Gwen and Richard found a Parisian cafe for an "arvo" luncheon on University Rd called "Pierre's Patisserie", measuring minutes with the churning of coffee spoons while engaged in people-watching. The tea was a blend of leaves grown from an 'Elven' sanctum in an Indian Orange Zone, diffusing a mild, potion-like effect that dispelled the hectic morning's fatigue.

While waiting, Gwen called up Mina and told her of Mayuree's offer.

"Mayuree? I know that name. Round face, about my height, Diviner? Excessively rich clingy?"

"She's rich?"

"Very," Mina's reply sounded less than thrilled. "We're acquainted but not close. You didn't let her latch onto you, did you?"

"Erg..." Gwen's words caught in her throat. Mayuree had gotten close enough to kiss, not that she would.

"Is Richard coming?"

"Of course."

"Right, don't do anything I wouldn't do. Ah-Bao will drop me off at Fudan as soon as possible. See you soon, cousin."

Mina's flashy European sedan pulled into University road about half an hour later.

Her cousin emerged from the exuberant eggshell interior of the saloon sporting a knee-length jacket, hinting at a shimmering dress hidden beneath the canvas covers.

Mina had prettied herself for the auction, with her impeccably coiled hair framing her China doll face, drawing admiring eyes from passersby.

Behind Mina, Gwen was surprised to see Tao, unsurprising adorned with a red duckbill cap and his signature Adidas getup.

"Sup Cuz!" Tao threw Gwen and Richard a few arcane rap signs. "How's the test, dawg?"

"It went well, Peaches. Thanks for asking." Gwen gave the both of them a friendly peck. "Mina, do you think Mayuree would protest if..."

"Mia— that's Mayurees nickname, should be fine with it." Mina fluttered a hand in the air, interrupting Gwen's well-meaning bluster. "She's the sort that's friends with everyone."

"Alright," Gwen answered doubtfully. "What can you tell me about this Mayuree? Does she have a last name?"

"Not at all," Mina said. "She's not from around here, as far as I know. Her family is very wealthy. I recall her business group was responsible for the west wing of the library at my old international high school."

"Wow, if YOU think she's wealthy..." Gwen bit her lip, knowing that Mina's father was very, very rich. "Alright, so she's not your average Diviner either, then? She was at the Fudan mid-year Scholarship Trials."

"I wouldn't know about that. We've attended a few socials, but Mina is well known for her Augury."

"Like, fortune-telling?"

"Something like that. We went to school together in junior and senior high. Rumours say that Mia's got Divine blood from an old Lineage. Who knows. It's not like we ran in the same circles."

"Divine lineage?" Gwen pursed her lips. "From the Gods?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. The Old Bloods tend to marry within the clan, though Mia doesn't seem like one of those inbred puritans." Mina shrugged. "But I'll tell you what, don't let her read your fortune!"

"But you said they're accurate!" Gwen pointed out. Wasn't she a "diviner" too? Maybe she could pick up some Divination pointers from Mayuree.

"Just don't. Accurate fortunes are the WORST." Mina shuddered as if reeling from an unpleasant recollection. "If it's good, it ruins the surprise. If it's bad, you're going to live in an unbearable hell of anticipation."

"Can't you change the prediction if you know of it?"

"They're ACCURATE," Mina retorted. "Let's stop here; I am getting a headache just trying to figure out the paradox. You can take Divination 101 next sem if you want."

"Okay," Gwen promised. "No fortunes."

"Anyway." Mina pressed closer to Gwen. "Dad wants to thank you for helping out Peaches. His 'success' really gave him 'face'. He said, so he told us to help you in the auction any way we can."

"WITH Currency! Bitches!" Tao made a few C's with his fingers. "We're cashed up!"

"A sizeable war chest." Mina slapped her brother's hands of the way. "For Mao's sake, Peaches—stop that! We're right in front of Fudan! People here know me!"

"What's the magnitude of his gratitude?" Richard interjected, preferring the girls cut to the chase.

"3000 HDMs," Mina stated proudly, watching Richard's face. "For making Tao less of a loser."

"HOLY S-"Gwen covered her mouth. "Seriously?!"

Maybe she should professionally serve as Tao's life consultant? With every triumph, his father could dispense a bonus.

"As much of it as you can spend, yes." Her cousin patted Gwen's unemployed body with sympathy.

"No, no. It's too much!" Gwen protested. Even after ripping off Dai Fung, that was all the money she owned. The others looked at her grinning face blankly. When it came to money, Gwen was a terrible actor.

"We insist..." Mina said.

"Well, if you insist..." Gwen felt filled with inner fire. If she had almost 6000 HDMs, it meant she had a far better chance of picking up some critical ingredient or an item that could significantly improve her bid for the LCSS—maybe, she could even find a Spirit to feed Ariel!

Her joy was interrupted by the beeping from the streetside. Roaring closer, a stretch-limo pulled into the parking bay.

The obsidian pane wound down to reveal Mayuree's porcelain face, beckoning for Gwen's company.

Inside, Gwen watched Mina suffer as Mayuree clung onto her cousin like a koala.

"I've known Mina for years!" Mayuree leaned to nuzzle Mina on the cheek. "We're best buds! We should hang out more often!"

Mina discretely pushed Mayuree away by inviting Gwen to sit closer.

Gwen, however, was distracted by Tao, who took up two seats with his legs wide open, looking thoroughly 'gangsta'.

Mina sighed.

Gwen turned toward the spacious interior of the eight-meter-long stretch, where the other guests sat.

There were the three nondescript young men she'd seen from the exam, whose names she didn't recall. They sat around Kitty, the Para-Elemental Ice Mage with the pixie-cut.

With effort, she attempted small talk with the stoic foursome but felt impeded by the spectacle of her other cousin. As before, Kitty entirely ignored her.

Gwen was just wondering if Tao could discretely displace himself when her cousin made an obscene motion with his fingers at the men, who had chosen to distract themselves from Tao by peeking at Gwen.

"Yo! Whatchu looking at?" He swaggered abrasively to the quiet Kitty, who sat opposite him with an expression full of loathing, giving him the stink eye every time their gazes met.

Kitty, whose face had been unhappy as soon as Gwen and company had entered, addressed Tao with a cold, murderous look.

"Sup, ho?" Tao gave the girl a mixed-message grin. "U wanna ride this bad boy?"

Gwen spat forth a thimble full of the sparkling water she'd been sipping, soaking the front of her blouse. Bloody hell, she cursed in silence. How can a human being so gifted at drawing out the worst in people?

Sure enough, one of the young men instantly took on an expression that suggested he was about to deliver retributive justice for the icy princess.

More so than before, she wanted to get off Tao's wild ride. Her eyes met Richard's. Unfortunately, Richard appeared to enjoy her suffering thoroughly.

Comparatively, Mina's expression grew mildly vacant, as though she was someplace far away. It was the look of insensibility made dull by long-term exposure to trauma.

Maybe the limo could pull over first. Gwen hoped against hope to drop Tao off. She was confident a Mage could survive a sudden ejection from a moving vehicle.

"Kitty, ignore him," Mayuree spoke, her interceding voice was sweet and soft, but the cold tone of the command struck Kitty like lightning.

Obediently, Kitty turned his face away and pretended Tao was not a man but a fabric stain.

Gwen watched the body language of Kitty's foursome as she with her arms folded across her chest. She felt a prickling suspicion beginning to take shape within her mind. Rather than students from Fudan, Kitty and co reminded Gwen of discrete bodyguards.

"Sorry," Mina apologised to Mayuree.

"It's alright." Mayuree turned to Gwen to pivot the conversation. "Anything you're after at the auction?"

"Well," Gwen replied with complete honesty. "I don't know. What should I expect?"

Mayuree excitedly began to rattle off a list of potential purchases.

Outside, dusk descended. The illuminated nightlife of Shanghai came to life one by one, as though beckoned by an unseen Conjurer.

Half an hour of insufferable Tao later, the limo pulled into the illuminated expanse of an enormous hotel.

"We're here!" Mayuree's treacly voice announced.

They had arrived at the Shanghai Hyatt-Regency, an eighty-eight storey marvel of a building situated in the heart of the Bund district. Perhaps in homage to the two Mage Towers, or mayhap designed for symmetry, the international hotel likewise consisted of two towers, each constructed with a curved-glass exterior which offered panoramic views of Shanghai from CBD to the Huangpu.

"This is the 'super secret' House of M Auction?" Gwen's heels tapped the marble pavement as she stepped from the limousine.

The atmosphere felt more akin to a red-carpet event sans the paparazzi. All around them, well-dressed guests emerged from chauffeured vehicles or engaged the awaiting valets, beyond which a stream of waitstaff bowed at patrons before guiding them into the lobby and beyond.

Under the glass canopy, the atrium was an architectural miracle of vaulted glass thirty-meters high, encased in rose-quartz marble and smoky-oak wood panelling. Beneath the cathedral of crystalline splendour, suited men and sparkling women engaged in polite conversation over canapés, sipping from tall flutes filled with amber liquid.

Besides Gwen, Mina allowed her jacket to slide from her torso and into her Storage Ring, revealing the visual spectacle of her silvery, shimmering dress. Sheer, glimmering, high-waisted and loosely hanging from her slender shoulders, accentuating her princess demeanour.

"You're gorgeous," Richard said the words before Gwen could utter her compliment. "I am positively underdressed in comparison and feel both inferior and abashed in your presence."

"Never!" Mina cooed at her cousin, whose face was entirely serious. With an expression of smugness, she hooked an elbow in between the space between his arm and his waist. "Let's head inside. The exotic fauna garden on the second-floor atrium is a wonder!"

Tao followed the couple, a natural-born third wheel.

"I'll leave a part of Lea with you," Richard spoke to Gwen by leaning closer to her ear. With a discrete incantation, the Water Mage materialised a small, amorphous blob to hover just behind Gwen's ears, not unlike an Ioun Stone.

"Our suite is at 34-B!" Mayuree reminded them as they left. She turned to Gwen, eyes sparkling. "Shall we?"

The Diviner dressed surprisingly conservatively in something akin to a mandarin dress in ivory.

"Let's go," Gwen smiled back, her mind full of wonders for the auction to come.

"Ms Song!" a voice cried out from the stairs.

They were intercepted on the second floor by a very surprised Magus Yuu.

"It's good to see you again so soon, Ms Song." The Magus shook her hand in an over-intimate manner. "Ms Mayuree, your presence delights me."

"Hey there, Meng." Mayuree nodded at the Magus curtly. "The Auction prep is going well?"

Meng, Gwen duly noted. Not Magus, nor Sir. Just Meng.

"Of course, Mistress," Yuu replied with an edge of caution to his voice. "All the items are secured."

"Is brother here?"

"Master Marong? He is in the VIP suite with his friends."

"I don't want a repeat of last time," Mayuree's voice had a touch of steel, which sounded to Gwen as strange coming from a face so sweet and innocent.

"Of course, Mistress," Yuu retreated from the two girls. "I shall waste no more of your time. Ms Song, please enjoy the auction."

Gwen turned to Mayuree.

"Mistress?" She raised an arched brow.

"Don't pay it any mind." Mayuree laughed. "You probably think the title makes me sound arrogant, right?"

Gwen returned a polite chuckle. Mina was right; it was best not to delve too deep. She should get her auction done and get out of here. They could be home before midnight.

When they reached the private Box 34-B, Gwen saw that Kitty had already taken residence alongside Mayuree's three stoic stooges.

"Kitty." Gwen nodded at her before finding a seat closer to the edge.

Kitty snubbed her usual. Mayuree sat beside Gwen and again tried to strike up a conversation, with Gwen answering her queries thoughtfully, though keeping a polite distance from offending the unhappy Kitty.

Below the amphitheatre was a concert complex converted for the auction, possing of four tiers of private boxes, an upper and lower circle, and a standing-room pit.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Tao arrived soon after, his individual "style" drawing unfriendly and sceptical glances toward their box.

Richard and Mina appeared shortly. By Mina's confession, they had taken a whirlwind tour of the buffet table before retreating to the second floor to sip pinot gris from tall fluted glasses over a vista of the Bund at night.

"There's a BUFFET?" Gwen moaned. Why hadn't she seen the buffet? Thanks to Mia, she had been denied a boon of deletable Wildland supplements!

"Here, I got something for you," Mina materialised a plate of miscellaneous food-stuffs stacked atop a vessel filled to the brim. "That is, Richard asked me to get some for you. You should have mingled. He was so surprised when you walked right past the buffet section!"

"Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on you." Gwen took the laden plate from Mina's delicate hands and began the loving work of replenishing her reserves. Caliban had taken a toll only hours ago, and here was free world-class food.

Mayuree looked upon the diminishing plate of food piled three-stacks high as if seeing Gwen first. The others who had never seen a performance of Gwen's bottomless appetite likewise regarded her with wide-eyed wonder, pondering where in her body the foodstuff could be stowed.

"Where do the items come from?" Gwen asked Mayuree out of curiosity as she wrapped up her grand luncheon.

"Here and there, traders, adventurers, Magus and Magisters looking to trade for rare ingredients, that sort of thing—but that can wait. It's starting!"

Upon the illuminated central stage, the auctioneer began with a bang.

The presiding agent wore a charcoal vest over a white silk shirt, accentuated with a bright blue tie. He stood ramrod straight, thin as a pencil, his face severe and aristocratic.

"LADIES and GENTS, MAGES, MAGUS and MAGISTERS! Thank you for attending our auction, hosted by the House of M, humbly at your service! My name is Arden Cooper, and I am your Bid Caller for the night."

The auctioneer's accent was distinctly British, his sonorous voice rolling off the tongue like smoothly churned butter, every syllable accentuated and annunciated deliberation and emphasis.

"We have a lot of items to move tonight! We are item-rich but time-poor! And so, befitting the scarcity of time, allow me to open with our first item!"

An illusory barrier faded from existence, revealing a pair of exquisitely crafted ankle-high boots.

"Ladies and Gents, a pair of Boots of Levitation, unisex, self-fitted, crafted by T.K. Giro from the hide of an albino Bauxite Rhino from the Orange Zone southward of Frontier Phuket. This item allows the use of the Levitation effect by will. Perfect for the curious Dungeon crawler and consummate traveller. As a master-crafted item, the shoes possess an allowance of two hundred and fifty kilograms, with a maximum height of six meters. Furthermore, the shoes possess a built-in Feather Fall feature..."

"The bidding begins at 400 HDMs."

"I see 500!" The bidder raised a glyphed paddle.

"500, thank you, Sir, for the fine start."

"600."

"800."

"850, calling once!"

"I am happy to sell it at 850 unless another enterprising collector would like to become the possessor of this unique item."

"Is that so, then 875 it is, the hammer is in the air, Sir."

"Madam?"

"Of course, 875 remains a bargain."

"I would like to remind all present that a portion of tonight's proceeds will go towards the maintenance and care of our citizens in the Frontier. As you know, Sydney has suffered a terrible setback. All that Auroch beef, lost! Truly a tragedy!"

"900! I must congratulate you, Sir, for having such rare judgement."

"900?"

"Going once?"

"No more?"

"Very well…"

"No?"

"...Going thrice! SOLD! To C028 for 900 HDMS!"

A round of applause greeted the winner, whose box was just out of Gwen's field of Vision.

So this was the auction. Gwen was happy that the methodology did not differ from her old world, only that the items were stranger than fiction.

The following article was a pair of Bangles that provided a weak but autonomously activated, near-perpetual shield, allowing even an unconscious Mage to deflect attacks. It sold for 960 HDMs.

The next was a set of a dozen potions of Heroism, blessed by some famous Cleric from the Roman Catholic Church. The liquid dispelled fear, gave clarity of mind, delivered minor healing, and enhanced fortitude, strength, and agility. They were sold as a set for a total of 110 HDMs.

"Next! A rare Ring offered by the Wildland Trade Consortium of Pudong, a Ring of Animal Influence, crafted by a Demi-human master!"

The clamour from the crowd rose in pitch and volume.

Gwen shifted to the edge of her seat. An item made by a non-human Magic-User?

"From the Woods that Wend, crafted by Master Iythronel Yllahice from the yearling growth of a millennia-old Dryad, this ring offers wearers the ability to speak to mundane and magical animals! Furthermore, users may command and influence low-tier Magical Beasts, as well as evoke an area of effect fear which affects all creatures within a maximum radius of one hundred meters."

"A Demi-human crafter?" Gwen turned to Mayuree again.

Her companion nodded.

The auctioneer continued.

"The bidding begins at 1000 HDMs."

"... 2000!"

"... 3000!"

The contest for the ring was far fiercer than Gwen had anticipated, ending at 3850 HDMs.

"What does a Demi-human do with HDMs?" Gwen asked Mayuree, expecting that the 'Mistress' of Magus Yuu would possess some insight into the matter.

"Trade, really," Mayuree replied casually. "We have resources the Demi-humans need; they have items and ingredients that we need. HDMs are an easy currency for exercising that goal."

"Do they have any use for the crystals themselves?"

"Sure, empowering our magical devices, using it for themselves, or dispensing it as a reward. Mageocracy HDMs are now a standardised currency even among the other races. Man-made HDMs are SUPER popular."

"How so?" Gwen found the notion puzzling. Are the other races treating HDMs like the U.S Petrol-Dollar? If so, was this a naturally forming phenomenon or a politically imposed one? "Can't the Demi-humans mine their own? All the mines are in the Wildlands, no?"

"No, you Silly! Only we can mass manufacture HDMs." Mayuree's helpful tone was full of eager information, looking happier now that Gwen was speaking to her more naturally. "The other races tend to prefer barter. The Mageocracy's universal currency makes cross-cultural, intercontinental trading much easier."

"I see." Gwen turned back to the auction. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Anytime! You'll learn all of this in the General Course anyway."

A dozen more items came and went to their new owners.

"LADIES AND GENTS!" The auctioneer continued. It has been almost an hour since he began, his clarion voice growing in intensity with every item sold, as though the auctioneer's stamina fed off the flow of currency. "Now for the rare ingredient component of our evening!"

Applause and cheers hailed the announcement.

The 'ingredients' consisted mainly of Creature-parts, each with different attributes of elemental affinities that made them unique in creating particular kinds of magic items from skin, eyes, teeth, nails, and organs of various parts.

"Next, a Fruit of Life, A Fructum Vitae!"

"Gwen!" both Mina and Richard spoke up, but Gwen needn't their advice to know that she needed to bid for the fruit.

"Someone else must have found one as well, from the Hengsha Dungeon," Richard observed when the fruit made its appearance. Its durian like exterior hinted that it likely had the exact origin as their own as it sat in its stasis box.

"100!"

"120!"

"140!"

"200!" Gwen called out.

"Very good, to the lovely lady in 34-B! 200! Going once!"

"230!"

"45-A, 230! Do I have an answer from the Miss in 34-B?"

"250!"

"270!"

"275!"

"278!"

"Go to 300," Mayuree suggested. "Don't creep your bids."

"300!" Gwen raised a paddle which displayed the number she announced.

"300! Going once! Going twice! GONE! Sold to 34-B!"

Gwen shivered. The auction was rather more exciting than she had anticipated.

"What do you need a Fruit of Youth for, anyhow?" Mayuree dug for details. "Someone in the family looking to turn back the clock? There are better options for that purpose."

"It's a Void Mage thing," Gwen told the half-truth. "I need as many as I can get."

"Magical fruits have diminishing returns," Mayuree pointed out helpfully. "How many have you had?"

"Two?"

"Four or five is the usual limit, then you'll barely notice its effects," Mayuree advised. "Although you should probably consult someone from the Alchemical Faculty. Maybe they can synthesise it for you for some CCs. I can help out if you lack the connections."

"Thanks, I'll look into it if I get the chance." Gwen returned her eyes toward the auctioneer. "Now what?"

"Someone will be here to collect and deliver," Mayuree told her expertly.

"You come to these auctions often?" Gwen tested her talkative companion.

"Now and then." Mayuree's eyes twinkled.

Gwen turned back to the stage, where the illusory veil lifted from the next item, a flash of elemental lightning lit up the entire auditorium. Gwen's eyes locked onto a Creature Core with the appearance of a yellow diamond.

"NOW! A WONDER from the Forbidden Zones of Central Africa, pilfered from the Heart of Darkness, from the reachable sanctums of the Mbochi, a rare and precious gift for those who wish to traffic in the power of the Gods, channel the divine essence of the heavens - A Crystalised Heart of the Congolese Eland!"

Gwen had no idea what an Eland was, but she suddenly knew that this was an item she needed. Within her pocket dimension, Ariel had sensed the resonating elemental resonance emanating from the crystal heart and was begging for release into the Material Plane. As motes of lightning mana filled the room, the empathic link grew so intense that Gwen squirmed on her seat.

Discretely, Gwen allowed Ariel to manifest.

"EE—!"

"Oh! How precious!" Mayuree did not seem surprised at all that Gwen summoned a Lightning-element Familiar. "What's its name?"

"Ariel," Gwen replied distractedly, trying to catch the auctioneer's boastful description while trying to control the squealing Ariel.

In her lap, her Familiar was busily trying to illustrate something with its paws, alternating between begging, wagging its head cutely, and flopping onto its belly and squirming like a serpent-waisted cat.

"Here, let me try. Lea, if you please?" Richard intervened.

A minuscule Lea about the size of Ariel's non-combat form appeared beside it and began to converse with Ariel.

"EE—EE!"

"EE?!" Lea replied

"EE!"

"Ee-ee?!" Lea nodded.

"Lea speaks marten?" Gwen felt her knowledge of the Always-Amazing Undine renewed yet again.

"Nature spirits can Commune with Animals at will," Mayuree cut in helpfully beside her. "I can too, you could have asked..."

Lea turned her tiny face up toward Gwen.

"It says that it wants to eat the gem so that it can grow strong like Cali."

"Why?" Gwen seemed puzzled by the marten's request. "Ariel can't shapeshift, can it? It's not like Caliban."

"Not like Caliban, no," Richard advised. "But you have to remember that both Caliban and Ariel are not actual fauna. They are special creatures empowered by Lord Kilroy. They're not native anymore. How else do you think they reside in your Pocket Dimension? They don't drink water. They eat mana crystals; they don't' defecate, they don't suffer from illnesses, nor can they be bred."

"They're Elementals," Gwen realised where Richard was going with the reminder—beings manifested from the primordial chaos where the fabric of the Planes is thin. They grow in power through living in regions rich with reinforcing elemental forces."

And most importantly, they were a part of herself. Strip away the animus provided by Summon Familiar and Ariel would be a ball of lightning, just as Caliban would be a vicious mass of hunger. Only Spirits could retain their astral forms, though she hadn't been that lucky.

"—A region ravaged by storms and lightning, beyond the habitation of man! Here is a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

Below them, the auctioneer had finished extolling the virtues of the Eland's heart. Now was the moment of truth.

"The float begins at 2000 HDMs!"

"Oh no, there's no way we can afford that." Gwen turned to Richard. From her observations of the previous Auctions, they were most definitely short.

“3,000!”

“4,000!”

“4,500!”

Gwen was almost out of cash.

"I'll lend you 1200 HDMs," Mina suddenly interjected. "Go for it!"

"4,600!" Gwen held up her card and called out.

"4,700!"

"4,800!"

"4,900!"

"5000!" She gritted her teeth and continued. There better be some fortuitous part-time jobs when this is said and done, Gwen thought worriedly. Maybe she could take Tao out for another spin and squeeze some more gratuity from Patriarch Wang.

"5100!"

Gwen cursed. From the sounds of it, there was at least three others bidding.

"5500, going once! Going TW-ICE!" The auctioneer did that elongated voice which irked Gwen to no end.

"5550!" Gwen had to save as much money as she could for her University days ahead, but Ariel was genuinely desperate. There was still accommodation, food, textbooks, socials, and God knows how many other expenses. The Scholarship may mean that her Courses are free of charge, but that's assuming she even receives one. Gwen would have to find a loan somewhere, maybe contact Gunther or Alesia to beg for alms, which made her face burn just thinking about it.

"5700!" The next bid dashed the last of Gwen's motivation. Opportunities come and go. Ariel's existential upgrade could wait.

"Keep bidding!" Mina urged.

"No. We can't afford it." Richard shook his head.

"But it's a rare item!" Mina looked as though she wanted to start bidding on Gwen's behalf.

"One we can't afford," Richard's repeated words stabbed Gwen in the gut. She hugged the antsy Ariel close to her chest and squeezed her Familiar tightly. Sensing its Master's disappointment, Ariel struck out its salmon-pink tongue and licked her face.

"Sorry, Ariel..." Gwen stroked the marten. "Not today."

"Eeee..." Ariel channelled her guilt and so hung its head sadly.

Her cousin appeared stunned by the idea that Gwen could give up something so potentially beneficial to one of her primary powers.

"7,000!"

The next call surprised them all.

Somebody must have wanted the crystal desperately.

"Well, that's that then." Gwen breathed out. She felt less disappointed now that it was clear the item wasn't to be. As with life, if she wanted to win, she would have to work harder for fame, currency, and influence.

"Going once… going twice…" the auctioneer announced quickly. "Sold! For 7,000 HDMs!"

The sound of applause filled the auditorium.

More items came and went, but Gwen had lost the happy anticipation with which she had begun the night.

Later, a ring that allowed one to negate Paralysis and ignore Slow and Halt effects fetched 8,000 HDMs.

Another rare item was a shimmering dress which turned out to be Elven made chainmail, as light as cloth and as resilient as upper-tier magical spider silk, capable of impeding virtually all non-magical physical attacks. That austere item fetched 12,000 HDMs.

To Gwen, it would seem that Demi-human artifice fetched almost double the price of human-made items.

"Good grief," Gwen breathed out when the hammer fell. "That's an obscene amount of money."

For a dangerous moment, she wondered if she should pawn something, but her rings were priceless. The Teleportation Ring was from Gunther. The Ring of Evasion was from her Master. The Storage Ring was from her Opa. They were untappable treasure troves.

Then, as quickly as it began, the stage went dark, and the sound of shifting seats and moving people filled the auditorium. Gwen sighed. It was time to leave this place of extravagance and return to reality.

"Don't worry about it," Mina assured her. "You can always use CCs. As long as whatever you need exists, somebody somewhere will try and get it into your hands. It's just a matter of time."

But time was precisely the matter; Gwen wanted to retort. As her grandmother so wisely reminded her. Time was the only finite thing she possessed.

As they turned to leave, there came a knock at the box's door. One of the young men opened it to reveal Magus Yuu.

"MS Song, I have your Fructum Vitae." Yuu presented the piece of white-jade flesh stored within a stasis device.

With a touch of Rings, Gwen transferred 300 HDMs over to Yuu, and the exchange was complete.

"Oh yes, I have also brought the item you requested, Mistress." Yuu motioned behind him, and a young woman in an attendant's uniform brought out a velvet cushion, upon which a crystalline heart sat, glowing with the hysterical radiance of elemental lightning.

Gwen felt her heart catch in her throat as the Core illuminated the interior of their private box. Richard took on a thoughtful expression and turned toward Mayuree with an unreadable expression. Tao's eyes were aglow, as were Mina's.

Casually, Mayuree plucked the Core from the cushion.

"Gwen, catch!" she announced mirthfully and tossed the offending object toward a flabbergasted Gwen, who fumbled her catch with heart-in-mouth panic until she finally caught it on her lap.

"Wha—?" Gwen held the precious object; the 7000 HDM treasure hummed in her trembling hands. "W-What's the meaning of this?"

"A memento for our friendship," Mayuree announced with smiling eyes that sent goosebumps down Gwen's spine. "For commemorating the day we met."

The heart-shaped Core felt as though it possessed the weight of a neutron star in Gwen's lap.

Should she return it? Give it back? Of course, she should. A gift without cause is a dangerous thing. A nasty, hazardous thing. A debt.

"I can't take this!" Gwen protested. "It's too mu-"

"Ee—!" Ariel launched itself at the orb.

CRUNCH!

Gwen looked toward her lap.

Below, Ariel had broken off a small chunk of the crystal and was now happily chewing away.

Her eye began to twitch uncontrollably. With horror, Gwen regarded the happy Ariel with as much love as regret, cursing her inattentiveness. It was her Familiar's fault, but she controlled her Familiar—ergo, it was her debt to pay.

Her eyes fell upon the smiling face of Mayuree, so childish, tender and innocent. Without guile, Mayuree's irises glowed with a tinge of near-colourless violet, burning with motes of Divination.

There came the sound of another crunch coming from her lap. Not that it mattered the second time. From the first bite, there was no returning the Core.

"We're friends, right?" Mayuree begged with a voice that tickled her soul and made Gwen cross her legs a little tighter. "Right?"