(Evelina’s POV — Aurelis Auction Hall)
The mont I stepped past the golden archway, the sound hit —soft laughter, clinking glass, and the muted chaos of wealth pretending to be elegance.
The Aurelis Auction Hall was a cathedral of decadence. Crystal chandeliers poured light like champagne, gilded walls glead under a haze of perfu, and every conversation shimred with polite venom.
Everywhere I looked, power moved in silk and diamond—industrial heirs, political puppets, and bored aristocrats with hungry eyes. It was beautiful in the sa way a lion’s cage was—if you forgot who was the al.
I adjusted the black feather mask over my eyes. The silver trim caught the light, sharp and soft at once.
[System: Objective Active—Purchase an item.] [Reward: ???] [Tiline Distortion—Active.]
"Yeah," I muttered under my breath. "I can feel the distortion. It’s called ’people.’"
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne flutes. I took one—partly for camouflage, partly because surviving Theo Vinter deserved a drink.
The hall buzzed louder near the center.
The rmaid Tears Necklace.
It wasn’t just jewelry. It was legendary. A crescent of pale blue crystal that shimred like trapped ocean light, said to grant luck, favor, and hidden routes in the ga. In this world, though? It was power disguised as beauty.
It wasn’t just jewelry. It was a key. A lucky charm. A loophole in fate, and who knows what Reward I will get if I get a hand on it. So...I need this necklace. No matter what.
"Evelina," Father’s voice broke through the noise.
I turned slightly, just enough to see him walking toward —immaculate as ever, a black half-mask glinting under the chandelier. Lucien beside him, mask crooked but charming. Arden, posture stiff as judgnt.
And of course—Sera.Wrapped in pale gold silk and attention.
"Let’s go," Father said, his voice calm but firm. "The auction is about to begin."
"Yes, Father." My tone was polite. Too polite. The kind that made you invisible in your own story.
We moved down the grand staircase. They led; I followed—because that’s how it always was.
Sera slipped her hand through Father’s arm, eyes shining like she was walking into a dream.
"Father," she said sweetly, "can I bid too?"
He looked down at her and smiled faintly and warmly. "Of course, my dear. I’ll have the assistant hand you a paddle."
Her giggle echoed like chis. "Really? Thank you, Father!"
Lucien leaned closer to her, ruffling her hair through his mask. "Hey, if you get confused, just ask us, okay? So of these auctions go fast."
Sera nodded eagerly, eyes full of trust. "I will!"
Arden placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, voice warm and protective. "Don’t worry, I’ll sit beside you. You won’t accidentally bid on the wrong item."
Their laughter intertwined, light and familiar.A perfect picture.A perfect family.
And ?
I walked a few steps behind—like a shadow that didn’t belong to anyone.
[Reginald Hartgrave—36%][Lucien Hartgrave—11%][Arden Hartgrave—(-3%)][Sera Loraine — -10%]
The numbers hovered faintly before my eyes, blue and rciless.
Father didn’t look back. Lucien didn’t notice. Arden didn’t care.
And Sera—Sera looked radiant. Untouched by the quiet gravity that pulled around .
I could almost hear the ga’s invisible narration: "The heroine and her loving family arrive at the grand auction."
Except the real daughter was just background noise.
Well...it doesn’t matter to . They can keep their affection. Their warmth. Their scripted love.
I’ll take the necklace.
Because affection won’t save in this world—but power might.
***
[Auction Hall—Monts Later]
We reached the entrance to the auction chamber. Velvet curtains frad the doors, and chandeliers glowed above us like hanging suns. The air shimred with perfu, money, and expectation.
Sera slipped through first, laughter trailing like perfu. The others followed, their masks glittering in the light.
I lingered a heartbeat longer—just long enough to catch my own reflection in the glass.
One black feather mask.One forced smile.One unwanted daughter.
And in my reflection’s eyes—sothing harder than envy. Resolve.
[System: New Episode Begun—THE AUCTION HALL][Objective: Acquire the rmaid Tears Necklace.][Reward: ???][Balance: 10,000,000,000,000 Credits]
The ssage flickered across my vision like a prophecy. I exhaled once, composed myself, and stepped into the light.
The Auction Hall opened up before —a glittering theater of wealth and vanity. Crimson velvet seats. Marble balconies carved with gold filigree. The chandelier above shimred like a captive constellation.
This wasn’t an event.It was a performance.
And everyone here was pretending to matter more than they did.
Father led the way toward the front row—his presence magnetic, authoritative. Lucien followed, mask tilted rakishly as always. Arden trailed beside him, posture sharp, eyes cold. And Sera, of course, drifted between them like the sun itself—glowing, adored, and centered in every orbit that wasn’t mine.
I followed quietly behind, the echo of my heels almost mocking in the silence.
When they reached the front, attendants guided them to their seats—four of them. Plush. Perfect.And ?
There was no fifth.
I stood there, watching the polished wood gleam under the stage lights. An empty aisle. No one moved.
Sera’s soft voice broke the tension. "Oh—sister, I should get up. You can—"
Arden’s voice sliced through hers, sharp as glass. "No need. She can find her seat sowhere else."
The words hit with surgical precision—casual cruelty disguised as etiquette. Father’s head turned slightly, his tone dipping into authority. "Arden."
A warning.
Arden froze, his jaw tightening—but he didn’t apologize. The silence between them thickened, brittle and heavy. Father finally looked at , voice gentler this ti. "My dear... can you—"
I smiled faintly, a quiet curve of lips that didn’t reach my eyes.
"Do not worry, Father." My voice was steady. Cold silk. "I know my place."
I turned before anyone could respond and found another seat—toward the middle rows, half-shadowed by the balcony’s light.
No one stopped .No one followed.
[Reginald Hartgrave — 1% → 37%][Lucien Hartgrave — 1% → 12%]
Affection points flickered above their heads like aningless numbers.Too little. Too late.
They’d flinched—but they wouldn’t change. People never do when guilt cos wrapped in comfort. I crossed my legs, folding my hands neatly in my lap, and stared toward the stage.
A hush fell across the room as spotlights dimd, bathing the hall in a warm amber glow. The host stepped forward—flawless smile, microphone in hand, voice smooth as silk.
"Ladies and gentlen," he began, his tone grand, echoing. "Welco to Aurelis City’s most prestigious night—The Annual Grand Auction!"
Applause rippled through the crowd—refined, controlled, hollow.
"The event is now officially open," the host continued, his enthusiasm perfectly rehearsed. "Tonight, we’ve prepared the finest collection of artifacts, heirlooms, and treasures ever assembled. From royal antiques to unique relics of the modern era—each piece tells a story of desire, history, and fate!"
His words danced over the audience like a sales pitch to gods.
"If sothing catches your eye," he added with a knowing smile, "then by all ans—bid without hesitation."
Laughter. More applause.
The lights shifted; velvet curtains parted once more to reveal a new display—a glass case, spotlighted, shimring.
Inside lay a jeweled dagger, ornate and overdesigned, the kind of weapon that had never seen a real fight. Its hilt sparkled with embedded sapphires, its blade engraved with old noble sigils no one alive could pronounce.
The auctioneer’s voice rang clear: "Starting bid—one hundred thousand credits!"
And then—
[System Alert: Item Detected — Sapphire Dagger of Vassilion.][Reward: 10 to Defense (Temporary), 2% Favorability with Any Characters.]
[Balance: 10,000,000,000,000]
The faint shimr of the System pulsed once—almost smug.
Huh.So every ti an item appeared, I’d get a preview of its potential... and its reward.
Interesting.
But this dagger? Useless. I cannot waste the money.... I have to get my hands on a rmaid necklace.
[System: Item Detected—Seraphine Watch.][Reward: Unlock Passive Skill: "Chrono "Sync"—Temporarily stops ti in critical monts.][Effect Duration: 60 seconds per cooldown.]
My eyebrows rose slightly.
"Now that’s useful," I whispered.
A ti Stop Device—It can be useful if I land in any dangerous situation. Sixty seconds might not sound like much, but in this world full of knives disguised as smiles? It could save a life.
The bidding began.
"One hundred thousand!""One fifty!""Two hundred!"
I twirled the paddle between my fingers. The price climbed quickly, but my balance? Infinite. Or close enough.
[Balance: 9,999,999,800,000 Remaining.]
"Sold!"
The gavel hit.
[System Reward Acquired—Chrono Sync (Ti stoping device) Added in your storage.]
A faint hum passed behind my eyes—cool, sharp. Like adrenaline waiting in the dark.
I smiled faintly. "Now we’re talking."
The next few items blurred together—gems, antique paintings, royal docunts no one cared about. All vanity. No value.
Then ca the practical ones—the kind that made my survival instincts sit up and take notes.
A compact, high-tech handgun from the new military prototype series—silent fire, fingerprint lock.Bought.
A platinum ring embedded with a micro-crystal chip. [System: Item—Shadow Loop Ring. Effect: Ergency Teleportation (20 Uses).]
Bought.
A bracelet—carbon-black, sleek, humming faintly when touched. [System: Item—Combat Pulse Band. Effect: Trigger Temporary Combat Skill: "Reflex Boost." One Use.]
Bought.
By the ti the crowd politely clapped for the next painting, I was already equipped for war. If this ga wanted dead, it was going to have to work harder.
And then—The lights dimd.
A slow, soft lody unfurled through the hall—haunting, oceanic. The kind of sound that made the hairs at the back of your neck stand up.
The host smiled—a perfect, rehearsed expression—and gestured grandly toward the center stage.
"Ladies and gentlen," he declared, "for our grand finale... the crown jewel of tonight’s auction!"
Velvet curtains parted. And there it was.
The rmaid Tears Necklace.
Encased in crystal glass. Suspended on invisible threads of light. The gem shimred like a trapped ocean wave—liquid blue and alive. It wasn’t just beautiful. It was hypnotic.
The audience inhaled as one, a chorus of quiet awe.
And then—
[System: Target Item Detected — rmaid Tears Necklace.][Reward: ??? Anomaly Identified... Processing Reward Data...][Final Reward: Quit the Ga and Return to Your Own World.][Balance: 9,999,000,000,00 Credits Remaining.]
I froze.
The world around blurred—the applause, the chatter, the lights—all dimd to nothing but the glow of that single blue screen.
My throat tightened.
"Quit... the ga?" I whispered.
Return.
To my world.
To reality.
To ho.
I blinked once, twice, my heart hamring. My eyes darted back to the glass case—to the shimring necklace that pulsed like it was alive.
That was it.The exit door.
If I could win this bid—if I could just get my hands on that necklace—Then I could finally leave this place.
This wasn’t just a necklace anymore.
It was freedom.
And I would win it.
No matter who I had to face to get it.
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