The Black Auction
The Black Auction. Or, to put it more elegantly, the Black Auction. It's the first of the many dark underbellies lurking within Salenium Academy.
To be blunt, anyone diligently pursuing their studies in the Salenium saga is practically swimming in a bucket of blessings. Midterms, finals, endless competitions and exams crammed in between. For the Knight Faculty, grades are basically decided by sparring matches. Naturally, the weak can't survive in a place like Salenium Academy—and countless students have had their spirits broken and left as a result.
But those who left were prodigies and geniuses back home. Most came in with heads full of dreams. They were the top of their class, eating first and second place for breakfast, so they never imagined a nightmare triple combo of failing, expulsion, and dropout would hit them. The ones whose hearts shattered, those kicked out and ready to give up on life, the quitters too ashamed to return home—they all slink into this underbelly, this 'dark side.'
Their common thread? They despise the 'Selenium' up top—where people laugh and enjoy their youth—with a hatred bordering on loathing, after crashing so hard themselves.
"That's how Salenium's 'darkness' formed and organized itself."
"...Yeah, I knew that much."
"You sure you're okay with this?"
"The Black Auction? Hmm, I've only heard about it, never been... but with Adrian by my side, it should be fine, right?"
Can she really be that casual about it? Well, it's not that dangerous. Precisely speaking, among the 'dark side' spots managed by the 'darkness,' the Black Auction isn't too risky. They only deal in banned items that skirt ethical lines without crossing them outright, plus folks peddle normal goods there to dodge taxes.
But that comes with downsides. Scams are rampant, and the scammed get more flak than the scammers. The Student Council has officially threatened demerits for anyone caught using it, but as usual, everyone sneaks in anyway. That's why the 'front' Black Auction is tolerable—even professors poke around sometimes.
For reference, Professor Walnut of Elemental Utilization is a Black Auction VIP. The regular Salenium bookstores only stock textbooks, not romance novels.
However. Venture 'deeper' inside, and that's where it gets truly dangerous. No entry without a 'darkness' member vouching for you. Force your way in, and you won't see anything good. From there, it's the real domain of the 'darkness.'
"Then let's hand this in first."
Reina fluttered the paper as she spoke. The report. We'd checked off locations, facilities, potential issues—everything ideal for hosting the tournament.
We headed toward the massive Student Council building in the central district. Reina glanced at me.
"By the way, Adrian, aren't you joining the sports festival this time? You skipped it as a first-year."
"Mm. This time, I'm in the 'one-kilometer flag snatch relay.'"
"Adrian."
Reina stopped ahead and stared right at me.
"You sure you're okay? Got a fever or something? No, this won't do—maybe I should sub in for you..."
Is it really that serious?
"...I'm fine. I'll make it work. Besides, we might not even be on the same team."
"Oh, right," she muttered, but worry still lingered on her face.
Anyway.
"Don't fret. I've survived this long, haven't I? I'll stand tall and watch you shine this time too. Show me what you've got."
"Okay, if you say so, I'll trust you. And you have to watch my match. I'm going for full revenge this round."
Hm. No idea what she's revenging, but good luck.
* * *
Anyway, we turned in the report and left. The Student Council guy who took it looked hollow-eyed, and the second he saw me, he clutched whatever weapon he had in his pocket instead of speaking. What was he even planning to do with that?
But.
"None of my business."
"Pardon?"
"If he chose that path, he bears the responsibility."
"Well said. Oh, and I got those Student Council volunteer points. Now..."
"Now?"
"After graduation, I can proudly say, 'I collaborated on a Student Council project.'"
Sounds just like some neighborhood auntie's logic.
"Speaking of, the Black Auction. I know the location, but I've never actually gone. I don't send my informants into dangerous spots."
Hm. As Reina said, she treasures her info network. Easy to get academy 'insider' intel from her, but for risky 'darkness' stuff, better sources elsewhere.
The path we walked was the West Forest. We passed Knight Faculty students bloodthirsty for monsters, delving deeper into the woods. Three steps, spin once more, walk about thirty minutes. Right where the forest's midsection blurs into the entrance...
"There it is."
"Hm?"
"Look over there."
A rundown shack. And in front, a student 'pretending' to paint on a canvas.
"Reina, is today the full moon?"
"Pardon? Oh, yes. Yesterday was the fourteenth, so tonight's the full moon."
Then the passphrase is probably what I think it is. Black Auction codes change daily, based on the moon. I know them all anyway—one of the many conditions to become a Salenium saga veteran was memorizing every underground market entry phrase by date.
I approached the guy.
"Can't you see I'm painting? Don't interrupt."
He flicked his brush wildly as he spoke, so I said to his back:
"The moon on the fifteenth night is like a shadow."
His brush stopped dead.
"...Beneath the moon's shadow, we dwell."
He muttered and turned.
"Ah, Lord Adrian?"
"Mm."
The painter nodded, scanned around, and led us into the shack. For some reason, his shoulders shook like crazy. He kept glancing at me. What's up—me?
Screeech...
He opened a wardrobe, pulled out two eye-masking half-masks, and handed them over.
"Magically treated masks—your voice changes the moment you wear them. This way, please."
Behind the shack, he suddenly yanked up perfectly normal grass.
"Camouflage magic carpet?"
"Yes, miss. That's right."
Beneath was an iron door. He opened it, revealing creaky hinges and stairs descending underground.
"VIPs have no time limit. Same for companions. Enjoy your time at our Black Auction."
He waved us down and shut the door.
As we descended, masked Reina spoke.
"Adrian, you're a VIP here?"
"Mm."
Adrian's a VIP? News to me.
"...As I said repeatedly, the Black Auction is used by regular students—and even professors sometimes. Just heirlooms from fallen houses, items not sold in Salenium shops. Light rebellion, nothing truly 'illegal.'"
"Mm, if you say so. But this mask—is it a magic tool?"
"Something like that. No fun exposing identities."
We descended. At the bottom, through a sewer-like hole, emerged...
"One sip and you'll fly! Time dragging? This'll carry you two days straight! Three thousand elrin a bottle! No side effects!"
"Wondering if your lover's cheating? Looking for lost family? Visit our detective agency!"
"Heh heh, no scam here! No regrets!"
"Hey, you! What's your budget at Dragon Mountain Traders? Magic tools cheap!"
A perfect flea market.
Brick streets sprawled the underground bazaar. Green sewage trickled in carved gutters along the edges, tents pitched between, yellow lanterns flickering amid chattering crowds.
"Whoa... so this is..."
Reina trailed off, staring somewhere.
There.
"H-hey, how much for this?"
"'My Lady Can't Be This Cute.' Ah, seven thousand elrin for the set."
A green-robed figure swept up books. Masked, but the robe gave it away.
Hm. Reina pretended not to see. So did I.
"This is the black market, the Black Auction."
"This entrance sells what normal students crave. That three-thousand-elrin stuff? Booze."
"B-booze? I figured the Black Auction would sell that, but so openly..."
"Strong stuff too. Deeper in, it splits by category. We want gear. Let's go."
We wove through the market.
"I imagined the Black Auction as some terrifying den..."
"Didn't I say it wasn't?"
Just unlicensed goods. That's the issue.
"See that alley? Path down further?"
"Ah, yes. I see it."
"Deep inside there's the 'auction house.' That's the 'real' deal. If the black market's mere mischief, that's for those who live in the 'darkness' as a profession."
Unlike the casual Black Auction for students and profs.
The true one—for killers, kidnappers... those hiding unforgivable sins.
Reina turned away, unwilling to look.
"Why... do they use places like this? They could just live fair and square."
"No money, no opportunities, no will to try. They've got their reasons, right?"
As we chatted, a woman bumped my shoulder.
"Oh, sorry."
"No harm. My fault for not watching."
And then.
"You're a kind one."
She smiled lightly and vanished inward, deeper inward.
"Adrian, who was that?"
"No idea. Let's hurry."
My mouth said that, but my eyes tracked where she went.
I said I didn't know, but I do.
How could I not?
Pavela of the Puppets.
She's...
Yeah. The final boss of Act 2 in the main story.