C114: Rudger’s 8 (2)
The signals sent by Rudger were all passed on to the other members.
‘Leader can’t act? Will the operation be okay?’
Violetta, who followed the key master to a private room, was worried about the news she had heard through the communicator. However, they had planned in advance to have backup personnel move instead in preparation for this situation.
“Clap!”
The Key Master smirked as he locked the door to the room.
“Hahaha. Hey, girl. Shall we play a fun game?”
“Oh, it’s nice to play.”
Violetta replied in a lively tone and the key master, who thought she would stumble with her drunkenness, was instantly stunned.
At that moment, Violetta’s slender hand grabbed his collar. She narrowed her eyes and smiled seductively at the bewildered key master.
“How about this kind of game?”
Then she threw the key master on the floor with all her might.
“Agh!”
Unable to take the pain, the key master rolled his eyes and passed out. Violetta clenched the hand and circulated the mana in her hand throughout her body while her arms shone with a subtle charm.
“Strengthening the body with magic. It’s a mysterious sensation.’
The only magic Violetta knew to use was “Attribute Element” and “Magic Emission.” Even in the case of elements, she can only deal mainly with the wind element, so she wasn’t considered a real wizard but Rudger recognized her abilities and taught her what she was lacking.
Violetta realized how fit she was for magic and she specialized in the manifestation series among the 5 magic series.
With so much help from Rudger, Violetta was able to master the remaining specializations of her manifestation series in a short period of time, <Strengthening> and <Yeomdong>. (If anyone knows the english term for this please let me know <염동>.)
Although her mastery was superficial and hasn’t reached the advanced stage it was enough for now.
‘Anyway, I need to get the key first.’
Violetta rummaged through the fallen key master’s body but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find the key.
That means the key master doesn’t have the key right now.
‘This is the room where the key master lives so it must be here somewhere.’
Violetta walked toward a tightly closed shelf on one wall, opened it wide and saw them.
“……Oh, my God.”
There were hundreds of keys that were used in the Kunst auction house and hotel inside the shelf.
* * *
‘Damn. Why do I have to go on my own?’
Hans grumbled inwardly, but got dressed and was ready to go out.
“Mr. Hans, are you leaving?”
“Yes, I have no choice but to step up because brother can’t move. Arpa, please use this device for me.”
“Oh, come to think of it, Mr. Hans, we have a problem.”
“Problem? What’s wrong?”
Arpa said, pointing his hand at the machine Hans had entrusted to him.
“It’s not working.”
“What? That can’t be.”
“I pressed it once as a test, but there was no response. Is the signal weak?”
Hans looked at the invention Seridan made with a serious face.
The way it is used is simple, you just have to press the button at the set time and the machine’s lights were designed to illuminate red as proof that it was working properly.
However, Arpa pressed the button for a demonstration, but the red light did not appear on the contrary, only a squeaky sound resonated.
Realizing that something was wrong, Hans hurriedly contacted Seridan.
“This is <Kafka>. Can you contact me now?”
[Oh, this is >Wells>. What’s going on?]
“I think this machine you made is not working properly.”
[Oh? Really? Wait a minute. Where are you now?]
“In the building opposite the auction house.”
[Hmm. What’s the status?”
“It’s squeaking and the lights aren’t working properly. I can’t find anything else strange.”
[Maybe it’s a problem with the signal? Is there some kind of jammer between the inside and outside of the auction house?]
Seridan, who had been muttering something, finally came to a conclusion.
[The light is still on, right?]
“Uh. It’s just not working well, but the machine itself doesn’t seem to have a big problem.”
[If it’s about transmission, there’s only one answer. All you can do is go a little closer and use it.]
“Closer? How much closer?”
[At least closer than in the building across the road.]
Hans felt a headache coming because he would have to move with Arpa in that case.
[What are you going to do?]
“……I have to do it.”
[Okay. Good luck, <Kafka>. It’s time to move on this side, too.]
After communicating with Seridan, Hans patted the middle of the forehead with his finger and told Arpa.
“Let’s get out. We have to move now.”
“Yes.”
Hans and Arpa wrapped the machine in a cloth and left the building.
* * *
Erendir, who had been resting in the VVIP room, couldn’t stand it because she felt a little sore when she stayed still.
‘It’s okay to just leave it like this and go, but it’s kind of weird.’
Still, it should be enough to tell her friend, Rene, what mysterious objects were found at the auction house.
Erendir imagined herself explaining nicely what she saw at the auction to her junior and Rene, shining eyes as she listened to her.
She enjoyed that admiration.
“It’s pretty good.”
Thinking in such a positive way, Erendir felt motivated. She immediately rose from her seat and finished getting ready to go down.
The servant, who was waiting at the entrance, hurried to her side when she came out.
“Princess, where would you like to go?”
“The auction is just going on right now, isn’t it? I want to go take a look.”
“Yes, I’ll take you to the best VVIP seats.”
Erendir headed to the place where the auction house was held, guided by the escort.
It was a spacious hall on the first floor with many opera-like seats that were full of VIPs dressed up in expensive clothes.
Erendir sat in a VIP seat where only invited guests could sit. It was a high-rise seat overlooking the auction house and she sat down just as the auction started.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming to Kunst’s auction house today!”
The host stepped up, greeted everyone lightly and immediately started the auction.
“Well, then! This is the first item that will come out on day two of the auction! The Mermaid’s Tears!”
From the very beginning, something great came out.
The mermaid’s tears were a beautiful blue jewel worthy of its name. As if the legendary mermaid had shed her own tears, the jewel in the shape of tears emitted a dazzling and pure light.
‘Wow.’
Erendir, who was not interested in such a thing, was unconsciously drawn to the beautiful jewel.
“The starting price is 1 million denars! Please feel free to bid!”
The auction started strong and when the price of more than 500 million denars came out, Erendir started thinking about different things.
‘But it’s not even a mermaid’s tears, it’s just a jewel. You spend that much money on such an extravagant item? How many people can be fed with that money?’
When she had that thought, she felt uncomfortable for no reason.
The negative energy emitted by a place where desire and greed were entangled was incomparable to when she faced her sister, but that did not mean that this atmosphere was comfortable.
‘Should I leave?’
Just as she was thinking, someone came and sat down next to her.
“You don’t look very happy.”
“Oh, yes.”
Talking to her was a woman with sky blue hair with a side ponytail hairstyle. What stood out in particular were the blue sea-like eyes staring at her.
She was a mysterious yet beautiful person. In a way, it was natural to have such a thought.
“The tears of a mermaid are the tears shed by a legendary mermaid who lives in the ocean. Of course, the mermaid’s tears on the stage right now are fake.”
“How can you be sure of that?”
“I saw the real thing. At least the beautiful light remains the same, but the mermaid’s tears should emit a calm, flowing mana but this one doesn’t do that.”
Her blue eyes glared sharply through the essence of that gem.
Can you feel that there’s no magic even though you’re so far away?
While Erendir admired her and suddenly wondered who the woman she was talking to was.
“Who are you? I don’t think you’re a normal person, considering that you’re here.”
“Oh, you’re right. My introduction is late. I’m this kind of person.”
She skillfully took out her business card with her index and middle fingers from within her own arms and handed it to Erendir. It wasn’t polite, but Erendir accepted the business card because it was such a good fit.
The name on the business card read Casey Selmore and underneath [job: detective].
Casey Selmore. Casey Selmore. Erendir, who was muttering the name in her mind, uttered a startle of astonishment.
“No way! The famous genius detective Selmore?”
“Oh, you recognize me.”
“Well, of course! The one who arrested the notorious criminal, James Moriarty! You’re even known as a water element wizard!”
As Erendir was a magician, she could see how great Casey was. It was because wizards who got the title “Colour” for the Magic Tower aren’t common.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. Nice to meet you. I’m….”
“You’re the Third Princess Erendir, aren’t you?”
“Huh? Did you know about me?”
“No, we met for the first time today.”
“But how…….”
Casey grinned at the bewildered Erendir.
“You have a bored look on your face even after watching the auction. Besides, I saw that the back of your hair was slightly pressed, so you were lying in a room until a while ago. The scent of the air freshener used to clean the room is strangely lingering.”
“……!”
When she was caught, Erendir hurriedly smoothed her hair while Casey shrugged her shoulders to continue her reasoning.
“But you didn’t put on perfume and didn’t even wear makeup. This simplicity can’t be seen in the VIP seats. So you have an overwhelming status that you don’t have to pay attention to other people’s eyes and the situation.”
Feeling bored and sitting in a VIP seat where only the invited guests can watch the auction from.
“There is already a rumor among guests that a child of the imperial family participated in the auction so there’s only one answer, right?”
“……That’s great.”
Erendir admired Casey’s reasoning and admitted that she was right. Indeed, she was a genius detective who was famous throughout the continent.
Erendir suddenly asked Casey why she came to the auction.
“You seem to be curious.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I got an invitation when I came to Leathervelk and they offered great hospitality and a nice room so I didn’t say no.”
“Why did you come to see this auction?”
“The bigger an event is it brings together the eyes and attention of countless people, so more incidents can happen.”
Erendir thought Casey was joking. What kind of incident can happen in this place?
The security of the Kunst auction house was so strict that it reminded her of the Imperial Palace. In addition, considering that there are even personal guards brought by guests who come here, any criminal inside will be overpowered in no time.
“The princess seems to think I’m joking.”
” What? Ah, no. No, not exactly…….”
“Well, I understand. When I say that problems can pop up out of nowhere, it’s only natural to think so but I won’t ignore the possibility that something might happen.”
Erendir had to be taken aback by Casey’s confident remarks.
* * *
In the alleyway adjacent to the Kunst Auction House building Hans and Arpa leaned against a wall, fiddling with machines, in a messy alley near the garbage dump that disposes of food waste from the restaurant.
“Like this?”
“Oh, Mr. Hans, look at this. The light is on properly. I think the signal’s working.”
“Great. You don’t even need to go inside. And here, call me <Kafka>. Do you need to reveal my name?”
“Oh, right. That’s right. Mr. Kafka, please call me Dumas, too.”
“I was going to do that anyway.”
Hans, who had been complaining lightly, is now ready to operate the machine at the required time.
It was that moment.
“Who’s there?”
Perhaps he heard the two of them chattering but a man dressed in a suit came into the alleyway.
“Oh my! Did I get caught?”
Hans was embarrassed because he didn’t expect that the outside guards would patrol the alleyway.
“What are you guys doing there?”
The guard could signal his colleagues to come at any time so Hans pondered what to do. At that moment, Arpa raised his crouching body and approached the patrol guard.
“Hey, hey! What are you going to do?”
Hans quietly called from behind, but Arpa approached the man regardless.
“Huh? What? You’re a kid, aren’t you?”
The patrol man relieved his vigilance at the sight of Arpa, who looked young and that was his defeat.
“Ok!”
Arpa’s tiny fists were firmly entrenched in the larger guard’s abdomen. The guard’s massive body collapsed, and Hans looked at the scene with a blank expression.
‘What did you just do?’
You put that giant to sleep in one blow? It is said that the external security of the Kunst auction house is a little lower than the inside, but even then, he would not be an ordinary human, right?
Arpa, who did the unbelievable thing calmly, looked back at Hans with a smile. It became more difficult to evaluate Arpa with that stupid expression, “I did a good job, right?”
‘What the hell is he?’