Chapter 100: Please
"Snort!"
After hearing Charlotte's dismissive comment, Elena became furious and snorted coldly, choosing to ignore him entirely.
While Charlotte and Elena were exchanging verbal jabs, the auction officially began.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow and leaned toward her.
"Bid on whatever you like," Charlotte said, acting like a wealthy noble.
This attitude improved Elena's mood somewhat. Her attention shifted to the auction, her earlier anger giving way to curiosity.
Determined to challenge Charlotte, she decided to push the limits.
But Charlotte, true to his pirate nature, had no intention of paying for anything. He planned to create a scene instead.
"Thirty million Berries!"
"Forty million Berries!"
The sound of bids being shouted around the room left Elena astonished. She swallowed hard, doubting whether Charlotte even had that kind of money.
"What? Don't worry about me! Just bid—I'll handle the money!" Charlotte assured her with a confident smirk.
"That's what you said!" Elena replied cautiously.
She stood up boldly.
"Fifty million Berries!" Elena's voice echoed throughout the auction hall.
Her bold bid instantly captured the attention of everyone in the room. Hundreds of eyes turned to her, making her face flush red with embarrassment.
The sudden attention gave Elena a moment of social anxiety.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, hearing her bid of fifty million, felt his heart skip a beat. Even though he had no intention of paying, the sheer amount left him momentarily stunned.
Fifty million Berries! Charlotte thought. That's enough to pay my crew's salary for a month! And she spent it on a necklace? This girl needs to learn some restraint.
Once the number was announced, the room fell silent for a few moments before the auctioneer resumed.
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Sold! Congratulations to this lady for purchasing the deep-sea necklace!"
Hearing the announcement, Elena realized the enormity of her bid. She glanced nervously at Charlotte, relieved when he showed no visible reaction.
After the purchase, Elena became noticeably quieter. She seemed to regret spending fifty million Berries on a single item and decided not to bid again.
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Ding-ding-ding!
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item is what you've all been waiting for—our first slave lot!" the auctioneer announced.
As the crowd erupted in excitement, the sound of clinking chains filled the hall.
A man, covered in scars, was dragged onto the stage. His lifeless eyes stared blankly ahead as if his spirit had long been broken.
Though his body was marred by wounds, his face had been cleaned to enhance his appeal to potential buyers.
As the man was presented, many women in the back rows gasped and whispered to one another.
Elena's face twisted in confusion and disgust. She turned to Charlotte, seeking an explanation.
Charlotte remained impassive, watching the scene unfold with cold detachment.
"Charlotte! Can people really be treated as commodities?" Elena asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.
"What else did you think?" Charlotte replied curtly. "Who do you think those people were that surrounded us earlier? They were slave traders, capturing newcomers to the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Why doesn't the Navy do something about this?" Elena asked, her voice rising with desperation.
Charlotte gave her a disdainful look.
"Why would they? Or better yet, do you think they dare? This auction house operates right under the noses of the Navy Headquarters. If they didn't have the backing of the Marine Headquarters or the World Government, do you think they'd be here?"
Charlotte's blunt words shattered Elena's fragile worldview. She looked around at the noisy crowd, her heart aching at the cruel reality.
When the scarred man was sold to a wealthy woman for 3.8 million Berries, Elena clenched her fists in anger and sadness.
"Charlotte! Can't you save them? They're so pitiful," Elena pleaded, looking at him with tearful eyes.
"Save them? Are you serious?" Charlotte's voice was cold. "Do you have any idea what would happen if I tried? This auction house is practically in the backyard of Marine Headquarters. The moment I take action, an admiral could be here within an hour. Then what?"
Elena stammered, unable to form a response. She couldn't bear the thought of Charlotte risking his life, yet the scene before her was unbearable.
Charlotte chuckled darkly, amused by her internal conflict.
"Hahaha!"
Elena, now enraged, pinched Charlotte's waist.
"Stop laughing! This isn't funny!" she yelled. "These are human lives!"
"Human lives?" Charlotte mocked. "What a joke. They stopped being human the moment they were captured. Now, they're just commodities with price tags—no freedom, no dignity."
Elena's eyes filled with tears as Charlotte's words struck her like daggers.
The next slave brought onto the stage was a little girl, no older than eight or nine. Her small frame was bound in chains, and her lifeless eyes stared at the colorful ceiling above, the only semblance of beauty left in her world.
Seeing the child, Elena broke down completely.
"Charlotte, please!" she begged, grabbing his arm. "Save her! I'll do anything you ask—just save her!"
Charlotte looked down at Elena, her tear-streaked face filled with desperation.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked.
Without hesitation, Elena nodded.
"Yes! I'll never go against you again. Whatever you say, I'll do it. Please, just save her!"
Charlotte sighed deeply.
"Fine," he said. "But don't blame me for what happens next."
Charlotte rose to his feet, immediately drawing the attention of the entire hall. His imposing presence was impossible to ignore.
Even the auctioneer paused, momentarily confused.
Charlotte slowly walked toward the stage, the weight of his decision bearing down on him.
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