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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Elixir Auction
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The morning of the auction.
The hotel lobby was bustling and clamorous, packed with a massive crowd.
From famous figures in politics and finance attending the auction to reporters from foreign media.
“Hey, why are you so stiff?”
Kang-jun, dressed in a sharp suit, asked. Bong-gu replied with an awkward smile.
“I guess I'm just nervous…”
Just then, Kagon, the auction agent, chimed in.
“According to our intel, it seems the ‘Rothschild family’ has also made thorough preparations to win the Elixir.”
“Like what?”
“Well, we've heard rumors that assets in the Rothschild family's name—stocks, bonds, real estate, and the like—are being hastily liquidated.”
When Kang-jun asked, "Is that so?" Kagon quickly elaborated.
“Not only that, but there are also rumors they've secured a massive amount of cash from various financial figures under unbelievable terms.”
At that, Kang-jun shifted his gaze to Bong-gu, whose face was completely tense, and watched him intently.
*'The poor guy looks so worried.'*
He figured Bong-gu couldn't help but be nervous, with the Elixir—his lifelong dream and goal—shimmering right before his eyes.
Family.
Though just a short, two-syllable word, it had somehow become the softest and warmest word in the world to Kang-jun.
*'A sick family member...'*
He couldn't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to watch a family member in a coma, growing weaker by the day.
“Don't worry.”
Kang-jun said calmly, patting Bong-gu's shoulder.
“Trust in me.”
At those words, Bong-gu’s eyes widened.
*'Brother...'*
It was the first time Kang-jun had ever referred to himself as an older brother.
“Let's go.”
After speaking, Kang-jun started walking ahead. Bong-gu nodded once and followed closely behind him, replying.
“Yes...”
Then he added.
“Brother.”
Kang-jun's back seemed endlessly reliable.
♦ * *
Mayer Rothschild was extremely tense.
*'Is he not planning to participate in the auction today...?'*
The man called 'Immortal', who had swept up every item in the preliminary auction, hadn't even attempted to bid in the main one.
He had gone to great lengths to secure a large amount of cash, worried the man might be after the Elixir. Was it all just baseless anxiety?
*'I must get my hands on the Elixir, no matter what...'*
Mayer Rothschild then recalled a part of the conversation he'd had with the Brotherhood executive who had visited him recently.
*'Prove your worth by obtaining the Elixir.'*
*'Win the auction for the Elixir and bring it to us, and we will accept you.'*
*'But if you fail, we will take your life.'*
Just then, the auctioneer spoke again.
- Now, we will begin the auction for what can be considered the highlight of this event: the legendary panacea, the 'Elixir'!
At the auctioneer's announcement, Mayer Rothschild's gaze returned to the stage.
“It's finally here…”
It was a seven-colored liquid in a crystal bottle.
Gasps of awe, both high and low, echoed from all around.
They were mesmerized by its dreamlike, brilliant colors.
- As you all know, it is said to cure any and all diseases upon consumption…
The auctioneer, who had been explaining the Elixir at length, took a breath and continued in a calm voice.
- Well then, let us begin the bidding for this item. The starting bid for the Elixir is 100 million dollars.
The starting bid for the Elixir was 100 million dollars, well over one hundred billion won when converted.
As soon as the auctioneer announced the start of the bidding, fervent responses came from all over.
- We have 150 million dollars!
- Double, we have 200 million dollars!
- Another double, 400 million dollars!
Members of several wealthy Jewish families, as well as a few royal houses known for their robust finances, were engaged in a bidding war.
- Double, double, double, double…
The price skyrocketed in an instant, reaching the tens of trillions of won in the blink of an eye.
Soon, Mayer Rothschild also jumped into the bidding war, drastically raising the stakes.
- The Rothschild family bids double again, raising the price to 12.8 billion dollars!
Just then.
- Lord Immortal has once again bid double, and the price soars to 25.6 billion dollars!
Mayer Rothschild's budget was still ample.
“Double.”
The price of the Elixir doubled once more, reaching 51.2 billion dollars.
Approximately 50 trillion won.
The price had now risen to an amount comparable to the annual defense budget of a decent-sized nation.
*'Immortal, let's see how long you can keep up this arrogance...'*
The cash Mayer Rothschild had desperately scraped together to save his own life amounted to nearly '300 billion dollars'.
He had gathered the funds by selling off his family's assets—accumulated since medieval Europe—stocks, bonds, real estate, and even art, all at bargain prices.
I cannot lose.
No.
I *must not* lose.
Just then, the auctioneer's eyes widened as he spoke.
- Immortal, another double…
With another 'double' bid, the price for the Elixir had finally soared far past a staggering 100 billion dollars.
Since the winning bid for the Elixir at the last auction was '100 billion dollars', this had now set an all-time record.
*'It's still fine...'*
Judging that Immortal must also be reaching his budget limit, he decided to change his strategy and stop calling out 'double' blindly.
Now that the bidding had reached the Elixir's market price, he intended to win with a more sensible bid by increasing the amount incrementally.
“120 billion.”
But.
- The Rothschild family bids 120 billion dollars!
- Th-this can't be! H-h-he bids 'double' again!
- The price of the Elixir shoots up to 240 billion dollars!
Mayer Rothschild's expression twisted.
*'The total 'ammunition' I prepared by liquidating all my family's assets is about 280 billion dollars...'*
He didn't have many chances left.
“250 billion.”
He prayed that Immortal wouldn't call 'double' again.
*'It's impossible...'*
Wasn't the amount he himself had just bid already a colossal sum, rivaling the annual defense budget of the United States?
If Immortal were to bid 'double' again, the price would instantly leap to 500 billion dollars.
It had to be physically impossible for a single individual to hold that much currency.
*'That bastard must be reaching his limit soon anyway...'*
He had assumed the man called Immortal would, at best, raise the price by another 10 billion dollars...
- I-I-I can't believe this, but…
- It's 'double' again…
- The bid is now 500 billion dollars…
Hearing the auctioneer, Mayer Rothschild's eyes shot wide with disbelief as he started shouting at his assistant as if having a seizure.
“Stop the auction immediately and have them verify if that bastard even has the financial capacity to pay the 500 billion dollar winning bid!”
Meanwhile, Kang-jun, sitting in a private room not too far away, remained perfectly relaxed the entire time.
“See? I told you to trust me, didn't I?”
Just then, Kagon spoke in a serious tone.
“Great Immortal, I regret to inform you, but the organizers have declared a suspension of the auction.”
“Why?”
“Regrettably, they say they need to verify your ability to pay the winning bid…”
At that, Kang-jun nodded and replied.
“Be my guest.”
How much time had passed?
- To our distinguished guests who have waited so patiently, I offer my sincerest apologies. I now declare the resumption of the temporarily halted auction.
Hearing the auctioneer's words, the color drained from Mayer Rothschild's face.
In other words.
It meant that the man called Immortal had the ability to pay the winning bid.
“H-how…”
The auction, on which his very life had depended, had ended in his defeat.
He muttered softly and shook his head.
He still had a massive sum of '300 billion dollars' in his hands.
If he could somehow use this money to seize the Elixir…
He might just be able to save his life.
That night.
Mayer Rothschild, his face filled with terror, sat on the living room sofa of his hotel suite, waiting for someone.
Just then.
A presence was felt in the dark hotel room, and several men in robes appeared.
“You failed to win the Elixir.”
The first to speak was the executive from the Brotherhood who had previously promised to accept him if he successfully won the Elixir and brought it to them.
At his words, Mayer Rothschild dropped to his knees on the floor and began to speak urgently in a desperate, pleading tone.
“Th-there is still a way…”
“A way?”
“I-if we use force…”
The Brotherhood member shook his head and replied.
“Hmm, I'm quite sure I told you that you only had one chance.”
“P-please…”
“Don't make a scene. Accept the death that was promised.”
Then he added softly in a detached tone.
“Take care of him.”
At his command, the robed men standing behind him snuffed out Mayer Rothschild's life.
“Just give the order, and we will seize the 'Elixir' from the man called Immortal.”
The man who appeared to be their leader shook his head and answered.
“For now, investigating his background takes priority.”
“But…”
“We've lost contact with 'Amanda', who made contact with Immortal.”
After speaking, he added again.
“And the god I serve has also given a divine oracle.”
“An oracle…?”
“He warned me to avert my gaze from that man for the time being.”
Within the 'Brotherhood', which was scattered across the world like a network of cells, this man holding a key position was also one chosen by a god.
“Immortal…”
The man muttered softly, unable to shake his troubled feeling, and clicked his tongue with a quiet "Tsk."
Though he couldn't guess the man's true identity, it was clear he was dangerous enough for even the gods to be watching him closely.
- Soon, I myself shall descend there and deliver divine punishment upon the one from the Abyss known as Immortal.
- I have already lost my loyal incarnation, the 'Frost Giant Hrimthurs', to him…
- Furthermore, the three goddesses who govern the fate of Yggdrasil were also annihilated by him, causing the divine authority of the Asgard constellation to plummet.
His patron was a noble and high-ranking god belonging to the Asgard constellation, a deity with the divine name 'The Giant Whose Mouth Was Sewn Shut'.
- Soon, my giants will trample and burn his home, and he will pay for his sins by having everything he holds most dear taken from him.
Since such a god had promised divine punishment and given his instructions, the only thing for him to do now was to lie low and wait for the right time.
