Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Adaptation (4)
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“You look better than before. Is it because no one’s bullying you anymore?”
Lee Hye-ri smiled brightly, openly revealing her animosity toward Cheonhwa Guild and Queens.
‘Still the same.’
As the granddaughter of Sejin Group—Cheonhwa Group’s rival—she harbored an especially fierce rivalry. That was probably why she always spoke so freely, even in front of me.
“Things have gotten a bit easier lately. So..., what brings the Guild Leader here in person?”
“I have some business at this auction.”
“Auction? What a coincidence. I’m here for that too.”
“...Really?”
Upon hearing I was participating in the auction, Lee Hye-ri narrowed her eyes, sending me a gaze like a snake sizing up its prey.
She was clearly wondering if there was something she could pry out of me.
“Just so you know, it’s not what you’re thinking.”
“What am I thinking?”
She coolly curled the corner of her mouth, feigning complete innocence.
I straightforwardly explained my purpose for joining the auction and laid down the law for her.
“I’m just here to pick up some decent gear, so don’t get in my way for no reason.”
“Gear?”
“To hand to our main dealer.”
“...Hmm....”
Lee Hye-ri nodded as if in understanding, then shot me a playful look and casually remarked,
“You’re not planning to blow my blood taxes in a place like this, are you?”
“Don’t worry. Your taxes are already padding my gut.”
Pleased by my response, she let out a pfft—bursting into laughter—before sharing her reason for coming to the auction house.
“I’m here to buy the Bloodstained Crown.”
“...Bloodstained Crown? The main item?”
“Yeah. I think it’d suit our In-na perfectly.”
The ‘In-na’ she mentioned was Gong In-na, Black Rose’s leader and an S-rank Hunter.
“Think you can snag it? Looks like there’ll be a ton of competition.”
“True enough. I spotted some overseas guilds milling around earlier.”
“Even from overseas?”
The ‘Bloodstained Crown’—hailed as this auction’s main attraction—was an S-rank item unearthed a few years back from a gate ruin.
Rumors swirled that it came packed with an insane active skill...
But the truth was, those rumors were overhyped.
From the original novel’s details, the Bloodstained Crown absorbed mana from those nearby to buff the user.
Yet its duration was pitifully short relative to the effect, and it guzzled an absurd amount of mana, rendering it inefficient overall.
“Hmm... I don’t see it as worth the hype.”
“...Why’s that?”
“Way too much bubble. If it were me... I’d grab the ‘Lunaria Pendant’ coming up right before it.”
“Lunaria Pendant?”
Lee Hye-ri reacted with clear bafflement.
I recalled the Lunaria Pendant’s effects and its spot in the auction lineup, offering a quick rundown.
Unlike setups that constantly drained the wearer’s mana, the Lunaria Pendant had a passive that scaled body enhancements with mana flow.
It wasn’t a curse, so you could toggle it on and off at will. The more mana you pumped through it, the stronger the buffs—and the efficiency was top-notch.
“It’s slotted right before the Bloodstained Crown... so it might go for under market value.”
“...Is that right?”
Lee Hye-ri listened quietly, then nodded as if she got it. She beckoned her secretary over from a distance.
“Contact the guild. Tell them we’re switching targets to the Lunaria Pendant.”
“Understood.”
‘...Hold up, just like that?’
I was a little thrown by how she blindly trusted my word and scrapped her plans on the spot.
Sure, it was her call to buy or pass—but ditching a target she’d set in advance based solely on me was... inconvenient.
“What’re you trusting to flip the script like that?”
“What else? You.”
Lee Hye-ri flashed a brazen eye smile and waved her secretary off again.
I stared at her in disbelief.
Truth be told, this was classic Lee Hye-ri.
Back when she’d just been named Sejin Guild’s vice leader and formed Redz—Black Rose’s predecessor.
After I bailed her out of her dilemma, she backed every word I said without question.
From my end, I’d just scanned abilities and flagged team members with solid potential...
But she—bogged down by the weight of being Sejin Group’s heiress—called it a beam of light piercing the gloom.
‘Should’ve joined Sejin Guild after all...’
As those pointless thoughts swirled while chatting with Lee Hye-ri,
Ding—clang—ding—clang—ding—
A bell tolled through the black market interior.
The main event—the auction—was about to kick off.
I headed to the auction hall with Lee Hye-ri, naturally claiming seats side by side.
Sipping the drink her secretary fetched, I casually scoped out the venue.
‘Huge turnout.’
The massive black market auction hall ringed a central stage.
Thanks to Bloodstained Crown hype, the crowd was so thick some folks couldn’t even grab seats.
‘How the hell did they pull off a terrorist hit here...’
In the original story, Seol Ju-hee had stirred chaos right here to swipe an item.
Protagonist plot armor or not, trying terror in a setup this sealed-off was straight-up insane.
Ladies and gentlemen! The main event you’ve all been waiting for—item auction begins!
The auction fired up right away.
Items hit the central podium alongside the host’s spiel.
Kicking off the long-awaited start... Mermaid’s Tear!
‘Mermaid’s Tear’ came from tears shed by mermaids—a monster species—when they fell in love.
Largely used for potions and elixirs, it counted as a premium rare material thanks to sourcing woes.
‘Not much use.’
Mermaid’s Tear wasn’t alone; plenty of solid items passed, but nothing I needed.
“Red Carapace Armor. What about that one?”
“Prime material, but a nightmare to work with. Pass for me.”
“Hmm... Guess we skip it.”
Instead, I assisted with Lee Hye-ri’s shopping spree.
She bantered playfully but hung on my every word, turning it into a fun time.
“Next up...”
“Main event at last.”
We’d snagged the ‘Lunaria Pendant’ for a steal at 8.5 billion when the true headliner—‘Bloodstained Crown’—finally graced the podium.
Ooooh...!
The crowd gasped in awe at the Bloodstained Crown.
Crafted like tarnished gold and studded with blood-red gems, its design struck even my art-blind eyes as slick.
“Pretty, huh.”
“Buy it for me?”
I shot a glance at the teasing Lee Hye-ri and grinned, playing along.
“Rolling in cash?”
She curved into a sultry smile, replying with utter confidence.
“Could snag ten more, easy.”
Astonishingly, she wasn’t bluffing.
Finally, it’s here! This auction’s main prize! Bloodstained Crown!
Murmur—murmur—
The audience buzzed, anticipation thick for the real bidding war.
Starting bid: 10 billion! Increments of 1 billion!
Worth the main billing, the opening bid was stratospheric.
10 billion! 11 billion! 12 billion! 13 billion in! 14 billion!
Bids flew fast and furious.
Quiet holdouts jumped in, jacking the price past fivefold in a blink.
50 billion! 50 billion bid!
50 billion for a single item? Top-tier pricing.
Fine for a one-of-a-kind Ex-rank maybe—but a criminally overpriced dud? No thanks.
51 billion! Increments now 2 billion!
Watching silently, I tilted toward Lee Hye-ri and murmured,
“So, budget this time?”
“90 billion.”
90 billion on one item!
Almost ten times the Lunaria Pendant.
“Saved you 80 billion. Gratitude time.”
Lee Hye-ri beamed a charming smile my way alongside her thanks.
The marathon bidding wrapped, slapping a tag on the Bloodstained Crown at last.
85 billion! 85 billion...! 85 billion! Sold!
A flat 85 billion.
Had Lee Hye-ri piled in, Sejin Guild’s vault would house an 85-billion dust-gatherer.
Auction rolls on! Next item...
Lots kept coming until barely any remained—then my white whale surfaced on the podium.
Dark Dragon Gauntlet!
‘There it is.’
True to its name, the Dark Dragon Gauntlet mimicked a black dragon’s head.
In the original, Seol Ju-hee wielded it—packed with devastating ki blast capability.
Its secrets unknown, it flew under the radar... a stroke of luck for me.
Starting bid: 1 million won! Increments of 100 thousand won!
Versus the Crown’s 10-billion opener, this was sub-1%—yet performance? Easily 100x over.
1.5 million! Anyone higher?
Biding my moment, I raised my paddle as momentum dipped.
1.6 million! 1.6 million bid!
Figured 2 million tops—chilling as I waited it out.
Then.
Swish—
Lee Hye-ri beside me lifted her paddle, flashing fingers for the number.
3 million! 3 million!
“...Hey.”
Caught off-guard by her sudden play, I shot her a glare.
She curved an inscrutable smile and tossed me a sly wink.
‘This is bad...’
I whipped up my paddle pronto, kicking off a bidding duel with Lee Hye-ri.
3.5...! 3.8! 4! Increments now 500 thousand!
Blasted past 5 million in seconds, but bids raged on.
11 million!
The price cracked 10 million at last.
“Fifty million.”
Lee Hye-ri leaped ahead, stonewalling my bid.
“Hey. You...!”
“Your move?”
She provoked shamelessly, grin all mischief.
Racking my brain for subs briefly, I raised my paddle and met her head-on.
51 million! 51 million won!
Items littered the world, but nothing fit Jin Seo-won like this.
Still...
52 million! 52 million!
Lee Hye-ri showed no quit, tailing right after.
“Lee Hye-ri. Enough already. Saved your ass 80 billion, and this is the thanks?”
I glared daggers, growling as I reached for my paddle.
That’s when.
Grab—
Lee Hye-ri clamped my hand...
Our eyes met, her gaze turning oddly intent as she whispered,
“Hold up.”