Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 45

Dungeon Journal – Episode 46

#18. Regular Auction

The Black Merchant’s auction spanned a full week.

Participants were required to stay in the auction house’s accommodations for the entire duration, a considerable inconvenience given the need to leave their labyrinths unattended in the perilous underground world.

To mitigate this, the Black Merchant provided a flag.

This yellow flag bore the Black Merchant’s emblem: an eight-faceted, top-grade Down Gem, signifying their presence in the labyrinth.

While seemingly insignificant, Dominic placed absolute trust in the Black Merchant’s flag.

‘The Black Merchants are more than mere peddlers. No one in this underground world possesses as many valuable and precious items. Their ability to roam freely indicates they possess the power to protect their treasures.’

“Does that power extend to restraining the labyrinth owners themselves?”

‘The black marketeers themselves aren’t particularly powerful. Their guards are strong, but not enough to prevent a labyrinth owner from deliberately attacking and plundering them. Someone might get lucky and secretly kill a black marketeer to steal their treasures. However, the black marketeers never let their attackers escape retribution.’

Apparently, an attack on a black marketeer had occurred long ago.

‘The attacker was killed by mercenaries hired by the Black Merchant, and the labyrinth’s core was reassigned to a new owner by the Black Merchant.’

Indeed, who could feel safe in this underground world, teeming with ruthless and greedy beings? Self-preservation measures were essential.

‘While that flag is displayed, no one will touch the labyrinth. Even ongoing wars are suspended. It’s an unspoken custom in the underground to quietly wait for the Black Merchant’s merchants to depart.’

The Black Merchant’s power was more formidable than he’d imagined, but for the moment, he had no choice but to rely on the protection of that flag.

“Well, if anything urgent arises, I can simply open a portal and return.”

Kim Jin-woo, who had been gazing at the Black Merchant’s flag hanging beyond the gate, tore up the auction invitation.

The familiar floating sensation of crossing a portal washed over him, and in an instant, the scenery transformed.

“You’ve arrived earlier than expected.”

Kim Jin-woo remained unfazed by the black marketeer’s sudden appearance, having grown accustomed to the ever-changing world before his eyes.

“Ah, is this the auction house?”

“More precisely, this is a VIP room. We cannot have esteemed guests of the underground world mingling with the general participants, so we have prepared a separate space for them.”

He was impressed by the spaciousness of the room, comparable in size to his own owner’s room.

It was a VIP room in every sense, with meticulous attention to detail. Whether tailored specifically for Kim Jin-woo or not, it lacked nothing, from the luxurious sofas and tables reminiscent of the surface world to the various amenities.

“It seems the auction is being held over there.”

Kim Jin-woo exclaimed softly, observing the auction hall through the glass wall that replaced an entire side of the room.

The massive hall and stage, capable of accommodating hundreds without crowding, resembled an opera house on the surface.

Its splendor was excessively extravagant, befitting a place where valuable and precious treasures were traded.

However, incongruous with the high-class facilities, the atmosphere in the hall was chaotic.

“What kind of bastard dares to show his face here!”

“Tsk. You still had the energy to come to the auction house after being thoroughly plundered by me? If I were you, I’d use the Gems for the auction to summon another summon.”

Given that the underground world was a melting pot of all sorts of beings, encountering hostile individuals seemed commonplace.

“If it weren’t for the Black Merchant’s flag, I would have finished it…”

“You’re too arrogant for someone who’s just starting out.”

“I look forward to seeing if you can still say that after the auction ends in a week.”

Some participants hurled obscenities, while others maintained their composure and politely issued threats.

Judging from their conversations, they were participating in the auction amidst ongoing conflicts, the outcomes of which remained uncertain.

“Is it always like this?”

Kim Jin-woo, observing the hall filled with beings ranging from human-like to hideous monsters, wondered if the auction could even proceed in such a state.

“Ugh. We usually take care to arrange seating for hostile participants in advance, keeping them far enough apart to avoid conflict. It seems the person in charge made a mistake this time.”

Indeed, round-headed black marketeers were rushing about, sweating as they attempted to mediate between the participants.

Kim Jin-woo, who had harbored fantasies about the underground auction house, felt his illusions shattered by the scene.

This allowed him to relax his tension about participating in an auction filled with powerful beings and await the auction’s commencement with a more comfortable mindset.

The sealed room, reserved for VIPs, also helped him regain his composure.

According to the black marketeer’s explanation, the room’s interior was not visible from the outside, eliminating any cause for concern.

“I was expecting a riot, but it’s being cleaned up faster than I thought.”

Kim Jin-woo, who had been killing time by watching the commotion in the hall, clicked his tongue as he observed the restored calm. Dominic, who had accompanied him as a companion, responded.

‘The Black Merchant’s regular auction is a time-honored event. I find the initial mistake incomprehensible.’

“Is that so? Well, it’s a shame. It would have been nice if a few of them had died there.”

Knowing that such an event was impossible at an auction hosted by the Black Merchant, he could only smack his lips in disappointment.

While he was conversing with Dominic, the black marketeer who had departed earlier returned.

“The auction will begin soon.”

“How do I bid?”

Kim Jin-woo had never participated in an auction, either in the underground or on the surface, and felt lost upon hearing that the auction was about to begin. The black marketeer reassured him.

“An auction assistant will arrive before the auction begins. They will guide you through everything from bidding to payment and item collection, so please enjoy the auction with peace of mind, Baron.”

The black marketeer, who had been boasting about the exclusive services for VIP rooms, suddenly adopted a businesslike smile.

“Once again, thank you for participating in our Black Merchant’s regular auction, and I wish you the best of luck.”

The black marketeer departed after delivering his greetings, and the auction soon commenced.

***

“Today, I would like to express my gratitude to all the esteemed guests who have attended our Black Merchant’s regular auction!”

An imp, flamboyantly dressed as a clown, shouted at the top of his lungs.

“If I were to express this gratitude in words, it would not suffice even if I were to speak for the entire week of the auction, so I will cut to the chase and begin immediately.”

He spoke in an exaggerated tone, and Kim Jin-woo anticipated a lengthy speech, but the host quickly concluded his remarks.

“Since this is an auction attended by esteemed guests, prolonging it would only disturb their peace of mind. The time of nobles is too precious to waste on idle chatter.”

The assistant assigned by the black marketeer was a beastwoman who appeared almost entirely human, perhaps out of consideration for Kim Jin-woo’s human nature.

However, the consideration felt excessive, as her bare white skin, bordering on nudity, made him somewhat uncomfortable.

But it was too awkward to make a fuss, so he focused on the stage beyond the window.

While listening to the beastwoman assistant’s gentle explanation, the host brought the first item onto the stage.

Workers with green skin and bulging muscles carefully placed a box covered with a black cloth, approximately 2 meters in length and width.

“Now, the first item!”

As if setting the mood, a brief drumbeat echoed, heightening the atmosphere.

“The first item isssss!”

The auctioneer grasped the end of the black cloth, drawing out the final syllable.

Jjaaaang!

With a resounding noise, the cloth was removed, revealing the contents of the box.

“Crazy…”

Kim Jin-woo involuntarily cursed upon seeing what was inside.

“It’s a mermaid!”

The box, constructed of glass on all sides, was filled with water, and within it, unbelievably, was a mermaid.

The mermaid, her seaweed-like hair flowing and submerged in the water, appeared to have resigned herself to her fate, looking indifferent.

“As you know, it’s not easy to see a mermaid in the underground world. Mermaids, occasionally found only in the ‘Lake of Forgetfulness’ [a mythical location], located in the deepest part of the deep layers, have fortunately come into the possession of our Black Merchant.”

The host spoke as if selling a limited-edition item, and the mermaid’s helpless appearance, floating powerlessly in the water with a resigned expression, made him feel dizzy.

“As you can see, she is female and very healthy. She is an excellent mermaid for ornamental purposes. Moreover, the mermaid’s song is said to have the power to lure wanderers. Perhaps you may gain something by being captivated by the mermaid’s song. The auction will start at 500 Gems!”

It was getting worse. Kim Jin-woo squeezed his eyes shut, looking at the host’s face, shamelessly spouting nonsense while the mermaid sank further into the water.

What was he expecting? He had forgotten that the underground world was inherently like this.

A primitive world where anything was permissible under the logic of survival of the fittest. He sighed again.

“The mermaid’s song has long been said to have the power to attract wanderers and travelers in the underground world. If you’re lucky, it could be bait to lure foolish and dull travelers. It’s a pretty good item for the first item.”

The beastwoman assistant, unaware of Kim Jin-woo’s expression because she was standing behind him, explained the item.

“What will you do? Will you bid?”

Kim Jin-woo felt a throbbing headache at the beastwoman’s glib voice and waved his hand irritably.

While he did so, the participants were competitively bidding. The amount of 500 Gems, equivalent to one mid-grade Down Gem, had already soared to 2,200 Gems.

“2,200 Gems! 2,200 Gems! Is there anyone else!”

The host, excitedly shouting, spread his fingers and said.

“If there is no one bidding while I count to five, this item will be auctioned off to participant number 172!”

The host counted to five. In the end, the mermaid was auctioned off to a giant with red skin and horns.

The mermaid, auctioned off to the giant, blinked a few times and looked at her new owner before closing her eyes again.

“Congratulations, participant number 172! Seeing the smile on your face, it seems the mermaid has already captivated her new owner! And she hasn’t even sung yet!”

The joke was so terrible that Kim Jin-woo frowned.

What was the black marketeer thinking when he invited him to the auction house? He wondered again, but no answer came.

After that, several more items were brought onto the stage and disappeared after being auctioned off to someone else.

“The first day is usually when items are brought out to lighten the mood. It’s too early to be disappointed.”

The beastwoman assistant, misinterpreting Kim Jin-woo’s lack of interest as disappointment, carefully spoke while watching his mood.

He bitterly laughed at the beastwoman assistant’s voice, which once again reminded him of reality.

Regardless of how Kim Jin-woo felt, the auction continued.

At first, mainly Ainz [a type of creature] were presented as ornamental items, but at some point, large and ferocious creatures began to appear.

“Cave Troll! 3,600 Gems! Is there anything over 3,600 Gems! A brave and loyal Cave Troll, perfect for use as a gatekeeper! I will count to five. Five, four, three, two, one! Congratulations! Participant number 40! Cave Troll auctioned off!”

Another auction concluded over a hideous giant with bumpy skin.

“Now, you can look forward to this item!”

While watching the gloomy gait of the troll being dragged away on a chain towards its new owner, the host shouted cheerfully.

“This item is not procured by our Black Merchant, but a consignment item [an item sold on behalf of someone else]! I guarantee that there will be even fiercer competition than any other item that has come out today!”

The introduction was so grand and loud that even Kim Jin-woo, who had been watching the auction house with cynical eyes, was startled.

The sound of drums to create the atmosphere was heard again, and workers brought out a box from the back of the stage.

“Now, the ninth item of today isssss!”