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Accordingly, the four big men guarding the old man politely gathered their hands and looked at Oliver without a word.

All of them possessed considerable mana.

"It\'s an honor to meet you like this. Director."

There was an awkward silence when Coco stepped forward.

"Do you know me?"

"Yes, I met you at the last party. My name is Coco, an information dealer."

"Oh… I remember now. Nice to meet you." the old gentleman replied, gently greeting her.

When Oliver turned his head toward Coco, as if asking who he was, she replied.

"Gordon Goodhart. Director of the Landa Culture and Arts Association and one of the directors of Crime Firm. He\'s outwardly retired, but he\'s still active."

“Um…”

He had already assumed that the man was not ordinary, given his years of experience and the efficiency of his work. However, he never expected that he would be a director of the Crime Firm.

"I apologize for not recognizing you the last time we met," Oliver said to Gordon.

"It\'s fine," Gordon replied. "I\'ve retired now, I\'m just here for leisure. So, what brings you here?"

Oliver saw Jane, and Jane nodded.

"…I was employed as a security guard."

"Ah, I see," Gordon replied with a gleam in his eyes as he turned to face Jane. "My apologies for not greeting you earlier. I\'m Gordon Goodhart. May I know your name?"

"Yes, my name is Jane. It\'s nice to meet you, Gordon," Jane said.

"Jane? Ah….. Are you interested in this painting, by any chance?”

"Yes, I already placed a bid,"

Gordon looked back at the painting and showed interest.

"Is there a particular reason why you chose this painting?"

"It\'s just that it stands out the most."

"I can see that you have good taste. This painting is a true reflection of the artist\'s emotions. Well done,"

"Thank you for your kind words. Did the director come to see the paintings too?"

"Not today. There is a special item being auctioned and rumors of a special guest, so I came just in case. I will be bidding on this painting for the young lady," Gordon said as he added his bid to the painting.

"Thank you."

"It\'s my pleasure. It\'s great to see young people like you taking an active interest in auctions. I\'m sure someone like Miranda would appreciate this," Gordon said with a smile.

Miranda. It was the person Jane had planned to buy a present for at the auction house.

Even though Gordon hadn\'t heard anything, he seemed to know everything through experience.

"Thank you for your kind words."

"No need to thank me. By the way, would you like to come to the auction house with me? It\'s a members-only auction," Gordon asked, with a calm demeanor.

"Huh?"

Jane was taken aback by the sudden suggestion, but Gordon continued in a composed manner.

He had a hidden agenda, but it was not related to Jane.

“I thought you might be interested. If you come with me and my group, you\'ll have a smooth time getting in and out. I also have a stake in this event.”

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

A Membership Auction House.

The Subureptor Museum was host to a special auction, only open to members who had undergone strict screening.

These members were individuals who held significant influence in Landa, whether it be positive or negative, and they were considered the highlight of the auction event, alongside the VIP auction.

Jane couldn\'t pass up this opportunity and gratefully accepted Gordon\'s invitation.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Gordon. I will never forget this kindness."

Wearing the mask she was given at the entrance, she exuded confidence while hiding her nerves.

Despite the difficulty and apprehension she felt in dealing with Gordon, she demonstrated bravery and acting skills, giving the impression of a granddaughter speaking to her grandfather.

"Nothing special. If you\'re still grateful, please remember this old man after you succeed in life.”

Gordon replied with a mix of firmness and gentleness, characteristic of his time working in the black market.

Jane nodded and continued her conversation with Gordon naturally, and Oliver looked around while being wary.

It was difficult to attend this auction alone, so he wanted to take in as much as possible.

The membership auction house was underground, but the splendor was never inferior to the ground.

The moderate darkness and grand curtains added to its mysterious charm.

The items up for auction were illegal magic items, highly refined elixirs, high-end drugs, and stolen goods. Surprisingly, those without masks seemed uninterested in the proceedings.

"It\'s not surprising," Gordon commented during his conversation with Jane. "Most of the people who are mindful of their appearance send a representative, so those who attend directly are either their minions, people who enjoy this kind of setting, or those with ties to this type of business, just like that friend over there." He pointed to a man with long green hair in the distance.

The man was tall and dressed in a dark green suit, with ivy-like tattoos on his face and small deer antlers on his head.

He was a Druid.

"His name is Shamus. He appeared at the bottom of the solvers 3 years ago and became one of the top solvers in 1 year. He is now retired.”

Oliver gazed upon the man named Shamus, as a strong green light seemed to emanate from him more so than from Scott, whom Oliver had encountered while protecting Jane.

‘Was it the power of nature?’

"If he is retired, what does he do now?" Oliver asked,

"Well, would you like to answer that, Miss Jane?"

Oliver shifted his gaze towards Jane.

Surprisingly, she seemed to know something about the Druid Shamus.

“Currently affiliated with Sisterhood and Crime Firm.”

"Is that okay?"

"There\'s no law against it. He\'s skilled in spirit magic, nature communication, and he\'s a versatile individual who can even interact with the world tree," Jane explained.

"That\'s right. In Landa, anything is possible as long as you have the capability. Thanks to this, he has three lovers from the Sisterhood and he runs a loan business with the money they\'ve given him. It\'s said that he\'s currently gathering other Enjoyment Druids to form an organization with the backing of the Crime Firm," Gordon added

Oliver once again turned his attention to Shamus. He was tall and exuded confidence.

"He seems like an amazing person," Oliver commented

"Yes, he is. But for someone like me who is old, he can also be quite intimidating," added Gordon.

"Um?"

Oliver saw Gordon, his words were sincere.

"Landa is a city that was born from the combination of political power and capital power. It values freedom and challenge, which is why it attracts superhumans like wizards, war mercenaries, Druids, warlocks, and other talented individuals. This is why the city has developed in such a way," Gordon explained.

"I see."

"But it has also changed. Among the superhuman beings, there is a new class that accumulates wealth."

Oliver has heard a similar story in the past.

Wizards accumulate wealth, which threatens the existing order of the city of Landa and capitalists.

Back alley didn\'t seem different. Maybe it was worse.

"Is that bad? Isn’t that why everyone tries to get better." Oliver asked, sharing his honest thoughts.

Gordon was taken aback but then smiled slightly.

"You\'re right. That\'s why people like me focus on recruiting talented individuals to maintain our position."

"I think you\'re doing a good job too," Oliver added sincerely.

He believed that working hard to improve oneself and maintain one\'s place was a positive thing.

"I\'ve lived in Landa for a long time, so I don\'t show kindness without reason. In fact, I even commissioned Dave for this auction."

Forrest\'s words that the other clients wouldn\'t like this came crashing through.

"Um… I\'m sorry. It\'s my fault, so please don\'t be too angry with Mr. Forrest."

"No, I\'m not upset. As a Solver, it\'s your prerogative to act as you please. I just want you to remember that I did you a favor in my own way,"

Gordon stated, implying that he expected Oliver to repay him in the future.

Oliver immediately nodded his head.

"Yes, of course," he replied.

"Excellent. So, shall we say goodbye now? Anyone can participate in the auction once they enter, so I won\'t be needed here anymore. I have my own business to attend to." Gordon stated.

"Um, is it the special guest you mentioned earlier? May I ask who it is?”

“Do you know the Pilgaret called GIFT?”

Oliver flinched upon hearing the name.

"Yes, I\'m familiar with it," he responded.

"I heard that the broker handling the goods is participating in the auction to deliver them. The black market will soon resume and I want to secure the product," Gordon explained.

"The broker of GIFT?" Oliver repeated, seeking clarification.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Gordon asked.

"No, no, thank you for your kindness," Oliver replied, shaking his head.

"If you need a product, feel free to come to us. We will provide you with something that suits your needs," Gordon said before bidding farewell and leaving.

Jane approached Oliver after Gordon had gone.

"I got your help again."

"Pardon?"

"Once again, I was helped. It\'s because of you, not me, that I was brought here," Jane said, referring to Oliver\'s role in the events that led to her being in the auction.

At first glance, it may seem like Jane was blaming Oliver, but that was not the case. Instead, she was grateful to him. However, she was also feeling disappointed in herself.

"Um… Are you alright? Would you like to talk about it?" Oliver asked, sensing Jane\'s inner turmoil.

"Sometimes, I question what I\'m doing," Jane began.

"Excuse me?" Oliver asked, not sure if he had heard her correctly.

"All of this… I had initially planned to live a comfortable life with the wealth I received from Edith. Even if I gave some of it to Sisterhood, I would still have enough to live on for the rest of my life. But, I wanted to test my abilities with this one chance," Jane explained.

"You\'re amazing," Oliver said, trying to comfort her.

"Do you really think so?" Jane asked, doubt evident in her voice.

"Why do you ask?" Oliver queried.

"I feel like I\'m wasting my energy," Jane replied.

"I don\'t understand," Oliver said, confused.

"I may be rich, but there are surprisingly many people in Landa who are just as wealthy as I am. And being in a big city like this, I realized that being rich doesn\'t make me special,"

"……."

"Do you remember the last time we met?"

"Yes, we met at the restaurant in the hotel. You said you were there for the party."

"Yes, that\'s right. And I said I retreated to the restaurant because I was tired. But it was a lie."

"……."

"I tried to join their world, but it was a difficult place to be in, especially for an illegitimate child who suddenly became rich. So, I avoided them by staying in the restaurant for a while and that\'s when I saw you. I was happy to see you."

"Did I do something wrong back then?" Oliver asked, feeling guilty.

“Yes, at that time, you ignored me and left me with your Steak. You didn’t give me a glance.”

"Um..…."

"But, again, I got help like this. After all, I feel like I\'m nothing except for the fortune I received from Edith. So I\'m tired. I feel like I\'m doing something useless.”

She was serious.

Oliver didn\'t answer her right away, and he looked ahead for a moment.

After much contemplation, he finally spoke.

"May I say something?"

"…Yes."

"You are not a worthless or shameful person."

"…Thank you for the comfort."

"I mean it. Some people may ignore you, but at the same time, many are concerned about you, like Miss Coco or the people of the Angel\'s House."

"…It’s because if I don\'t make a profit, they\'ll also suffer."

"That\'s not true."

Jane was taken aback by Oliver\'s words.

"Sure, their emotions aren\'t pure and without any conflicting interests, but they\'re not just calculated. It\'s more complicated than that. Miss Jane knows that too. I think that\'s beautiful."

"…. She didn’t hate me because we grew up together."

"It’s not like that."

"…..?"

"Whether it was at the orphanage or mine, people thought I was young, so everyone pushed me away without feeling guilty. Many of them even beat me…You are better off than me in that regard."

Jane gazed at Oliver, asking as if his words had brought her comfort.

"It\'s strange, it doesn\'t solve anything but it\'s comforting. Have you read a book about it?"

"No, I haven\'t read such a book yet. That\'s why I\'m just speaking from what I feel."

"……."

"In my opinion, you are even more beautiful now. I don\'t know why, but you don\'t stick to the original plan and you try new things. Of course, it\'s not my place to say, but I personally think that makes you beautiful now. It\'s just like when we first met."

"Did you think like that after seeing me… someone who tried to inherit her father’s wealth by acting nice?"

"Yes. You tried to become a better person, trying to smile, trying to be kind…that\'s beautiful."

Jane\'s emotions were slightly shaken by Oliver\'s sincere words, her emotions shining brightly with a mix of joy, sadness, gratitude, resentment, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction.

Oliver realized that as much as human emotions are beautiful, they can also be so difficult to understand. Still, he continued.

"…And I\'m sorry about the restaurant. I didn\'t mean to ignore you, but I\'m sorry if you felt that way. I will try not to do that again."

"……Your apology sounds like an excuse because it seems like you didn\'t mean it."

"Um… I\'m sorry about that, too."

Jane smiled slightly.

"I\'ll forgive you…In fact, I also have an apology to make to Dave."

"What is it?"

"When we first met, I tried to cast a spell on you using a magic item."

Oliver fumbled back in his memory. He remembered right away.

"Oh, accessories? The jewel you threw it away before going into the sewer?”

"Yes, it\'s a magical item that increases the other person\'s affection when they come in contact with it. I\'m sorry for the trouble I caused back then."

Her tone was thicker, but it wasn\'t awkward.

"No, It’s fine."

"Well, it\'s strange but it didn\'t work on Dave. I\'m thinking about starting over, what do you think?"

"I don\'t think you need to."

"…Alright, I\'ll try to believe it."

With her complex emotions neatly processed, Jane’s emotions shone with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the lights in the room dimmed and focused on the platform where the auction was set to take place.

People buzzed with excitement as they took their seats or stood back.

"It\'s too bad Coco couldn\'t come with us,"

Before coming to the membership auction, Coco split up to buy the book Oliver ordered.

"It was a promise to buy me the book on the first day."

Soon after, a man who appeared to be the auction host emerged with a cart full of items.

The items on the cart were exotic antiques, and guests at the auction house put on their glasses or held up small telescopes to examine them closely. Oliver was among them, but he was more interested in the person who brought the items than the items themselves.

‘Something\'s not right. That guy… He\'s like the people in Sewer snakes… Is it because it\'s hosted by Crime Firm?\'

As the auction began, the excitement in the room grew. The host took the stage and began to speak.

[Hello to all our customers who have come today. We are grateful for your visit to our auction house. Let\'s skip the lengthy formalities and get straight to the… auction… auction?]

The host stammered as he trailed off, his speech suddenly halting.

Everyone frowned, feeling odd, as one side of the host\'s head began to bulge. He quickly swelled up, as if he were inflating like a balloon. His shoulders, chest, and sides followed suit, until his entire body was expanding as if it were about to burst.

Confused guests and bodyguards tried to protect themselves.

At that moment, Oliver extracted the emotions and cast the spell,

[Black Cube]

(To be Continued on Mar 13(MON))

OR

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