The mysterious figure

After selling her stones, she was offered the chance to sit on a vip room during the auction, she gladly accepts.

She follows along with the servant silently.

The auction room that she was gonna attend had seven box rooms for vip customers, each room represents the rank of the client according to the servant.

"Right here sir." The servant ushered the red magician. "Box 4"

Helena sats on the chair, her eyes landing on the tea in the table. She grabs it and takes a sip, the aroma and taste intriguing her.

"Sir magician, we decided to sell the stone individually once a year, as it is very rare. Have you thought about the starting price?"

She shook her head. "I'll leave it to you."

The servant's eyes glowed. "Splendid! we shall make sure that we present your item worthy of its price." he said then leaves.

It was not long before the auction finally started. As she glanced below her, she saw a huge number of people wearing masks, holding onto their number plates. The first items usually was the lowest-ranked sold in every auction. Each of them bidding higher for the various items that were presented.

The items varied from magical items; artifcats, weapons, potions, stones or slaves. There was really nothing that interested her at that time, she just wanted to experience the auction since she never had the chance before to do it.

While she was preoccupied with judging the items, she was surprised to see box 1 lights lit up, a well built man and a servant behind him appear as he sat. His hair as dark as the night, his crystal-like eyes stares at the ongoing auction, not minding the fact that everyone was looking at him right now.

Helena couldn't explain why, but somehow looking at him made her uneasy.

'What is this strange gut feeling?' She thought anxiously.

"The robe of the cast is sold to gentlemen no. 34!" The announcer says with enthusiasm. "The next item is is known as the python stone."

Every single one chattered, the noise echoing throughout the room.

My attention shifted to the stage, 2 men bringing one python stone to the stage, placed inside a purple crystallized treasure chest. "This is the never-seen-before stone, a treasure that even the highest-ranked hunters couldn't reach in the mist valley! Coming from a 6th level ranked beast! This could be used as a powerful mana source that could supply a whole town for 5 years! of course, there is also some unknown properties of the stone that have yet been discovered, due to its only recent discovery."

The description was valid enough for every gentleman to grip their nameplate in anticipation, everyone of them had the urge to buy the stone at the stage.

"The starting price is.. 10 000 gold!"

Helena's eyes widened. 'that's a lot of money. i thought a stone would only sell for 500 gold coins.'

"12 000 gold!" A gentleman raises his number plate, but not long before he did, some one also argued with him. "15 000 gold!"

"18 000 gold!" another one says.

"20 000 gold." a gentlemen interrupts again.

The price went on for a while before one of the box rooms raised their number plate. "100 000 gold." -box 2

'Oh there's another important figure in the room' She surveyed the room's direction, a woman inside with also a mask.

"100 000 gold! is there anyone who would bid higher?" The announcer when the room suddenly went silent.

I mean who would try to beat that price? That amount of money could result in buying an island. It was too much for the gentleman below that they dare not raise their plates anymore.

'Wow i became so rich just because of one python stone.' She thought.

Anyone would call Helena ignorant for she doesn't even value such a high ranked item, much less have enough awareness about her monstrous ability since she had dedicated her whole life to the tower back then.

Now that she was roaming so freely, she was learning some new things.

"150 000 gold!" A man screams in box 5.

The woman in the box 2 raises her plate again. "300 000 gold."

Everyone gasps in horror, all their gaze towards the wealthy woman in box 2.

"Damn it!" The man in box 5 exclaimed in frustration.

"Anyone wish to go higher?" the announcer asks.

And as everybody guessed it, no one bid higher than that, not even the man on box 1. His eyes still looking disinterested with every item that was being auctioned.

"Sold! to the lovely lady in box 2!" The announcer jumps in joy.

'That guy has been sitting in that room for a while, he didn't even buy anything, so what makes him so special? and why is that his face looks kinda familiar?'

Helena couldn't ignore her gut feeling that she had to inspect what exactly she was feeling towards the man in box 1.

It wasn't a feeling of curiosity but familiarity.

She tried to direct conspicuous mana towards box 1, just enough not to cause suspicions against her. She was only trying to take a closer look at the man inside, opening an eye structured mana.

"..?" The man turns his head.

Unfortunately, before she could even see, the man quickly senses it. Directing strange black-like mana to the spot she just placed, Helena's eyes widened when she felt her mana dissipating.

'Oh no, he sensed it?! how?! that mana was covered with concealment magic. so just how?!' Helena thought anxiously, turning her head away from the man.

The man inside suspiciously peers towards the direction of the source, not liking that someone tried to send a eye magic around him. His eyes landing on a figure wearing a mask and a red robe that were averting his gaze.

'What kind of mana was that?' He thought.

He ushers his servant to ask. "Who's in box 4? i've never seen him before."

His servant was surprised by the sudden curiosity of his master, for he had known him to always be disinterested with the things around him, much less about the auction dealings.

The servant's eyes widen, knowing the mysterious figure that his master asked about.

"I've read an intel report from the information hall that a masked red-robed mage entered Gregohar, knowing that he was the rumored red magician from the willow village, our employee gave him a card." He says in a low voice.

"Red magician? what a lousy name." He said, even though it did pique his curiosity, he looks at the red magician with a frown on his face.