3| Bringing My Bride Home

DARAN

"Sir, just a suggestion. Horse-drawn carriages are too old-fashioned for today's era. You should replace it with a Maserati, Lambo or Porsche.”

"What are you talking about, Loko?"

I am annoyed. I am still determining the names of the things he mentioned. Is that a new stagecoach?

"I mean, you haven't left the castle in 100 years. Of course, there's a lot of change going on out there. Stagecoaches are not very suitable for use on the streets of the cities and countries you will visit this time.”

I looked at Loko. He was very nervous but still determined to speak his mind without hesitation. I showed him my sour face. Let him know the taste.

"Nonsense," I said. "Who asked your opinion?"

I'm really pissed off. I know it's been a century of not keeping up with the world. But who likes to be taught and shown their mistakes like that? He's an entirely insensitive servant.

"I don't care about other people's judgements," I added before getting into the stagecoach. "After all, they won't be able to see the movement of this stagecoach until I arrive at Shora City? Right? Arman will be holding an auction in Shora City this year?"

Loko bowed and confirmed my question.

"According to the invitation sent especially for you, Sir."

A week ago, Arman sent me an invitation to the auction. He gave me a little note on the invitation that he had what I had been looking for.

Finally, after a hundred years, the owner of the blood of the red moon also appeared.

Loko once again bowed to me. "You had better not be there too long, Sir."

"What else now? I don't have time to keep hearing your worries. I'm thousands of years old! I'm even much older than you, Loko!"

Loko remained patient with me. In fact, I'm getting impatient.

"All right, what's in there anyway?"

"The Blue Sapphire country where Shora City is located had its downfall last year. That place is currently prone to crime."

I slightly frowned and glanced curiously at Loko. "Can you tell me about this Blue Sapphire country?"

"Since a year ago, the land of Blue Sapphire was taken over and ruled by an Alpha King named Luke Draken. He is a werewolf who has the bloodline of a pure dragon. Pack Draken managed to take the Blue Sapphire Country from Pack Abraham's hands, of course, with the help of the dragon clan in the land of Black Crater."

"Luke summoned a large army of dragon clans through the border in Shora City. Just in the last few hours, the entire country of Blue Sapphire was engulfed in dragon fire. The four pillars that previously dominated and supported the economy and politics of the Blue Sapphire state, they were conquered and killed without a trace."

"Hmm, Looks like I missed some interesting news. Are we talking about the same Blue Sapphire? A country that has been hostile to the Lycan clan for hundreds of years?"

Loko nodded. "If it weren't for your generosity in hosting the refugees from Blue Sapphire last year, then the lycan bloodline of the Mirror Empire that resided in Blue Sapphire would have been extinct since then."

I reached out and asked Loko for my mask.

"You'd better hurry, Sir. Because Luke Draken is also hunting for the item you're after."

"Of course. Which intelligent person doesn't want the blood of the red moon? However, only a fool would dare to compete with me for it."

We leave for the land of Blue Sapphire. I shut myself tightly in a carriage drawn by four best black stallions. A portal I opened with my magic ability. In just one swipe of the hand, this horse carriage had already moved from my courtyard to the bustling streets of Shora City.

Going to the auction building, I kept my eyes on the bustling traffic around me. We flew across two countries in this stagecoach only through a portal.

"Bastian, why are those people staring at us? They even had to get out of the way?"

"Because they haven't seen a horse-drawn carriage since a hundred years ago, Sir. I will make them unable to forget us! Hiyaa…!”

Bastian drove our horse-drawn carriage like he was going crazy. My coachman is the best. He always uses my time effectively.

Bastian pulled the horse's bridle, and the carriage stopped in front of an antique shop. One of my bodyguards, standing at the back of the horse-drawn carriage during the trip, got down and immediately opened the door.

I got down from the horse-drawn carriage while holding a wooden stick. This cane is not a walking aid or just to complement the style of dress only. This is my magic wand.

I walked into an antique shop whose door was tightly closed. According to the map sealed in the invitation card, the entrance portal to the auction building was in this shop.

I tapped the end of the stick on the shop door. Not long after, a man opened the door and greeted me with reverence. We passed through a small door at the back of the shop and ended up in the auction building.

I don't like waiting long. I hate crowds the most. If not out of necessity, the auction venue would be the last thing I would visit before my death.

As I thought. All the creatures at the auction started glancing and gossiping about my appearance. I don't care.

Ah, is that him? I have been searching for the blood of the red moon all this century?

I'm so excited. The creature possessing the blood of the red moon stood in the centre of the stage with shackles on its body. Arman is so outrageous. Look at that fragile body. How could he make such a mess that he had to be shackled?

I only have a little time. I have to get it no matter what. Why did the auctioneer announce the blood of the red moon to everyone? Obviously, I will buy and own it.

"50 million coll! I'll buy it for that price!"

I stand in front of the blood-red moon. I can't see his face. That hood and those shackles bothered me a lot.

I took off my mask a bit to make sure what I bought at such a high price was real red moon blood. I pulled on the iron shackles around his neck to make him come closer. I really can't wait for all these annoying procedures. Why didn't Arman just send him to my house?

Oh, he lifted his face just as I peeked under my mask.

A girl? Yes, I'm a little surprised. I didn't think the blood of the red moon owner was a beautiful girl.

After signing the purchase contract, Arman gave me some alone time with this girl. Again, this is a procedure I prefer to avoid. Why did he make such a troublesome contract? How can there be a clause 'the goods I bought can cancel the contract a maximum of one hour after we agree on the price'.

Tch, since when did slaves have the right to vote? What a troublesome girl.

"Stop bowing your head and stand up quickly! I don't have much time to play with you. I've bought you at a pretty high price. You should have qualified yourself according to the price I have paid!"

The little girl was really wide-eyed. Maybe she's afraid of me. I don't care. She is already mine. There is no way back.

We left Arman's office.

The girl kept glancing at Arman and his assistant sitting there. But, they pretended not to hear and did not notice us.

Arman really doesn't care about the personal affairs of his customers. That's what I like about him.

After all, this red moon girl has signed a contract agreeing that she has passed her life and death to me. Because I bought her.

I dragged the chain that shackled the girl's neck and hands. I literally dragged her like a naughty puppy.

"Is he a monster?" 

I can hear Arman's assistant whisper before I go through the door. 

"Look, he treats that girl like an animal!"

"Watch your words!" hissed Arman with a worried tone. "He can hear you."

Yeah, I can hear them all, as well as the wind.

I walked out of Arman's office, watched by many jealous eyes. I no longer pull the chains that shackle the girl. I let her walk behind me.

As we walked through the lobby towards the exit, countless wizards, vampires, lycans, dragons, and various other types of shadowy creatures were present at the auction that day, watching our departure.

"Too bad he managed to get his hands on that rare blood."

I heard a wild spirit whispering between the pillars.

"What creature is that?" asked the red moon girl behind me.

I just grin behind my mask. "I thought you could see them all."

The girl looked shocked. "You mean who? I or them?"

"They are the spirits of the dead and shadow creatures that humans shouldn't be able to see."

"I'm not human," the girl answered softly.

"I know. But, right now, you're still human. What's your name?"

"My name is Jonea," the girl answered softly, keeping her head down.

We returned to the horse carriage. Bastian was already waiting and opened the door for us.

"Come on! Why are you still standing there?" I totally snapped at that girl.

"W-the carriage?" A pair of eyes widened.

I'm getting annoyed. I should have followed Loko's words to turn this magic vehicle into a Porsche.

I snapped my finger, and the horse-drawn carriage turned into a car like the one I saw on the billboard while on the road earlier.

The girl opened her eyes wider. With both hands still shackled, she rubbed her eyes.

"Is this magic?"

I'm really pissed off. She was still standing there like an idiot. I hold her slender body. She screamed and kicked. I don't care. I put her in the backseat of the horse-drawn carriage, and Bastian drove at high speed across the portal.

Oh, not the horse-drawn carriage. People these days call it a car. I know that from Bastian.

"Stop screaming and clawing at me!" I was furious at her.

The girl huddled in the backseat of the car and was stunned. I sat beside her. She kept her distance from me.

"Alright, I'm giving you a chance to ask one thing! Remember, only one!"

The girl turned sharply to me. Her eyes turned full of life as well as hatred. That's how it should be. Eyes full of hatred and rancor were better than the eyes as she stood on the stage – like the eyes of a dead man.

"What do you mean by saying you want to make me your bride?"

I was slightly surprised and didn't think my words were teasing her. I brought my face closer to her.