The Heroines Who Have Regressed Are Obsessed Again

14 – Auctionhouse (1)

Finally, the long-awaited auction began.

I quickly sat in the designated seat and looked around.

” Hmm. It’s better than I thought.”

Contrary to what was expected, Eve was perfectly fine. As expected, considering her natural abilities and the power of her spear. The spear’s main ability is more of a mental attack than a physical one.

“Now! Before we begin the auction, let me explain the rules!” announces the auctioneer, highlighted by the overhead lights. He gazes around at the audience to continue, “You raise the bid placard in the air and state your bid if you wish to purchase an item. At the end of the auction, winning items will be distributed so please be patient.”

An employee emerges from backstage holding an item after the auctioneer concludes his speech. Subsequently, the auctioneer introduces the item, “Yes! The first item is a necklace that was said to be used by a royal family in the past! As you can see, it’s made from pure gold with enchantments on it! Although, it has not been appraised yet, so no one knows its abilities! We will start the bidding at 10 gold!”

As his words end, the aristocrats begin to raise their placards and call out their bids. ‘As if they need to prove they’re aristocrats. They’re eagerly trying to buy something just because it looks pretty. What do you think about that item?’

“Umm, just a pretty-looking trash from the outside, master.”

‘Just as I thought.’

The spear, being a weapon filled with various enchantments, could understand the true worth of an item at a glance. Not only could it curse and bless, it also had its own emotions, so its words were likely true. If it was a lie, I would have noticed.

‘So you’re saying I’m amazing.’

‘More so, the one who created you, me.’

‘Are you praising yourself?!’

While I was having a meaningless conversation with the spear, “Yes! Sold for 500 gold! Congratulations, bidder number 300!”

I glanced at the happy bidder, the new owner of the pretty trash. They seemed pleased with their acquisition.

‘I can’t help but feel sorry for them.’

That thought marks the passing of about an hour.

The next moment.

“Yes! Now onto the sixth item! Unlike the other items, this one is an elixir!” At those words, I and a couple of the other guests start to shine with anticipation. It seems I’m not the only one here to get my hands on an elixir.

“While I cannot fully explain the effects of the elixir as it could not be exactly assessed, this much I can assure you! The moment you take this, your body is bound to grow stronger! Without any side effects!”

The auctioneer does a reasonable job of appraising and explaining.

As his description ends,

“200 gold.”

A woman radiating an enchanting allure raises her sign, bidding double the starting price.

‘She must be wealthy.’

200 gold converts to about 20 million won. The fact she places such a bid as if she were buying local snacks suggests she is rather affluent.

However,

“300 gold.”

She still can’t top me.

The Vandesar family holds the position of a duke. Hence, we are not lacking in money, and haven’t we done quite well thanks to this auction?

“500 gold.”

As if countering, she raises her sign adding 200 gold.

Of course, I counter back.

“800 gold.”

“Yes! We have a bid of 800 gold! It’s the highest bid we have so far!”

“But master,” came Jookchang’s voice, a tone of puzzlement.

Soon, she talked in a manner suggesting confusion.

“If we’re going to steal items secretly, why do we need to buy them?”

‘Well… ‘

It’s quite reasonable for Jookchang to think this way.

My original plan was to steal items under the guise of terror, not transparently.

However, there’s no guarantee the world would go as I plan.

In fact, the future could change so that terror isn’t an inevitable action.

So, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a legitimate purchase as insurance.

“Why are you so thorough, unlike yourself?”

‘I’ve always been thorough, Jookchang.’

“But then, there would be no room for stalkers!”

Ignoring Jookchang’s tackle as if I hadn’t heard it,

“1,000 gold.”

My opponent loudly calls out an amount, as if unwilling to yield to me.

It looks like I may need to deal a few blows with money.

***

The 300th customer competing with Ellick.

She was none other than Windy, who secretly infiltrated the auction under the Demon King’s command.

The priority was to purchase the most important potion and the servant’s necklace with money, but an unexpected obstacle appeared.

‘What the hell! That madman!’

The price she just quoted is none other than 7,500 gold.

In fact, it could be considered half the money she received from the Demon’s army.

Despite the high price she quoted,

“10,000 gold.”

A fellow responded as if it was nothing.

‘He’s crazy. Who spends 10,000 gold on a potion?’

She’d prefer to substitute with her private money, but the amount she had barely scratched the surface. In the end, unable to compensate with the money she had, she declared her surrender.

Then.

“Yes! Sold for 10,000 gold! Congratulations to the customer with three fingers!”

The potion ultimately slipped entirely from her grasp.

Upon seeing that, Windy heaved a deep sigh internally.

‘I had intended to do that all along, but now I have to resort to extreme measures.’

With that thought, she secretly ordered her underlings to prepare for terror.

***

Eventually, I got the item I wanted.

Was that why?

My mood wasn’t too bad.

– Of course, I lost a considerable amount of money!

‘If only you hadn’t mentioned that, it would’ve been perfect.’

Honestly, I never thought I would spend as much as 10,000 gold.

Usually, there are very few who would buy a potion at 10,000 gold, no matter how expensive.

‘There is usually nothing great about potions.’

– Master, what will you do now?

‘Well, I’ll have to wait until the terror breaks out.’

While having this internal conversation with my spear.

“Now, moving onto the 7th item! This time we have the necklace of servitude that everyone here knows!”

The auctioneer began describing the next item.

In short.

It’s a necklace that lets you control whoever you want.

Since it’s unrelated to me, there isn’t much need to pay attention.

As I was thinking lightly of it.

“1,000 gold!”

A familiar voice rings in my ears.

Briefly, I turn my head in that direction.

‘Huh? Seriously?’

A person waving a sign flashes into my view.

And it can’t be mistaken.

‘Eve?!’

It must be that Eve who used to get hit a lot by Ju-chang-ie!

In the unexpected situation, I’m flabbergasted.

“1,500 gold!”

As if to not back down, a sign suddenly flashes up somewhere.

I moved my gaze again wondering who it is this time.

‘Huh… why does it feel so strange?’

A woman flashing into my view gives an unnecessary strange vibe.

Short neat black hair that I remember seeing somewhere.

Magnificent bosom where my eyes naturally move.

On it, matching black pupils.

For some reason, I think of a student that I’m teaching.

– Master, isn’t that yandere or whatever, the Saintess?

Ju-chang-ie throws out my inner thoughts, as if having the same idea.

There are always weaknesses in the obscuration magic.

If you clearly remember the appearance of the opposite person, there is a side effect of feeling strange.

In that case, it’s almost always right the person you thought of.

So,

‘That’s Sena! Why is she showing up here?!’

-“Master. I don’t think this is the right time.”

As I struggle to understand Jook-chang’s words.

“2,000 gold.”

Another familiar voice came from somewhere.

When I turned my head towards the source, sure enough, I saw a woman who perfectly matched the familiar atmosphere I had in mind.

Then, the figure became clearer in my memory.

‘Shiba.’

I had an ominous feeling!

-“Isn’t that the master’s exclusive maid?”

‘Why on earth is Jane here?!’

After all, she had been living as an assassin for her clan, so it wasn’t strange for her to be in the shadows.

However, I never imagined she would be here.

-“Master. Why didn’t you find her at the coliseum earlier?”

‘How was I supposed to find her, you idiot.’

Now that she’s announced herself and drawn all the attention, it was easy to recognize her. But who would expect to get the aggro in the coliseum as she did now.

While I was making excuses in my head.

-“Master. By the way, is it okay for you to be doing this now?”

Jook-chang asked in an unusually serious tone.

At his words, my head tilted involuntarily, and an unexpected comment slipped out of Jook-chang’s mouth.

-“If you keep acting like this, that necklace might end up with those Yandere girls, right?”

‘…Huh?’

I let out a dumbfounded reaction without realizing it.

For a moment, I imagined them obtaining the necklace of my subordinates.

Them, putting the necklace of subordination around my neck.

The images of them making strange requests and imploring confinement passed through my mind.

‘sh*t, anything but that.’

The worst possible outcome flashed through my mind, sending chills down my spine.

To prevent that horrifying conclusion, I decided to join the competition.

***

About five minutes had passed since then.

Jane gazed at the slave’s necklace, now far from her reach, and let out a deep sigh.

‘Ah… I couldn’t get it after all.’

Honestly, I had expected to get it for under 5,000 gold.

Because the average value of a slave’s necklace is around 1,000 gold.

I had come prepared with plenty, or so I thought.

“15,000 Gold!”

There were three participants, seemingly bidding just for her.

“15,000 gold! We have 15,000 gold!”

The sudden escalation startled the auctioneer.

That’s when the nobles around started murmuring.

-Paying 15,000 gold for a slave’s necklace?

-Is there something special about it?

-Hmm. I heard it’s just an ordinary necklace for slaves.

Seeing the nobles’ reactions, I understood their surprise.

Who would ever think of paying 15,000 gold for a slave’s necklace?

‘Who on earth is willing to pay 15,000 gold for that?’

Unable to grasp the situation, I turned my gaze to the person who had raised the bid.

Suddenly, a man with a somewhat familiar aura reflected in my eyes.

“Hmm. Wasn’t that gentleman supposed to be the young master? Definitely?”

The way he moved, his breathing.

They were all uncannily similar to Eric.

However, his skills exceeded what I could imagine.

Even if the future had changed, his skills surpassed the last seen young master.

So, I couldn’t conclusively say that he was the young master.

“Did the young master have a master?”

I momentarily pondered, but this wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

Above all, shouldn’t I retrieve the subject’s necklace?

If it can’t be retrieved in a fair way, I’ll eventually have to act unfairly.

And that moment undoubtedly comes.

-Kwaaah!

The moment when terror strikes.