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#282. Hat under the tree (2)
Heartbeat getting faster and faster.
Ray could be sure.
The scarlet gems on the necklace on the auction table are actually fragments of a rainbow.
Woohoo!
The yellow and green jewels that had been sleeping in his chest also resonated strongly.
A distant longing and a sense of intimacy welling up at the same time.
… why is that?
The exact reason is unknown, but it was a phenomenon that also appeared when encountering the two jewels previously.
Anyway, the goal has been set.
To obtain the Tears of Aurea by any means necessary at this auction.
First of all, the upsurge on the other side seemed to not have noticed our presence yet.
'Maybe we can get a clue about the doctor.'
But I couldn't move hastily because the auction was about to start.
Ray watched the situation while preheating the mana in his body in case something happened.
“Those are the tears of Aurelia… .”
“It’s truly beautiful. It’s a radiance that draws you in.”
“I heard that it is a relic with incredible functions.”
People who had been entranced by the necklace's brilliance regained their senses and spoke.
The sight of me licking my dry lips and swallowing my saliva without realizing it.
The auctioneer smiled, seemingly satisfied with the sight, and continued on.
“We don’t know where or how the legendary treasure, the tears of Orea, was unearthed. Tenenbaum is just conducting the auction on behalf of the client. Well, that’s not important. What’s important is that one of the participants here today will become the owner of this treasure. And isn’t there something else that you’re really curious about?”
match!
Several assistants came up to the auction table, clapping their hands.
The host looked around the audience and spoke as if asking a question.
“Will it really make you immune to all mental magic just by wearing it? Will it be able to completely purify mental magic that is on someone else? If it really is, how strong of a magic can it be removed? I will answer all of these questions before the auction begins.”
The auctioneer looked at his assistants.
“Who would you like? Melik, come in front of me. Stand up straight in front of me.”
"yes!"
“Okay, let’s get started right away.”
Flesh-colored mana shot out like a thread from the auctioneer's eyes, flew through the air, and seeped into the assistant's pupils.
From a distance, you could see his pupils dilate and his expression become blank.
“Melik is currently under a spell of enchantment. He is no different from a puppet who does whatever I command. Now, here is a delicious red apple. Would you like to try it?”
"yes."
What the auctioneer is holding in his hand is not an apple, but raw garlic.
Melik took it and began chewing it without the slightest hesitation.
Crack, crack.
People grimaced or flinched at the vivid sound.
“Well, I think I’ve eaten a lot. My mouth is full and the smell is really strong. How is it? Is it delicious?”
“Yes, it is very sweet and delicious.”
“Now, let’s use the Tears of Orea to remove the spell of bewitchment cast on Melik. As you know, each spell of bewitchment has a different structure, so it is usually impossible to remove it unless you are the designer. However, if you have the Tears of Orea, it’s a different story. Now, bring it.”
Another assistant took the tears of Aurelia out of the box and hung them around Melik's neck.
Soon the brilliance of the crimson jewel intensified and Melik's focus returned for a moment.
and.
“Oww! Oww! Oww!”
I threw up my stomach, shedding tears and a runny nose as the nausea surged in.
After a quick cleaning and tidying up, the auctioneer continued speaking.
“If you have the Tears of Aurea, you can dispel the mental magic like this. No matter what the structure is. As those who are paying attention know, I did not interfere in the situation just now. This happened purely due to the unknown power of the Tears of Aurea.”
Unknown power.
It might have seemed that way to other wizards, but not to Ray's eyes.
Because I knew that this was a phenomenon that occurred because the purity of mana was extremely high.
'The higher the purity of the mana, the higher the density of the elements.'
And high density means that elements inevitably become entangled or collide.
In other words, it meant that magic could also be ignited spontaneously.
Most orange mana is made up of elements of purification and stability.
Thinking about it, I could understand the function of Aurelia's tears.
The presenter used his assistants to demonstrate a few more times before speaking.
“Now, here are the lab reports and certificates issued by the Hazel School, the authority on charm magic. However, since you are spending so much money, you may have reasonable doubts. You may be wondering if the charm magic was only weak enough to be dispelled. That is correct. You may well think so. That is why we have prepared the final demonstration. Now, get ready.”
The assistants worked together to magically levitate a large object wrapped in cloth onto the auction table.
thud!
The cloth was quickly removed, and the sound of gasping for breath could be heard here and there.
“That’s….”
"oh my god."
It was a huge cage with old iron bars.
On one side, a hideous, winged, lion-like creature was lying face down, while on the other side, children with shabby appearance were sitting with blank expressions.
“As those of you who know know, the guy on the left is a manticore, a beast of the wilderness. Known for paralyzing and eating its prey with its venomous scorpion tail, this guy has a particular fondness for human flesh. We captured one that was notorious for attacking explorers.”
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The presenter added.
It is said that the Manticore is currently under the highest level of charm magic.
“It’s impossible to control ferocious monsters with mediocre charm magic. The children on the right are no different. They’re under a high-intensity charm magic. If not, they’d be crying, blowing, screaming, and causing a ruckus. Oh, of course, you don’t have to worry. They’re children brought from outside the walls.”
The host said with a grin.
As expected, people breathed a sigh of relief.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re kids outside the walls.”
“Our school also often brings in test subjects. It costs quite a bit of money, though.”
“I am curious. I have only heard stories about the manticore’s hunting methods.”
Curiosity, interest, and a strange excitement.
Emotions swaying in people's vessels.
Philip whispered in an anxious voice, unable to take his eyes off the auction stand.
“Ray, could that be…?”
“For the final proof, I intend to remove the high-intensity enchantment placed on the Manticore and the children! If I succeed, there will be no doubt that the power of Orea’s Tears is real!”
The presenter's loud shout.
Philip's ominous premonition proved correct.
Ray was already ready to run away, his whole body awake.
Because thoughts of the Guldari children whom I couldn't protect from the golem were running wild in my mind.
That's when the singularity was discovered.
'Up access?'
On the other side of the auction table, she was also preparing to leave.
Why?
A question that came to mind.
Ray recalled the characteristics of Upscess that he had identified in the last forest, and was able to roughly understand it, though not completely.
She kidnapped children from the elf village, but did not harm them at all.
I told you to turn to me and ask you to become my child.
It was assumed that it was due to the feelings of obsession and possessiveness that were full of the doctor's presence.
‘… I think those feelings are also being applied to the children who are locked up here now.’
Jeokbuk─ Jeokbuk─
As the assistant holding the necklace got closer to us, Ray and Upseth's bodies also leaned forward.
Then the steps stopped.
The moment when two people are about to kick the seat.
"stop."
The auctioneer stopped it.
He looked back at his seat and said.
“Unfortunately, I will stop the proof here. I cannot hold an auction in a bloody scene. Of course, there may be some who were looking forward to it, but I will leave the choice to the successful bidder after the auction. Whether to lift the spell of the manticore and the children or not.”
Exclamations of regret flowed from all over.
Philip's body, completely relaxed, slid down onto the seat.
“Whew, I thought this was going to be a big deal. No, no. If I win the bid from that crazy guy again, who knows what’ll happen.”
Philip straightened his posture and relaxed his body.
The auction, which had already begun, had surpassed the initial bid of 50 million and reached 100 million.
“100 million! 100 million! Do you have any more?”
One hundred million shillings.
It was an amount that most middle-class families would not be able to save in their entire lives, and it was different from previous auctions in every way.
Philip asked Ray, feeling a shiver run through his body.
“Are you going to bid? If so, how much are you willing to spend?”
“It’s a piece of a rainbow.”
Philip flinched for a moment.
He said, raising the corners of his lips.
“They say it’s unlimited.”
“No matter what happens, we have to win the bid.”
“I understand.”
Could it be because the auctioneer had already set the mood?
The auction was fiercely contested and quickly became heated.
“220 million!”
“225 million!”
“230 million!”
“220 million! Don’t you have more?”
Philip watched the auction, analyzing the flow and atmosphere.
Over the past few days, I've been able to roughly predict the final winning bid using data I've accumulated from participating in dozens of auctions.
'At this rate, it'll probably break 300 million. I think it'll end up at around 350 million.'
Philip nodded.
It starts at 300 million shillings.
At the moment when people's psychological resistance level rises, the price is raised by 30 million at once, reaching 330 million shillings.
It was a strategy to make them give up bidding by notifying them that the scale of their financial resources was different.
So, Philip waited for his time with the mindset of an assassin holding a dagger, and finally, the price reached 300 million.
“300 million shillings have arrived!”
“300 million… .”
“Damn, this is too much!”
Amid the murmur of people, Philip lifted his lips with a smile of conversion.
“330 million…”
“500 million.”
In an instant, the son-in-law became quiet.
Everyone doubted their ears, and no one opened their mouth in shock and embarrassment.
'500 million?'
Philip was dazed.
It was an amount that was simply incomprehensible.
What was even more incomprehensible was the fact that the voice came from right next to me.
What was even more incomprehensible was that it sounded exactly like Ray's voice.
Philip's head snapped back.
“… No?”
“I called you right.”
“Don’t joke around, Ray. It’s not funny.”
“I don’t joke around.”
Philip, losing his mind, grabbed Ray by the collar and started shaking him.
“Tch, cancel it, Dangjaang─! You can win that bid for 300 million shillings!”
“It is impossible to cancel a call that has already been made. There is a lot of money in Acrasium.”
“I have to pay it all, all, all of it! I have to pay it, but you’re asking too much!”
“But I want to have it quickly.”
While Philip was losing consciousness, people were coming to their senses and murmuring.
“500 million? Are you serious?”
“Wait a minute, I’ve seen that kid at other auctions. He’s called Ray from the Imaginary School.”
“It’s probably true. They’ve been asking ridiculous amounts at other auctions and paying for everything.”
Then a soft voice was heard.
“600 million.”
The room became quiet once again.
The one who called the household was Ups*x.
Ray, who had been glaring at her, nodded and pulled away.
“700 million… um.”
“No, stop! Don’t call!”
His mouth was shut by Philip.
And then came the next moment.
The eyes of a boy with brown curly hair and a woman with brown hair revealed under a hood met.
ah.
In a time that seemed to have stretched out, Philip opened his mouth and became dumbfounded.
And when that brief moment was over.
Dismissed!
The entire auction house went dark.