A Troublesome Fiancée

As expected, once the price broke ten thousand, the nobles stopped bidding.

Elves' beauty, coupled with their innate affinity for nature, has always made them highly sought after in the slave market.

Supply falling short of demand often means huge profits. Ordinary elven slaves can sell for thousands of gold coins, while high-quality slaves can fetch thousands more. There have even been cases of transactions involving tens of thousands of gold coins.

The enormous profits fueled the prosperity of the slave-hunting industry. Every year, countless slave-hunting teams ventured deep into the Elf Forest.

Despite the Elf Kingdom's severe crackdown, it couldn't stop the greed in people's hearts. Even the most stringent defenses can have loopholes.

Most of the slave-hunting teams never returned, but some did succeed in capturing slaves. Every year, anywhere from dozens to over a hundred elven slaves were created.

Although they seem numerous, their distribution across the entire Aslant Continent makes them suddenly seem precious.

With their unique temperament, elves fit the aesthetic preferences of almost all intelligent races except for monsters.

Humans were not the only ones involved in the slave-hunting operation; other races also contributed.

Fortunately, elves have good talent for cultivation, and with their long lifespans, powerful individuals emerge one after another in their race.

The unique terrain of the Elf Forest also helped to block outsiders from prying their eyes.

Moon Elves are relatively rare, and these two sisters are absolutely stunning. Even with a price premium of 10,000 gold coins, it still reached everyone's bottom line.

Before the war, this price would have been at least three to five thousand gold coins higher. Now, everyone is tightening their belts and has lost their usual extravagance.

The price fell short of expectations, and the auctioneer was sweating profusely. He was powerless to do anything if the customers wouldn't bid.

You can't deliberately arrange for someone to drive up the price, can you? If such a scandal were to occur, the auction house's reputation would be ruined.

The nobles attending the auction were no pushovers; when they got angry, they were capable of killing with their swords drawn.

With so many nobles involved, no matter how powerful their backing, they had no choice but to back down when they were in the wrong.

The atmosphere wasn't lively enough, and people weren't very enthusiastic about participating in the rest of the auction.

People always think twice before making a bid. Once most items are close to their market price, no one will raise the price any further.

As an ordinary observer, Hudson didn't care about the price of the goods sold.

The sluggish transaction prices, seemingly due to sentiment, are actually caused by the war.

As you can see from auctions, anything related to war or that can improve one's personal strength will eventually fetch a high price.

The items that didn't fetch a high price were mostly luxury goods that were once highly sought after, and some even failed to sell at auction.

Despite the auctioneer's efforts to promote the products, it was all in vain against a group of customers who were tightening their belts and making rational purchases.

"The final item up for auction is a mysterious treasure map. According to the owner, the location recorded on the map is a secret vault left by the Empire of Light for its restoration."

To protect everyone's interests, we have authenticated the age of the treasure map, which is at least 350 years old.

Everyone knows what the Empire of Light means. The value of a treasure left behind by an empire, used for its restoration, is unimaginable.

Rumors about treasure have been recorded in historical texts. It's unlikely that anyone would have created a fake treasure map and played a joke on us more than three hundred years ago.

This auction has no minimum starting price and no limit on bidding increments. The auction is now beginning.

As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, the hall erupted in excitement, with guests discussing the treasure map.

A "treasure map" is practically an essential path to wealth for any time traveler. Hudson was also incredibly envious, but a treasure map whose authenticity was questionable made it difficult for him to fight tooth and nail for it.

Even if the treasure map is real, it doesn't mean the treasure is still there. In Hudson's case, he wouldn't mind taking the treasure first and then selling the treasure map.

If the treasure is not retrieved, it can only prove that the location where the treasure was buried is too dangerous, or that the so-called treasure is a trap.

Normal people don't set traps randomly, but that doesn't mean Heretical Cult don't. The so-called treasure might just be an Altar dedicated to Evil God.

Watching the lower nobles scrambling below, Hudson silently mourned for them. The odds of getting rich overnight through treasure hunting were hardly higher than winning the lottery.

Not only did Hudson not make a move, but none of the nobles in the private box participated in the fight for the treasure map.

The benefits and risks are proportional. In times of chaos, a minor nobleman whose life is uncertain can choose to take a gamble, but a long-established nobleman with a large family fortune cannot.

The reality is harsh; even if the treasure is real, it will be difficult for everyone to achieve upward social mobility again.

The transition from middle-class to high-ranking nobles may seem like a short step, but that final step is incredibly difficult.

What allows one to overcome obstacles is not ability, nor effort, but rather the elusive power of luck.

Before the cake was even fully developed, the top layer already had a designated spot for each carrot. For a new carrot to grow, the ones in front would have to be removed.

Under the existing rules, unless the powerful nobles themselves cause problems or perish on the battlefield, newcomers have no chance at all.

"My lord, Viscount Oran invites you to a banquet tonight."

What's meant to happen will happen eventually, but this is happening far too quickly. The auction had barely ended when my father-in-law sent out invitations.

"Understood! Tell the messenger that I will attend on time tonight."

If you can't avoid it, then you have to face it. A romantic affair isn't a big deal, but it's not a small one either; ultimately, it's a matter of saving face.

As far as Hudson knew, his father-in-law had many mistresses and even several illegitimate children.

We're all the same; no one is significantly more superior than anyone else. The only problem lies in the different standards. The requirements for a son-in-law and the requirements for oneself certainly cannot be the same.

Nobles, being concerned with appearances, frequently visited Beda City, and Hudson, too, followed suit, acquiring property in the city.

Compared to the exorbitant prices in the Royal Capital, the housing prices in Beda are much more reasonable. A mansion covering nearly three acres costs less than a quarter of the price of two elven sisters.

The Mysterious Organization is quite generous in its actions. They even left the wagons carrying the boxes outside, directly benefiting Hudson.

Of course, nominally, these carriages, drivers, and a few empty boxes to cover up the truth all belonged to Isabelle.

To outsiders, it seemed like Isabelle had brought all her wealth to Hudson, a classic case of a winner in life, gaining both money and a woman.

Amidst envious and jealous glances from the crowd, Hudson and Isabelle boarded the carriage together, looking like a loving couple.

Since we've been targeted, we have to play our part completely; any oversight could lead to unnecessary trouble.

The carriage moved slowly forward, and among the crowd, a suspicious-looking old man had an exceptionally grim expression.

After all that painstaking planning and countless whistleblower reports, nothing ever happened.

In his heart, the old man had already cursed the entire families of the Governor's Mansion's officials. It was utterly dereliction of duty; such a momentous event, and they could act as if nothing had happened.

Seeing the convoy slowly moving forward, the old man quickly turned and left.

"If things don't work out, get out of there immediately." This is the main reason why he has been able to live a carefree life in mainland China for so many years.

After hastily leaving Beda City, the Skull Society members who had followed the old man all looked extremely grim.

Their Holy Lord's behavior was far too "steady." Nothing happened, yet he fled the city as if his life depended on it.

"Holy Lord, what just happened? Why...?"

Before the young man could finish speaking, the old man scolded him, "Fools! The matter has been exposed, and you still don't realize it."

None of the officials in the Governor's Mansion took any action. Didn't any of you notice anything unusual?

Under normal circumstances, those aristocratic gentlemen would never let a guilty person go unpunished, let alone remain inactive in the face of such accusations!

After a moment's hesitation, the old man reflected on himself and said, "I underestimated the enemy in this matter. It involves a powerful viscount. How can I handle it the same way as usual?"

Nobles are all the same; they'll definitely treat their own people differently. It's possible that the moment our letter is delivered, the other party will receive the news.

They were setting a trap, waiting for us to walk right into it. If I hadn't reacted quickly enough, and others hadn't followed the clues and found us, you wouldn't have been able to escape."

As he spoke, the old man still seemed somewhat relieved, as if he were glad that he had reacted decisively and had not fallen for the enemy's trap.

The Skull Society members behind them were also quite frightened. They had no idea how dark the world of the nobility truly was until they analyzed it.

He nearly got himself killed by merely mentioning Hudson, completely surprising everyone.

"My Lord, the people from the Church entered the auction house and have never come out."

Those guards, who looked to be of similar build, were actually replaced midway through the mission.

They were all mercenaries hired on short notice. Could it be that they completed the transaction and then took the goods and climbed over the wall to leave?

Isabelle stayed behind only to cover for them.

"Carlis exclaimed in surprise from the side."

After all, he worked within the Church and was familiar with some of Church practices.

When it comes to special missions like the "Blood Moon Horn," the means to achieve the goal are always ruthless.

Completing the mission and sending out a songstress is nothing special.

The most terrifying thing is "filling in the blanks"—they almost guessed the truth, but unfortunately, they were still a step too slow to react.

Several hours had passed in total. For an expert, that would be hundreds of miles away.

If there had been air support, they might have already left the Southeast Province.

They didn't even know which direction the enemy had gone, so even if they wanted to pursue them, they didn't know which way to go.

Although he was invited to a dinner party, Hudson wasn't foolish enough to wait until the evening was over. As the sun began to set, Hudson's carriage appeared at the gates of Viscount Oran's mansion.

Compared to Hudson's modest little house, this place is undoubtedly much more luxurious, covering an area of seventy or eighty acres.

The large size of noble residences is a characteristic of the Aslant Continent. In almost every city, most of the land is occupied by the mansions of nobles.

As one of the "family," Hudson received a warm welcome from the servants. It was clear they were all professionally trained and very aware of their roles.

Judging from the layout of the house, there's no indication that a banquet will be held tonight. Inviting him over is most likely for a private dinner or a family gathering.

The fact that Viscount Oran, the master of the house, had not yet appeared made Hudson somewhat uneasy.

An explanation is impossible. He simply dares not expose his dealings with the Mysterious Organization.

For safety reasons, Hudson didn't even investigate the origins of the Mysterious Organization.

Even though deep down he believed the Mysterious Organization was a front for the Church, Hudson still referred to it as the Mysterious Organization and resolutely refused to associate himself with the Church.

The "Blood Moon Horn" doesn't exist, and neither does the trade. All that exists is that he and Isabelle fell in love at first sight and developed a romantic relationship.

This is the truth now, and no matter who digs it up, they must stop at this point.

There was no way around it; the offer was far too generous. Leaving aside the priceless knowledge, the Magic Crystal Stone and Magic Core alone were worth millions of gold coins.

These are things that money can't buy. Sacrificing one's reputation for them isn't unacceptable.

It's impossible for Hudson not to feel guilty after being caught cheating by his father-in-law. But when he thought of Viscount Oran's bunch of illegitimate children, Hudson's anxiety slowly subsided.

At worst, I'll get a scolding; I'll just pretend I didn't hear it. It's not a big deal; it's not enough to warrant breaking off the engagement.

"Melissa, what are you doing here?"

The words had barely left his mouth when Hudson regretted them. It was a classic case of asking a fatal question; he'd really dug his own grave.

"This is my home, why can't I be here! Perhaps I've arrived at the wrong time, disturbing someone's romantic revelry...?"

Before Melissa could finish speaking, Hudson rushed up, covered her mouth, and pulled her into his arms.

Trying to reason with people at this point would definitely lead to serious trouble. So let's just be reckless for once and get through this first.

"Let me go!"

She had barely finished speaking when Hudson kissed her again. The frail little magician couldn't break free at all.

What began as a confrontation gradually turned into playful banter. The servants inside silently withdrew; such matters were not for them to meddle in.

"Hudson, if you keep doing that, I'm calling for help."

The anger was still there, but compared to the previous indifference, there had been a slight change.

"Go ahead and shout! I've already set up a magical barrier; no matter how loud you shout, your voice won't carry."

Even if someone saw it, given our relationship, who would bother to interfere?

As they spoke, a magical soundproof barrier enveloped the two of them.

Melissa, who had been so aggressive, was instantly dumbfounded. Her large eyes stared intently at Hudson, as if to say: I'm furious, this isn't over!

Unfortunately, all of this had almost no effect on Hudson. Without any hesitation, he immediately began examining his fiancée's body.

"Stop! Don't cause trouble here!"

As she spoke, a flicker of fear flashed in Melissa's eyes. After all, she was just a young girl; how could she have ever witnessed such a scene? She feared that Hudson might go further and directly...

Upon seeing this, Hudson immediately stopped. Pretending to do it was fine, but taking it seriously could lead to serious trouble.

This is the reception room; someone could come in at any time. Taking advantage of someone or flirting won't get anyone's problem, but if things go any further, Viscount Oran will definitely fly into a rage.

"How about we go to your room?"

Hudson asked tentatively.

"No!"

Melissa said in a panic.

At this moment, she no longer cared about settling scores with Hudson, but instead plotted how to escape his clutches.

Having a relationship with one's fiancé before marriage is considered immoral in aristocratic circles. Such a reputation has a negative impact on both parties.

The only difference is that Hudson's reputation for womanizing has already spread, and there is no hope of salvaging it. It is possible that he might give up entirely.

"When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me?"

In an instant, Hudson's expression shifted to one of concern. The process didn't matter; the immediate problem needed to be resolved first.

"Snort!"

With a cold shout, Melissa, who had recovered, couldn't help but sneer, "Some people made promises to me when they were in the Royal Capital."

"How long has it been, and you've already brought him into your household. If I had returned any later, could I have attended your wedding?"

A "wedding" is out of the question. If anyone dared to take a songstress into the family, the Coslo Family would probably be in an uproar. Baron Redman might even come after Hudson with a whip in hand.

His underlings will most likely switch sides as well. Everyone knows that following an unreliable boss is a dead end.

"How can a mere songstress compare to you? She offered herself up, how can you blame me?"

"If it weren't for this accident, and if some people had married into the family earlier, none of this would have happened."

As he spoke, Hudson pulled Melissa into his arms again, his hands continuing to roam over her body.

Realizing something was wrong, Melissa quickly pushed him away, saying, "Don't do anything rash. Father is still waiting for you in the study. Don't keep him waiting."

Upon receiving this answer, Hudson looked at Melissa, whose face was flushed, and burst out laughing.

Knowing full well that the two were about to have a fight, the father-in-law still sent his daughter to deliver the message, which suggests he wasn't planning on letting her come over.

But considering that Viscount Oran's family's banners remained unbroken and the colorful flags outside were flying high, and nothing happened at all, perhaps he really didn't take it seriously.

"I understand! But someone still needs to prepare. If you go out looking like this, people will probably think I did something to you."

Hudson said with a wicked grin.

His intuition told him that if he really went to any trouble, he would most likely succeed today.

As for whether he will be hunted down by Viscount Oran afterward, that's hard to say.

Hudson felt it was best not to try something so exciting. Even if he wanted to indulge in forbidden fruit, he'd have to find a different place, not under his father-in-law's nose.

Should we try inviting Melissa over?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Hudson promptly dismissed it. He still had a singer at home to deal with; sending his fiancée over would be a recipe for disaster.