WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 320: Episode 60: Taste of Ruin (3)

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The auction house was one of the few places where one could obtain constellation artifact-grade items that were difficult to find in the Dokkaebi Compendium or ordinary auction houses.

The Prophet Anna Croft had several items she absolutely needed to acquire here.

"Security won't be a problem, right?"

[Of course. This auction house lies within Olympus's jurisdiction zone. As long as you have our protection, no one will be able to touch you within the Nexus of the Constellations.]

"Thank you."

When Anna bowed politely, the shadows of the Constellations protecting her disappeared. She turned to Selena Kim at her side.

"Let's go in, then."

"Yes."

Selena answered in a subdued voice.

As they walked through the auction house corridors, Anna watched Selena's expression. Selena had always been kind and friendly to everyone, always smiling, but at some point, she had stopped smiling.

"Selena."

"Yes."

Anna knew exactly when it had started.

The Gourmet Association. More precisely, it had been since Selena met the Demon King of Salvation.

"It's nothing."

Selena lowered her head and looked ahead again.

Even though it was something Anna had foreseen to some extent, she strangely felt lonely.

There were futures one couldn't properly prepare for, even after knowing about them. Human emotions were especially like that.

[The 8,611th Constellation Auction will now begin!]

This wasn't the time to get caught up in such thoughts.

Looking at the excited Constellations and Incarnations filling the audience seats, Anna reaffirmed her resolve. There wasn't a single Status among them she could take lightly.

They were all enemies she had to kill.

[This is the first auction item!]

An upper-mid-level dokkaebi on the stage conducted the auction.

Anna and Selena took the seats they had reserved in advance and joined the auction. Several items sold in an instant, and Anna bought a few of them.

[Manticore's Tooth]

[Ancient Dragon Scale Fragment]

[Old Yeti Hide]

Most of the items she purchased were rare materials. She had confirmed every one through [future vision], and there wasn't the slightest error in her list.

These items were essential for creating a Colossus.

A few Incarnations joined the bidding, but Anna had already checked their highest bids through [future vision], so she had no trouble winning the items.

After checking her list, Anna rose from her seat.

"It looks like we're mostly done. Then, we should..."

[Now, today's special item has arrived!]

At the sudden announcement from the stage, Anna flinched and turned her head.

Noticing Anna's reaction, Selena asked, "What is it?"

"It's nothing."

Anna's expression stiffened as she stared at the auction stage.

[This is an item called the Old House Toad!]

Kwiruk, kwiruk.

[Haha, cute, isn't it? Despite appearances, this item is constellation artifact-grade...]

"Give me an old house, and I'll give you a new house. Give me an old house, and I'll give you a new house."

[It can talk quite well, too. The appraisal of this auction item hasn't been completed yet, but it surely has tremendous value...]

That item hadn't appeared in the prophecy?

Anna had already checked the full list of auction items through [future vision]. Yet nowhere in the fragments of the future she had seen had this item been put up for auction.

That meant some variable was interfering with [future vision].

Anna glanced toward the Constellations of Olympus. A few nodded at her as if telling her not to worry.

Without hesitation, she activated [Arch-Demon's Eyeball] toward the stage. Her eyes glowed bright red, and soon, the hidden functions of the item Old House Toad appeared on Anna's retina.

"We need to buy that."

"...Anna-nim?"

[The starting bid is 500,000 coins!]

As soon as the dokkaebi spoke, Anna immediately placed a bid.

"600,000 coins."

It was a larger amount than she expected, but the Old House Toad was worth it.

+

This item contains a Legendary-grade fable.

This item devours worn items and exchanges them for new items of the same grade.

+

Its function was simple. It ate an old item and spat out another item of the same grade. It sounded simple, but its possible applications were endless.

"Contact the nebula and gather as many coins as possible."

"Why do we need an item like that...?"

"With that alone, we can get any item we want whenever we need it."

It seemed the other Constellations and Incarnations still didn't understand the toad's purpose. That meant this was their only chance to win it.

[The current highest bid is 600,000 coins! If there are no higher bids...]

But then.

"700,000 coins."

[Oh! We have 700,000 coins!]

A light indicating a bid lit up on the opposite side of the audience.

A black demonic blade that absorbed the sunlight.

Anna's expression hardened.

[The bidder is the Incarnation Yu Junghyeok!]

* * *

Yu Junghyeok's appearance after Anna caused a small commotion throughout the auction house. Both were famous Incarnations in the Earth Scenario.

"Anna-nim, if this goes wrong..."

"I never expected the Supreme King to be here."

Anna smiled as if a fire had been lit inside her. She raised her hand and shouted, "800,000 coins!"

[Incarnation Anna Croft, 800,000 coins!]

"900,000 coins."

[900,000 coins! We immediately have 900,000 coins!]

Junghyeok didn't back down.

The auction battle continued, one bid following another. Once the amount exceeded 1,000,000 coins, the atmosphere in the auction house heated up. The price could easily become inflated, but Anna remained calm.

You can't beat me.

Tzztztzt!

A brief headache and dizziness washed over her. Fragments of the future appeared on Anna's retina. Through a momentary use of [future vision], she succeeded in reading Junghyeok's maximum bid.

"1,280,000 coins."

[Incarnation Anna Croft, 1,280,000 coins!]

Junghyeok didn't say anything after Anna's bid. Just as she expected.

[Now, if there are no further bids...]

Anna smiled.

1,280,000 coins was an enormous sum, but it was difficult to call it a loss. The Old House Toad was worth that much, and if she could get it...

"2,000,000 coins!"

At the woman's voice from directly above her, Anna staggered. She wasn't the only one surprised.

[T-two million coins? Such an amount, so suddenly...]

"Han Suyeong-nim, the nouveau riche of this Area, has arrived."

[And who might you be...?]

"You don't know me? Black Flame Demon Emperor Han Suyeong. CEO of Han Suyeong Corporation, and the true power behind Kim Dokja Company."

Lee Hyeongseong, standing beside her, asked in shock, "Suyeong-ssi, is that true? When did you...?"

Anna narrowed her eyes and glared at Suyeong.

The Black Flame Demon Emperor of the Korean Peninsula. It was a name Anna knew well.

"What are you trying to pull, Black Flame Demon Emperor?"

"I just really want that toad."

Anna activated [future vision] again. Even if it only predicted the immediate future, using [future vision] so many times in a day put tremendous strain on her body. But she had no choice now. This had become a contest of pride.

Tzztztzt.

Suyeong's maximum bid appeared before Anna's eyes. Some time passed, and Anna wiped away the blood running from her nose due to the overload on her Incarnation body.

"I'll bid 3,000,000 coins."

"Anna-nim!"

Selena cried out in alarm, but Anna didn't budge.

"We have to buy it."

The amount that appeared in Anna's [future vision] was 2,999,999 coins.

[We have 3,000,000 coins!]

The dokkaebi danced with delight, while loud cheers erupted from the audience.

[As expected of a Prophet!]

[I heard she was cunning and shrewd, but she's quite bold with money.]

The audience was swept up in excitement, but Anna wasn't excited in the slightest.

"Anna-nim, 3,000,000 coins is too much. This is far too great a loss!"

"We can take out a dokkaebi loan."

"To go that far..."

"It is a loss, but in a sense, it isn't. If we can keep it from them, then that alone means we avoid a loss."

"What does that mean...?"

"The fact that they kept matching our bids means they desperately wanted this item too."

Anna looked back at Suyeong and the Kim Dokja Company allies staring at her. If they had come this far, there was a high chance they would also participate in Gigantomachia. If they were opponents destined to clash someday, she needed to crush their spirit now.

Suyeong had both hands raised as if conceding defeat.

"Well, there's nothing we can do. We lost. Completely, one hundred percent lost."

"..."

"That's why the world is unfair. You can't beat an Incarnation born with a golden spoon, you know?"

Something felt strange.

They had won the item, so why did the other side look happy?

[The successful bidder, please come down to the stage.]

At the dokkaebi's call, Anna headed toward the stage. Even then, the uneasy feeling didn't disappear.

Suyeong was snickering at her, while Junghyeok stood expressionless.

Anna wanted to use [future vision] to read what would happen next, but she had already used up her limit for the day.

Wait, could it be?

When she finally stood before the auction item, Anna asked reflexively, "Who submitted this item?"

[Well, it was someone from Kim Dokja Company...]

"I won't buy it."

[What?]

The dokkaebi looked dumbfounded.

[You cannot receive a refund for an item once the bid has been won. If you do not pay the amount...]

"This is clear fraud. Cancel the winning bid immediately."

[Fraud?]

Anna pointed at the Kim Dokja Company allies.

"They colluded to engineer an artificial bidding war. They never intended to purchase this item in the first place."

Suyeong clicked her tongue at Anna's accusation.

"What are you talking about? We were really going to buy it."

"Even if you really intended to buy it, this auction is invalid. Those people are the ones who submitted the item. Isn't it forbidden for the seller to participate in the auction for their own item?"

At those words, Suyeong and Junghyeok looked at each other.

The dokkaebi said, [That is true. It is certainly forbidden for a seller to participate in the auction for their own item.]

Anna nodded as if she had expected that.

"Check the seller. One of those two must be the person who submitted this auction item."

[Very well. Please wait a moment.]

Troubled expressions spread among the Kim Dokja Company allies. In contrast, relief and triumph appeared on Anna's face.

It was quite a good trap. Even she, a Prophet, had nearly fallen for it.

Then the dokkaebi checking the seller tilted its head.

[This is strange. None of them submitted the item.]

"What?"

Suyeong smirked.

"I told you. Ah, I really wanted that toad..."

"Then who submitted it...?"

At that moment, the auction house doors swung open. A white coat fluttered in the wind amid the dazzling rays of light from outside.

The man in the white coat glanced at Han Suyeong and Junghyeok, then casually walked toward the stage. The man who finally stepped onto the stage was someone Anna knew well.

Smiling as if pleased to see her, the man held out his palm as though asking for a handshake.

"3,000,000 coins."

It was Kim Dokja.

Footnotes:

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