The sixth morning since I opened my eyes in this world.
All my body needed for recovery was sufficient sleep and time.
Not needing to eat is incredibly convenient, freeing me from various physiological needs.
For that reason, after I returned from the temple I immediately fell asleep on the bed. After a good night's rest, I put on the familiar coat and left my only home.
My destination was the Temple of Amusement, taking a leisurely stroll through the famous Infinite Maze.
I could have used "perception's hindrance", but I didn't. It was necessary to let my presence be known within the Academy, for future activities.
The problem was that it was early in the morning during the vacation period, so there were no students around.
The Street of Light was also deserted.
However, in front of the Temple of Amusement.
A woman with cold features, wearing a black suit that fit her body perfectly, her waist-length golden hair neatly tied and hanging down.
It was the priestess who had guided me to the prayer room yesterday.
[Stained with fatigue.]
[Her lustrous golden hair, shimmering in the breeze.]
[The woman slowly turns, stepping on the mutilated flesh of the demons.]
[Her eyes, like frozen blue ice, capture 'us'.]
'Claire Bean Assen.'
The information in my head identified her as Claire.
Golden hair, cold blue eyes, and a beautiful face.
Also, an Awakened individual with overwhelming power in the Street of Light.
Additionally, the fact that she is invited to be a supervisor for the Ring Snatching War hosted by Arena Academy every year.
Tap—
The sound of her heels striking the ground.
The blue-eyed beauty turned towards me, her clear eyes capturing my image, and she bowed slightly.
"My name is Claire Bean Assen, and I will be your guide. Please feel free to call me whatever you like."
'Guide seems excessive.'
Every time she's invited, she takes 10% of the Academy's annual budget.
Unlike yesterday, I could sense the presence of other clergy members in the temple today.
'It's a service.'
Bwiar is different from the other gods in that he values giving and receiving.
He seemed particularly pleased about reflecting me in his game.
"I assume Bwiar has explained everything."
"Yes. In addition to guiding you, please feel free to tell me if there's anything you need or any inconveniences you face."
"I will."
There was no reason to refuse the offer.
If it had been an average priest or knight, I wouldn't have cared, but the woman before me was truly capable of granting any wish, given her position and power.
"Then, please follow me to the car."
"Can you drive?"
"Yes. Except for air travel, I can handle most things."
"I see."
Claire Bean Assen.
I gained one more piece of knowledge about her.
**
**
[Seoul – Restricted Zones 1~3]
A place under strict control for money-making and byproduct procurement for newly Awakened individuals and low-rank Awakened individuals.
In the underground of an abandoned building within this zone, a first-stage gate.
"Hmm~"
A middle-aged man in a violet suit, with a neat appearance, hummed as he flipped through the documents on his desk.
『Attendance List
Baekgali Guild
Black Dog Guild
Anima Guild
·
·
·
Midas Association』
An underground auction held once a year.
Countless auction venues, and this middle-aged man, Kim Deoksu, was the manager of one of them. He couldn't hide his smile as he looked at the list of guilds, towers, and alchemists who had filled the venue to capacity.
Soon, they would compete and spend a lot of money. How could he not smile?
An artificially modified building within the gate.
On paper, it was a typical first-stage gate, but the Awakened individuals using it were all stand-ins, their names simply listed.
What was there to worry about?
The officials who should have been conducting inspections were already in cahoots with them, so what was there to worry about? Even if they were caught, it wouldn't be a problem.
Behind Kim Deoksu floated a brilliant crystal the size of a human head.
The culprit that maintained the terrain within the gate and summoned the demons.
If this crystal were destroyed, the gate would disappear soon after. What would happen to the Awakened individuals left inside?
Whether it was the gods' consideration or not, when the gate closed, those left inside would be randomly ejected to various parts of the world.
There was no need to escape, so they could leisurely burn any documents that needed to be disposed of during the time the gate was closing.
"Haha, is there an easier way to make money than this?"
As he put the attendance list back into the drawer, he reached for the documents of the items to be auctioned. Just then.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Someone frantically knocked on the tightly closed door.
"Boss!"
"What? What the hell do you want?"
"You, you should probably come out here…"
"Me? Are you sure you need me?"
"...Yes."
The subordinate, whose face had turned pale, nodded vigorously, and Kim Deoksu blinked. He then infused magic into the glass on his desk and threw it.
"Ugh!!"
His subordinate, whose forehead had been split open, frantically lowered his head.
"Damn it. How am I supposed to make a decision if you don't explain the situation first?"
"I-I'm sorry. I was so startled that I…"
"Fine, what is it?"
The subordinate didn't even bother to wipe the blood flowing from his forehead as he swallowed nervously and spoke.
"It seems like it's her, but… Claire Bean Assen has arrived."
"Claire? Claire, Claire… You don't mean… that Claire?"
The subordinate nodded vigorously, and the blood flowing from his forehead splattered everywhere, but Kim Deoksu didn't care at all. No, he couldn't.
"Damn it. You mean that crazy god's executor?"
"She does look similar…"
"You should've stopped her!"
"...Five of the guys who tried to stop her already lost their heads."
"Damn it!! Then it really is her?!"
Are the dogs guarding this place ordinary?
They are Awakened individuals with enough power to effortlessly break through 8th-stage gates and compete with the masters of the small and medium guilds attending this auction.
Yet, five of them had lost their heads.
"What the hell is she here for? Damn it. Didn't she say she'd take the money we offered?! Is she here because she's getting money from another temple now and her conscience is bothering her?!"
"It seems that…"
The subordinate hesitated, but as Kim Deoksu picked up something from his desk, he quickly spoke up.
"She came to participate in the auction…"
"What?"
Kim Deoksu scratched his ears, wondering if he was hearing things.
"Yeah, there was something there. Say it again."
"She came to participate in the auction… specifically, she brought a man who seems to be her companion. The atmosphere below is a bit messed up…"
"Damn it."
Kim Deoksu seriously considered breaking the crystal.
'No. No, that's not it.'
Kim Deoksu stood up.
"Boss?"
"Let's go. Even though I didn't invite her, it's only polite to greet such a big shot who came on her own. Yeah, I'll calm down the moneybags as well."
He came to a decision in a very short time.
If the crazy god's executor had come to participate in the auction for some other reason, he wouldn't be talking to his subordinate right now. He would have lost his head.
Claire Bean Assen, unofficially ranked within the top 20 in the overall rankings.
She was a monster with the power to do so.
Kim Deoksu left the office with his subordinate, almost running towards the lounge.
"Open it."
"Hoo. Good."
He took a deep breath, and his subordinate opened the door.
The attendees, seated at intervals under the soft lighting, turned their gazes towards Kim Deoksu.
Their expressions were far from pleasant. The atmosphere had changed the moment the door opened.
Kim Deoksu could easily identify the cause of all this.
A woman in a black suit, sitting at the seat closest to the entrance, with golden hair.
Gulp—
Kim Deoksu's eyes shifted from the woman, Claire, to the man sitting next to her.
A man with unkempt black hair, wearing bizarrely designed glasses, quietly observing the stage where the auction would take place.
'Is it really… that Claire as his servant?'
The woman standing guard beside him, as if protecting him. And the man, casually sitting there as if it were natural.
Kim Deoksu quickly organized his thoughts in his head and put them into action.
He bowed at an angle that was neither too submissive nor too arrogant, his hands clasped together in front of his abdomen, and bowed his head.
"My name is Kim Deoksu, the manager of this place. I would like to ask if you are aware that this is a space where only invited guests are allowed to enter."
A short silence.
Kim Deoksu waited for a response, his heart pounding, his head still bowed.
"I know."
A clear, feminine voice that seemed to cleanse his ears.
'Halfway there.'
The fact that Claire had answered him gave Kim Deoksu a little more confidence to proceed.
He raised his head slightly, his gaze lowered to the floor.
"According to my employee, you came here to participate in the auction."
"That's right."
"I see. First of all, I want to make it clear that my words are not intended to offend the esteemed guests in any way. I am simply stating the actions that I, as an employee of this organization, must take."
'Good. My head is still attached, and I can still feel my pulse.'
Kim Deoksu discreetly moistened his dry lips with saliva and continued.
"Normally, the crystal that forms the gate should be destroyed, and this place should be cleared out. Technically, none of you were invited, which is a fact. However, this humble man has heard rumors about your prowess, and I believe I have a rough idea of your strength—"
"So?"
'...!!'
A deep, resonating voice pierced Kim Deoksu's eardrums, sending shivers down his spine.
"What are you going to do about it?"
A question without any particular emotion. Yet, Kim Deoksu's whole body began to sweat.
'Calm down, Kim Deoksu. The auction is the goal, and I still have the upper hand.'
The man whom Claire claimed to be her servant.
"...I would like you to take off your glasses and show your face."
"That's it?"
At the man's question, Kim Deoksu pressed his toes into the ground.
"Yes. Normally, you would need to reveal your name and identity… but since we have a credible guarantor here, showing your face will be sufficient. Then, the auction can proceed without any problems."
"I see."
The man gave his permission, and Kim Deoksu exhaled softly, raising his head.
The man, who had been staring at the stage, turned to face him and grabbed the bizarrely designed glasses covering half of his face with his large hand.
A grotesque pair of glasses with swirling patterns on a white background.
As the glasses were lowered, revealing the man's golden eyes.
"Uwaaahh!!!"
Kim Deoksu collapsed to the floor, retching.
"Ugh, waaahh!!"
Like a worm, he writhed on the floor, vomiting the contents of his stomach.
'Monster, a real, real monster…'
The moment the glasses were lowered, revealing the golden eyes, Kim Deoksu saw his body crumble like mud.
It was a fear that no one who valued their life could accept.
'Get up, get up…'
Uncontrollable retching and convulsions.
As Kim Deoksu struggled to get up, hoping to survive.
"If it's unpleasant, I'll get rid of it."
"That would be best."
Get rid of it?
What did that mean?
That was Kim Deoksu's last thought.
**
**
The man who had introduced himself as Kim Deoksu had turned into ashes along with the vomit he had spewed out.
'So that's what she meant by getting rid of it.'
She had a casual way of dealing with things, both in her speech and actions.
I fiddled with my glasses, now adjusted to my face, and turned my gaze to the stage.
'I'll have to be careful not to accidentally take them off at home.'
With that thought, I spoke to Claire.
"It's about time we started the auction."
"Yes. You, over there."
Claire called out to someone.
Without needing to look, I could sense the magic power in the area and observe the surroundings from a third-person perspective.
The man she called out to was one of the men who had followed Kim Deoksu.
"M-me?"
"From now on, you're the manager here."
"Eh?"
The nameless man blinked in confusion, then.
"...I'll start the auction right away."
He quickly straightened his foolish-looking face, bowed, and ran towards the back of the stage.
The man disappeared behind the stage, and soon, the soft lighting that had illuminated the area gathered towards the stage.
A young man appeared in front of the stage, holding a microphone, his hand trembling slightly as he smiled confidently.
"Let's begin the 13th auction."
And so, the auction began.