing over the merchandise.”

 

“How can I trust you? Bring it before my eyes first.”

 

“Of course we brought the merchandise. Please look here.”

 

The moai statue-like bulk stepped aside. Wow, it’s really possible to block a wall just by standing there…

 

If not a wall, then a large portable prison with bars had been perfectly hidden by the three men’s bulk.

 

“The key to the collar?”

 

“Of course we’ll hand it over. Would you like to check the condition?”

 

“…Never mind, just take the money.”

 

I couldn’t carry around 6000 gold coins. What I offered was 60 platinum coins equivalent to 6000 gold coins.

 

I was glad I had steadily saved up the allowance grandfather gave me. This left me with very little remaining though.

 

The auctioneer said in an excited voice, “Oh, platinum coins! Let me verify them!” and looked at them as if he was going to stick his nose in.

 

“Exactly 6000 gold, confirmed. Here are the slave ownership papers and the key to the subjugation collar. How do you plan to transport the merchandise? If you’d like, we can provide a transport cage as a service.”

 

If I could just punch that grinning face once, I’d have no other wishes. The face that was happy after attacking a village where people lived peacefully, kidnapping children, and making money by selling their protector was absolutely, absolutely disgusting.

 

I seriously felt like throwing up.

 

Then Raven suddenly swung his fist at the auctioneer’s face.

 

There was a thud. The auctioneer collapsed without even making a sound, and the guards seemed about to rush in, but the auctioneer stopped them while groaning. He said he wouldn’t let it slide if they laid hands on a VIP. Is this the power of money?

 

“Cu-cu-cu-customer, what wrong did I commit?”

 

“You’re so ugly that my fiancée finds you disgusting.”

 

“What?”

 

The auctioneer’s face contorted as if to say ‘what kind of bullshit is that?’

 

“It annoyed me how you kept smiling slyly while looking at my fiancée.”

 

“I-I didn’t do that…?”

 

“That’s how it looked to me.”

 

You can’t just go around hitting people because you’re in a bad mood.

 

The auctioneer felt wronged, but he probably couldn’t treat a customer who paid 6000 gold harshly. I was the one who paid, but he was still part of my group anyway.

 

He might be arbitrarily assuming that someone with enough wealth to readily spend that money on luxury goods must have an extraordinary status. That assumption was accurate. The person who hit him was the Crown Prince, after all.

 

Raven grinned and spoke to me. His smile was quite refreshing for someone who had just beaten a person. Oh wait, he’s not even human.

 

“Want to hit him yourself? You were annoyed too, right?”

 

“I don’t want to touch something ugly.”

 

The auctioneer’s lips twitched as if he’d been insulted. Where does he get off having pride to hurt?

 

I wrapped the keys and certificate they handed over with a handkerchief like I was handling filth, then gestured to the moai statue. Open the door, you bastard.

 

The moai statue moved sluggishly and opened the prison door for us.

 

Not wanting to stay here even one more second, I secretly began healing the man. That’s when it happened.

 

“Urgh, hrgggurgh, kkeuk…!”

 

“Huh?!”

 

The masked man started convulsing and foaming at the mouth. Sensing something wrong, Raven quickly pulled me by the waist into his arms, and though I withdrew my healing power, it was useless.

 

“Kkeuk… kkeuk, heu…”

 

A mark I’d seen before appeared above the man’s face. I recognized that thing. Raven’s expression hardened too. The auctioneer wailed.

 

“Oh no, our merchandise!! Argh!”

 

Seth, that bastard.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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