CHAPTER 148: CH 148: THE AUCTION HOUSE - PART 4

Lysera forced herself to swallow down the faint sting of jealousy curling inside her chest. It wasn’t the time to be distracted by such thoughts.

There were more pressing matters at hand, and Kana deserved her focus entirely.

Taking a quiet breath, she composed herself before looking at Kana, her tone calm but serious.

"Kana, I found out where your pendant is. It’ll be auctioned off tomorrow evening."

Lysera began, stepping closer,

Kana froze, eyes widening slightly.

"...Really?"

"Yes. There’s a problem, though. It’s a high-profile auction. Nobles, wealthy merchants, and even officials will be there. If we tried to bid for it, we wouldn’t stand a chance."

Lysera confirmed with a small nod, but her expression remained stern.

Kana frowned softly, lowering her gaze.

"Then... what do we do?"

"The best way is to steal it before the auction begins."

Lysera said quietly, leaning closer so only Kana could hear,

Kana stiffened, taken aback by how casually Lysera had said it. But before she could respond, Lysera continued.

"If you have a way to prove the pendant belongs to you, they won’t have any grounds to reclaim it. Even if they try to pursue legal action, they’ll lose."

Kana hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly.

"I do... have a way to prove it. The local lady who sold it to me... she engraved my mana into the pendant when I bought it. Only I can open it."

She admitted softly.

Lysera’s eyes softened at Kana’s words, but her expression remained determined.

"Good. Then leave the rest to me. I’ll find a way to sneak it out without anyone realizing."

Kana glanced at her, a little uneasy.

"Lysera... are you sure this will be okay?"

Lysera smiled faintly, her voice steady with quiet confidence.

"It’ll be fine. Trust me."

──

The next morning, Lysera left early for her assignment at the auction house.

The entire place buzzed with activity as preparations were underway. She moved through the busy corridors without drawing attention, acting like any other officer stationed there.

Her uniform worked in her favor — no one questioned her presence.

When she finally made her way toward the storage section, she carefully timed her movements, waiting for the right moment.

With dozens of people around, any mistake would be costly. But when a brief commotion broke out across the hall, drawing guards away, Lysera acted swiftly.

Her hand slipped into the secured display case, quiet and precise, retrieving the pendant in one fluid motion.

The cool weight of it rested in her palm, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself a breath of relief.

By the time her shift ended, Lysera returned to Kana’s room. Without a word, she pulled the pendant from her cloak and handed it over.

Kana’s breath caught, her hands trembling slightly as she took it.

"...You really did it."

"Of course."

Lysera said softly, her expression calm but her gaze steady.

"It’s yours. It belongs with you."

Kana clutched the pendant close to her chest, whispering a quiet thank-you. For the first time in days, the tension between them eased.

But their peace didn’t last.

Within two hours, chaos erupted across the auction house district. Guards ran through the streets, shouting orders as alarms rang out.

The news spread fast — stolen goods, panic, and an emergency lockdown. It wasn’t long before loud, urgent knocks rattled Kana’s door.

When she opened it, several auction house enforcers stood there, their expressions sharp and accusing.

"Miss Kana, we’ve received information about a stolen item — a pendant currently in your possession. Hand it over."

One of them said firmly,

Kana’s brows furrowed, and she shook her head.

"This pendant isn’t stolen. It’s mine."

They didn’t believe her. One of the enforcers stepped forward, extending his hand.

"We’ll be the judge of that."

Kana hesitated, then clutched the pendant protectively.

"I can prove it’s mine. Only I can open it. My mana is engraved in it."

She said, her voice steady despite her racing heart.

The enforcers exchanged skeptical glances but allowed her the chance. One of them first tried to open the pendant himself — twisting it, applying force — but nothing happened. Another tried, with the same result.

Then Kana stepped forward, took a steadying breath, and lightly channeled her mana into the pendant.

With a soft click, the pendant opened.

A tense silence followed as the enforcers stared at it in disbelief. One of them scowled, clearly frustrated, but after a long pause, he reluctantly stepped back.

"Tch... seems like this one belongs to you after all."

He muttered under his breath.

Without another word, they left, though the tension in the air was unmistakable.

Lysera, who had been standing behind Kana the entire time, shut the door once they were gone. Her expression was calm, but her voice was quiet and serious as she turned to Kana.

"This isn’t over. The auction house won’t let this go so easily. They’ll be watching you for the next few days."

She warned.

Kana tightened her grip on the pendant, feeling the weight of her words.

"...I understand."

Lysera placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, her gaze steady and protective.

"Don’t worry. I’ll handle it if they try anything again."

Though the pendant was finally back in Kana’s hands, neither of them could shake the lingering sense of unease.

That night, Kana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the soft glow of the pendant resting on the nearby table. Her mind refused to quiet down.

Every time she closed her eyes, she pictured the enforcers’ faces, the frustration in their voices, and the unspoken threat lingering behind their departure.

The thought that the auction house might come after her again made her chest feel tight.

Sensing her restlessness, Irielle shifted closer, draping an arm lightly over Kana’s waist while murmuring.

"It’s okay... we’re here."

On Kana’s other side, Lysera sat propped against the headboard, watching over them with calm, steady eyes.

Though she said nothing, her presence alone felt grounding, like an unspoken promise of safety.

Kana finally closed her eyes, the warmth of their nearness easing her anxiety. Slowly, the tension in her body faded, and she drifted into a fragile but peaceful sleep.