The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 60

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

Chapter 60

 

After the chaotic atmosphere had somewhat settled down, the auctioneer picked up the microphone again.

 

“Thank you for waiting. We will now begin the auction you have all been eagerly anticipating!”

 

Various items appeared in the auction.

 

Wings of elves that had disappeared long ago.

 

A harp called the breath of angels.

 

Secret texts containing the crafting secrets of ancient dwarves, and so on.

 

Those who had wanted to buy Rene but failed seemed to think of that money as something they had to spend anyway, and generously purchased auction items worth hundreds of billions.

 

The more this happened, the deeper the auctioneer’s satisfied smile became.

 

Among them were items I coveted as well, but I stayed still. Those weren’t my objective.

 

“Now then, the next item is this!”

 

Announcing the next item, the auctioneer lifted the red cloth that had been covering it.

 

It was a potion contained in a small bottle.

 

Then the voices of people who had been excited just moments before instantly quieted down.

 

Unlike the items that had appeared earlier, this was too trivial. It was the auction house’s tactic of placing low-value items once in a while to prevent the atmosphere from overheating. That way, even those without much money could think ‘Should I try buying this?’ and jump into the auction.

 

“Though it may look small, this is a medicine that adapts to the user’s convenience. It’s easy to carry around and perfect for gifts. We’ll start at 100!”

 

The auctioneer began his sales pitch.

 

However, no one raised their hand.

 

“90! …80! Fine. I’m feeling generous, 60!”

 

Still, there was silence.

 

I quietly rolled my eyes to gauge the mood around me. People who hadn’t been able to buy anything due to the earlier high auction prices were pondering, “Wouldn’t something like that be fine for us too?”

 

Even so, I didn’t raise my hand.

 

Just a little, just a little bit more…

 

“Hmm, then there’s no choice.”

 

The auctioneer said with concern.

 

“50, isn’t there anyone for 50?”

 

The moment the auctioneer said that.

 

“Me!”

 

I raised my hand as if I had been waiting.

 

“I’ll buy it with this coin!”

 

The coin was a priority right that gave first opportunity to those who had sponsored the auction house. It was like a membership system of sorts. So whoever called out first was the winner.

 

Of course, there might be others like me who had sponsored several times, but people who had only been watching while the price dropped this low couldn’t have sponsored this arena.

 

Actually, I wanted to lower the price more, but it wouldn’t go below 50.

 

This was also a fact that Esther had told me. The minimum price was 50. For the auction house’s pride, it would never go below that and they’d rather throw the item away.

 

“Oh! The little lady in the dog mask over there has raised her hand! And with a coin too!”

 

An employee quickly appeared and handed my coin to the auctioneer.

 

‘Will I finally learn what names Max and Ashirion used to sponsor?’

 

They liked to praise customers who frequented this place. Since I had also sponsored several times, they would soon call out the name.

 

I listened with a pounding heart.

 

“So the little lady’s name is…”

 

Then, the auctioneer seemed to think for a moment, drawing out his words.

 

It was the auctioneer’s duty to entertainingly combine the names used for sponsorship until now for amusement.

 

However, for some reason, he seemed to be deliberating quite a bit.

 

‘Surely those two didn’t sponsor using my real name?’

 

This place absolutely never called people by their actual names.

 

That’s what I was thinking when.

 

“The winning item goes to ‘The World’s Most Adorable Youngest Snowflake Who Absolutely Never Holds Back’!”

 

…What? Excuse me?

 

Who?

 

Sounds of stifled laughter could be heard from here and there.

 

“Looking at that hair, it really is a snowflake.”

 

“With a dog mask, isn’t it a puppy rolling in the snow?”

 

“My granddaughter also asks to be called princess. It’s a cute age. A cute age indeed.”

 

Some looked at me warmly, others laughed as if finding me adorable.

 

The problem was that it looked like I had called myself that.

 

Even Palren sitting next to me was nodding, saying “That doesn’t seem wrong.”

 

“Now, Miss Youngest Snowflake?”

 

“Yes…”

 

I wanted to hide right there, but I had to receive the item first. As I was reluctantly enduring the embarrassment to receive the item.

 

‘Huh?’

 

I flinched without realizing it.

 

It was because I felt something piercing my skin. Too persistent to be called piercing, too deep to ignore.

 

I instinctively turned my head.

 

On the stage, inside the chess piece enclosure shrouded in darkness.

 

Rene was looking directly this way.

 

‘What? Why does it seem like he’s looking at me…?’

 

That’s what I was thinking when.

 

Suddenly the floor began to vibrate greatly. Sure enough, the ceiling right above me was also creaking and cracking.

 

“Wh-what’s happening?”

 

People fell into confusion and began to panic. I looked urgently at the organizers, but they too seemed unprepared for this unexpected situation and couldn’t get things under control.

 

“We should leave now. Who knows what commotion might arise.”

 

“Yes!”

 

At Palren’s words, I hurriedly got up from my seat. I was about to follow him when, without realizing it, I found myself looking toward Rene as if enchanted.

 

Even while everyone was frantically running away, only Rene remained calm.

 

I didn’t know why, but in this situation, it would be perfect to clean up this place like in my life before regression.

 

Thinking that, I turned my gaze away again.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

“The, the chess pieces…!”

 

That’s when it happened. Screams could be heard from behind.

 

The moment I turned my head as if enchanted, the first thing I saw were vivid golden eyes.

 

Forgetting that I should move, I was blankly staring at Rene who had somehow approached right in front of me.

 

Grab.

 

My hand was caught.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Then without time to even process it, my body was swooped up.

 

‘Huh huh huh?’

 

At the same time, Rene who had lifted me up began running somewhere.

 

* * *

 

The auction house in complete chaos was truly pandemonium.

 

The walls that had been constructed at great expense for the customers’ tastes were completely cracked, and the chess pieces that had been priced highly took this opportunity to escape. Among them were some who fled with expensive rare auction items.

 

However, the organizer of this auction and owner of the arena couldn’t even think of catching them and was lying face down, trembling.

 

It was because of the figure before his eyes.

 

Screams of chaos erupted from everywhere. However, the man before him was as leisurely as if those screams were peaceful music, and the small smile hanging on his lips even seemed joyful.

 

That made it all the more terrifying.

 

When Paterre Stukkyia smiled, it always meant something was about to happen.

 

“So?”

 

Paterre’s chilling voice descended upon the organizer frozen in fear.

 

“No one saw where that Chess Piece went?”

 

“Y-yes…”

 

The Event Organizer repeatedly bowed his head low.

 

“I don’t know why, why he took that girl… but what’s certain is that it wasn’t something we ordered. W-we…”

 

“So you didn’t see.”

 

The Event Organizer nodded his head repeatedly. Then Paterre Stukkyia let out a low hum.

 

Though it was a light and languid exhale, it sent faint chills down one’s spine.

 

The Duke, who had raised his upper body, replied lightly.

 

“Then there’s no choice.”

 

“You understand…!”

 

“Then I’ll have to gouge out your eyes.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Eyes that are useless anyway—wouldn’t it be tiresome to keep them?”

 

The Duke smiled. Deep enough to show the dimples on both cheeks.

 

Just as a gasping sound escaped from the terrified Event Organizer’s mouth.

 

“I, I know!”

 

Someone burst out from behind. It was the man who had instantly gone from disposal duty to head Guard.

 

“I know where he went.”

 

“Really? Where did he go?”

 

“I don’t know the specific location. B-but I know the area. That bastard secretly went out every night.”

 

The Event Organizer looked at the Guard as if asking what he meant. The implication was why he hadn’t spoken up when he knew. The Guard deliberately ignored this and stubbornly continued speaking.

 

“It was near the Forbidden Land. I’m certain of that!”

 

The Forbidden Land.

 

That place had been ruined by religious wars, and merely entering and leaving that land was enough to be treated as a traitor.

 

No, being treated as a traitor would be relatively mild. That place was where all kinds of beasts and Marsu were mixed together. A place where even adults couldn’t possibly survive.

 

Hanisha had gone there.

 

The smile completely disappeared from Paterre’s lips.

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