Bab 101: A miserable pile of deceit
***
After parting ways with Reiner and everyone else, I went to the women restroom alongside with Celi.
'God this feels wrong!'
Although I've been operating under the alias of Aryl for a couple of months now, I have never actually went into a women restroom until now. However, with Celi around me, I couldn't act all flustered.
"Haha, there's no urinals. Typical women restroom, am I right Celi? Ah you don't need to answer. I already know that because I've already been here before."
Celi nodded absentmindedly at my words and asked.
"So, what are we doing here?"
'Finally, something to distract me from being in this accursed place!'
"We're going to the Wezardis auction."
"Wezar-dis...?"
'Of course she doesn't know about it...'
It would have been very weird and suspicious if someone like her knew about the Wezardis auction anyways.
Not wanting to waste my time explaining things to her, I ushered her to a specific toilet stall.
"Umm Aryl, why are we here? The stall is being used."
In response, I kicked the stall open.
Celi hurriedly covered her eyes with a reddened face, not wanting to see who was inside the stall. However, she didn't really need to do it, as the woman in the stall was fully clothed, and in business clothes at that.
"What do you want?" The woman in the stall frowned. "You'd better have a good reason for kicking the door down—"
I quickly took out the card that Ria gave me before and handed it to the woman.
Widening her eyes in surprise at the sight of the card, the woman eventually regained her calm and bowed. She then urged us to go inside the stall with her.
While I got into the stall almost immediately, Celi was hesitant.
"Umm thanks for the offer, Aryl. But I'm not into that. I prefer muscular men—"
"Fucking hell! It's not that! Just get inside the stall already!"
Hearing my impatient grumbling, Celi hurriedly got inside the stall and slammed the door shut.
With the three of us now cramped inside the stall, the woman took out a device from her pockets and pressed the big red button on it.
Immediately after, the toilet shook violently. Before long, it sunk to the ground, revealing a secret passageway; The passageway was, unlike what you had expected from something positioned under a toilet, extremely clean and lavish.
'How much money did they spend to have golden chandeliers hung every 5 steps or so?'
Not just that, I could tell that the red carpet that spanned the entire length of the passageway was expensive, even more so than that of Weizer's mansion.
It was then that Celi's question snapped me out of my thoughts.
"So Aryl, what is the Wezardis auction?"
Hearing this, I tapped the woman's shoulder.
She turned around and briefly glanced at me and Celi before speaking.
"The Wezardis auction, dear client, is an underground auction sponsored by duke Pyrian himself. Items that are too expensive or normally frowned upon by high society are auctioned here. Now, although it is an open secret that duke Pyrian is running the Wezardis auction, you'd better not run around the street to scream that out loud. We will find you, and we will make you regret living."
Hearing this, Celi audibly gulped.
After a while, we arrived before a big steel door. Before we could enter, the woman suddenly stopped us and handed me a mask.
"Although this is not required, you should wear a mask to hide your identity. As for the Phoenix... I think only wearing a sack that covers her entire head can hide her identity."
Chuckling, I put on the white mask that only had slit for eyes and entered the auction hall.
The Wezardis auction hall's atmosphere was vastly different from the Pyriaville auction hall.
While the Pyriaville auction hall had a spacious and lavish venue that could hold thousands of people, the Wezardis auction hall's venue could only hold a hundred people at best.
However, it made up for the lack of space by its extremely cozy atmosphere. There were no VVIP or VIP rooms here. Every client were treated the same regardless of who they were.
Although it was hard to navigate through the dim light coming off the walls while wearing a pair of sunglasses, I still managed to get to a seat somehow without bumping into anyone else. Now sitting comfortably in my seat, I glanced around the auction house.
'30 to my left, 50 to my right. 80 in total, and half of them belongs to the Darkest night.'
Today was, in fact, the day where the Darkest night attacked the Pyriaville and Wezadis auction house.
Their target? Why of course it was the legendary sword in the stone - Excalibur!
Arthur would save the day and use his newly-acquired sword to fend off the cultists to absolutely no one's surprise at this point. However, since I wasn't sure if he could succeed with the Void rifts opening years earlier than they were supposed to, I was here to assist him.
'Yep, I'm here to help Arthur. Totally not to ransack the auction house using the chaos.'
The cultists' plan was simple. Since both auction houses were owned by duke Pyrian, personnel from the Pyriaville auction house would be directed to the Wezadis auction house should any incidents occur. After all, the Wezadis auction house was of higher priority than its counterpart.
So really, them attacking this auction house was just a distraction. The real strong cultists would occupy the <B> and <A> ranked guards of the auction houses while the others would steal Excalibur.
It was then that the Wezardis auction began.
A middle-aged man donning a business suit and wearing a monocle walked onto the stage with an elegant gait. Bowing to all the clients in the venue, he unveiled the item placed on the first pedestal.
-"First item."
The item turned out to be... an iron spear with extremely bad craftmanship.
-"This shoddy iron spear is actually one of Archangel Semier's first works. When mana is infused into the blade, the words 'To my beloved Theo' will appear on it. Some speculated 'Theo' to be the name of Semier's first love. The starting price is 20 Platinums."
'How incredibly efficient...', I thought.
Unlike every auctions that I've gone to with Irene Nightshade and Krista in the past 6 years, the auctioneer here didn't use flowery words to entice his clients. Instead, he provided short and concise facts that let everyone know what they were bidding for.
Furthermore, he didn't even need to prove his words. That just goes to show how credible this auction house was!
'...And I like it!'
Due to how efficient the auctioneer was being, it only took a few seconds for the spear's price to jump up to 50 Platinums!
Despite having no uses for the very bad spear, I still bid for it anyways.
-"Number 23 bid for 60 Platinums."
"Huh?" Celi snapped her head toward me as soon as she heard that. "Aryl, why did you bid for the spear?"
Bidding on the spear again for 75 Platinums this time, I answered.
"It's going to be a while before the attack begins. I need to actually buy something or else we would look very suspicious."
But there was also another reason. Despite me having the ability to buy weapons from Semier any time I wanted, something inside me urged me to buy the spear.
'How strange... I have a feeling that I'd regret it if I didn't buy the spear right now.'
Unaware of my thoughts, Celi nodded and turned her attention toward the auctioneer again, not questioning my actions anymore.
Eventually, I successfully purchased the spear at...
-"Sold to number 23, 95 Platinums."
As soon as the auctioneer finished his words, the venue gave me a brief round of applause before focusing on the auction again.
With the iron spear delivered to me and now in my hands, I briefly infused my mana into it.
' 'To my beloved Theo'... what a stupid cheesy line. But... I actually somehow feel good...?'
As I thought that, I threw the spear into [Alternate storage] to not let myself be distracted by such things. As soon as I finished doing so, however, I suddenly noticed Celi nodding at me.
"...What are you doing?"
In response, Celi continued nodding and gave me a smile. "If you just want a gift for Theodore then just be honest with me. No need to be shy!"
Before I could say anything to her, the auctioneer walked toward the second item, forcing me to leave correcting whatever misunderstandings Celi had for later.
-"Second item."
The auctioneer opened a small wooden box, revealing a small heart-shaped vial with a pink liquid inside it.
-"This is an extremely potent aphrodisiac made by Alchemer - the best Alchemist of the Empire. The starting price is 100 Platinums."
Instantly, everyone started bidding for it with craze.
Even Celi tried to bid for it too. However, she didn't dare to do so when she noticed my glare on her.
'So this is the kind of items that were sold here...'
I was honestly doubting my information when I saw that the first item was a spear. But upon seeing the aphrodisiac, I was convinced that this place also sold many highly illegal things.
'Let's just hope every items from now on will keep me interested until the attack...'
...
My prayers were answered.
As expected of the best auction house in the Empire, they knew how to keep their client's interest despite jumping from items to items every few minutes or so.
'[Sword of Gravitasis] is good, and so is the [Burning scripture]... hehe, I'm getting all excited imagining them in my hands!'
I thought as I looked at the purple katana and flaming book, which were being carried to their new owner - a noble who was sitting a row behind me.
'Well, soon-to-be dead owner anyways.'
As I was greedily eyeing the item, the auctioneer stepped on the stage again and announced.
"Thirty-eighth item."
He then unveiled the massive cage that took up 3/4 of the main stage.
Contained inside was a <Black wyvern>. But judging by its size, it seemed to be a <Greater black wyvern>, <A> ranked monster.
And the auctioneer's next words confirmed my guess.
-"This specimen here is a Greater black wyvern, captured in the Storm canyon by a party of adventurers. The purchase comes with its own mana-suppressing cage as a bonus. Now be careful, although the cage can suppress Mana from inside, it's actually very vulnerable to attacks of Magical nature from outside. Starting price is 200 Platinums."
Seeing people fervently bidding for the monster, I very discreetly took out [Distorias] from [Alternate storage] and whispered to Celi. "Take out your weapons."
Since Celi was flustered by my sudden command, it took her a while before she could take out her shovel. However, she was just on time, as the bid for the Greater black wyvern had just ended.
-"Sold to number 14, 1200 Platinums."
As soon as the auctioneer announced that, the man 9 seats away from me - number 14 - suddenly stood up and leisurely walked toward the stage.
The auctioneer raised an eyebrow in confusion at this.
-"Dear client, what are you doing?"
"I'm just checking the goods." Number 14 answered with a hoarse voice.
Upon hearing his voice, Celi suddenly stiffened in fear and... anger.
Seeing this, I grinned. "Yes, he's probably who you think he is. But don't jump on him just yet. Wait for a few more seconds."
Celi nodded and repressed her anger with much effort. She then eyed for every of the man's movements cautiously with her grip tightened on her shovel.
Unaware of the conversation I and Celi just had, the auctioneer spoke up again. "Dear client, I can assure you that throughout the 150 years that our auction house has been in operation, there hasn't been a single time when our goods are defective."
Number 14 waved his hand dismissively and continued walking toward the wyvern's cage.
"Who knows? Maybe your prestigious streak of successful auctions ends today. Whether by defective goods, or—"
I could see a grin under his mask as number 14 placed his hands on the cage.
"—By righteous devotees carrying out their God's will."
-"What are you saying, dear clien—"
But before the auctioneer could continue with his sentence, he was interrupted by number 14's chant.
<[Pressurized windblades]>
Void mana suddenly surged around number 14 before they imitated the shape of sharp blades made of pressurized wind. They were then shot toward the cage, injuring the wyvern a bit as well as completely slicing the cage's bars apart.
As the dust settled, everyone were stiffened in fear in confusion as they watched the Greater black wyvern slowly poking its scaly reptilian head out.
Well, everyone but me... and the 40 undercover cultists.
""FOR THE TRUE EVIL GOD!!!!""
Cultists brandished their concealed weapons as they jumped up from their seat and caused as much chaos as possible.
The wyvern, seemingly understanding what its freer wanted to do, roared loudly and mauled the auctioneer to death.
I didn't stay still either. Turning around to face the bidder that was scared shitless by what was unfolding before his very eyes, I snatched the [Sword of Gravitasis] and the [Burning scripture] from his hands.
"What!?" The bidder woke up from his stupor as soon as he noticed that his items were taken away from him. "Wh- Who are you!? G- Give me back my—"
But I promptly kicked him in his face, sending him several dozen meters back before he could finish his sentence. Placing the purple katana inside [Distorias] and flaming book inside [Alternate storage], I turned my attention toward the front again.
Celi was already rushing toward number 14 with her shovel clenched tightly in her hands when I turned around.
"ERALS!" She screamed. "YOU'RE DEAD!"
Due to Erals - number 14 - not expecting any resistance this early, he was caught off-guard and took Celi's hit with his face. However, he wasn't that harmed since his power was at peak <C+> rank.
But the same couldn't be said for his mask as it had already crumbled to pieces
Jumping back a few meters, Erals removed the few pieces of mask left on his face and stared at Celi with amusement apparent in his eyes.
"Do I know you?"
"Bastard! You killed my father!" Celi screamed as she got into a fighting stance.
"I killed a lot of men. Do you expect me to remember him or something?"
"..." Celi kept silent and maintained her glare.
Seeing this, Erals sighed. "Judging by the bloodlust seeping out from you right now, you aren't going to die without a fight, are you?"
"Like hell will I die to the likes of you! I will avenge my father and escape here to live a normal life!"
I paid their battle no more mind and turned toward the backstage.
'Celi will take care of it anyways... maybe. I'll use this time to ransack the auction house.'
And with that thought, I sprinted toward the backstage where a warehouse full of artifacts and rare item awaited me.
...
As soon as I arrived at the warehouse, I was met with the sight of a majestic metal gate standing in the way of me and the artifacts... along with several robed figures trying to break into the warehouse.
As I approached the robed men, one of them turned around and pointed his sword at me.
"Stop! Who are you?"
Keeping my calm, I answered. "Brother, I am one of you. Praise the eternal night!"
Hearing my words, the robed man heaved a sigh of relief and shook my hand.
"You scared me there, brother— ah, I guess I should call you sister judging by your long hair and voice. Thought you were the security or something for a second there. It would be bad if they broke through the expensive barrier artifact blocking the entrance that HQ provided us kuhahahah!"
'Barrier? Was there such a thing?'
However, I didn't have time to question his words as the metal door was suddenly opened.
"Ah, it's finally opened. Thought we were going to have to wait here forever!"
The robed man then turned toward me again.
"Sister-in-arms, do you remember what our mission is?"
"While our seniors steal the sword in the stone, we ransack this place to increase our branch's funds?"
"..."
Seeing that the man was looking at me with his brows furrowed, I hurriedly continued.
"A- And we cannot forget to pocket some for ourselves of course!"
"Kuhahahaha!" He burst into laughter. "I thought you were one of those stiff types that would snitch on us. Glad you aren't one of them, sister!"
He then marched through the steel door alongside with several other robed figures.
Sighing, I followed them suit.
As soon as I entered the warehouse, the robed man turned around and addressed everyone.
"Brothers and sisters! Lay waste, steal, ransack, do whatever you like in the oh-so prestigious Wezadis auction house!"
""OUWAHHHHH!""
With a battle cry, everyone dispersed into every possible directions to do their own things.
'Heh, this makes things much easier.'
In fact, I was planning on how to take them out without causing too much of a mess. However, with them now spread out like this, I could easily pick them off one by one.
...
"And that's the 18th one..." I muttered as I pulled [Sword of Gravitasis] out of a cultist's fresh corpse.
However, there was something peculiar about the corpse, and it was the fact that it was stuck to the ceiling.
The reason? Why of course it was the active skill of [Sword of Gravitasis], an <A> ranked sword artifact.
"The power to reverse gravity in up to a 50m radius... this can come in handy."
Sheathing the sword back inside [Distorias], I watched as the corpse fall back to the group with a thud. I then turned toward the direction of the area containing monsters.
"The last cultist should be there... I'd better kill him before he finds out about his comrades' deaths."
...
As I ventured into the section of the warehouse that was full of cages and monsters, I saw the robed man from before fiddling with buttons on some sort of control panels.
Before I could approach him, all the cages were suddenly opened and all the monsters were subsequently released.
"Kuhahahaha! Run free! Wreak havoc!"
However, he halted his laughter and stiffened his face upon noticing my presence.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING SISTER!? YOU'LL GET TRAMPLED TO DEATH!"
Shouting, he quickly dashed toward me and grabbed my hand. He then carried me and jumped up on top of a nearby cage.
Watching the monsters flattening the ground below, he wiped the sweat on his forehead and sigh in relief. He then gave me a smile.
"You almost died there, sister. Luckily, I found you— wait, what are you doin—"
BAM—!
I punched the man square on his face, knocking him out.
"How utterly disappointing of me... to let a Cultist take me by surprise and touch me..."
However, I soon shook myself off those negative thoughts and took out the [Burning scripture] from [Alternate storage].
"Oh [Burning scripture]..." I muttered. "...Set the world ablaze!"
Instantly, flames burst out of the scripture and fanned out in a cone shape, setting aflame anything in its path.
Even I could tell that before long, this whole auction house would end up in flames.
"This should erase any physical traces of me..." I muttered.
I then removed my sunglasses and spread Time mana around me.
"And... done!" I exclaimed after a few seconds of doing so.
What I was doing was supplying the atmosphere with so much Time mana that if Specialized Time mages were sent here, all they could reconstruct was a jumbled mess full of statics.
Although I said 'much Time mana', I just really needed a miniscule amount of Time mana to disrupt the Time mages if I knew how to efficiently do so. And I did, thanks to the other me's memories.
'Can't believe I have to thank that sick bastard one day.'
Pausing my thoughts there, I hurriedly got out of the warehouse.
...
It only took me a minute or so to reach the main stage. However, something was strange.
Peeking through the curtain, I could see that the Cultists were still running rampant. And although there were people resisting them, they were either participants or guards that the participants brought with them.
'Several minutes have passed... why are there no auction house securities here?'
Whatever the case was, this was not good news at all. Everyone here would be killed sooner or later, especially with monsters running around.
This was even more true considering the fact that I could see Celi getting slowly pushed back by Erals.
As I was thinking about what to do, I suddenly felt chills running down my back. Entrusting myself to my instincts, I pulled out [Sword of Gravitasis] and immediately turned around to slash.
A metallic sound rang out as I met swords with the robed man who was at the monsters cages earlier.
"Sister, I can't believe you betrayed us!" He said as he glared at me.
"..."
"To pocket everything for yourself, I was wrong about you. You are too greedy for us—"
"Shut up."
<[Lightning spear]>
As the spear of Lightning impaled the man and killed him on the spot, I turned around to assess the situation once more. However, I soon found that I was now... standing on the main stage.
'Did that guy push me all the way over here while he was attacking me?'
But I didn't have time to think about it any deeper since Celi and Erals had stopped fighting to both look at my sudden appearance with surprise.
'Shit!'
Not letting the panic show on my face, I smiled.
"Uh just continue fighting. I'm just a passerby—"
"Aryl help me! He's too strong!" Celi shouted.
I face palmed myself at this. Seeing that Erals was also pointing his weapon toward me now, I sighed and pulled the purple katana out of my scabbard.
"You just have to make everything more complicated huh, Celi?"
As 3 of us were glaring at each other, watching for even the slightest of movements, Erals suddenly moved. He delivered a roundhouse kick to Celi who blocked it with her shovel.
However, Celi was still sent a few dozen of meters back due to the sheer force of his kick.
Erals then quickly turned around and threw something from his breast pocket at me.
Not having enough time to dodge, I used my sword to slice the object in half instead.
It was then that I realized that the object was actually a vial containing some kind of pink liquid. Pink liquid that... was now splashed all over my clothes.
Alternating my gaze between the pink liquid and the sliced heart-shaped vial on the ground, I came to a painful realization.
"It's the aphrodisiac, isn't it?"
Hearing my question, Erals smirked.
"That's right. Don't even try to resist. You can't fight Alchemer's potion."
As Erals said that, I could feel by body getting hotter and my mind getting dizzier by the second. I was, in every sense of the word, extremely horny right now.
Seeing that I was looking at my own trembling body with confusion, Erals smirked again and leisurely walked toward me as if he had won the fight.
"Now be submissive and kneel down, whore."
In response, I stared at his approaching figure with teary eyes, flushed face, and soft voice.
<[F - Emotionless]>
"P- Please punish me, mister Cultist. I- I'm a naughty bitch for daring to go against you!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone