Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 480

In the heart of Senoside, in front of the Civic Culture Center, a sleek, black sedan-type flying car was slowly descending. It was a very expensive vehicle that Beomseok had urgently arranged because Theresa was coming for business training. It even had a feature where the three rows of seats could transform into a wide bed.

Soon, as the car landed, Theresa emerged, her clothes slightly disheveled. She took a deep breath and looked at Beomseok, who followed her out. She was starting to wonder if he was truly human, as he hadn’t left her side for a single moment. In fact, for the past week, she had rarely found a moment to escape Beomseok’s constant attention.

He approached with a warm smile and smoothed out Theresa’s attire.

“Theresa, there are many visitors inside. We should be mindful of our appearance, as others might notice.”

Today, a large-scale event called the World Walker Auction Market was being held. Since high-priced Elves from the World League were the main attraction, the guests were all considerable tycoons. It was important to maintain a proper demeanor.

However, Theresa’s gaze was fierce as she looked at Beomseok, who was speaking so properly. During the two-hour journey to Senoside, he had been relentlessly pursuing her. She had even rented a nearby hotel room to freshen up, only to be met with another advance in the car. It was truly absurd.

‘Hmph~ What can I do if he likes me so much… I suppose I have to bear it. But isn’t he being a bit too forward?’

Theresa’s feelings had subtly shifted due to the week-long affection offensive. She didn’t entirely dislike the fact that a man was showering her with such intense affection. Moreover, Beomseok’s smile, which greeted her every morning, was starting to erode her firm resolve.

Theresa shook her head vigorously to clear her mind and said quietly, “Beomseok, what brings you here?”

Beomseok, who was now arm in arm with her, replied casually. He had been hesitant to reveal his true intentions earlier, fearing she might sabotage his plans. But now that they were here, there was no need to worry. It wasn’t a small investment, and it was impossible to suddenly join today’s auction.

Still, he couldn’t directly admit that he had come to recruit Prisika. Beomseok was supposed to be unaware that she was being auctioned off today.

“Well, I came to see if there are any promising prospects.”

Theresa, who had roughly guessed his intentions, nodded in agreement. She wasn’t blind; she knew the World Walker Auction Market was being held today. A prominent sign announcing the event was displayed at the Senoside Civic Culture Center’s main entrance, and numerous luxury cars were dropping off distinguished-looking gentlemen nearby.

“Ah, is that so? But aren’t the Elf gladiators here a bit overpriced? They’re so famous that there’s a significant premium, and they’re often older.”

“That’s true, but unlike the gladiator transfer market, prices here are more stable. Considering the current inflated transfer fees in the gladiator world, there won’t be much difference. And if you’re lucky, you might be able to acquire a useful gladiator at a bargain. Also, while age can be a disadvantage, it also means they’re experienced, which is a great asset to our team.”

“I suppose that’s true. The God Knights gladiators are mostly promising rookies, so they lack experience.”

“Exactly. That’s why we bought Yoshiya and Lesaris last year, but we still need more.”

Theresa smiled slightly and replied, “Hopefully, there are some hidden gems out there. That would be helpful to you, Beomseok.”

“Hehe. I hope so too. Well then, let’s head inside.”

Beomseok eagerly entered, his expression filled with anticipation. There was still some time before the opening, but he wanted to make the most of it. He needed to examine all the gladiators who would be available today. Prisika was the primary target, but if he found a skilled gladiator at a reasonable price, he wouldn’t hesitate to buy them.

He went inside and headed to the information desk. It was his first time here, so he needed directions.

“How can I help you?”

Beomseok replied with a friendly smile to the Elf guide.

“I’d like to see the Elves on display for the World Walker Auction Market. Where should I go?”

“What field are you interested in? We have five separate rooms for gladiators, baseball, soccer, other professional sports, and Olympic stars.”

Beomseok thought it was a well-organized system and smiled brightly. When he visited the local Walker Auction Market before, everything was mixed up haphazardly, making it difficult to search.

With over 100 individuals, it took a lot of time, and he almost missed Erfina. Although she had the skills of a top-tier Wide Leaguer [a fictional sports league], she also possessed the valuable trait of ‘sharp eyes,’ making her a highly desirable talent.

If he had missed her then, the God Knights’ growth would have been significantly hampered. This was because a considerable amount of information about the gladiators in the team was passed on to Beomseok through her.

“Well, gladiators.”

As soon as she heard that, the guide nodded, as if she already knew. Beomseok wasn’t wearing any disguise today, so his identity was easily recognizable. If she wasn’t on duty, she might have caused a commotion and asked for an autograph. But she was a professional Elf. It was more important to perform her job efficiently and contribute to the owner’s wealth than to indulge her own desires.

“Then go to Room 312 on the 3rd floor. And the auction itself will be held in the underground convention hall.”

“Hehe. Thank you. Goodbye.”

Beomseok said goodbye to the guide and took the escalator to the 3rd floor. Many people had already arrived to view the Elves who would be auctioned off.

Theresa, who was observing them, tilted her head. These were famous figures in the business world, who usually valued their reputation, yet they were talking very loudly.

“Why are those people making so much noise?”

Beomseok, who had a good idea why, pretended not to know. Prisika’s reputation was that significant. She was a gladiator who dominated the World League before he, Zakid, and Amelie rose to prominence. Although her reputation had waned somewhat recently, she was still bound to attract attention.

“I don’t know. Why is everyone acting like that?”

“Could it be that a famous sports star is on display?”

“I suppose that could be the case.”

Driven by curiosity, Theresa quickly walked towards the crowd, which was gathered in front of Room 312. It seemed certain that the famous sports star was a gladiator. According to the guide, the gladiators to be sold today were waiting in this room.

“It seems like a major gladiator is being auctioned off today. I wonder who it is?”

“Well, could it be Prisika…?”

“Hey. No way? Prisika is currently 29 years old. And she’s an indispensable core gladiator for the Ancient Warriors team.”

“But who else could draw this much attention? The top three S-class gladiators wouldn’t be sold, Lakami and Irolita already have owners, Tiela is my Elf, and the others aren’t likely to be sold.”

Thinking about it, that was true. Prisika was the only likely candidate.

“Come to think of it, that’s right. Ah! Wasn’t there a rumor that Prisika had a mental breakdown last season and caused a commotion, but she recovered, right?”

“Yes. It happened after we played against the God Knights.”

“Then maybe the team didn’t want to let her go, so they used her for another season on the condition that she would be put on the World Walker Auction Market this time.”

“Yes. I think so too.”

Theresa bit her lip slightly. If Prisika became Beomseok’s subordinate Elf, it would be a bit problematic. Her skills were exceptional, so if he recruited her, the God Knights’ strength would increase significantly.

But she quickly chided herself for having such thoughts. In reality, it shouldn’t matter at all.

‘No. That guy is going to die soon anyway, so why am I worrying about this? If he dies, the God Knights will be finished.’

Theresa, having made up her mind, looked at him quietly. If Beomseok bought Prisika, his wealth would be significantly reduced. Then the inheritance that would be passed on to her children would be smaller, which wasn’t ideal.

She quickly grabbed Beomseok’s wrist and entered Room 312. To encourage Prisika’s purchase, she needed to confirm if she was actually on the market today.

“Beomseok, check it out quickly. It would be great if Prisika is here.”

“Ah. Yes…”

A strange scene unfolded inside. About 25 Elves were seated, but most people were gathered outside one particular partition. Theresa pointed and urged him, “Beomseok. Hurry. She’s there.”

Perhaps because her voice was loud, one of the men in the group turned his head slightly. It was a man with brown hair, Julian. Having briefly cooperated with Ancient Warriors and Chaplin Whisper during the transfer season last winter, he knew that Prisika would be available today.

He saw Beomseok and waved happily. “Hey! Beomseok! What brings you here…”

But Julian quickly frowned and turned away, because he saw Theresa walking affectionately next to him. Julian really didn’t want to see her.

Beomseok, who saw him, approached and said, “Julian, why did you pretend to know me and then stop? Did you get choked up?”

“Ah. No, it’s just, it’s a bit…”

“Geez. You’re so awkward…”

While Julian was looking around, Beomseok looked at Prisika, who was behind the transparent partition. She was sitting demurely, but when she saw Beomseok, she smiled brightly. She knew that he was the most likely candidate to become her owner.

“So it’s Prisika after all.”

Theresa, who had been watching Julian for a while, nodded. She was bothered by the fact that he was wary of her.

“Yes, that’s right. But what are you going to do, Beomseok?”

“Well, I should buy her if the price is right. If Prisika joins us, the God Knights’ strength will increase significantly.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“Well then, let’s take a look at the other prospects too. Maybe there are other good gladiators besides Prisika.”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

Beomseok then began to examine the other retired gladiators, hoping to find someone else worth considering besides Prisika.

‘Hmm. There are some potentially useful ones… but not really…’ Beomseok, who was carefully scrutinizing the gladiators, had a gloomy expression. It was because there were no gladiators worth buying. Even W1-class [a fictional ranking system] gladiators would be worth buying, but most of them were below that level. Since the God Knights were a top-tier team, there was no point in recruiting anyone unless they were highly skilled.

At that moment, Julian quietly came over and whispered. Theresa had temporarily left to check on other gladiators.

“Hey! Why are you hanging out with Theresa!”

“Ah. We’re lovers.”

Julian’s face turned red, and he let out a small scream. He was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even speak properly.

“What, what? You’re really crazy. How can you be lovers with Theresa?”

“Why? Are you jealous because I’m taking away the woman you love?”

“You’re crazy. Do you call that a joke? I would refuse that girl even if she was the last Elf and woman on Earth.”

“Why not?”

“Do you even have to ask? No matter how beautiful it is, I wouldn’t eat a poisonous mushroom. And I have a normal sexual appetite.”

Beomseok, who moved to the next Elf, smiled.

“That’s because you don’t know Theresa’s charm. She’s so cute.”

“Tsk. Everything cute in the world is dead. Do you expect me to believe that?”

Beomseok nodded. He genuinely thought Theresa was cute. He couldn’t help but be drawn to her willingness to give herself to him without resistance when he held her. If it were a normal woman, she would have packed her bags and run away by now.

“Hehe. That’s because you don’t know Theresa well. I’ll invite you to a team event later, so you can have a serious conversation with her. Then you’ll understand.”

“Tsk. No thanks. If you ever invite me when she’s there, I won’t forgive you. Theresa is just Theresa. She can never be another woman.”

“Well, if you don’t like it, I can’t force you.”

Julian watched Beomseok’s expression as he continued to look at the Elf with an indifferent tone. It wasn’t just because he was with Theresa. Since he was here, it was clear that he would be a competitor for Prisika’s recruitment.

“Hmm. But… I don’t see anyone from the Chaplin family… Knowing that Prisika would be coming out today. Are they coming later?”

Beomseok, who closed an Elf’s information window, said quietly, “Ah. They might not come.”

“Why not?”

“They gave up on matching my financial power.”

Julian laughed in disbelief. It was impossible for the God Knights to have outspent the Chaplin family.

“You. Your jokes have gotten a lot better. What financial power do you have? Stop joking.”

“But I actually have some this year.”

Julian, becoming nervous at his confident answer, asked cautiously, “How much do you have?”

“Well, I have over 12 billion Krang [fictional currency] in cash. And I can pull up to 20 billion Krang from the bank whenever I want. Hehe.”

Julian, now visibly nervous, swallowed hard. If Beomseok had that much money, he would be fighting a losing battle today. The funds Julian had prepared to buy Prisika were only about 7 billion.