The two women returned to Vidnotrov when the sun began to set.
Arianne was a very intelligent woman, although she seemed so carefree and nonchalant, her identity said otherwise: she was the boss of a firm that specializes in item trading. That is to say, the company was charged with appraising items, determining their value, and act as a middleman between several parties. Its daily operation would be to determine the value of assets of a defaulter on behalf of the bank.
Their fair appraisal and willingness to reconsider the value made it a favorite in Vidnotrov and it would sometimes receive requests from other cities. However, it isn't the main source of revenue for this great enterprise.
Instead, the main source of revenue would be auctioned. Once a month, an auction would be held, selling highly valuable items and properties, which include relics and other antiques. Some of which are said to contain mysterious powers.
Opening the storeroom's door, Arianne confidently looked at the vast arrays of items sealed in glass. There were many valuable objects stored here, with some going to the next auction. However, this time, it will be different.
A smile appeared on Arianne's face.
Closing her eyes, she could feel the currents flowing and the energy emitted by these artifacts. She then opened her eyes and found an object with abundant energy.
"Lord Devar's Golden Cup... Made in 1447, it is the count's favorite cup which he used to drink wine. However, one day, he had drunk too much and fell from the balcony. It is rumored to be cursed but these rumors remained unproven... It is expected to be highly sought by the traditional nobles or new millionaires to add to their collections, the value estimation reaching 10 million."
10 million!
This cup has been pawned off by a descendant of the previous owner for one million rubis who had not returned with the money nor notified of his claim of ownership for one year, meaning it was de-facto the firm's property.
Now, Arianne looked at the cup with interest. In the company's operation, the cup was simply a collection item for its deep history, there are many like them in this country and overseas but in her eyes, it had the irresistible dark aura she craved. The aura of supernatural.
Arianne took out the Prophet's Command and pointed to the item in question. The sporadic chaotic waves calmed down and she began filtering some information from the item.
"A corrupted, embracing, lawful and fiery energy..." Arianne frowned, "a devil?!"
As the new owner of the Prophet's Command, she had a vague idea of the fantastic side of this world.
3000 years ago, the Great Old One and Its kin, the Great Dreamer, Other Side of the Moon, Lord of Pain, and many other weaker old ones had fought against an unknown group of powers and lost. It was at this time that the Great Old One was sealed and the start of the rise of humans.
2000 years ago, many of the eldritch gods' progeny rose up and created myths and legends centered around them. Still, although invincible against the weapons at this time, the secret power brought by the heroes of mankind could hurt them. This power is said to come from the gods themselves.
1000 years ago, some humans managed to gain contact with the eldritch gods' power and began to use it for themselves. Heretics, they were called by the leading power of this time but each time a heretic is slain, another rises. This time, however, since the corruption has started from humans using the natural radiation from the old ones, it had stayed relatively small yet unyielding.
This third period of awakening directly correlated with the appearance of devils and demons. This cup is related to a devil and had probably been enchanted with a spell but over the hundreds of years, the effects faded, leaving residues of such enchantment.
These residues couldn't do much but after a re-arrangement, it would become functional again. She would just need to...
Pak!
Smacking her fingers, the waves rearranged under a different form. Arianne smiled again.
Cup of Greed
In the devil world, such items could not be said to be rare and are quite weak in effects, needing the support of a nearby devil to fully perpetuate the sin. In that case, the Cup of Greed only stimulated the desire to acquire the cup but also to drink from the cup too. Paired with a large amount of alcohol and the weak hypnosis power that devils possess, it is no surprise that the count would fall to his death. It was practically an inevitability.
However, this isn't enough. This isn't enough. It is just a lowly enchantment made by a lowly devil, how could it be enough?
The broken woman began to tinker with the cup as the lowly believer Alice guarded the door, not daring to interrupt her superior.
"Hehehe... Hehehe... HAHAHAHA!!!"