Chapter 173: Pertinax Auction House (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 173: Pertinax Auction House (2)
Choi Seol-ah was trembling like a phone on vibrate. I stared at her profile. I could sense her pale complexion behind her squirrel mask.
Shuffling forward hesitantly, Choi Seol-ah suddenly spun around and stood before me. Then, out of nowhere, she bowed deeply as if begging for forgiveness.
"I am so, so sorry! I couldn't think of anything else, and I completely overstepped my bounds."
"I'm not mad, just a bit startled. If the auction house's policy suddenly changed, there was no helping it."
Indeed, there was no reason for Choi Seol-ah to be so terrified. If anything, she deserved praise. She had used her wits to get us in somehow.
But if she crossed the line any further, I couldn't be sure. My body had a habit of drawing my sword first.
I sighed and said,
"Besides, why is someone who has committed countless bad deeds trembling over a single lie? Have some pride as a former villain."
"...M-My lord!"
"Do you have humidifiers in your eyes? Stop sniffling. And please, let go of my arm. How long are you going to keep clinging to me?"
"Ah, sorry. It was just so comfortable that I forgot."
Choi Seol-ah sheepishly let go of my arm and gave an awkward laugh.
Humming a tune, she trotted ahead, practically wagging an invisible tail.
I chuckled. It felt like walking a dog.
Passing through a passage as dark as a cave, we finally entered the main hall of the auction house.
'Oh...'
I let out a quiet exclamation of admiration at the sprawling interior. It was a stark contrast to the plain exterior—a space that truly showed what 'wealth' meant.
I looked around the gold-plated interior. It was incredibly lavish.
But as I looked at the crowd filling the hall, my brow furrowed.
Each of them held a champagne glass, exchanging nods.
Though they were decked out in luxury brands from head to toe, they couldn't have looked filthier. It was because of the conversations they were having.
—It has been a while, Magpie Desert. I hope you have been well.
—Haha, I am honored that Wild Horse would worry about me. By the way, what brings you to the auction house today? I am looking to bid on a new pet, or perhaps a slave...
A rotten stench wafted from their conversation. I wanted nothing more than to silence them right then and there. But I had to endure.
This auction house was a place on the borderline between legal and illegal. If I lost my temper and started a bloodbath, things would spiral out of control.
Demons and magical beasts were our primary enemies, but these people were, at the end of the day, fellow humans. Even if they were trash wearing human skin, I couldn't just slaughter them recklessly.
Slay demons, but avoid killing humans as much as possible.
If I went around slashing people as I pleased, it would cause a lot of trouble for those around me.
Besides, there was already a family whose sole purpose was to execute people like this. Trespassing on their domain would only disrupt the order.
'Still, it doesn't stop this from feeling like absolute shit.'
As my brow furrowed in displeasure, Choi Seol-ah, who was walking ahead, gestured to me.
"How about the middle row over there? It's the best spot. The item you're looking for will be easily visible from there, my lord!"
Nodding, I followed Choi Seol-ah and sat down in the middle row.
A tablet PC was placed at each seat.
As I was examining it, wondering what it was for, Choi Seol-ah explained.
"When the item you want comes up, you just enter your bid on the tablet. Why use tablets? Well, look at how many people are here! It's probably to make things go faster."
Having imagined people holding up paddles and shouting out prices, this was a fresh shock to me.
Actually, I did have some auction experience from my past life. Though it wasn't in this kind of decadent atmosphere, but rather a bustling, chaotic one.
In my past life, I used to bid on live seafood at the early morning fish market. Paddles were out of the question; we did everything with hand signals and shouting at the top of our lungs.
After giving the tablet a brief look, I handed it over to Choi Seol-ah. I didn't even know what the bidding items were yet. The status window would probably let me know when the time came. My mood was already sour, and I didn't feel like playing around with it anyway.
After a while, the seats were nearly full. It felt as if all the corruption and depravity in the world had gathered in one place.
Just thinking about the fact that I was in such a place made my face grimace.
'I need to bid on what I want and get out of here quickly. If I stay any longer, I might actually draw my sashimi knife.'
I crossed my arms and closed my eyes, shutting out the noise. As I waited quietly for the auction to begin, I sensed someone approaching. It felt strangely familiar.
I slowly opened my eyes. Turning my head, I saw a man approaching. Despite the massive crowd, his presence stood out.
It was because of the mask he wore. It was a black bird-beak mask, almost identical to mine.
"If this seat next to you isn't taken, would you mind if I sat down?"
Having reached my side, he asked. His voice echoed, muffled by the beak.
I nodded my beak. The man politely bowed his beak in return and sat down next to me. If crows greeted each other, it would probably look something like this.
'He seems familiar...'
While I was stealing glances at the crow next to me with a strange feeling, a man who appeared to be the host stepped onto the stage.
He wore a ridiculous outfit consisting of a brilliant suit woven with gold thread and a clown mask.
The clown stood before the microphone. Spreading his arms wide, he introduced himself.
"Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Pertinax Auction House! First of all, I am Pertinax IX, your host for today—"
In stark contrast to his flashy attire, his tone was incredibly frivolous.
Every single joke he made was vulgar. They were of a harassing nature that would have landed him behind bars had he spoken them in public.
Yet, the audience burst into boisterous laughter. The sickeningly vivid atmosphere of this place gave me goosebumps.
"Since you've all been waiting, I'll cut the small talk here! Let's begin the auction immediately with our very first item!"
The clown gestured with his chin toward the back of the stage. In the next moment, I couldn't believe my eyes.
A lioness was brought out, her neck and paws bound in iron shackles. Her hide was so covered in scars that her bare skin was barely visible. It was painfully obvious how much abuse she had suffered.
But the crowd's reaction was absurd. The bidders began to boo the clown, complaining that the item was too ordinary.
The clown smiled slyly and spoke.
"Now, now, calm down, honored guests. You have to hear me out first, don't you? While this item looks like a lion, it is actually a D-rank Chimaera Cat, a feline magical beast!"
Only then did the jeers subside. The clown continued in an amused tone.
"And that's not all. As a thoroughly trained magical beast, it is highly obedient to human commands. Furthermore, since it is a magical beast—our sworn enemy—there are absolutely no moral issues here. We will start the bidding at fifty million won!"
No sooner had he finished his introduction than the numbers on the screen began to skyrocket. The bids, which had only nudged the last digits at first, soon began to shift the leading digits.
The clicking of fingernails tapping on tablets echoed from all directions. The room was thick with the greed of those determined to win the bid.
Madness gleamed in the eyes of the humans behind their masks. In the dull, vacant pupils of the magical beast, the scoreboard was reflected.
I groaned inwardly. A dark-red malice, far worse than that of any magical beast, rose from every corner of the room. The air felt sticky.
And so, the atmosphere of the auction house continued to heat up.
Whenever the room grew too heated, the clown host skillfully dialed it back. His characteristically light banter played a big part in it.
The bidders clutched their stomachs in laughter. Conversely, my patience was rapidly wearing thin. At this rate, my surging bloodlust was going to leak out.
"Are you alright, young man?"
Just then, the crow-masked man sitting next to me spoke. I turned to look at him. I had heard this way of speaking before.
The man faced me. Our beaks pointed at each other, almost touching. He let out a faint smile.
"It has been a while."
"Head of the Family... is that you?"
"You're slow to notice. I recognized you the moment I saw you. I never dreamed we would meet again in such a hideous place."
Al'tair, the Head of the Auditore Family, chuckled.
"So, what brings you here?"
I answered calmly.
"I came because there's something I absolutely need. I heard it can only be found here. What about you, Head of the Family? Do you have a hobby of visiting places like this?"
"I've been coming here every day lately because of work. It's not like I feel comfortable in a place like this either. Quite the opposite, in fact. Isn't my job to clean up the scum here?"
"I see."
Shrugging his shoulders, Al'tair looked around the vast auction house. He fixed his gaze on the stage. The auction was slowly drawing to a close.
He spoke in a low voice.
"Did you know? Among all animals, humans are the only ones who buy and sell other animals. In all my years, I have never seen a beast more hideous than a human."
"..."
"On the other hand, that very fact serves as the driving force for our family's assassination work... Ah, my apologies. I've told a rather dull story."
Al'tair scratched his beak awkwardly. He changed the subject.
"By the way, what is it that you're planning to bid on?"
"Ah..."
It was then.
"Attention, honored guests! The time has come to introduce the centerpiece of today's Pertinax Auction!"
The host raised his voice, projecting from his diaphragm. The corners of several bidders' mouths curled upward, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.
"This next item is none other than...!"
The clown paused deliberately. He used the silence to build the tension to its peak.
It was a classic theatrical performance. Cliché as it was, it was a method that always worked.
The lights illuminating the stage suddenly went out. Then, all at once, the auction house was flooded with light.
The eyes of the audience gathered on the platform in unison. At the same time, sadistic smiles spread across their faces.
A girl with translucent skin was dragged out. Her body was completely bound in restraints.
But I could guarantee she was by no means human. I had never seen a human with such pointed ears.
"Thank you for waiting! This is perhaps an unprecedented item in the history of our auction house. A humanoid baby dragon!"
Whoaaaaaa!
In an instant, the auction house erupted into a frenzy.
On the other hand, I froze on the spot.
[You have discovered the third memory fragment of 【???】.]
* * *
"These bastards have completely crossed the line."
Al'tair clicked his tongue and shook his head. He had harbored doubts, but they had actually captured a live dragon and put it up for auction. The anonymous tip he had received a few days ago was true.
Dragons were among the highest-ranking demons. Normally, even a group of heroes working together would be no match for one. Needless to say, capturing one alive was several times more difficult.
How, then, had they brought it here? There was only one way. Kidnapping it as a hatchling, before it could even develop cognitive awareness.
It was indeed a sickeningly inhumane and atrocious act. But as the Head of the Auditore Family, he had seen this since ancient times. There were countless humans this vile.
The Head of the Family stared at the screen with a grim expression.
The bids leaped higher and higher with unstoppable momentum. Human malice was being quantified in numbers, piling up step by step.
'I must make my move soon.'
Although this auction house had ties to the government, this was something that could not be overlooked. It could easily lead to a major conflict with the demons.
Severing the root of trouble to maintain order. This was the assassin's calling.
Just as he was about to signal the assassins infiltrated in the auction house, the Head of the Family glanced to his side.
"..."
Kang Geomma stared at the platform without moving a muscle. He was as still as if he harbored no emotion whatsoever.
Yet, even so, the Head of the Family froze like a stone. For he had read the emotion Kang Geomma was feeling.
A rage that had surpassed its limit. Some disparaged Kang Geomma as an evil man. But having seen his true nature clearly, the Head of the Family could declare with certainty:
Kang Geomma was a good man. Though he occasionally lost his mind and brandished his sashimi knife first, even that never led to a wrong outcome. Though his methods were violent, his intentions were always righteous.
Therefore, regardless of why Kang Geomma had visited the auction house, his purpose would not be impure. The Head of the Family was sure of it.
He placed a hand on Geomma's shoulder. Kang Geomma turned his head toward him. The Head of the Family smiled faintly.
"I feel that way too. But cool your head. It would be troublesome if a man destined to sit among the Seven Stars were to get involved in something like this."
"..."
Kang Geomma fell silent for a moment. He understood what the Head of the Family was trying to say.
He was experiencing a severe internal conflict. No matter how much it was for the sake of acquiring the fragment, buying and selling a living being went against his beliefs.
That was why he had sat still without entering a bid all this time.
In that case, it would be better to join forces with the Head of the Family and then approach the dragon.
As Kang Geomma's hand naturally reached into his coat, the Head of the Family smiled and stopped him.
"One shouldn't use a cleaver meant for slaughtering cows to kill a chicken."
"But..."
"Isn't our family here to do exactly this kind of work? If you really can't stand sitting still, you just need to do some acting."
"Acting...?"
Without a word, the Head of the Family snapped his fingers to signal.
In response, shadows began to writhe and slither from the unlit corners of the room.
Sssssss.
Noticing the anomaly, the host flinched and took a few steps back.
Panic spread like a plague among the bidders. There were few who did not know who those red-haired, red-eyed people were.
"A-A-Auditore!"
The clown host hurriedly pulled out a walkie-talkie. It was an immediate response. They had hired mercenaries in anticipation of the shadow bastards showing up.
In an instant, the Pertinax Auction House fell into utter chaos.
Al'tair suddenly bowed his head to me and asked,
"Head of the Family, what would you have us do?"
...So that's what he meant.
I marveled inwardly. The Head of the Family and I were wearing similar crow masks. To anyone else, we would look completely like accomplices.
Since things had turned out this way, he was offering to have the Auditore family take responsibility for this incident while keeping my identity hidden. It was a gesture asking me to play along. Though setting me up as the Head of the Family seemed to be nothing more than his whim.
"How shall we deal with these corrupt souls?"
Al'tair asked once more. Since he was going this far, I had no choice but to play along with this theater.
I arrogantly crossed my legs and clasped my hands over my knee. I channeled the heavy, imposing presence of the Head of the Family that I had observed over his shoulder during the Night of the Purge.
"Auditore."
"Yes, Head of the Family."
I commanded in a cold, low voice.
"Purge the corruption."