Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 141

The scale, which had soared past 1 billion cell [currency unit] in an instant, ended up in the hands of a middle-aged woman in the third-floor VIP seats, who bid more than double the previous price.

Excited by the first item being sold at such an unexpectedly high price, the auctioneer introduced the next items in quick succession, and the eager customers placed their bids.

A craftsman’s handmade pocket watch, thought to be discontinued. An ancient history book with more than half of its pages torn out. Even an artifact containing spatial magic, which was hard to come by even for a freelancer.

Renok couldn’t resist and joined the auction, but he was quickly priced out by the rapidly rising bids.

“Ugh…”

Beside Renok, who was groaning, Jenny shook her head with an exasperated look.

“To buy items like that, you need to gather funds with a plan and a thorough strategy. Otherwise, the rich people here will snatch them all up.”

“………”

Even after coming this far, nothing easily falls into Renok’s hands.

The flow of funds in the mega-city of Balkan is astronomical, but Renok has yet to properly ride that wave.

Simply working hard as a freelancer isn’t enough to solve this.

A new approach was needed at a more fundamental level.

While Renok was lost in thought, the auction, which had been in full swing, was heading towards its climax.

[We’ve waited long enough!! Today, at this auction house, we will introduce the most valuable item of all…!!]

The auctioneer’s voice trembled with excitement, and the others in the VIP seats began to murmur among themselves.

Renok also tilted his head slightly, sensing the aura of magic emanating from behind the curtain behind the auctioneer.

‘White… Is it a healing-type magic? It feels very unfamiliar… It’s so precise that it’s admirable. It’s not so much a change in nature, but more like…’

It was as if the magnetic field was directly embedded into the artifact, giving off such an aura.

That meant that the item about to be unveiled was, by Renok’s standards, comparable to a mage of at least level 6 or higher.

The curtain swung open, and a dazzling white light mercilessly struck everyone’s eyes.

While all the guests at the auction house were momentarily blinded, the auctioneer’s excited voice rang out loudly.

[The ancient relic that was the symbol of the Arashak Expedition Team leader, Irina Pesfield, ‘Compassion of the Archangel’!!]

Immediately after, a white staff, about the size of an arm, appeared before everyone’s eyes.

A sacred white aura, and a pair of white wings floating in the air on either side of the staff.

Not an illusion, but real, soft wings slowly fluttering, supporting the staff with dignity.

Just by its appearance, it was clear that it was an extraordinary artifact, and the magic emanating from the rainbow-colored jewel embedded at the end of the staff enhanced the beauty of the artifact to its extreme.

It was the highest grade among the artifacts Renok had seen so far. It was clearly the most valuable item in this auction house.

“No way!!!”

“Irina put that artifact up for auction herself?!!”

It seemed that more than one or two people among the customers on the second floor recognized the item, and the auction house quickly became noisy.

However, only a cold silence lingered in the VIP seats on the third floor.

“Jenny, among the people you mentioned earlier…”

“Yes.”

Surely, she had said that there were members of the Arashak Expedition Team among the VIPs she had introduced last.

“Don’t look back. There’s no point in making eye contact right now.”

Following Jenny’s words, Renok immediately drew upon his magic power and expanded his senses.

Indeed, the three people sitting in the back row of the third floor were already trembling, unable to control their emotions.

Just by looking at them, it was clear.

The ‘Compassion of the Archangel,’ which was said to be Irina Pesfield’s item, was not put up for auction by the expedition team’s voluntary decision.

And it was also clear why they were in this auction house as VIPs.

What happened next was simple.

“12 billion!”

“15 billion!!”

[15 billion has been bid!!]

“18 billion!!”

“20 billion!!”

[20 billion cell!!]

“28 billion!!”

“………”

No matter how expensive it was, what would be the problem if they could actually get their hands on that relic?

Renok was speechless as he watched the price of the artifact skyrocket.

Jenny, who was watching the fierce scene next to him, shrugged her shoulders.

“Well… it’s natural to have this kind of reaction since a relic that would never have been released is now on the market. Still, if it’s the Compassion of the Archangel, it might end without overheating too much. Compared to other relics, its value isn’t that much lower, but there are still so many unknown functions and abilities that it’s said to have limited uses.”

“…That kind of treasure hasn’t been fully researched yet?”

“It was even more so because it wasn’t a relic belonging to the city government. It was a relic that Irina Pesfield, a talented explorer, cherished more than her own life. No one thought it would be released even if the expedition team collapsed.”

Jenny said that and then glanced sideways.

“And, seeing the other members of the expedition team come to the auction house, can’t you roughly guess what happened to her?”

“………”

The meaning of her words was obvious.

Irina Pesfield had died, and the relic she possessed had appeared at the auction house by someone’s hand.

And her colleagues were here to get the relic back.

Jenny was saying that that scenario was the most plausible.

While the two were talking, the price of the Compassion of the Archangel continued to soar, and now only two customers in the VIP seats were continuing the competition.

The members of the Arashak Expedition Team and an old gentleman wearing a mask.

“50 billion…!!”

[50 billion cell has been bid!!!]

“60 billion.”

“…63 billion!”

“70 billion.”

“…….!!!”

The members of the expedition team desperately tried to keep up with the bidding, but the old gentleman was calmly offering amounts that they could not possibly match.

Eventually, a large man, unable to contain his anger, jumped up from his seat and threw off his mask.

The man, with short, bright blonde hair and thick eyebrows, strode forward towards the old gentleman.

He seemed unable to control his emotions, and he slowly spoke to the old gentleman through gritted teeth.

“Please, hand that item over to us.”

The old gentleman slowly replied.

“Why should I do that?”

“…Do you not know? You know very well whose item that is…!!”

“I know very well.”

The gray eyes visible behind the mask quietly flashed.

“This old man also knows that your expedition team is no longer the owner.”

“Old man!!”

The man, unable to contain his anger, shouted and drew upon his magic power.

A fierce flow that was unusual even from a distance. The man was also proof that he was a superhuman with outstanding skills.

He strode forward and reached out his thick hand towards the old gentleman, but someone grabbed his arm before that.

“That’s enough.”

A woman in a suit. The scar on her face was striking.

“Who the hell are you, you bastard!!”

The man snarled fiercely and emitted killing intent, but the woman didn’t even blink.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do right now. How dare you try to use your hands in a place where our customers are gathered, are you out of your mind!”

“We didn’t come here for the auction.”

He retorted.

“We came to get back what was stolen…!!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Do you know who entrusted that item to our auction house?”

“What…”

“The very person who killed Irina Pesfield brought that staff himself. You didn’t do anything until she died, and now you’re making a fuss about getting her belongings back…”

The woman said mockingly.

“Or are you going to try killing people with the same hands that killed monsters?”

“Y-you…”

The man’s eyes turned red as if they would burst, but in the end, he couldn’t charge forward.

Perhaps the woman’s scathing words were too accurate.

In the end, he left the auction house sadly with the other members of the expedition team.

The Compassion of the Archangel ended up in the hands of the old gentleman for a huge price of over 100 billion.

As she watched the old man rise from his seat and raise his hand to the cheers of everyone, Jenny nodded.

“There are indeed some famous relics that have power comparable to weapons of war. If such items were released on the market, it wouldn’t have ended like this.”

“…Should we think of it as fortunate?”

“Anyway, that wasn’t an item we could get our hands on, right? It’s best to avoid any unnecessary variables that could interfere with achieving our goal…!!”

KWAHAAANG!!

Jenny’s words were cut off as a sudden roar erupted and the auction house shook violently.

At the same time, the lights that had been brightly illuminating the auction house went out all at once, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

Two things happened simultaneously as if they had been planned.

It was only natural that the faces of the other guests who were still sitting in the VIP seats, leisurely waiting for others to leave, changed completely.

The power of the explosion was too great to be a simple accident, and the timing was too coincidental.

The two quickly exchanged glances.

“Is this perhaps…?”

“It’s safe to assume it’s a planned act.”

The people who had fallen into panic all rushed towards the entrance of the auction house, and chaos unfolded.

“G-get out of the way!!”

“I’m going out first!!”

“Save me!!”

[E-everyone!! Please calm down. The auction house is protected by the thorough security of the guards we have hired. If you calmly follow our guidance…!!]

The auctioneer desperately tried to appease them, but who would believe and follow his words when the ‘Compassion of the Archangel,’ which had been proudly displayed behind him, was nowhere to be seen?

It was obvious how much damage the Teina Auction House would suffer, having not only had its most important treasure stolen in such a short time, but also failing to control the audience.

“Let’s get up.”

Jenny grabbed Renok’s arm and pulled him up.

“We need to go check the charm right away.”

“Agreed.”

Renok immediately agreed.

Her judgment was very accurate even in this chaotic situation.

What the two of them needed to focus on most right now was not figuring out what was happening in this auction house.

Securing the medicinal charm that they had placed a private bid on was their top priority.

If this power outage was not limited to just the inside of the auction house, then the lobby on the first floor would also have experienced a power outage.

The charm and other items that Renok had bid on to meet the medicinal master could also be stolen in the midst of the chaos.

The two quickly headed towards the back of the stairs on the first floor through a separate VIP passage.

Fortunately, Liam only looked a little pale, and outwardly, he didn’t seem to have suffered any particular damage.

This was because the number of guards surrounding and protecting him, as if proving that he was the owner of this huge building, was close to ten.

As soon as Liam saw Jenny’s face, he let out a sigh of relief, his hand on his chest.

There was no pretense in his wrinkled face, and it was easy to see at a glance that he was genuinely worried about her.

“Jenny…!! You’re safe. That’s a relief.”

“If the auction house manages to handle it properly, there won’t be many casualties. But it seems like the Compassion of the Archangel has been stolen.”

“Oh my, that’s not important. Look at this.”

Liam took something out of his pocket and placed it firmly in Jenny’s hand.

It was the medicinal charm that wouldn’t have even started bidding yet.

“This is…”

Liam gave a playful smile that didn’t suit his age.

“I thought you wanted it, so I secretly took care of it.”