NOVEL NEXT Chapter 105: Origin
Richard looked around for a comfortable seat to sit on.
But instead, he was startled by the sight of a woman with pink hair sitting in the upper corner, alone, looking relaxed while sipping wine.
She smiled at a few people sitting not far from her when they glanced her way.
Who else could it be but Olivia.
At first, he had underestimated this woman, thinking she was nothing more than a stray wanderer.
However, in the previous library, he had read about the Skylight Clan.
Compared to the Moonshadow Clan, the Skylight Clan stood far above.
Olivia wasn't spouting nonsense when she said her clan was renowned throughout the continent.
Even among clans, it might be the strongest in the Land of Human.
Three Grand Sovereigns were born from that clan, something other clans could not achieve unless they formed a large faction that united many clans together.
And none of them were without extraordinary talent.
Even their weakest members possessed talent at the highest standard compared to others.
The only flaw of the clan was that more than half of its members wandered the world on their own, rather than staying within their clan's territory.
'She just arrived in the capital today, and her name shouldn't even be known yet. Could it be that she also received an invitation? And besides that, does she even have the money to bid?' Richard wondered.
Of course, he chose to sit in a corner opposite from where the woman was.
He still felt she was somewhat unpredictable and might be capable of something unimaginable.
What Richard was most wary of about her was her speed.
The current performance on stage was naturally just the opening entertainment.
As more guests filled the auction hall, the performance ended.
The women descended from the stage through the back stairs.
After that, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties, with neatly tied white hair, stepped onto the stage.
She wasn't a woman with striking beauty, but she carried a grace that was difficult to rival, clad in a dark blue gown that was neither tight nor loose.
Most people were impressed when they saw her, unconsciously feeling she was highly trustworthy.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our third auction of the year. I, Sophia Whitewater, will once again be your auctioneer tonight." The woman spoke, and her voice echoed throughout the auditorium even though there was no microphone or speaker.
She had a soft and pleasant voice, one that gave comfort to the listeners.
"Hahaha, Lady Whitewater, you're the only one we trust. We wouldn't believe any other auctioneer who only loves to boast…" Someone suddenly laughed as he spoke.
Richard saw that it was a middle-aged man with a thick beard.
He was likely one of the strongest among the attendees of this auction, as his aura still radiated even though he tried to suppress it.
"Hmph, Henry, did you come with enough money? I heard you were robbed recently, unless you came just to woo Lady Whitewater…" Suddenly, another voice responded, coming from a plump yet glamorous middle-aged woman in a luxurious red gown, adorned with many pieces of jewelry.
Despite her weight, she still looked beautiful and captivating thanks to her clear skin and naturally lovely face.
If observed closely, her face actually resembled the Red Star Empress.
Being accused of coming only to woo, Henry scowled.
"Layla, don't think I'm without reserves of wealth. I was only robbed of a small amount, nothing worth comparing to my accumulated fortune," he replied.
"But isn't it truly pitiful? Our royal general, robbed so easily. How can you protect the kingdom if enemies attack?" Layla retorted with another jab, showing there was hostility between the two.
Being questioned on whether he could defend the kingdom, Henry looked visibly angered.
"Ehmmm…" Sophia Whitewater cleared her throat before Henry could say anything further.
"General Henry, Madam Layla, please calm down. The auction will begin shortly. There are items here you will surely want, and you can prove who is wealthier among you." She spoke gently.
Naturally, others were irritated by their exchange, but directly reprimanding them would only spark animosity with both sides.
Fortunately, Sophia was able to silence them while also provoking them to compete in a different way.
Both of them stopped speaking.
Soon after, two neatly dressed men walked onto the stage, carrying a golden spear whose tip emitted flames.
The heat from the flames could be felt even by those seated in the corners.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a Tier 4 Weapon." Sophia announced, and immediately, the hall erupted into an uproar.
Even in the capital, a Tier 4 Weapon was still a rare item.
And it was rarely sold for Nature Spirit. Richard himself had obtained one only because of his impossible achievement in the Monster World.
"We'll start at 1 million Nature Spirit, with each raise no less than 50 thousand!" Sophia declared.
"1 million 50 thousand!" Someone immediately bid, and it turned out to be Luca.
That alone was enough to intimidate the other tournament participants.
They didn't even possess Nature Spirit near that amount, so it was impossible for them to join the bidding.
But if Luca acquired this weapon, he could truly sweep them aside in the tournament.
"1.1 million!"
Another person bid on the spear, someone dressed in a Ghost Cloak.
"1.25 million!" Suddenly, someone raised the price drastically, and this slightly surprised Richard—because it was Olivia who did it.
Even seated in the corner, bidding such an amount naturally drew attention, shocking many when they saw she was actually a beautiful young woman.
"Who is she? I don't think I've ever seen her. She shouldn't be a tournament participant either," one person muttered as he stared at her.
"She's clearly not ordinary."
"I think I know who she is."
"Oh? Who?"
"She might be Olivia Skylight, the one living in Apple Town of the Eight Star Province. They say she's being hunted by Lady Rebecca Moonshadow."
"Ohh, so that's her. Still, she's a descendant of the Skylight Clan. It's natural she dares to be bold—no one can easily suppress her. Besides, wasn't Lady Rebecca once involved with a man from that clan? I heard she was even pregnant, but the baby died at birth."
"What?" Richard, who had been quietly listening in the corner, was stunned by the last person's words.
He even covered his mouth instinctively.
The man who had impregnated his mother was from the Skylight Clan too?
Then… wouldn't that mean he was also a descendant of that clan?
He hadn't expected to obtain such information from idle chatter at the auction house.