The auction was hosted by the Information Guild. Unlike the information the Adventurer Guild sells, which is mainly about monster patterns and changes in traveling routes, the Information Guild sells information on anything as long as they get paid. This causes the Information Guild to be a 'grey' area in the city, where criminals and officials are treated equally.

People who hosted auctions used the Information Guild as a venue because they can get more potential bidders, and because no one will fight because it risked being banned by the guild, the Information Guild likes auctions because they make a profit on renting the venue, and a commission on goods sold.

The auction I'm attending is selling an abnormal amount of grimoires (magic books) and martial arts manuals. When people heard the news, they tried to make money as fast as possible to fund their auction budget. Although these manuals were expensive, they hoped that a large number of manuals meant they could buy one. The items sold in the auction are usually incredibly hard to find, so they wanted to take a chance.

Apparently, there was an influx in prisoners caused by the auction.
The prisoner who gave me her invitation said she would rather see someone use an invitation rather than waste it in the jail.

I arrived at the information guild and gave the required information to join the auction, a unique password, which the prisoner gave me, and proof of wealth. One big silver was enough to join the auction.

I was surprised when I entered the venue, it looked like an opera room. As soon as I entered, I saw a theater-like stage at the back of the room to present the items. I also saw 2 separate floors, the top floor for VIPs and the bottom for regular auction attendees. The VIP floor was separated by room, each room had a closed spaced and open space, while the bottom floor had everyone grouped together in seats. There were 3 clusters of seats located in the right, left, and center of the room respectively, with enough space for two people to pass between any cluster.

I took a seat in an edge seat on the left cluster and waited for the auction to start. I was neither early nor late for the auction, people were already seated but there were still people coming in.

Everyone wore masks but some had more interesting masks than others. A person on the VIP floor had a red mask with red hair, while another wore a mask with a blue nose and wings on the side. I accidentally made eye contact with the VIP who had a red mask. I could see their eyes, which were as red as blood.

I recognized those eyes, it was that girl I made eye contact with at the banquet. The fact she was in a VIP room and a noble's party meant she was a bigshot. Hopefully, she doesn't care about me, getting involved with bigshots is a death sentence for me.

Sometime later, the seats were packed to the brim, and the auction began. The auctioneers announced that the auction for items that weren't martial arts manuals and grimoires will begin first.

The first few items they announced were a few weapons and staff. There were a few bidding wars, but people generally kept their money saved.

Next, the auctioneer said to take a small break as they needed to prepare the next set of items. On the break I started to doze off, but before I could fall asleep, I was approached by someone who looked like a guard. He had a magician's robe on but his affiliation wasn't with the auction.

The guard asked me to come with him, and I didn't refuse, I could surmise what this was about.

As expected, he took me to the room of the red-haired girl.

The VIP rooms were surprisingly simple, there was a table with seats and refreshments, and a couch as furniture in the room. There were a few paintings on the walls, but I had no clue about their worth.

I followed the guard's instructions and took a seat across from the girl.

Only after he returned to her side and whispered something to the girl did she start speaking.

She tapped her fingers on the table, "You are Rorik, Duke Pendel's son. You can take off the mask, there is no need for these between nobles."

So she was a noble, with eyes like that I bet she was the subject of many rumors.

'Wait a minute, red hair, eyes the color of blood, likes the color red in general, and is a noble? Isn't this, the blood princess?'

As I took off my mask, I realized I had no clue how to approach this. All I knew about Ailsa, the blood princess, was from the rumors the prisoners told me. She was 4 years older than me, and had talent that could rival Kasa's talent. However, unlike Kasa, who had incredible talent as a magician, she had average talent as a magician and incredible talent as a warrior. She was called the blood princess due to her red eyes and pure bloodline that resulted in her warrior talent. Her nickname took on a different meaning 2 years ago when she started hunting down monsters in the name of justice. She enjoyed hunting down monsters to the point where the Adventurer Guild requested her to stop hunting low-class monsters so other adventurers could make a living. When she was unable to hunt monsters of her level, she started hunting down criminals with her guards.

Her sense of justice and attitude made her loved among the military but made nobles afraid of her. I echoed the sentiment of the nobles, anyone would be hesitant when a princess like that talks to you. Although she was being pursued by a few nobles of different countries, the king wanted to keep her talents within the country, giving him a difficult problem to solve.

As I was thinking about what I should say, I heard the tapping intensify.
I decided to break the ice and greeted her, "Hello Princess Ailsa, to what may I owe this pleasure."

The tapping sound increased in speed, "Cease the formalities, what is your purpose for coming here."

"My purpose?"

"A child under 10, incapable in both magic and ki, who is friends with prisoners, managed to gain access to an auction that will be selling grimoires and martial arts manuals. Who sent you here to buy what."

No wonder the nobles were afraid of her, this personality is scary. Before I could say anything, she continued.

"If you confess, I promise you will not be punished harshly."

I wondered what I should say so that I can end this farce. I decided to just tell her the truth and hope for the best.

"I was attending the auction for entertainment, I planned to leave before the main items were being auctioned."

This was true, the prisoners told me not to stick around for the books because the auction would increase in danger.

It didn't seem like the princess agreed with me, she slammed her hand on the table and spoke with a lower tone, "Refusing to answer me? Saven, take him out of here and put him in jail for major criminals. He'll talk just like all the other nobles did."

I was speechless, she did this to other people as well? No wonder they feared her, she's a tyrant. However, I wasn't worried, this was the Information Guild, and I was sure that they would prevent people from being outright arrested here. At least, that was what I thought till the guard name Saven held on to me, and teleported us out of the guild.

By the time I realized what happened, I was already being taken to jail. Sensing my confusion, Saven explained "It was a space mage spell called blink. The Information Guild won't help you, as long as you follow me I promise not to hurt you."

I didn't really have a choice, so I just followed him to jail.

When we arrived at the jail, I couldn't help but ask, "Are you really sending me to jail, if I confess now would you let me go?"

He just wryly smiled and said "Sorry, princess's orders, I also wouldn't recommend 'confessing' right now. The last time that happened, well that poor kid is still in jail. I would advise you to lay low and wait for your family to bail you out."

"Would they really bail me out?"

"... I'm sorry I recognized you."

"If you're really sorry, hold on to my big silvers and return then when I'm
acquitted." I handed him the two big silvers I brought with me.

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Did you imprison me?"

"Haha, you're a good kid, I'll try my best to help you out."

Although he said that, he still handed me over to the prison wardens.

I did say I wanted to visit this prison in the past, but I didn't mean from the inside.