Under the dim lighting, the beastman auction house was filled with the gazes of people and a low murmur.

Inside the iron bars, beastmen of all kinds sat in a row, each wearing a numbered tag and a cold collar around their neck. Some beastmen hung their heads as if they had resigned themselves, while others growled and remained wary until the end.

A host stepped up onto the stage. Wearing a practiced smile, he clapped his hands to draw the crowd's attention.

"Now, next is our final item for today. He's a dog beastman who isn't easy to tame, but his physical abilities are top-tier."

"He's a rough one, difficult to handle—so much so that his adoption has been canceled several times. But if trained properly, he will make an excellent guard dog."

The moment the cloth was pulled away, a dog beastman with orange ears and a tail was revealed. Akito sat with his head bowed, bound by chains. Faint, old scars remained on his wrists and ankles, and his ears drooped further as the crowd's eyes poured over him.

"The starting bid begins at this price! Come, let the bidding begin!"

Number paddles went up here and there.

However, most were just curious. When Akito raised his eyes once to look at the crowd, several people immediately shook their heads and lowered their paddles. The bidding price gradually dwindled, and soon, the room went quiet.

At that moment, Toya, who was sitting at the back of the audience, slowly raised his paddle. The host shouted with a bright smile.

"Excellent! Anyone else? No one?"

A brief silence followed. No one else raised a paddle. And as the countdown ended—

"Going three times! Sold!"

The sound of heavy iron chains being unlocked echoed through the room.

The staff tried to pull Akito up roughly, but Toya quietly reached out his hand and approached him directly. He didn't pull him by force, nor did he tug hard on the collar.

He simply waited for a moment, meeting Akito at eye level.

Akito looked up at Toya with wary eyes. He thought this was just another owner. He believed this man would be no different from the people he had met so far—that he would eventually use him and throw him away.

And yet, strangely, Toya did not rush him. That silence felt even more unfamiliar. After a long while, Akito slowly opened his mouth.

"...There are plenty of beastmen more docile than me, and plenty more who listen better."