Chapter 173
The hall was in a commotion.
A woman of outstanding appearance comes out on stage with her wrists tied.
While Aria stood still, unable to hide her confusion for a moment, the people exchanged even more surprising words.
“A Siren again?”
“I’ve been seeing a lot of Siren lately.”
Not just one, but a lot of them?
‘No way. Juan definitely said that I was the last remaining Siren.’
If so, that’s fake. Aria quickly found her composure with confidence.
To put up fakes from the start. Although they’re the infamous Ibel Auction House, they’d have to gain the client’s trust first.
Does that mean that there are so many people who have fantasies about the Siren?
‘But in this auction house, each customer is a big shot, so if they got cheated, the aftermath would be no joke.’
Then there was only one conclusion. The head of the auction house believes that the woman is a real Siren.
“Why do I see so many monsters from legends? Are they not fakes?”
“But I heard that the effect is certain? They said that Duke Wright, who snatched a Siren the other day, regained his energy by the effect of the song.”
How could they work? Even if it really worked, it wouldn’t have been the power of the song.
Aria frowned and thought some more.
What she is certain of is that this had never happened in her previous life.
‘No one could ever fake it.’
This was because, among the Siren, Aria, who has more talent than anyone else, was known around the world.
‘Then what is with this fake?’
Of course, in her previous life, there was an incident in which the Emperor was enchanted and mad by Aria’s song, creating a fake similar to her.
This situation was completely different from that.
While Aria was immersed in thoughts, the Siren began to sing. It was a beautiful song.
The natural tone was also outstanding, and it was obvious that she was trained to sing from an early age.
‘She’s a great singer. But I can’t feel a magical power at all.’
As expected, it’s a fake. But the nobles, who fell in love with her beautiful singing voice, looked at her with greedy eyes.
“Unfortunately, the Siren doesn’t make her songs effective for so many people at once. I ask for your understanding on that.”
After adding an explanation like that, the host started the auction.
People raised their hands and raised the auction price, and the fake Siren was quickly picked up by her owner.
Tristan, who had been sitting with the momentum to overturn everything from the beginning because it was uncomfortable, opened his mouth.
“Shall I catch them all and kill them? It would be better not to leave even traces of this space.”
Although God’s malice had been passed on to Lloyd, he had the power to destroy this place just by lifting one of his fingers.
Sabina, who would have stopped him at this point, also crossed her arms and whispered low.
“I’m not interfering with what Tristan will be doing this time.”
The atmosphere was unusual.
Vincent also muttered in a voice that was unlike before.
“No, don’t let them go so easily. We don’t know who’s doing it, but I’m not going to let this slide.”
He didn’t inherit the rich blood of Valentine, but his personality was no less than that.
“I’ll expose them to the very bottom and push them until they take their own life.”
“Excuse me… I hope everyone doesn’t forget their original purpose.”
First of all, they had to get the book. Aria said as she sweated to stop them who lost their string of reason.
“Instead of grabbing and killing them… Can I ask if you could do a background check instead and where they came from and where they’re going to go?”
It was a difficult request.
Knowing the distribution and sales channels of the Ibel Auction House is something that even Valentine can’t be sure of easily.
But at Aria’s request, the three nodded without hesitation.
At that moment.
BANG-!!
Without saying anything, she suddenly felt a huge flow of energy, followed by a huge explosion.
The building began to shake like it was about to collapse.
‘What did they do?’
Aria stared at Tristan, Sabina, and Vincent in turn. They shook their heads at the same time.
“Please, please wait a moment.”
The host, who had been conducting the auction for a while, was bewildered and headed backstage to understand the situation. Because of the situation, it seemed like he was talking to the person behind the curtain right away.
Aria’s ears could hear their conversation very clearly.
“Big trouble! Someone touched the ‘Cursed Core’. It started working!”
“What? Nonsense! It can only be activated by wizards who deal with magic! Besides, the security is definitely as thorough as never before…”
“All of the surveillance tools didn’t work, and all the guards were unconscious. This was planned by a powerful person!”
Perhaps it was unexpected, the auction officials were flustered.
‘Cursed Core’
Aria had heard of it.
As the name suggests, it was a jewel that contained all kinds of curses.
Because it is sealed with magic, only a wizard can break it, and once activated, the space is covered with a curse and becomes devastated.
“If the Cursed Core has been activated, we will have no more than 10 minutes. Take the most expensive and rarest things and get out.”
After the conversation, the host ran out onto the stage in hesitation and shouted.
“Cust, customers! A major accident has occurred. Please evacuate quickly from the auction house!”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this auction?”
“You have to take care of that on your own!”
Some raised their voices to protest. Not only that, they ordered those who were escorting them.
“I’m trying to have some fun, but you’re making me feel bad. Kill them.”
“Hiickk!”
It was a very chaotic place because it was a place where the criminals who ruled the country went when they were bored.
As Aria was exchanging glances with the Black Falcons, including Cloud.
Boom-boo-boo-boom!!
Once again a roar rang out. It wasn’t just an explosion, it was a dangerous sound that anyone could hear.
“10 minutes! If you don’t get out in 10 minutes, I can’t take responsibility for your life!”
Only then did the rioters begin to swear and run away.
“Hmm, it looks like someone started first. It feels dirty to be the late one, but now that it’s like this, I can’t stand still.”
“Father? We have ten minutes left.”
Aria had no choice but to remind Tristan, who was muttering slowly, of the current reality.
“Enough time to blackmail and dispose of those responsible.”
He’s just causing more trouble He declared very proudly, then drew his sword and strode without hesitation.
“Hmm, let’s go together.”
And Sabina followed him without hesitation.
Dwayne, unable to hide his absurd look, groaned.
“Oh my God, are you both out of your mind? Besides, you’re weak, haven’t you given all your power now!”
“I will protect my weak husband.”
Tristan, weak?
Even though he had passed on God’s malice, Tristan was still an overwhelmingly stronger warrior than ordinary people. However, he replied with a grin, as if matching Sabina’s dignified declaration.
“How reliable.”
Dwayne, who stood stunned for a moment, followed after them, muttering a belated regret that he should have quit earlier.
‘Ten minutes?’
As Aria walked out of the auction house, she thought for a moment. Then, what is the purpose of the person who triggered the Cursed Core like a time bomb?
‘I’m guessing they’re aiming for the auction items.’
There was only one answer.
Aria ordered the Black Falcons.
“People are locked inside the stage. Release as many people as you can before the time runs out.”
“Yes!”
With Aria’s command, the Black Falcons moved in unison.
“Cloud, come with me.”
Aria sent Vincent, who was the weakest, out of the building first.
And she used her five senses to the fullest, and followed the sound of conversations and footsteps of these auction house officials.
When she finally arrived at the vault where the auction items were piled up, she caught a glimpse of a hooded man.
‘The auction items looked empty.’
It seems that some have already been taken away.
‘Ah…….’
But the book remained.
At first glance, it was neatly stored in a case that looked like what Young Lord Norton said of a ‘book with forbidden magic’.
When Aria was about to pick up the book.
The person’s hand was faster. Perhaps he was also aiming for the book, he snapped his finger and moved it into his arms.
‘A wizard.’
Aria narrowed her eyes and looked at the other person.
“Do you need this book too? Unfortunately, you came at a bad time.”
“……”
It’s a voice she heard before.
As Aria, who had been silent for a while, recalled it belatedly, she called out the person’s name.
“Hans.”
“……oh.”
The wizard Hans muttered in a dismayed voice. Probably because he didn’t know that he would meet someone he knew here.
‘Who is it?’
Currently, Aria is wearing a mask and wig, and the mask she wears has magic to change her voice.
‘If she is a woman who knows me in the Fineta Empire, there is a high probability that she is entangled with the gutter.’
Hans, who had finished reasoning quite plausible on his own, raised his hand.
“I’m sorry, but you have to die.”
“Young Madam!”
At that moment, Cloud quickly blocked Aria’s front and countered Hans’s magic with his sword.
“Sword Master…”
I have bad luck today. Hans lamented his situation and looked at Cloud for a moment, judging him.
And he made a quick decision. He can’t win.
‘I must be ready to die.’
But there is no time for that. It was even uncertain whether he could escape safely if he missed the timing.
‘I have no choice.’
Hans tore up a few pages of the book he was holding and threw the book into the vault.
In a deeper place.
And he immediately escaped out of the building with his own movement magic.
“Shit!”
Cloud tried to run after Hans, who was seen through the window, and then looked back at Aria.
With a nervous look, Aria picked up the book that Hans threw into the vault.
The remaining time is at most 3 minutes. There was no choice.
Cloud held Aria in his arms and lifted her up.
“Forgive me for my rudeness.”
Aria was held in Cloud’s arms and he ran out of the building in an instant.
She heard several explosions that pierced her ears.
When she came out of the building, she saw people released safely. Those who might have become slaves.
Even Tristan and Sabina seem to have achieved their purpose.
After she confirmed that everyone was safe, Aria opened the book.
‘He must have ripped off the magic he wanted.’
As she sighed and turned over the pages. Aria’s eyes, covered with frustration and resignation, opened wide.
Among the many forbidden magic, one stood out the most.
‘Freeze.’
It was a technique to never be hurt by the cold.