"Go go, it's almost your turn, behave as I've instructed and don't do anything stupid"
A fat forty year old short old man pushed Liana towards the bizarre line of products.
Some were illegally obtained monsters, some were artefacts that were either cursed or blessed by the unknown and some were slaves of different ages and origins like her.
"100 gold!"
"200 gold!"
"250 Gold!
She could hear the ground and the crowd of people beyond the curtains riled up by the auction, but Liana couldn't hear a single thing.
To her, the world was muted and grey after the death of her mother. she could hear, yes, but her thoughts and spirit were not present.
It was as if she was the one possessing her physical body and she was simply a dead spirit puppeteering a half elf body.
After a few more merchandises sold it was finally her turn to be presented to the crowd full of criminals
"Ladies and gentlemen! This is a rare opportunity for all of us today to gaze upon the next item for the final item of the day!"
Liana hearing the announcer call her an item didn't offend her, she was already used to being treated as an object the first time she was aware in this world.
Liana stepped forward and revealed herself to the stage.
The day finally came... the day where she was finally getting sold.
"I present to you a Half Elf! Unnamed, talented and most importantly untainted! A young half elf that has the potential to reach master tier or, from what the appraisal orb showed, Grandmaster tier! This very child you see, folks! Could very well be yours with the right price! A one man army as a slave within your very hands!"
"What!?"
"Lies! Such talent in a half elf!? Ludicrous! This has to be a scam!"
"Show us proof! Make her touch an class or affinity appraisal orb!"
The announcer grinned in delight as he already anticipated the crowd's reaction, so he summoned an appraisal orb in a flashy fashion and approached Liana as he riled up the crowd of doubters.
"Yes! Proof! This orb shall prove to everyone that I and our dear seller are speaking truthfully. Now come here and touch the orb, Half elf"
Liana moved towards the Announcer and placed her chains hands on the outstretched orb of the MC.
Whooosh!!!!!
The orb flashed in a rainbow light, blinding those not resistant to it. Apparitions and ghostly figures of different colours hovered around Liana as if guarding her and waiting for her to command her.
They were in truth if one studied anything about spirits were all high ranked spirits.
Sadly these were only apparitions, which only showed appearances without substance.
The crowd gasped before going wild at the great showcase of power Liana wrought.
"I have to procure her!"
"Only those that have visual manifestation of potential of their classes can only be called people that are destined for the Grandmaster tier!!!"
"F*ck if only I didn't buy anything and save it for her!"
"Hurry and announce the price for her"
Despite their faces hidden behind the mask, Liana could see the endless Greed of all the people in the room.
"1000 gold as a starting bid!"
Almost everyone in the crowd unanimously raised their voices, trying to obtain her. Bidding and placing every penny of their fortune just to obtain her
But alas Liana still felt nothing.
Her eyes simply stared down on her shadows as the battle to bid for her faded in the background.
She reminisced about the times she had with Penelope, the person she believed to be her one and only mother.
******
"Liana, my dear"
Liana who was on the bed sitting tilted to her mother.
"Yes, mother?" Liana questioned with a bright smile on her face"
Panel open widened her already warm smile and spoke.
She held the two tiny hands of Liana and spoke with a soft and encouraging tone.
"Always remember that I'll always be there with you no matter how far our physical bodies may be, my love for you will always be in your heart"
Penelope then placed her hand on Liana's chest, where her small heart beated.
"Do you feel it Liana?"
Penelope asked gently.
"Feel what mother?" Asked Liana innocently.
"The warmth I'm trying to give you"
Liana tilted her head and glanced down on her chest where Penelope's hand laid.
She finally understood what her mother meant.
The feeling of peace and comfort filled her heart as it thumped lightly, tingling under the touch of Penelope.
She started to feel emotional with the simple touch of her mother.
Liana once more glanced up to her mother and spoke.
"I-I feel it mother, so this is love? I don't know if I deserve this...."
Penelope simply chuckled as she withdrew her hand from Liana's chest, moving it instead to pat Liana's head.
"Of course, you do. Everyone does and especially you, my one and only daughter."
Liana smiled in delight and quickly pounced and embraced Penelope.
"Thank you mother"
Penelope kept comforting and petting Liana as she once more spoke.
"I hope you can also give this love I gave you to another in the future. it would be a dream come true for me, Liana."
Liana nodded swiftly and responded to Penelope.
"I promise that I'll give it to everyone that's nice and share it with as much people as possible!"
******
Drip*
A single teardrop fell from her eye.
Liana's hollow eyes became clearer as she remembered her promise with her mother.
She simply trembled, clenching her chained hands in frustration.
My promise.... I'm sorry mother.... I'm so-sorry....
She kept apologising within her heart.
The warmth she felt in her chase overtook her hollow soul, once more fueling her emotions, making her feel once more.
But it didn't matter. No matter how much she cried, how much she begged or how much she struggled, her body was owned and was raised to be a slave.
What could a little girl do? She was powerless.
She wanted power now, not in the future and even if it came now, it was already too late.
Her mother had died and she was once again alone in this dark and corrupted world that she grew up in.
"7000 GOLD! Ladies and gentlemen! We have broken the record of the biggest bid since the start of this establishment!"
Liana wanted to protest but her mouth and body couldn't move, because the orders of her master were absolute, so she could only lower head and clench her hands in despair.
Someone.... please.... help me.....
BOOOOOOM!
A grand explosion destroyed the roof of the Auction, revealing a blue cloudless sky and the beaming orange sun on top of all the people of the auction.
A single young man floated downwards, slowly as he landed on the stage where the MC on the ground still unaware and shocked of what just occurred and there was also Liana who was also agape as the young man with dark blue hair slowly and sparkling blue eyes landed in front of her.
The man was handsome, impeccably so and his expression was an expression of leisure, as if he was just taking a stroll down the park.
"What's you name, young lass"
Despite looking like a young man, he spoke in a very sophisticated way that made Liana doubt whether the man was actually of his age.
Liana snapped out of her daze, but couldn't move or do anything in response, because of the slave contract that still binded her.
"Oh, how rude of me. You're still in that disgraceful contract. Let me help you with that."
The young man simply tapped the forehead of Liana with his index finger.
A wave of magic power coursed through her veins.
It felt like a gigantic burden was suddenly lifted off her shoulders.
"Ah-!?"
Liana could finally speak.
The young man smiled and chuckled and asked Liana one more time.
"So? What's your name, young lass?"
Liana hearing the reassuring question from the young man responded.
"Liana, good sir"
Liana politely replied while still in awe.
"My name is Adam Starborne. Leave this to me ok? I'll get rid of the bad guys for you"
That was the day where Liana was saved by the Headmaster of the Union Academy and shortly after she was adopted by him.
********
WHOOOOSH
Of course it's a teleportation circle.
Liana calmly closed her eyes before opening it again after discovering herself inside in an unfamiliar place.
A maze?
Liana knew that they changed up the exams yearly to make it more interesting and have students be tested on their experience or talent on getting pushed into unusual situations.
Last year's first exam was finding specific objects around a gigantic forest. Getting the item basically teleports you back to the waiting area for the next test.
A piece of paper would also appear in your hand, telling you where your item is specifically, so not everyone was lost.
After Liana ignored the announcement of Olivia Montague and just thought deeply about last year's exam, she glanced at the companions she had with her.
Two were humans and one was a male Elf, who was glaring at her direction.
Sigh, I just had to be paired up with an elf.....
"You dis-!?"
WHOOOOOSH!
Before the elf could insult Liana, one of their companions, a beautiful obsidian haired lady, dashed through the maze before they could even react, leaving them in the dust.
"What the hell?"
The human male reacted with clear confusion on his face.