Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Auction House
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"Stadium?"
Late into the night, the place So Seori had brought Iru Ri to was a stadium on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
>It was a spot she'd visited a few times back when there were no such things as towers or climbers—to watch baseball games.
"Weren't we going to the Meteor Guild?"
>Iru Ri had followed So Seori out because she wanted to see Moon Byul, so she'd naturally assumed it was the Meteor Guild.
"Would you believe it? It's here."
"?"
>In a stadium like this, out in the sticks?
>Why would the Cosmic Grimoire that Han Yu Seong had taken be here?
"You'll figure it out once we're inside. Here."
>She handed something over from her bag.
>A strange mask and cloak straight out of a masquerade ball.
"From here on, we're hiding our identities to get in. Hide Wisph in your clothes too."
"Huh?"
>So Seori added the explanation with a grinning face to Iru Ri, whose face was covered in question marks.
"Pull your robe way down low too. Got it? Our hair colors are way too flashy."
>Iru Ri's hair was a vibrant golden blonde, So Seori's a deep crimson.
>The two of them walking together would draw eyes no matter what.
"So what's all this about anyway?"
"Well, Han Yu Seong's gone completely off the rails."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The open-air stadium was lit by makeshift spotlights even late at night, with people seated here and there, murmuring among themselves.
"Oh my god."
>This was the underworld black market tied to climbers.
"How do you even know about a place like this?"
"Getting the picture now? Guild master ain't an easy seat."
>At the center of the stadium stood the auction host and a simple stage.
>Rough estimate, there were at least a hundred people seated.
>All cloaked and masked, holding paddles and small monoculars in hand.
>Of course, they were no different.
"An underworld auction house..."
"World's full of rich folks who never awakened. Plenty of twisted collectors too."
>The host began handing out lists of auction items. The last three were just silhouettes—no prices, no descriptions.
"Oh my god, auctioning off stuff like this..."
>Mana stones, escape stones, chunks of monster corpses, even artifacts.
>Not just pretty trinkets either—the quality was beyond imagination, good enough for high-floor climbers like them.
>That last silhouette was probably the main dish. The lack of info alone hinted at its rarity.
>What mattered was the familiar rectangular shape.
"N-No way... this isn't..."
"It is."
>So Seori gripped her paddle tight and stared across at the consignor lounge beyond the window—straight at Han Yu Seong inside.
"We're buying the Cosmic Grimoire."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Cosmic Grimoire was officially Han Yu Seong's artifact right now. What to do with it was, naturally, his choice.
>He'd decided to sell it.
>The grimoire was so rare and attention-grabbing that selling it on the black market might draw Association flak.
>But the only direct wrongdoing was using the black market, so even if it got out, the Association would face diplomatic headaches at worst—no penalties beyond a warning.
>Pay off the debts with the proceeds and start fresh. Meteor Guild's reputation could recover some other way.
>As an S-rank climber, he'd keep conquering floors anyway.
>In time, the public would come around and value his real efforts again.
'That's the calculus here.'
>So Seori knew Han Yu Seong well. Classic narcissistic hero type.
>Separate from that, a guy driven to conquer the tower himself.
>For heroes, image was everything. What if his narcissism took a hit like this?
>The world knew him as the Cosmic Grimoire's owner. He'd been broadcast live holding it.
>He couldn't climb with it now, so to him, it had lost its value.
>Selling the artifact grimoire outright was pure profit.
>Even if it later came out he wasn't the real owner, no big deal.
>He'd already taken the main hit; one more scratch wouldn't change much.
>He could just go, "Oops, my bad, heh," and call it a day. Might even score some 'humanizing' points.
>Plus, the public would never learn he'd sold it this shady way.
>The Association Chairman wouldn't want that.
>No country could legally touch an S-rank climber.
>Locking them up would be a national loss. S-ranks were monsters you couldn't cage anyway.
>The Association had zero interest in such scandals. Heroes as national assets benefited everyone.
>The Chairman couldn't announce Han Yu Seong sold it for personal gain, even if he hated it.
>He'd cover it with a pro-Han Yu Seong lie instead, leaving the grimoire hunt to him.
>Han Yu Seong pockets the cash, done. Selling at auction cost him just 'Association trust.'
>And the sold grimoire?
>The Association would track the buyer and seize it, in the nation's name—no black market backlash.
>Problem was the time it'd take, but right now, that wasn't the issue.
>With Moon Byul around, it'd get spotted fast somehow.
>After that, a claimless grimoire sold to America? Gone forever.
>For Han Yu Seong: cash in, no risk, rep recovered. Best play.
>By her math, it was his only option left.
>Buyer's fate? Not his problem.
>
>How'd So Seori know all this?
>Here's how she pieced it together and ended up here.
>After the grimoire theft, she'd watched Meteor Guild like a hawk.
'Hoovering up mana stones like this? Even taking on massive debt? Why?'
>No clue at first, but then the press conference: she saw how he'd pay it off.
>S-rank climber clears Korea's ceiling floor with a grimoire.
>Meteor Guild's value would've skyrocketed—a Korean powerhouse going global.
>Plan in ruins now. How'd he fix the debt?
'No way it's the black market...'
>But it was. He'd dumped the Cosmic Grimoire there.
'Knew it, you mad bastard.'
>She'd tracked it with interest, but would the Chairman miss it?
>Fat chance.
>He saw through it all—not some dumb muscle old man.
>Young awakened phenom Han Yu Seong didn't get it: the weight of years.
>But the Chairman stayed quiet not from ignorance—staying quiet was the 'better' move.
>Why 'better'? No clue...
"Sis, it's starting!"
>Time to see the results.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A bit later, the auctioneer stepped into the stadium. Masked and cloaked, like everyone.
"Quick rundown on rules, then straight to it. Starting bids set by me; if bidding heats up, I adjust increments at my discretion."
>Their number: 56.
>Simple: raise the paddle with your number to bid.
"Sis, place like this must have tight security. How'd you even get in?"
"Oh, that? I'm rich too. Qualified."
"......"
>What a jerk.
>Large guild master meant loaded, sure—but hearing it from her mouth was seriously grating.
"Here we go."
>First lot: a live mermaid.
>Mermaids had lower intellect than humans but were still sapient. Neutral NPC from the non-hostile 20th-floor village.
>Couldn't take NPCs out, so this was a juvenile fished from the tower and farmed.
>Proof: a beautiful mermaid, still child-sized, thrashing feebly in a small tank.
"Today's bonus opener: fresh mermaid! Rearing instructions provided to buyer—no worries. Starting at 100 million."
"100 million? Total steal!"
"Perfect pet."
>What the hell was this?
>To Iru Ri, raised gently, this was incomprehensible.
>NPC or not, it was alive.
"S-Sis, this..."
"Black market."
"200 million! 250, 300! Bumps to 200 million now. 500, 700..."
>People raised paddles without a care.
>Were their heads screwed on right? It was a sapient life.
>In the cramped tank, it pounded the glass with tiny fists. Desperation etched its face.
"Even so, that's too much!"
"Quiet. Jump in now, we might not even see the Cosmic Grimoire."
"How can you just sit there?!"
>She whipped around, demanding of So Seori—who blocked her fiercely. Fists clenched, watching their auction game.
>Her trembling hands betrayed her own restraint.
"Sis..."
"Intervene now, we're screwed. Just... just wait."
>If the grimoire got reclaimed by the Association later, non-owners like them had no claim. America would snag it soon.
>Their immoral race ended at 12 billion.
"12 billion! 12 billion! No more?"
>Auctioneer polled the crowd.
>Don't you want it? Breed this life? Raise your paddle high.
>But to them, this life wasn't worth over 12 billion.
"Sold to 13! Buyer, head to organizers post-auction for pickup."
>Sighs then—regret, or eyes on better prizes.
"Do all rich people live like this?"
>Iru Ri asked, bitter at the sight.
"Of course not. I'm rich too, remember."
>Gruff words, but her version of comfort. Just clumsy delivery.
>Auction rolled on, heedless of their feelings.
>Nothing as shocking as the mermaid opener. Mostly exotic mana stones, artifacts, monster hides and teeth—rare for norms.
>Midway lull got a performance to perk things up.
>They weren't amused, given the venue.
>Cosmic Grimoire: second-to-last.
>They sat through it all.
"You've waited long for the last three. Appetizers so far—now the main course."
"Here it comes."
>Finally, their turn approached.