The banquet hall, bustling with an ongoing auction.
And someone sits quietly in the administrator’s seat, overlooking the scene.
Unlike the heated atmosphere of the auction, this place was silent.
Serinu, a demon and an executive of the Merchant Guild, currently leading the banquet.
His black hair was neatly organized.
His black glasses made his gaze appear even colder and more composed.
He maintained a cold expression and adjusted his glasses.
“So, you think that Arch Lich and that being are related?”
“Yes, Serinu-nim.”
Serinu replied to his subordinate’s report.
There was a detail he had missed while preparing for the auction, and that was the relationship between that mysterious being and the Arch Lich.
Before the auction began, the mysterious being approached the Arch Lich first, and the Arch Lich also greeted the being.
Indeed, looking now, that being was seated next to the Arch Lich.
The mysterious being.
Covered entirely in a black mask and robe, it was currently showcasing immense power.
The sheer power emanating from it was enough to make observers’ knees tremble.
“Hoo…”
Serinu leaned back against the chair and let out a long sigh.
Several unforeseen variables had emerged during this banquet, which was tantamount to saying there were holes in the Merchant Guild’s intelligence network.
The first was the presence of the Arch Lich.
It was initially stated to be a Succubus’s dungeon.
The Merchant Guild’s audit team had investigated, so the accuracy should have been very high.
However, those who came from the Succubus dungeon were the Arch Lich and an Incubus.
While the Incubus was of a high rank, the presence of the Arch Lich surprised Serinu.
‘To think there would be a 5-star.’
It had been a considerable time since a rank higher than officially recognized 5-star had appeared.
Of course, there were 7-star beings, but that was now the stuff of legends.
Ultimately, this meant that in the current dungeon world, 5-star rank was the maximum.
The reason a balance was maintained with humans even so was due to the difference in power levels between monsters and humans, even within the same rank.
They themselves had evolved to kill and plunder. In contrast, humans were weak.
They needed armor to protect themselves and weapons to kill others. Not only that, but they also had various enchanted accessories, and their ranks were further subdivided based on the achievements of mages and knights.
Therefore, even within the same rank, a truly fair fight was not possible.
This was how the balance had been maintained until now.
The problem was next.
‘Where did the hole occur?’
The Underworld Merchant Guild was vast.
It was no exaggeration to say they had a firm grasp on the information of all dungeons.
Yet, this time, their understanding of this dungeon was severely flawed.
‘It wasn’t even a Succubus dungeon to begin with.’
The fact that a 5-star Arch Lich had appeared meant the dungeon’s owner was not a Succubus.
‘Surely, this 5-star Arch Lich must be the dungeon’s owner.’
The Succubus being the owner was merely a smokescreen.
During a brief period, Serinu ordered his subordinate to gather information.
Further investigation revealed that the Merchant Guild’s representative for that dungeon also believed the Succubus to be the owner.
‘To dare to mock the Merchant Guild…’
How much did they think they were worth to act like that?
It was despicable.
No matter how rare a 5-star power was, it was useless without the force backing the dungeon.
Otherwise, why would Baalcherit have fallen?
Why did she remain silent when the Merchant Guild essentially declared they would seize her dungeon management rights?
The strength of the dungeon’s owner was important, but the size of the forces led by that dungeon was also crucial.
Ultimately, Baalcherit lost her dungeon’s forces.
And now, her power was being diminished by the White Church.
In other words, relying solely on one’s own strength could lead to severe consequences.
Yet, the Arch Lich had crossed the line.
Serinu believed it was necessary to make those who crossed the line realize reality.
Thus, he drew in Arcanea, one of the banquet attendees.
Knowing how terrifying a snake’s jealousy could be, it was an easy task.
Furthermore, he had already made arrangements for the slaves who would appear in the next auction.
“Yes, up to this point, things were proceeding smoothly.”
It was all part of a plan to strike a blow against the Arch Lich.
If they felt helplessness in the face of the Merchant Guild’s power, they would become good business partners in the future.
His thoughts were positive.
But then another variable emerged.
‘The Black Mask…’
Serinu’s gaze turned towards the being clad in a black mask and robe.
The one called the Black Mask.
“What is the possibility that the Black Mask is the actual owner of the dungeon?”
Not only the 5-star Arch Lich was a problem, but a being with even greater power than the Arch Lich had appeared.
And yet, the Merchant Guild knew nothing.
What if they hadn’t held this banquet?
‘The thought alone is dreadful.’
So, Serinu presented one possibility.
What if that Black Mask was the true owner of the dungeon?
If so, it would make a certain kind of sense.
However, his subordinate refuted this possibility.
“As Serinu-nim knows, our invitation was not ordinary. We confirmed that only the Arch Lich and the Incubus attended from that dungeon.”
“Hmm…”
Then, where did that Black Mask come from?
It appeared out of nowhere, bypassing the Merchant Guild’s security, without even being invited to the social gathering.
‘Could it truly be an anomaly?’
He felt a strong urge to tear off that robe and discover its identity immediately.
However, the aura emanating from the Black Mask was not ordinary.
‘Fear, chaos, despair…’
As a demon, Serinu could recognize the familiar scent of these emotions.
Yet, with the current information, he could grasp nothing precisely.
No matter how much he thought about it, it was merely speculation.
“Then what happened to the investigators?”
While the Arch Lich was enjoying the banquet here, Serinu was not idle.
He had dispatched mercenary monsters from the Merchant Guild to investigate the dungeon.
Contrary to the expectation that it would be quickly resolved, the communication with the first dispatched Nol agents was lost.
So, he immediately dispatched Merchant Guild investigators.
The loss of contact from Merchant Guild mercenaries could only mean one thing.
That something had happened to their safety.
Of course, there was a possibility that the mercenaries had broken their contract and fled, but such cases were extremely rare.
Everyone knew what happened if one broke a contract with the Underworld Merchant Guild.
Similarly, harming those affiliated with the Merchant Guild was a grave issue.
This was no different even for mercenaries with temporary contracts.
If they lost contact, it meant their safety was likely compromised, and compromised safety meant someone had interfered with the Merchant Guild.
So, he immediately dispatched Merchant Guild investigators.
They were swift and accurate, so they would have reached a conclusion by now.
“Yes, Serinu-nim. We just received word a little while ago.”
As expected, the investigators acted quickly.
Serinu, with a satisfied smile, slowly nodded his head.
“The investigators confirmed that the Nol agents were all killed by wandering goblins in the forest. They concluded the matter and stated that their bodies would be collected separately for examination.”
“They’ve already concluded it?”
Serinu involuntarily expressed his doubt at his subordinate’s words.
Had the investigators reached a conclusion so quickly?
“Are you certain it was truly the work of wandering goblins?”
Wasn’t it necessary to confirm if it was indeed the work of wandering goblins?
Perhaps it was the work of someone disguised as wandering goblins.
However, he felt a sense of haste in the investigators’ actions, as if they wanted to reach a conclusion quickly.
“…”
But Serinu could not interfere with the investigators’ conclusion.
They belonged to a different department, and investigators were guaranteed independent operation.
However, it was indeed strange.
Why did the investigators reach such a quick conclusion?
Was there external interference?
‘Could it be the Succubus?’
Come to think of it, they said there was a Succubus in that dungeon.
Even if she was posing as the owner, she was undoubtedly a monster capable of using charm.
And the location where the Nol agents died was not far from that dungeon.
‘No, that’s not it.’
The investigators were competent individuals.
Moreover, with the support of the Merchant Guild, they were far from being susceptible to the mental attacks of a mere Succubus.
Serinu dismissed this possibility from his thoughts.
‘Then, as the investigators said, did it truly happen by chance?’
Something felt off, but the events unfolding here were already overwhelming.
Having to worry about both the Arch Lich and the Black Mask, he had no desire for further headaches.
“Alright, that matter is settled. Inform me again if the investigators come up with a different opinion.”
Even as Serinu spoke, the auction continued in the banquet hall below.
“Hahaha! Yes, 300 Magic Stones! The two Water Reapers who lost their dungeon are headed for Arch Lich-nim!”
The announcer’s hearty laughter reached Serinu’s ears.
Water Reapers were monsters that somewhat resembled frogs with bat wings.
With a small amount of poison in their tails, they were useful for scouting and giving simple warnings.
“Speaking of which, ever since the slave auction began, only the Arch Lich has been the successful bidder.”
At his subordinate’s words, Serinu’s interest was piqued again.
“He purchased all the slaves?”
Serinu was astonished that the Arch Lich was monopolizing all the slaves up for auction.
The slaves put up for auction were usually monsters from dungeons unable to repay their debts, or wandering monsters captured by the Merchant Guild.
Or sometimes, humans who failed in dungeon raids.
However, the price was never cheap.
Of course, it wasn’t excessively expensive either, but purchasing all the slaves was another matter entirely.
The two Water Reapers who were just auctioned off went for 300 Magic Stones.
Moreover, the auction was not even competitive.
It had reached 100 Magic Stones, and the Arch Lich immediately called out 300.
“Crazy!”
With so much money to spare, why would he buy two mere scout monsters at such a price?
Even if payment was made later, could he afford it?
“Hoo.”
Serinu was experiencing many surprising events today.
However, this was not a loss.
The auction was an ongoing event, and more importantly, it was an opportunity to assess the Arch Lich’s financial standing.
The auction continued.
“How about this Gargoyle? It usually remains still like a sculpture, but it attacks when an intruder arrives. The more potent mana is infused, the stronger it becomes! It’s an excellent opponent for human adventurers! Kkellel.”
“Yes! 1500 Magic Stones! The Gargoyle is also taken by Arch Lich-nim!”
The Gargoyle’s rank was 1-star.
While its rank was low, its existence as a created being was rare.
Not many could create Gargoyles.
Knowing this, the Merchant Guild sometimes accepted Gargoyles as payment instead of money from those who could create them.
As beings that lived eternally as long as mana was infused, their usability was very high.
Even if it was currently 1-star, its rank would likely increase significantly with the infusion of powerful mana.
For now, it could be said that the Arch Lich’s choice was correct.
With the Arch Lich’s level of mana, the Gargoyle’s rank would quickly become 3-star.
“Next are the Ogres! Their intelligence is not high, but if given proper rewards, they are loyal to their new Master! Their brute strength is immense, and with just one, wouldn’t a dungeon become more secure?”
Next were the Ogres.
These were two-headed monsters, low in intelligence but possessing great strength.
Of course, the Arch Lich also successfully bid for them.
“…”
By now, Serinu was speechless.
And the next item was the one Serinu had been waiting for.
“Now, esteemed participants of the auction! The next item is a group of humans!”
The announcer’s loud voice revitalized the atmosphere.
“But these are not ordinary humans! they belong to the Church! Two priests and seven paladin trainees! We are about to start the auction for a total of nine people…”
The announcer paused and glanced upwards.
Making eye contact with the announcer, Serinu nodded.
“We will take a short break before continuing the auction!”
At the announcer’s words, a slight smile played on Serinu’s lips.
“Tell the slaves. Attack not only the Arch Lich but also the Black Mask standing next to him. Promise that their success will be rewarded with gold coins in addition to freedom.”
The plan was to use the human slaves to strike a blow against the Arch Lich.
In addition, he wanted to get a glimpse of the power of the Black Mask beside him.
After all, it was an operation involving mere human slaves.
“And whether the humans succeed in their attack or fail, kill them all.”
However, if the human slaves were captured by the opposing party, the situation would change.
The fact that they were related to the Merchant Guild might be revealed.
Therefore, a safety measure was needed.
That is, to silence them by killing them.
If the slaves rebelled, it would be considered an immediate execution from the Merchant Guild’s perspective.
Thus, the human slaves would die regardless of whether they succeeded in attacking the opponent or failed.
Empty promises are always like this.
Now, the main stage was about to begin.
