It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 98
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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500 Years as Just an Extra,
The Original Story Still Won’t Begin
Episode 098
“2, 2 million gold… has been bid.”
Even the Auctioneer stuttered in confusion, and the Auction Hall was engulfed in enormous silence.
‘Again, again that woman in the VIP Section!’
‘She just spent 500,000 gold and now a whopping 2 million?’
‘What exactly is her identity? Did she bring an entire Territory’s documents or something?’
For the people here, the number 2 million itself wasn’t that shocking.
However, mobilizing that 2 million gold in Physical Assets or Cash was a completely different story.
No matter how much they guaranteed anonymity, using Checks, Bonds, Rights Certificates and such here would be foolish.
To convert to cash, one would have to visit banks or guilds, and in that process, the source would inevitably be revealed.
Of course, there were people who didn’t care about such things. Just like right now.
“2.2 million gold.”
Someone who had never bid once raised their Bidding Paddle. It was the Peacock Mask Man who had been quietly watching from the corner all this time.
“2.2 million gold has been bid!”
“2.3 million gold!”
Before the Auctioneer’s shout even ended, an even higher amount was immediately proposed. It was a bid from the woman who had lost the Negligee to Ailesia.
“What, that woman had a lot of money?”
“Why did she give up at just 500,000 earlier?”
“Who knows? Strategic focus perhaps.”
With limited budget, boldly abandoning items that aren’t priorities is a natural strategy.
However, Termion thought this entire situation didn’t make sense.
“How would she know what items are coming next to save money? It’s suspicious.”
“I think so too. The Negligee was probably just a casual probe out of curiosity, and this was what she was really targeting.”
“…It seems we’re not proper VIPs after all.”
“Right. Only flashy on the surface, but it’s the perfect position to become public enemies.”
They hadn’t expected the Auction House to truly maintain security for them anyway.
There was clear evidence they had tipped off specific individuals about items not in the Catalog, so would they really protect other customer information to the end? The real VIPs were probably those two people who just bid.
“2.5 million gold.”
“2.6 million gold!”
While Ailesia and Termion briefly conversed, the bidding price was soaring in 100,000 increments.
“3 million gold!”
Finally, when the woman shouted as if driving in the final nail, the man who had been hesitating for a while quietly lowered his Bidding Paddle. Seeing this, the Auctioneer opened her mouth with a trembling voice.
“3 million gold… has been bid. Are there any higher bids?”
Even those not participating in the auction watched the Stage with anxious hearts, while Ailesia fluttered her Bidding Paddle as if fanning herself.
“4 million gold.”
“…4 million gold has been bid.”
Now even the Auctioneer seemed drained, leaning against the Platform. Termion was similarly fed up.
“Is it possible to win your own item at auction?”
“Yes. But they won’t return the item until payment is made. That’s why the Auction House doesn’t stop people from bidding on their own items. They have absolutely nothing to lose.”
Once put up for auction, the exhibition of a successfully bid item cannot be cancelled.
Therefore, what Ailesia was doing now was tantamount to donating money to the Auction House.
Moreover, not participating in bidding for one’s own exhibited item was an unwritten rule. At worst, you’d only lose money, and it was a kind of cheating to intentionally drive up auction prices.
“Even so, the expenditure is too excessive. There’s no guarantee of obtaining information worth that much.”
“I appreciate the concern, but aren’t you forgetting something? Do you think I really bid 4 million gold?”
At those words, Termion, recalling the Auction House’s payment method, let out a brief exclamation.
“Don’t tell me, the commission?”
“Right. Even if I bid 4 million, the actual cost is only 1.2 million gold.”
Since the seller and buyer are the same person, no matter how high the bid goes, the only real burden is the commission.
Therefore, if she was determined to raise the amount, the opponent would need to bid at least three times that amount to have a chance of winning.
“You planned this from the beginning?”
“Yes. I have plenty of money anyway.”
“If successful, you’d make money without lifting a finger.”
“And I’m planning to bid up to 4.5 million.”
Before Ailesia’s words even finished, that woman from earlier raised her Bidding Paddle.
“4.2 million…!”
“4.5 million!”
Ailesia deliberately shouted the auction price in an even more cheerful voice. It was clearly a tone that seemed to openly mock the opponent.
“Grrr!”
The woman, unable to bear it any longer, stood up abruptly and glared at the VIP Section. Her Butterfly Mask covered her entire face except for her mouth, and with its elaborately jeweled borders and fluttering feather decorations, it was incredibly gaudy.
Then, the Peacock Mask Man, who had seemed to give up on the auction long ago, spoke up.
“4.8 million.”
At those words, the Butterfly Mask Woman, gritting her teeth, shouted almost desperately.
“5 million gold!”
“Wow, I give up.”
Ailesia threw her Bidding Paddle away entirely and shrugged her shoulders. Even in the darkness, her silhouette would have been clearly visible.
The Peacock Mask Man also lowered his arm. For some reason, he didn’t seem particularly disappointed.
“5 million gold, are there any higher bids?”
Everyone else held their breath and only watched the Butterfly Mask Woman. After about ten seconds passed, the Auctioneer declared the winning bid.
“Dragon Bone, sold for 5 million gold! This breaks our Auction House’s highest bidding record!”
Clap clap clap!
Amid the pouring applause, the woman who won the Dragon Bone was trembling all over, only staring at the VIP Section.
“Geez, look at those eyes. She looks ready to devour us.”
“She’s looking at us like we’re mortal enemies.”
“Thanks to her, we made money, right? Sitting for a little over an hour and earning 3 million gold. How easy is that?”
“Good grief.”
It was far too casual a tone for someone’s impression of earning money close to the Duchy’s entire 2-year budget.
‘That’s about double the Monster Subjugation Byproducts.’
Termion let out a hollow laugh and stood up from his seat.
“Now all that’s left is to return.”
“They probably won’t let us leave peacefully, right? That Butterfly Mask definitely has connections with the Auction House.”
“It’s questionable whether she’ll readily pay the money.”
“She’ll pay. With the intention of taking it back later.”
Ailesia opened the door and winked at Termion.
“Let’s go receive the money and greet our guests.”
“We’ve prepared Mithril Coins and Gold Ingots. This is the item you won earlier.”
When they came out to the Auction House Entrance, Phantom was already waiting.
He showed Ailesia the Negligee for confirmation, then packed it in a box and wrapped it in silk, and also personally opened one small chest and one large chest to show them.
“Good.”
“After deducting the Negligee winning bid of 500,000 gold and the Dragon Bone sales commission of 1.5 million gold, the total is 3 million gold. Please verify.”
“What kind of transaction can we do without that level of trust? You must have put in the right amount.”
When Ailesia answered in a languid voice, Phantom politely bowed and gestured to the Staff Members to load the chests onto the Carriage.
“We’ll escort you directly to your desired destination.”
“Drop us off in front of that shop from earlier. The Ash Wood Staff, was it?”
“Are you sure you’ll be alright? It would be quite cumbersome for you to carry it yourself.”
“Don’t let appearances fool you—this guy’s incredibly strong.”
When Ailesia tapped Termion’s arm, he roughly shrugged his shoulders once. Even through the wolf mask, his eyes conveyed such clear annoyance that the emotion was palpable.
“It was an honor to have you visit. Please take care.”
“How do I come back next time?”
“Just show my business card to the person who first guided you here.”
“I’ll remember that.”
With those words, Ailesia and Termion boarded the carriage. The two deliberately pushed the chest to one side and sat next to each other.
Snap.
Right after the carriage departed, Ailesia snapped her fingers and lowered her mask.
“Is it the same magic as before?”
“I’ve blocked the magical power flow itself, so pretty much everything should be blocked. If dark magic were being used, I would have smelled it by now.”
From the moment they entered Black Market Street, Ailesia had been on high alert the entire time.
Even she couldn’t extract or eliminate demonic energy without others knowing.
The only thing she could detect was the burnt smell that demonic energy gave off when it moved, but fortunately, she hadn’t caught any such scent so far.
“That negligee will only activate its dark magic when the wearer puts it on. I’ll have to experiment with it when we get back.”
“…You’re going to wear it yourself?”
“Then who else would wear it? If you’re worried, I’ll change into it right in front of you.”
“Why does the conversation always flow in that direction?”
There was absolutely no letting her guard down. Termion glared at her with an exasperated expression, but Ailesia just grinned broadly.
“Let me put this away first.”
She opened her subspace and put the box containing the negligee inside.
“Are you leaving the chest as is?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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