episode_0155

Chapter 155 – Auction

“Your admission ticket has been verified. Please proceed inside.”

Receiving the ticket back from the gatekeeper, Deborah and I entered the secret auction house.

We were currently wearing half-masks, covering half of our faces. If you were to ask why half-masks, it was to intentionally expose our features.

This way, no matter what problems arose, our true identities wouldn’t be suspected.

Just by looking at our exposed lower faces, our appearance was drastically different from our original selves, so how could anyone figure out our identities?

*Creak!*

As the door opened, the opulent interior came into view.

Beneath brilliant chandeliers, dazzling lights shattered and poured down, and countless people were scattered throughout the vast auction hall, conversing.

Every single one of them exuded an air of nobility.

Even though they wore masks, it felt as if they already knew each other’s identities.

Just then, they saw us.

They tilted their heads in puzzlement at our clearly foreign appearance, then straightened their heads as if deciding to lose interest.

I searched for the seats written on the ticket.

“This way.”

“Ah, yes! Honey.”

Deborah called out with the promised endearment and followed closely behind me.

We had decided to act as a young couple.

Though the possibility was low, every item at this auction was beyond imagination. Sometimes, someone’s greed would lead them to assault the winning bidder.

My head already ached because of the possessed, and I couldn’t afford to get involved with such people.

It was wiser to hide ourselves as thoroughly as possible.

We sat and waited, and it wasn’t long before the auction began.

[Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. I am Martha, and I will be conducting this auction. I look forward to your cooperation.]

A man presumed to be in his thirties, also masked like us, introduced himself.

The auctioneer briefly praised the esteemed guests and the auction itself, flattering the merchant guilds and attendees, then soon began the auction.

[Now, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Let’s see the first auction item!]

With a signal, another masked individual pushed a tray to the center and left it.

As the cloth was removed, a beautiful necklace embedded with blue jewels appeared.

[Do you see it? This noble form! This is an artifact called Idra’s Tears. In the form of a necklace, it contains the blessing of Elquines, the Spirit King of Water, allowing you to summon water spirits. We will begin the bidding at 1000 gold!]

As soon as the auctioneer announced the start, the bidding price began to rise wildly.

Before a minute had passed, it broke 10,000 gold.

‘I do covet that….’

Water is what humans need most for survival. With that, basic survival could be guaranteed even in isolated situations.

Of course, it was also obvious that it would be helpful in combat.

‘I’ll pass.’

But it didn’t really suit me.

In fact, even if I were isolated, I could just use the water I had stockpiled in my sub-dimensional pouch, and combat-wise, it was too difficult to combine with my style.

There were plenty of other things, so there was no reason to cling to that one.

[Alright, we have 36,000 gold. Any more bids? If not, Idra’s Tears will be awarded to bidder number 36!]

Finally, the successful bidder was determined, and Idra’s Tears, covered once more with cloth, was removed from the stage.

As if crossing paths with it, another tray was brought onto the stage.

A few more auction items passed by in that manner, and finally, the item I desired appeared.

It was a golden censer.

Though old, the censer still maintained its brilliant color and sat majestically.

[This censer is an artifact called the Supplicant’s Wish. Its effect is incredible! It is said to evenly distribute the user’s power! A mage can gain a powerful body like a warrior! And a warrior can possess deep magic like a mage.]

This is why I coveted the censer.

‘Rape Declaration’ is a very powerful skill, but it has the disadvantage of only amplifying physical strength.

I had managed well enough until now, but the imbalance between physical strength and other stats had caused inconvenience more than once or twice.

But what if I had that censer?

Then, by evenly distributing physical strength to other stats, I could regain stability.

Of course, it wasn’t without its downsides.

If stats were evenly distributed, it would be almost impossible to create a one-shot reversal against powerful enemies as I had until now.

It meant hoping for a lucky break would be difficult.

‘Well, when that happens, I just wouldn’t use the censer.’

The difference between having a choice and not having one was stark.

[Then, we will begin the bidding at 1000 gold!]

While I was lost in thought about the censer, the auction began.

I immediately raised my bid paddle.

“Ten thousand gold.”

Unlike the other auction items that slowly rose in price, I inflated the price tenfold in one go.

This would naturally make people hesitate.

Even with discussions already ongoing about the censer’s functions, if one person acted so crazy, others would naturally be reluctant to follow.

In the end, the auction concluded blandly.

[No more bids? Then, the Supplicant’s Wish will be awarded to bidder number 24. Congratulations!]

It was a somewhat anticlimactic result, but in truth, without ‘Rape Declaration’, the censer was nothing but a white elephant.

It would only be used a few times out of curiosity, and even an emperor wouldn’t spend 10,000 gold for that.

‘I’ve secured one for now.’

I could pick up the censer later; all that remained was deciding where to spend Deborah’s money.

Just then, the likely candidate appeared.

[Alright, the atmosphere is just right, so it’s time for the highlight of this auction. Next item, please!]

*Thud! Thud!*

As if to prove it was the highlight, the item was covered by a magnificent red cloth.

When it was removed, a bracelet intricately carved with geometric patterns was revealed.

[Behold! This is an artifact personally crafted by the great Archmage Krak, who achieved transcendence in ancient times: the Ring of Future Usurpation. It possesses the ability to gather all information in the world in real-time and glimpse the near future. Bidding will start at 10,000 gold!]

Unlike other artifacts, its value was clearly different; it began ominously from the start.

Indeed, being able to glimpse the future, however imperfectly, was a tremendous advantage.

But I didn’t need it.

Because next to me was a prophet far more accurate and reliable than that mere ring.

Thinking this, Deborah’s precognition suddenly felt truly extraordinary to me.

I stared intently at her.

“What’s wrong? Are you perhaps going to buy that?”

“No. I just looked because you’re pretty.”

“*Gasp…!*”

Having lightly flirted in response to Deborah’s question, I refocused on the auction.

Before long, the auction’s fervor reached its peak.

[Oh! Fifty thousand! Fifty-five thousand! Sixty thousand! It continues to rise!]

Two people were competing.

A pot-bellied old man and a lavishly adorned noblewoman. They were Marquis Usman of the East and Marquise Parzan of the South, respectively.

The two continued their momentum, as if unwilling to yield, all the way to 100,000 gold.

And finally, the moment Marquis Usman faltered.

*Boom!*

A wave of magic swept through my body, and the lights exploded simultaneously, plunging the auction hall into darkness.

A lingering shadow swept across the stage within it.

After a momentary commotion, when the emergency lights came on, the Ring of Future Usurpation was already gone.

“Ah, no! The ring!”

“What in the world happened!”

“Damn it! My ring!”

The participants, flustered by the sudden incident, gasped in shock.

Marquis Usman’s wail was particularly loud.

‘That’s a shame.’

I didn’t know what he intended to use it for, but he must have been quite desperate.

It was unfortunate, but it had nothing to do with me, so I didn’t care.

However, something happened that instantly overturned my thoughts.

The staff member who had been pushing the trays and bringing items up earlier rushed onto the stage and whispered to the auctioneer:

-“Uh, what do we do? The next item we had ready is also gone!”

-“Gone?”

-“Yes. It seems they took that with them while stealing the ring.”

The sound wasn’t clear, but my sharp eyesight allowed me to infer the conversation just from their lip movements.

“No, damn it, my artifact!!”

The item that was supposed to come after the ring was the one I had my eye on. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t mine, but the sense of deprivation was indescribable.

I forced myself to push away the agitation and recalled the silhouette I had seen earlier.

‘It wasn’t incredibly fast.’

My dynamic vision could follow it for a brief moment even in the dark, so its level wasn’t that high.

Yet, despite that, the fact that it stole the items in an instant and escaped without being caught by the guards meant it possessed a special ability.

And if I narrowed down the individuals capable of such a feat, only one person remained.

‘Pernia!’

It could only be that cat burglar.

I didn’t know the exact mechanism of her ability, but if magic allowed, she could move perfectly without leaving a trace.

It was clear where she would go.

I thought of the optimal route from the auction house back to the academy.

I looked at Deborah.

“Deborah. Pernia ran off with the item.”

“Pernia?”

“Yeah. She’s probably heading to the academy.”

“What should I do?”

“Go to this place. Contact me immediately if you see her there. Understood?”

“Yes! Hurry!”

Deborah, surprised by my sudden information, quickly headed to the location I told her.

Her prioritizing my instructions over her own curiosity was truly adorable.

I briefly gazed at her retreating figure, then, confident that she wouldn’t be harmed by Pernia, I moved to the remaining route.

How much time had passed since leaving the auction house?

I found Pernia in a deserted warehouse district.

She seemed to think she had completely shaken off pursuit, as she was casually walking while experimenting with the Ring of Future Usurpation.

That was truly infuriating.

‘You’re dead.’

How dare she steal my item?

Having changed my mask, I signaled Deborah and then immediately descended in front of Pernia.

*Thud!*

The ground caved in, and dust billowed up.

Raising my head, my eyes met Pernia’s, who was awkwardly frozen.

“You…!”

“Hand over the artifact.”

If she handed it over obediently, I was willing to let her off.

But sure enough, Pernia pulled out not the artifact, but her Gale.

“How dare you appear before me? Die!”

*Swish!*

As Gale was swung, a wind slash shot out.

I threw my body aside, and the slash carved a long furrow in the ground before disappearing behind me.

It seemed like conversation wouldn’t work.

Given this situation, it seemed best to end it quickly.

“Don’t resent me.”

“What nonsense! Just die!”

Seeing her charge directly this time, I declared to her.

“I will violate you.”

Immense power surged through my entire body.

In the instant I adapted to that power, Pernia’s feet, which had been savagely charging, stopped as if by magic.

The corners of her mouth curved into an arc.

“You used it, didn’t you?”

“…What?”

“You have a penalty for that, don’t you?”

“……”

“Right. I knew it. Go screw yourself!”

*Whoosh!*

Pernia used her usual skill and vanished as if washed away.

And she didn’t reappear even after 10 seconds.

Only then did I realize.

“That bitch!”

Pernia had escaped.