The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

His face was obscured by a hood.

But he was clearly staring directly at Laria.

It seemed like he was trying to figure out who had interfered.

Laria stared right back without flinching.

Although the surroundings were noisy, no sound was heard.

It felt like everyone else vanished from view, leaving just the two of them.

Perhaps the opponent felt the same way.

A suffocating tension flowed.

She couldn’t move even a finger, but her mind was racing faster than anyone’s.

Wondering how the opponent would act next, what kind of spell they would use to suppress her.

She couldn’t use any conspicuous spells.

Because it would draw too much attention.

The opponent seemed to think the same way and didn’t make any rash moves.

The standoff continued endlessly, and Laria felt the ominous aura emanating from him.

‘I’ve definitely seen it somewhere before.’

Laria’s eyes widened in realization.

It was the same energy that had engulfed the Krassium mansion.

It was less concentrated than before, which was confusing, but on closer inspection, it was clear.

‘Could it be the person who cast the forbidden spell on the Krassium mansion…?’

Laria’s gaze sharpened in an instant.

She had to find out the identity of this person at all costs.

As if reading Laria’s thoughts, the person stood up from his seat. When he tried to escape, Laria quickly got up as well.

“Lady Rohan?”

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

Before Ishel could catch her, Laria had already left her seat.

Navigating between the seats, Laria followed the retreating back of the opponent.

Although she seemed to be getting closer, the distance between them didn’t decrease.

When Laria exited the hall, she made sure no one was around and launched a spell at the opponent. A white magic power bound his feet.

But he swung his hand, and a sharp sword-like magic power cut Laria’s magic power.

Laria hastily pulled out a random gem from her pocket and held it tightly.

As she began chanting her spell, countless attack methods flashed through her mind.

As she chanted, the gems she held shattered one after the other.

A short exchange ensued as they ran down the corridor. The white magic power and the crimson magic power kept intertwining and colliding.

While Laria was pulling out a new gem, the opponent started casting a teleportation spell.

Crack!

But before the teleportation circle was complete, the magic power dispersed into thin air.

“Tsk.”

Annoyed by the constant interruption, he clicked his tongue.

Laria narrowed her eyes at the middle-aged male voice.

She wasn’t sure if he had altered his voice using a potion, but it was a clue she couldn’t ignore.

‘Can I handle him?’

She had the skills to face him, but the gems were the problem.

Eventually, she’d run out of gems.

‘Maybe I should attack all at once.’

She planned to put all her remaining gems into one powerful spell.

It was a gamble, but prolonging the fight would only disadvantage Laria.

A swarm of white light surrounded Laria. Sensing her amassing magic power, the opponent pulled out several glass bottles from his cloak.

‘Could it be an explosive potion?’

Laria tried to stop casting and defend herself, but he threw the bottles on the ground.

As the glass broke, a liquid splattered everywhere.

Smelling the sharp scent of iron, Laria realized it was blood.

The previously pristine floor was now a mess of blood.

Standing in the pool of blood, the opponent began chanting a spell.

A chilling energy, different from before, began to rise from the floor like smoke. It felt like something unimaginable was about to happen.

“!”

The dark sorcery in the air touched Laria’s robe.

With a sizzling sound, the edge of her robe melted.

Laria’s face stiffened.

If that touched anyone’s skin, it would undoubtedly melt it.

Quickly making a decision, Laria gathered all her remaining gems and set up a defensive barrier. The shield of light began absorbing the spreading dark magic power.

‘Damn it.’

The opponent, seizing the opportunity, began casting the teleportation spell again.

But Laria couldn’t stop him this time. If she let go even for a moment, the dark fog would spread rapidly.

Having completed the teleportation circle, the opponent looked at Laria.

Though his face was hidden by the hood, his piercing gaze felt like a sharp sting.

Laria stared back without flinching.

With a whoosh, he disappeared from sight.

At the same time, the crimson fog was entirely absorbed by Laria’s defensive barrier.

“Haa…”

Relief washed over Laria, and she slumped to the ground.

She had never used so much magic power before.

She had exhausted all her gems and still hadn’t caught him.

She rarely faced other spellcasters, but this one was on another level. Had she brought fewer gems, Laria would have been in danger.

‘Who on earth is he?’

There were too few clues to even guess.

‘I need to get the guest list from the Crown Prince first.’

If she could identify the auction house owner, it would be easier to deduce.

Most would have undergone a verification of identity before entering.

Laria thought she knew what the forbidden spell he had used was.

‘Brainwashing.’

She remembered a guest moving like a puppet with dilated pupils.

She felt the same magic from the prohibition spell that was on the Krassium Mansion… The purpose must be to brainwash Zenox.

“This is more serious than I thought…”

She had to find out who was behind this.

Laria, who had recovered a bit of her strength, slowly sat up.

‘I need to go back to the auction house first.’

If she stayed away for too long, the Crown Prince might find it suspicious.

And the auction was coming to an end.

Judging by the auctioneer’s reaction, Zenox was likely to appear last.

As she imagined Zenox surrounded by many gazes, she quickened her pace. At this moment, Zenox seemed like someone Laria needed to protect.

Laria, who came back alone, found her seat and sat down.

Thankfully, Ishel didn’t seem totally clueless, as he didn’t ask where she had been.

“You came just in time. I think Zenox is about to come up.”

Laria sighed with relief.

“Well, everyone, thank you for waiting.”

A man’s voice echoed throughout the hall.

“Today’s final item, and arguably the best in our history, is coming up!”

Guests who were previously engaged in conversations refocused on the stage.

“You’ll be genuinely surprised when you see it.”

The introduction went on without immediately revealing the item.

“I was really amazed when I saw it myself. It’s a young beast that’s adorable just by breathing!”

Laria nodded in agreement.

Zenox, turned into a young wolf, was adorable even when he slept.

She thought, at least he’s not lying.

“The starting bid for this item is 200 million!”

Laria nearly jumped out of her seat.

200 million…? He had bought Zenox for 150 million, and now the starting price was 200 million.

She felt she had been tricked and was internally furious.

If she had come with Solike instead of the Crown Prince, she wouldn’t have made this mistake! On the contrary, Solike would have extracted even more money.

Laria glared at the man, then looked at Ishel, who had tried to sell Zenox for a mere 30 million.

Catching her gaze, Ishel said:

“Zenox is really expensive!”

What’s he talking about, when he tried to sell him for just 30 million… Her resentment toward the Crown Prince deepened.

“Now, introducing, the legendary black wolf with golden eyes!”

A curtain began to rise behind the man.

The anticipation in the room was palpable. Everyone held up bid signs, ready to bid.

But as the curtain rose, instead of a young wolf, the lower half of a human was visible.

Watching with intrigue, as the curtain went up further, a slender physique was revealed.

Even from a distance, the perfectly toned body was undeniable.

As the broad shoulders became visible, Laria inadvertently held her breath.

His aura was overwhelming, even without seeing his face.

When the strong jawline and closed lips appeared, Laria’s eyes shook.

It was a face she knew very well.

When the curtain was fully raised, a handsome man with a sharp expression stood there.

‘When did he turn back into a human?!’

Zenox, in human form, was on the stage.