Chapter 38

I Am Not a Reincarnator Chapter 38

Paradise (5)

Yongsan Auction Hall.

The largest auction hall in operation in South Korea, the regular auctions held mid-month attract the attention and participation of foreigners due to the high quality of the items on display.

“Haa.”

Upon arriving at the entrance of the auction hall, Haeun exhaled a breath filled with tension.

Tap, tap, tap.

She entered, leaning on her cane.

“Are you here to participate in the auction?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then please fill out the forms here first.”

After finally making her way to the counter, an employee handed her some forms.

Haeun wore a troubled expression.

The employee, who had been watching her stand there blankly, let out a short exclamation upon seeing the cane in her hand.

“Oh… I’m sorry. Do you happen to have a guardian with you?”

“…No, I don’t.”

“Hmm. Would it be alright if I fill out the forms for you?”

“Yes, please do.”

Indeed, the service at the largest auction hall in Korea was excellent.

After providing the simple personal information requested by the employee, she received a waiting number.

If she were a VIP, she could have entered without waiting, but since she barely met the entry requirements, she had no choice but to wait.

After waiting for about two hours,

“Let’s start the entry process~ For security reasons, there will be no entry or exit during the auction, so please complete any necessary tasks before entering!”

The entry began.

-Clunk, clunk.

“Oh… Wait, just a moment.”

Perhaps because the people waiting had all moved at once, she was jostled from all sides.

Thanks to her superhuman physique, she managed to avoid being pushed over, but she couldn’t stop her body from swaying.

“These bastards….”

She felt a surge of frustration, but she couldn’t cause a scene here.

Haeun waited for the crowd to disperse before slowly entering the auction hall.

“Excuse me, where is seat P-17?”

“Huh? Ah… Just go straight to the right.”

Each time she asked passersby for directions, she heard small murmurs.

-Blind people are participating in auctions these days.

-It was a dream a few years ago.

-But why doesn’t she have a guardian?

-Tsk, tsk. Who would want to live with a disabled person in these times?

Mockery and sighs.

Voices mixed with pity.

“……”

She clenched her fists tightly.

Her nails dug into her palms.

It hurt.

Not her palms, but her heart.

‘It’s okay.’

If she could just get the Dragon Eye.

All this frustration, this searing pain, could be relieved.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s begin the December Yongsan auction!”

The auctioneer ascended the podium.

“The first item I’ll introduce today is the [Ashen Incense Burner], known as the best 4-star relic! It’s a well-known relic that is easy to use in actual combat!”

The auction began with the usual flowery language.

As always, the auction started with a 4-star relic, like an appetizer.

“The minimum starting bid is 10 million won! The immediate buyout price is 1 billion won! Ah, everyone knows that immediate buyout is only possible with cash, right?”

Immediate buyout is only done with cash because too many people who win the bid don’t actually have the money.

‘If someone buys at the immediate buyout price, it means they desperately need the item.’

Isn’t it obvious that desperate people often lie?

“100 million!”

“130 million!!”

As the auction officially began, the atmosphere in the hall heated up.

The 4-star relic [Ashen Incense Burner] was, as the auctioneer confidently introduced, a high-performance relic among 4-star relics.

“340 million!”

“400 million!”

The price rose quickly.

“670 million!!”

“670 million!! 670 million has been bid! Is there anyone who wants to bid higher?”

“……”

“Yes! Then the [Ashen Incense Burner] will be sold to bidder number 157!”

670 million won.

Twice the amount of all the money Haeun had.

“…Ah.”

Money she couldn’t even afford to buy a 4-star relic.

The hope that had swelled in her head quickly cooled.

“No, no.”

Her clenched fist trembled slightly.

The [Ashen Incense Burner] was a popular relic, after all.

The Dragon Eye, on the other hand, was a much less versatile relic, so there was still hope.

“Then the next item I’ll introduce is…!”

The auction continued.

After the 4 to 5-star relics, which were like appetizers, were all sold,

“Haha! Thank you for waiting~! Now it’s time to introduce today’s main attractions!”

Swallow.

This was the real start of the auction.

In novel terms, it was just after the prologue ended.

“Wow~ This item hasn’t been auctioned in a long time! A relic that can only be obtained extremely rarely from a dragon monster! A relic with the incredible ability to dispel all curses!”

Finally.

“The 6-star relic [Dragon Eye]!”

Clap, clap, clap.

There was a formal round of applause.

‘Great!’

Judging by the lack of cheers, it didn’t seem like there would be much competition.

“This relic, first of all, is not a portable item but an absorption-type relic that merges with the user’s body when used! In other words!”

Her lips felt as if they were burning.

“You don’t need to carry it around and can permanently gain the power to ‘dispel’ all curses! Wow! Everyone! Wouldn’t it be reassuring to have such a relic in the unpredictable Gates?”

Shiver, shiver, shiver.

Her cheap prosthetic leg trembled slightly.

“The starting bid is 100 million won! The immediate buyout price is 1 billion won!”

“100, 100 million!”

As soon as the auction began,

Haeun raised her hand and shouted loudly.

“Phew!”

“Did she just bid the starting price?”

“Haha! She must be a newbie!”

“Hehe. Or maybe she’s a homeless person hoping to get rich quick?”

Mocking laughter echoed.

Haeun’s face turned red with embarrassment.

Their accurate guesses stung, and she bit her lip tightly, bowing her head.

“Hmm~ Haha. Yes, 100 million! 100 million has been bid! Is there anyone who wants to bid higher?”

The auctioneer also smiled, as if he had a good idea of what was happening.

‘Please.’

She clasped her hands and prayed earnestly.

‘No one, please don’t bid.’

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

And then.

“200 million.”

“255 million!!”

“Yes! A higher bid has been made!! Haha!”

Without any surprises or issues.

“Ah….”

A short sigh escaped her lips.

Her ashen eyes, which had lost focus, filled with moisture.

“320 million!”

“326 million!”

The price continued to rise.

Even just placing a higher bid required ten times the money she currently had.

“Ha… Haha.”

Her hope, which had been cold, turned to a bitter smile.

“Yeah… There’s no way I can afford it.”

A 6-star relic would cost at least 500 million won.

How could she even think about buying it with less than half of that?

“……”

She bit her lip so hard it bled.

Why, why, why.

What had she done wrong?

“Just once….”

Hadn’t her life been unbearably hard?

Hadn’t she been abandoned by parents she never knew and lived a dog’s life?

But.

Why, exactly.

“Just once… a miracle would be okay.”

She didn’t ask for much.

She didn’t want everything.

Just once.

Just one time.

“I just… want to be with Ojin…”

She knew about greed.

She knew about selfish thoughts.

Ojin had his own life.

He had his own aspirations and desires.

She had already bound his life for five years, or even longer.

She had cast the curse of ‘Song Haeun’ and pulled him into this dark void.

“Ah, uh.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“410 million!!”

“423 million!!”

“430 million!”

Even as tears fell.

The Dragon Eye was getting further and further away.

Even though it was already out of reach.

—Then.

“Huh. Are you here to get the Dragon Eye?”

A sly voice whispered in her ear.

A voice mixed with desire and greed.

“…Who are you?”

Haeun glared sharply in the direction of the voice.

“I am Choi Jongcheol from the Starlight Lake Guild. You’ve probably heard of the guild name.”

Starlight Lake Guild.

A healer-focused guild formed by Aquarius Awakeners.

“…So?”

“I’ve been watching you since you were waiting.”

A sticky voice.

“You were trying to buy the Dragon Eye, right?”

“……”

Haeun firmly closed her mouth.

A creeping sense of disgust spread down her spine.

“500 million. No… 600 million. I can lend it to you.”

“……!”

Haeun’s ashen eyes widened.

The spark of hope, which had been extinguished, flickered again.

“—In exchange.”

She could feel Choi Jongcheol getting closer.

His hand landed on her thigh.

“This guy is crazy….”

Haeun’s hand, which had been about to clench into a fist, suddenly stopped.

600 million.

The astronomical amount of money swirled in her mind.

“Huhuhu!”

A sly laugh echoed.

“In exchange… can you be my ‘friend’ for about five years? I’m not asking for much. Just eat together when we have time, have a drink, and then… you know what comes next, right?”

“……”

Shiver, shiver.

Haeun’s shoulders trembled.

A feeling like filth was poured on her thigh.

Nausea rose, making her want to vomit.

‘…But.’

600 million.

With that money, she might be able to get the Dragon Eye.

She could escape this dark void.

She could live with him.

‘But, but, but.’

Her lips, which were burning, trembled.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, forming droplets at the tip of her chin.

“What do you say?”

“……”

She squeezed her eyes shut.

She forced down the rising nausea.

She forced her mouth open, which refused to move.

“—I understand.”

Bang!

At that moment.

The auction hall door was roughly opened.

“What, what is it?”

“Who are you!”

A sudden commotion.

Thud, thud!

The sound of bodyguards rushing to the entrance.

“Auction participants cannot enter….”

“…Huh?”

“T, Task Force Officer?”

“Why is a Task Force Officer here….”

“Wait. Isn’t that the person from a few days ago at Seoul Station….”

The confused voices of the bodyguards.

And.

-Step.

A low, heavy footstep.

Echoed in her ear.

“—Huh?”

Her ashen pupils wavered.

‘What, what is it?’

-Step, step.

A familiar footstep.

-Step, step.

A footstep that shouldn’t be heard.

-Step, step.

A footstep that shouldn’t be there.

“Why, why…?”

Why are you.

Here…?

“Cough! Well, I apologize for the disturbance, everyone! T… Why is the Task Force Officer here….”

The auctioneer, with an awkward smile, looked at the uninvited guest who had entered during the auction.

-Creak, creak.

-Thud!

The uninvited guest pushed two large trunks to the floor.

Bundles of cash spilled out like snowflakes from the trunks that had fallen to the ground.

“—1 billion. All in cash.”

A low, deep voice echoed throughout the auction hall.