(Lance Ashford POV)
The higher-ups had sent me, a champion of the Solarus faith, to this lowly demon auction. My task: determine if the ring on offer was the one our church sought.
Cardinal Virtue's words still rang in my ears: "Verify if it's the Ancient Ring we're after. If not, track down the seller. Even if it's not our ring, its origin might lead us to the real thing. Interrogate the seller, then... offer him to the Lord."
Those orders weighed on me as I watched the proceedings. The robed bishop beside me scrutinized the ring on stage. "Is it the one?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
The bishop glanced between the ring and an ancient tome in his hands. After muttering an {Appraisal} spell, he shook his head. "No, Champion Lance. It's just a common spatial ring from bygone days."
I nodded, my jaw tightening. "I see."
"If it's not what we seek, we should locate the seller," the bishop mused. "The host mentioned he's a pirate." A hint of disdain crept into his voice. "A sinner in need of cleansing, wouldn't you agree?"
"Indeed," I concurred, my mind already plotting our next move.
***
(3rd Person POV)
The Solarus representatives weren't the only ones to quickly realize the ring wasn't the "Ancient Ring" they sought. The Fallen Stars, loyal only to Demon King Luke Morningstar, also recognized it as a mere spatial ring.
"Waste of time. We're out," muttered a robed Fallen Star. Without another word, their group vacated their VIP room.
The gorilla-masked individual from the Moon Goddess faith, under orders from the Lunar Queen, followed suit. Even the dwarven representatives of the Forgefather faith slipped away quietly.
Yet the cult members, less discerning, remained. Their excited voices filled the air as they vied for the spatial ring.
"Two hundred thousand dollars!" one shouted.
"Two hundred and fifty!" countered another.
Lucy's voice cut through, "Two sixty!"
In VIP room number 8, Arthur watched the bidding war with bemused detachment.
"Not joining in, boss?" George asked, his arms laden with the ancient dwarven artifacts he'd won.
Arthur snorted. "Hundreds of thousands for that ring? No thanks. If it had the same power as the ones in 'Lord of the Rings,' that pirate would've used it himself long ago, don't you think?"
George, Firfel, and Shafel mulled it over, nodding in agreement. "Your right."
"Just common sense," Arthur continued, a hint of disdain in his voice. "These bidders are swallowing every word hook, line, and sinker."
"If it's so obvious," George prodded, "why'd you come to the auction for it?"
Arthur paused. "Curiosity, I guess." But internally, he knew the ring wasn't from "Lord of the Rings." It matched the description of a spatial ring he'd once read about in an ancient text.
Still, he mused, a ring that could store items was magical in its own right. Just not the earth-shattering power some seemed to expect.
Arthur and his group slipped out of the auction house unnoticed, the crowd's attention fixed firmly on the magical ring. Even the presence of popular "Lord of the Rings" actors like George, Firfel, and Shafel, not to mention the infamous ex-prince Arthur himself, went unremarked.
The bidding war raged on, culminating in Lucy's victory at a staggering 500 thousand dollars.
As Lucy claimed her prize, Apollonia leaned in, whispering, "Sis, was it really worth spending that much on a ring?"
Lucy scoffed. "Of course," she said, eyeing the ring greedily. "This will definitely boost my power."
She slipped it on, excitement evident in her eyes. Apollonia's classmates watched intently, half-expecting Lucy to suddenly manifest the legendary powers of ancient demons and transform into the Demon Queen right before their eyes.
Lucy channeled her magical power into the ring, anticipation building... only to feel nothing. No surge of power, no earth-shattering abilities. Instead, her mind filled with unexpected information: a spatial storage of 0.25 cubic meters.
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She'd been duped.
Lucy's expression turned glacial, startling Apollonia's classmates.
"Did... did Her Highness just inherit the ring's power?" one of them ventured nervously.
Before anyone could speculate further, Lucy snapped. "Leave me alone. Now!"
Their eyes widened in shock. Lucy's composure rarely cracked; she was known for her calm intelligence and beauty. They scurried away without another word.
Once alone, Lucy's frustration boiled over. "I can't believe I just blew five hundred thousand dollars on this worthless trinket!" she hissed.
If it had been a spatial ring with significant storage, she might have swallowed her pride. But 0.25 cubic meters? It was practically useless.
As she clenched her fists, thoughts of revenge against the ring's seller swirled in her mind.
***
What Lucy didn't know was that the seller was already regretting his decision to sell the ring. The pirate was on the run, constantly looking over his shoulder.
Just as he reached his hideout, a tap on his shoulder made him freeze.
"Where are you off to? I thought we might have a chat," a young voice said.
The pirate turned to face a handsome young man. Normally, he'd have scoffed at such a pretty boy, but the iron grip on his shoulder made him wince in pain.
"Let... let go of me," he stammered.
The young man's smile never faltered. "Why so nervous? We're here to help. It's quite an honor to offer yourself to Lord Solarus, after all."
Gritting his teeth, the pirate reached for his revolver. Before he could pull the trigger, the young man snapped his wrist, sending the gun clattering to the ground.
"Who- who are you?" the pirate gasped. "I've never heard of Solarus worshippers being this cruel!"
Lance Ashford's smile widened. "You don't need to know that. Just understand that you're very fortunate."
Terror gripped the pirate. "L-look, I worship Solarus too! Please, let me go!"
"Oh, you do? Wonderful. Then you'll be even more grateful for this opportunity." Lance muttered a spell, and the pirate crumpled unconscious.
The bishop stepped out from the shadows. "We need to move, Champion Lance. Our authority in these demon lands is limited."
"I know." Lance hoisted the pirate over his shoulder.
A bus pulled up nearby, as if on cue. Lance and the bishop boarded the empty vehicle, and it drove off without a word.
***
Hours after Lucy's ring purchase, the royal family gathered for dinner. Luke glared at his daughter, his voice laced with disappointment. "I thought you were exceptional, but you're no different from a fool!"
He jabbed a finger in her direction. "Five hundred thousand dollars on a useless ring? Were you even thinking?"
Lucy bowed her head, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Forgive me, Father. It won't happen again."
The demon queen, Luke's wife, attempted to intervene. "Let it go, Your Majesty. It's just five hundred thousand. She can earn that back quickly."
Luke's eyes turned cold. "Earn it back quickly? Ha!" He snorted. "If not for that lucky exiled son and his films, she wouldn't see that kind of money."
Lucy's face reddened further at the mention of Arthur.
"Think carefully about your spending," Luke warned, "or you might find yourself exiled too."
***
The next day at Hellfire Studio, Arthur and his crew kicked off auditions for their next project. News of "Hellfire Studio auditions for next film project" had aspiring actors lining up in droves.
In the wake of "Lord of the Rings," Hellfire Studio was undeniably on the rise.
But success, as Arthur well knew, rarely came without its share of hurdles.
While Hellfire's ascent seemed unstoppable, the media was abuzz with counter-moves from the industry giants. Titan Pictures and other major studios had just dropped bombshells of their own, announcing ambitious projects aimed at not just matching, but surpassing "Lord of the Rings."
The pushback didn't stop there. Famous singers and bands, signed to labels under these entertainment behemoths, were now actively discouraging their fans from supporting Hellfire Studio.