As no one raised a placard, the announcer seemed anxious.

“If it bothers your conscience, there’s also a way to buy it and pluck out its eyeballs. You all probably know, golden eyeballs are sold at a very high price.”

Ariana felt nauseated by the dreadful words of the announcer, but people showed interest. This was because, as the announcer said, golden eyeballs were traded at an enormous price.

The announcer tapped the iron bars.

“Hey, raise your head a bit.”

Upon the announcer’s words, the girl inside the iron bars slowly lifted her head.

“Oh.”

People who saw the brilliantly shining golden eyes exclaimed in admiration.

“Weird…”

“Strange.”

Some whispered such words.

Ariana stared at the girl without moving. As if feeling her persistent gaze, the girl also shifted her gaze toward Ariana.

Their eyes met.

Ariana gripped her skirt.

‘That child…’

In the golden eyes, Ariana saw herself.

‘Just like me.’

Ariana Bronthé, born only to be despised and thoroughly exploited without any fault.

‘Just like me at that time.’

Ariana Bronthé, who had to walk on a path of hardship without knowing how to escape hell.

Ariana thought that the girl trapped behind the iron bars was just like her.

However, that was all. Ariana couldn’t help the girl because she was already burdened with her own problems. What Ariana needed was a robust and intelligent slave, not a conspicuous girl with golden eyes.

“Let’s go.”

She didn’t want to witness the girl being sold.

It was challenging to keep looking at a child who resembled her past self.

So, as she stood up, the girl clung to the iron bars.

“Mistress… Please… take me…”

The girl couldn’t speak properly.

“Joun… Na-ssi… Please look… kindly…”

The stumbling words were mashed up, making it impossible for anyone to understand, but they struck Ariana’s ears like a spike.

Please save me. I want to see good weather.

Lanster grabbed Ariana’s swaying arm.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. We need to get out of here right away.”

She felt like she was about to vomit.

Bam [Dash]!

“Is she crazy? Stay still!”

The announcer’s shout felt like it was directed at her.

The girl’s voice was no longer audible, but her plea clung to Ariana’s ankles like a vine.

Please save me. I want to see good weather.

Ariana tightly closed her eyes, relying on Lanster’s hand, and escaped from the slave market.

+++

Only when Ariana exited the dark alley could she properly catch her breath. While Ariana stopped walking and regulated her breathing, Lanster silently stood by her side.

He didn’t make any sarcastic remarks about why she went to the slave market.

After a while, Lanster calmly spoke.
“The child’s situation is pitiful, but it is not something Princess needs to concern herself with. Typically, a child born with golden eyes is destined to die soon after birth.”

“Yeah…”

“I’ve heard rumors about that child as well. The first owner died in a fire, the second owner fell from a height, and the third owner, along with their family, died in a carriage accident…”

“Lanster, that’s enough.”

“Sorry.”

Ariana knew why Lanster was saying such things. Perhaps he was worried she might feel pity and want to help the girl.

Ariana had no intention of helping the girl.

That child wouldn’t be of any assistance. Ariana had no time to spare for herself, let alone the girl. She couldn’t afford to care for that child.

But the girl and herself kept overlapping in her mind.

Ariana Bronthé, confined in the narrow cage called the Bronthé family, had to live as they pleased without any helping hand. Ariana struggled with a pitiful existence, yearning to live, only to repeat miserable gestures and eventually die.

“Enough, let’s go back.”

The girl’s voice tugged at Ariana’s ankles, but she didn’t look back. As always, she stood upright and walked away without hesitation.

‘Sorry. But this life is my last chance. I can’t help you.’

+++

Despite being exhausted to the point of collapse, she couldn’t sleep well.

The desperate voice of the girl echoed in her head, causing a headache. Moreover, she couldn’t recall a clear memory of seeing golden eyes on a past day. This bothered her.

‘When did I see such eyes? Why is only that memory so faint?’

No matter how she searched her memories, it didn’t come to mind, so she eventually gave up. If it didn’t stick in her memory, it probably wasn’t crucial.

The morning sunlight was streaming through the curtains unnoticed.

Ariana gave up on sleeping, got off the bed, and pulled the curtains.

‘Good weather…’

In the azure sky, white clouds were gradually floating. The clear sky made her eyes squint.

‘Has she never seen the sky trapped inside there?’

That thought crossed her mind.

Ariana buried her face in her hands.

‘What would Buccefu do?’

She didn’t even know why the name Buccefu came to her mind in this situation, but Ariana thought.

‘If it were Buccefu… he would have saved her. He doesn’t hesitate to do what he wants.’

Even if there were other problems, if there was something he wanted to do right away, he would do it.