The Heroines Who Framed Me Are Clinging to Me

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 6 - Now You Need Me?

The boy, formerly known as Lee Han but now reincarnated as ‘Lloyd’, was a special child.

According to Bella, the maid, Lloyd had always been perceptive from a young age, learning to speak and walk much earlier than other children.

While others played in the dirt, he was reading books, and while others scribbled, he was drawing magic circles.

When Lloyd focused on something, he became so absorbed that he would sometimes stay up all night, utterly immersed.

When he first learned to sense mana and managed to levitate small objects, even his parents began to wonder if their child was a witch.

The anticipation of genius.

But as time passed, that expectation was shattered.

His heightened sensitivity gave him neuroses. Every night, he reacted sharply to the slightest noise, and his intense concentration disrupted his sleep.

As he grew more and more emaciated, his body and mind finally collapsed under the strain of sensing mana. He fell unconscious one day while walking.

The Arenberg family had no money, and they couldn’t afford to keep a doctor on hand. The physicians who did visit often left without finding any diagnosis. Even his parents gave up on him.

In the end, it was only Bella, the maid, who cared for Lloyd.

Though she was only three years older than him, she had looked after him since he was a child, and to her, he was no different from a younger brother.

Of course, there was also a sense of obligation toward the Arenberg family, who had taken in Bella, an orphan.

When Lloyd awoke—more accurately, when Lee Han, who had possessed Lloyd’s body, awoke—Bella clung to him and cried for a long time.

— Clatter!

The carriage rattled violently.

Lloyd winced as his back scraped against the rough wooden walls.

The carriage, which was transporting those who were to become slaves, was as crude as expected.

The chains binding his hands chafed his skin, and the rusty iron links made an irritating noise every time the carriage shook.

Yet, it was better than the conversation he had overheard before being loaded into the carriage.

— I-I'm sorry, Lloyd. Truly, I am...

— Think of it as serving the family. I’m ashamed, but I’ve asked that they send you to a decent place...

Lloyd didn’t feel any betrayal.

From the moment he had taken over this body, Lee Han had already been disillusioned with humanity.

He had not allowed himself to grow attached to his parents.

Perhaps that was why they found it easier to sell him.

Aside from the discomfort of being bound, his mind was surprisingly calm.

And there was one other thing.

His thoughts drifted to Bella.

She wouldn’t be sold.

She was the only maid of the Arenberg family, more useful than Lloyd, and besides, he was the one who would fetch a high price.

Still...

Her absence left him feeling uneasy.

The only time his mind felt at ease was when he was near Bella.

It must be the body’s original owner, Lloyd, that remembered her warmth.

But now she was no longer by his side. And perhaps never would be again.

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— Clap, clap, clap, clap!

The mocking applause wouldn’t leave his head. The constant ringing in his ears was like a whirlpool in his mind.

And every time it happened, a voice would whisper.

— 'Let’s get revenge. Kill them all.'

It always said the same thing.

Lloyd bit his lip.

Drip, drip.

Blood dripped onto the carriage floor, staining the wood red.

◆

— Shhhh!

A middle-aged man and a young boy stepped through the mud, thick from the pouring rain, as they entered the auction house.

“Damn it, this rain is coming down hard.”

The man shook off his cloak, sending large droplets splashing to the ground. He smelled of wet earth, rusty iron, and a faint hint of blood. After roughly shaking his head and clothes dry, he grabbed the boy by the arm and tugged him forward.

“Walk, kid. Don’t be nervous.”

“How can I not be nervous when I’m at a slave auction?”

The slave trader chuckled at the boy’s calm retort.

“You’re awfully sharp for someone who’s nervous.”

“I get more composed when I’m nervous.”

“Haha, what a thing. Are you a second-time-around kid or something?”

The trader didn’t notice the slight flinch from the boy.

Clicking his tongue, the man continued as they walked.

“You’re technically a commoner, not a slave.”

“Then what is this place?”

“A market where commoners are sold.”

“Isn’t that the same as being a slave?”

“...Well, you’re not wrong. But let’s call it a labor exchange.”

“A labor exchange...?”

“Yes, think of it as a public guild recruitment. Except you’ll be working for ten years.”

Their footsteps echoed down the cold stone corridor.

The man glanced down at the boy. By this point, most kids would be crying, but this one remained expressionless. There was something unnervingly calm about him.

“Kid, why aren’t you crying? Your parents just abandoned you.”

“I expected this.”

“What...?”

The boy spoke matter-of-factly.

“The Arenberg family has always been in debt. Recently, the Empire doubled the toll fees, which hit the family hard. It’s only natural to sell off the most valuable asset.”

The slave trader clicked his tongue.

“Hard to believe you’re just eleven.”

“Thank you.”

The boy’s words flowed smoothly.

The trader had sold countless people in his life, but he had never encountered a child like this. What was even more surprising was how the boy didn’t try to hide his worth. Most people dragged to a place like this would instinctively try to downplay their value.

When asked why, the boy replied simply.

“If I’m going to be sold, they should get a good price for me.”

“And why’s that?”

“Whether I end up in a storage closet or a jewelry box depends on the price. I’d rather be in a jewelry box, wouldn’t you?”

The slave trader quickly rubbed his arms. He felt a chill. How could an eleven-year-old speak like this? Even most adults wouldn’t say such things. This boy was extraordinary.

From a distance, the auctioneer’s voice boomed, announcing the start of the bidding.

How much would this boy fetch? Certainly not a small amount.

“...The applause.”

The trader noticed the boy clenching his fists as they approached the large doors and smiled.

◆

— And so we come to the finale of this grand auction. Only three boys remain! The next boy up for bidding...

“It’s a hot auction today.”

A scout sitting in the highest VIP box of the auction house clicked his tongue in amazement.

He was watching the bidding war unfold between scouts from the three great heroes—Aina, Aria, and Claire—each trying to outbid the others for the boys.

— "The Harold Trading Company bids 5 million crones!"

— "Our Holy Knights will offer 6 million!"

The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.

The woman beside him, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. Her tone was casual, but there was a depth and wisdom in her words.

“There’s a rumor that the Saint received a revelation.”

“A revelation? Like a prophecy from the gods?”

“Yes. To sum it up, 'Today, in a place where people are bought and sold, the Demon King and the Hero from another world will appear in the form of a child.'”

“The Hero from another world? You mean the demon Lee Han, the one who was executed?”

“Exactly. You’re well-informed.”

“The execution was near my hometown. But wait, does this mean the Demon King will be resurrected?”

“That’s why they’re acting like that.”

The woman pointed to the scouts of the three heroes, who were aggressively raising their bids.

Tsk. Olivia, a chair professor at Lichten Academy and a temporary scout for the Grey Duke’s family, clicked her tongue in frustration.

“There’s probably chaos like this at every auction across the continent. But only a few auctions are being held today.”

“Still, there must be dozens of children. What are they planning to do with them?”

At the naive question, Olivia frowned.

“They’ll kill them.”

“What?”

“If the prophecy says the Demon King will rise, they won’t let any of these children live.”

“I... I suppose you’re right...”

Leaving her flustered junior behind, Olivia rested her chin in her hand.

“What a waste. A boy like that should be at the Academy.”

Her gaze was fixed on a boy with dark, hollow eyes.

◆

The auction proceeded quickly.

Before long, Lloyd was dragged to the center of the stage.

The auctioneer, treating it like the grand finale, amped up the excitement.

“And now—the highlight of the evening! This next boy has been evaluated by the Appraisal Guild as [A+] grade! It’s rare to find such a top-quality boy on the market! He’s young, but think of the potential to raise him as you see fit!”

“Hahaha!”

Lloyd calmly surveyed his surroundings.

Many eyes were on him, scrutinizing him with unsettling interest.

These were the buyers.

He would be sold to the highest bidder here.

He could only hope he’d be sold to a wealthy and comfortable household.

Heh.

The irony of his situation made Lloyd smirk.

Executed in his previous life, and now a slave in this one.

If he ever made enough money, he might need to perform an exorcism.

— Clap, clap, clap, clap!

The applause from the audience.

Lloyd barely managed to resist the urge to cover his ears.

If he appeared mentally unstable, he wouldn’t fetch a high price.

People cherish what they pay dearly for.

Value is determined by price.

Lloyd knew how to act like a high-end product.

He held his head high and stood with confidence.

He met the gaze of every person watching him as if he were looking down on them.

And as soon as the first bid was placed, Lloyd’s expression darkened.

“The Holy Knights of the Deus Church bid 10 million... no! 20 million crones! Instantly setting a new record for this auction!”

The Holy Knights. The Knight directly under the Saint. That meant...

'Aria.'

Lloyd bit his lip.

Aria, who was now the Saint.

Even though he hadn’t actively sought out information about his former comrades since his reincarnation, he couldn’t help but hear their names. They were now celebrated as the 'Three Heroes' who had saved the continent.

Aria, now the youngest Saint in a century, was thriving.

She had once accused Lee Han of hypnotizing her.

And now, here she was, trying to buy Lloyd at an auction. Though it wasn’t Aria herself, but one of her subordinates bidding on her behalf.

“.......”

Lloyd felt sick.

— Wooo!

— Clap, clap, clap, clap!

The overwhelming bid and the applause that followed pushed Lloyd further into a corner.

But the next bidders were even worse.

“The banner of the Royal House of Rifenstein! The Second Princess, Aina, bids 11 million crones! Glory to the noble bloodline!”

Princess Aina.

The woman who had pointed a sword at Lloyd.

“Oh, the stakes are rising! The Harold Trading Company bids 13 million crones!”

And then there was Claire from the Harold Trading Company.

The childhood friend who claimed Lloyd had brainwashed her in his previous life.

The 'Three Heroes' were desperately searching for Lee Han.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]