"This," Lapui continued, "is a priceless survival tool. Bidding starts at 700,000 credits."

That meant one thing—this wasn't something the auction house could replicate. A true relic.

The bids started flying fast. One million. One point five. Two million.

Dario gave a low whistle. "This one's gonna hurt someone's wallet."

But as the numbers climbed, I noticed Sia's hand relax slightly. Almost…relieved.

It hit me then. She wasn't worried about the pendant. She was waiting for something else.

Her eyes kept drifting to the auction list displayed faintly above the stage. I followed her gaze.

There it was. Lot #7.

The Hollow Weapon.

***

The girl's eyes shone like no other when she gazed at it.

It was almost like there was something she wanted to achieve, something she wanted to fulfill.

I could see the fire in her eyes...the way her eyes shined.

And it reminded me of something.

The days when I still had it in me.

Although I had forced myself to stand up, to stop being depressed.

Although I had tried to bury the trauma of my battles in the Willow Greek, that was the point when I lost my shine.

...where I lost my drive.

And I didn't know how to say this, but looking at her made me feel something different.

That shine in her eyes motivated me, almost like they were bewitching me to finally start getting back at it.

All those months back when grandpa announced his retirement, I had the drive to do something.

To bring a change in my fate.

But all the killings...all the blood...the deaths had killed something in me.

And no matter what Damien said or what that fucking author had for me.

I could not stop but be dazed looking at the girl standing beside me.

If Pixie had become someone I had come to love and protect over my dead body because of all the guilt and because of how I got used to her, then in Sia I saw that flame of mine I thought had died long back.

A slightly unhinged smile started taking hold of me as I felt myself feeling more and more better.

The bid for the Aeges Pendant had rose as high as 900,000 credits, the artifact in itself was simply mind bobbling.

It basically gave you an extra life if you used the relic right.

Not removing my gaze from Sia's figure, I asked Dario to hand me the mic.

"I bid 3 million credits!!"

"..."

The whole crowd silenced into a fucking temple.

Not a single person dared open their mouth when I spoke the price.

I had practically raised the price of the item more than thrice the current bid.

Damien had woken up from his self induced sleep as he gave me a wry smile.

I knew what he wanted to say to me, but I was too far gone.

So what if this girl was supposed to be the death of me?

All this while, wasn't I fighting just to change my fate?

Then why should I be scared of something the author has decided for me?

I looked at my status, deciding to increase my strength in any way possible.

I had decided months back after all, that I would rise above all.

Depression had hit me so hard back then that I had forgotten what I was.

...who I was.

Grandpa Venus raised an eye, looking at me weirdly as I calmly walked back to one of the sofa beside the two former kings.

It had been a long while since I felt this way.

Even King Philip could not help but smile as he saw a drastic change in my attitude.

No one liked a pussy after all.

I decided that it had been a long time since I had started reeling myself in and lived with fear.

Now was the time I would start making a stand again.

And as Mr. Lapui announced that the item belonged to me, I couldn't help but look at my current status.

[Status]

Name: Noah D. Romero

Race: Human

Title: The Fated Villain

Strength: 126=134

Agility: 111

Mana: 0

Charm: 69

Soul Power: 497=498

Skills: Soul Siphoning [Lvl4], Mana Drain [Lvl3]

Coins: 999,999,999,9999+

***

Although I hadn't improved much since the last time, it was expected since I hadn't really put much efforts into growing stronger recently.

Meanwhile, King Philip coughed: "Ho ho– I did not know the Romero house gave their heirs such a huge amount of pocket."

Meanwhile, Grandpa's lips twitched as he stared blankly at me, then gritting his teeth, the old man told the fallen king of Jade about the smarts of yours truly.

"This boy had already forseen the value of the old currency system falling before the God's descended and bought half the lands of our nation with all the money I'd given him as a part of the inheritance taken away from him.

The worst part was that not even all of us had guessed that the value of the lands would inflate so much after God's descended.

...and that is how this brat became one of the richest people in the Indian subcontinent, if not the other ones." Grandpa Venus gritted his teeth, knowing full well that Noah had taken advantage of him.

This however, made Noah's image even higher in Philip's mind.

"I'd expect nothing less from the Prince of Romero's!!" He said, making me feel a lump in my throat, that nickname was something I had long lost.

I was just a hindrance in my own family now since everyone had been trying to usurp Dad's position after he died.

If not for Grandpa Venus taking charge of the throne again, maybe I would have long been used as a chess piece among the different uncles and aunts.

Not anymore though, looking at the auction items list, I could not help but feel sad for Sia.

After all, no matter how I felt about her, I needed the sword just as much she neeched it if not more.

The only salvation was that now I finally knew the name of the God I had to kill.

Bearateme.

***