Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 24

24

“Alright. Everyone, please don’t hesitate and bid. Anyone?”

Still, the auction participants remained silent. The auctioneer, figuring there was no point in prolonging it, gestured to send down the next flying car. Just as ARON101 was ascending, attempting to leave the venue, a young man in a suit leaped onto the auction stage. He spoke urgently with the auctioneer, then frantically waved, calling back the ARON101 that was disappearing into the distance.

“Ahem. We will re-bid on the ARON101.”

At this announcement, the participants exchanged glances and murmured amongst themselves. It was unprecedented for an item that had failed to sell to be re-auctioned on the same day, and even if it were, its chances of actually selling were questionable.

“Alright, everyone, please be quiet. This bid will be conducted differently than before, according to the owner’s request. You will write down the purchase price you are willing to pay. Then, the owner will review the prices and decide whether to sell it or not.”

At first glance, this seemed disadvantageous to the bidders. Since the owner had the right to reject any offer, potential buyers would have to offer the maximum they could afford. However, given that there were currently no bidders, this gesture could be interpreted as a willingness to accept any reasonable offer.

‘What should I do? Just go for it.’

After all, making an offer was free. He entered numbers into his electronic notepad, half jokingly and half hopefully. The moment he pressed the bid button, the auctioneer’s loud voice boomed out.

“Mr. Oh Beom-seok! Don’t joke around. Only 2 million krang!”

But the joke turned out to be no joke. As soon as the amount was announced, the other bidders shook their heads and snapped their electronic notepads shut. In the current market, a used general flying bus suitable for basic transport could be purchased for 1 million krang. They were already hesitant and the ARON101 had failed to sell multiple times, so no one was willing to spend twice that amount on a high-end flying bus that was essentially useless to them.

Seeing this, the auctioneer wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked towards the representatives of the Great Hyenas team, the owners. They, too, were taken aback by Beom-seok’s low offer and struggled to make a decision. After a lengthy phone call, the owner nodded with difficulty to the auctioneer.

“Alright. I will announce the results. The bid for ARON101 has been awarded to Mr. Oh Beom-seok. Mr. Oh Beom-seok, please come forward to pay the price and receive the item.”

Beom-seok, who had almost given up hope, couldn’t believe the outcome. It was only one-third of the minimum bid price. Even for a luxury item, it was practically free.

He walked towards the auction stage, lost in thought about taking his women on a trip, gazing at the blue ambiance.

“Ah, hello. Are you Mr. Oh Beom-seok?”

The man in front of him wore a brown suit. Judging by appearances, he seemed to be a representative of the Great Hyenas team, the one who had been speaking with the auctioneer earlier. Beom-seok, with a bright smile, extended his hand for a handshake.

“Yes, I am.”

“N-nice to meet you. Let’s proceed with the transaction. Please transfer 2 million krang.”

The man requested the transaction immediately, without even introducing himself, clearly embarrassed by the situation. This ARON101 was equipment that he, as the team’s representative, had purchased three years ago to prepare the gladiators in the Hyena Group’s lower league for the GA Cup [Gladiator Association Cup], a global competition. While there was significant support from the group, the club still bore a substantial loss in purchasing it. Now, they were selling this expensive equipment for a paltry 2 million krang, causing him considerable distress.

Unaware or uncaring, Beom-seok pressed the transfer button with a cheerful expression. Soon, the ownership transfer document for ARON101 appeared on his electronic notepad screen.

“Is it done now?”

“Not yet. You need to erase the existing owner data in ARON101 and enter your own, Mr. Beom-seok.”

“I see. Then let’s go.”

The man in the suit walked to an empty lot and summoned ARON101 to land in the nearby garden. As the automatic door on the side opened, he boarded and beckoned Beom-seok.

“Come on in.”

Beom-seok followed without a word, impressed by the spacious interior and sophisticated design. The large, bed-like seats, the small computers and 3D video equipment at each station, and the handcrafted interior decorations – he loved everything about it.

“Wow. This is great. I think I made a really good purchase.”

Barely acknowledging the compliment, the man in the suit called out loudly.

“Aaron!”

A hologram in the form of a human male appeared in the center of the room. A hooked nose and sharp, narrow eyes, combined with a slightly hunched back, gave him a cunning appearance.

– Master. Did you call?

“Aaron. I’m initiating the system work for the transfer of ownership to you. Prepare yourself.”

Aaron immediately protested in a high-pitched voice.

– Master! That can’t be! If there’s anything you don’t like about me, please tell me. I’ll correct it immediately!

“Just do it quickly! Your new owner is waiting. There’s no time.”

Aaron glanced at Beom-seok and whispered in the man’s ear.

– Surely that gigolo-looking guy isn’t my new owner, is he?

“That’s right.”

The feeling of elation Beom-seok had felt instantly plummeted. Although it was meant to be a whisper, Aaron’s question was amplified through the indoor speakers, making it perfectly audible. He wanted to dismantle the AI immediately, but he restrained himself because of the 2 million krang he had spent.

– Master! Please don’t send me to such a guy! Do you know how popular I am with the elves on the team? For the sake of boosting team morale… Please…

“It’s already done. The ownership transfer is complete, so it can’t be reversed.”

– Th-that’s r-really?

“Yes. I’ve already received the payment and transferred the ownership documents.”

That meant the black-haired man was already his owner. Aaron, displaying a range of emotions, suddenly generated a hologram spit and spat it at the man in the suit’s feet.

– Fine! Then you should have told me sooner! I almost disrespected the owner. Anyway, you have no sense… Tsk, tsk. That’s why the team is in this shape.”

“What! What did you just say!”

Ignoring the angry man in the suit, Aaron rushed to Beom-seok and rubbed his hands together obsequiously.

– Oh, owner! I’ve been so looking forward to meeting a wonderful person like you! I will serve you with all my heart from now on, so please take good care of me!

Beom-seok’s face hardened, embarrassed by Aaron’s sudden change in behavior. He couldn’t decide whether to be angry or simply tell him to behave. But he had something he needed to do right now.

“Stop talking nonsense and start the ownership transfer system work.”

– Oh, don’t think of me as some run-of-the-mill, hot-water-powered AI. I’ve already finished it! And I’ve completely erased that strange picture of a cat or dog that was painted on the outside with electronic paint.”

As he spoke, a mechanical arm descended from the ceiling and mercilessly grabbed the previous owner, the man in the suit, by the back of the neck. It then moved along a conveyor belt towards the door and ejected him. Beom-seok, watching the man roll on the dirt floor through the window, shot a sharp look at Aaron.

“You’re not going to do that to me later, are you?”

– That’s absolutely impossible! How could I do such a thing to my owner? I just took care of it for a moment because I was worried that this indoor space where the owner is would be contaminated by that dirty bastard’s breath. Hahaha.

Beom-seok was furious at Aaron’s blatant flattery. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the same thing could happen to him. But he couldn’t punish something that hadn’t happened yet, so he took a deep breath and calmed his anger.

“Al-alright. I’ll trust you for now. But can’t you change your appearance a bit? It’s annoying to look at.”

– Yes, I can change it right away if you want.

Aaron’s hologram image immediately gathered and scattered repeatedly, changing its appearance. A handsome young man, an old man with a cane, an innocent child, and an elf with a well-proportioned body – among others. Beom-seok’s choice was naturally the latter.

“Alright. Make it an elf.”

– Yes, I understand. But should I show you a service shot too?

“What service shot?”

– You know…

Aaron, now completely transformed into a blonde elf, grinned slyly and slowly lowered his non-existent garment. Soon, golden pubic hair emitting a subtle light appeared, and Beom-seok raised his hand to stop him.

“Stop!”

– No, why? Everyone likes it.

Of course, Beom-seok didn’t dislike it either. But Aaron was only a hologram, so he couldn’t physically interact with it. He had real elves waiting for him at home, so there was no need to waste his energy here.

“I don’t need it. I’ll be satisfied if you just keep that appearance and act modestly.”

– Yes, I understand. I’ll do as you wish, Master.

As soon as the order was given, Aaron’s expression and behavior became unrecognizable. He was so attentive that he completely dispelled Beom-seok’s earlier worries, making him genuinely doubt if this was the same AI as before.

Satisfied, Beom-seok gave his next order.

“Alright. Aaron, we need to go home now, so get ready.”

– Yes. Please tell me the location of your home.

He sat down in a nearby seat and answered without hesitation.

“It’s Green Bio Officetel [a type of mixed-use building] 7224 in the southern part of Lima City.”

– I’ve confirmed it. I’m currently communicating with the Central Traffic Control Center to set the 이동루트 [Korean: movement route], so please wait a moment.

Aaron’s eyes began to dart back and forth rapidly. He was connecting to the control center to secure the fastest and safest route. Soon after, the elven woman lifted her body off the ground and slowly ascended.

– We’re about to depart. Please check if you’ve forgotten anything.

“No… Stop!”

At his cry, Aaron lowered her body back to the ground. Her hologram image approached Beom-seok’s side and bowed.

– What’s wrong, Master?

“Wait quietly for a moment.”

Beom-seok was looking at two figures visible through the thick outer window with a questioning gaze. A young blonde man and a blue-haired elf woman. They were far away, making it difficult to see clearly, but they seemed to be James and Erfina.

– Master. Is there anything I can help you with?

“Can you check the appearance of those people walking over there in detail?”

She nodded, following the direction of Beom-seok’s finger.

– Yes. I have a small bird camera installed to obtain external environment information around the car body when parking. It’s definitely possible to use that.

“Really? Then let me check the appearance of those guys in detail.”

– It’s easy. Just leave it to me.

Soon, a small bird camera the size of a hummingbird flew out from a small door on Aaron’s ceiling, flapping its wings. It circled around the two figures Beom-seok pointed to, filming their 모습 [Korean: appearance] and sending it to Aaron. Video information began to appear on the personal computer installed in the seat where Beom-seok was sitting.

As expected, it was James and Erfina, holding a white bag containing three convenience store lunch boxes.

“Hmm. It’s James and Erfina after all. But what are they still doing here?”

The current time was a little past noon. Since Erfina’s auction had concluded a little after 10 o’clock, there was ample time to complete the ownership transfer and return home. He was curious as to why they were still lingering around the auction site.

‘Could it be that Erfina’s purchase was reconsidered due to the sudden recession?’

He hoped that was the case, but judging from James’ earlier actions, it seemed unlikely. Erfina had given up 7 million krang out of friendship and love, so she wouldn’t cancel the purchase due to the economic crisis.

Beom-seok 벌떡 [Korean: abruptly] stood up from his seat. He had given up on Erfina until now, but he couldn’t remain passive while she continued to occupy his thoughts. The shock of losing her was still too raw. There was nothing to lose by trying to 부딪혀 [Korean: confront, challenge] again.

He put Aaron on standby and ran out.

————-

I’ll go again next time.

Hahaha, I uploaded it with episode 21 missing. Please read episode 21 again.