Weekend Date at the Underground Auction
"The underground auction on the weekend. Verde's main event in the black market, the only chance to get items that are impossible to obtain through normal routes. So it's only natural that people flock here from all over the empire, but…"
"Was it always this crowded here?"
"…It is crowded, but this is beyond expectations."
The auction hall looked like it was about to burst with an overwhelming crowd. Far more people than when he'd come before. Even a few high-ranking nobles who wouldn't normally set foot in the black market were visible.
'That means only one thing.'
Something even the high nobles were coveting was up for auction this time. He didn't know exactly what it was, but it had to be something incredible. Maybe something he had to obtain at any cost.
"Master."
The moment he sat down in an empty seat with Belloa, Lilia, in her spirit form, called out to him.
"What's up? Something wrong?"
"…I sense demonic energy here."
"Demonic energy…?"
Could demon worshippers who hid their presence be participating too? If so, the precious item was likely related to demons. This was turning into a bigger deal than he'd intended.
Activation Auxiliary Ring Pair
Legacy of the Great Sage and Great Fool, Belhalm.
Register a spell on the ring and activate it at will.
However, it won't work if the user's Insight is low.
"Thank you all for coming to Verde. Now, let's start the main event—the auction!"
A man had taken the stage and began the auction with a smile.
"Whoa… look at that. Seems like an unregistered ancient grimoire?"
"Yeah. That'll cost a fortune."
"I wanna read it so bad…"
Belloa was excited like a kid experiencing this for the first time. He humored her appropriately while taking in each item that came up.
Ancient grimoires, master-crafted famous swords, rare elixirs, and more. Every single one was incredibly hard to obtain.
'But nothing yet that would draw a crowd this big.'
He had no intention of bidding. With all these people here, he couldn't win with money anyway. He was just curious what they all wanted.
"Next up: the ring of the Forgotten Great Fool! Starting at 3,000 Ar!"
"Huh? That…"
"Amazing. Even the Great Fool's legacy."
Great Fool. A foolish mage always compared to the greatest mage sage, Belhalm. He had exceptional magical talent but chased incomprehensible theories his whole life. His eccentric path earned him the title "fool" in history books.
Thus, few praised him highly. But as a transmigrator, Dante knew better.
Yeah, just as Insight revealed. The Great Sage and Great Fool were one and the same: Belhalm.
That meant this ring pair was Belhalm's legacy for a bargain 3,000 Ar. Even by performance alone, it was no losing deal.
"5,000 Ar."
"5! We have 5,000 Ar!!"
"D-Dante!? You're buying that?"
Belloa panicked beside him, probably due to its Great Fool origins. Ignoring her, he continued bidding.
"6,000 Ar."
"7,000 Ar."
The Great Fool's legacy usually sold cheap, more as a collector's item.
"Tch… raising the price on junk like this."
The man who'd been competing with him until now clicked his tongue, deeming 7,000 Ar too much for such a ring.
"7,000 Ar, going once!! Congratulations!!"
As the auctioneer said, the ring pair smoothly became his.
'One for me with the engraving ring for Belloa.'
One for him, one as a gift for her. At just 7,000 Ar, it felt like a huge profit. Pairing with the engraving ring would amplify the effect.
"That… wasn't too much money?"
Belloa's worried voice from beside him. But it was fine.
"It's okay. I've got plenty."
Not endlessly, but this expenditure was planned.
"Plus, one’s for you."
"………Huh? S-suddenly? A ring?"
"Reward for coming along nicely."
Belloa flushed in surprise. Was it that touching?
"Master is… definitely every woman's enemy."
"Why?"
A kind gift—who'd hate that?
"No, it's not that…"
As Lilia clutched her head with a sigh, the auction hall suddenly buzzed.
The cause: the next item, exuding overwhelming presence despite being cloth-covered.
"Now, the main event of today's auction. I assume most of you came for this."
The auctioneer smoothly built anticipation.
"Let's reveal it…!!!"
─Rustle.
The cloth slowly lifted, revealing the item: a red crystal floating in a small glass box, encircled by three pure white bands. It was a heart. An immaculate, pristine white heart.
"Ooooh… what is that…?"
"Master. That's…"
"Yeah. Obvious at a glance."
You could tell just by looking. It was dangerous. Not just risky—the power within was catastrophic.
Pure White Heart
Mythical artificial heart researched in a forgotten era.
The myth begins from the heart.
A mythical artificial heart from legends. Near-infinite potential.
If the church got it, they'd manifest angels or saints.
Nobles would gain asymmetric power beyond bearing.
Demon worshippers would edge closer to their dreamed demon descent.
It embodied the "myth" everyone craved—a hero's heart from continental legends.
"Auction starts now!!!!"
The bidding for the heart was ferocious. High nobles seemed to lead at first, but that lasted only a moment. It became a war between factions.
Now, it boiled down to demon worshippers, church, and imperial family.
"1.2 million Ar."
"Our side bids 1.4 million."
"1.5 million."
No backing down, amounts ballooning to astronomical figures. 1.5 million Ar exceeded a small nation's annual budget. They saw even greater value in that heart.
"Master. With that, even I could fully descend…?"
"I'd love it too."
But realistically impossible. He lacked the funds to compete now.
"Wow… it's climbing that high."
"Yeah, started at 100,000…"
Already 2 million Ar. Even wealthy groups felt the strain. They'd likely shift plans to theft post-auction.
"2.5 million Ar!"
In an instant, the demon worshippers' bid silenced the room. Surpassing 2.5 million was tough.
'The church and imperial family have more goals than just demons.'
Politically, spending more was unwise. Would the heart go to the worshippers? That'd complicate things for him…
"Haa…"
Sighing, wondering if it'd snowball, a voice cut in.
"3 million Ar."
From a quiet corner, a hand shot up. 3 million Ar, casually topping 2.5 million. The demon worshippers grimaced.
"3 million Ar…!!! Anyone higher!?"
No one spoke.
One. Two. Three.
With the third call, the Pure White Heart's owner was set.
"Fine up to there, but…"
[Target identity revealed]
The winner… appeared to be the senior joining their club.
Why the hell are you here, Senior Dorothy?