77.

I suddenly recalled the backstory of the Heart of Winter.

In fact, after Viscount Craig learned about the existence of that jewel, he had pleaded with Dante to return it.

 

[Please return it to me!]

[No.]

 

But Dante refused outright.

The reason was to give Viscount Craig a motive.

Specifically, a motive to keep Lucian in Rose Cross boarding school.

What if, after Lucian left, he found out that the family heirloom had been sold?

He would surely be furious.

So, to avoid being questioned about the heirloom, the baron had to keep Lucian at the boarding school by any means necessary.

‘How ruthless…’

Clicking my tongue briefly, I glanced around.

As the host assured that there was no issue with the ownership of the jewel, greed flickered again in the eyes of the guests.

And understandably so.

It was an heirloom of the prestigious Duke of Kalleid family.

Just keeping it well would exponentially increase its value.

Or, like the heroine in the original story, one could return the jewel to the Duke of Kalleid and earn favor.

Its utility was indeed limitless.

‘Anyway.’

I sharpened my focus.

‘My goal hasn’t changed.’

I had to obtain the Heart of Winter, no matter how many competitors there were.

I entered the auction house despite the risk of being noticed by Dante, solely for that purpose.

‘I can do it. No, I have to do it.’

I reflexively grabbed the paddle in front of me.

Noticing this, Benedict glanced at me and asked.

“Is that ring the item you want?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Understood.”

Benedict nodded and tied a red ribbon around his paddle.

‘No way?’

I widened my eyes.

At the same time, Benedict raised his paddle without hesitation.

And the red ribbon…

In this auction, it signified a bid of 100,000 Derk.

The host’s eyes bulged as if they were about to pop out.

“100, 100,000… Derk! The starting bid is 100,000 Derk!”

“……”

“……”

The room fell silent as if cold water had been poured over it.

And understandably so, as it was an enormous amount.

Of all the auction items so far, only a few had a final bid exceeding 100,000 Derk.

I looked at Benedict in shock, almost fainting.

“What are you doing?”

Was he planning to take it away?

That item was the only magical artifact that could awaken Lucian!

Benedict spoke calmly.

“As I said, if the investment value is sufficient, exceptions can be made.”

“What?”

“In my judgment, the lady is that exception.”

Benedict smiled confidently at me, who was stunned.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get that ring.”

* * *

The auction hall was buzzing with excitement.

But there was one person completely detached from that atmosphere.

It was Dante, the host of this auction.

Watching the auction proceedings with a bored expression, chin resting on his hand,

“So, Benedict is attending the auction?”

Dante asked Liam, who stood behind him, in a disinterested voice.

Officially, the identities of the attendees were kept secret, but Dante, as the host, knew all the details.

“Where is that guy sitting?”

“Please, Marquis. It’s not ‘that guy,’ it’s Count Luneburg…”

Liam, groaning, pointed resignedly.

Dante squinted his eyes and looked in that direction.

In the distance, he saw Benedict sitting.

Next to him was a woman with long, silver hair.

Dante’s eyes narrowed.

‘What is that?’

The smoothly shining silver hair irritated him somehow.

Swimming in the red water, the silver hair and the continuous flow of blood from the wrist…

‘Ha, how long has it been since I had that nightmare?’

Dante frowned deeply.

Yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off that woman, which irritated him even more.

‘Damn it.’

Dante cursed inwardly and began to observe the two closely.

Benedict selectively purchased only the most valuable auction items.

In contrast, the woman remained silent the entire time.

Then.

“The highlight of today’s auction!”

 

The auctioneer cried out at the top of his lungs.

The item on the stage was a sapphire ring with a vivid blue hue.

The sapphire, as blue as the ocean, was surrounded by diamonds.

Dante’s eyes focused intently on the ring.

‘I like that.’

Imagining the large sapphire glittering on Elze’s slender, pale finger slightly lifted his previously low spirits.

‘There’s no jewel that wouldn’t suit her, after all.’

At the same time, the auctioneer spoke with a confident voice.

“You all know it well, don’t you? A treasure with a history intertwined with the Duke of Kalleid!”

After pausing deliberately to heighten the anticipation, the auctioneer shouted again.

“The Heart of Winter!”

The audience erupted in murmurs of surprise.

Dante could easily detect the intense greed on the faces of the participants.

Although many precious items had been auctioned so far, none had excited the audience as much as the Heart of Winter.

So…

“Liam.”

Dante beckoned Liam with a finger.

“Yes, Marquis.”

“I want that jewel.”

“…Then why didn’t you mention it earlier?”

Liam groaned.

When he had presented the entire list of items for the auction, Dante had shown little interest!

Why the sudden change of heart?

But Dante, smiling brightly, exerted pressure.

In the end, Liam was the one to back down.

“I’ll try to get it. But I can’t guarantee it.”

“What do you mean you can’t get it?”

Dante widened his eyes and looked at Liam.

“My secretary is incredibly capable. I trust only my secretary.”

“…”

It’s better to die than to endure this.

Liam groaned inwardly and glanced at the stage.

Although the auction host is not supposed to participate in the auction, there were ways to obtain it.

They could use a proxy or buy it from the successful bidder by offering a higher price.

At that moment.

‘What’s that?’

Liam’s eyes widened.

A paddle with a red ribbon was raised boldly.

100,000 Derk.

The highest starting bid in the auction.

And the owner of that paddle was…

‘Count Luneburg?!’

At the same time, the auctioneer, astonished, announced in a choking voice.

“100, 100,000… Derk! The starting bid is 100,000 Derk!”

Dante, now sitting up straight, scowled.

“What the hell is that guy doing?”

A starting bid of 100,000 Derk.

Was he out of his mind?

But Benedict was relentless.

100,000, 120,000, 140,000, 160,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000…

The amount soared frighteningly high.

Some nobles tried to compete but quickly dropped out, overwhelmed.

Finally.

“300,000… 300,000 Derk!”

The auctioneer’s voice trembled.

“Anyone else?”

“…”

“…”

The silence was so complete that you could hear a pin drop.

Swallowing dryly, the auctioneer shouted loudly.

“The Heart of Winter, sold for 300,000 Derk!”

At the same time, Benedict leaned toward the woman next to him and whispered something.

The woman, who had been staring intently at the Heart of Winter, lightly nodded at Benedict.

Then.

The woman seemed to sense Dante’s gaze and glanced in his direction.

Dante flinched.

‘Wait a moment.’

Though it was far away, he could recognize her.

The woman’s eyes, visible between the butterfly mask, were a sweet honey color.

“…”

A sharp, red glare flickered.

He knew in his head.

In the empire, light brown or golden eyes were not rare.

Even so.

…His heart chilled as if he had swallowed a piece of ice.