I will save the lives of our foolish father and friends from the villains with these hands.

I will also protect the precious people of our doomed House of Mirmod.

Even if my hands are smaller than white dumplings.

Perhaps detecting the youthful, yet solemn sincerity on my face, she smiled brightly and spoke,

“Go ahead, the auction has likely started. You’re a bit late.”

As she said, the buzzing noise from the floor became audible.

I nodded vigorously and extended my hand to Dedri, my quickwitted sister, who hugged me tightly.

As I descended the ladder in the embrace of Lady Dedri…

Before Acid and Daejang joined us, I heard the dealer’s voice from above.

“May you find what you seek, lovely little princess, and protect those you love. Good luck.”

I looked up, slightly surprised. Even Melodia in the original story hadn’t received such a blessing.

Somehow, her voice reminded me of someone.

‘…She reminds me of Delphia.’

Shaking off the fleeting thought, I descended the ladder and entered the auction house.

Just as the dealer said, the auction seemed to have already started.

The rosewood soil must be deemed worthless and auctioned off early on. The thought made me anxious.

Therefore, as I reached the door of the underground Dark Auction, I hastily handed my ticket to the guard at the entrance.

Seeing my ticket, the guard stammered, slightly trembling, and deeply bowed, which seemed strange, but participating in the auction was more important.

As the guard opened the door, the five of us were able to enter.

As expected, the atmosphere inside the auction house was already heated. It seemed like the host was in the midst of promoting something.

“…If there are no takers, we will move on to the next item.”

Not having a moment to ponder what item had failed to attract bids, I shouted loudly.

First, buy anything!

“Me!”
Among people who wore masks, seemingly solemn.

My voice, highpitched as I was nestled in the arms of a maid, drew everyone’s attention. Panicked, I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out the bidding paddle.

“I, I mean, number one!”

Having said that, I was also surprised.

‘Huh? Why am I number one?’

Voices around me buzzed in response to my question.

“Number one? Isn’t that a permanent number in this auction house?”

“How did such a small child get a permanent number?”

“Did she mispronounce? Maybe it’s number eleven.”

“…Huh? Even if it’s eleven, that’s still impressive.”

I widened my eyes.

I was aware of the significance of being participant number one. But to think the dealer would give me paddle number one!

.

Most auction houses had a system called a permanent number.

Either the auction house’s big spenders or exceptionally valuable customers.

They had certain privileges.

To prevent one person from acquiring everything, a quota system existed in such auction houses. So, one couldn’t bid on more than two items.

But… ‘number one,’ like other permanent numbers, was different. They could bid on an unlimited number of items as long as they had the money.

Not only did I get a golden ticket, but I also got a permanent number.

Already engrossed, both the host and everyone else turned their attention to me.

The host looked at my bidding paddle and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Really… Participant number one.”

The atmosphere in the auction house heated up even more.

The crowd buzzed with speculation: is she royalty, a face I’ve never seen before, and so on.

Ignoring their chatter, I found my seat and moved to it.

As I passed by, I heard rumors suggesting that since there was no pinkhaired child among the royalty, I must be a messenger sent by the Pope.

‘Idiots. They’re all wrong. I’m just my dad’s daughter.’

I sat down, ignoring the crowd’s enthusiastic responses, and looked straight at the auction host.

“I’ll bet.”

“How much will you bet?”

“Whatever was bid previously, add one more gold to that!”

This time, I didn’t stammer.

I looked at the host with selfsatisfaction.

However, the host’s voice broke the silence.

“…Haha, participant number one is surprisingly… uninformed.”

Was it appropriate for the host to say that?

As I narrowed my eyes, the host coughed awkwardly.

“The item this time is a rubber pacifier.”

Laughter erupted from the audience.

“Haha! Betting on something she doesn’t even know!”

“How did such a kid get number one?”

I too looked slightly embarrassed. The host nodded as if understanding.

“As expected, it’s going to a child.”

A round of scornful laughter erupted from the audience.

Rumors circulated that I was foolish, with poor judgment, and some even said they would complain to the dealer once they left.

Of course, a few loud voices were silenced by intimidating glances from the guards and maid sisters.

Especially Acid, perhaps worried I might get discouraged, whispered to me.

“Um, a rubber pacifier is also cucute. It mimight be useful.”

I didn’t need her to say that. I had a rough idea of the essential magical items that appeared in this dark auction house.

‘That’s a pacifier that can tame a Dragon Hatchling!’

The likelihood of encountering a dragon in one’s lifetime was virtually zero, but you never know. It could be useful in the far future.

Those fools were mocking me without knowing that fact.
I lifted my chin and shouted sharply.

“What? No other bidders?”

I glanced around, my eyes filled with the intent to kill if there were any other competitors. Fortunately, everyone seemed uninterested in the trinkets.

“Won for 1 gold.”

To think that I’d acquired an item capable of holding a dragon hatchling’s leash for a mere 1 gold—my start was certainly good.