Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Gehenna Auction House (2)
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Mana flowed from the devices restraining the elves' limbs. They were artifacts designed to seal away power.
Elves were a powerful race. Not only were they adept in magic, but their affinity for spirits was incomparable to humans.
In truth, it was nearly impossible for humans to capture elves with raw strength alone, but it happened occasionally.
"Elves often overlook human cunning."
Young elves especially.
They trusted in their own power and dismissed humans as insignificant. It was understandable. Even upon reaching adulthood, they possessed the strength to crush most skilled humans.
And humans understood those elven tendencies better than anyone—especially the hunters who specialized in other races. They knew elves even better than elves knew themselves.
All it took was a bit of provocation and a trap.
Young elves couldn't tolerate insults and would lash out at humans, playing right into their hands.
Captured like that, the elf would fall into slavery and end up displayed at a secret auction like this one.
"Hmph."
Siegfried's expression was hard to read behind his mask, but the air around him made it clear he was displeased.
He had been a slave himself. No one knew better than him how slaves were treated.
An elf slave would face it even worse.
After all, they were the most beautiful race in the world.
"Starting bid: 100,000 gold!"
100,000 gold.
Enough to run a small territory for a year.
An exorbitant sum for a slave, but different when that slave was an elf.
"Shall we raise it by 5,000 at a time?"
The auctioneer's voice brimmed with delight.
His grinning clown mask might as well have been his real face.
No sooner had he finished than bidding paddles shot up around the room.
"Wow! 15,000! 20,000! 25,000! Can't keep up! Jumping to 50,000!"
Still, the paddles kept rising.
"400,000! 450,000!"
1 million. 2 million.
The bids climbed at a ferocious pace.
The pigs fought desperately to claim the exceedingly rare elf slave.
Jamie didn't like the spectacle.
But secret auctions were like this from the start. He planned to look away until this one ended.
"......"
Then he spotted the man and woman seated diagonally across from him—the ones emitting a forest scent. More precisely, the woman. Her shoulders trembled visibly; anyone could see she was furious.
The man massaged her shoulders to soothe her.
'Real elves?'
He'd only suspected before, but that reaction made it seem more unbelievable if they weren't.
'Trying to save them?'
Watching their kin suffer so cruelly yet holding back suggested remarkable patience.
'Or maybe they grasp the reality.'
Elves were strong, true—but the security here was top-tier, even by Jamie's standards.
Especially the black man in a black suit on the second-floor railing, overlooking the room.
His bulging muscles strained against his clothes.
'Master Class.'
He was suppressing his power as much as possible, but the air around him warped with immense force.
By eye, he was on par with Beryl Onyx, the Sword of the Tempest.
No telling the elf's exact level, but definitely not Master Class. Charging in would just mean a dog's death.
"Wow! 4.3 million gold!! Any more bids?!"
The auctioneer scanned the room with feverish excitement.
No one raised a paddle.
He shouted in exhilaration.
"Sold!!"
Thud thud thud—
"Excellent."
A voice from behind—the old man who'd won the elf slave. A faint tremor betrayed his overextension.
'Pig.'
Jamie clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes toward the presumed elf woman. She'd glanced at the winner too, her visible eyes blazing with rage through her mask.
Then their eyes met, and she quickly turned away. Maybe thinking he hadn't noticed through the mask, or hiding her fluster.
Either way, Jamie couldn't stop fixating on her.
"Next item!"
Next was beautiful jewelry, said to be cherished by a princess from a kingdom 4,000 years ago.
Untarnished after so long, thanks to special metals, apparently.
His interest ended there—not intriguing enough.
A few more items followed, all useless.
But the next one demanded Jamie's full attention.
"This next item is rarer than stars in the sky! Everyone know about shadow sheep?!"
The mention of shadow sheep stirred the room.
Even Siegfried, who'd been slouching boredly, sat up straight.
"Our turn. Thought I'd die of boredom."
His voice was slightly hoarse.
He'd dozed off.
"How much did Granny give you?"
"She didn't specify an amount."
"Then?"
"Blank check."
Write any figure, and it becomes that much—the pinnacle of currency!
"Whoa."
"Not impressed?"
"Lost touch with reality."
"Fair enough. First blank check for me too."
Siegfried chuckled.
Enough to give a blank check—Kiriel must really want it.
Hence the soul contract seal.
"This item is~ a shadow sheep heart!"
The assistant carefully opened the box, revealing a beautiful orb like a captured galaxy.
Brief gasps rippled through the crowd.
Shadow sheep were spirit-like beasts. Their hearts weren't biological.
More akin to a dragon heart, really.
"Those gathered here know the shadow sheep's rarity. Starting bid... 1 million gold!"
The elf slave started at 100,000.
Ten times that.
But it didn't stop there.
"No fixed increments. Bid freely."
The auctioneer's amused voice had barely faded when—
"3 million."
"3.5 million."
"5 million."
"6 million."
"7 million."
"10 million."
From 1 million to ten times that in seconds.
Bids skyrocketed insanely.
Almost seemed manipulated, but plausible for a shadow sheep heart.
Siegfried stroked his masked chin, muttering.
"Hmm. Fierce competition."
"You should join."
"Right. But just joining's no fun."
"What're you on about?"
Jamie sometimes couldn't fathom Siegfried's thoughts—like now.
Siegfried said,
"Young master wouldn't get it yet."
"Get what?"
"How thrilling it is to shatter the mood."
What nonsense?
But he learned soon enough.
"43 million!"
"43.2 million!"
"43.25 million!"
Past 40 million, increments shrank as fatigue set in.
Everyone tossing pocket change amid the frenzy—then Siegfried raised his paddle.
"100 million."
Silence blanketed the auction house.
The dancing auctioneer froze awkwardly, staring at Siegfried.
Then he recovered.
"Could you repeat that?"
"100 million."
Siegfried repeated without hesitation.
The price more than doubled abruptly.
Those battling at 40 million couldn't follow.
100 million was that kind of sum.
"100... 100 million! Any higher?"
As if.
No matter its value, no pig would drop 100 million on a shadow sheep heart.
Jamie stared at Siegfried in disbelief. Mask or not, he was surely grinning ear to ear.
"100 million's too much, isn't it?"
"She said spend whatever."
Siegfried was utterly mad.
Siegfried won the shadow sheep heart.
Predictably.
"Shall we go?"
"Want to see more."
Sacred relics remained.
They were supposed to appear. If not, he'd track the liar and leave him neither dead nor alive.
Though the man was innocent.
Oblivious to Jamie's vicious thoughts, Siegfried shrugged.
"Fine then. Takes time to get used to humanity's ugliness."
Valid point.
Jamie had seen plenty of secret auctions' depravity—enough to be bored.
This was child's play.
'When's my relic coming?'
Auction nearing end, probably.
Why else would Siegfried agree so easily?
More items passed.
Excluding the elf and heart, just overpriced gems.
Ancient fossils mildly interesting, but that's it.
"Yawn. Can't we leave? Getting tired."
"Tired of what?"
"Ever bid 100 million? Heart was pounding."
Siegfried's pulse had been steady since entry.
Jamie's cold glare prompted a cough.
"Kidding. Won't ignore a kid's request."
Eyes back to the stage.
A necklace sold for 80,000 gold.
Pocket change after 100 million.
Then—
"This item is 'estimated' more valuable than the shadow sheep heart today. Bring it out!"
Men dragged in a large box covered in seals.
Ziiing—
Perfect Cell vibrated.
Jamie pressed it down firmly, eyes locked on the box, tense.
"Open it."
At the auctioneer's command, a man placed a mana-infused stone atop.
Layered sealing spells shattered sequentially.
"Whoever sealed this was one hell of a mage."
Siegfried recognized them too, murmuring admiration.
Box fully open: a small stone embedded with a brilliantly iridescent gem.
Its beauty captivated everyone.
Auctioneer thrust his left arm out dramatically.
"Behold! The Ultimate Stone! All Might!"
At the name, Jamie's eyes widened behind his mask.
'How do they know the name?!'
One of Diablo Volpir's three sacred relics—the artifact of 'Absolute Defense.'
Foreseeing defeat against the 12 Gods, Diablo scattered them worldwide to prevent seizure.
They should have lost even their names, wandering forgotten.
Supposed to be that way.
No one should know.
While Jamie reeled, the auctioneer started bids.
"Starting at 3 million gold!"
Huge sum, but no paddles rose.
Just stunned murmurs.
Natural. Just a pretty stone to the eye. No one here knew its true worth.
Auctioneer smirked, as if expecting it.
"For reference, this Ultimate Stone contains..."
Ears perked.
"...enough energy to sustain a St. Dermang-level grand territory for over 10 years."
"10 million!"
"20 million!"
"40 million!"
"50 million!"
Massive energy in that tiny stone to power a grand territory for a decade.
Attendees: territory lords or continent-famous tycoons.
They knew energy's value best.
Nothing like the shadow sheep frenzy.
"130 million!"
"150 million!"
Bids soared.
Jamie couldn't stay stunned.
How they knew the name? Later.
Now, reclaim that stone.
"200 million!"
"210 million!"
Surged past 200 million instantly.
Amid the irrational frenzy—
Madmen existed beyond Siegfried.
"500 million!"
A woman's shout.
p> Voices past 200 million hushed.
Siegfried eyed her direction, shocked by 500 million.
There stood a woman with lush pink hair to her waist, paddle held high.
Seeing her, Jamie smiled beneath his mask.
It was Bena.