novelraw Chapter 486: Escaped?
Chapter 486: Escaped?
Chapter 486: Escaped?
For a few seconds after Regalina's words, the entire auction hall remained silent.
No one spoke, and even the faint sounds of movement disappeared as people processed what she had just said. The tension in the air grew heavier with each passing moment, and slowly, more people began to realize the same thing.
If someone had really spent such a terrifying amount of money, then why had they not shown themselves yet? Even those who had remained quiet until now began exchanging glances with each other.
The silence itself started to feel unnatural.
Ethan stood still near the central platform, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked toward the rows of private rooms above. His gaze moved slowly from one chamber to another, as if trying to pierce through the walls and drag out the hidden figure.
Rathlos stepped closer to him and lowered his voice slightly. "My lord… this woman is surely terrifying," he said quietly, his expression serious as he also looked toward the upper chambers.
On the stage, Juliet hesitated for a moment before forcing a polite smile onto her face.
"Please remain calm, everyone," she said, trying to stabilize the situation. "Our auction house follows strict verification rules. Every participant has been checked before entering."
However, even as she spoke, her tone lacked the confidence she had shown earlier, and it did not go unnoticed.
The crowd did not calm down. Instead, more murmurs rose from all directions. "Then where is he?" someone shouted.
"Why is he hiding?" another voice followed. "Bring him out!" The pressure in the hall continued to rise, and even the staff began to feel uneasy under the growing scrutiny.
The old man who had spoken earlier frowned slightly as he glanced toward one of the higher private chambers. His eyes flickered briefly, as if he was thinking about something, but he did not speak immediately.
Regalina tapped her fan lightly against her palm and took another step forward. "If everything is proper," she said calmly, "then there should be no issue in verifying again."
Her tone remained gentle, but her words carried a clear weight that pressed down on the auction house.
Juliet's expression stiffened slightly.
Before she could respond, Ethan spoke again. "Open the room." His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly across the hall. A faint pressure spread from his body, and several nearby guests instinctively held their breath. The atmosphere shifted again, and the fragile calm began to crack.
The old man's eyes turned cold. "Marquise Ethan," he said slowly, "this is a private auction. You cannot simply demand—"
CRUNG!
"HUH!"
The man's words were cut off abruptly as a loud sound echoed through the hall. The door of one of the private rooms suddenly burst open on its own, shocking both the old man and Juliet. Several guests flinched, and a wave of confusion spread across the crowd.
"How did the room open on its own?" someone whispered in disbelief.
Ignoring that question, everyone immediately looked inside the room.
Then their expressions changed.
"What?"
"There is no one?"
"The fuck?"
"Are you playing with us?"
The empty room sent a ripple of shock through the entire hall. The place that had been the center of attention just moments ago now stood completely vacant, as if no one had ever been there.
The old man paused for a brief moment before his expression darkened. He raised his voice sharply. "Guards! Go and search for that person." His tone turned cold. "I want to know which damned bastard dared to play with us."
Under his command, several guards immediately moved and rushed toward the upper levels. They began searching the corridors and surrounding areas, their footsteps echoing loudly as they moved quickly.
After giving the order, the old man turned back toward the guests with a forced smile on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, please forgive us for our carelessness," he said, his tone returning to a polite one. "It seems the person has slipped away. However, believe us, we did not let anyone enter without verification. Everyone here has been strictly checked."
"Let's resume the auction."
The sudden shamelessness of his words made many people blink in disbelief. Some frowned, while others exchanged quiet glances. A few had already begun to understand what was going on, and their eyes slowly turned toward Ethan.
However, Ethan did not step back. He remained calm and asked directly, "What about the other items?"
The old man's smile tightened slightly, but he maintained his composure. "Sir, that man in room seventeen has taken the items and paid the sum," he said smoothly. "So we do not have those anymore." He paused briefly before adding, "We will resume with the Star Dust Essence."
The moment those words were spoken, the auction restarted as if nothing had happened.
Ethan did not bother wasting time anymore. He had already lost interest in playing games. The moment the item was brought forward again, he spoke directly.
"One point six billion gold coins."
His bid cut through the hall cleanly, leaving no room for hesitation. This time, no one followed. After the earlier chaos and the strange incident, most people chose to remain silent.
Juliet looked around the hall carefully. "One point six billion… Does anyone want to bid more? Anyone?" she asked, her voice echoing in the quiet hall.
No one responded.
The silence stretched for a few seconds before she finally brought the hammer down.
"Sold."
The sound echoed clearly.
Ethan exhaled quietly as he heard it.
After capturing the Star Dust Essence, he finally felt a sense of relief settle in his chest. The tension that had built up during the auction slowly eased, and his expression returned to calm once again.
After the Star Dust Essence was sold, the auction continued with several other high-value items. The next major item presented was a Potential Breaking Potion of SSS rank.
The moment it was introduced, many people in the hall became visibly interested. Low voices spread as bidders prepared themselves, and a few even leaned forward eagerly.
However, Ethan showed no interest at all.