Auction House – Entrance

  The auction building stood tall, an imposing structure near the heart of the village market district. Massive stone pillars supported the wide portico, and the heavily polished bronze crest of the unified Trade Guild gleamed above the main gate, a symbol of wealth and authority.

  Two burly guards encased in gleaming steel armor stood resolutely outside the entrance. As Naina approached the wide steps, one of them stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his broadsword, effectively blocking her path.

  "Yes, madam? Are you lost?"

  "I wish to formally register a Chemist’s serum for tonight's auction," Naina stated, her voice calm. "It is unique."

  The armored guard scrutinized here up and down for a second.

  Chemist. Not a mere merchant. Not a common trader. A Chemist.

  His rigid posture snapped into a stiff, highly respectful bow. "Please wait right here, ma’am. I will personally inform the in-charge of your arrival."

  Naina gave a small, nod of her head. "That will be fine."

  "Kindly sit in the private waiting area," the guard added quickly, gesturing to a velvet-lined bench near the door, a sudden bead of nervous sweat appearing on his brow. "I will return shortly."

  He sprinted inside the massive double doors.

  The reason for his sudden, drastic shift in behavior was simple, politics. In this world, your profession carried the full weight of your life. And among all the paths of power, true Chemists stood perilously close to the very top. If a lowly guard mishandled a registered Chemist’s representative and accidentally lost an lucrative opportunity for the prestigious auction house, it would reflect exceptionally poorly on his record. It would possibly cost him his post, or even his life.

  Because highly potent medicine meant vast sums of money. And in this continent, money was the rawest form of influence.

  In-Charge Room

  Deep inside the secure bowels of the auction house office, a man named Elvin sat rigidly behind a massive, polished desk. He was deeply engrossed in reviewing a thick ledger book.

  Knock. Knock.

  Without looking up from his book, he spoke in a measured tone. "Come in."

  The guard burst into the room and bowed deeply at the waist. "In-charge, a lady has just arrived at the front gate. She says she formally wishes to auction a Chemist’s serum."

  Elvin’s quill pen paused abruptly mid-stroke. He slowly raised his head, his sharp eyes narrowing. "…Serum?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "What specific type?" Elvin pressed, his tone tightening.

  "She claims it is one of a kind, sir.”

  A heavy, tense silence quickly filled the room. Then, Elvin decisively closed the heavy ledger with a soft, final thud.

  "Send her in to me immediately."

  His tone had fundamentally changed in an instant. High-grade serums were not common trade goods in a backwater place like Drona Village. Low-grade, muddy potions appeared often usually diluted slop brewed by desperate apprentices trying to make a quick coin. But when someone explicitly stated it was a Chemist’s serum, especially with the kind of confidence that commanded a guard, it strongly implied a high-tier product.

  And high-tier product meant one of two things in the Trade Guild: an opportunity for vast wealth… or extreme danger.

  Elvin leaned back slowly in his plush chair, meticulously steepling fingers together beneath his chin. "Let’s see exactly what you’ve brought to my table," he murmured to the empty room.

  Auction House – In-Charge Office

  Elvin sat perfectly straight, projecting an aura of professional control as Naina entered the room. The office was spacious but not overtly extravagant; it was built for pure efficiency. Tall wooden shelves densely packed with heavy financial ledgers lined the walls. A pristine, labyrinthine mana-testing device sat prominently on a side table, a professional-grade, multi-lensed scanner, far more advanced than ancient model Naina possessed in the hospital wing.

  "Please, have a seat, madam," Elvin offered politely, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk.

  Naina stepped forward and placed the reinforced leather bag securely on table, ignoring the offered chair. "I represent an anonymous Chemist," she stated, her voice carrying, non-negotiable authority. "The creator's true identity will remain strictly confidential under Guild law."

  Elvin gave a smooth, practiced nod of agreement. "That is perfectly acceptable, madam. The Auction House deeply respects total anonymity, especially when operating under the strict protections of the Healer Guild."

  His sharp eyes immediately moved to the sealed leather bag. "May I inspect the goods?"

  Naina unbuckled the straps herself and carefully reached inside, pulling out one of the duller, familiar bottles.

  "This is the basic product of the batch," she said, placing the glass vial on the desk. "Level 1. Rank E."

  Elvin slowly raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Basic?" he repeated, a hint of disappointment coloring his smooth tone.

  Still, he reached out and took the bottle. The liquid trapped inside was clear with a faint, stable blue tint. There were no swirling impurities or chaotic mana clumps visible even to his highly trained, naked eye.

  He stood up and walked directly to the complex testing device.

  The mana scanner hummed with a low frequency as Elvin smoothly slotted the glass bottle into the central testing chamber. Delicate crystal panels embedded in the machine instantly lit up, projecting a web of rotating alchemical symbols into the dim air. A painfully thin, concentrated beam of white light meticulously scanned the liquid from bottom to top.

  Elvin folded his hands neatly behind his back. He was the picture of calmness.

  The crystal screen flickered rapidly before the final diagnostic locked into place.

  [Minor Mana Recovery Serum]

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  Level: 1

  Rank: E

  Purity: 87%

  Stability: High

  Mana Flow: Smooth

  Elvin gave a small, appreciative nod. "Respectable."

  He turned back toward Naina, his tone carrying a note of genuine professional approval. "For a Level 1 product, this is well above average quality. Most village-made Rank E serums heavily fluctuate in stability and leave a toxic residue. This one is controlled."

  Naina remained perfectly quiet, thinking of letting him have his moment.

  "There is a near-total elimination of raw waste during the brewing process," Elvin added thoughtfully, his eyes analyzing the data. "It implies highly precise heat management. A very steady hand."

  He carefully removed the bottle and placed it back on the table. "This will sell easily to local mercenaries."

  He paused, his sharp eyes locking onto Naina's stoic face. "You specifically mentioned… this was merely the basic product?"

  "Yes," Naina replied, her voice giving nothing away.

  Elvin studied her carefully. "Then I must assume there is something far more interesting hidden in that bag."

  Naina slowly reached back into the satchel. This time, she brought out a fundamentally different bottle.

  The liquid trapped inside was vastly deeper a rich, oceanic blue with thick, golden threads faintly drifting through it like living veins. Even without the aid of the advanced machine, the raw mana density radiating through the glass felt palpably, dangerously heavier.

  Elvin noticed it immediately. His fingers unconsciously tightened around the hard edge of his desk.

  "This," Naina said quietly, placing the heavy vial onto the table with a soft clink, "is from the exact same Chemist."

  No specific level was stated. No rank was offered. Just an heavy silence remain.

  Elvin didn't say a word. He walked directly toward the scanner again.

  Test 2 – The Unknown Serum

  The blue-gold bottle clicked perfectly into place. The scanner activated.

  But this time, the rhythmic hum was louder, straining against its own mechanical limits. The diagnostic crystal panels flickered erratically, struggling to process the sheer density of the energy.

  Elvin frowned slightly, leaning closer to the trembling machine. "Strange…"

  The first scan attempt failed. The projected screen went dead blank for half a agonizing second. Then, the machine automatically recalibrated, its internal gears whining in protest. The white scanning beam intensified, turning blindingly bright. The internal mana density reading aggressively spiked.

  Elvin’s calculated, professional calm changed. "…What?"

  The numbers began rising on the display at an impossible, terrifying rate. 10… 14… 17…

  He took a desperate step closer, his breath catching. "…Impossible."

  With a final, high-pitched mechanical whine, the ultimate result rigidly locked into place.

  [Mana Recovery Serum]

  Level: 20

  Rank: S

  Purity: 98.4%

  Stability: Perfect

  Mana Saturation: Exceptional

  Elvin did not move a single muscle. He did not speak. His wide, disbelieving eyes stayed fixed on the glowing screen, his mind rejecting the mathematics presented to him.

  "…Level 20," he finally whispered into the quiet room, the words tasting like ash. "S-Rank."

  He slowly, mechanically turned his head toward Naina. "Is this… some kind of elaborate joke?"

  Naina’s hardened expression did not change by a fraction of an inch. "No."

  Elvin stepped forward and removed the glowing bottle from the slot carefully almost reverently, as if holding a sacred relic. He held the liquid up directly under the lamplight. The golden threads shimmered naturally, pulsing with an inner life. There was no artificial mana enhancement. No chaotic distortion. It was pure. Controlled. it was perfect.

  "This absurd level of refinement…" he muttered, his voice trembling slightly. "…requires at least a 5-Star Guild Chemist. A true master."

  He looked up sharply, his eyes burning with sudden, intense greed and awe. "And even then, S-Rank consistency is a myth. It is rare."

  His mind was racing at breakneck speed. If this liquid was authentic, this single serum could instantly restore a mid-tier adventurer’s full mana pool in mere minutes. It could single-handedly shift the brutal outcomes of border battles. It could directly influence the political landscape of the noble houses. And it was being presented quietly, without fanfare, in a backwater village auction house.

  "Are there more?" Elvin asked carefully, terrified of the answer.

  Naina did not answer verbally. She simply reached over and opened the heavy leather bag slightly wider. Rows of perfectly identical, blue-gold bottles reflected the lamplight, waiting in the dark.

  Elvin inhaled a sharp, ragged breath. "How many?"

  "Nineteen of this specific grade," Naina stated. "And nine of the basic."

  Elvin’s fingers tightened painfully on the edge of the table. This was no longer a simple, highly profitable village trade. This was the sudden introduction of a massive, strategic military asset.

  He walked slowly back to his desk and sat down heavily. His entire demeanor had transformed. Polite, casual business was instantly replaced by extreme, paranoid professional caution.

  "Madam," he said, his voice dropping to a deadly serious register, "you fully understand what you are bringing into this house?"

  "Yes."

  "This cannot be treated as a normal, open-market auction."

  "I am aware."

  Elvin gave a single, sharp nod, his mind already calculating the logistics of the coming storm. "Then we will structure this highly carefully. The Level 1 bottles will begin at a standard 200 vells."

  "And the Level 20 bottles…" He paused, swallowing hard. "…will begin at 1,000,000 vells. Or 1,000 Duras each."

  He watched her face closely for a reaction to the astronomical sum. She did not flinch. Good.

  "But explain something to me," Naina countered calmly, her expression unreadable. "How can you so confidently assume that the buyers will immediately agree to pay in Duras?"

  Elvin gave a faint, razor-sharp smile, smoothly folding his hands behind his back. "You are right to ask, ma’am. Ordinary citizens those who are not born into nobility do not have legal access to Duras. It is not a currency that circulates in the common markets. However, this specific auction will not be attended by commoners alone."

  He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Several elite noble families will be present, families who directly serve under the King of Drona. For them, accessing and spending Duras is not difficult at all. In fact, Duras is far more than just raw currency. It represents status. Only individuals formally recognized as vital, powerful members of the Drona Kingdom are legally permitted to hold and transact with it. Paying in Duras is not simply about flaunting wealth it is an aggressive declaration of political rank and military influence."

  Naina listened the class politics without interrupting, her face remaining a mask of steady composure. After a brief pause, she gave a small, acknowledging nod.

  "I see," she said quietly. "Now I understand."

  Elvin inclined his head respectfully, silently acknowledging that he was dealing with a woman who understood the lethal stakes of the game they were playing.

  "Twenty-eight bottles total will officially enter the public auction," Elvin summarized, his tone returning to a crisp, business-like cadence. "Nine basic. Nineteen high-tier."

  Naina inclined her head slightly. "That is acceptable."

  Elvin leaned back heavily in his chair. "This auction will immediately attract the undivided attention of high-level Guild representatives, noble agents, and dangerous independent factions," he warned, looking directly into her eyes. "The Chemist must remain anonymous. That condition is no longer just a request; it is mandatory for everyone's survival."

  Naina stood up, her posture rigid. "That was always the condition."

  Elvin rose and gave a slow, respectful bow. "Then… welcome to the highest-stakes auction this house has ever hosted, madam."

  As she turned to leave, Elvin’s eyes drifted back to the glowing Level 20 bottle resting on his desk. A single, chilling thought ran through his mind: 'If this anonymous Chemist continues producing at this impossible level… Drona Village will not remain a quiet backwater for long. It will become a warzone.'

  Naina had just reached the door handle when Elvin’s voice stopped her mid-step.

  "Ma’am… please wait."

  Naina paused, her hand hovering over the metal. She turned back slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Yes? Is there any confusion regarding the terms?"

  Elvin immediately stepped out from behind his desk. "No, not at all," he replied respectfully. "Everything is perfectly clear."

  He opened a small, highly secured drawer and extracted three thick, engraved parchment tickets, each heavily stamped with the glowing, official mana-seal of the Trade Guild.

  "These," he said, extending them toward her, "are First-Row VIP Access Tickets."

  Naina’s eyes shifted slightly, recognizing the immense value of the paper. "For tomorrow's auction?"

  "Yes, ma’am," Elvin answered. "These tickets will legally allow you and your immediate associates to sit in the highly secured front row alongside the nobility. Considering the world-shifting nature of the items being auctioned, I believe the creator's representatives should witness the results personally."

  There was no arrogance in his tone now. Only deference. The specific kind of respect given not to a person, but to undeniable power that hold by singular person.

  Naina stepped forward and took the three tickets. The parchment felt heavy and embossed with defensive runes not ordinary entry slips. They represented special access. Priority seating.

  "Thank you," she said simply, slipping them into her coat. Elvin bowed slightly again. "It is the least we can do. The auction will begin tomorrow at sunset."