MD 20

MD

Posted by lagertha, Released on April 3, 2026

20. “Sell This to Me”
2016.03.10.

Although it was auction day, the surroundings of Talamakan were rather quiet.

This was not because the number of slave merchants and nobles attending the auction was small. Rather, the entrances had been divided into multiple routes to prevent large crowds from gathering in one place and drawing attention.

In a remote area far from Talamakan, there was an underground passage. Here, separate entrances were prepared—one for the nobles attending the auction, and another for the slave merchants.

Ilsia and Shukri were stationed in an open area on the outskirts of Ashlan. This was where the entrance for slave merchants was located.

“Over here!”

“Hey, keep your place and line up!”

“Next!”

At the long line stretching before the passage into Talamakan, the slave merchants underwent identity checks one by one before entering.

The place was bustling like a marketplace, filled with mercenaries brought as escorts by the merchants and various slaves.

However, things were calm on Ilsia and Shukri’s side.

That was because there were only the two of them. The ten Dekarim assigned to the mission had already infiltrated the auction house in advance and would rendezvous with them inside.

“Is your wrist alright?”

Shukri lowered his voice to ask. Ilsia gave a small nod.

In truth, it was quite uncomfortable. She felt like shouting out of frustration, but there was no choice but to endure it.

Before long, the long line shortened, and it became their turn. Seeing that there were only the two of them, the Talamakan staff member at the entrance raised his eyebrows.

“Name of your trade group.”

At the brief question, Shukri responded just as briefly.

“Dekarim.”

And at that single word, all eyes turned toward them at once.

“……”

The noisy surroundings fell silent in an instant.

“D-Dekarim…?”

The startled Talamakan staff member stared blankly at Shukri, momentarily at a loss for words. Shukri’s face was completely covered, revealing only his eyes.

However, the staff did not dare ask him to remove the cloth covering his face. After a moment, the staff member hurriedly spoke again.

“P-Please show your entry pass…”

Without a word, Shukri took out his entry pass and showed it. After checking it, the staff member glanced at Ilsia. Repeatedly stealing glances at her faintly visible white skin behind the veil, he said:

“The master is waiting for you. You are to be guided as soon as you arrive.”

He then called over another staff member to escort them. The man wore a more refined uniform. The first staff member pointed to him and said,

“Please follow him.”

This was special treatment, different from the other slave merchants. However, neither Shukri nor the other merchants observing showed any objection.

It was inevitable.

They were Dekarim.

From the moment they decided to participate in the auction, something like this had already been anticipated. In fact, it would have been more surprising if the owner of Talamakan had not expressed a desire to meet them.

Someone of Talamakan’s stature would likely have ample use for Dekarim.

For Dekarim as well, it was not a bad idea to learn about the mysterious owner of Talamakan and establish connections. Since both sides had what the other needed, it was natural they would seek each other out.

However, one concern Shukri had was whether Ilsia might be separated from him.

Since Ilsia was entering as a slave, there was a possibility she might be left alone under the pretext of meeting Talamakan’s owner. Fortunately, nothing was said regarding her.

“This way.”

The underground passage, where a cold wind blew through, was quite long and complex. Without a guide, one would almost certainly get lost.

The maze-like network of branching paths seemed to serve multiple purposes. Likely storage rooms, holding areas for slaves, and various other uses.

Shukri had obtained some prior information about Talamakan’s underground passages, but due to time constraints, he had not been able to secure a detailed map.

The Dekarim were waiting in the auction hall located directly beneath Talamakan, so it was quite a distance away. If anything happened, it would be up to Shukri and Ilsia alone to handle it.

‘I must stay fully alert.’

Ilsia tried to memorize the path, straining to see through her limited field of vision, but the corridors and doors all looked too similar, making it difficult.

After walking through the narrow passage for what felt like an eternity, the space suddenly opened up.

There stood a door that looked different from any they had seen so far.

It was made with a rare purple dye.

At the sight of the purple door, the expression of the staff member, who had remained expressionless until now, clearly stiffened. Fear was evident on his face.

“Please remove your shoes.”

At his rigid instruction, Shukri and Ilsia silently took off their shoes. The staff member took a small breath, then slowly opened the door.

Beyond it lay another world.

“……!”

Ilsia could not help but be shocked.

The only word that could describe it was “splendor.” Even through her veiled vision, the room was extravagant.

She had thought Hashar’s room was luxurious, but seeing this place made Hashar’s room feel ordinary.

A large purple carpet was spread across the wide room. Purple dye itself was expensive, and the carpet was intricately woven with gold thread in complex patterns, making its value unimaginable.

Scattered across the carpet were various ornaments, cups, pottery, and incense burners. At a glance, they were clearly extraordinary treasures.

As Ilsia cautiously stepped forward, something crunched beneath her foot. Looking down, she realized she had stepped on a necklace made of dozens of diamonds.

‘This is insane…!’

Startled inwardly, Ilsia quickly lifted her foot.

Carefully following behind Shukri, who walked boldly ahead without hesitation, Ilsia tiptoed to avoid stepping on anything.

At the far end of the vast room stood a large bed. Layers of translucent veils draped over it, behind which bursts of high-pitched laughter from women could be heard.

Ilsia thought that, like most desert men, the owner of Talamakan must also be a lecher.

A man lounging on the bed, chatting with women, belatedly noticed Shukri and Ilsia’s arrival and called out loudly from behind the veil.

“Dekarim?”

Shukri replied flatly.

“That’s correct.”

At his voice, the women behind the veil giggled and moved about busily, apparently dressing themselves after having been undressed. Even while putting on clothes, they were seen engaging in lingering physical contact with the man.

Once fully dressed, the women stood up and pulled on a long cord placed at the edge of the bed.

As a result, the outer veil was drawn aside, revealing about a dozen women.

“!!”

At their appearance, Ilsia was shocked.

Their clothing was barely more than nothing. Their skin was clearly visible through the sheer fabric, and the small strips of cloth they wore barely covered anything, swaying loosely with their movements and exposing parts of their chests and inner thighs.

However, the women showed no embarrassment at all. Instead, they swayed their hips and pushed out their chests as if deliberately showing themselves to Shukri.

They approached him and began touching his shoulders and arms.

“Oh my… since you’re an assassin, you must have a nice body.”

“I want to see your face. You must be handsome. Would you mind taking this off? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Exuding the scent of perfume and smiling flirtatiously, they would have made most men lose their composure. But Shukri quickly subdued them.

With a faint slicing sound cutting through the air, something flashed briefly and disappeared. Shukri said quietly,

“If you don’t want to die, take your hands off.”

A brief silence followed. Then the woman who had been clinging closest to Shukri let out a sharp scream.

“My face!!”

A thin line had been drawn across her cheek. Blood trickled down as she cried and fled. Following her, the other women opened the door and disappeared.

Shukri, still looking toward the man behind the veil who had yet to reveal himself, spoke firmly:

“I apologize. All I’ve learned is how to use a blade, so I do not know how to refuse politely.”

Laughter came from beyond the veil. The man pulled it aside and revealed himself.

“Ah… that was quite a strong first move.”

At the sight of him, both Ilsia and Shukri widened their eyes.

He was Emir Ahad.

Ahad smiled and extended his hand to Shukri.

“Pleasure to meet you. I am Ahad Salaymam. Though, I assume you already know that.”

Shukri took his hand, doing his best not to reveal any wavering.

“…I am Shukri of Dekarim. It is an honor to meet you.”

Watching the two men from the side, Ilsia felt as though her heart might burst.

So the long-hidden owner of Talamakan was Ahad!

Of course, since Emir Ahad controlled the finances of Alshatra, she had suspected he might be connected to the auction house. But she had never imagined he was the one running it.

At last, the mystery of why it had been so difficult to gather information about Talamakan’s auction house was resolved in a single moment.

Someone of Ahad’s stature had the power to suppress information. He must have prevented unwanted rumors from leaking out.

Ahad looked Shukri up and down and asked:

“Why don’t you remove your hood?”

Ilsia quietly observed him. It was her first time seeing him up close, having only glimpsed him from afar at the banquet.

‘He looks quite good up close.’

Ahad exuded a free-spirited aura. His golden hair and violet eyes suited his light bronze skin well.

With refined features, almond-shaped eyes, and a well-balanced physique, he was strikingly handsome.

So this was why Emir Ahad was said to be a famously beautiful man.

As Ilsia admired him, Shukri replied to Ahad:

“An assassin never reveals their face.”

Ahad chuckled at his words.

“Ah… is that so?”

He crossed his arms and regarded Shukri lazily.

“I didn’t realize Dekarim were such stiff people. Hiding one’s face as a matter of life—quite a plausible excuse. I’ll allow it.”

After a brief chuckle to himself, he added:

“But if you’re merely trying to deceive me…”

His beautiful violet eyes turned cold. With a cruel smile, he said:

“Don’t expect it to be fun.”

A chill ran down Ilsia’s spine. She quietly clenched her trembling hands into fists to hide them. Despite his elegant appearance, the aura he exuded was not to be underestimated.

She recalled the rumors that many emirs and nobles had suffered greatly after being deceived by Ahad’s feminine appearance.

So it wasn’t just a rumor—it was true.

Ahad’s presence was an unforeseen obstacle. Ilsia could feel the plan she had made beginning to unravel.

Biting her lip in anxiety, she felt Ahad’s gaze turn toward her.

“This must be the slave with the white skin?”

Before Shukri could respond, Ahad grabbed the veil covering Ilsia’s face and tore it away. The sudden pull made her body sway, and the chain attached to her wrist rattled.

The suddenly clear view was dazzling, and Ilsia squeezed her eyes shut before slowly opening them again.

Right in front of her, violet eyes were peering into hers.

“Hm.”

Ahad grasped her chin and forced her to look up. Meeting her gaze again, he smiled in satisfaction.

“White skin is rare enough, but this child has eyes of an equally rare color. She might sell for more than Devaris.”

At the unexpected mention of “Devaris,” a sharp sensation ran through her chest. But Ahad was not finished.

“I saw you at the Sultan’s banquet… quite intriguing.”

His finger pressed firmly against her lips. A faint pain spread.

“This small mouth boldly kissed the Sultan.”

“….”

Just as Shukri’s eyes began to flash with suppressed hostility, Ahad spoke lightly:

“Sell this to me.”

In Talamakan, there were separate passages for nobles and slave merchants during auctions. However, among the nobles, those of higher rank and the emirs were exceptions.

These select few used the main entrance of Talamakan. Hashar and Alsned also entered through the main gate—though not by conventional means.

“…Hah.”

Alsned finally let out the breath he had been holding.

“So they truly don’t know… amazing.”

At Alsned’s remark, Hashar only gave a slight nod. He had entered Talamakan by using a forbidden power to conceal his presence.

Even after walking in right in front of the guards, they had not noticed him.

Inside Talamakan, the delicious aroma of food filled the air.

Yet strangely, there were no guests or staff in sight. It felt as though no one was there at all—no presence could be felt.

Hashar looked around once and muttered:

“They must all be in the underground auction.”

At his words, Alsned was startled.

“What do we do? We don’t know the interior of Talamakan…”

As Alsned worried about how to find the underground auction hall, Hashar was focused on something else. His brow furrowed.

“An unnecessary one has interfered.”

At his displeased tone, Alsned asked:

“Pardon?”

“No matter. Thanks to him, we won’t have to worry about finding a seat. That man can be useful at times…”

Instead of answering properly, Hashar muttered something incomprehensible. Alsned pressed again:

“What do you mean?”

Hashar replied casually, as if naming a passing dog:

“Caliph.”

“W-What?!”

Ignoring the startled Alsned, Hashar activated his power. Dark smoke, so faint it was nearly invisible, spread out and wriggled in all directions.

Once the smoke found something, Hashar immediately moved toward it.

Where Hashar reappeared with Alsned was a small box seating area overlooking the stage below the balcony. It resembled a theater of sorts—this was the underground auction hall of Talamakan.

On the second floor were private boxes for high-ranking nobles and emirs, while the first floor consisted of tiered seating for general attendees.

The box Hashar had found contained two small sofas and a table.

A curtain partially covered the balcony area, ensuring privacy. On one of the sofas sat a silver-haired man alone.

Hashar smirked and called out:

“Caliph.”

The Caliph looked momentarily surprised, then responded with an inscrutable smile.

“I see no reason for you to be here, Hashar.”

“I assume you’ve come to purchase Devaris.”

At Hashar’s words, the Caliph’s expression turned cold.

“I didn’t realize you were so interested in other people’s affairs.”

His silver-gray eyes swept over Hashar.

“I assume you didn’t come here to settle things with me…”