The atmosphere inside the auction hall had changed completely.
The guests who had failed to escape were herded into the front rows of the audience seats, huddling together and trembling.
There were a few dozen unlucky souls in total. Most of them were merchants and nobles.
No one resisted, because armed pirates stood on both sides of the aisles, openly pointing their guns and blades at them.
These pirates even dared to capture Celestial Dragons. The guests dared not do anything that might draw attention.
The three Celestial Dragons were brought onto the stage. Shackles and chains bound their wrists and ankles. To the ordinary guests... this was an extraordinary sight.
Rosward tried to preserve his dignity-he gritted his teeth, the muscles beneath his sunglasses taut, and swept his gaze around as if to say, You're all going to die.
Every guest his gaze passed over lowered their head, only daring to watch this exceptionally rare spectacle out of the corner of their eye.
Charloss sat slumped on the floor, snot mingling with tears as he whimpered from time to time.
Shalria barely managed to maintain her haughty stance. Her eyes were filled with humiliation and murderous intent, but her entire body trembled slightly.
Earlier, she had shrieked rebukes and struggled, but after hearing the name "Bondrewd," she had quieted down considerably.
The Crescent Moon Hunter, transformed into an elderly pirate captain, stood at the edge of the stage with his curved sword already sheathed.
He glanced at the cowering Celestial Dragons, his eyes carrying a manic excitement.
"...So damn noisy."
He walked over to Charloss, drew a flintlock, and fired a shot into the floor beside his feet.
The gunshot echoed through the auction hall. Charloss flinched violently, his sobbing stopping at once.
"Keep quiet."
The old pirate's voice