Chapter 203
#75. Same Bed, Different Dreams[1]
“Regarding this auction…” In the middle of his sentence, the Black Merchant looked around and lowered his voice. “There’s one specific item that will be put up for bidding. Please make sure you win that bid.”
“Is something important being put up?” Kim Jin-Woo asked.
The Black Merchant’s expression turned serious. “I can’t tell you that right now.”
“Hmm.” It was ridiculous to promise to bid right away for an item when he didn’t even know what it was. Thus, Kim Jin-Woo looked worried as he asked, “When is that item going to be put up?”
“I can’t tell you that now either. When the time comes, I’ll let you know,” the Black Merchant said.
As the Black Merchant wasn’t able to provide any further information, Kim Jin-Woo really doubted whether the Black Merchant truly wanted him to win the bid for that specific item. That being said, it was clear that something very important was going to be put up for auction. He finally said, “I’ll try.”
“Trying isn’t enough. You must win the bid,” the Black Merchant insisted.
Kim Jin-Woo narrowed his eyes at the Black Merchant’s uncharacteristically tough attitude.
The Black Merchant didn’t even avoid his gaze as he looked back with a serious expression, reiterating, “Please win it.”
As if he had received confirmation, the Black Merchant repeated those same words to Kim Jin-Woo over and over again.
***
The auction continued.
As the Black Merchant had promised on the first day, another Noble’s Seal was put up for bidding on the second day of the auction. Unlike the first day, however, when only one Seal had been put for bidding, on the second day three Baron’s Seals were put up.
The three Seals were won at an exorbitant price of 60,000 gems each, because the participants who had failed to win the Noble’s Seal in the previous auction had raised the bidding price.
The imp host declared the end of the second day of the auction with a proud look, and another day passed.
A similar scenario repeated itself on day three. The only difference was that five Seals were put up for auction on day three, more than what had been available on day two.
This time as well, the Seals were sold at high prices, and there was visible joy and happiness divided among the participants.
Slowly but surely, the atmosphere at the auction house heated up day by day. However, from the point of view of Kim Jin-Woo, the auction wasn’t anything special, and was in fact boring to him, contrary to what he had expected.
“They don’t even know that they’ve just shot themselves in the foot, and I’m wasting my energy on this nonsense. It looks like everyone around me is just plain stupid, be it in my Underworld or theirs,” came a voice.
The sudden interruption didn’t agitate Kim Jin-Woo one bit. He turned his gaze away from the stage and looked behind him.
“Huh, you’re not even surprised anymore, are you?” Seeing that she hadn’t been able to get any reaction out of Kim Jin-Woo, the Wailing Lord groaned, expressing her disappointment.
“Whatever you say,” Kim Jin-Woo replied.
“How boring.”
Except for the first day, the Wailing Lord had basically set up shop in his own VIP room and lived in it as if it were her own. Seeing her complain after brazenly taking over his room was laughable.
But whenever she visited, she talked about the circumstances of the Underworld, and her visits were quite beneficial, so Kim Jin-Woo found no reason to deny her visits.
She seemed to be interested in talking about yet another topic today, as she slowly started getting into conversation.
Sensing that a serious conversation was about to begin, the Catfolk woman quickly caught on and got up from her seat. “I’ll take my leave; please let me know if you require anything.”
“You can stay, you know? Why are you troubling yourself, leaving the room and all?” The Wailing Lord playfully stopped the Catfolk woman from leaving.
“I’m afraid that my presence will be a hindrance to our precious guests’ conversation,” the Catfolk woman replied.
“I’m fine with it; besides, it’s nothing important.” The Wailing Lord smirked at her.
But the Catfolk woman couldn’t immediately listen to her orders. She sat blankly, wondering if she’d die a meaningless death if she happened to hear something she shouldn’t. Feeling onfused and lost, the lowly slave could do nothing but tremble in fear.
“Tsk.” Kim Jin-Woo watched the whole scene play out and clicked his tongue. He saw the Wailing Lord smiling as her blue eyes revealed her sadistic, cruel nature, and waved his hand to dismiss the Catfolk woman. “I’ll call you if I need anything. Leave us.”
“Yes!” The Catfolk woman quickly left the VIP room as soon as Kim Jin-Woo finished speaking, as if she were afraid that the Wailing Lord might hold her back again.
“Let’s not fool around unnecessarily,” Kim Jin-Woo said. He was capable of cruelty many times worse if he was facing his enemies, but at the very least, he didn’t randomly pick on others like the Wailing Lord.
To be honest, it didn’t matter to him what happened to the Catfolk woman, but the madness and cruelty that sometimes revealed itself behind the Wailing Lord’s soft attitude made him uncomfortable, which was why he had felt the need to speak up.
“Looks like you’re only learned all the bad stuff,” he remarked. Only after he said those words did he realize how childish he sounded, as if he were scolding a child, but honestly speaking, he wasn’t wrong.
The Wailing Lord’s behavior wasn’t much different from that of the Overseer who had once tormented the tunnel diggers in the past, after all.
“My Jin-Woo is a softie, isn’t he?” The Wailing Lord continued to act friendly and close to Kim Jin-Woo.
But the more she did so, the colder Kim Jin-Woo’s expression became. He replied, “Don’t call me by that name ever again.”
For Highlords, their names weren’t just titles. Just from knowing the One-Eyed Lord’s true name, he had been able to awaken, and much had changed from knowing the name of the Grand Labyrinth of Greed.
In such a situation, it would be a disadvantage for him should the enemy find out his name due to the Wailing Lord calling his name over and over again.
“I should call Jin-Woo ‘Jin-Woo’, right? What else would I call you?” the Wailing Lord replied.
“Urgh.” Kim Jin-Woo groaned. If only she hadn’t known his name from the start. Because she already knew his name, it would seem a bit forced to tell her to call him by a different name.
But nevertheless, he didn’t hide his displeasure. He said, “Pretending to be overly friendly while you haven’t even given a proper introduction is a bit much.” When he presented his honest feelings, it almost sounded like a grudge. But the meaning behind it was clear.
‘If you’re an ally, say your name.’ There could be no greater trust than revealing one’s true name.
“If I tell you my name, will you trust me a little?” the Wailing Lord asked.
She may have said that, but there was no way she would reveal her name so recklessly. Kim Jin-Woo snorted.
But, as if to ridicule his reaction, the Wailing Lord suddenly revealed her true name. “Catherine. That’s my name.”
[You have now learned the true name of the Wailing Lord.]
[The Wailing Lord was once one of the Ten Ancient Lords who ruled the Underworld. All that remained of him was grief and sorrow, and everyone feared him.]
[Although she may not be the same terrifying Lord of the past, it is certain that she has fully inherited his name and power.]
[You have obtained a clue about Catherine the Wailing Lord’s powers.]
[The sages of the Underworld, the Frost Treants, may know a little about her.]
Kim Jin-Woo was visibly confused at the unexpected revelation of her name.
“Isn’t it so ordinary? Well, unlike you, my name isn’t one that was bestowed upon me,” the Wailing Lord remarked.
Most of the dungeon babies’ names had been borrowed from other dying tunnel diggers of the Underworld, and her name seemed to indicate that she wasn’t any different.
“Now, can you trust me?” she asked.
“Mm…” Just because Kim Jin-Woo had found out her name didn’t mean that all the uncertainty and distrust would fade away instantly. Nevertheless, it was a fact that it was a pretty big decision for her to reveal her true name to him. Thanks to that, he no longer answered back coldly, and only let out a smirk.
The Wailing Lord, Catherine, also seemed to be aware of his change of heart, as she changed the topic without further urging. “Well, names aside.” She once again brought up the story that she had put off because of Kim Jin-Woo’s interruption, that had caused her to go off on a tangent.
“As always, the highlight of today’s auction! Once again, a Noble’s Seal has been put up as the final item up for auction!”
While the two spoke, day four of the auction was drawing to a close.
***
Four days had passed, and four auctions were over. In the meantime, there were fourteen new Nobles as a result of purchasing the Seals, but it mattered little to Kim Jin-Woo.
As the Black Merchants had stated that this was their most ambitious auction yet, Kim Jin-Woo had been looking forward to it, and yet he hadn’t seen a single item that caught his eye. Rather, it was the Nobles at the auction that drew his attention.
At the end of the fourth day, Anatolius visited him. He informed Kim Jin-Woo of the situation in the Deep Floors, and in the process, Kim Jin-Woo learned that Parthenon and Denarion had shut themselves in. He also heard that the Counts, including Lady Bryntess, had started to make their moves, and that there was a strange feeling in the atmosphere.
“Now that the ghosts have been driven out, they’re looking to get serious in their conquest. I hope that you won’t forget my devoted support and kindness.” The expressionless iron mask that Anatolius wore was still the same, but the strangely impatient giant repeated those words several times, citing a desire for cooperation and aid.
“Phew.” In the past, the situation would have been a complete headache for Kim Jin-Woo, but now, the bickering among the 11th Floor Counts felt insignificant to him. After he had reunited with the Spider Duke and even met the Dragon Emperor, their battle for power felt like child’s play in the grand scheme of things. In fact, Anatolius no longer seemed as threatening as before, nor did he seem impressive anymore.
Moreover, he had now ascended to the rank of Highlord and had detached himself from the power struggle among the Nobles, and so his interest was now only limited to the Count’s Seals.
Of course, that didn’t mean that he now had the power to immediately bring the 11th Floor Counts to their knees, nor could he forcefully take their Seals away from them. Regardless of his individual strength, the potential of the Counts, accumulated over countless years, wasn’t to be underestimated.
But he had also had help, in the form of the Dragon Emperor and the Wailing Lord.
The Dragon Emperor had decided to pay a huge price to save his descendant, whose body was rotting from a curse. In the process, he promised that he would bring Kim Jin-Woo a Count’s Seal, the thing Kim Jin-Woo needed the most.
“I can’t sacrifice the Counts who swore allegiance to me, so please bear with me, as it’ll take some time.”
Instead of forcibly taking away the Seal of a Count under his command, Agryptus seemed intent on starting a war in the Deep Floors. He was indeed a proud Drakan, and his keen knowledge in solving problems was rather commendable.
From Kim Jin-Woo’s point of view, he had nothing to lose with Agryptus’ proposal. It was a rather decent trade in exchange for accepting one Drakan.
Catherine, the Wailing Lord’s assistance was even more immediate than that of the Dragon Emperor’s.
“Beings with Lifestones are unable to deny the authority of the Highlords.”
Kim Jin-Woo had never imagined that there was such a measure on the very Lifestones that had been provided as the answer to the impending calamity that would befall the Underworld.
Catherine had asserted that the Lifestones had played the biggest role in the conquest of her Underworld. At present, there were only a few people who had received Lifestones, but she was certain that their number would soon be sufficient to take over this Underworld.
As Kim Jin-Woo busied himself behind the scenes at the auction house, the fifth auction began.
Not long after it started, the Black Merchant appeared and said, “The time I mentioned before is now.”
Kim Jin-Woo reflexively looked at the stage.
“Once again, congratulations to the winning bidders, and we’ll now start the auction for the next item!” The host, who had just completed a bid, announced the start of the auction for the next item in a cheery voice.
1. This is a proverb in Korean, known as ‘Dong-Sang-Yi-Mong’ (同床各夢), which means that someone acts in agreement on the surface, but on the inside has different opinions or ideas from the other party. ☜
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