*Warning: this chapter contains depictions and mentions of sexu*l harassment and r*pe.

In Saul, a governor is a position that acts as the King’s deputy. Of course, the home country wanted to take great care of Saul. Plus, the governor of each city is supposed to strictly punish the prisoners and aim towards the development of the city. There was no way the King would ever promote a man who did not know how to properly greet.

The man who had introduced himself as Alex of Razman reached out his hand towards Deertes. Deertes did not budge, noticing how his movements to escort her were apparently worse than even the captain’s. Rather than simply sticking with her pride, it was simply due to the fact that she was disgusted enough to not want to touch Alex. Moreover, one of her other reasons was the disgusting odour similar to a rotten onion that seemed to come from him.

“Come on, join me and let’s go watch the auction. During which, we can discuss our future plans. You guys, get ready to head to the auction!”

Upon hearing Alex’s words, the men around them cheered. Then, he began leading the women who were standing next to the bonfire to the other side. Although she did not hear any screams, but she heard a few frightened sighs. Deertes’ body reeled and swayed as she looked at them. Without noticing, Deertes was suddenly pulled as Alex had grabbed her wrist and forced it onto his arm.

Deertes, who was about to shout loudly, realised that it would be an unwise decision. Alex, who was looking at his own reflection, licked his lips with his tongue. If he were in Ramedes, this might have been a secret gesture he did in order to save face.

But this is Saul. Stifling the hatred brewing in her heart, she asked with her fingertips raised to avoid touching Alex as much as possible.

“I am unsure of what your job and true objective for bringing me here are. So please, since you’re the governor of Razman, contact Bernst and inform him of my arrival…”

“If I were to do that, why would I have used my ship in order to chase you into Casar’s territory to capture you?”

“…”

She thought that he had gained enough face and courage but Alex quickly threw on a clumsy mask a replied harshly. Deertes swallowed, slightly shocked that he did not even attempt to hide the fact that he had attacked the ship and captured her on purpose. Fear of the words that would soon leave his mouth seemed to build up in her.

“I had found out that you were making your way here when your home ship was left stranded near our territory. It was really tempting, considering how Count Russell and his fortune seemed to follow you wherever you went. Moreover, the ship was also filled with women and supplies.”

Listening to Alex’s words, Deertes realised how he managed to figure out her identity and why he had attacked the ship in the first place. This man in front of her had no intention of taking her to Bernst and instead was only determined to intercept the prisoners and supplies from the beginning. Realising that fact, Deertes tried shaking off Alex’s hand.

But before she could succeed, Alex reached out his hand and grabbed Deertes’ veil. Grabbing the veil from flying off of her head. His unpleasant hot breath now present at her neck. Alex looked at Deertes’ face as he grabbed the veil as a smirk showcasing his satisfaction spread across his face. His other hand lowering to touch her stiff waist.

“Just so you know, if I have a city, my home country would have no choice but to acknowledge me as a governor… It’s something I really can’t stand. Let’s spend a long night after the auction. Until then, I’ll put up with you. After all, I just really want to get to know you thoroughly. For example, are you a virgin? You must be noble, aren’t you? Damn, and here I thought that everything that’s been said about the forest fairy was rubbish, but this is far better than I had expected. Any girl that I’ve met before is like a rock in comparison to you.”

Alex’s sole excited words continuously poured into her ears. She could not tell whether it was the disgusting smell of his mouth that reminded her of the stables or the words that he said that was causing the inside of her stomach to turn upside down.

Taking another glance at Deertes, Alex smacked his lips once more as he placed her veil back on. Murmuring to himself a bit too loudly how he should not how such a sight to other guys.

As Deertes was dragged away once again, the atmosphere started to turn heated when she was to stand on the side with the men.

A few of the men whistled whilst others shouted with excitement as they knocked on their belongings. Grabbing a woman who was standing in the center, a man with a red hood tied on his head led her away.

“Let go!”

The woman tried pushing off his grip as she twisted her body, trying to escape, but her effort was futile. Yanking her by the hair, the man shoved the woman’s head towards the bonfire. The light from the fire starkly revealing her facial features. It was a face that Deertes somewhat vividly remembered. Amongst the female prisoners, she was one of the few young good-looking women on board.

The hooded man said as he shook her head fiercely. A short scream was heard from the woman. Soon, realising how helpless she was in such a situation, the woman who was still caught at her head stopped protesting and proceeded to open her mouth at the man staring at her.

“Cin-Cinder Redhill!”

“I’ll start talking then, alright? Did everyone hear that clearly? The auction of Cinder Redhill shall begin! The first item up that we’ll start off the bid with is a bundle of winter firewood!”

Deertes, who had been listening to them while being held captive by Alex, knew the reason as to why these men had desperately rescued the women who fell into the sea. The women were to be items sold during the auction.

“Two bundles!”

“Ten bags of potatoes!”

“Fifteen goats!”

“Two flawless firearms that were taken from the ship during the day!”

Many different bids were placed with different items in varying quantities. From what she saw, she could understand that the more things that were shouted out later, the higher their value becomes in this land.

“A Major’s uniform in Ramedes taken from the steamer! No bullet holes and bloodstains!”

From the corner of the room, a man with a mouth filled with rotten teeth raised his hand, a large grin plastered across his face. She could hear murmurs filled with irritation sound all around her. It seemed that the man had become the winning bidder for the auction.

“Anyone else? One, two three! Done. Cinder Redhill is Fox’s woman from today onwards.”

The red-hooded man shouted, dragging and pushing Cinder towards the rotten man. Almost instantly, the rotten-toothed man hugged Cinder, who had fallen into his arms after being pushed. She tried to take a look at Deertes but the man proceeded to grope her chest. A satisfied smile appeared on the man’s face as he buried his face in screaming Cinder’s chest, giggling for a long time.

“It’s very good. As expected, women in their home countries are soft.”

“Let go of me you punk!”

Cinder raised her hand at the man who was still rubbing his face against her chest. However, her screams increased in volume as he caught hold of her wrist.

“You’re pretty strong, girl. Fox will be excited for a while. Do tell me if you’re having a hard time, I’ll help you out.”

“Get away from me you crazy bastard. I’m leaving first.”

Carrying the struggling Cinder on his shoulder, every time Cinder twisted in an attempt to escape, he slapped his hips with a laugh. It was obvious how Cinder’s screams and struggling were nothing more than a source of entertainment and excitement for him.

Deertes closed her eyes tightly, unable to continue observing the scene unfolding before her very eyes. Then, Alex breathed his disgusting breath and once again whispered to her.

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to go through something like that.”

Deertes hugged her trembling body attempting to step the trembling. He was already a winning bidder despite the auction not having been held yet. Cinder, who was now being dragged away, and myself, were soon to be put into similar situations and go through the same things from now on.

“I’d love to be able to take you to the ship right now, but alas, I have to remain here and take note of who claims who. After all, they’re mine.”

Alex’s hand, which was originally holding onto Deertes’ wrist moved downward to grab her waist. It was obvious what he was planning to do in the future. Deertes recalled the importance of purity taught to her by archbishops and priests. In Ramedes, the purity and silence of women was no different from life. Particularly, such features were even more strict in aristocratic families.

What if it were to be known that her innocence was lost to a man here? Deertes almost bit into her tongue at the thought of the multiple disastrous consequences that played in her head. Should the heir of a count spend the night with a man without any idea of his identity and it be let known to the public…

Then, she remembered Governor Bernst whom the captain had been speaking about. He mentioned how the man was a devout believer in the church and very disciplined. Will such a man accept a bride who has lost their virginity? At the same time, she imagined the countless eyes of contempt and criticism that would be glued onto her should such news be leaked out.

Should such a thing occur, the women of Ramedes would have to then plead their own grief and innocence. If she was still alive after having been raped, she will be treated as a shameless stranger.

The woman had to die if she felt wronged. That is the way women proved their innocence in Ramedes.

‘I can’t do that.’

Deertes thought of the consequences and events that would follow after her death. The right of succession would fall to Serene. Then the king will send Serene to Saul this time. Straight to this terrible land.

Serene will not be able to survive such an ordeal. Even when she was in Ramedes, she had a hard enough time wandering outside the mansion. If she were on the boat to Saul… she would die before she could even arrive.

Deertes glanced around her surroundings. There were only beastly men, clearly very excited, and women who would soon be eaten. When she had climbed the sandhills during the day, there had been no signs of Bernst so there was no way the soldiers there would miraculously come to learn of the situation and save them.

Who else is present on this land, asides from Bernst and these beasts? Then, a memory of Deertes’ seemed to appear, almost in response.

“If I were to do that, why would I have used my ship in order to chase you into Casar’s territory to capture you?”

Who was the person that Alex had mentioned, Casar? Was he also a part of a group of fugitives like these?

While Deertes had been preoccupied with her thoughts, Alex continued to stroke her waist, as if satisfied, he sniffed loudly.

Meanwhile, the auction proceeded on steadily. Firewood, goat, gunpowder, and cloth. This was an auction that was used as a means to determine what was important in this land. During which the sounds of cheers and screams were often mixed together. As more injured, sick, and or old women were one by one dragged out and returned, the auction was quickly coming to an end.

“Now, she’s the last woman left! What’s the name?”

“Death, claim me…”

The woman who was in the man’s hands was about half as dead as a corpse. Perhaps she had injured herself when she was on board the ship, considering how one side of her shirt was bloodstained.

“Crazy guy, if you were to buy it, are you planning to do it once today? I think it’ll end up breaking before you can start.”

“Any takers? One hand at least. Hey, hurry up and raise up your hands!”

The final auction which had started with one potato ended with three. Deertes shuddered at the end of the auction, having not figured out what exactly she should do.

“God, please…”

She flinched lightly, heart in her throat as she heard laughter at her side.

“It appears the god of Ramedes doesn’t have much power here. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to see Saul from here since it is pretty far away. Or does touching someone else’s woman not warrant lightning to fall. If so…”

Bang!

A loud sound was heard in the night sky. Deertes almost shouted out God’s name. Did the merciful God perhaps happen to look over here from far away at the pitiful women.

However, the sound sounded much more like a gunshot than lightning.

“Which little thing did that?”

Alex turned around and shouted, thinking that the man who could not overcome their excitement had gotten their hands on a random gun.

Bang!

When the second shot was heard, the man standing nearby quickly fell to the ground.

“It’s an attack!”