Revenge, Alliances, and the Auction
The auction venue was one of the towering skyscrapers right in the heart of New York. I’d assumed an underground auction would be held in some back alley or slum, but doing it smack in the middle of the city? That’s pretty bold.
Of course, anyone qualified to participate in an auction like this would be either high-ranking members of society or extremely wealthy. If something went wrong in a sketchy back alley with poor security, it would be bad for the organizers too. That must be why they chose a prime downtown location.
As soon as we entered the building, an unexpected figure greeted us.
“Hello~! It’s been a while~!”
Eve was waiting for us at the reception desk. And not just one—two of them. Eve A wore a purple tailored jacket, while Eve B was dressed in a white suit with a dark tie. Both were wearing round-framed glasses today, giving them an even more intellectual look.
Since multiple Eves handled guests simultaneously at the underground auction’s offline branch, it made sense that several holographic versions could exist here as well.
“First, I’d like to thank you, Ryuta. For saving Yuka.”
Both Eves bowed deeply to me.
“I don’t have any good feelings toward Kurotsuki Do either. And I’m sure Otagi Yuka would have helped me if our positions were reversed.”
“Still, gratitude is gratitude. Yuka has already returned to Japan, so she’ll deliver her thanks there.”
When I brushed it off like it was no big deal, Eve bowed once more. Since Otagi Yuka had come to America for revenge, her return to Japan probably meant she had successfully dealt with the head of the underground auction’s New York branch.
“The auction is about to begin, so I’ll show you to your room first. Would you prefer a glass viewing room where you can see the items in person? Or a screen viewing room?”
“What would you like?”
I personally preferred the glass room that let us see the items directly. Even if I viewed the auction items through a screen, my ability to read item information wouldn’t activate, so I wouldn’t be able to identify truly valuable pieces. Still, since I’d come with my companions, I asked for their opinions.
“Seeing them in person is definitely better.”
“Yeah! There are things you can’t see properly on a screen.”
Thankfully, both Nae Fitzgerald and Aris seemed to prefer viewing the items directly, likely due to the discerning eye they’d developed as the Phantom Thief Francois. Mimata Chieri, on the other hand, was staring at her phone as if either option was fine with her.
“Then we’ll take the glass room, please.”
“Understood! The glass viewing rooms are limited in number since they allow direct viewing. You’ve made an excellent choice.”
As soon as Eve finished speaking, a drawer-like compartment slid out from the reception desk with a soft whir. Inside was a key with a number on it. Along with the key, we each received a tablet used for participating in the auction.
“Please proceed to room 007.”
I took the key and headed in the direction Eve indicated. Room 005, room 006… Room 007 was right there. I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
One entire wall of the room was made of clear glass, offering a direct view of the stage where the auction items would be displayed. Another wall featured a large screen for detailed close-ups of the items. In the center sat a sofa oriented toward the glass wall, and in front of it was an array of finger foods, wine, and champagne that could be enjoyed by hand.
The remaining walls without screens or glass had another door. When I asked Aris about it, she said it led to a bathroom and shower room. Since one companion was allowed per participant and the space was completely private, it was obvious what kinds of things might happen in here. The bathroom and shower were probably there to clean up afterward.
Because we had arrived right before the start time, the auction began almost immediately. Lights came on over the stage beyond the glass wall, and an Eve wearing a white suit, black shirt, and pink tie appeared as if materializing like a ghost.
The same scene appeared on the screen, though the Eve looked much closer there.
“Hello~! It’s been quite a while since our last New York auction! I’m Eve, the one you all know so well☆”
Even though it was called a stage, the audience was either behind glass walls or watching through screens, so Eve’s greeting received no cheers or reactions.
“Before we begin, I’ll play a quick advertisement from one of our partner companies~!”
The stage lights dimmed again, and an ad appeared on the screen. But something about it felt… off.
“The streets are getting more dangerous by the day. Can we really make it home alive?”
A scene of a slum appeared, accompanied by a male narrator’s voice that heightened the sense of danger.
“In times like these, what you need is a pet that can protect its owner! Behold this adorable Shih Tzu!”
A cute Shih Tzu appeared, hopping around and acting coy with its owner. The Shih Tzu in the ad was the ideal specimen—long eyelashes, deep expressive eyes, and perfectly balanced fur coloring. It looked cute enough to star in a dog food commercial.
Then a masked robber appeared and pointed a gun at the owner. The Shih Tzu charged with incredible ferocity, leaped, and bit into the robber’s throat. It was clearly a violent scene, but because it was such a small, cute dog doing it, the whole thing felt strangely unrealistic.
Blood dripping from its mouth, the heroic Shih Tzu stood tall—until its fur and skin peeled away, revealing a steel skeleton underneath. It wasn’t a real Shih Tzu after all—it was a robot designed to look like one!
“A pet that protects its owner, doesn’t shed, and requires no feeding! With cutting-edge AI, it’s indistinguishable from an adorable real pet! The ultimate in safety, brought to you by our partner company! Customize everything from appearance to system specs and performance according to your order! Reserve yours now! Launching after October!”
The advertisement ended with a QR code. This was the steel pet project we’d agreed to work on together. My phone suddenly buzzed, and when I checked it, there was a message from Eve via the underground auction app.
I see. They were taking advantage of the gathered customers at the auction to run the ad early.
Huh? She’d been sending messages this whole time? I opened the underground auction app’s message inbox and found several messages from Eve. They all asked whether it would be okay to turn our business item into an advertisement for this auction. Checking the timestamps, they had arrived while I was back at the Fitzgerald mansion, fast asleep.
When we’d decided to become business partners, I had given her Han Yu-kyung’s contact information. It seemed they’d been in touch ever since.
Though watching a Shih Tzu drip blood from its mouth was pretty horrifying.
Oh, that’s impressive. Since this wasn’t a product for the mass market but something aimed at the wealthy, we planned to set the price as high as possible. We hadn’t finalized the exact price yet, but thirty orders already suggested substantial profits.
After ending the chat with Eve, I looked back at the stage. The lights had come on again, illuminating an enormous diamond necklace with a centerpiece the size of a fist. It didn’t seem to carry any special power, yet it increased Charm by a full six points.
“This necklace contains a staggering 100-carat diamond! Dating back to the Renaissance era…”
Eve was explaining the necklace’s history while both Aris and Nae Fitzgerald listened with rapt attention. Earlier, I’d noticed quite a few noblewomen among the guests inside and outside the building. This was probably going to be fiercely competitive.
No matter how much it raised Charm by six points, there was no way I could wear that flashy diamond necklace, so I had no intention of bidding. Aris and Nae Fitzgerald were discussing between themselves who would bid on it. Surprisingly, Mimata Chieri—who didn’t seem particularly interested in accessories—showed no reaction at all.
“Alright! We’ll start the bidding at five million points! Let the bidding begin!”
The tablet we’d received upon entering displayed photos of the item, the current bid, and a button to raise the price. Five million points was roughly six hundred and fifty million yen—about six point five billion won. Even the starting price was incredibly high.
I thought it was expensive, but Nae Fitzgerald, who had graciously yielded the previous item to Aris, now wore an expression that screamed I have to have this! as she frantically tapped her tablet screen. That reaction suggested the starting price was actually quite reasonable in their eyes.
The auction was linked to the underground auction app, so bids had to be made using owned points. Thanks to selling the AI data to Eve, I had accumulated an enormous amount of points and could participate if I wanted. But since Nae Fitzgerald was already bidding, there was no need for me to jump in and drive the price up.
“Thirty million points! Any higher bids?”
Judging by Nae Fitzgerald’s completely relaxed expression, it seemed she was the one who had raised it to thirty million.
“Sold for thirty million points!”
“Early in the auction, people tend to hold back because they don’t know what’s coming next. At that price, it’s a bargain.”
Right after Eve declared the winning bid, Nae Fitzgerald shrugged her shoulders and explained it to me. The next item was, as expected, another work of art. Several more items I had no interest in passed by before the sixth auction item appeared.
“Huh?”
The item brought out for auction was a black, solid sculpture of a goddess standing atop countless cephalopod tentacles.
I stared at the bizarre statue, my mind already racing with possibilities. This wasn’t just any ordinary piece—it practically screamed supernatural artifact. My ability would surely reveal something interesting if I could get close enough.