Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 75
Inside the auction house was a spacious room.
A room decorated with all sorts of jewels, gold, and artifacts.
At a glance, it was clearly the office where the auction house owner handled business and received important clients.
If they'd called me to a place like this, it had to be the owner of the auction house.
Thud.
I sat in what looked like a guest chair, propping my chin on my right hand as I waited for the person to sit across from me.
About a minute later.
Panting footsteps rushed toward the door from outside.
Ssshh. The door slid open, and a middle-aged man entered, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He immediately flopped into the seat across from me and spoke.
"Haha, I'm a bit late. I never imagined I'd have the honor of meeting the esteemed parent of the noble foxes, living as I do in the underground shadows. And to have you here in my very office, no less. As the manager of the Jongno Underground Auction House, it's truly an honor."
"I don't mind flattery, but you're laying it on too thick. Just treat me normally."
"Ah, in that case, I'll address you with the respect and reverence you deserve, Baek Family Head."
He'd invited me himself, but he clearly hadn't expected me to arrive so quickly, as he kept wiping away the sweat streaming down his face.
He apologized for his tardiness and showered me with more flattery.
This guy knew how to navigate social situations.
He had a real talent for flattering just enough to avoid making anyone uncomfortable or annoyed. He even glossed over his own lateness with it seamlessly.
A fitting skill for the manager of an illegal underground auction house.
His talents piqued my interest, but there was a more pressing topic, so I cut off his flattery.
"Honestly, your skin is just flawless."
"Manager, shall we get down to business?"
"Ah, yes. Of course, Baek Family Head. Would it be all right if I had an attendant bring you some tea...?"
"No, I don't plan to chat for long."
There wasn't much value in prolonging a conversation with the manager.
The reason he'd called me here was probably nothing major anyway.
And building connections with him wouldn't help me down the line.
Exchanging a few words was the most courtesy I could muster.
"Ah, I see. I was worried about holding up someone as busy as you."
"So, what's this about?"
"Well, Baek Family Head, didn't you thwart that attack on the academy last time? With your experience, I was hoping for your insights."
The "last time" referred to the incident at the academy.
The "Mage Killer," an international criminal collaborating with the demons, and the thousands of monsters under his command. Their backers were undoubtedly the demon group .
That was the info from the Player Association.
The Association had used the incident as an opportunity to team up with major guilds and wipe out demons across the board, smashing their branches everywhere.
I'd thought they'd crushed nearly all of them, but was poking its head out again without a care.
"Actually, before coming here, I'd been interrogating my attendants."
"And? The results?"
"Five of them were collaborating with those things. We've confirmed they leaked auction item details and even passed on the guest list for this event."
"I can guess about the items, but the guest list? No idea."
The reason the demons were after the auction items.
It had to be one of their schemes to gather "ransom" money to free the nobles trapped on that island.
Come to think of it, the nobles were about to enter the scenario soon.
From here on, I'd have to push myself even harder. Objectively, my growth was fast, but it still wasn't enough for me.
At this pace, I couldn't guarantee how many lives I could save in the next episode.
The next episode was the protagonist's first trial after awakening: battling the freed Pandemonium baron "Belial." I remembered one professor and three TAs dying in the process, plus several civilian casualties.
"As for the guest list, we have our suspicions. They targeted rich folks, figured out their fields and positions, and planned to swallow up their influence bit by bit after killing them to make a comeback."
"...Makes sense. Especially since the joint Association-guild operation has nearly wiped demons out across Asia."
"But those cunning bastards wouldn't stop there."
"Of course not."
After the Chilseong Academy raid with Yuren and thousands of monsters failed, the demons sought new ways to rebound.
And the plan they came up with: siphoning off the wealthy's interests little by little and leeching onto them.
Which would ultimately give them...
"Probably... economic chaos. This country's economy would shake the hardest."
"Chaos in the South Korean economy. Very on-brand for ."
"Yes. If tycoons from around the world drop dead, their companies and ventures will wobble, sparking succession issues and all sorts of problems. They might even pin it on South Korea."
"...And they'd definitely blame our auction house. You owe me your life, Manager."
Most of the people gathered at today's auction were established figures in politics, business, or their own niches.
If a bunch of them got massacred in one go?
It'd throw leadership in every sector into disarray, and the country and venue where it happened would face global backlash and responsibility. That much was guaranteed.
The manager wiped cold sweat from his brow, as if just imagining it gave him a headache.
With his handkerchief still pressed to his forehead, he closed his eyes for a moment.
Whatever he was pondering, when he opened them again, he stood, bowed his head to me, and said,
"The more I think about it, the more grateful I am to you and the students, Baek Family Head. One misstep, and not only my life but my kids' futuresones not even herecould've been doomed. How could I not bow?"
He kept his head lowered as he continued.
"I may handle illegal money and goods in the underground, but dealing with big sums means I know exactly how to act in a situation like this. As thanks for your hard work, I'd like to gift you and the students one item each from the upcoming auctionanything S-grade or below at appraised value. Please accept."
His expression deadly serious, he bowed deeply and handed me a key.
"It opens the warehouse door on Basement Level 2. If you could escort the students there on your way out and let them pick one each, I'd be grateful."
"...S-grade or below? That's at least hundreds of millions per item."
"It's just a fraction of what I handle. Can't compare to my life and reputation. Especially since you saved us from that terrifying demon just by being there, Baek Family Head. Just take it."
The manager smiled as he placed the key in my hand.
They say even a smiling face doesn't spit, but there was one thing in his words I had to correct.
The Dorudo I'd faced.
He wasn't even that strong in . If they ranked by raw power, he'd be in the low hundreds.
Single- or double-digit ranks? A whole different league.
Especially the seventy-two nobles.
I need names for the villain group's executives. A lot of them.
What, want me to help name them?
How about basing them on your squad, White Sword Corps? Need exactly seventy-two, matches your unit size.
Why ask me? Ask them.
Already did. They're fine as long as you approve. Eol, Seung-woo, your subordinates love you too much.
Shut it. If they're okay, use them. And it's not loveit's respect for their commander. Don't add weird fluff to the lore.
If the nobles were really modeled after my old subordinates.
I'd stand zero chance.
Even discussing odds would be laughable.
Who puts ants on the same level as dinosaurs?
That was the gap between me now and them.
A gap mere sharp senses and vast mana couldn't bridge.
I mulled over my own powerlessness once more, lost in thought. Standing to leave, the manager saw me off. He waved and said,
"Oh, right. When transporting the killing stone from the basement, there was a jade ring brought along. Might be worth a look if you're curious. I'm no expert on nine-tails, so I saw no value in it, but you might, Baek Family Head."
* * *
"I like this one!"
"Another sword? I heard you commissioned one from old man Guya too."
"Swords get better the more you use 'em! Want one, Teach?"
"I've got my Thousandfold Luck Blade already. I'm good."
"Aha!"
Jongno Auction House Basement Level 2, item storage warehouse.
Inside, Seong Yeon-hwa waved a sword made of blue mana stones.
She seemed quite taken with it.
No surprisethe warehouse had plenty of usable stuff.
Not as good as what I'd bought, but with them giving it away free, there were so many gems it was fun just browsing.
But Seong Yeon-hwa picked the blue sword right away, no hesitation.
A quick glance showed it was S-grade with excellent mana conductivity.
Her speech was a bit rough, but she had an eye for swords.
As her teacher, honestly, I'd rather she put that effort into Korean studies.
Once she finished, I turned to No Yu-ra.
No Yu-ra stared at the piled weapons in disbelief.
"TA-nim, we can really take any S-grade or below?"
"Yeah, that's what he said."
"Following you leads to stuff like this. Thanks."
"What're you thanking me for? It's a reward for your good work."
No Yu-ra bolted straight to a display rack.
She pulled down a pistol from the top.
"Whoa, a pistol made from Veris spine. Holes drilled all through the bonehow'd they make a barrel and chamber like that?"
She was checking out guns, her main weapons.
Guns were relatively new compared to swords and spears, so techniques were lackingfew high-grade ones despite demand.
Low-grades were cheap and plentiful, but prices skyrocketed with rank. Especially A- or S-grade firearms.
With their short history, no [Epic] or [Legendary] ones existed. S-grade was basically the ceiling for guns.
Great chance, so No Yu-ra fondled several.
Testing sights and recoilit'd take time, so I went looking for another student.
Isis was right nearby.
"Hm, not bad. This heat might actually help."
She was fiddling with a bead-like fire core.
The orb, etched with flame patterns, radiated intense heat just approaching it. Was she picking that?
Worst combo with her ice.
No way she was serious, right?
"Nah, won't work. Won't improve me."
Luckily, she shook her head, dissatisfied, and put the core back.
Instead, she grabbed black gloves.
Black frills at the wrists, like a bride's wedding gloves.
But the aura felt offdark and ominous, laced with powerful curses or sorcery.
"What, enchanted armor? The lore doesn't feel bad."
"Oh, Teacher. Checking this out? Pretty good, right? Cursed gloves born when a bride learns on her wedding day the groom's parents are her family's killers, so she slaughters all the guests and him."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. The lore lets me infuse curses into my ice. Y'know that Korean saying, 'When a woman holds a grudge, frost falls even in May'? Like thatcurse the frost."
"... ."
Yeah, no more.
I nodded vaguely, humored her, and slipped away.
What creepy crap.
I hadn't planned on touching it anyway.
The killing stone that poisoned and killed on touch.
The Thousandfold Luck Blade that drained essence from the unworthy.
My stuff was creepier, but no need to admit it. Mine were manageable; that seemed tricky to purify.
Didn't want to go near it.
Wandering the warehouse, I spotted a girl standing quietly by the exit.
Baek Seung-woo's ex-fiance, Isabel.
"Oh? Picked already? Quick."
"And you?"
"Me? Don't really need new gear. Got a few S-grades back at the dorm or home."
So casual about it.
As expected of the Sirius family heiress.
Not impressed by this level.
"Still, pick one. Doesn't have to be practical. Think of it as a gift from megrab whatever catches your eye."
"...Fine. Can't say no then."
Without hesitation, she headed to the accessories section. She eyed the rings especially.
"Diamond ring or ruby one?"
"Dunno. Hard to read a girl's heart. I buy rings for performance over looks."
"...You do?"
Better remember that.
She muttered, browsed another ten minutes, and seemed to find what she wanted.
"Yeah, ruby ring it is."
Isabel slipped it onto her finger.
Oddly, her left ring finger.
The ruby matched my eye color. Just coincidence, right?
Yeah, totally.
Rings, huh.
Nothing in the warehouse tempted me much either.
"Just one empty finger out of ten. Maybe I'll grab a ring too."
Gloved, nine rings on my bare fingers.
Nine was awkward; ten would be neat.
Rummaging the ring display, a jade one caught my eye.
Faint patterns and style like the killing stone on the verge of crumbling.
This must be the one the manager mentioned.
"Jade ring? Too plain, no?"
"Yu-ra's right, Teacher. Doesn't look like a great artifact..."
"Huh? I think it's pretty!"
"...I'd prefer matching colors, personally."
I picked the rough jade ring, and the students with their picks chimed in.
That last bit felt a tad off.
Nah, imagination.
Anyway, trial fit.
Ring of Jade
Grade: C
Description: A ring made of clear jade. Estimated ancient origin, giving its crude form an inexplicable mana aura.
*Mana Storage
The power inherent in the jade. A miracle born as jade endured centuries, absorbing ambient mana. Stores power like a small generator; usable as magic catalyst.
Way too underwhelming for something found with the killing stone.
Retail? Under 10 million won, maybe. Fair for C-grade.
That price mostly for aesthetic jade value.
Pure function? 5 million tops. Just as I went to remove it.
Squeeze. The ring clamped my finger like it wouldn't let go.
[You have equipped 'Ring of Jade.']
[Heavenly Fox blood flows from the wearer.]
[Hidden condition met!]
['Ring of Jade' reveals its true nature and summons the bound spirit.]
What the? The status window outpaced my brain.
Scanning messages fast.
Thump!
Something heavy thudded in my heart.
A weird foreign sensation. Like hands stirring my guts. Then a sweet woman's voice from behind.
Oh ho, expanding your microcosm to macrocosm, forcibly opening Ren and Du meridians, paving the path to supernatural powers. Harmonizing heaven, earth, and man into threefold return. At this growth rate, awakening powers is just a blink away.
The sweet voice matched the hallucination from the Dorudo fight.
Even clearer now.
Like murmuring right behind me.
Crystal clear.
You look like my distant descendant. To achieve such powers at three-tailed fox level. If I could reach, I'd pet you. Shame. Well then... Take good care of me while I'm in this ring, contractor.
Then it hit me.
No hallucination.
A translucent woman whispered in my ear, her pale hand piercing my gut, rummaging around.
Great. A possessed ring.
Even picking a dud, I nailed it hard.
Plus, cursed or somethingcouldn't remove it with my strength. So I picked it and left.
This is why you don't take freebies.