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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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My first thought was: Is she a succubus? I had slain enough demons to attract their attention.
But I couldn’t sense any demonic energy from her.
Of course, higher-ranking demons were skilled at concealing their demonic energy. It wouldn’t be strange if I couldn’t detect it.
I would need a special alchemically crafted item to see through their disguise.
‘But that’s not the only possibility.’
I was walking down the hallway with Dor. The red carpet and the gold-plated walls and decorations were extravagant.
“Care for a nightcap in my room?”
She smiled seductively. I smiled politely and shook my head.
My room was 203, and hers was 204.
“No, thank you. It was a pleasure meeting you, but I’m tired. I think I’ll just go to bed.”
I extended my hand for a handshake. She tilted her head, then took my hand. I used a modified version of the Linchester Swordsmanship, Sixth Form: Shattering Sword.
It was a technique that could dispel mana and demonic energy.
If she were a demon, her true form would be revealed. But I couldn’t sense any demonic energy from her.
She wasn’t a demon.
“Do you find me unattractive?”
“No… you’re very beautiful, but… I suspect you’re already… taken.”
She didn’t deny being called a “married woman.” She didn’t say anything.
“It was a pleasure meeting you. Good night.”
I kissed her hand and turned to leave. She stood there for a moment, as if she had something to say.
I wasn’t like that blond thug. I couldn’t bring myself to get involved with a married woman.
That would only lead to broken families and societal chaos.
I entered my room, showered, and went to bed. I fell asleep quickly, thanks to the wine.
I woke up, thinking about the woman from last night.
The pink dress, the ornate belt, her goddess-like beauty…
Wait, goddess?
I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the hotel desk.
“Well, I’ll be…”
I chuckled, looking at what I had written. I had a suspicion, but I hadn’t expected it to be true.
―Etidorhpa
Etidorpha.
Spelled backward, it was “Aphrodite.” The goddess of love and beauty.
‘I just rejected a goddess.’
That explained her flawless skin and the distinctive belt.
And she was one of the most promiscuous goddesses on Olympus, second only to Zeus.
I had literally kicked a golden opportunity to the curb.
I rubbed my temples.
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Mount Olympus.
Ancient Greek temples peeked through the clouds. Aphrodite lay on her bed, a smile playing on her lips as she recalled last night’s events.
“He’s so cute and amusing.”
He had rejected her advances. She had been slightly offended.
After Ethan left, another woman had appeared, and they had argued.
Aphrodite was the most beautiful goddess.
She was always the center of attention, showered with adoration. She could seduce anyone she wanted.
God or human.
She had even spent 100,000 points to manifest in the human world and bathed in the Spring of Virginity to meet Ethan.
And she had been rejected. Aphrodite chuckled, looking at the holographic image floating in the air.
It was a recording of Achilles, Ethan, and Arthur fighting the Colossus.
“What’s so amusing?”
A man with wings and a small bow and arrow approached her, tilting his head curiously.
“It’s nothing. Have we received many offerings?”
“The usual.”
Cupid shrugged.
The Olympian gods had been converting their offerings into points and using them to sponsor their favorites.
“Watching the Achilles channel again?”
“Why don’t you watch it too?”
“If I’m going to watch a man, it’ll be the Heracles channel.”
The Heracles channel, with its graphic depictions of monster slaying, was popular among the male gods.
Even Zeus and Hera were said to be fans.
“He’s too strong. There’s no suspense.”
“Achilles is also strong.”
Cupid was talking back to her?
Aphrodite chuckled and turned her attention back to the holographic image.
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The first day of the auction.
People wearing masks gathered in the auditorium. It was impossible to tell who was who.
The masks were to protect the buyers’ identities.
There was a variety of masks: cat masks, fox masks, opera masks, clown masks, and even elaborate feathered masks.
Some people even wore full-face masks.
I was wearing a fox mask. I had chosen it because it caught my eye.
I instinctively reached for my sword, then remembered that weapons weren’t allowed in the auction house.
There had been a brawl during a heated auction years ago.
Since then, weapons had been banned, and masks had become mandatory.
‘I should buy something useful while I’m here.’
The auctioneer walked onto the stage.
“Welcome, everyone, to the 77th Northvan Auction! Let’s begin with our first item!”
The auctioneer looked around the auditorium and nodded. There were a lot of gray-haired people in the back rows.
Auctions were driven by demand.
Sometimes, bidders colluded to inflate prices. And sometimes, the auction house planted shills in the audience to drive up the prices.
It was a way to artificially increase the value of an item.
Milton, the owner of the auction house, observed the proceedings. People were spending exorbitant amounts of money, even on overpriced items.
‘When else are we going to make this much money?’
The first item was a sword used by a former Hero Candidate.
It contained Orichalcum and had been used to slay several monsters, so it was popular among both sword collectors and aspiring heroes.
The starting bid was 7 million Elleh.
It was a steal. It could easily be resold for double the price.
A gentleman raised his hand.
“8 million Elleh.”
“8 million Elleh! We have 8 million!”
The auctioneer announced.
Milton scanned the crowd and made eye contact with one of his shills. They exchanged prearranged signals.
Milton adjusted his glasses with his left hand. It was a signal to raise the bid.
“10 million Elleh!”
The gentleman’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. The auctioneer continued his spiel.
“10 million Elleh! We have 10 million! This sword was used by the hero Arundal! He used this very sword to slay the fearsome Manticore!”
The Manticore.
A monster with the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, and the wings of a bat. Twenty years ago, a Manticore had appeared in the eastern region of the empire, disrupting trade routes.
And Arundal had been the hero who had slain it.
I raised my hand.
“12 million Elleh.”
“12 million Elleh! We have 12 million!”
Milton signaled for another price increase. One of his shills raised their hand.
“13 million Elleh!”
The gentleman gritted his teeth.
Arundal.
He was the hero who had inspired the gentleman’s childhood dreams. Unfortunately, the gentleman lacked the talent to attend the Hero Academy.
“15 million Elleh!”
“15 million Elleh! We have 15 million!”
Milton looked at the gentleman, then touched his beard. It was a signal to increase the bid by 25%.
His eyes met mine. My dark eyes stared back at him through the eyeholes of my fox mask.
‘Did he… notice?’
Milton gulped nervously. His shill raised their hand.
“18 million Elleh!”
“18 million Elleh! We have 18 million! Arundal’s sword! Going for 18 million!”
The price had more than doubled since the starting bid of 7 million.
But the gentleman wasn’t giving up.
“20 million Elleh!”
Milton stroked his beard. It was a signal to stop raising the bid.
“20 million! Going once! Going twice! Sold! Arundal’s sword sold for 20 million Elleh!”
Milton grinned. Auctions were the perfect place to exploit people’s desires.
Arundal’s sword contained a small amount of Orichalcum, but if it hadn’t been used by a hero, it would have been just an ordinary, slightly above average sword.
‘It’s not even close to being a legendary sword. And that gentleman just paid 20 million Elleh for it.’
The fair market value was around 14 million.
The auction continued.
Milton kept an eye on the man in the fox mask. He was actively participating in the auction, bidding on several items.
But he always stopped bidding before the price went too high. Milton had initially thought it was a coincidence.
But it wasn’t.
‘How does he know the market value so accurately?’
Milton realized that this man was no ordinary buyer. He wouldn’t be able to make much profit off of him.
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