The Dragonian's Inquiry
The auction was held on the outskirts of the planet's largest city. It was remote enough to discourage casual passersby yet accessible enough that the risk of being robbed en route remained relatively low.
Its secluded nature also meant that undesirables were weeded out early—first during the stage of discovering the auction's time and location, then again at the entrance where participants had to purchase a mask with a substantial quantity of ether stones.
Of course, buying a mask wasn't strictly mandatory. Anyone capable of concealing their identity through their own power was clearly no mere nobody, and those bold enough to appear openly could hardly be dismissed as riffraff either.
Given the auction's emphasis on quality over quantity, only three people had set out from the exploration team.
Brenar, Han Yujin, and Winsfell—a seventh-level spiritualist and combat squad leader. Winsfell was the very member of the Ebenrak family who had once led the exploration team before Brenar arrived and displaced him.
Throughout their journey, Winsfell displayed no outward emotion. Yet Han Yujin, bearer of the Six Paths of Reincarnation divine ability, could clearly sense the intense hostility radiating from him. The feeling had grown thicker and more distinct than before.
Why, though?
The answer revealed itself soon enough. It was the way Winsfell looked at Brenar—the emotion there was far from ordinary.
Although Winsfell belonged to the Ebenrak bloodline, he was from a collateral branch rather than the main line. In other words, he was Brenar's cousin, and under imperial law, marriage between them was not impossible. Culturally, such unions were not unheard of.
It seemed the man who harbored solitary affection for Brenar felt a sense of rivalry toward Han Yujin.
Han Yujin simply clicked his tongue inwardly. As long as the other party kept his feelings hidden and maintained that attitude going forward, there would be no issue.
The auction house had been constructed by excavating into a suitable hillside. Mobilizing spiritualists made such construction trivial.
Rather than purchasing masks at the entrance, the group used wide-brimmed hats already prepared through the Ebenrak family's arts. The moment they were donned, a hazy, mist-like energy flowed downward, concealing the wearers' appearances and even distorting their auras.
The concealment is decent... but the effect that catches anyone attempting to pierce it is quite thorough.
By making others aware that such a countermeasure existed, it discouraged reckless attempts to see through the disguise. In essence, it was equipment that dared only the truly confident to try their luck.
The interior appeared simple at first glance, yet its meticulous layout stood out. What drew the eye most were the private boxes on the upper level, open only at the front.
"Who sits up there?" Brenar murmured, gazing at the boxes. The auction house staff focused solely on maintaining order and offered no seating guidance, making the question a natural one.
"It seems to be first come, first served," Han Yujin replied after a quick survey of the surroundings. Winsfell glanced over as well and nodded in agreement.
"I believe so too."
"Then that one looks ideal."
Brenar indicated a particular box. It offered the best vantage point, overlooking the central stage from directly above.
There were no stairs, but all three simply flew through the air and claimed the space. A few gazes turned their way, but the box's design blocked further scrutiny.
They waited for the auction to begin.
Despite the boxes being open only at the front, making it difficult to see inside, any observer with basic detection methods would know the rooms were occupied. Nevertheless, two figures ascended into the box occupied by Brenar and Han Yujin's group.
"Hmm."
The thin stone masks they wore projected a blurry illusion. The quality was high enough that even Han Yujin could not see through their identities without resorting to divine abilities or techniques.
"Might you yield the spot? I find myself rather fond of it."
A slightly aged voice accompanied a strand of oppressive aura.
Nascent Soul stage...
Whether early, middle, or late stage, the speaker clearly possessed strength sufficient to demand compliance.
That is, if the target had not been Brenar.
"Why should I?"
The hat's effect modulated her voice to sound masculine. At the same time, she released the aura of an eleventh-level spiritualist—light, yet unmistakably clear—pressing down on her opponent.
The other party tilted his head in apparent surprise, then turned toward Winsfell on the sofa. The concealment effect flowing from Winsfell's hat visibly wavered.
In the next instant, a faint black-and-white light flashed from Brenar and swept across the intruders.
Crack—
The mask fractured, revealing the face of a flustered young man. He hastily retrieved another mask from his spacer ring and put it on, but his face had flushed crimson with obvious rage.
"Look who it is," Brenar said, her mocking tone making it clear she had identified them.
"The Dekarisis family, isn't it? I've heard plenty of talk lately about how you've been running wild without knowing your place. The rumors appear to be accurate."
"...Hmm."
The one with the aged voice—presumably an elder—remained eerily composed despite the insult. He seemed to have deduced their identities after briefly piercing Winsfell's disguise.
Red-gold hair is indeed a signature trait of the Ebenrak family.
The fact that Brenar recognized them meant they, in turn, knew exactly who the Ebenraks were.
"My apologies."
He gestured to the young man beside him and moved toward another box.
Yet as Han Yujin analyzed the emotions flowing from the elder through the Six Paths of Reincarnation, his eyes narrowed.
He's not simply enduring it. That felt more like 'I'll remember this.'
And not in a vague sense—it carried the sharp focus of someone biding their time for a clear opportunity.
"What exactly is the Dekarisis family?" Han Yujin asked. Brenar offered a concise explanation.
In summary, they were a house that had expanded its influence through various unsavory methods—nothing overtly illegal, but certainly underhanded. They had even received a direct warning from the emperor for cleverly abusing legal loopholes. Their history with the Ebenrak family included several clashes in the nectar production sector, forging a bitter enmity.
Hmm.
Han Yujin considered warning them that the Dekarisis pair seemed to be plotting something but ultimately held his tongue.
By then, enough time had passed that all relevant attendees had arrived and taken their seats. A masked figure who appeared to be the emcee stepped onto the main stage.
"Greetings, everyone. We sincerely welcome all of you who have come today."
The voice was perfectly modulated—clear, pleasant, and reaching every corner of the venue.
Han Yujin settled comfortably into the sofa as he listened to the standard greetings, brief introduction, and explanation of auction procedures.
For now, he could simply relax and observe what items would appear. Come to think of it, this was his first true auction in either world. He was rather curious to see how people would behave and what emotions they might reveal.
* * *
Many genuinely tempting items came up for bid.
All sorts of rare metals and spiritual creatures appeared, several of which stirred real purchasing desire.
When a peach-like fruit heavily imbued with Ohaeng attributes emerged, he felt tempted to empty every mage-hunter spirit stone he had obtained as loot just to claim it.
He also felt a surge of greed upon seeing a spiritual pill from the Ascendant Realm—one that could help a spiritual beast comprehend a special divine ability. It made him think of Mu-yong.
But he had not come here alone.
Sorry, Mu-yong. I'll personally obtain something suitable for you from the Ascendant Realm later...
That was the only way he could endure.
On the other hand, the Ebenrak exploration team enjoyed moderate success. They easily secured over a dozen varieties of spiritual creatures that looked perfect for brewing liquor, and after moderate competition, they also won a knowledge tome on potion refinement that appeared to have leaked from a magic sanctuary.
For some reason, the crowd seemed to avoid competing with Brenar. It was not mere imagination; the emotions he sensed through the Six Paths of Reincarnation confirmed it. Since none of the items were absolutely essential, people preferred not to earn the enmity of an unknown powerhouse.
This is why strength matters.
It was no coincidence that the Dekarisis elder had targeted their box. In a seat obviously reserved for the capable, anyone who began driving up prices would find few bold enough to keep pace.
Then it happened.
"This is a truly special and powerful recovery potion from a magic sanctuary. It bears the magnificent name Dawnlight Revival, and...!"
Brenar showed considerable interest in the recovery potion. Yet after hearing the full description, she quickly lost enthusiasm.
The auction proceeded without breaks. The organizers seemed determined to wring out every credit possible; there were almost no bundle sales, so the event dragged on for nearly a full day.
Finally, the highlight—an artifact dealing with space-time forces—concluded the auction. Brenar appeared slightly tempted by it as well, but when competition grew fierce, she cleanly withdrew.
She already possesses an ethereal weapon related to space-time, so she probably didn't feel it was necessary.
In that regard, Brenar was exceptional. Possessing and actively wielding such space-time manipulation at the Nascent Soul stage was no easy feat.
The host delivered a smooth closing speech, offering guidance on the exit route and even a few light jokes before departing. The attendees began leaving one by one, watching each other carefully.
"Let's head out as well. Lingering might drag us into unnecessary trouble."
Han Yujin, who had already felt uneasy because of the Dekarisis elder, welcomed the suggestion.
As the three exited their box and made their way out of the auction house, people naturally parted to create a path. Brenar and her companions accepted the deference as perfectly natural and left the venue.
"Hmm?"
The scene outside had changed dramatically from when they had arrived.
Walls and pillars of unknown origin had risen everywhere, forming a maze-like formation.
Those who had left earlier were also unable to move freely. They simply watched those emerging behind them with wary eyes and carefully maintained distance.
"What is this situation?" Brenar asked, sounding mildly displeased but not overly concerned as she looked around. Han Yujin also scanned the area, searching for the Dekarisis elder just in case.
Right then—
"Excuse me..."
Someone spoke and tapped his shoulder.
Han Yujin had sensed no presence whatsoever until the tap. Startled, he spun around and immediately created distance.
"My apologies for surprising you."
The speaker was a young man with hazel hair and blue-gray eyes.
Yet there was something about his seemingly ordinary appearance that made it impossible to look away.
The black-and-white robe he wore continuously formed patterns resembling light-based magical formulas, giving it an extraordinary quality. The staff in his hand featured an ornate design, translucent like obsidian with a gentle glow that radiated profound mystery.
A mage?
As Han Yujin categorized his impression of the stranger—
"Please accept these first."
The man raised one hand and sliced downward through empty air. Space itself split open, and two transparent crystal boxes flew out, heading straight for Han Yujin.
Inside them were the peach-like fruit saturated with Ohaeng attributes and the Ascendant Realm spiritual pill that could help a spiritual beast comprehend a special divine ability—the very items he had coveted.
How... why...?
The gesture was so sudden and bewildering that he hesitated to accept them, instead turning toward Brenar. If this was a dangerous entity, he would need her help.
It was then that he experienced an even greater shock—one that made his heart feel as if it had plummeted.
......
An overwhelming, suffocating silence had swallowed the entire world.
At some point—Han Yujin could not tell when—every person in the area, including Brenar the eleventh-level spiritualist, had been perfectly, utterly frozen. The effect spanned an area so vast its limits could not be determined.
"I paused them for a moment. They would have interfered with our conversation."
"...You paused them?"
"More precisely, I temporarily separated you from the space-time continuum. There will be no aftereffects, so please don't worry."
The man spoke of something utterly outrageous in a perfectly casual tone and gestured again for Han Yujin to take the boxes.
Just what is this...?
The sheer overwhelming power left no room for other thoughts.
Soul Formation stage...? No, perhaps even beyond that...?
He could not tell.
He had witnessed the Celestial Origin Sect Master—a Soul Formation mage—engage in battle, yet he could not imagine even that figure creating a phenomenon like this.
With slightly trembling hands, Han Yujin accepted the two crystal boxes. Despite obtaining the items he had desired so strongly, he felt no joy whatsoever.
"Consider them a gift in advance for the personal questions I intend to ask."
There was a price after all.
The stranger paid no heed to Han Yujin's mounting tension and asked directly.
"Are you, by any chance, a Dragonian?"
His transcendent comprehension instantly grasped the unfamiliar term. It was a proper noun meaning half-dragon.
The secret he had meticulously concealed with Monghwan Yusim had been seen through. Moreover, considering the gifts, it meant the other party had been watching him with interest throughout his time in the auction house.
Probably because I carry the scent of a Dragon.
His heart seemed to freeze tighter with every passing second.
I'm not a half-dragon...
He was a cultivator who had reached the Core Formation stage by using a Dragon Heart as his vessel and practicing external alchemy.
Setting aside that terrifying ability, the stranger's attitude alone was perfectly gentlemanly.
If this courteous demeanor stems from some connection to the dragon race...
What would happen once he learned the truth?
Suddenly, Han Yujin wondered if his adventure in the Galactic Empire might come to a hollow, abrupt end right here.
It would be nothing short of a natural disaster.