Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1616: Before the Auction

”Move the table one to the right, align it with the centre line, and add a few more fresh flowers and chilled drinks.”

Rosavere’s voice carried a crisp, controlled authority as servants adjusted the arrangement under her strict supervision, their hands quick yet careful as polished wood scraped softly against marble.

She refused to allow even the slightest imperfection to tarnish the impression before the Rulers.

After all, this marked the first time in Rosavere history that five rulers would gather in one place for an auction, not through emissaries or... veiled proxies, but in person, under a single roof.

And the mastermind of such an unprecedented convergence was Amara Rosavere... a woman whose calculated decisions had carved her name into the world with quiet, undeniable force.

”Madam, are you certain about this arrangement? Hosting all of them here without a layered security perimeter...” Penelope, Rosavere’s secretary, asked while holding a stack of auction ledgers and sealed documents against her chest.

Her fingers tightened around the parchment edges as her gaze swept across the grand hall, where chandeliers spilled warm light over velvet-draped tables and rows of reserved seating.

It was her first time facing not one, but five rulers of entire Empires in a single assembly.

Honestly, she never thought... a nobody like her would meet the rulers of the Empires?

Really?

Penelope’s breath came shallow, her composure barely holding as unease pressed against her ribs.

One misstep, one unforeseen shift, and everything could collapse into chaos... and they would be the first to fall with it.

Rosavere glanced at her, noting the subtle tremor that Penelope tried to suppress.

Yet beneath that anxiety, there was something else... a return to awareness, to fear... to life?

Rosavere found it faintly surprising how much Mr. Lackey had changed her.

Only days ago, Penelope had stood at the edge of death. Now, she feared the outcome... feared losing what she had only just begun to value.

’Love is really something else ahaha... how ironic,’ Rosavere mused inwardly, a faint curve touching her lips before it vanished.

She spoke aloud, ”There is nothing to worry about. Even if the auction falters, nothing will happen to us. Still... I would prefer the proceedings to unfold without disruption.”

Penelope hesitated before releasing a quiet breath and nodding in reluctant agreement.

Just then,

”Stop. I gave clear instructions not to disturb that table, did I not?”

Rosavere’s sharp command cut through the hall as her gaze locked onto a pair of servants lifting the soft cushion from the central chair.

The surrounding attendants froze mid-motion, too.

”I-I apologise, Madam... there was d-dust beneath it,” the servant stammered.

Rosavere’s eyes narrowed, ”Then remove it properly, clean it completely, No... Bring a new one!”

The servant nodded rapidly, nearly stumbling over himself as he hurried to comply.

Penelope stepped forward cautiously as her gaze lingered on that particular table, adorned far more lavishly than the others.

”Madam... may I ask why that table is arranged differently from the rest?”

Her voice remained respectful, but her eyes traced every detail: the abundance of fresh flowers arranged with deliberate symmetry, crystal glasses filled with different juices, the softness of the cushions, and even the added support beneath the seating.

It stood apart, unmistakably reserved for someone higher than others.

Weren’t all guests meant to be treated equally within such a gathering?

Would such a visible preference not provoke dissatisfaction among rulers who commanded the entire Empire?

Could this not disturb the balance before the bidding even began?

The questions pressed against her thoughts until Rosavere’s gaze shifted towards her... as if saying... ’Don’t overstep’

Penelope immediately lowered her head, stepping back as she adjusted the documents in her hands, flipping through them with unnecessary focus to mask her unprofessionalism.

Rosavere turned her attention back to the table, her eyes resting on it with an unreadable stillness.

The glow of the chandeliers reflected softly across the polished surface, catching in the glassware and petals, yet her gaze did not move.

For a moment, she simply observed, as if measuring something far beyond what lay before her... her thoughts hidden behind a calm exterior that revealed nothing.

”Hmm...”

”What is it?” Rosavere asked, catching the faint hesitation in Penelope’s presence without turning back.

”Didn’t Empires close the teleportation routes for the Void Empire?” Penelope asked, her brows knitting as she scanned the documents again, her fingers pausing over a list that clearly bore a name from the Void Empire.

She lifted her gaze, ”And... do they even need artifacts? I heard they still retain their powers within their territory, don’t they?”

Rosavere’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk, the kind that carried more calculation than amusement.

”So you don’t understand how this works yet, do you?” she said.

She took a slow step forward, ”Let me make it simple for you. When it comes to an auction attended by Rulers, you bring the one presence everyone resents.”

Her eyes flicked toward the distant entrance of the hall, as if already picturing the reactions to come.

”It raises the stakes without us lifting a finger. Tension sharpens interest, and interest inflates... value. The moment that individual steps into the room, every bid becomes more than a transaction... it becomes a statement.”

Her expression shifted, a colder edge slipping into place.

”And who said power alone is enough? Even if they still hold their abilities within their Empire, that does not mean they can withstand those metal monsters.”

She paused briefly, ”The information I received suggests their losses were far worse than any other Empire’s—”

”Amara!!”

The sharp, aged voice cut cleanly through the chamber.

Rosavere’s expression tightened into a faint frown as she turned her head.

An old man approached, his steps firm despite his age. Behind him walked a well-dressed young man, his posture straight, his expression composed yet unmistakably haughty, as though the entire hall existed merely as his backdrop.

”Tsk.”

The sound slipped from Rosavere’s tongue, her irritation barely concealed as she watched them close the distance.

The old man, Julian, let out a cold snort as he stopped in front of her.

”Do not ’tsk’ at me,” he said with authority and restrained fury.

Rosavere folded her arms beneath her chest, her gaze drifting past him rather than meeting his eyes.

”What brings you here, Grandfather?”

Her tone held neither warmth nor hostility, only a distant indifference.

Julian noticed it immediately.

She wasn’t looking at him... As if his presence held no weight unless others were there to witness it.

”Why did you not invite your fiancé?” he asked.

That question drew Rosavere’s gaze briefly toward the handsome man standing behind him.

The young man remained still, almost detached, as though the matter did not concern him at all.

Julian continued,

”Look at me when I speak to you.

How dare you exclude your fiancé from an event of this magnitude?

You stand here hosting a gathering of the Five Rulers, and yet you leave out the very man who is to stand beside you in the future.”

His hand gestured sharply toward the hall around them.

”As your future husband, he should be present. He should witness what you are about to achieve and—”

”Or he could use this opportunity to expand his own business interests?” Rosavere interrupted.

She shifted her stance slightly, finally letting her gaze settle forward, though it still did not fully meet his.

”Grandfather, I do as I please because this is my work. Every inch of this has been built by me and... I worked my butt off to reach this place!” she said, each word measured and firm.

”No one handed it to me. No one fed it to me.

I. earned. it!”

Her eyes flicked toward the young man again, this time with open disdain.

”And I have no intention of handing it over to someone who believes he can leech off a woman’s effort—”

Slap!

The sharp sound cracked through the chamber.

The servants froze, and Penelope instinctively stepped back.

Julian’s hand remained raised for a second before lowering slowly, his expression hardened.

”When did you become so ungrateful?” he demanded, his voice trembling with anger held too tightly for too long.

”You dare raise your voice against me?”

He took a step closer, his gaze burning into her.

”If not for me, you would not even be standing here speaking like this.

Is this how you repay what I have done for you?”

”I took you in when you were nothing but a useless child. You could not even meet your parents’ expectations. You cried, you broke, you had nothing... A Nobody!”

His finger pointed toward her.

”And yet I made you into who you are today.

I gave you everything you stand on now.

Without me, your own parents would have cast you aside for your worthlessness.”

”And now... you dare speak back to me like this, young lady?”

”...”

Rosavere remained silent, her fingers slowly rising to touch the sting on her left cheek. The faint redness lingered beneath her skin, yet her expression did not crack.

Her eyes stayed distant, unreadable, as she looked at her grandfather before speaking coldly,

”Do as you wish.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

Julian let out a sharp snort, his chin lifting with rigid pride.

”Of course I will. This company is still mine... and as long as I live, nobody... no one takes it from me.”

He turned toward the handsome man beside him.

Just moments ago, the man’s face had been lit with restrained satisfaction, but it shifted quickly, his expression tightening into sadness.

Julian’s tone softened as he addressed him. ”There is no need to concern yourself, Mr. Henry. She is merely passing through a rebellious phase. Once she understands your capabilities, she will come to appreciate you.”

Henry offered a faint, strained smile as he placed a hand lightly over his chest. ”I hope so... seeing her like this... it pains me.”

Julian’s expression eased further, almost sympathetic, as he exhaled slowly.

”How could she fail to recognise your sincerity?” he said, shaking his head with quiet disapproval.

”These days, the younger generation becomes easily distracted, drawn toward fleeting emotions and... misguided attachments.”

His gaze drifted toward the doorway Rosavere had passed through, the faint echo of her footsteps already gone.

’I hope she realises it soon... otherwise, she will bring ruin upon herself... and upon this company as well.’

Meanwhile, Rosavere moved through the corridor, the grand noise of the hall fading behind her into distant silence.

The hallway stretched long and empty.

Her steps slowed.

The strong composure she carried moments ago began to fracture in the quiet.

Her legs trembled, the strength beneath them faltering before she could steady herself. Her hand reached out instinctively, pressing against the cold wall as her body gave in.

She slid down slowly, collapsing into a crouch as though an unseen weight had settled over her shoulders, pressing her down.

”Ha...”

A tired breath escaped her. Her fingers curled tightly as she pulled her knees closer, her forehead nearly touching them.

For several moments, she remained like that... her breathing the only sign of life in the still corridor.

Then, slowly, she lifted her head.

Darkness lingered in her eyes, veins faintly visible against the whites. Strands of her pink hair fell across her face, partially veiling her features as shadows gathered beneath her eyes.

Her lips parted slightly as she spoke,

”I really wish... everything would just be destroyed.”

***

Outside the company, a lone figure stood still for a moment. Dressed in a fitted black suit, the hood covering their head cast their face into shadow.

They lifted their gaze toward the building, observing it briefly before stepping forward.

The reception area buzzed faintly with quiet activity, but the moment the figure approached, that rhythm faltered.

The receptionist stiffened.

”W-What do you need... Miss?” she asked, her voice betraying a slight tremor despite her effort to remain professional.

The figure spoke calmly,

”I am here on behalf of Mr. Lackey. Please inform your CEO”