Stelluna Household.

  Though their noble title was merely that of a Count, the Stelluna family’s influence extended far beyond what the title implied. They governed just two towns, Selini and Stellar, but the scale of each was immense. Each of their so-called “towns” rivaled four ordinary ones in both size and infrastructure. In truth, they were cities in all but name, yet the Stelluna family had never bothered with the bureaucracy required to officially elevate their status.

  Their wealth, too, was an anomaly. While their landholdings were comparable to those of a Marquis, their gold vaults told a different story, holding no more than what might be expected of a Viscount or even a wealthy Baron.

  This wasn’t due to mismanagement, but by design. The Stelluna family rarely let gold sit idle. They poured it into assets like treasures, lavish mansions scattered across distant nations, and aggressive expansions of their territory.

  Those investments had accumulated over generations.

  Beyond Selini and Stellar, the Stellunas owned over fifty grand mansions, more than a hundred mid-sized estates, and upwards of five hundred smaller homes, each sprawling and filled with rooms. Yet for all their grandeur, all of these properties sat empty, silent halls tended only by part-time staff when needed.

  Even their knights were treated with quiet pride. Rather than lodging in common inns, the Stelluna knights, whether on duty or enjoying leave, were offered residence in these “modest” houses, a quiet luxury extended to those who served them.

  So when Lyra decided to sell off these holdings to settle the family’s crushing debt, she didn’t even need to touch the gold in the vault.

  All she had to do was passed over stacks of estate certificates, deeds signed and sealed.

  It was the merchant, in fact, who paid her in gold, eagerly claiming ownership of properties he had no idea would soon stand in ruin.

  However… That gold vanished almost as swiftly as it arrived.

  Lyra spent it without hesitation, hiring mercenaries from across the kingdom.

  Her only conditions are that they must be at least C-Rank, and they must stay until the end of the month.

  She placed no limit on the number she would recruit.

  To sweeten the offer, she promised a full gold coin per day, regardless of whether they fought or not.

  And words spread like wildfire.

  Within days, mercenaries flooded into Selini and Stellar, their ranks swelling with warriors hungry for coins. With Lyra’s ironclad assurance of a battle bonus should monsters appear, few had any intention of fleeing when danger arrived.

  In a single week, the twin towns were fortified with over two thousand mercenaries, ranging from seasoned C-Ranks to formidable B-Ranks. Two A-Rank veterans were appointed to oversee command, one in each town, ready to lead if battle came.

  Rumors rippled across the kingdom, whispers of war stirring in noble courts and merchant halls alike.

  “Was Stelluna preparing for rebellion?”

  Lyra’s response was measured, wrapped in the dignity of a proper noble.

  “It is only right for Stelluna to protect its people, be it through knights or mercenaries.”

  The townsfolk, however, needed no convincing. They saw her efforts firsthand. Especially in Stellar, where monster attacks were an annual concern, the sudden presence of a standing force was a welcome relief.

  For them, Lyra had become more than their lady.

  She was their shield.

  She went further still. Dozens of large inns were swiftly constructed in both towns to house the influx of mercenaries, and many of Stelluna’s existing smaller homes were repurposed to accommodate them as well.

  Though few in number, the old smithies and apothecaries were torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. In their place rose two vast structures in each town, one smithy and one apothecary, large enough to support a small army. The craftsmen and alchemists who took residence there received full backing from Lyra herself, including material supplies and generous tax cuts.

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  Word of this spread beyond the region, attracting skilled blacksmiths and alchemists from across the kingdom. They came in droves, lured by the promise of resources and stability in a world teetering on the edge of collapse they didn’t even know about.

  What they didn’t know was the true purpose behind Lyra’s preparations.

  Those inns, those shops, they weren’t merely for the mercenaries or the townsfolk.

  They were for the saviors.

  Players, as Cryssa had called them, those prophesied to appear within weeks, bringing hope, change, and chaos in equal measure.

  Lyra didn’t know their faces, nor could she be certain of when or how they would arrive. But she trusted the storm was coming. Even without the detailed prophecies of Cryssa and Ayla, her instincts had already told her that wealth was on the horizon.

  And she was ready.

  Even if the month closed with the sheer scale of their investment weighing heavily, Selini and Stellar would soon become the family’s true golden vaults. Not only coin, equipment, and potion, but also of power, opportunity, and survival.

  Lyra had gambled everything.

  And she intended to win.

  On the other side of the estate, true to her bold declaration, Cryssa Stelluna had begun training herself in swordsmanship and stamina. With no instructor to guide her, she turned to the shelves of the Stelluna family library, learning the basics from dusty books and hand-inked manuals. She practiced aura control, mimicked stances, and pushed her physical body beyond its limits.

  “Stop!”

  A bright, squeaky voice came.

  Cryssa halted mid-sprint, chest heaving as she dropped onto the polished floor of the vast training hall. Her breath came in gasps, sweat glistening along her brow.

  Little Roxy dashed up to her, holding a stopwatch in both hands, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Her soft golden curls bounced with each step, and her bright blue eyes sparkled like twin sapphires.

  “Wow, Aunty! You got a new record again!”

  She beamed, her voice laced with pride and innocence.

  “Really?”

  Cryssa looked up, a flicker of disbelief in her expression.

  “Un! It’s... umm…”

  Roxy slipped the stopwatch into her pocket and began counting on her tiny fingers, her lips moving with exaggerated concentration.

  “It’s ten seconds faster than yesterday! Here!”

  She eagerly held out the stopwatch, her small hands barely able to wrap around it. Cryssa took it, glanced at the numbers, and smiled.

  “You’re right. My little Roxy has gotten clever, just like your mother.”

  “Ehehe~!”

  Roxy giggled, tilting her head shyly as she basked in the praise.

  Her giggle was a melody, brightening the air around her.

  Since Cryssa had begun her training, Roxy’s expression had become more radiant each day. Not because she understood her aunt’s determination to become a proper knight, but because she finally got to spend time with her again.

  To Roxy, it wasn’t training, but it was playtime.

  She would accompany Cryssa around the hall, counting laps with careful precision, learning to tell time, and even practicing basic arithmetic through their makeshift games.

  Sometimes, Roxy would enthusiastically join in, running small laps, attempting push-ups, or gripping a little wooden sword with her tiny hands, mimicking Cryssa’s movements with serious concentration.

  As the sun began its descent, golden light spilled through the tall windows of the hall, casting a warm glow across the marble floor. Roxy’s hair shimmered like strands of sunlight, while Cryssa’s silver locks glinted like moonlight. For a brief moment, the two looked like day and night standing side by side.

  Then, a familiar voice echoed from the doorway.

  “You’ve done your training for today?”

  Lyra entered the hall, her presence graceful and commanding. The long coat she wore swayed with her steps.

  “Mama!”

  Roxy squealed with delight and sprinted toward her.

  Lyra bent down just in time to scoop her up, lifting the little girl into her arms. Roxy wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, laughing joyfully.

  “Mama! Aunty ran faster! Ten seconds faster than yesterday!”

  “Oh? Did my Roxy count that all by herself?”

  “Un!”

  “My smart girl.”

  Lyra rubbed her cheek against Roxy’s round face.

  “Ehehe~!”

  Another sweet giggle escaped Roxy’s lips.

  Lyra turned her gaze toward Cryssa, her expression shifting slightly, more serious now.

  “The auction will start in a few hours. You can go when you’re ready.”

  “Okay.”

  Cryssa straightened up and brushed her damp hair back.

  “I’ll change first.”

  Despite the presence of thousands of mercenaries now stationed in their towns, not one stood guard near these three.

  Lyra didn’t trust anyone else to protect them.

  Not when it mattered most.

  And so, the auction had become her only option.

  Not for relics.

  Not for elixirs.

  But… for slaves…

  The kind who couldn’t disobey their master’s orders.

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