It Wasn’t Healing, It Was Training Magic

“Number 13, 1,100 gold!”
“Number 11, 1,200 gold!”
“Number 13, 1,300 gold!”
“Number 11, 1,500!”

As the auction heated up through Zick and Morgan, the surrounding atmosphere became more tumultuous.
How amazing must that bead be for the price to rise like that?

1,500 gold.
Isn’t that enough to buy one of those rare magic swords?
It definitely didn’t seem worth that much for what appeared to be just a decorative bead.

“Who could Number 11 be… Princess Morgan? If it’s her, she can do that. Yeah…”
“Seeing how pretty Number 13 is, it’s that habit again… How handsome must he be? Ah… I see why.”
“In that case, let’s stay quiet, hmm.”

This was the conversation of nobles who had often seen Morgan, a regular at the auction house.
It wasn’t the first or second time Morgan had unreasonably raised prices.
It was something she often did to show off to men she liked.

To show what position she held as a princess,
and how much wealth she had.

In this case, the nobles had no intention of interfering.
They couldn’t risk falling out of favor with the royal family over a man issue.
Especially with Princess Morgan, who was crazy about men.

“And today, they say ‘that thing’ we’ve only heard rumors about will come out, so we should save up.”

The nobles gathered at the auction house today not for such a glittering bead.
They say that item that’s been the talk of the entire continent recently will come out.
They couldn’t spend money on something like this.

“Now! Number 13 has bid 2,000 gold! Any more bids? Number 11, 2,500 gold! But Number 13 has bid 2,600 gold again!”

Meanwhile, the auction house staff was excited.
What is this that’s causing such a frenzy?
While two people were raising the price heatedly, one of them was Princess Morgan.
If it’s Morgan, she’s sure to raise the price more.

Morgan, receiving all these expectations.

‘Why is that man like this?’

In reality, her inner thoughts were different.
Usually, when the price is raised this much, people quickly back down.
2,500 gold isn’t just some dog house name, it’s an amount a commoner would have to work hard for a year to earn.

Outwardly, he looked like nothing more than a good-looking lower noble,
it was perplexing.

‘Is he being sponsored by the Baekya Duchy?’

That seems certain.
Otherwise, this reckless wealth can’t be explained.

The center of entertainment and pleasure,
the Baekya Duchy that rules one of the major cities there would have overflowing money.

‘If only it weren’t for that Baekya woman…!’

She could have subdued that man.
Morgan’s dissatisfaction and anger were directed at Daeho.

And as much as that, the desire to snatch that man from the Baekya Duchess woman,
and possess him ignited.

Hoping that their budget is less than her own.

‘It’s getting dangerous.’

10,000 gold.
It was all the money Morgan had today.

She had used a lot of money recently to expand her influence,
and only 10,000 gold remained.
In fact, the reason Morgan came today was the same as other nobles, so it was burdensome to use much of her budget, but,

“Number 11, 5000!”

Morgan’s pride was too hurt to care about that.

This should do it.
Morgan was confident.

“Number 13, 6000!”

But what came back was an unhesitating shout.

6,000 gold, of course it would have been best to get it for 700 gold,
but I still think it’s a cheap price.

Princess Morgan seems to have rushed in without knowing the value of that bead,
but that bead was a sacred object highly valued even among the beastkin.

Akasha, who obtained it, gained the power to destroy a large city alone,
and in the original story, she actually destroys a small kingdom.

In the hands of the beastkin, it’s not just a decorative item but a strategic weapon that can destroy a country.
That’s why I intend to get it even if I have to use all my fortune.

“…”

After shouting 6,000 gold, a long silence.
Princess Morgan opened her eyes wide and her mouth.
Judging by her clenched fists, she seems to be struggling.

Pride,
or her original goal.

She must be conflicting internally.

“Number 11, 7000!”

In the end, what she chose was pride.
She might actually have a generous budget,
I don’t know what her original thoughts were, but it was a choice befitting the greedy Morgan.

“Number 13, 8000!”

But I had no intention of giving up.
With my bid, the auction house became noisy.

“Any more bids? Then Number 13 wins the auction!”

The Fox Bead came into my hands.
Thanks to that, what I gained was a sacred object of the beastkin,
and Morgan’s shattered pride.

“Don’t worry, Zick-nim. I’ll step in if necessary.”

Feeling Morgan’s intense gaze, Daeho whispered softly.
She reassures me with a bright smile, and that relaxed appearance gives a sense of trust.

As expected of our King God Daeho!
My favorite, so reliable.

Indeed, with a name like the Baekya Duke, there should be no problem even with pressure from the Arcadia royalty.
Rather, from the Arcadia Imperial Family’s standpoint, they would be a cautious opponent.

“And if Zick-nim said he was short on money, I was thinking of supporting you. Of course, with zero interest, huhuhuh. Since it’s between us.”

As she said this, she pointed to her chest,
indicating the money pouch visible between her cleavage.

Certainly, with the wealth of the Baekya Duchy, it might be possible.
Baekya stared blankly at the glittering Fox Bead and then opened her mouth.

“But Zick-nim, you like such glittering and round objects. Then, should I open my purse once?”
“No, that bead has a separate use…”

She looked ready to buy all the glittering decorations coming out in the auction house right away.
I calmed Daeho down.

Although it heated up because of Morgan, we shouldn’t forget the original purpose of coming here.
Our purpose for coming here was to track traces of the Demon King’s Army.
Daeho had expected it to appear as an auction item.

“This product is probably what many of you have been waiting for. A work by the dwarf Garcia, which has recently shaken the entire continent!”

Just then, it appeared.
The item introduced by the staff was a splendid necklace.
Outwardly, it looks like an ordinary piece of jewelry, but.

“Woah—!!! It’s so beautiful!”
“This is a miracle made by God’s hands!”
“I must have it! Even if I have to bet my entire fortune.”

It was an item with a terrible curse.
The curse of greed.
A curse that makes anyone who sees it desire to possess it somehow.

The Demon King’s Army’s strategy is as follows:
Gradually expose the cursed jewelry to gain fame.
Then gift it to high nobles like the princess.

And through the influence of the princess and great nobles wearing it conspicuously in social circles, it creates trends and interest, and nobles who can’t resist the desire to own Garcia’s jewelry are swayed by the temptation of the Demon King’s Army.

Even if they don’t actually reveal that it’s the Demon King’s Army, they might consider it just a simple request to obtain Garcia’s jewelry.

Moreover, what’s terrible about that necklace is that it’s engraved with rune characters that are now almost forgotten and rarely used, so few people recognize them, and the characters make the necklace more beautiful.

“That’s…”

Although Daeho had expected an item with the Demon King’s Army’s trickery,
for a moment she stared at it blankly.

Is it because I already know about its existence?
I felt no emotion at all.

“Number 5, 4000!!”
“Number 19, 5000!!”

Without a moment to breathe, the auction had already started.
Everyone was raising their hands, and the price had already soared to 5000.
Then some nobles started to hesitate to raise their hands.

Even wealthy nobles had limits to their budgets.

“Auctioneer! I can sell one of my buildings here in the capital later. So include this too!!”

Is it because of the necklace that becomes more enticing the more you look at it?
Some nobles started to make unreasonable demands.

“That’s not allowed.”

According to the rule that only money currently on hand is accepted, it can’t be allowed.

“Number 11, 7000!”

Amidst the confusion, Morgan finally spoke up.
And as she looked around coldly, silence was maintained because of it.

She already looked upset after having an item snatched away by me earlier.
The nobles were conflicted.
Is that necklace really important enough to upset Princess Morgan?

“Number 16, 7500!”

Nevertheless, there were nobles who rushed in due to the curse’s influence.

“Number 11, 10,000!”

The princess responded firmly.

“Tsk… even so, 10,000 gold is…”
“With that money, we could train several knights, no, mages.”

It was an amount that sobered people up no matter what.
There were no nobles who had that much money on hand right now.
And above all, they thought it was dangerous to provoke the princess any further.

Just as it was reaching a stalemate.

“Number 13, 13,000!”

I raised my hand.
Without a moment’s hesitation.

And looking at Morgan, I said.

“Excuse me, as I looked at it, I became interested too.”

At that, Morgan’s face crumpled.

The auction ended.
Garcia’s necklace was sold, and other items were auctioned off in succession, but it ended quickly without much competition.

“Here are your items.”

I paid the auctioneer and received all the items.
In my hands are the Fox Bead and the cursed necklace.

It’s the one I ended up buying out of anger due to Morgan’s attitude.

“If it weren’t for Zick-nim, I was planning to raise my hand.”

Daeho, who has been researching curses for a long time, says she has a magical tool that can track the source of the curse.
While it can’t pinpoint the exact location, it performs well enough to be helpful.
That’s why she attended the auction with interest in this item.

However, she says the item is destroyed in the process.
That made me ponder a bit.

Actually, a big part of why I bought this item was because of Morgan,
but there was another reason.

It’s because I want to test my healing magic.

I know that lifting curses is not limited to living beings,
but can also be done on objects.

So I was very curious about what would happen if I lifted the curse engraved on the object itself with rune characters.

“Of course, I’ll leave it to Zick-nim’s choice. We can try to get that item another time.”

Daeho looked relaxed, perhaps because she was freed from her own curse.
Still, I was a bit conflicted.

At that moment.

“Um… Lady Baekya?”

It was Morgan who approached us with a blushing face.

“Um, do you have a moment?”

Morgan’s gaze was directed at the necklace in my hand.