The water spirits firmly denied it. n.o.body would willingly admit to criminal actions. In the first place, Chrisley hadn’t come here expecting an answer.

However, we heard the story of Ars.h.i.+lla in more detail. Among them, the water spirit called ‘Kerpi’ was born from Ars.h.i.+lla.

Kerpi was a beautiful woman. Similarly to the fire spirits, she had beautiful blue hair. She was wearing an elegant dress made of water.

"I am a spirit born in the lake. He gave me my name.”

Chrisley asked about the contract. She wanted to know who had contracted with Ars.h.i.+lla.

Kerpi shook his head.

"I don't know. All I remember is that he gave me my name. No matter how long the lifespan of a spirit, there is a limit of 3,000 years... After being born in the lake, I wasn’t yet self-sufficient when he gave me the name.”

The process of a spirit’s birth was a little different from that of a fairy. A fairy was born naturally over hundreds of years. However, a spirit was conceived by another spirit giving a specific name to something in nature.

Of course, it wasn’t just giving a name. A spirit’s awareness would only be established after a long time. That point was similar to a fairy.

In the end, Kerpi didn’t know many details about Ars.h.i.+lla.

Once Chrisley told them about the possibility of a war with the fire spirits, Kerpi was furious.

"As they wish. The fire spirits are the ones who stole our sacred artefact! It has already been 20,000 years but...it has shamelessly emerged in this auction. It is unforgivable.”

There was an overlap of 20,000 years. It also appeared in this auction.

Even the person who transmitted the contents was the same. Dubolong! He had met with Kerpi and the water spirits.

Just as I was about to leave, Kerpi asked.

“Demon. What is your name? I feel a great sense of discomfort. I certainly don’t remember, but I can feel Ars.h.i.+lla...I am very disconcerted for some reason.”

Water spirits had penetrating eyes. There was a difference between each individual but they had a reputation for being moderately accurate.

Kerpi was a high cla.s.s water spirit so she felt something.

“Randalph Brigsiel.”

I answered briefly before closing the door.

Anyway, I had heard the stories from both sides.

 

"Did you come to a conclusion?”

I asked after closing the door. I had decided to leave this entirely up to Chrisley and I would follow her opinions.

Chrisley replied coolly.

"The spirits are simpler than I thought.”

"Originally, spirits don’t have very good minds. The dark spirits are strange.”

The dark spirits had an incomparable knack for trickery. In some ways, they were similar to demons. Faithful to their greedy instincts...it was probably why the devil made the auction offer to the dark spirits.

"It is no wonder that Dubolong is in the middle of this. The spirits know it as well. However, there is no evidence that the dark spirits had anything to do with it. The thefts happened 20,000 years ago. Perhaps Jives and Kerpi stopped thinking at this point.”

"They played a part in increasing the conflict between the two sides. When digging in deep, anger will emerge.”

The spirits were simple but that didn’t mean they didn’t think. However, the relations.h.i.+p between the fire and water spirits was very bad. They both believed the other side stole something sacred from them.

It was more desirable to accuse each other than to a.s.sume someone else was involved.

Emotions ruled over their rationality.

The fire and water spirits had natures similar to their elements.

It was obvious that they wouldn’t stay calm.

“My Dungeon Master. We have to choose.”

"Between water or fire?”

Chrisley shook her head.

"The dark spirits, fire spirits or water spirits.”

Dubolong was confident that the other spirits were dancing to his tune. The results of his work would be revealed.

I pondered the benefits and damages that would come from my choices.

I could help the dark spirits and urge the water and fire spirits to fight. Once the dark spirits gained an advantage over the others, there was a possibility that the quality and quant.i.ty of the items at the auction would improve.

On the other hand...what if I revealed the truth to the fire and water spirits in order to drive the dark spirits into a corner?

‘I can gain more points.’

I was attracted to the latter option. Rather than helping Adonis, I could drive him into a corner instead!

Anyway, the Demon World Auction was just an additional benefit to me now. The quant.i.ty and quality of the goods didn’t matter significantly. It was more important to keep an eye on what the demons were buying.

On the other hand, the cornered Adonis would be forced to open his hands more earnestly. It wasn’t easy to make them collapse due to the devil’s protection, but points from the demons were essential to raise the power of the spirits.

Adonis was able to face the spirits based on that power. The opponents couldn’t oppose him due to the power acc.u.mulated so far.

In fact, Adonis had dominated most of the Spirit World in my previous life. The balance was a little twisted.

Even if I took action...he wouldn’t be able to go against me.

I spent more points than anyone else. An existence that was like a miracle to them.

"It would be better to tell the truth to the fire and water spirits.”

The calculations were finished. My heart leaned to one side.

Chrisley nodded after I answered.

"So...we just need to discover the ident.i.ty of the sellers. If Pandemonium put up the fire essence, we should be able to find out who had the stolen water essence.

"It is tied up with the devil’s contract. It will be difficult to find loopholes.”

“My Dungeon Master. The demons are the ones who signed the contract. The preparations weren’t ready so the guides were the ones who received the goods. In other words, we can get information from the guide in charge of Pandemonium.”

If all the preparations were ready then it would have been impossible. Even the guide wouldn’t know the contents. However, the auction had suddenly changed so there was no time to prepare. So I could move directly.

I would aim for the loophole.

“Is it possible?”

It was too dangerous so I had to handle it quietly.

I didn’t know what would happen if I was noticed.

If I tried a direct attack then it was possible our relations.h.i.+p would turn hostile.

Right now, Adonis showed no signs of urgency. He thought everything was moving as he planned.

Chrisley said quietly.

"I have acquired a new power from Ganak the King of Death. Ganak was a crazy black magician who tried to completely dominate death and darkness. However, his specialty was ‘manipulation.’ I can manipulate the dark spirits. Although there are some prerequisites...”

"Then it isn’t difficult. All the guides will be gathered near the auction display.”

“My Dungeon Master. The demons are the biggest variable. Won’t it become complicated if they get involved?”

The fire and water spirits were placed far away from the auction location.

They must have been placed on the premise that they would fight each other.

Thus there were few dark spirits nearby.

In contrast, the demons were close to the centre of the castle.

Once the demons moved, the dark spirits were likely to become nervous. Becoming a guide could change their status.

But I shook my head.

"No, if there is some confusion then they won’t even notice the guides are gone.”

"Then...we need to know the exact location of the guides before acting.”

"It is a simple matter.”

It was for me.

There was no one who could hide from me in the castle.

Chrisley stared into my eyes. There was an infinite amount of trust in her eyes.

If my past memories were correct, there was a separate place for the guides to gather. They shared information about the demons they were responsible for and boasted of their accomplishments.

And my memory was accurate.

"He was alive? Ha!”

"Dubolong was very confused but there seemed to be an error in the system.”

"Hiya...I wish. Won’t you be promoted next year?”

“The items he is selling are also great. Half germinated seed of a world tree, Essence of Origin...isn’t our king also partic.i.p.ating in the auction? Kuhuhul!”

I hid behind a wall and listened to their stories. Most of the guides were gathered here. It was a rule that they needed to be in this place except for guiding their charges at the end and beginning of the auction, and emergency situations.

This was due to confidentiality.

I waited patiently.

An uproar would soon happen.

The demons wouldn’t remain still for half a day.

A few hours pa.s.sed.

Kururung!

“W-what?”

"Is the castle crumbling?”

The castle shook. The sound of a violent explosion was heard from close by.

“Evacuate! Have all guides evacuate immediately!”

One of the high cla.s.s spirits guarding the entrance spoke urgently. As the guides rushed off, I finally moved.

I approached quietly like a shadow and s.n.a.t.c.hed Pandemonium’s guide.

“Eup...!”

The guide let out a small cry of shock.

I quickly took him to a s.p.a.ce that no one could see. Chrisley was waiting with a giant crow next to her.

Garnak the King of Death. This was his power.

Chrisley used her Death Wand on the guide. The dark spirit who served as Pandemonium’s guide seemed spellbound after looking into her eyes.

“Who is the one that sold the sacred artefact of the water spirits?”

“Ariel...Diablo...”

He then told me the name and appearance of Ariel Diablo’s guide.

Chrisley glanced at me and asked.

“My Dungeon Master. The duration of the stun won’t last that long. But he won’t remember what happened.”

“It will suffice. Now it is time to grab another one.”

"Pleas..."

The guide had anxious eyes. I answered with a smile.

"Chrisley, I will not disappear.”

“...I believe you. My Dungeon Master.”

I had to move quickly. I needed to take full advantage of this confusion!

 

After 12 hours, the auction started.

I moved with the gnome dark spirit.

"Grand dukes Ariel and Upa were in a fight. Phew ~ it really scared me.”

"I see.”

“Kuhulhul! Fortunately it ended amicably. Although some demons were seriously injured...”

The dark spirit guided me.

Soon after reaching the auction place, I saw familiar people were standing in front of it.

"Huh?"

The dark spirit was confused. He couldn’t understand why those people were waiting at the entrance.

In fact, the fire and water spirits weren’t looking at each other. It was strange because they couldn’t readily move.

However, his question was broken after a moment.

It was because they discovered me almost simultaneously.

“Randalph Brigsiel! I was waiting. Let’s go together.”

“Jives. He’ll be with us.”

The fire spirit Jives. And the water spirit Kerpi!

The two competing groups were looking at me.

I moved ahead of the dark spirit and stood in the centre.

The reason for this? It was simple. The truth was revealed.

For reference, there was nothing as powerful as the truth to move someone. I didn’t know it in my previous life, but I realized that truth in this one.

And...Jives and Kerpi instinctively saw me as their only saviour in this castle full of dark spirits.

A demon who walked a completely different path and cleared the darkness planned by the dark spirits.

The whereabouts of their sacred items...that was another type of transaction.

'A relations.h.i.+p will develop if I obtain the items for thems.’

The scope of the work increased. At first, it was a fight between demons but now it had spread to the Spirit World. When thinking about the interference of the angels, I might not be able to deal with things alone.

I needed allies. They would be the arms and legs that would move on my behalf!

I targeted the fire and water spirits.

They were a perfect match against the dark spirits and didn’t have a deep relations.h.i.+p with demons.

Anyway, my points were large enough. I didn’t know how much my points would rise through the individual auctions.

But I was confident. People would be interested in my auction goods.

In particular, some would cause a fervour.

I looked at the closed door of the auction.

On the other side of the huge doors.

Ariel, Upa and Pandemonium!

I smiled.

‘In a mountain without hunters, they are fighting over territory.’

But now there was a hunter.

If the real thing was revealed...what would be their reaction?

Would they believe in their strength and bare their teeth, or would they hide their bodies?

Kkiiik.

I pushed open the door.

At the same time...a bright light welcomed me.