Chapter 65: High Reputation
Back on planet Darknorth, Priam paid for a room to spend the night.
After eating, when he lay down on the bed, he suddenly felt a powerful sense of unease for no apparent reason. It was an instinctive feeling, telling him that he was forgetting or losing something important.
’Did I overlook something?’ he wondered inwardly, feeling tense. But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out.
After a long time, he finally fell asleep.
...
The next day, Priam walked through the city, which was full of life and commerce. The message regarding the auction would only arrive at night, so he intended to spend the day observing everything the market had to offer.
It didn’t take long before he stopped in front of a large alchemist building.
He researched what demonic alchemists sold. In the end, 70% of their products were similar to what existed on the mortal plane of his universe.
Of course, there was a major difference in the types of herbs used, but the effects were nearly identical. It was like following the same recipe while only changing the seasonings. The flavor would change, but if all the main ingredients and the cooking method remained the same, the final result would still be the same thing.
However, the most expensive pills caught his attention.
"I’ve never heard of these five before," Priam said to the attendant.
"Oh, the customer has a good eye. These four are Yin and Yang Nature pills. They’re made from materials found in the Infernal Forest, a very unique place that contains materials unavailable anywhere else."
Priam became curious.
"Infernal Forest? Where is that?"
"It’s located on another planet in this same solar system, called High Dark Peak. However, that planet is occupied exclusively by the Dark Peak clan, and they don’t allow outsiders to enter without a lengthy interview and payment of a generous entrance fee," the salesman said with a slight smile.
"These pills are truly unique, and their natural power can be easily absorbed by any race. For younger people like yourself, sir, they’re an elixir that improves physical development. Their price is high, but they’re worth it."
Priam nodded.
"And this last pill here. What does it do?"
"Ah, that pill cannot be sold to ordinary people. Its value is extremely high because only approved merchant clans purchase it. The material itself isn’t particularly rare, but every pill has a unique recipe. Please, just ignore it," the salesman said quickly.
Although curious, Priam nodded and truly let the matter go.
He decided to buy several different pills, as well as a large quantity of the four Yin and Yang Nature pills. He spent only ten thousand Black Diamonds for two hundred of them.
Afterward, Priam continued wandering through the city, simply observing and finding nothing else that interested him.
Night arrived before he realized it.
Soon, a short and simple message was sent to him.
Priam took a deep breath, then pulled out one of the pills he had purchased and crushed it in his hands. He gently spread the medicinal powder across his face. Within seconds, by manipulating it with Ether, he created something similar to a white mask covering his face.
Afterward, he changed into clothes completely different from his usual style, using them as a disguise.
With everything prepared, he followed the instructions.
Before long, he arrived at an unfamiliar urban area about five kilometers north of the city.
There, he entered a ruined stone tower.
After passing through three checkpoints and giving the password to the guards, he finally reached the innermost level of the stone tower. It was so dark there that he couldn’t even see his own fingers.
He had to wait for a very, very long time before the wall in front of him suddenly opened, revealing a beautiful Demoness holding a torch.
The young woman walked over and gave a slight bow.
"My apologies for the delay, esteemed guest. Please, come with me."
He followed the Demoness through the secret door before suddenly dropping into darkness.
He felt as though he had descended at least several hundred meters before finally reaching the bottom. After a flash of intense light, another secret door opened before his eyes.
Priam slowly stepped through it.
The world beyond the door was a vast stone chamber. Although many lamps were lit inside, the lighting had been deliberately adjusted to create an incredibly dark atmosphere.
Hundreds of tables and chairs were arranged neatly throughout the chamber. Many people had already taken their seats.
The reaction of those people to Priam’s arrival was practically nonexistent. Nearly everyone there was disguised as well.
However, the clan organizing everything knew exactly who they really were.
Silence filled the stone chamber. Priam counted fewer than two hundred people inside. It wasn’t many, but all of them carried an air of extreme arrogance or nobility.
There were demons, humanoids, and Beasts of Primordial Chaos. Clearly, every one of them was a high-ranking figure within their clan, with plenty of money to spend.
Priam chose a seat at random.
...
Several minutes later, as everyone waited in silence, a stone platform slowly rose about a meter and a half above the ground at the far end of the chamber.
Then, a hidden door above the platform opened, revealing a person stepping out with calm strides.
"Welcome, everyone. I am tonight’s chief auctioneer."
A melodious voice echoed through the chamber, drawing everyone’s attention.
She was a stunning woman.
She appeared to be around twenty-five years old. She had a short tail and a pair of very small black wings on her back. What drew the most attention, however, was the extremely tight outfit she wore.
Perhaps that alone wouldn’t have been much, but the most shocking thing was her deep neckline, which seemed to invite people to dive right into it. Since she was standing on the stage above everyone else, however, it was impossible to get a good view.
Most of the people present were men, and all of them focused on her, replacing the anxiety they had been feeling with a very different emotion.
Priam snorted dryly. This was a somewhat dirty sales tactic.
But she had effectively changed the atmosphere of the room.
Of course, part of that was due to the Demoness’s natural charm. Another part came from her mastery of dressing in a way that emphasized her attributes. With clothing that tight, which practically hid nothing, her beauty was almost destructive.
’Wait? Is that a Succubus?’
Priam recalled the stories from Earth and was startled. The appearance and mannerisms of this Demoness matched some of the descriptions he had read in the past.
The Succubus smiled, and everyone’s eyes followed her every movement.
"At this auction, we have prepared three great treasures for you to see. Each of them has been properly appraised, and we can guarantee both their value and their origin. I know everyone is eager, so let’s not waste any more time!"
She waved her hand. The center of the stage slowly opened, and a stone pedestal rose upward.
Upon it sat a black box about the size of a human head, covered in red runes.
The smell of blood spread throughout the entire chamber.
And more than that...
Everyone could hear the sound of powerful heartbeats coming from within.
The Succubus gestured toward it.
"Inside here is our first treasure..."
She explained that it was the demonic heart of an ancient demon who had once lived on the divine plane. He had died long ago, but before his death, he returned home and left his heart behind so future generations of his clan could benefit from the power it emitted.
However...
A few years ago, that same clan became involved in a war.
As a result, it was completely destroyed.
Naturally, everyone familiar with that demonic clan knew about the existence of this heart and desperately desired to possess it. Therefore, the treasure had appeared at this auction so the buyer could obtain it in secret, without anyone discovering their identity.
The reputation of the Alu-fiend race that organized everything was exceptionally high. Everyone trusted that the identities of the buyers would never be revealed.
"We will now begin the bidding. The minimum bid is 1 million Black Diamonds!"
*8.5 million!*
*15 million!*
*17 million!*
The bids escalated rapidly, with everyone making desperate offers. Within just a few minutes, the final bid emerged.
*35 million!*
Hearing that, Priam’s heart relaxed somewhat.
He had 490 million, and seeing that this clearly extraordinary treasure had sold for only 35 million gave him great hope that he could purchase what he wanted.
After the Succubus completed the count, the figure who had won the item became ecstatic. He didn’t even bother staying to watch the rest of the auction. He immediately headed toward the back and disappeared.
He was clearly planning to pay and leave with it as quickly as possible, giving bad luck no chance to interfere.
"Hehe... that was quite a fierce competition," the Succubus laughed sweetly as she gestured toward the audience.
"Now, let’s move on to the second treasure. It doesn’t have such a long history that I need to explain it. You can probably already guess what it is: a genuine Earth-Class Magic Art!"
