Chapter 134: Gone Mad! The Marquis Draws His Sword—Does He Really Want to Strike Down This Little Kitten?

Valian’s face twitched.

He hadn’t come to this auction today to participate.

He’d come to weather a calamity.

The golden chamber pot sat on his table.

He could hear the nobles around him barely suppressing their laughter.

When calamity strikes, better that it hits someone else.

As long as the fire doesn’t reach you.

Watching someone else’s house collapse is always a good show.

Valian heard the newly appointed baron at the next table.

Lowering his voice, he told his female companion the story behind that chamber pot, drawing a round of snickers.

Valian’s hand clenched inside his sleeve, his nails digging into his palm.

‘Damn Lilia,’ he cursed inwardly.

On the stage, Lilia swung her little legs.

She cleared her throat, her voice both babyish and sharp.

“Alright, alright! Everyone quiet down! The best is yet to come!”

She flipped the red cloth off the second tray.

A black dagger lay on velvet, its blood-red gem on the hilt radiating a sinister aura.

“‘Wraiththorn’!”

Lilia read from the list.

“Anyone stabbed by it will have their soul gnawed by wraiths, with no hope of life or death!”

“A must-have for home travel, murder, and arson! Meow!”

The moment she finished.

A gaunt, goateed marquis in the audience jolted.

The wine glass in his hand fell to the floor with a sharp crash, shattering.

He recognized that dagger!

It was the very weapon he’d used not long ago to “handle” a business rival!

He’d covered his tracks perfectly.

How… how had it fallen into that little lunatic’s hands?!

Lilia’s head turned slightly.

Her heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one blue—locked directly onto the marquis.

She grinned at him, revealing two sharp little fangs.

Found you.

“This treasure, starting bid, fifty thousand magic crystal coins!”

Lilia raised her little hammer.

“Now, begin! Meow!”

Without looking at the marquis, she lifted the hammer.

Its head swept past the crowd, pointing straight at Duke Varian in the front row.

Her smile was innocent, yet tinged with cruelty.

Your Grace, time for your performance.

Valian’s face twitched again.

He had no choice.

Trembling, he raised his hand.

“S-six… six thousand.”

His voice wavered as he said the number.

Lilia’s eyes lit up.

“Wow! Six thousand! Our duke is so generous! Meow!”

She was about to go through the motions and quickly pawn this wretched dagger off on Valian.

But a sharp voice suddenly cut in.

“Ten thousand!”

The voice came from the direction of the goateed marquis.

His face was pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat, but he radiated a frantic desperation.

He had to get that dagger!

Too many things were tied to it.

It couldn’t fall into anyone else’s hands—least of all Valian’s!

Lilia’s eyes grew even brighter.

Oh?

Someone’s competing?

And the original owner himself joining the fray?

Now this is fun!

Her head swiveled back and forth between Valian and the goateed marquis.

The smile on her face deepened.

Valian’s face darkened.

He hadn’t expected that old bastard Luo Sai Er would actually dare to bid against him.

He glanced at Lilia.

That little creature was grinning at him with an innocent look.

The smile clearly said: Your Grace, time to raise the bid.

Valian ground his teeth so hard he thought they might crack.

That little thing was using him as a weapon!

She was forcing him.

To openly turn against his former “allies” right here!

“Eleven thousand!”

Valian practically squeezed the number through his teeth.

“Fifteen thousand!”

Marquis Luo Sai Er shot back without a second thought.

He even stood up from his seat.

Staring hard at Valian, he lowered his voice.

Speaking just loud enough for the few people nearby to hear:

“Valian! If you dare touch it, I guarantee you won’t live through tonight!”

That was a threat!

Valian’s skin crawled under his gaze.

He instinctively looked away.

He didn’t dare bid any higher.

If he did.

There would be no turning back between him and Luo Sai Er.

He looked toward Lilia on the stage for help.

Hoping this little lunatic would know when to quit.

But Lilia just flashed him a sweet smile.

Then raised her little hammer.

“Fifteen thousand! His Grace the marquis bids fifteen thousand! Any higher? Meow?”

Her gaze deliberately lingered on Valian’s face for two extra seconds.

Valian’s heart sank.

He knew he had to win that dagger today.

Or there would be no satisfying that little lunatic.

He closed his eyes and raised his hand again, his voice hoarse.

“Twenty thousand!”

“Twenty-five thousand!”

Marquis Luo Sai Er’s voice had turned into a roar.

“Th… thirty thousand…”

When that number left Valian’s mouth.

Marquis Luo Sai Er swayed.

All color drained from his face.

Thirty thousand magic crystal coins.

That was every liquid asset he had.

He had lost.

All he could do was watch the dagger that could destroy his entire family.

Fall into the hands of his greatest political enemy.

The despair on his face slowly twisted into venomous hatred.

He stared at Valian.

As if looking at a dead man.

That was exactly the effect Lilia wanted!

Let these filthy rats tear each other apart!

“Thirty thousand magic crystal coins, going once!”

“Thirty thousand magic crystal coins, going twice!”

“Sol—”

Just as her little hammer was about to fall.

“BANG!”

A loud crash!

Marquis Luo Sai Er kicked over the heavy solid-wood table in front of him!

He drew his sword, eyes bloodshot.

And charged straight at Lilia on the stage!

“You little beast! I’ll take you with me!”

He had gone completely mad!

Dead either way—he might as well drag the culprit down to hell with him!

The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.

No one had expected him to dare commit violence in public before the Demon King’s emissary!

“Protect the lady!”

The nearest city guard soldiers snapped to attention.

They raised their halberds to intercept.

But a figure moved faster.

It was Lilith.

She had already placed herself in front of Lilia.

Without even looking at the charging marquis.

She simply extended a gloved hand.

And flicked it lightly in his direction.

No sound.

No light.

The world froze instantly.

The marquis’s roar cut off.

The great hall fell into a silence so deep you could hear a pin drop.

The air solidified.

Even the dust motes dancing in the light hung motionless.

Every noble stiffened, their thoughts growing sluggish.

Marquis Luo Sai Er’s forward-lunging body froze in midair, grotesquely suspended.

His ferocious expression was locked in place.

The tip of his sword was less than a finger’s breadth from Lilith.

But he didn’t move an inch.

Lilia poked her head out from behind Lilith.

She looked at the marquis frozen in midair and pouted.

“No fun, meow.”

She’d expected Lilith-sis to go all out.

Beat this guy into a pulp.

But it ended with just one move?

She walked up to the “living statue,” reached out, and poked his cheek.

Hard and cold, with no trace of human warmth.

“Lilith-sis, what happened to him? Meow?”

“Time Stasis, Miss.”

Lilith’s voice rang out.

“He will remain in this position forever, until his life force is completely exhausted.”

A chill shot up Lilia’s spine.

Staying like this forever, until death?

That was a hundred times crueler than just killing him!

The nobles below, listening to Lilith’s calm explanation.

All turned pale and trembled.

That little girl wasn’t a lunatic.

She was a demon!

A real demon in the skin of a little girl!