Duke Varian’s knees were shaking.
Every bone in his body creaked under the strain.
The will that descended was not mere power—it was the Laws themselves.
The entire Aeria world was commanding him—kneel.
Every bone, every muscle in his body had to obey.
But an even stronger force held him back.
It propped up his spine, keeping him standing upright, refusing to let him kneel.
It made him stand alone and face this irresistible will.
This was even more torturous than having his bones crushed into powder.
“I…”
He opened his mouth, his throat dry and aching.
He couldn’t form a complete syllable.
On the auction stage, Lilia dangled her legs, clad in white stockings.
She looked down at him with great interest.
Of course she knew.
That perverted woman high above wasn’t really helping her.
Lucia was just protecting her own “possession.”
Anyone who touched it would die.
But… It felt damn good to bully others with such backing!
“Duke, why aren’t you talking? Nya?”
Lilia tilted her head, her voice milky and crisp.
Each word struck Varian’s heart.
“Just now you were so imposing, saying you wanted to ‘discipline’ this ignorant pet on behalf of His Majesty? Nya?”
Her voice was innocent curiosity.
“Come on, discipline me then, nya.”
With every word she spoke, Varian’s face grew paler by a shade.
Cold sweat trickled down his temples, soaking the collar of his ducal robe.
Now he finally understood how terribly wrong he had been.
He had thought this was just a whim of the Demon King, allowing his pet to cause some mischief.
But now it was clear—this was a grand play personally directed by the Demon King!
The mistress and her servant, one playing the good cop on stage, the other pulling the strings behind the scenes.
They had made him and all the nobles of the Demon City into playthings, twirling them around!
“I… I…”
Varian’s psychological defense.
Before that absolute will, it shattered completely.
He could no longer hold on.
The force that had been forcibly propping him up suddenly vanished.
Thump!
He didn’t kneel—he collapsed entirely, his whole body going limp on the marble floor.
He lay there, mouth agape, breathing raggedly in vain.
As he fell, the terrifying will that had enveloped the entire hall silently dissipated.
The darkness receded, and the magical lights in the hall’s dome flickered back on.
The glare made the nobles still kneeling on the ground squint instinctively.
Everything returned to normal.
Only the nobles still kneeling everywhere, drenched in cold sweat.
And the nearby “Statue of Marquis Rossel.”
Proved how real everything just had been.
The hall was dead silent.
Only heavy, suppressed gasps could be heard.
Lilia was satisfied with this result.
She jumped off the auction stage.
Her little leather boots landed on the carpet without a sound.
Step by step, she walked to Varian, who lay sprawled on the floor.
Then, with the toe of her boot, she kicked his head with moderate force.
“Duke, get up. The auction isn’t over yet. Don’t play dead, nya.”
Varian’s fat body trembled.
Using all his strength, he pushed himself up from the ground with his hands.
He didn’t dare stand straight, only kneeling on both knees.
He buried his once proud head deeply, not daring to look at Lilia.
“Lady Lilia… I was wrong… I deserve a thousand deaths…”
His voice no longer held the dignity of a duke, only the fear of a survivor.
“Oh? What did you do wrong? Nya?” Lilia crouched down, looking at him with curiosity.
“I… I should not have questioned your authority… nor speculated on His Majesty’s will…”
“And? Nya?”
“I… I should not have coveted the profits from the Demon Plant Garden… I should not have joined others in pressuring you…”
“Enough, enough.”
Lilia waved her hand impatiently, cutting him off.
“What’s the use of saying that now? Show some real action, nya.”
She stood up and walked back to the auction stage, humming an out-of-tune tune.
She picked up the small hammer and hit the table hard.
Bam!
The sound made all the nobles’ hearts jump.
“Everyone, now that the misunderstanding is cleared, let’s continue with the charity auction! Nya!”
Her finger pointed at Draku, who was still kneeling on the ground, terrified and having lost control of his bladder.
“Former Viscount Draku! Alive! Fresh! Starting bid: one magic crystal coin!”
“Now, let the bidding resume! Nya!”
She raised the small hammer.
Her heterochromatic eyes, one gold and one blue, swept across the audience.
Finally, they landed on Duke Varian, who knelt at the very front.
“Duke, weren’t you just insisting on defending the nobles’ dignity?”
Lilia’s face broke into a brilliant smile.
“Now’s your chance.”
“Buy him back and ‘enshrine’ him properly.”
“That way, you can preserve the last shred of face for your nobles, isn’t that right, nya?”
This wasn’t giving an opportunity.
This was striking at the very heart!
This was taking all their noble pride.
And grinding it into the ground with the toe of a boot, stomping on it again!
Varian knelt on the ground, his whole body cold.
He knew that today he had to buy Draku.
This was no longer just the little devil’s command.
This was what His Majesty wanted him to do.
A “demonstration play” for all the nobles.
With trembling hands, he reached into the inner pocket of his robe and pulled out a small magic crystal coin.
He held it high.
That coin now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
“I… bid one magic crystal coin.”
His voice was hoarse, dry.
The hall was dead silent.
All the nobles lowered their heads, stealing glances from the corners of their eyes.
Watching Duke Varian, a man who once ruled the Demon City.
Buying another Imperial Viscount’s remaining life with a single magic crystal coin.
They all saw their own future in this.
Lilia’s small hammer did not hesitate.
It fell heavily!
Bam!
“Sold! Nya!”
“Congratulations to Duke Varian! Successful bid for a noble slave! What a joyous occasion! Nya!”
She clapped loudly while announcing in the sweetest voice.
Every word was like a slap, striking the faces of every noble present.
Varian knelt on the ground, his head bowed even deeper, his shoulders shaking violently.
He had never been so humiliated in his entire life.
“Alright! Today’s auction is now officially concluded! Nya!”
Lilia casually threw away the small hammer and jumped down from the high chair.
“Thank you all for your generous contributions! I will report every ‘contribution’ you made for the empire’s construction to His Majesty!”
She said this, then put her hands behind her back and walked briskly out of the hall, thoroughly satisfied.
Lilith, Gromm Skullcrusher, and the others immediately followed.
The doors slowly closed behind them.
Shutting inside all the kneeling nobles, the mess, the “Statue of Marquis Rossel,”
And the dejected Duke Varian kneeling on the ground,
As well as Draku, who was dragged over by two city guards and thrown at his feet.
Stepping out of the Eternal Feast Hall, the cool night air felt especially pleasant on her face.
Lilia took a deep breath.
Even the air tasted sweet.