As those words left her mouth, the entire hall fell into dead silence. Moments later, a series of barely concealed, gloating gazes settled on Liliane’s face—still frozen in a stiff smile.
Liliane suddenly realized she’d fallen into a trap. She’d bought that utterly useless wristguard at such a high price just out of spite. But under everyone’s watchful eyes, she couldn’t vent her anger.
From her slightly furrowed brows, I could tell she was regretting it to death.
A soft, cold snort crackled through the amplifier. Then Liliane plopped down into her seat, glaring coldly at the auction stage.
“Five thousand! Once!”
“Five thousand! Twice!”
“Five thousand! Thrice! Congratulations to the VIP in Box Seven for winning this magic wristguard!” Leah still wore a polite smile on stage. But with such an unexpectedly high price, she must have been secretly laughing inside. After all, higher auction prices meant bigger commissions for her.
Still, Lilith’s trick on Liliane caught me off guard. I’d braced for her to keep bidding after my warning. Instead, she turned the tables with a taunt. She’s full of tricks… ugh… headache…
“Five thousand gold for a wristguard? That’ll keep her ‘happy’ for days.” Lilith was in high spirits after messing with the other side. But my wings were the ones suffering…
Damn… I wonder if this auction house sells magic items to reduce sensitivity…
“Next up, everyone!” Leah’s voice rang out, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her eyes flickered toward Boxes Six and Seven before she subtly chuckled. A small ring had appeared in her hand.
Tiny as it was, the ring glittered dazzlingly under the auction lights. Faint white, wing-like engravings shimmered on its surface. “Honest truth: recovery magic items are rare nowadays. The craftsmanship is complex, materials costly. Many of you have faced battles where your Contract Beast ran out of mana—too slow to use crystals for recovery, forced to accept defeat. Well, this ring is the perfect solution! Its magic array, woven from crystal shards, restores mana mid-fight. It’s even nicknamed Angel’s Wings—symbolizing endless power, like an Angel’s grace! Starting bid: 200 gold! Auction begins!”
…
I suddenly wondered: if someone touched this ring while wearing it, would they feel the same as when my wings are stroked?
Later, a cloaked figure in the auction hall’s corner bought it. Thanks to the first item’s sky-high price, this ring sold for 700 gold. Not as extravagant as Liliane’s splurge, but still jaw-dropping. Normally, rings of this quality fetch around 500 gold.
After that, everything from Dark Gold Stormbear King cubs—eligible for Contract—to fireball scrolls hit the block. I marveled at this world’s wonders…
A simple scroll could unleash a man-sized fireball. That adorably fluffy little bear? One claw swipe shattered hardwood reinforced by a fifth-tier earth-attribute magic crystal.
“Hey hey, that bear’s actually a strong Contract Beast~” Lilith whispered, suddenly hugging me from behind as the cub sold for 12,000 gold. “But Yiyi’s cuter. Rub-rub~”
…
I forced myself to break free from her embrace, that soft, sweet scent tickling my nose. In a tiny, trembling voice, I said, “M-master… let’s focus on the auction items first…”
But I’d forgotten: my tone, like a bullied little beast, only excited her more.
Just as I braced to pry her arms off—head pounding—Leah’s voice cut through the hall.
“Next! Before our grand finale! This item, I promise, is what every mage—or mage-type Contract Beast owner—has been waiting for!”
