Chapter 424: Rich (3)
pOVINpLPertinax X was still unsure.E9jLS
1CQblTFor him, it was too tempting a proposal not to accept on the spot, but when he thought about it calmly—what if that woman with the rabbit mask had tricked him?zz8epeT
Z52What if she was following the old rules of the Pertinax Auction House, creating false intimacy first just to swindle him later?kiZbHp
ZRs…That worry turned out to be unfounded.tysA8
evi“You were suspecting me, weren’t you?”9wf
aADtUqThat woman had a ghostly instinct. Choi Seol-Ah, even as a villain incapable of feeling emotions, was a master at reading them. Blame it on so much time being tormented by Kang Geom-Ma. For her, the slightest sign was like a stab.m40LOU
XVlJr“But, you know what, sir? Even if I tried to suck this auction house dry down to the bone, it would never yield as much as this.”fnx1
rrQTXv“……”cHz2uGN
BZYmwcPertinax X swallowed.R2zNrDk
jnIU8lHis eyes inevitably went to the steel briefcase Choi Seol-Ah had brought.EV4StO
QVuInside there was money… or perhaps something far more valuable.TwsShHU
ZYRt‘A Daiso sashimi knife personally used by the Heavenly Sword!’xMuYX3
juXqjuTIt still had the 30% discount sticker, with the Heavenly Sword’s own scrawled signature written over it. Even the handwriting radiated power. No appraiser was needed—at a glance, it was unquestionably authentic.W6FU9
Bbp7elNThe Daiso sashimis that Kang Geom-Ma used were usually disposable.n0Ll
xWdB6ekNormally he wielded them with his sword techniques, and they would then be reduced to dust by his aura. That was why they were surprisingly hard to obtain.zrYfYUQ
d9nRRYD“…Are you really going to put all this up for auction in our house?”C1y
K2HTi“Yes, all of it. And if it sells, I’ll bring more.”7Rwa9
brpxBx3Gulp.WWZPPOe
L3e2“And it’ll be an exclusive supply for our Pertinax house?”u45
FJclOa“That’s right, only here.”DGguZJx
B5p“J-just one question, if I may.”oxfeiCq
f7s“You can ask several, I don’t mind.”flu
gKAFi“…You, rabbit princess, what is your relationship with the Heavenly Sword? What bond do you have with him to grant such a privilege…?”TATXVUI
Ex7CI2nShe smirked.JV5Rni
ETXAs if it were a ridiculous question.zEynHAO
bWU“Why even ask? Obviously, I’m his mistress.”2xlEgxC
NDz“H-his… mistress?!”zCWAZ
iImm5my“Yes. Mistress. Of the Heavenly Sword.”CiuRDU
Q00Choi Seol-Ah winked from behind the rabbit mask, playfully twirling her pinky.VX6
hTj3***10R
boWquKang Geom-Ma’s plan hit the mark.FHXR
mFlTe“Ladies and gentlemen~!”j3Miwt6
CHBKN3The Pertinax auction house, which just days ago was handing out flyers on the street, was now packed with customers.V9oXe
UI4pf8The bait product was authentic Daiso sashimis used by the Heavenly Sword.sj1aBu
VAXEven if some people held personal grudges against him, that didn’t matter—a sashimi that had been in his hands was a treasure.ibr
WwlQfThe old wooden floor creaked and cracked under the frenzied crowd, but no one paid attention to those details.VoLf
JsxzUR“Welcome, distinguished clients! Thank you for visiting the Pertinax auction house once again.”erwY
cXE2“Hey, owner! This is authentic, right?!”dPH
a8ium“But of course! We called the best appraiser in the region, and the result was…”lV2k
mGB2Oyj“The result?!”9TKW2L
nSuOyJ“Obviously, they were all certified as genuine!”qQlpV
j4JP“Uooooooh!”LF5h
Be0Amid the cheers, Pertinax X spiced up his speech, bringing his lips closer to the microphone and lowering his voice as if whispering to a lover.8sLrIS
D8Vk9xP“This is an exclusive secret for the clients of this first night… Actually, these sashimis were secretly brought by none other than the Heavenly Sword’s lover.”jBoo4Cu
5qR4g“Hey, old man! But that guy already has two wives, the archer and the swordswoman! How can a guy like that have a lover—he seems like he’d bleed blades instead of blood!”JK6Ac
xeP2WPertinax X wagged his finger like a pendulum.ditPXV
kf5GBS“And just because there’s no goalie, does that mean no goals are scored?”th0Org
0Sr“Hahaha, that’s true!”Wl3
3UoM9Sh“The lover insisted on hiding her identity, but left us these sashimis saying they were a gift from Heavenly Sword, so she could have some pocket money.”U0e
pjpF2HAIt was all a made-up story by Pertinax X.4lQ8
bK1But that’s how the human heart works—a simple piece of metal can be ignored, but if you add a story, suddenly everyone wants it. And if the protagonist was Heavenly Sword, nothing more needed to be said.362k
F4XK“We’ll start with an initial price of 50 million for each one! I’d like to set a higher price, but the provider asked that we not value the heart of the Heavenly Sword only in money.”o7p
L7eK“100 million!”VWrsx
xCs“150 million!”wkFc0
369mfrT“200 million!”uH6MH
UWCRDp9The bids shot up in increments of 50 million, never less.DsTa
py04Pertinax X knew just how to cool down the atmosphere in time, so they wouldn’t sell out too quickly—he had the blood of an auctioneer in his veins, and even if he denied it, he was a born showman.Dwa
5XyVeV***vz9Qt
WRft32L“Hooh.”zU7Y
QENKang Geom-Ma watched with his arms crossed and his lips pursed into a circle. His expression was as dry as ever.l0tZu
IoJBSPOBeside him, Choi Seol-Ah lowered her head in shame while he confronted her.lRrg
envPC“Well, turns out he had a lover.”S02mYBd
6Ea“…I’m sorry.”phQpP
chuyYNt“Why? Is it your problem, Seol-Ah?”QzAHUc
lG6“…Treat me like always, call me Choi Seol-Ah or stray dog, like before, please, Master.”8pCkBu
fzV38vT“How could I treat you like that when we’re alone, Seol-Ah?”snchf
JpUqxZuHis harsh gaze tore her apart inside. Feeling her soul wear thin, Choi Seol-Ah made a decision.0wqqfmE
QbXsi“T-this time I prefer a clean stabbing, so please have mercy…!”ApmD
C7kTI1“Really?”J2ty
05RdyJ-just one…”cjHMs
NHlNho1“Alright. Just one.”8u8muL
gGpjM…She was doomed.nLavNG
qS8As she desperately ruffled her hair on purpose, Kang Geom-Ma remarked,UEgnZ
hvW“By the way, that 10th Pertinax… has a knack for sales. Yesterday this place was empty.”q4bqZ3
BiM“Yes, even better than the 9th.”WRh2w
m1A2VGv“To be honest, with the pained face he had, I didn’t have much confidence…”zwZZ
RzDuBut at this rate, everything would sell out soon.ROe
TAtW“Lord, what if we only use the Daiso sashimis to raise funds? A thousand pieces would be enough.”0pw
KMk0wRp“Idiot.”C6C
Zo5q“I-i-idiot?”d5C
lYnHd“People go crazy over these cheap knives because they’re a limited edition. But with each auction, their value drops. That’s why they’re just bait.”jft
kEgvy“…Ah!”92f
Df3C“Leaving people with that feeling of regret is the best. It means the plan is working.”RoTM
OCxHYxs“Lord, now I do have a question.”UVHvj
cLh“What is it?”nJr
jUx“Why did you suddenly get so smart?”fsMv5h
AJI“……”AujSU
xbzT5RZThey left the noisy hall behind and watched from a distance.51d3M6v
OabjQuThe first day ended successfully with three Daiso sashimis sold, each for an average of 1 billion. A massive income.X08Nq
aerdHXThe second day was even better. Word spread, and people flocked like rats. On the third, fourth, and fifth days, the frenzy only grew.wIl0nB
HWmUCrowds blocked entire streets. By the third day, Choi Seol-Ah and Kang Geom-Ma couldn’t even get near the auction.teUkI
DouCRp5A whole week passed like that.4t0Pgu2
mZUP“…L-lord?”XId
vYpzChoi Seol-Ah looked back and forth between the commission cash bundle and Kang Geom-Ma.x7JBJl
dkCPfZ2“Aren’t we actually getting rich?”uxBX2m
6k5MU“……”S8i5X
ozXyjuHe didn’t respond.7DN
zYBSuddenly, emptiness hit him. In his past life, no matter how hard he worked, he couldn’t make more than 500 a month after taxes.VtwU
yr3‘They say what matters is getting famous…’Yn0Z2
2AK5KNow his name was worth thousands of times more than any effort.AieS
IaCe5Squeezing the absurd feeling wrapping around him, he decided it was time to move on to the original plan.G313
ipCPF“…That’s enough. Call the others.”xLXT6sm
jUZZBBk***MKNvI
zDgUBuilding across from the Pertinax auction house.txCY
DuDJiThe woman with the monocle placed her finger on the blinds of the double window. She peeked out through the slit, while one of her subordinates behind her gave a report.ViD
w9Qo0“Ma’am, we only had twenty clients today.”gVrTgQn
7HxN“……”eB3gxR
ALIvJ“At this rate, we’ll be ruined! We haven’t even reached break-even on the investment…!”96Fb
uYR0“Shut up.”paUl3MC
VWmClack. The blind closed, plunging the room into dimness.SbX
gWfX4kOnly the woman’s monocle gleamed with a threatening glint.pBj
L0xTShe spoke.ahkd2
Q1fH“Does worrying make money come in?”yTBZ
0XB“No, no, of course not.”VidC
nswe76“Pertinax house is thriving because they secured good products. Getting auction items is part of an auctioneer’s skill. We’ve spent a week proving we lack that skill.”puiy7
XEavEHB“I know. But still… until recently, Pertinax X was just a kid in a mascot costume! How the hell did he get Daiso sashimis signed by Heavenly Sword…?”4A4
7IktEven the subordinate gulped while speaking—it was a coveted product, collector and fan merchandise alike.p7O
bsOFO“Did you investigate how he got them?”wXK8Q
33sb“Rumor has it a masked woman in a bunny costume brought them. Among the clients, they call her Princess Bunny. They say she’s Heavenly Sword’s lover and she’s the one delivering the items.”8wgrla
pCwO“Track that woman’s identity. Whatever it is, bring me any info the moment something shows up.”RYvL0k
dfqe“Understood.”aYh
4Wt3mThe woman clasped her hands and began snapping her thumbs, deep in thought.L6K
D0bQ5w“If this continues, the very existence of our auction house is at risk. Looks like we’ll have to use our trump card sooner than planned.”SXL72y
bu7“You mean the item we received from Number One?”B4s9
hGdi5WZThe woman nodded silently.M0TGXD
E1F“And the new guards we recruited?”tZEPRqo
5TEy“They’re formidable. No idea where so many came from at once. At first, we were suspicious, but in a week they erased all doubts. If we hesitate any longer, they might leave, so we’ve decided to trust them.”f5ZJf1
0rfkp“Understood.”TlcM
LD0UhShe peeked through the blinds again, watching the Pertinax house.4JimnR
qMKThe owner of Kaiten auction house muttered softly.jynmCT
Bp3E9M“Let’s see how far you go, Pertinax X.”YlejT
GUBThus, the fuse of an auction war was lit.snE
dZbdMe***VB8
8ApXmNs“Kyarararara!”EEqJi
OvGZChoi Seol-Ah swam on a mattress of bills, showered by an endless rain of money.KPfCh
GALShe was happy. The smell of money never got old, no matter how much she breathed it in.NZ8vImU
lY1v“Ehehehe.”gbkCW
X8sp“Do you like it?”go97
RKdTYmK“Of course I do, lord!”X9sNP
JZU6UChoi Seol-Ah turned her head sharply, but I looked at her with a frown.Fe1
x6dQ‘Her eyes are gone.’Z9ouOa
wweCTcIn her pupils gleamed two ₩ symbols. The classic greedy glow of a money addict.2Ha
I2lIcsI could only sigh.M9LKRi
NensxBfI threw over my shoulders the Heavenly Sword coat Abel had given me.VoBi
5iVYwChoi Seol-Ah barely poked her head out of the “plunge pool” of yellow bills.2Lvry
12W“Where are you going, lord?”lU17W
ZXeI“They’ll make their move soon too. It’s time to execute the real plan.”sLPMS
u5Mifcs“Now!?”s7A
rQrWI glared at her.lJ36OdW
7XMYhvH“We’re not doing this to get rich. It’s to save Chloe.”u59IWi
HyNOSp“…Sorry.”r048
3Dn0Dt“I’m the one who made you this way, who am I to blame? Anyway, pack up all the money and come out. The others are here.”WyxYm3M
MiBGtl“The others?”QmD
QalO6My academy companions.CcE2YW
H4YUAWith Seol-Ah ready, we headed to the same hidden office.KEbvz
faTlI repeated the same password as last time, and the undercover agents, who were in the middle of an Alkkagi game, escorted us to the inner room.vLVBif
4pZQThey were waiting for us.amkY3UW
OXhREZ“Geom-Ma.”gTMnOiz
I9HO7O“Ryozo.”73B
SiSQT“I missed you.”MRtRu
L7xmcShe wrapped her arms around me and hugged tightly.caJKd
aZBEVyEHaha, me too.4T5c9
sCmL6f5The words caught in my throat—she was squeezing me so hard I could barely breathe.q1RC
tM6mzc“…I really missed you.”cNouFZ
4TZ“R-Ryozo…!”wSXoHBs
m2x1“And now there are even rumors you’ve got a lover.”Hz5mMv
iXy62GI’m going to die.ugqv9Ty
sXJlDAWith great effort, I managed to push her off, coughing until I lost my voice.lZt
Me9KFC“A-anyway…”rMqqn
Fc2e23lMy eyes turned to the hooded woman.S32
HIcJ“I see you brought our player safely.”FERwJ3X
5jZ9Na“Yes. It took effort, but we’re grateful.”3cn
4MJIThe “player” took off her hood.1DGaD
FOF3Golden hair, like it had been dusted with gold powder, cascaded down in waves.BzjA
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