Chapter 68: Grand finale: Void Dragon Scales? The Demon King told me to throw money around as I pleased!

The light of the Teleportation Circle faded.

Lilia stood in the VIP passage of the “Garden of Falling Stars” auction house.

She looked up at the building floating in mid-air.

It was a palace carved from a single massive boulder, with every window glowing with light.

“Wow, meow…”

Before she could finish her sentence, a woman with fox ears approached with a sway of her hips.

“Lady Lilith, Miss Lilia, this way please.”

The fox woman’s gaze swept over Lilia several times, her eyes crinkling into slits as she smiled.

Lilia felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

Why is this woman smiling like that?

“Her Majesty is waiting for you inside.”

The fox woman led them through the corridor and stopped before a door carved from Magic Crystal.

Lilia pushed the door open.

A cool, crisp fragrance wafted toward her.

Lucia sat on the sofa in the center of the private box.

She wore a long black dress, her legs crossed, holding a glass of red wine in her hand.

She didn’t look at the door; her gaze was fixed on the crowded auction hall below.

“Master! Meow!”

Lilia skipped over and plopped down beside her.

“I spent so much money today, meow!”

She raised her hand and shook the black ring.

“I bought out everything from the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce, meow! And so many other shops, I…”

“I know.”

Lucia set down her wine glass and turned her head.

Her blood-red eyes stared at her.

“News of Cassius going bankrupt this afternoon has spread throughout all of Asla.”

Lilia froze for a moment.

Bankrupt?

That arrogant jerk actually went bankrupt?

Her cat ears perked up in excitement.

“Then… how is he now, meow?”

“He’s currently in the private box next door.”

Lucia gave a small smile.

“He’s here for the auction as well.”

Lilia’s smile froze.

He’s at an auction even though he’s bankrupt?

What is he doing here?

“He wants tonight’s grand finale item,” Lucia continued.

“What item, meow?”

“The ‘Reverse Scale of the Void Dragon’.”

Lilia’s breath hitched.

A Void Dragon?

That legendary monster that lives in the cracks between planes?

“Is this thing… very powerful, meow?”

“For you, it is.”

Lucia reached out and tapped her forehead with a fingertip.

“You are currently a Tier 1 Apprentice; the mana network inside your body is still very crude.”

“If you can absorb the Space Power within the Reverse Scale of the Void Dragon, your mana circuit will undergo a qualitative change.”

“You will break through directly to a Tier 2 Apostle.”

Lilia’s heart leaped.

Tier 2?

She struggled even to conjure a fireball now, but if she reached Tier 2…

Could her ‘High-Pressure Water Gun’ be infused with real lightning?

When that time came, she could ambush Lucia—

“What are you thinking about?”

Lucia’s words interrupted her fantasy.

“You must obtain this item.”

Lilia snapped back to reality and nodded quickly.

“I’ll definitely get it, meow!”

“Good.”

Lucia picked up her wine glass again and looked downstairs.

“Money is no object.”

“You only need to do one thing—”

She paused.

“Raise the price until no one else dares to bid.”

Lilia’s eyes lit up.

Throwing money around?

She loved that most of all!

Especially Lucia’s money!

“I understand, Master! Meow!”

She slapped her chest in a promise.

“I’ll slap their faces with so much money they’ll be swollen, meow!”

Lucia laughed at her excitement.

“By the way.”

She set down her glass and turned her head.

“Grand Duke Cassius was screwed over so badly by you this afternoon; he must hate you right now.”

Lilia’s cat ears twitched.

“So what, meow?”

“He wants that dragon scale too,” Lucia said softly.

“If you two clash at the auction…”

Lilia’s mind raced.

Clash?

Wouldn’t that be a direct confrontation?

She imagined Cassius’s pale, ashen face as she repeatedly slapped him with higher bids at the auction.

She couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“That’s even better, meow!”

She clenched her fists, her eyes gleaming.

“I’m going to show him today what true wealth looks like, meow!”

Lucia didn’t speak again.

She simply held her wine glass, watching the increasingly lively auction hall below.

She smiled.

—

*Dong—*

The bell rang.

The auction began.

An auctioneer in a lavish suit walked onto the stage, his voice booming.

“Welcome, everyone, to the Garden of Falling Stars!” “Tonight’s items are all rare treasures!”

“Now, let us begin with the first item—”

Lilia leaned against the window, watching the prominent figures of the Demon Race below scramble to raise their paddles.

Treasure after treasure was brought onto the stage.

Prices were refreshed again and again.

But she had no interest at all.

Her entire focus was on the neighboring private box.

Though she couldn’t see inside, she could feel a gaze full of resentment directed her way.

Cassius.

That unlucky bastard.

Lilia grinned, her eyes crinkling.

Just you wait.

When the grand finale appears, I’ll show you what it truly means to be a profligate!

Time passed minute by minute.

The auctioneer’s voice grew louder and louder.

“Next—”

He paused and raised his pitch.

“The grand finale of tonight’s auction!”

The entire auction hall fell silent.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the stage.

A crystal box sealed with multiple layers of magic was slowly wheeled out.

Inside the box lay a palm-sized scale.

Faint purple halos flowed over the jet-black scale.

The halos distorted and tore at the surrounding space.

“The Reverse Scale of the Void Dragon!”

The auctioneer’s words echoed through the hall.

“Starting bid—ten million Magic Crystal Coins!”