Plundering the Black Market (2)
Esil Rubr was a girl who had real skill but hated hassle more than anyone.
However...
"This one's no good. This one's no good either. That one's out too."
Esil rummaged through the clothes, unable to find anything she liked. Watching her, I wore an expression wondering how long this noble lady planned to keep at it.
Was Esil always this kind of character?
There was something I didn't know. Esil, the lady of the Rubr Marquisate—one of the Empire's five great sword families—was known for being spacey and hating anything bothersome, but she never compromised on fashion.
"This one's good."
Having picked out an outfit she liked, Esil headed into the fitting room to change.
Some time passed, and she emerged from the fitting room.
"How's it look?"
"Looks pretty. If you like it, that's what matters."
Esil Rubr's favorability has risen.
It jumped 12%. She must be in a good mood.
I couldn't tell from Esil's expression, but the notification window told me she was pleased.
"Alright, let's head out?"
"Ijun."
"Yeah?"
Esil stopped me just as I was about to head to Under Town.
"You planning to go in that?"
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
"You'll get bounced at the door in that."
"Bounced? I thought I dressed pretty sharp."
I looked down at my outfit again at Esil's words. No issues. I figured it was stylish enough, but apparently not to her taste. As I pondered that, Esil spoke up.
"I'll coordinate for you."
"D-Do we really need to? We're kinda pressed for time."
"We do. Your face is kinda sleazy, so you need good clothes to compensate."
"S-Sleazy?!"
Isn't that a bit harsh?
I was stunned speechless by Esil's blunt "sleazy" comment.
"Manager, come here."
"Yes, Lady Esil."
Esil called over the boutique's dedicated manager for her.
"Get me the outfit I'm about to describe."
Esil explained clothes that would suit me, and the manager memorized it perfectly before fetching them. Moments later, Esil took the outfit from the manager and handed it to me.
"Go change."
"O-Okay."
I took the clothes from Esil, ducked into the fitting room, changed quickly, and came out.
"Hmm..."
Esil scanned me from head to toe. Sensing something was still off, she told the manager,
"Bring those new cufflinks."
"Right away, Lady Esil."
Why's this manager so damn fast?
No sooner had Esil spoken than the manager returned with sleek, understated cufflinks. Esil took them and personally attached them to my cuffs.
"That'll do."
"We're good now? Let's go then."
After a grueling two-hour stay at the boutique, Esil and I finally set off for Under Town.
Under Town didn't have that full-on crime city vibe. Sure, you might get mugged in some deserted alley without realizing it, but it was still a inhabited place frequented by nobles, so it was kept clean. Given that it existed beneath Eldron Town, the neutral hub where all the continent's nations gathered, and was tolerated by the Empire—the overlord of the Continental Association—it had to look respectable.
In front of the Auction House
"Identity confirmed. Lady Esil Rubr of the Rubr Marquisate. Thank you for visiting our Auction House. And the gentleman with you... what's your relation?"
The guard gave me a quick once-over before asking Esil.
What's with that look? Like, 'How'd a guy like that end up next to the Rubr lady?'
I didn't like the guard's expression. It felt like he was looking down on me.
"He's the Rubr Marquisate's adopted son-in-law."
"Adopted son-in-law? Hmm..."
Before coming here, Esil and I had aligned our story. I suggested pretending to be lovers like boyfriend-girlfriend, but she shot it down with "Look in a mirror first" and we settled on adopted son-in-law instead.
But I'm pretty handsome, objectively speaking, right? Not bragging or anything.
The skeptical guard nodded and said,
"Understood. Then take these."
The guard handed us masks.
Most Auction House attendees were nobles, so wearing masks to hide identities was standard.
Yet they still log entrants' names. Probably to hold leverage later.
The Auction House kept records of visitors. It was sanctioned by the Continental Association, but nobles participating was technically illegal. It was overlooked by convention, but if a noble got caught in something shady and faced an audit, those records could mean serious trouble.
The Auction side rarely hands them over unless you piss them off bad.
Falling out of favor with Under Town's market lord and Auction House master, the Shadow King, meant the end of that noble's life— even if they were from one of the five great families.
Esil and I donned our masks and headed to the First Auction Hall where the event was held.
First Auction Hall
Esil and I took our assigned seats. As I sat, I scanned the surroundings.
There he is.
My gaze locked on someone.
An apostle showing up in person? Must be desperate.
I smirked at the sight.
But Muksirok won't get their hands on it.
Muksirok—also known as Satan worshippers—was a heretical cult. Formed by humans worshiping the Red Dragon 666, progenitor of the Satanic house of Envy that rules the Eight Great Hells among the demon world's Seven Deadly Families, they lurked across the continent, stirring up trouble everywhere. Their sole goal: resurrecting 666.
One fragment of 666 is embedded in a sword—that's this auction's highlight.
Long ago, when the Empire's Emperor of the Ages slew 666, the dragon scattered fragments worldwide to enable its revival. Today, a sword with one such fragment was up for auction, drawing me here.
Muksirok keeps messing with my peaceful life.
Truth be told, I didn't care if the world ended. But I hated getting dragged into it, so I'd decided to thwart Muksirok as much as possible.
Time came, and a woman ascended the auction stage.
"It's time. Let the auction begin. I am Labra Yuvelisk, your host for this event."
She's handling it personally?
I knew this auctioneer well. Labra Yuvelisk—the veiled ruler of Under Town, the Shadow King who dominated the Auction House.
No one outside Under Town's top brass knew the Shadow King's identity—not even spy networks could uncover gender or age. But as the developer, I knew, of course.
She rarely showed her face, let alone hosted... This felt like a flag going up.
"First item up for bid: the necklace Brisingamen, belonging to the Emperor of the Ages' Empress."
Auction bunny girls wheeled in a cloth-covered cart. Labra unveiled it, revealing a gold necklace adorned with ornate decorations.
Brisingamen, the necklace of infinite multiplication? Isn't that strictly guarded in the Imperial vaults?
Brisingamen, Necklace of Infinite Multiplication: An accessory that recharges up to nine multiplication uses daily at noon.
Said to be a gift from the Empire's Emperor of the Ages to his empress, it was a national treasure stored in the deepest Imperial vault. How the hell did it end up here?
Not a fake, appraisal confirms.
Some lunatic stole it... Wait. That's when I spotted a blond man smirking confidently.
Masked, but I knew him instantly.
That guy pulled it off? Then it's bait.
Bait. Simple enough. Only the Emperor and Crown Prince could access the Imperial vault, which opened to the noblest blood. In the Empire, that meant those two.
Young man, curly blond hair, faint imperial twin-sword tattoo and saintly stigmata on his neck...
Crown Prince Zeld Rubran Rastaria Argano.
Leader of S-Class at Elan Academy, perennial rank 1: Zeld Rubran Rastaria Argano, heir to the Argano Empire and future Holy Emperor of Rastaria Holy Kingdom. Progeny of the Emperor of the Ages, deemed heaven-sent.
Wonder who the bait's for.
This auction was shaping up to be fun—a smile crept across my lips.
"Starting bid: 10 million gold. Auction begins."
The real bidding kicked off.