Chapter 138

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 138

Chapter Title: After the Auction Ends

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My Dryad's fruit sold for a whopping 3 million gold to participant number 1.

Participant number 2, who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had tried negotiating with me only to abruptly give up on the unicorn, jumped into the bidding war for the Dryad's fruit as well but called it quits at 2.5 million gold.

'Who the hell is number 1?'

I had a pretty good guess about number 2, but it piqued my curiosity who this being was that went toe-to-toe with them and shelled out a full 3 million gold for the Dryad's fruit. Number 2 was likely the Dragon King, so did that make number 1 the Giant God... no, the Giant King?

'...It's got a decent chance of being right.'

Whatever. Not my business. As long as it sold for a high price, I was happy. Who bought it didn't matter to me one bit.

With the final item wrapped up, the auction was over, so I could head out now... but I still had a little business left.

'This the place?'

With Erzsebet and Lilith in tow, I entered the banquet hall prepared for the participants after the auction. Sure, eyes turned our way instantly, but I ignored them and headed straight for the ones waiting for me.

"Over here, Master!"

The figures waiting for me—my subordinate Dungeon Masters, led by Rene—spotted me and called out. Eyes had already been sizing us up, but now that it looked like all these other Dungeon Masters were under one person's command, even more gazes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠locked onto us.

Fine by me. Lilith's illusion was holding strong, so no one would figure out who we really were.

'I wanna bail right now, though...'

There was a reason I wasn't leaving immediately. I'd heard that after the auction, the dungeon merchant hands out mediocre items—not good enough for the main event—via a lottery to the participants who stick around.

Apparently, stuff like mid-grade monsters or average potions, just for staying put. So I planned to grab everything I could before going.

And it wasn't just for Dungeon Masters; companions counted too, so everyone got a share. The more people sticking around, the better.

'That's why we agreed to huddle up...'

I'd told them all to stay and stick together in case of trouble, but damn, the stares were more intense than expected. Maybe it would've been better to split up?

"Master! Come this way. They've got the unsold auction items on display over here—you can buy them separately, it seems."

"Looks like they're selling off the ones that didn't meet the value threshold for the main auction on behalf of other Dungeon Masters."

Whether they sensed my mood or not, my lesser subordinate Dungeon Masters were fawning over me—maybe to impress me, or perhaps because the pre-auction info I'd leaked had netted them some nice gains and put them in high spirits.

'...Eh, this isn't so bad.'

Seeing my underlings, who trusted and followed me, treat me with such deference felt strangely satisfying. Did I have a bit of a power trip in me? Grouping up like this wasn't so...

"Bunch of vermin swarming together, making all that racket."

'...Huh?'

As I basked in my subordinates' devotion and casually browsed the unsold items, one of the probing stares approached and picked a fight out of nowhere.

My three chattering Dungeon Masters fell silent and shrank back, but Rene—clearly used to this sort of thing—stepped forward haughtily to confront him.

"Oh my. Were you speaking to us, perhaps?"

"Can't you tell? Huddling in a pack is the mark of the weak. Pathetic weaklings clinging on, desperate for scraps from the dungeon merchant, licking each other's asses and yapping away... It's laughable. You're dragging down the average for all Dungeon Masters."

"Oh dear. We're just minding our own business, and here you come barking out of the blue... Ah, yes, I recall they say the more cowardly and weak the dog, the louder it barks?"

"Grr... You bitch..."

Not only was the sudden provocation shocking, but Rene didn't flinch at all. She coolly dismantled the demon with refined poise.

'A western demon?'

I'd heard western demons prized strength above all, despising the weak with a passion. They saw weakness as a sin and despised grouping up as something only the feeble did.

Unlike the south, I knew next to nothing about western demons, so I couldn't tell if this guy was a Dungeon Master or just a tag-along. Word was western Dungeon Masters rarely brought companions...

'That explains the weird hostility mixed in with the stares...'

What a joke. They hadn't dared step up when the northern Dragon King had his own northern demons trailing him like loyal retainers. But now they picked on us just because we looked like easy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pickings?

'Wanna just clear this trash out.'

For all his big talk, he was still hanging around for the merchant's giveaway items himself. And bound by the auction house rules, he couldn't even throw a punch—just kept yapping away. I wanted him gone, far away.

He probably couldn't do much beyond talk anyway...

'...Huh?'

'...Because it's an illusion?'

It was an unfamiliar situation, but I could reason it out. This space was an illusion crafted from the dream demon's magic. And my body here was just a projection based on my mind.

So maybe the Cleaning Game system couldn't connect properly?

'I already knew the system's power could pierce illusions to some extent...'

The message popped up in response to my will. Right over that yapping demon—or rather, the body he was using. The illusion-made body had a [Polluted Material Detected] tag hovering above it.

Come to think of it, back when I first met Lilith, my system had treated the dream demon's illusions as pollutants it could collect. If the system's reach extended here too...

"The weak have no value. Better to die and become nourishment for the strong. Clinging to that worthless life without knowing your place..."

"Hey. You, all talk."

"...What?"

One hypothesis flashed in my mind. Add in the anger at this guy insulting me and my subordinate Dungeon Masters...

All of it surged together, and on impulse, I manipulated the flawed system window before me and shouted at him.

"Disappear, filth."

The moment I spoke and muttered the 'collect' command in the system...

-Whoosh!!

"...Huh?"

The yapping demon's body—his illusion body—vanished.

Rene, mid-argument with him; my subordinate Dungeon Masters, cowering behind; and the other demons watching the spectacle for fun...

All of them blurted out dumb noises, clueless about what just happened.

Only two beings here knew what went down.

'It actually worked.'

Me, Eugene, who'd used the [Collect] function...

"Master. That just now..."

"Yeah. Same as what I did to you."

And Lilith, who'd been hit by it before and wielded power to pierce and control illusions herself.

But the clueless onlookers had no idea. Southern demons holding their breath for giveaway items, eastern Dungeon Masters, and even the western ones waiting their turn to pick a fight...

Fear of the incomprehensible bloomed in all their eyes.

"Alright! Thank you all for staying till the end. For brightening the place today... Hm?"

In the heavy silence, Kenchi appeared to break the tension but tilted his head at the chill in the air.

"Did something happen?"

Tired. Wanna go home already.

Eugene looked like he had plenty to say, but after enduring the stares from demons eager to make contact and grabbing the lottery prizes Kenchi randomly handed out to participants, he severed the illusion link and returned at once.

"M-Master... what the hell was that just now?"

"Idiot. Didn't you see?"

Back at the spot Eugene left, his subordinate Dungeon Masters—who'd just collected their prizes—whispered cautiously.

Among the group, the most timid one—the dwarves' leader Bran—freaked out, prompting the witch Margaret, who'd kept her cool, to mutter fearfully while stroking her pointed hat.

"Just like the Giant God."

"Like... how?"

"That? To Master, it wasn't even a 'fight.' Like swatting a fly, casually. No need to see that trash as an enemy... He just erased it."

"Th-That kind of..."

Fear and awe for the being they'd sworn to serve etched deep into them. Trembling, they reaffirmed their loyalty.

And the demons still there began analyzing the event as time passed, one by one reaching similar conclusions.

About 10 minutes before Eugene returned from the auction house.

"This one... and this... Ah! Aqua sis!"

With Master away, Rio—who'd been diligently doing her tasks—cheerfully called out to the woman ascending the stairs.

Rio overflowed with such friendliness that even Eugene dubbed her a "human... no, demon capybara." Thanks to that, she'd gotten somewhat close to Aqua, who others couldn't befriend because her speech was incomprehensible.

Rio waved enthusiastically at Aqua—who rarely left her lake—now climbing up for once.

But...

-Step. Step...

"...Didn't you hear me?"

Aqua, who normally greeted her with her signature "whirring" sounds, just walked past.

Rio pouted a bit but shrugged it off as her voice not carrying, quickly losing interest. She still had tons of work and couldn't chase after Aqua sis on a whim.

Aqua, having brushed past Rio...

"..."

Slowly took in the sight of the ruins' interior: Rio and the busy monsters and demons scurrying about. Some recognized her but, knowing conversation was impossible, just nodded politely as she passed.

"...Gulp."

"Hm? Did Aqua say something just now...?"

"Probably that whirring noise again. Can't understand it anyway... You grab that side. We gotta fix all the traps by tonight."

The demons didn't find Aqua's behavior odd either and let her pass. Unaware of the faint, squelching sound that brushed by.