Chapter 648
Chapter 648
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 648
Chapter Title: Arcana Town (3)
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1.
"Pick one thing you want."
When he heard those words, rather than thinking he'd struck gold, Si-woo felt a surge of wariness.
He knew her swordsmanship.
But he didn't truly know what kind of person she was.
Why she'd become a criminal.
Why she pushed herself so relentlessly in pursuit of power.
What thoughts usually filled her mind, or how she looked at Si-woo.
He couldn't claim to know any of it properly.
In short, he wasn't thrilled about blindly accepting a gift when he had no idea what kind of wrapping paper—or trap—lay beneath.
"I'm fine, really."
There was one best way to handle situations like this.
Politely decline once and gauge the reaction.
Sure, the gift might vanish into thin air, but that was better than any potential fallout.
"I've already been put up in lodgings and fed— I couldn't ask for more."
Still, he left a little room open.
"No need to refuse."
"I really am fine."
"I said there's no need to refuse."
A modest show of humility with a couple of polite declines.
It was a social technique Takasho had taught him while instructing him on hosting duties.
In other words, the real conversation started now.
"I truly appreciate the offer, but... honestly, I don't understand why I'd deserve a gift. I don't think there's any reason for it."
He kept a suitably awkward expression while meeting her eyes.
The eyes were the windows to the soul.
If there was any ulterior motive or hidden agenda, he'd spot it here and then accept the gift.
"......"
Straight bangs framed eyes that didn't dodge his gaze in the slightest—clear, transparent pools like a mirror-still lake without a single ripple.
"Before bringing you here, I crossed swords with Tiferet."
With his master?
A flicker of worry arose but was swiftly suppressed before it could turn into agitation.
"We'd clashed blades before that too. Purely in terms of swordsmanship, she wasn't much different from me back then—in fact, I thought she'd surpassed me recently. But her skills had advanced even further from years ago. She'd pulled ahead of me again."
"......"
"I figured your presence was the reason. At first, I thought it was simply because she had a worthy sparring partner."
His heart sank.
Not just because her gaze pierced his chest like a blade.
The phrase "I thought" was in the past tense.
In other words, Rinne had sparred with Si-woo and changed her mind.
"You're lacking. For simple sparring, you're not enough of a whetstone to hone Tiferet's blade. That's my conclusion."
Cold sweat trickled down his spine.
He'd been acting like a fool.
Unlike Dorothy, her straightforward demeanor had lulled him into complacency? If it had been Dorothy, she would've seen through him?
It was utter carelessness.
Focusing on her outward actions, he'd overlooked the crucial truth.
Just as Si-woo was watching Rinne, she had been quietly observing him.
He gripped his drifting thoughts.
He needed to stay calm.
The value he'd assumed Rinne placed on him—'sparring'—had been denied, yet her attitude hadn't shifted drastically. That naturally led to one question.
"Then why take me as your disciple... and even come to an auction for a gift?"
"......"
Rinne fell silent.
Her nose wrinkled as if he'd prodded a sore spot, and she chose her words carefully.
"Because there might be something I haven't grasped."
"......"
"My intuition tells me you changed Tiferet."
It was a bit different from what he'd expected, but the sudden master-disciple bond wasn't born of pure whimsy.
He also vaguely grasped that Rinne held a view of master-disciple relationships far removed from typical witches.
"This gift is an investment in your potential. Maintaining a friendly relationship might coax out whatever you're hiding."
Rinne didn't beat around the bush or dodge the point.
She even bluntly said, "Maybe if we're on good terms, something good will come your way."
Her complete openness made things easier, paradoxically.
Her stance was now crystal clear.
"Understood for now."
Then he needed to suck every last drop without holding back today.
Before Rinne's expectations waned—while she still voiced a desire to keep things friendly—he had to maximize his gains.
Just then, the curtain parted, and the auction began.
2.
Criminals and their exiled ilk were witches all the same.
They still needed items and artifacts for magical research.
But being shunned by Gehenna's central society, they always struggled to procure materials.
That was why crowds packed auctions that demanded steep entry fees.
Unlike before, if you had the money, you could easily and safely acquire top-quality goods.
For reference, the above came straight from Rinne.
She was impassive and curt, but surprisingly responsive to questions.
With their relationship baseline established, Si-woo saw no need to stay silent to match the mood, leading to their liveliest chat yet.
"Shall we start with the first item, then?"
The auctioneer was a witch with striking white gloves reaching her elbows and bright blonde hair cut in a bob.
Her brisk tone evoked a recreation instructor as she introduced herself as the "Witch of Gold Coins," then dove into the proceedings after a brief greeting.
Si-woo, who'd been getting world-building lore from Rinne until the main event, naturally turned his eyes to the stage.
He was, of course, curious what items they'd trade and at what prices.
"A rare find these days: six Kashmir Mountain blue sapphires. Untreated natural stones, graded top-tier for clarity, color depth, and luster."
"Blue sapphires boast excellent mana conductivity, making them ideal as magic circle cores. Perfect for jewelry too."
The witch opened the case to reveal sapphires packaged like gourmet chocolates.
"Minimum bid starts at one million dollars."
She beamed sweetly while dropping a brutal price.
Witches on the first floor held up placards with their bids, while those like Si-woo and Rinne in the upper royal box summoned attendants to relay theirs.
"One million three hundred thousand. One million five hundred thousand. Any other bids?"
This wasn't a charity auction, so it proceeded swiftly without fluff.
No lame jokes from the auctioneer, no endless waiting.
"One million seven hundred thousand. One million seven at three... two... one. Sold. Congratulations."
No obligatory applause followed, naturally.
"Next, the second item: a perfume that's captured many witches' hearts lately. Hand-blended by the Perfume Witch herself—a one-of-a-kind scent in the world. No special magical effects, but you all know the value in this little bottle."
Amelia.
To encounter her perfume here of all places.
Memories of assisting in her shop brought a wave of melancholy—and a sudden urge to return to Gehenna.
"Five 2.5 fl. oz bottles. Minimum bid at four hundred thousand dollars. Six hundred fifty thousand. Six hundred fifty at three... two... one. Sold. Congratulations."
Not even custom scents, yet far pricier than Gehenna trades.
Likely a premium for the shop's Gehenna location.
The auction continued without a single no-sale.
Mostly magic materials like gems, alchemy catalysts, magical crops, or artifacts—but some items reminded him this was another witch city.
"Item twenty-one. Perfect for those interested in human experimentation. Five hundred twenty male death row inmates from the People's Republic of China. No drug offenders—all healthy and sturdy. Officially transferred from the judiciary with inmate records, clean and hassle-free. Starting bid: ten million dollars."
Taking condemned prisoners from the state for use as slaves...
A scene he'd seen somewhere before.
The difference? One witch would use that massive number of humans entirely for experiments.
As a bitter aftertaste made him bite his lip...
He felt Rinne's gaze pricking his cheek.
"You still haven't chosen."
"Nothing else catches my eye."
Truth be told, Si-woo was waiting for something.
Almack Club auctions happened weekly.
He'd been in Hexennacht less than seven days.
Maybe his chance would come.
"Now, the grand finale. I'm sure many came just for this."
The auctioneer suddenly perked up, drawing all eyes.
Witches who'd been indifferent to irrelevant items now focused intently on center stage.
"A first in Almack Club history: a Grand Witch lot. The legitimate heir to 20th Hierarchy fluid magic, the 'Mercury Witch.'"
Slave trades had usually been mere paperwork before, but this was different.
Alice, in a lavish dress, was led out by the auctioneer, bound in a collar-like chain. Her eyes, mixed with shame and terror, darted anxiously side to side.
"Strip her!"
"Why's she even wearing clothes?!"
Crude jeers and mockery erupted toward the silver-haired Grand Witch.
The auctioneer calmed the heated crowd and continued.
"Great for researching or extracting her brand, but as you see, her noble features make her ideal as a sex slave too. Or play with her until bored, then use for research—economical. Buyers receive a dedicated artifact to restrict mana generation. Starting bid: eighty million dollars."
An absurd sum at first glance, but even compared to raw combat power, a Grand Witch outclassed the latest fighter jets.
Owning one entirely? The starting bid was practically a steal.
Placards shot up wildly as proof.
The competition burned hotter than ever.
The already steep price skyrocketed.
Several witches showed fierce resolve to liquidate everything for her.
"One hundred fifty million dollars."
But even ironclad determination had limits.
Once it doubled the starting bid, placards slowed.
Si-woo pondered.
Was this the right investment? The right choice?
He sorted his thoughts.
No time to delay—he had to speak.
"Master."
"Speak."
"I want that woman."
A glint flashed in Rinne's eyes.
Was it reproach for whining over the priciest item? Praise for boldly seizing opportunity? Or something he couldn't guess? Maybe suspicion.
Alice had been at the same kidnapping site as him, after all.
Her gaze turned serious toward him.
"Why?"
Now it all hinged on how convincing an excuse he could muster.
It rested solely on his silver tongue.