So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Chapter 393 An Unexpected Person (2)

All sorts of items are traded at the underground auction house, they say.

But there's an event that happens when things need to be traded particularly secretly.

"And a VIP secret auction has been called."

A secret auction where only VIPs can participate.

"Wait, could it be..."

Oliver cut in.

"The other guild masters too..."

"Probably. At least invitations went out to the guild masters of Two Rings and Mud House."

"If there are invitations..."

"They must have judged it was something the rogue guilds would want to buy, right?"

They looked at me.

How would I know? It's something Pelerian left for Caspian.

I looked at Pelerian.

'Did you leave some weapons or bombs or something?'

"Hmm... Maybe."

Anyway, I understood what they meant.

Obern opened his mouth as if making a sharp deduction.

"Killing three birds with one stone... right?"

That's right, three birds with one stone.

Enter the VIP auction, recover Pelerian's items, beat up the guild masters to find Oban VanKloss's whereabouts. And achieve Oliver and Rae's revenge too.

"The auction is tomorrow."

"Ssak!" (Let's go!)

No need to hesitate or dawdle, right?

But things didn't seem quite that simple.

"But we're not VIPs."

'Ah...'

Come to think of it, that's true.

Even Rae, who runs a salon and acts as an information broker, wasn't a VIP at the underground auction house.

Needless to say for Oliver or Obern.

'What are the VIP criteria...'

"People who have extensive trading experience at the underground auction house, and are either powerful enough, highly renowned, or wealthy."

I do have money.

When I carefully brought this up, Rae said it wasn't nearly enough.

"That level isn't enough to become a VIP."

"Rae, are there perhaps people around who might help?"

Oliver asked carefully.

"Well. There are people with VIP qualifications, but no one who would help us try to catch the Mud House and Two Rings guild masters."

"Right, since it would also violate the underground auction house rules..."

Fighting is absolutely forbidden in the auction house.

That's the rule of the sewers.

Of course, we don't plan to follow the rules, but others would.

"What should we do, Sir Snake!"

Obern looked at me.

?Um... would Kadam work??

Kadam of the Imperial Seven might receive VIP treatment.

"If we ask him, he might try to tear us apart."

'Mm, certainly.'

But I wouldn't have any other VIP friends...

...Ah!

?There is one!?

Though not a friend, there was someone.

Someone who could receive VIP treatment and participate in the auction.

"Who is it!"

Oliver quickly asked me.

?The person you abandoned.?

The Marquis, what was it, Margrave Sareb.

==

Obern and I visited Margrave Sareb's house.

The marquis's mansion was huge even considering this was the expensive imperial capital.

But compared to the luxurious mansion, it wasn't well maintained.

Dana, who greeted us, explained why.

"We dismissed all staff except essential personnel."

We didn't need to ask the reason.

Since the marquis had become an idiot, it wouldn't be good to have too many people knowing this fact.

Though life was never peaceful, there was one piece of good news.

The tattoos drawn on Dana and Rahan's necks had changed.

Parts of the pattern had blurred away like spreading ink.

"We succeeded in breaking part of the curse. Even if the marquis dies, we probably won't die."

'Congratulations!'

They succeeded in breaking the most important curse.

But they still couldn't leave this place.

"Because we need to find the villagers."

The marquis had detained their fellow minority villagers somewhere.

It would be difficult to leave the marquis's side before finding their whereabouts.

"The marquis has become completely stupid. They say there's no possibility of him returning to normal like last time."

'Then what will you do?'

"We'll have to find a way ourselves."

Dana took us to where the marquis was.

There, Rahan was waiting with the marquis.

'You've taken good care of him.'

The marquis, who had been wearing a blank expression, greeted me with a "hehehe."

"Ubababa!"

"Ssasat~"

I greeted the marquis back cheerfully.

Though his expression couldn't help looking idiotic, his beard and clothes were perfectly maintained.

Thanks to Rahan and Dana's efforts.

"We found the VIP invitation the marquis used to receive."

'He used to visit the underground auction house often?'

"That's the kind of person he was."

Fortunately, the marquis was indeed a VIP at the underground auction house.

Time to do some puppet circus again.

Isil touched the marquis's hand and.

?Demon Hunter's Vine Grass Isil lv19 uses Corruption lv1.?

?Using Majesty to strengthen Crown of Connection lv3.?

...

?Temporarily establishing 'Complete Connection' with target.?

And the marquis sitting in the wheelchair suddenly stood up.

"Ready!"

I shouted.

"Let's go to the auction house!"

Rahan and Dana wore slightly regretful expressions.

==

??????????????

[Jungo Reist] (1st class)

[Charges] 1st-class theft, 1st-class murder, 1st-class organization of subversive groups...

[Danger Level] ??????

[Bounty] 1,100 silver coins

[Points] 105 points

[Notes] Leader of guild 'Two Rings'...

??????????????

Jungo, head of Two Rings.

On his nape was tattooed two intertwined rings.

All Two Rings guild members must get this tattoo.

It was an old tradition, and no exception was made even for Jungo who had ruled as guild master for over 10 years.

Though Jungo was like a king within the guild, his mind was rarely at peace. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

Especially now.

Because a subordinate who posed a threat to him had appeared.

A few years ago, he received a very troublesome request from some high-ranking people.

He passed it on to a subordinate who was a thorn in his side at the time and sent him to the magic realm.

Of course, the intention was for him to die there, but he actually came back alive.

There were more young ones following that guy than following Jungo the guild master.

"Haa, damn. Isn't there somewhere else to send him?"

Finding nothing coming to mind, he examined the invitation on his desk.

Underground auction house VIP secret auction invitation.

He would participate in tomorrow's auction.

Secret auctions were always opportunities to acquire useful items.

But there was one problem.

He could only bring one guard.

Someone suddenly popped up and asked.

"Can't you take me?"

"Ugh!"

Jungo was startled.

And his surprise quickly turned to anger.

"Hey you bastard! I told you to knock before entering!"

"Ah, I forgot."

The subordinate who spoke with a grin had a ring tattoo on his forehead.

He was the only one with a tattoo on his clearly visible forehead.

That was because Jungo himself had tattooed it there, saying he was disciplining an arrogant rookie.

"Pandan."

Quick-handed Pandan.

He had returned to the empire after being sent to the mountains where wyverns live.

"Take you?"

"You'll need a guard, right?"

To take such a troublesome fellow as guard.

Jungo absolutely didn't want to.

"Forget it... I have another job for you."

"What? Suddenly?"

"Got a request from the central bank's vice president."

While he's away, he plans to send Pandan out on a job.

"Assassination. Should be easy to handle since he looks like a scholar."

Pandan took the request form.

"Obern Grimoire..."

He grinned as he burned the request form in the candlelight.

"Well, looks easy."