Wanora entered the auction house alone. She had seen the task request, read through the details, and rejected it outright. Instead, she walked in not as a worker, but as a guest. The auction house was open to anyone with coin—no rules, no morality, just wealth. Nobles, criminals, merchants—it didn't matter who you were, only what you could afford.
A vacation spot for the rich. A hunting ground for the cunning.
"Hey, Wanora, how do I look?"
Sinus stood nearby, grinning in a sharp black suit. He twirled once, adjusting the cuffs. "They told me it's for the job. Thinking of keeping it."
Wanora eyed him up and down. "Don't. You look like a butler."
"A butler isn't bad, is it?"
"It is. At least for me." She looked past him, scanning the room. "And don't forget the job they gave you."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Sinus waved her off and walked away.
Wanora hadn't taken the job for herself, but she made sure he did.
I'll find her tonight.
Her fingers curled into a fist for a second before she loosened them, taking a slow breath.
The hall was alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of fine crystal. Nobles danced in glittering silks, their movements polished. Men and women whispered sweet lies between sips of expensive wine. Some flirted, some schemed, all of them playing a game where money was the only rule.
Wanora swirled the wine in her glass and took a sip.
"Excuse me, ma'am," a voice said from behind her.
She turned to see two men in formal suits, their expressions unreadable.
"May we see your entrance card?"
Wanora sighed, reaching into her bag and pulling out the small, ornate card. She handed it over without hesitation. They inspected it, then gave a small nod before walking away.
A fake. Perfectly replicated, down to the last fiber.
Clarion of Vision made this easy.
Before long, a man in fine robes stepped onto the center stage, raising his hands for attention. The murmuring crowd quieted.
"Honored guests, I hope you're all enjoying yourselves. The Grand Auction is about to begin. Please, proceed to the next hall."
The crowd stirred, moving toward the arched doors leading deeper inside. Wanora followed, walking among nobles and criminals alike. Here, identity meant little.
She could already feel the presence of Ruined Sight.
A rare artifact—only two in existence. It blurred the faces of everyone within its range, making recognition impossible. A Clarion user had made it, one who despised seeing the world so much that he had torn out his own eyes and forged them into artifacts.
Disabling it would be easy…
But she didn't need to. Not yet.
She settled into her seat as the auctioneer took the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the host said, spreading his arms wide. "I hope you are having a wonderful evening. We have gathered only the finest treasures for you tonight. I, Levinar, will be guiding you through this event."
Wanora's eyes flicked to him. Younger than me. He had the air of a greedy merchant but the backing of power. A man with the right connections.
"And with that," Levinar continued, "let's begin our auction!"
A velvet-covered tray was carried onto the stage. The servant pulled the cloth away, revealing the first item.
—
Item 1: The Blacklight Dagger
A dagger forged in the dark flames of the Hollow Forge. Said to slice through magic itself.
Starting Bid: 200 Gold
"An assassin's dream, ladies and gentlemen," Levinar said. "This dagger is one of a kind. Shall we start?"
"Two hundred and fifty," a noble in a dark coat called.
"Three hundred," another voice, a woman in deep red.
"Four hundred," a masked bidder added.
"Four-fifty!"
"Five hundred!"
The bids climbed steadily before settling at six hundred gold, claimed by the masked bidder.
—
Item 2: The Elixir of Severed Chains
A potion brewed with the essence of an Unbound. Drinking it severs all magical bindings—curses, contracts, even blood oaths.
Starting Bid: 500 Gold
"A powerful remedy for those in… unpleasant agreements," Levinar mused. "Shall we?"
"Six hundred."
"Eight hundred!"
"One thousand!"
The bid shot up quickly. A noble in gold-trimmed robes secured it for one thousand two hundred gold.
—
Item 3: The Shroud of Nameless Night
A cloak woven from the threads of a Brovina. Under its cover, one's presence is erased—no sound, no scent, no trace.
Starting Bid: 700 Gold
"Seven-fifty," a man with silver-rimmed glasses called out.
"Eight hundred!"
"Nine hundred!"
The final bid stood at one thousand one hundred gold, taken by a hooded figure.
—
Item 4: The Riftwalker's Key
A key that opens doors that do not exist. The destination? Unknown.
Starting Bid: 1,000 Gold
Levinar smiled. "A mystery, is it not? And who doesn't enjoy a mystery?"
"One thousand two hundred."
"One thousand five hundred!"
"Two thousand!"
"Two thousand five hundred!"
The bidding war was fierce. Wanora tapped her fingers against the armrest.
Then, something odd happened.
A new bid.
"Five thousand gold."
The room went silent.
A woman in a deep blue dress, seated in the farthest corner.
Wanora's eyes narrowed.
The Riftwalker's Key was hers.
Levinar hesitated only briefly before clapping his hands together. "Sold! To the esteemed guest in blue."
Wanora's gaze remained locked on the woman in blue.
Then—
"Hey, buy something for me, will you?"
Sinus's voice came from behind her, low and casual.
Wanora flinched before turning, narrowing her eyes. The place was dim, the air thick with murmured conversations and the soft clinking of glasses. He had snuck up on her, completely unnoticed.
"No. Go do your work. They shouldn't know you're with me."
Sinus grinned. "Come on, Something—"
"Go."
"Tch." He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine." With a lazy shrug, he disappeared back into the crowd.
Wanora exhaled, refocusing as the auction continued.
—
Item after item passed. Some noble bought a Dagger, a blade rumored to drink the lifeblood of its victims. Another bidder won a Beastcaller's Fang, an enchanted relic said to temporarily tame wild creatures.
Then—
Item32: Imp's Tail.
Wanora's mind blanked for a moment.
They're selling a demon's tail?
Her fingers twitched against the armrest. No, the real question wasn't why—it was who had taken it in the first place. Cutting an imp's tail wasn't simple. An imp without a tail was stronger, its rage heightened. Most summoners avoided it, fearing the backlash.
Yet here it was, on auction.
Silence stretched across the hall.
The price started high. No one moved. Levinar, ever the opportunist, began lowering it, his voice carrying an edge of impatience.
"Two hundred gold… one fifty… one hundred gold."
A demonic artifact in a city with two temples.
No one wanted to touch it.
Wanora raised her hand.
"Sold!" Levinar didn't even wait for a second bid. He was relieved.
The weight of the room shifted. Eyes flickered to her. Some filled with intrigue, others with veiled judgment. She ignored them. She hadn't bought it for use—she had bought it to get attention.
And it worked.
She glanced back at the woman in blue.
The woman was smiling.
Wanora's blood boiled.
Then—
The atmosphere changed.
Excitement replaced unease. Levinar's voice rang out, smooth and deliberate.
"And now, the item you have all been waiting for—"
A curtain at the back of the stage parted.
A deep blue jewel, veined with gold, sat on a pedestal.
The Jewel of the Sunken Crown.
It shimmered under the candlelight, something in its depths seeming to shift and pulse, almost as if it were alive.
"The starting bid—one hundred thousand gold."
The hall stirred. The game was about to begin.
Then—
"One hundred and ten thousand."
A man in deep crimson raised his hand lazily, voice smooth with the arrogance of someone who had played this game many times before.
"One twenty."
A woman in silver lace. She barely moved, her voice carrying the confidence of old money.
"One thirty."
The bidder in dark green. Precise. Efficient. Their tone gave away nothing.
Levinar's eyes gleamed. "One hundred and thirty thousand. Do I hear more?"
"One fifty."
Crimson, still relaxed, as if this was nothing more than a warm-up.
"One seventy."
Silver lace, immediate.
"Two hundred."
Green cuff, leaning back slightly, fingers tapping the armrest. Unbothered.
Then—
"Two fifty."
A new voice.
Soft. Unhurried.
The woman in blue.
Wanora's grip tightened on her chair.
Levinar barely concealed his excitement. "Two hundred and fifty thousand. A strong bid. Do we have—?"
"Two seventy."
Crimson didn't even look at the auctioneer, already moving ahead.
"Three hundred."
Silver lace,
"Three fifty."
Green cuff, still tapping, still measured.
Then—
"Four hundred."
Blue dress.
Wanora could feel it. The shift. The tension thickening as all eyes turned toward blue dress. No one had expected her to bid so aggressively.
Crimson exhaled, but lifted his hand. "Four twenty."
Silver lace hesitated. She had been playing this game, but now, she wasn't sure if it was worth it.
"Four fifty," she said, testing the waters.
"Five hundred," green cuff countered, as if he had already expected it.
A moment passed. Then—
"Six hundred."
Blue dress.
Silence.
Levinar's grin sharpened. "Six hundred thousand! We're moving quickly now. Anyone willing to go higher?"
Crimson crossed his arms, fingers tapping against his bicep. But he wasn't done. "Six fifty."
Silver lace did not speak again. She was out.
"Seven hundred."
Green cuff, unfazed.
"Eight hundred."
Blue dress.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Crimson sighed. He wasn't the type to admit loss, but there were limits. He didn't move again.
All eyes turned to green cuff. The only challenger left.
Their fingers had stopped tapping. They sat still.
Then—
"One million."
The hall seemed to exhale at once.
Levinar looked like he had just won a personal victory. "One million gold! A bold bid!"
Silence stretched.
Blue dress did not move.
Levinar let the tension build, dragging out the moment.
"One million gold—going once—"
The air was thick.
"Going twice—"
Wanora didn't blink.
"—Sold!"
The gavel struck.
Green cuff had won.
But Wanora wasn't looking at them.
Her eyes were locked onto blue dress.
And the woman in blue was still smiling.
The moment the ground erupted, Wanora moved.
A blast of force shattered the stage, sending debris and bodies flying. Screams filled the air as masked figures—hidden until now—moved like specters through the chaos. They cut down the guards in an instant, blades flashing, magic igniting. Blood splattered across the polished floor.
At the center of it all, blue dress leaped for the Jewel.
Levinar stood frozen before it, sweat dripping down his face.
"M-Miss, please—don't cause a commotion—"
His words barely left his mouth before he was airborne, thrown like a piece of cloth. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud, groaning in pain.
A chuckle.
"Well, well, I was expecting something like this," crimson chuckled, stepping forward with lazy confidence. His eyes glinted with amusement. "But to think you'd actually make a move. Tsk. How troublesome. I suppose I'll be taking it too."
A sharp sound—
Thin strands of crimson hair fell to the ground.
Silver lace lowered her blade, stepping into the center. "I'll join this little fight as well. I don't take kindly to thieves."
Then—
A blur.
Green cuff moved at full force, landing between them like a hammer striking stone. Their voice was filled with contempt.
"Poor peasants. Just because you can't afford something, you show your true colors. Barbarians."
A light laugh.
"Oh?" Blue dress tilted her head, amusement dancing in her voice. "It seems you haven't recognized me yet. But if you did—"
She didn't get to finish.
"Tch. Yeah, yeah, I know who you are." Green cuff spat, eyes burning with rage. "You fucking pirate."
Blue dress smiled wider. "Pirate is such a rude word, you know? I'm far beyond that now."
"I couldn't care less, you bitch." Green cuff's hand tightened around their weapon. "The Jewel is mine."
"I'm only borrowing it, calm down," blue dress chuckled softly, fingers running over the surface of the Jewel.
Crimson let out a breath, glancing at the others. "You do realize that if we fight here, the Emperor is going to notice."
The words hung in the air.
The Emperor.
The man feared across the continent, not because of cruelty but because of absolute strength. A righteous ruler who fought for justice with an iron will. This auction house was only legal because every item sold here was pre-approved—the list carefully curated before being sent to the Emperor's court. Only items deemed 'acceptable' made the cut. If he were to learn that the participants had gone rogue, disregarding laws, spilling blood over something not on the official list…
It wouldn't end well. Not for the organizers. Not for those involved.
Blue dress merely smiled. "Then just let me take it. After all, I'm already wanted. I have nothing to lose. But the three of you? You hold high ranks in the kingdom, don't you?" She tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Is a mere jewel worth more than your precious positions?"
Silence.
A quiet hum of consideration.
Then—
"Tch." Silver lace clicked her tongue, eyes sharp with annoyance. "She's right. I'm backing off." A step backward. A slow turn. "I don't care what the rest of you do, but don't get me involved in this mess." Without another word, she walked out of the building.
Crimson sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Haaah. Guess I'll leave too. Can't let that woman go alone—she's liable to get herself into trouble." He sent a fleeting glance at blue dress before following silver lace out.
And just like that, two were gone.
Only two remained.
Green cuff. Blue dress.
They stood facing each other, the tension in the air thick enough to cut through.
Blue dress smirked, unbothered. Green cuff, in contrast, looked at her with pure loathing.
"Don't smile," green cuff muttered, voice low with barely restrained anger. "I'll put you behind bars one day."
A final glare. Then, turning sharply on their heel, they stormed out.
To them, their positions meant everything. Risking it all for a jewel wasn't worth it.
That left only one.
Blue dress.
She picked up the Jewel of the Sunken Crown, letting its weight settle in her palm. The golden light reflected in her eyes as she turned slightly, gaze shifting to the corner of the room.
A knowing smile.
"Now you can come out of hiding, Wanora."