Ron obtained these specific details from Chii during their time in Aurean.
"Are you also here for the auction?" Ron asked.
"Yes." The girl nodded, her voice soft yet clear. "I came with my elders. They're interested in some items at this auction. I'm curious about it too."
"I've heard there will be a lot of interesting things at the auction," she added.
"Have you been to Yorknew City before?"
Ron shook his head. "No, I haven't."
"I wonder what kind of city Yorknew will be." Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Nearby, a young man glanced at the girl, then at a middle-aged woman seated further away. He seemed hesitant to speak, but the woman shook her head, silently signalling him to let it be. The young man refrained from stopping the girl's conversation with Ron.
Ron could tell the girl rarely ventured out and was curious about the outside world. It seemed she had few companions her age, and once she began talking, it was hard for her to stop.
---
To Ron's surprise, the girl expressed an unusual interest in video games. Unlike other girls her age, who might prefer dolls, flower arranging, dresses, or musical instruments, her focus was on games.
After a brief pause, Ron asked, "Have you heard of a game called Greed Island?"
"Greed Island?"
"Yes, it's a famous game. The consoles are ridiculously expensive, and I've heard the creators poured their hearts into making it. I'm really interested in it, but I haven't been able to find it."
"Is it fun?"
"From what I've heard, it's incredible—highly immersive."
Of course, Greed Island was immersive because it was part of the real world.
"That sounds like a fascinating game." Her eyes lit up with excitement.
Due to her unique circumstances, her upbringing was vastly different from most children her age. Discontent with reality often led her to seek solace in games.
---
As evening approached, the airship began its descent. When it landed and the passengers started disembarking, Ron followed the girl out.
As he stepped off the airship, he noticed something new in his hand—a small slip of paper. Opening it, he found an email address and a name.
The girl turned back and waved at Ron. He waved back, though his mind was elsewhere, fixated on the name written on the paper: Morena.
A name Ron found deeply familiar.
The name Morena left a strong impression on Ron. In the Black Whale arc of the original story, the Kakin Empire was a central focus, and the Princes' Succession War was the most significant event.
There were fourteen princes in total, and according to the King of Kakin, only one could emerge victorious. Each prince formed their own faction to compete for the throne. Those without factions met early deaths, like the twelfth prince, Momoze.
In addition to the princes, Kakin's underworld also played a significant role. Unlike ordinary criminal organizations, the leaders of Kakin's mafia were almost all illegitimate children of the royal family.
These "second-tier royals" bore two distinctive scars on their faces from birth, marking their status. As outcasts, they were denied formal recognition or inheritance rights. As compensation, the royal family granted them control over the dark underworld, giving them access to power and resources.
In terms of strength, Kakin's mafia could rival global crime syndicates. After all, Kakin's power was nearly on par with the V5 nations, while the world mafia consisted only of organizations outside the V5's reach.
Morena was one such second-tier royal—a daughter of King Nasubi of Kakin. In the future, she would even rise to lead the Hei-Ly Family.
---
"Could she really be that Morena?" Ron wondered. "It's quite possible."
He recalled the cover on her face. It likely concealed the scars that marked her as a second-tier royal. Without it, such scars would undoubtedly attract attention.
"If it is her, the Morena I just met is so different from the one in the Black Whale arc. Something significant must have happened to her."
Ron shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now. The Black Whale arc is still far in the future."
Still, establishing a connection with Morena seemed like a wise move. The Kakin Empire would likely present numerous opportunities for lucrative assassination contracts.
---
### Arrival in Yorknew City
After leaving the airship terminal, Ron hailed a cab and provided the name of his reserved hotel.
The ride took about ten minutes. Upon arrival, Ron entered his spacious, lavishly decorated single suite. It was well-equipped and extravagant, though the price was negligible for someone of Ron's wealth.
Currently, Ron's combined accounts hold over 100 billion Jenny, placing him among the world's richest individuals. Even Bartla, known as a tycoon in the original storyline, had a net worth of only a few hundred billion Jenny—and much of that was spent on purchasing Greed Island consoles and hiring Nen users.
A significant portion of Ron's fortune came from selling intelligence, especially about the world mafia.
"Grandfather Zeno's debt can wait. There's no rush," Ron mused.
---
### Preparing for the Auction
A crystal orb floated beside Ron, slowly absorbing the traits of the surrounding environment. The process was slightly slower in Yorknew than it had been in Aurean, but not by much.
"I wonder how much progress I'll make here," Ron thought. "The auction will likely be a focal point."
He instructed Chii, "Get tickets for all the auction events."
Chii immediately got to work, leaving Ron to his thoughts. He summoned Killer Queen from his Nen space, retrieved his laptop, and began composing an email to Morena.
The email was simple: an introduction and a friendly greeting. From what Ron could tell, Morena had reached out because she had found someone she could talk to—not out of any ulterior motive.
However, those accompanying Morena clearly didn't want her to interact with him.
---
### A Conversation in the Shadows
Meanwhile, Morena discreetly read Ron's email in a quiet corner, smiling as she replied. Their conversation revolved mostly around video games.
A young man glanced at Morena, and then at the middle-aged woman nearby.
"Ma'am, shouldn't we stop her? Morena's status makes it unsuitable for her to associate with outsiders."
"It's fine," the woman replied, shaking her head. "The boy isn't after us. Once we return to Kakin, their contact will cease. Besides, this experience might help Morena understand her position better."
The young man hesitated. "Should we investigate the boy's identity? A young man travelling alone to Yorknew at his age—it's unlikely he's ordinary."
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