Chapter 151: Tear of True Love
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Tear of True Love
"Alright, I didn't take that matter to heart at all, so you shouldn't worry about it either."
Muen pulled the seductive woman to her feet, gently brushing a few stray locks of hair behind her ear.
Though her makeup was heavy, Muen could still tell she wasn't very old—twenty-one or twenty-two at most, in the prime of her youth.
"When you're out in the world, don't degrade yourself like this."
"But..."
The woman hesitated.
In the black market, where the light of the Empire’s glory failed to reach, this was the way of survival for someone as weak as her.
Praying for the unprovoked mercy of others rarely ended well. She only had to look at her "predecessors" who had suddenly vanished to know that.
"Is it because I'm not doing enough, sir? I... I'm quite open-minded. If you have other requirements or... preferences, I can do anything. I can even—"
"Enough!"
Muen frowned, sternly cutting off her self-promotion. "I don't need any of that."
"Then..."
The woman’s face turned pale. Thinking Muen refused to forgive her, she gripped the hem of her skirt with both hands, looking lost and helpless.
"Sigh."
Seeing her like this, Muen knew that flatly refusing would only be counterproductive. He couldn't help but sigh.
"Fine. Since you're so insistent on doing something, I suppose I'll have to..."
*
"Does that feel good, sir?"
"Ah, yes... right there..."
Under the woman's ministrations, Muen couldn't help but let out a groan of pleasure.
"Yes, yes, a little more to the left. Use some force. Mmm, that’s it. That feels amazing. You’ve got great technique."
"You flatter me, sir. I do this quite often, after all."
The seductive woman gave a charming smile, though she was secretly a bit dazed.
She hadn't expected that the "task" this man wanted her to perform was... simply a shoulder and back massage.
"Sir, is this really alright? I mean, this is usually included in the standard service anyway," she said, still feeling a bit uneasy. She massaged him with total focus; even as her hands began to ache, she didn't dare slacken for a second.
"It’s enough. I played a bit too hard last night, and my back happens to be killing me. It’s great that you’re so skilled at this."
Muen stood up and signaled for her to stop.
He let out a comfortable stretch, feeling his body significantly lighter.
"Alright, you should head out now. The auction is about to start."
"Yes."
The woman nodded submissively.
She knew that auctions often involved matters of privacy, so most guests wouldn't allow outsiders to remain in the room. Their purpose was merely to help the guests kill time before the event began.
"Please call for me if you need anything else."
The woman respectfully took her leave, but just as she turned to go, Muen suddenly called out to her.
"Wait. Take this."
"This is..."
She looked at the heavy envelope Muen had tossed her, her expression one of shock.
"It's a tip."
"A tip? This much?"
Muen didn't look back, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed out the window.
At that moment, the entire hall dimmed. Spotlights flickered on, converging on the center stage.
The curtains rose.
Everything fell silent. That small platform seemed to become the very center of the world, making the surrounding darkness feel even deeper.
Amidst the fog-like shadows, Muen stared at the spotlights and murmured as if to himself, "If a beautiful girl stays in the dark for too long, her skin will turn dark too. And I... prefer things a bit fairer."
"...Sir."
The woman stared blankly at Muen’s back. Suddenly, her eyes grew moist. She took a deep breath and bowed deeply.
"...Thank you, sir. I will... I will try my best."
She clutched the heavy envelope in her hand as if it were a lifeline.
*
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this secret auction. I am your host for the evening. You may call me... Miss Fairy."
Under the spotlights, a voluptuous woman in a flesh-colored, diamond-encrusted gown rose slowly from beneath the platform. Her figure was devilishly hot, the tight dress tracing curves that would make anyone’s blood race. The plunging V-neckline left very little to the imagination.
With a voice full of sultry charm, the woman calling herself Miss Fairy brushed a finger casually across her pale chest, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the auction house.
"Heh, the usual auction tropes, I see."
Muen found a comfortable position to lounge on the sofa. His gaze was as pure as if he were admiring a piece of fine art; he felt absolutely no stirrings of excitement.
After all, the lingering fatigue from last night’s madness hadn't faded yet. He was still firmly in Sage Mode. No matter how beautiful a woman was, she couldn't make his pulse jump right now.
Miss Fairy certainly couldn't compare to his actual "little fairy."
At this moment, he was nothing more than a heartless bidding machine. Aside from the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood, nothing could pique his interest.
"Enough talk. Let us behold our first item of the evening."
After cracking a few off-color jokes and flaunting her figure—causing more than a few virgins in the crowd to suffer nosebleeds—Miss Fairy finally got down to business.
With a wave of her slender hand, a girl dressed in similarly revealing attire stepped forward, carrying a tray covered with a red cloth.
Since it was only the first item, she didn't keep them in suspense for long. After blowing a few kisses to the audience, she whipped away the cloth.
A pink, teardrop-shaped gemstone appeared before everyone’s eyes.
"The gemstone: Tear of True Love!"
As her enchanting voice echoed, Miss Fairy picked up the gold-inlaid jewelry box with her delicate fingers and walked a lap around the stage. The lights converged, making the pink teardrop gem glow with a brilliant radiance.
A specialized image-recording magic projected the gem onto a massive screen, allowing every member of the audience to see every detail from every angle.
The Tear of True Love?
Muen sat bolt upright on the sofa, staring at the pink gem in shock.
What a coincidence. I just got scammed with a fake one not long ago, and now the real deal shows up?
"The Tear of True Love, a gem symbolizing pure romance. It is said that if you gift this stone to the one you desire, you will win their heart..."
"Beyond its symbolic meaning, the quality of the gem itself is top-tier. The teardrop shape shows no signs of artificial carving; it is a masterpiece of nature..."
After spending a full five minutes extolling the virtues of the gem, Miss Fairy announced the starting price.
"Starting bid: one hundred thousand!"
One hundred thousand?
Muen was stunned again.
That wasn't just a discount; that was practically giving it away. Back when the Tear of True Love was at the height of its hype in noble circles, some lords had bid tens of millions of Emiels for their mistresses.
Is this some kind of special marketing tactic?
Muen scanned the room, only to find that the atmosphere wasn't nearly as heated as he expected.
Only a few voices were bidding with clear lack of interest. After a long while, the price had only crawled up to three hundred thousand.
"Why is that...?"
Muen rubbed his chin, then it clicked.
This wasn't a legitimate auction; it was a black market auction.
Most of the people here were desperadoes from the Lower District who lived every day on the edge of a blade.
To these people, a magic scroll that could blow up an enemy's entire family or an alchemical weapon that could cut through men like butter was worth far more than a hideously expensive rock that did nothing but look pretty.
In a magical world, a mundane gemstone that couldn't even fire a laser was useless. Aside from nobles with lard for brains who wanted to please women, no one was willing to pay a high price for it.
Muen, naturally, didn't want to be a sucker either. His family had plenty of gems. Why buy this mediocre thing? Forget pigeon eggs; he could pull out gems the size of goose eggs that could transform.
"Wait, hold on."
Just as Muen was about to go back to lounging and waiting for the Dragon Heart Blood, a thought flashed through his mind.
"I remember... Senior Sister seemed to really like the Tear of True Love."
During their date, even though she knew there was a 99% chance it was fake, Anna still hadn't wanted to give up on that 1% possibility. She had been drawn in by that bald-headed old man’s hawking.
That was one of the very few times Anna had ever shown interest in something in front of him!
"If I give this to her, she’ll definitely be happy!"
Muen’s eyes lit up. Thoughts of "lard-brained nobles," "suckers," and "only good for pleasing women" were instantly tossed to the back of his mind.
He had decided. The Tear of True Love would be his!
*
"Listen, Ariel."
"The secret to dominating an auction and emerging victorious is to stay low-key."
"Every time you bid, it shouldn't be much higher than the previous bid, but it shouldn't be too low either, or people will catch on."
"Your bid should show that you have a slight interest in the item, without revealing its true value."
"Remember: keep quiet to make a fortune."
In the general seating area, Ariel was wrapped in a black robe that masked her presence. Her eyes were closed as she listened intently to her Shifu’s teachings in her mind.
As if absorbing all the wisdom of her predecessor, Ariel snapped her eyes open. A thunderous glint flashed in her clear pupils.
She raised her number plate. Immediately after the previous bid of exactly three hundred thousand, she called out her price.
"Three hundred thousand... and one thousand!"
"Tch."
Not far away, the person who had bid three hundred thousand clicked their tongue and gave up.
Seeing this, a habitual, cocky smile tugged at the corner of Ariel's mouth.
"Don't let your guard down. It's not over yet."
"Three hundred thousand... and two thousand!"
Just as her Shifu’s warning ended, someone in a corner on the other side of the room raised plate Number 50, adding a mere thousand to the pot.
Ariel narrowed her eyes and looked over.
The person in the corner was also hidden in a black robe, but one could still glimpse a heart-stopping curve beneath the loose fabric.
Ariel immediately puffed out her own chest with pride.
Hmph, how unprofessional.
With a chest that big, isn't it obvious to everyone that you're a woman?
Look at me. Once the black robe is on, who can tell if I'm male or female?
In a place like the black market, you can't show a single weakness. Sometimes, a tiny oversight like that can cost you dearly.
These were lessons learned in blood.
However, Ariel didn't look down on the woman for her bid. Her bidding style clearly showed she was an old hand who understood the ways of the auction.
More importantly, she might have discovered—just like Shifu—that this Tear of True Love wasn't as simple as it looked!
"You don't need to worry too much about that," Shifu’s voice rang out in her head again. "The Tear of True Love might contain a special power, but even I only have a slight suspicion. I'm not entirely sure. With the level of the people here, they're a hundred years too early to notice anything. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been put in this auction for you to snatch up. That person probably just wants to flip it to some noble for a high price."
"Then I'm relieved!"
Ariel nodded and raised her plate again.
"Three hundred thousand... and three thousand."
"Three hundred thousand... and four thousand."
"Three hundred thousand... and five thousand."
"Three hundred thousand..."
Soon, only Ariel’s Number 38 and the mysterious woman’s Number 50 were left. Their bids rang out one after another as if they were in a tug-of-war.
But after all that time, the price was still crawling upward like a snail in the three-hundred-thousand range.
Miss Fairy was speechless. She had hosted countless auctions, but she had never seen people bid like old ladies haggling over vegetables. The rest of the audience grew impatient and began to hiss and boo.
But Ariel didn't care.
Number 50 was clearly starting to hesitate. As long as she persisted, victory would be hers!
A gem with a mysterious hidden power for only a few hundred thousand? That wasn't just a good deal; it was a steal!
At the thought, Ariel’s eyes grew misty.
Think of the life she had been living lately.
The black market had been closed, and studying Ancient Magic required massive amounts of money. She had to tighten her belt every day. Her food budget for a whole week was only two hundred Emiels!
Two hundred! In the past, she wouldn't have even bothered to pick that up if she dropped it on the ground!
Not only that, but she had lost that two hundred Emiels of food money twice in a row.
All because of that loathsome Muen Campbell!
She had been forced to eat black bread for nearly ten days. Her chest had almost shrunk from hunger.
Fortunately, the black market had finally reopened.
The Ancient Magic scrolls she had stockpiled for two months and the alchemical tools her Shifu had helped her forge sold out instantly through black market channels.
Demand for such things always exceeded supply, and because of the Ancient Magic, their quality was far superior to anything else on the market. She had made a killing.
Now that she had money, she naturally had to come to the auction to see if there were any treasures.
Though she had been scammed out of a little money by that flyer-girl from the mysterious shop earlier, that was a trivial matter. As long as she could secure this Tear of True Love, all her grievances would be worth it!
"Three hundred and fifty-two thousand!"
"..."
Hard work paid off. After Ariel shouted that number with a voice full of resolve, the mysterious Number 50 finally seemed to give up and stopped bidding.
It seemed the matter was settled.
"Three hundred and fifty-two thousand once."
"Three hundred and fifty-two thousand twice."
Miss Fairy’s gavel fell quickly. she didn't care about making a few extra thousand anymore; she just wanted this to end before the atmosphere she had worked so hard to build went completely cold.
Amidst the rhythmic sound of the gavel, Ariel clenched her fists and held her breath, her eyes shining with fervent hope.
Once this deal was done, forget having a chicken leg with every meal—she could eat a whole roast chicken every time!
Hmph, damn you, Muen Campbell. You can't possibly show up to ruin my plans now!
"Three hundred and fifty-two thousand, thri—"
"Number eighty-eight bids five hundred thousand."
Just as the gavel was about to fall for the third time, a cold declaration rang out through the specialized magic speakers of the private booths, echoing through the entire hall.
The voice was low and raspy, clearly distorted by magic, yet it was filled with the arrogance of a noble and the sheer "big spender" energy of a tycoon. Ariel felt as if she had been struck by a sledgehammer; her vision went dark.
"Fi... five hundred thousand?"
Ariel nearly choked. "Is this Number Eighty-Eight insane? Jumping the bid by over a hundred thousand at once?"
"Five hundred thousand! Number Eighty-Eight bids five hundred thousand!"
Miss Fairy was also stunned, but her expression immediately turned ecstatic.
She looked toward the private booth of Number Eighty-Eight, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a different kind of light.
This is more like it! This is what an auction should look like!
Adding a thousand at a time? If you want to haggle with old ladies, go to the wet market! Why come to my auction?
"Five hundred thousand! Does anyone wish to raise?"
"I... five hundred and... one thousand!"
Ariel’s eyes were bloodshot. She nearly ground her teeth to dust as she called out the number.
It’s fine. There’s still a profit at five hundred thousand. It just goes from a 'steal' to a 'good deal.'
"Six hundred thousand."
The voice rang out again, so casual it was as if he weren't throwing away six hundred thousand Emiels, but sixty pieces of toilet paper.
"Six hundred... and one thousand," Ariel said, her face contorting.
"Seven hundred thousand."
"Seven hundred... and one thousand," Ariel snarled, her expression becoming demonic.
"Eight hundred thousand."
"Eight hundred! And one thousand!"
Ariel had descended into madness!
I don't believe it! You can't keep raising like this!
Come on!
Do it again!
The Tear of True Love is just a normal gem to you! I don't believe you're such a spendthrift that you'd waste nearly a million on a piece of junk rock!
"Ha, how troublesome."
At that moment, a sigh drifted from the private booth.
"Let's just make it one million."
One million!
The entire auction hall erupted into an uproar.
Even Miss Fairy, who had seen countless auctions, was slightly dazed.
This wasn't a high-society art auction where a single painting could go for a hundred million. For many people here, one million was their entire net worth.
And yet, someone was spending a million just for a common gemstone?
There were people here who had heard the rumors about the Tear of True Love, but a mundane gem with no special properties was only worth money during that brief period of hype. If you tried to sell it to a noble for millions now, they would just elegantly spit on you and call you an idiot!
"O... one million? How is that possible..."
Ariel slumped back in her chair, clutching her chest and gasping for air.
"Ha. Haha. It’s only a million. Help me up, I can still—"
"No, Ariel!" This time, even Shifu couldn't stay calm. "Give it up! We don't have that much money! There will be better things later. There's no need to hang yourself on this one tree."
"We'll sell! We'll keep selling things for money!"
"We have nothing left to sell. If we sell anything else, it’ll have to be..." Shifu paused, then said, "It’ll have to be your Heavenly Fire Greatsword. Are you willing to part with that?"
"But..."
Ariel looked at the gem that might hold a secret, her face filled with immense resentment.
The chance to make a fortune and eat roast chicken every day was right in front of her, yet she had to let it slip through her fingers. How could she accept this?
"Damn it!"
But no matter how unwilling she was, no money meant no bid. Finally, as Miss Fairy’s gavel fell for the third time, Ariel could only stare with righteous fury at the private booth of the mysterious Number Eighty-Eight.
The dark, one-way glass obscured everything inside, but just looking at it made Ariel feel a raging fire in her heart.
"Who are you? Why does this feeling of annoyance feel so... familiar?"
*
"Was that a bit too spendthrift?"
In the booth, Muen, who had just dropped a million in one go, was suddenly overcome with a deep sense of guilt.
While a mere million was nothing to the Duke’s estate, spending a million on a gift for a girl felt like something a hedonistic young master who thought with his lower half would do.
"No, I'm different. I'm not trying to hit on Senior Sister; I just want to repay her for her kindness. After all, the value of her patient guidance over that month far exceeds a mere million. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it priceless!"
Muen convinced himself and quickly shook off the guilt.
Look at all those snake spirits, bird spirits, and fox spirits in the stories—"repaying a debt of gratitude" was the ultimate universal excuse!
*
The auction continued.
However, the items that followed didn't pique Muen’s interest much. Most of them were contraband that was difficult to circulate on the open market.
For example, there were forbidden drugs that could temporarily boost combat power by fifty percent but caused impotence as a side effect.
There were magic scrolls powerful enough to blow up a city square but required manual detonation.
Strange as they were, these items sold very well. The prices were bid up in a frenzy, and some people almost came to blows on the spot.
The only thing that surprised Muen was the inclusion of fifteen military magic repeating crossbows and ten sets of standard-issue Third-Generation Magic Armor.
"Those are dangerous things. If they were found in a noble's house, it would be considered treason. To think they're circulating in the black market... does the person behind this place have ties to the military?"
Thinking of it that way, the identity of this black market tycoon was likely quite significant.
Muen rubbed his chin, continuing to observe the proceedings below.
He suddenly noticed that the people who had bought the crossbows and magic armor were stealthily leaving the auction hall. After they left, several others quietly followed them. Judging by their attire, they were clearly not from the same group.
"This is..."
Muen’s brows twitched as if he had remembered something. He picked up the copper bell on the corner of the table and rang it.
The heavily made-up woman pushed the door open and entered respectfully. "Sir, you called for me?"
"Does your auction house guarantee the personal safety of its guests?" Muen asked.
"Of course. As long as you are within the venue, we will resolutely protect our guests."
"Within the venue, huh?"
Muen understood. He gave a light smile. "Could you do me a favor?"
"A favor?" The woman blinked, then nodded vigorously. "Please, tell me."
"Go to the entrance of the auction house."
"The entrance... and then?"
"And then just stay there," Muen said. "Do whatever you usually do there. I just need you to remember which direction the people who leave early head toward. Don't worry about anything else."