Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Randa's Women (2)
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The vehicle carrying Jane and her group headed toward J District, the epicenter of Randa's entertainment scene.
They passed the dingy casinos, illegal houses, cabarets, and taverns scattered thinly along the outskirts before entering the heart of the district, where towering buildings, vivid neon signs, yellow streetlamps, and magical glows welcomed them.
This was his second time visiting J District.
As expected, it brimmed with far more vitality at night than during the day.
That energy peaked when they arrived at their destination: the Subuleptor Grand Museum.
The streets were packed with luxury cars, and elegant gentlemen and ladies were dressed to the nines.
It was a sight that drew gasps of admiration.
But Oliver wasn't the only one impressed.
"It's incredible..."
Jane, the central figure in this whole affair, murmured as she peered outside.
"Naturally. It was already a sizable event to begin with, but now with Randa's heavy hitters and the Crime Firm throwing their weight behind it, the scale has ballooned several times over."
Oliver, who had been briefed ahead of time, simply nodded without a word.
Forest had explained that the event still kept up the pretense of an art auction and artist patronage on the surface, but things had changed dramatically behind the scenes.
As Coco had said, it wasn't just Randa's big shots and the Crime Firm— their own shadowy distributors and even Treasure Hunters had gotten involved. The artworks that were supposed to be the main draw had long since devolved into mere commodities.
Items like artifacts illegally plundered from abroad, fine art, rare magic tools, premium potions, and obscure books were all up for grabs.
The clientele had expanded accordingly, from art collectors to city councilors, tycoons, major fixers, illicit collectors, and back-alley kingpins.
Ambitious social climbers eager to rub shoulders with them had piled in too, transforming the event into something incomparable to its former self.
'It doubles as a networking hub for Randa's power players even before the main auction. The organizers aren't complaining—it's a goldmine for them.'
With such heavyweight attendees and the hosts slipping bribes ahead of time, the police steered clear during peak hours.
Randa sure is one hell of an interesting place, Oliver couldn't help thinking.
"Um, sorry to bring it up, but this traffic looks like it'll be jammed for more than just an hour or two. I'm afraid you'll have to walk from here."
Penny, seated at the wheel, said it with genuine apology in her voice.
Jane took it in stride.
Following her no-nonsense attitude, Coco and Oliver stepped out as well.
With a sharp click, the door swung open. Jane led the way on foot along the sidewalk.
Coco, playing the assistant, stuck close to Jane's side, while Oliver, the bodyguard, trailed just behind.
True to Coco's training, Oliver kept a measured vigilance, scanning the surroundings without overdoing it.
As he'd seen from the car, crowds of people thronged the streets, most accompanied by their own guards.
And as Coco had noted, the stronger the bodyguard, the more swagger their employer exuded.
"Ah, we're here."
Coco whispered it softly.
A colossal structure loomed into view ahead.
Even by J District standards, where buildings ran large, the Subuleptor Grand Museum dominated everything around it.
Its height fell short of the skyscrapers, but it was plenty tall. The vast grounds and majestic ancient empire-style facade outshone even the flashiest modern towers with their garish lights.
"Whew... let's go."
Jane tamped down her fear and tension like a fighter steeling herself for battle and strode forward.
'Hm?'
Oliver sensed something off and glanced around.
Brawny men posing as staff stood in unobtrusive spots, eyeing the guests.
They weren't just glancing—they were emitting mana to probe for something. Oliver's instincts told him it was the tickets tucked away on the guests' persons.
Sure enough, one checked the ticket nestled between Jane's breasts before quickly looking away. But for a would-be gatecrasher faking possession of one, they dispatched men to escort him away with polite firmness.
"Hey, hold on a second."
"Please don't make a fuss. We'd be grateful if you'd come quietly."
Now Oliver understood why the tickets radiated mana.
They passed through a massive corridor wide enough for dozens abreast and entered a hall far grander than the entrance.
The space could easily hold hundreds, filled with impeccably dressed people. Yet the real showstoppers were the reliefs embedded in the marble walls.
Even Oliver, clueless about history, could tell they were ancient relics from some distant land.
And that was just the start.
Flanking the sides were enormous steles and a glass case housing a skull carved from turquoise—treasures whose worth even an art novice like Oliver could guess at.
Coco had said they were all spoils from the United Kingdom's efforts to spread civilization across the world.
"It's always a sight to behold. The history of the whole world, right here. Minus the United Kingdom's share, of course."
Coco muttered, sounding like someone who'd been here a few times before. Then she turned to Jane.
"Where to now?"
Jane braced herself like a fixer or gangster gearing up for combat.
"Straight to business first. Shall we check out the paintings?"
Deeper inside the museum, a new space greeted them.
Another vast hall.
Hundreds of paintings stood in neat rows, arrayed like a city guard regiment.
It was enough to make one's eyes bulge.
Coco explained in a small but crisp voice.
"They call it the sponsorship hall. It's an old tradition here at the Subuleptor Grand Museum—bidding on pieces from up-and-coming unknown artists."
Jane likely knew all this already, so it felt like the explanation was mainly for Oliver.
Even in their roles as employers, they were accommodating his curiosity.
In return, Oliver stayed vigilant as a bodyguard while absorbing every detail of Coco's rundown.
"The auction's straightforward. Just write your ticket number and bid on the paper under each painting."
Coco pointed to the sheet beneath one of the works.
Someone had already been through—entries in tidy script and scrawled messes alternated down the list.
[£3,000,000]
[£3,600,000]
[£4,400,000]
"Highest bid wins, naturally. Folks usually go for 1.2 times the current top. But if something really catches your eye, you can slap on 1.5, 2, or even 3 times to shut down the competition."
Her delivery was as polished and informative as a museum docent's.
Judging by her familiarity, Coco clearly had plenty of experience—or knowledge—to draw on.
"The styles are all over the map."
Jane remarked as she scanned the canvases.
With her keen gaze and pensive expression, it didn't seem like idle chatter.
Coco soon proved her right.
"Spot on. Dealers who supply the museum scour the globe for these. Every country has its own tastes and trends, so the styles vary wildly... Most of these artists are total unknowns. They can barely afford paint."
Coco paused a beat before continuing.
"But two or three will catch a break—get recognized or ride a trend—and make a name for themselves. Then those paintings bought here get flipped for tens or hundreds of times the price. Not a bad investment."
Ho... Oliver was impressed, though a bit puzzled. Similar quality, yet value swung wildly by artist.
He wanted to ask about it but held back for security's sake.
'Hm?'
Then something caught his eye.
Jane and Coco were debating whether to buy, and at what price, when Jane noticed Oliver's distraction and called out.
"Dave?"
"Ah... sorry. Got sidetracked for a moment."
Instead of irritation at his lapse, Jane showed curiosity.
"...What caught your attention?"
"Mind if I say?"
"Go ahead."
"That painting."
Oliver pointed to one up ahead.
It depicted the back of a woman. Intrigued by his words, Jane clicked over in her heels to take a look.
Oliver and Coco followed.
Jane halted in front of it and studied it closely.
Like all the others here, it was a solid piece.
After staring for a bit, Jane asked,
"Anything special about it that grabbed you?"
"It has more emotion infused in it than the others."
"Emotion?"
Jane perked up at his answer.
"Yes. The rest have some, sure, but this one's deeper. Like the artworks and sculptures in the entrance hall."
"....?"
Jane and Coco both reacted with surprise.
"You mean like the ones in the hall...?"
"The steles and reliefs. The stele carries solemnity and a sense of duty, the reliefs pride. This painting? It's thick with sorrow and longing."
Jane exchanged a few words with Coco, then scribbled a bid on the paper—1.8 times the standing offer.
Then she said,
"Got more to share?"
"Aren't bodyguards supposed to stay silent?"
"Not anymore."
Less than an hour into their museum visit, Oliver had shed his bodyguard role and was now picking out paintings for his employer, Jane.
Not that he minded.
Browsing art laced with raw emotion was plenty enjoyable for him too.
He walked like a bodyguard but paused at eye-catchers, murmuring quietly.
"That one's good too. Beach Family."
He nodded toward a painting of a family strolling the shore.
"What emotions are in it?"
"Joy, envy, longing... and an intense sense of purpose."
Jane nodded and conferred with Coco about the piece.
When they wrapped up, Jane confidently jotted a high bid, just like she had for the previous seven.
"Feels like we've made a full lap."
"Yeah."
After poring over hundreds of paintings, Jane and Coco sounded a touch weary. But they showed no real fatigue.
"You sure that's okay?" Oliver asked, a hint of concern.
"I can spot ones brimming with emotion, but I can't tell true masterpieces from fakes."
"It's fine. I haven't studied art all that much myself. Coco has, though."
"No issues from where I'm standing. Anything that makes it this far has already impressed the finicky dealers. This market's as much luck as skill—spotting the breakout hits ain't easy. Picking like this? No problem."
With that level of reassurance, Oliver dropped it.
"Do the paintings here get their owners today?"
"Yeah. With so much volume to clear, these get settled same-day."
"Then let's double-check our picks and head to the book market. Dave went to the trouble, so we owe him a little something."
The book market lived up to its name: a spot to buy tomes, including forbidden ones like black magic grimoires, via discreet channels unknown to the public.
"After that, we hit the main auction hall."
Coco nodded in agreement and fell into step with Jane.
They looped around the gallery and returned to their starting point, only to find an elderly man flanked by burly goons standing before the very first painting Oliver had flagged.
He'd crossed out Jane's bid twice over and boldly scrawled double the amount.
"Huh?"
The old man froze at the sound of footsteps and turned.
Threadbare suit, gold-rimmed glasses. It was the elderly gentleman who'd helped him procure a corpse at the Black Market.
"Long time no see, Dave."