Ep.53 Companion (3)
The next evening.
We had finished a light dinner and were at the auction house.
Here, an entire building was dedicated to the auction house.
“Wow… it’s huge.”
Kim Chae-eun muttered under her breath as she looked at the massive building size.
It was a towering building, as if it could pierce the sky.
She absentmindedly looked up and slowly admired the splendid architectural style of the building.
…I feel like she might bump into someone passing by.
And indeed, it happened.
Another group trying to enter the auction house passed by her side.
I lightly grabbed Kim Chae-eun’s shoulder and pulled her towards us.
“…Huh?”
“Look ahead.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks….”
Jeong Seon-young looked at us with a smile, as if finding us cute.
“It’s possible. When I first came here, I was surprised by how big the auction house was compared to what I expected.”
“Seems like you’ve been to the auction house often, senior.”
“True. Especially disaster monster hunters like me come here frequently. If you observe the situation well, you can get good items at unexpectedly low prices in the auction house.”
It shouldn’t be that big of a deal to have equipment support just by joining a clan.
And on top of that, Jeong Seon-young was also an A-grade Holder.
I scratched my head and asked her, “Senior, you’re not part of a clan?”
“Clans are tedious. It’s tiring to see Holder playing politics, even those who should be focused on runes.”
“But you consistently participate in disaster monster hunts.”
“Someone has to do that kind of thing.”
Jeong Seon-young had a firm philosophy as a Holder.
I will step forward and protect the citizens!
It’s not exactly a sense of justice like that, but…
She seemed to have no regrets about the path and actions she had chosen.
As a fellow Holder, there was a lot to learn from her.
“Please present your Holder registration and admission tickets.”
After we entered the building.
Upon reaching the simply adorned entrance.
A staff member in a suit politely spoke.
We handed over three admission tickets.
Both Jeong Seon-young and I, who had hunted S-grade disaster monsters together, had ‘Confirmation of Participation in Raid’ endorsed by the Association added to our admission tickets.
“One regular admission and two special admissions. Confirmed. Welcome to the Korean Holder Auction House, Daegu Branch.”
With the staff member’s permission, we entered the interior.
Even after entering, Kim Chae-eun looked around here and there.
“But it’s really fascinating…”
“What is?”
“I thought since it’s an auction house, it would be like a stadium or something.”
“Pfft – like that Colosseum?”
“Yeah! But the interior is just ordinary… like other buildings.”
Jeong Seon-young looked at Kim Chae-eun cutely as she said that.
“Don’t be too disappointed. Probably the 4th and 5th floors, where the auction takes place, are decorated as Chae-eun mentioned. The auction itself is so large that they use two whole floors as the auction venue.”
Kim Chae-eun, her ardent follower, clasped her hands together.
“So, can we auction together with you, senior?!”
“Well, yes… a group of people can participate together, up to four.”
“Wow! That’s a relief. I thought we had to split up without any choice.”
As large as the Daegu auction house is, it’s also segmented by floors.
The 1st floor is the entrance and reception.
The 2nd and 3rd floors are direct item sale spaces.
Holders can directly purchase various equipment and special items they need, and the variety is as extensive as the space itself.
And as Jeong Seon-young mentioned, the 4th and 5th floors. These two floors are combined into one auction space.
So, the auction house is designed with stepped seating, much like an auditorium or a large art hall, for the auction participants.
As you go higher up, there are also plenty of spaces for Holders’ convenience, such as reception areas, lounge areas, and restaurants.
A 13-story building in total.
Truly a massive auction house.
I heard that it’s the second-largest in size after the Seoul main branch.
“I think our seats are over there.”
Upon entering the 4th floor, I saw rows of chairs that seemed to go on endlessly.
I pointed to the seat at the very top among them.
It was a space where about four people could sit.
“Seems like it. Let’s go over there and sit.”
“Yes, senior.”
Surprisingly, the seats inside the auction house were neat.
Chairs and tables for comfortable sitting.
On top of the table were a green buzzer and a microphone.
And there was a digital screen that would display information about the items.
Since it was my first time experiencing an auction, just like Kim Chae-eun, I found all these things fascinating.
“Fortunately, they won’t be using number plates for the auction.”
“That’s for the old-style auctions.”
The three of us sat down and engaged in casual conversation.
About 30 minutes had passed like that.
Holders in various outfits started to take their seats one by one, and soon, most of the seats were filled, and all the auction participants had gathered.
Then, a person who seemed to be the auctioneer and a few staff members came out to the stage and greeted everyone.
-To all the Holders shining in Korea, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Kim Hyun-woo, the host of the 117th Holder Auction hosted by the Korean Holder Auction House. Before we proceed with the actual auction, let me briefly explain the format of this auction.
The host greeted everyone and projected a slide onto the screen behind him as he spoke.
-This auction will be conducted through an open competitive bidding process. You, the Holders, can participate in the auction using the buzzer and microphone at your seat. You must place bids higher than the current price being offered for the item you wish to purchase. If the final price remains unchanged until I call three bids, the item will be awarded at that final price.
Several explanations followed.
There’s a minimum starting price for each item…
It will vary for each item…
The auction won’t be interrupted due to personal matters… and so on.
These were the general and basic rules of the auction.
After a bit of slightly dull talk.
-Now, let’s begin the 117th Holder Auction hosted by the Korean Holder Auction House. Our first auction item.
Finally, the auctioneer signaled the start of the auction.
Several staff members brought items carefully, and the digital screen in the room displayed information about the first item.
***
ippotranslations
***
Moon Ga-eun suspected her ears. It was because she heard strange words from her stoic friend.
“Already recruited?”
“I told you. As an intern.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
What was important was that Do Jae-hyun had joined the <Judgment of Fire>. Whether as an intern or whatever, once someone joined a clan, they would adapt to the system, and the top-tier domestic clan <Judgment of Fire> was more attractive in all aspects compared to other clans. It wasn’t easy to simply bring someone who had set foot into the clan down.
Moon Ga-eun looked at her friend who had come up with such a tactic. She always had a dull and bored face, but she was different when it came to important recruitments. Indeed, one shouldn’t be fooled by innocent expressions.
“This cunning cat!”
“…What?”
“Why are you treating me like this! It’s unfair. Give <Royal> a chance too!”
Kang Juyeon let out a small sigh. “…He’s an intern. You guys can also recruit him as an intern.”
“Seriously… how did you manage to recruit someone who’s already an intern for your clan? Won’t it take at least a year?”
To that comment, Kang Juyeon lightly nodded her head. “It’s not that long. Just two months.”
“Two months?”
“Yeah. He’s only going to intern this summer.”
Indeed, two months weren’t enough for an exclusive contract with <Judgment of Fire>. There was still a chance with <Royal>. They just had to wait for the next summer. In two months, he would literally be a temporary clan member. But as Moon Ga-eun thought deeply, she grinned.
“But is there such a short intern period?”
“He set the conditions. He said he has a few things to do during the break.”
A two-month intern period. Unusual not only for <Judgment of Fire>, but also for other clans. Kang Juyeon thought he was an exceptional talent, and believed that he had a high potential to grow as a Holder.
As Moon Ga-eun had predicted, Kang Juyeon was confident enough to bring Do Jae-hyun into the clan as a formal member during that short period. <Judgment of Fire> was a clan with more than enough capability for that.
However, Moon Ga-eun’s expression, which had been listening quietly, changed strangely. It was as if she had found something to tease about.
“That guy?”
“…?”
“What’s with that? Now you’re not saying ‘Do Jae-hyun’ anymore, but that guy?”
“….”
Kang Juyeon fell silent. She had made a slight mistake in her words. Well, could this even be considered a mistake?
Anyway, it wasn’t that important. Moon Ga-eun’s expression was now full of mischief. Her attacks were unstoppable against a face like that.
“Juyeon, honestly, I’ll understand if you tell me. Did you recruit him because of his talent?”
“…What else?”
“Come on… if you were going to recruit someone after they graduated anyway, why did you have to recruit an intern for just two months? You didn’t even tell me, your best friend, and you hid it from me! And you… whenever I meet you lately, all you talk about is Do Jae-hyun~”
“….”
She was speaking the truth. But Kang Juyeon didn’t want to admit it. Not only admitting, but she wasn’t going to give up there. Moon Ga-eun was definitely going to continue teasing her.
In this situation, silence was the best answer. However, Moon Ga-eun seemed to be planning her next move, her face showing determination. With a subtle expression, she launched her finishing blow.
“Don’t tell me… you like Do Jae-hyun?”
“I’m leaving.”
Kang Juyeon grabbed her bag and stood up. “Wait. Just a moment, Juyeon.”
Moon Ga-eun quickly followed her. Why was she so fast? Even though Kang Juyeon was a magician, her speed was unexpectedly quick, almost like an archer.
In a flash, Kang Juyeon had walked out of the cafe.
Moon Ga-eun ran after her and continued talking.
“Juyeon, it’s because you haven’t been with anyone. In essence, this feeling of liking is… Do you just want to turn away, avoid me, and have that sort of temperament? Because of this, you’re also refusing to admit it. There are no other emotions that are as intense and hot as this one. That’s how I feel… How do I describe it? It’s kind of like your fire runes’ main effect. lol.”
Kang Juyeon finally stopped walking at a fast pace and stood in front of the cafe.
‘Oops. Have I said too much?’
Moon Ga-eun swallowed her breath as an ice-cold chill swept through the surroundings. She had gone overboard. She had gone far too overboard. She had practically thrown a rap at Kang Juyeon’s ears, so it was no wonder she was angry.
At the very least, she shouldn’t have mentioned the rune conversation.
Although a wave of regret surged, the words that came out of Kang Juyeon’s mouth as she stopped in her tracks were aimed at Moon Ga-eun’s back, a counter punch to the back of her head.
“Wait… You haven’t even dated a guy, have you?”
“…Huh?”
Moon Ga-eun’s face instantly turned flustered. What had she just heard?
“Moon Ga-eun, you’ve never been in a relationship either.”
Although Moon Ga-eun was giving advice like an experienced person, in fact, she had no experience in dating. Kang Juyeon couldn’t possibly be unaware of Moon Ga-eun’s relationships with guys since they were childhood friends. So, she had just handed her the worst answer possible.
Moon Ga-eun covered her face with her hands and stopped in her tracks. This was it. She had overdone it. She had certainly gone too far. Kang Juyeon’s counterattack was too powerful. She couldn’t follow her friend any longer.
‘…I won.’
Kang Juyeon turned around with a strange expression on her face. A very small smile was on her face. Due to her naturally stoic personality, She always lost in their verbal battles to Moon Ga-eun. But today, it seemed like a victory was in her hands.
