Revenge for My Wallet
“Thank you! Shall we package everything and send it to your mansion, or would you like it wrapped right now?”
“Right now.”
“Got it!”
The auction had way more stuff worth buying than I'd expected. Which meant I got to watch a massive chunk of money vanish from my card.
VVIP perks weren't discounts on items. They were just about top-tier protection and delivery!
Basically a sucker badge, right?
Spending like crazy...
My account was wiped clean. The cash I'd pulled just in case was gone, and looking at the amount I still needed to withdraw later for security...
Drip, drip.
“Are you crying?!”
“No... I'm not... I just never realized money could feel this empty...”
“Don't cry.”
Ash patted my back as I sobbed.
I realized the clothes I'd bought earlier were actually cheap...
Still, holding the gem in my hand eased my mind a little.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz!
The sword was vibrating like mad. Like it was screaming, “Hurry up! Give it to me now!”
Fine, fine, I get it.
I pressed the gem against the blade. It melted smoothly into the sword's edge.
“There, now spit out whatever you've got, you parasite.”
Bzzz...
A new yellow gem appeared on the blade.
And the vibrations stopped.
...Huh?
“That's it?”
Just the end?
I shook the sword around, but nothing else happened.
For real? This 600-gold thing? Just one more gem?
Bzzz!
“...Fuck.”
“Don't cry.”
Ash patted my sobbing back.
Ash, who had been comforting me, squinted slightly toward the window.
“The competition's fiercer than I thought... Why are the bids so high?”
“What's wrong? Something off?”
“Obviously. If they blow their cash here, they can't afford the final item, the ancient monster's corpse, at a high price. This stuff shouldn't sell for these amounts...”
Did they sucker me?
“And why'd you buy that? It's a fairy tale book.”
“It was the War God's book.”
“Precisely, the War God's Fairy Tale Book.”
Fuck, my 10 gold.
Not a fortune, but it felt like wasting money on crap, which pissed me off.
Whatever, pocket it for now. As I slipped the book into my coat, something felt missing.
Oh. Eodukshini.
Eodukshini, who tagged along secretly to watch the date.
Where'd it go?
“You seen Eodukshini?”
“Huh? Of course. It followed us secretly, so I sent it back to the academy.”
No wonder it vanished!
“No pack mule, this sucks.”
“It's fine. Right now, what matters is we have plenty of time just for us.”
Again, again, again!
I cleared my throat awkwardly and turned away.
Something's definitely fishy.
Nobles might be suckers, but they're not idiots.
Yet here they were, like entranced, jacking up prices and getting sniped right at their limit.
Like someone who knew human psychology inside out was pulling strings.
I crossed my arms and stared at the monitor.
A single photo appeared: a claw too massive for a beast's, yet lacking something for a dragon's.
Rooooaaar!
A massive cheer exploded, rattling walls and windows.
A line popped up on the monitor.
Estimated Final Price: 1,400 gold
A satisfied smile crept across my face.
Yes!
That's more like it!
Ash glanced at Eugene beside her.
His mask hid his face, but she'd watched him long enough to know.
He's pissed.
The claw was selling for barely half the estimate.
Average-wise, everything sold high, but that wasn't Eugene's concern. Only how much his claw fetched mattered!
Half? HALF?!
Ash sighed deeply.
I knew it'd end up like this...
Truth be told, she'd already achieved her goal. Cheek kisses, dressing him up, a date...
Reason for the auction? No real plan. Plenty to gain, but all obtainable later. It'd help Eugene now, and she just wanted more date time...
Failed. Total fail.
This way, he'd mope all day. Couldn't leave him like that. Ash poked his cheek.
“Eugene, Eugene.”
“...?”
“Wanna step out for a bit? We at least broke even.”
“Yeah. Made back what we spent. Barely. No profit though. No damn profit.”
Plenty of claws, but flooding the market kills rarity.
My money!
My blood-sweat money!
“Ugh. My gut...”
“Here, drink this and calm down. Come on.”
Ash soothed the sulking Eugene and led him away.
Behind the auction hall, a secluded spot with a barrier.
What the hell?
Even Eugene snapped out of it and eyed the barrier.
It felt off. Not something that belonged here.
Why's this here?
“Not here.”
Sensing it made breaching easy.
They slipped through lightly. Inside, robed men conversed darkly.
They stifled their presence and listened.
“The ancient monster's claw—did we bid properly?”
“Yes. Way cheaper than expected. Nobles are idiots without their titles.”
“Don't get cocky. Luck this time. His grace made it possible. Next phase.”
His?
Luck?
No. That's not the point.
They're admitting they rigged it?
Real or fake, didn't matter.
Eugene's eyes blazed with rage.
“Perfect timing, you dogshit bastards.”
“...?”
“Daring to sell me that book high? Buy my claw cheap?”
“That was just you being a su—”
“Anyway, they're in the wrong. Got it?”
“Of course.”
“Good. We're smashing them! I'll avenge you proper!”
“...Whose avenge?”
“My wailing wallet!”
Shing!
For my money!
The moment I drew my sword, something grabbed my ankle from the floor.
Clatter, clatter!
Skeletons!
Black mages?
I grimaced.
Already hated 'em, and they're black mages? Then crushing them's legal. No need to bury in the mountains.
The robed guys aimed their staves at me.
“Thought we wouldn't notice you eavesdropping?”
“If you didn't, you'd be retards. Obviously we noticed.”
I snorted and summoned Divine Power. Face masked, outfit changed anyway.
Sword handles record tampering, right?
Let's trust it once.
Plus, perfect chance to test the new gem power.
Ruuuumble...!
Red aura swirled. Ground trembled, air crushed nearby.
The skeleton gripping my foot shattered—hand first, then whole body.
Three gems' power... nah. No Amplification used. Just stronger overall.
What the?
No need for gem test now.
Didn't matter.
“Wh-what the...”
“Now, repeat after me.”
Smashing these punks? No issue!
I grinned fiercely.
“I'm a fucking retard.”
Boom!
I kicked off and charged.
They hastily raised staves.
“ðŦÞ...!”
Before chants finished, I slashed. Crimson blade wave severed a black mage's head mid-spell.
Follow-up waves diced retreating ones, shredding latecomers before their spells flew.
Massacre.
These losers couldn't stop me.
A few swings later, one black mage writhed on the ground.
“Hah, hah, sp-spare...”
“Begging for mercy, huh? Hey. Choose.”
“Y-yes?”
“Holy water dunk while talking, or just talk?”
Holy water's poison to black mages.
Melts skin on contact, agony.
“Don't worry about dying. I'll keep you alive. Talk nice now, or get beat first?”
“I-I'll talk.”
“Ash.”
“Here~”
Ash handed me a sheet.
Mana Oath contract.
Eugene will not kill the black mage Leon. The black mage Leon will reveal all truths to Eugene's questions.
“Sign.”
“M-my life guarantee...”
“Fine. Won't kill you.”
The black mage rushed the contract.
Instantly, Leon laughed maniacally and jumped up.
“Ha! Haha! I never said I'd talk right—!”
Stab!
“...Gurk.”
“What a fucking retard. That's the most obvious loophole. Underestimating the contract that bad?”
Ash kicked Leon.
Impaled through the gut, he foamed at the mouth.
Trying to pass out? Slapped him awake. Threatened jamming sword into his palm a few times before he spilled.
“T-truth is, we jacked bids to make nobles careless.”
“Why?”
“To buy the ancient monster corpse cheap...!”
“Why buy it?”
“P-power boost...”
“Bullshit. Wanna die? Spill properly.”
Stab!
Ash twisted a knife into his hand. Leon screamed.
“T-to summon an ancient monster with the corpse!!”
“Where?”
“D-don't know! I'm a grunt... boss you killed...”
“Don't know? Find out. Right? Yes or no.”
“Y-yes...”
“Who's that one?”
“A-academy alum exec. Smart at ops like this. That corpse is him...”
Useless.
“Where's he at?”
“The one you just killed...”
“Your base?”
“Auction corner...”
Slice!
All info extracted, Ash timed a neck slash.
I infused Divine Power into rolling head and body—sizzled to ash.
Cleaned other evidence, dusted blood off coat, eyes gleaming murderously.
“All my lost money's on these fuckers, right?”
Figures it felt pricey!
“You're all fucked.”
Anyone robbing my cash pays dearly.
Straight to their base I went.
“Who the hell are you?”
All black mages.
Scanned 'em. Blood and corpse stench.
Signaled Ash. She kicked doors one by one.
Boom!
“Wh-who are you?!”
This is it.
Click.
Artifact to my head.
Masked, robed black mage.
He whispered.
“Show your face? Or kill and check?”
“Nah. No need.”
“Wha—”
Slice.
“You're all the ones dying!”
Don't care about your gimmick!
Only matters: these assholes choked my cash flow!
Daring to block my money?
All fucked!
Rampaged hard, then bolted. Cleanup's on them. Left sample corpses as warning.
But the gloom lingered.
I slumped my shoulders.
Hah. My money.
Recovered the ancient monster corpse at least.
Money?
Killed 'em before payout. No cash.
Just spent gold left!
Raided base, snatched some funds, but...
Won't sell it all.
Can't let black mages get 'em.
Bad timing now.
Ash, still in her outfit, patted my shoulder.
“Don't be too down. Sell later. You got plenty anyway?”
“Yeah, true...”
“I'll head in first. Had fun today!”
“Me too.”
Last part sucked.
Watched Ash enter her room, turned—and bumped into Adria sucking banana milk.
Adria grinned slyly.
“So? How far'd you get?”
“Get with what?”
“...?”
Adria tilted her head, puzzled.
“You two aren't dating? No confessions yet?”
“Nope.”
“You didn't turn her down over Jenella, right?”
“??”
What?
“Why her?”
“????”
Adria looked even more baffled.
“Jenella likes you.”
“?!”
What? Her?
Flashes hit: Jenella avoiding me, blushing when seeing me, weird reactions...
No way, her?!
“Maybe she farted in my face or something?”
“...Idiot.”
“Idiot? Harsh.”
“She shows it blatantly—if you miss it, you're an idiot. If you're ignoring her for Jenella's sake, don't. Makes her look pathetic.”
“Nah, wasn't thinking that.”
Truly clueless.
And... somehow, Ash didn't seem to want a confession.
Might be my imagination.
“You ain't impotent, right?”
“Fuck off.”
Master. Are you... impotent by any chance?
“You're dead.”
Ash glanced at Eugene chatting with Adria.
Handsome.
Back in priest robes, but they suited him best—not suits or casuals.
Heart raced. If he'd confessed there? Pushed further? Could she have gone out with him?
Probably. If she'd pressed, dense Eugene would've gone along.
...This is fine.
But okay.
Satisfied with this. Even if confessed to... she'd refuse.
Couldn't accept. Nor confess herself.
It'd all vanish later anyway.
“...”
Conflicting hearts. Some might say actions didn't match words.
But... unavoidable. No matter how hidden, emotions poked out like a spike in the pocket.
Even if unrealizable, piercing her own heart.
A wistful smile touched Ash's lips. Her inscrutable deep blue eyes held Eugene.