Chapter 80 - Auction (1)

The auction started at 4 PM.

Even though I arrived 30 minutes early, the seats in the auction house were almost full.

It meant that people’s interest was focused on today’s auction to that extent.

Because it had been a long time since a ‘Made in Abyss’ item had come out.

Most items from the Abyss were bound items that couldn't be traded or transferred, but occasionally, when tradable items came out on the auction market, their prices tended to be quite high.

Today’s main event was the map of Bastian. It was the only ‘Made in Abyss’ item among the items that would appear in this auction.

“Sir, your seat number is 44. Would you like to switch seats with me?”

Choi Ho-joong asked out of the blue.

“Why the seat?”

“Isn’t the number unlucky. I feel like it’s a seat where you won’t win the bid.”

“It’s fine. I like this number.”

If I had to be picky, 4 was the most meaningful number to me.

In my previous life, Johan Raven was born in April as the fourth of four brothers, and when I felt I had surpassed the Sword Master and realized the ultimate of the sword, it was also my 44th birthday.

Above all, the Holy Sword Bastian was also my fourth sword.

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t like that number, sir.”

“I said it’s fine, man.”

“Young master.”

“What now.”

“Look over there. 4 o’clock direction.”

Suddenly, Choi Ho-joong whispered in a low voice.

When I turned my gaze, I saw an unfamiliar woman.

From her expression, attire, and gait, I could immediately tell that she was the child of a prestigious family, as a sense of dignity was felt.

And the feeling that she was walking towards my side was also probably not a delusion.

“Who is it?”

“You don’t remember again, sir? That partial amnesia thing is really……”

“Forget it, just tell me who she is.”

“She is your classmate, sir. The eldest daughter of the Taeseong Sword Family, Heo Jeong-ah.”

“Is being a classmate the only relationship I have with her?”

“I wouldn’t know that. How would I know if you were just classmates or had a deeper relationship?”

“Are you kidding or serious?”

But I couldn't hear the answer to this question.

Because she was already in front of us.

“……”

Heo Jeong-ah stopped in front of me and looked at me for a moment.

It meant she had business with me, but the atmosphere she exuded was somehow unusual.

Therefore, I also met her gaze.

To find a clue about her feelings towards me from her eyes.

But.

‘I have no idea.’

It wasn't a gaze I had seen often.

During my time as Johan Raven, the feelings people had for me were either respect or submission.

“Seo Ji-han. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Moreover, the first mysterious words she threw at me only made me more confused.

It was a sharp feeling for a typical greeting.

But it wasn't just hostility either.

So it was an even more ambiguous situation.

“It’s been a while.”

Thus, for now, I decided to defer the answer with a safe greeting.

“A while? The only greeting you have for me now is that it’s been a while?”

A sharp reaction, as expected. In a situation like this, there was a high probability that whatever I said would be a slip of the tongue, so I just looked at her without a word.

Anyway, the one with business was Heo Jeong-ah.

“Right. It has been a while. It’s already been 7 years since you ignored all my calls and went off the grid.”

7 years ago, Seo Ji-han was seventeen. It was the time when his illness worsened, and he had to quit school, as far as I knew.

This one sentence made something feel clearer.

I could understand one of the feelings Heo Jeong-ah had for me.

Anger.

Even in her controlled tone, she was clearly angry at me.

‘An uncomfortable situation.’

It would have been simpler if some thugs were picking a fight with me.

Because I could just solve it with the logic of power.

In fact, receiving this kind of anger from others was not something I was used to, so finding an appropriate way to deal with it was more difficult for me than any swordsmanship.

“Sorry.”

Also, apologizing like this was the first time in my memory.

“I don’t need an apology like that.”

“That’s a shame.”

The apology I had made with a considerable resolution was not effective at all.

“Seo Ji-han, I came to say one thing to you.”

I immediately nodded my head.

“You’re a bad bastard.”

It was a completely unexpected word.

To curse with such a dignified voice. I was dazed for a moment, and then a hollow laugh escaped me.

She returned to her seat, so I couldn't even retort.

There was no attack I couldn't block, not even the swift sword of any Sword Master, but now I had been completely taken down helplessly.

“Choi Ho-joong, what do you think?”

“About what, sir?”

“That I’m a bad bastard.”

“At least in the past, you weren’t someone who would hear such words.”

“Then what about now?”

“You just heard it, didn’t you?”

“Are you messing with me now too?”

Not only did he just watch his master get mentally attacked, but he even confirmed the kill.

If this were my time as Johan Raven, he would have been fired immediately.

***

There was still time until the auction started, so I rummaged through my phone’s history once again.

In fact, Seo Ji-han had suffered from a long-term illness and was not very sociable, so there weren't many records.

Most of the conversation history was with his mother, Choi Ho-joong, and recently, old man Han Byeong-cheol.

I turned on the messenger app and scrolled all the way down. The last entry went back a whopping 7 years.

The name of the conversation partner was JA.

Now I remembered.

When I was first reincarnated as Seo Ji-han and was searching through my phone’s history like today, I had seen the name and passed it by, thinking, ‘What’s this?’. It turned out to be the initials of Heo Jeong-ah’s name.

The conversation content had been one-sided for several months.

Heo Jeong-ah had persistently sent messages to Seo Ji-han, asking about his well-being, and at some point, Seo Ji-han stopped replying at all.

Moreover, all the later messages were long letters filled with concern and worry.

Except for the people of the Haewon Sword Family, Heo Jeong-ah was the only person Seo Ji-han had been in contact with. She was the only being he could call a friend.

‘And yet, he ended the relationship in this way.’

I could understand what he was thinking.

He must have had it harder than anyone during his terminally ill days when his condition was worsening.

But being sworn at today was also something he fully deserved.

Now that he was no longer fighting the disease, he should have contacted her again, and that was the proper thing to do.

“Sir, what are you thinking so hard about?”

I came back to my senses at Choi Ho-joong’s call.

“This is unlike you, sir.”

“What is.”

“Until now, you have never shown any openings, sir. It was as if you wouldn’t be caught even if there was an assassin behind your back. But now, it feels a bit different, shall I say?”

“You’re talking nonsense. If I seem to have an opening, try attacking me right now.”

“If I did that now, I wouldn’t even be able to find my bones.”

Choi Ho-joong shook his head from side to side.

“You know well.”

“By the way, it seems the auction is about to start.”

Finally, the safes began to be brought into the auction house.

There were eight safes. It meant that there were also eight items to be auctioned today.

“Ho-joong, you saw the auction item list too, right?”

“Yes. Though it’s just a pie in the sky for me.”

“If there’s anything you need, tell me.”

“Sir, don’t tell me……”

“Then why else would I have brought you here.”

He suddenly wore a touched expression.

“Heo Jeong-ah of the Taeseong Sword Family. She really has no eye for people. To call such a good master a bad bastard.”

“Enough about that. Is there anything you have your eye on among today’s auction items?”

“It’s called Shallok’s Ring, I heard it’s an item that slightly raises your senses.”

I liked his attitude of not hesitating for a second or showing any reservation.

“It’s the perfect item for a dense guy like you.”

“Hey! What have I done that was so dense?”

“If a dense guy knew he was dense, would he be a dense guy?”

“You’re too much, sir.”

The auction began soon.

Coincidentally, the order of the items was Shallok’s Ring at number 1, and the map of Bastian at the last, number 8.

The items I had to win today were the first and the last.

“Now! Let’s start with the first item! Shallok’s Ring. As for this item……”

Along with the host’s explanation, as the safe door opened, Choi Ho-joong’s eyes sparkled.

Since I was reborn as Seo Ji-han, it was true that I owed Ho-joong a lot.

Today, I was thinking of repaying some of that.

Because I had secured a much thicker capital than originally planned by touring dungeons with Rosie for the past two days.

It didn't matter if I had to overpay a little.

“420 million won!”

“420 million won! We have the highest bid. Is there anyone else?”

The bidding amount, which had been rising rapidly, slowed down after exceeding 400 million.

At that moment, I participated in the bidding for the first time.

“500 million!”

Choi Ho-joong next to me was startled and looked at me.

“Sir! Did you suddenly win the lottery or something?”

“Stop making a fuss. You think I can’t even do this much?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that people who have more are usually stingier.”

Or maybe that was my usual image.

“500 million! We have the highest bid. Is there anyone else?”

A moment of silence fell at the host’s question.

It didn't matter if it went up a little more from here.

Because it was my iron rule not to be stingy with investments in my people.

Moreover, seeing the item in person, I thought 500 million wasn't expensive.

“Please!”

Choi Ho-joong put his hands together and was just praying that there would be no more bids.

“The current highest bid is 500 million. I will now count to three.”

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.”

Thwack!

The host’s gavel struck the table, confirming the successful bid.

“Oooh!”

At that moment, Choi Ho-joong was about to shout, so I hurriedly covered his mouth.

He looked at me with a touched expression and bowed his head.

“I guess I won’t have to see your dense side anymore.”

“As expected, it’s all about having a lot of money! Suddenly, there’s a halo behind your head, sir……”

Choi Ho-joong’s nonsense continued even while the auction was in progress.

In fact, from item number 2 to item number 7, I was not interested, so I just watched comfortably.

And in the end, the real gem was Shallok’s Ring at number 1.

Ho-joong’s choice was excellent.

And finally, the 8th safe, the main event of the day, opened, and the map of Bastian was revealed.

“You’ve waited a long time! From now on, the Made in Abyss! We will now put the map of Bastian up for auction!”

At the sight of the map, people began to murmur.

The brilliant light surrounding the parchment was enough to give a fantastical feeling.

“What on earth is Bastian?”

At the same time, the same question erupted from various places.

The information about this map was still undisclosed. Nevertheless, just the fact that it was ‘Made in Abyss’ had gathered this many people.

“I’m sorry, but it has not been revealed what Bastian is.”

“What! So you’re telling us to participate in the auction without even knowing what this item is? Now I see why the information was undisclosed until now!”

It was only for a moment that people cheered at the appearance of the map. At the host’s answer, complaints immediately began to pour out.

It was a very pleasing situation for me.

Because if this map looked less attractive, I would be able to win the bid at a more reasonable price.

“And before we start the auction, there is one more thing I need to tell you about this map. It is a very important matter.”

Without paying any mind to all the clamor, the host calmly continued to speak.

This was also not bad information for me.