บท 12: Wicked Auction House

Despite the less dosage, Ardor had already expected the increase in Alse's obedience time, because of the wonderful experience she had with him, but didn't expect the second timer to be so high.

He stared at Isabella in shock. His finger involuntarily pointed at her, "Y-you, you, how strong are you?"

Her dreamy eyes opened as she glanced at him. With a sweet voice he never heard from her mouth, she responded. "I'm almost an Advanced Apprentice Warrior. I'll reach there in a couple of days."

Even though that voice was sweet, Ardor didn't have the mood to enjoy it.

'How did I never know that I was never chasing after a mortal woman? I don't remember her ever telling me. Why would she ever stick around a talentless fellow like me, and for two years at that?'

While the ladies remained in their somewhat intoxicated state, Ardor pondered upon these questions then remembered he could simply ask the culprit.

Slapping his forehead in making a rookie mistake, he asked Isabella, "Why did you stay with me for over two years, only to harm and leave me in the end?"

He was not about to tell her that was simply not 'harm' and was straight up 'near murder.' The fewer people who knew about the truth of that incident, the better. Ardor looked at her with eager eyes.

Isabella leaned to the side, making herself comfortable. While the carriage almost reached its destination, she began talking, still in a dreamland of pleasure.

"It was fairly simple. My clan sent me to this kingdom on a mission to control a noble household from within. I originally thought it would be tough work as my first assignment outside my native kingdom, but after scouting all noble clans in Zoran, I found you to be the perfect target."

Ardor's brows rose, his eyes surprised that there was a bigger mastermind behind her actions. He was already feeling sorry for his past foolish simp self at this point.

"But you were too wimpy. Even though I knew I had to give up my V-card to make this a success, I didn't want to do it with you, so I kept delaying the inevitable." Isabella smirked.

"Then the clan sent new orders, 'Become a Mage,' so I changed my plans and finally hooked up with a fish bigger than you, to help me achieve that goal."

Ardor didn't get furious this time. He was angry, yes. But since he already planned to make her pay, there was no use in stressing out due to her. Of course, William's apathetic self, cultivated after nearly 20 years of a warped existence in the past helped.

"But couldn't they simply send you the money, and be done with it?" Ardor asked, genuinely confused. "Don't tell me they don't even have this much?"

Isabella finally looked at him. She had an amused smile on her face. "They do, of course. Forget about 10; they could even send this young master 100 platinum coins if I asked them. But they have bigger plans, you see.

"They're not satisfied after merely controlling 3 kingdoms like Zoran. They want more, and their eyes are now on the magical world, away from our mortal kingdoms."

The information shocked Ardor. '3 kingdoms? Even if they're smaller than Zoran, isn't that too much?' He felt the woman in front of him was too dangerous to be kept alive and immediately wanted to end her. 'But then, Gawyn and her clan will come after me. It's not the right time…'

"And becoming a Lord Mage is not cheap. In fact, even nobility cannot afford to completely pay for a mage. So, I simply sought a suitable partner to support my growth. And who better than another talented noble who'll walk the same path as me?"

Isabella closed her eyes after this, while Ardor went deep in thought. The carriage soon reached the Wicked Auction House.

Embroidered in gold and silver, the grand entrance spoke volumes of their opulence. Two rows of maids bowed upon their arrival, and one of them left the line to open their door.

"Are you representing the Flame household? Or would you like to enter as someone of great wealth?" she politely asked.

Ardor was aware of the second option thanks to his research and told his clone to choose it. But they didn't have to do that.

"We represent the Flame household," Alse Stone, the First Wife of the Patriarch, replied with dignity, but Ardor still noticed the wobbly legs she tried hard to control. He recognized a faint smell emanating from her, since his nose had sniffed the same thing this morning.

The maid bowed and gestured for them to enter, and followed behind them.

'So this personal maid is the treatment of a noble, huh? I heard these people also provide some special services…'

He looked at the ladies in front of him and squished that thought.

'I shouldn't think this way. My Ultimate Mission forces me to choose monogamy with this body and I'll keep it that way. At least until I get 4 more worthy to love me for life. For now, it's best not to cheat on Jeanne or have a secret lover.'

He had designed his clone exactly for that purpose; to fulfill his Ultimate Mission.

'Of course, Lance is there just to maximize my lust points income and do things my moral boundary won't allow while I'll have other clones fulfill my Ultimate Mission. Then I can have a harem for real!'

His clones were just another him, in mind and body, so he felt they would be counted towards his Ultimate Mission.

Being a principled man was hard, and in a world where might meant right, it was harder. Still, Ardor reminded himself daily to not give into his desires and live a wasteful life like his step-brothers.

They walked across the lush carpet and entered the reception. Going deeper, they entered the actual auction house. Rows upon rows of single sofas faced the stage at the bottom, and they were led towards the private rooms above reserved for their family. The maid offered to stay but was sent out by Isabella on Ardor's orders.

There was an enormous soft sofa facing the glass screen that allowed one to look outside but denied anyone from seeing its occupants. Snacks were arranged on a small table ahead of it. Ardor sat in the middle, while the other two sat next to him.

'Looks like I'm not that exposed to the powerful people in this world,' Ardor thought, feeling powerful auras surging around him.

Apart from a limited range of activities thanks to his first mother making things difficult for him, and years wasted on chasing Isabella, old Ardor had explored little of the world.

Even the detailed knowledge of Warriors was a foreign concept to him, as he didn't receive any guidance from his family, thanks to his trashy talent.

He looked for his remaining wealth.

[Lust Points: 69

Logs:

Base LPs: 136

Purchased Beginner Obedience Perfumes x2: -66

Transferred Clone 1 (Lance) wealth: -1]

With a balance of 69 LPs, Ardor could create 69 platinum coins, more than enough to buy back his lover. After knowing their value, he felt few were richer than him in Westray City. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and chin resting on the back of his hands.

'Let this whale show you what it's like to be rich!'

…

An unmarked carriage came to a stop in front of the Wicked Auction House. Seeing its arrival, a maid opened the door. She politely asked the unknown guest.

"Sir, this is a VIP auction of the Wicked Auction House. Can you please state your noble family's name or would you like to enter as someone of great wealth?"

No matter who came, they trained the maids to be polite and gentle.

A man with a pink tuxedo exited the carriage. His fascinating eyes looked around at the two rows of maids and finally stared at her. The maid felt dazed seeing him, something she had never felt before; it made her heat up.

He simply took out a platinum coin and flipped it towards her before walking across the soft carpet laid underneath him. The maid remained dazed until the platinum coin hit her forehead and fell.

"Sir! I don't dare to accept your wealth. Please!" She kneeled behind him and offered back the coin. She was simply following the rules.

The other guests arriving stared at the flamboyant man curiously. They remained astonished at his actions for treating the highest circulating currency with little importance.

With a slight smile that would make women go crazy for him, the man spoke for the first time without turning back.

"Do you think I care about that little wealth? Come, follow me inside." His tone got commanding at the end, and the maid instinctively stood up and followed behind him as his guide.

The other maids, still greeting the guests, stared at her in jealousy. It was fortunate for them if the guest was cordial, and terrible if it was a tough character to deal with.

They knew they were simply 'well packaged gifts' for people of noble status, especially in a VIP auction like this one.