Looking at the dazzling pink diamond ring shimmering under the auction lights, Tristan Felan's eyes narrowed. His usual lazy smirk faded into suspicion as he mumbled, almost to himself,
"How could it be?"
Beside him, Shin Keir's indifferent expression slowly twisted into something darker, a sinister smirk tugging at his lips.
"You felt it too?"
The pink diamond ring was resonating with them, pulsing faintly, as though it carried a heartbeat of its own.
This was no ordinary jewel. No mere artifact mined from this realm's soil. This was something far older, far more dangerous.
A relic belonging to the demon realm.
Tristan's chest tightened as the realization sank in. Bewildered, he pulled out his phone, fingers flying across the screen as he accessed the files he had painstakingly gathered about this particular piece of jewelry. His brow furrowed deeper with every line he read.
Its recorded history began with a noblewoman three centuries ago, but who could say how far beyond that its true origins reached?
"It's no wonder…" Tristan exhaled, his voice carrying the gravity of revelation. "Although this ring is publicly said to symbolize grace, beauty, and the undying love of the late duke for his duchess… the truth behind it is anything but romantic."
He scrolled further, then recited grimly, "The noblewoman who first owned it was said to have died of anorexia. The duchess suffered multiple miscarriages and eventually died from complications. As for the late duke...he succumbed to venereal infection, though of course, that part was never made public. Quite the love story."
Shin raised an eyebrow in dry amusement. "Romantic indeed."
Unlike human jewels, demon jewels absorbed the intent and inner desires of their owners.
In the demon realm, this wasn't a problem, every demon naturally know how to dispel the lingering desires of previous owners. But here, in the human realm, mortals had no such knowledge.
What they called "tragic coincidences" were curses born from festering, unfulfilled desires.
The bloody trail left behind by this ring's owners was evidence enough. Tragic deaths, collapsed households, untold misfortune. Yet the records were deliberately vague, many endings written off, hushed away, or buried in noble archives.
And now, the cursed jewel sat on velvet display, awaiting its next victim.
The auctioneer's booming voice broke the tension. "Ladies and gentlemen! We begin the bidding for this rare and exquisite pink diamond ring at ten million dollars!"
Gasps filled the hall. Even for the elite, that was no small sum.
Without hesitation, a bid cut through, doubling the amount.
"Twenty million."
The crowd erupted in whispers and disbelief.
"Oh my god… the bid came from their suite! Was it Tristan Felan? It must be, right?"
Speculation buzzed like wildfire. The ring was designed for a woman, surely it couldn't be Shin. His reputation for detesting women made such a notion absurd.
"This Tristan… he isn't holding back this time. What kind of woman is he trying to impress? Whoever she is, she's lucky beyond reason."
"Or maybe he's finally ready to settle down. He'll have to marry eventually."
Some men and women were unfazed when the price doubled, and several even raised their bids.
Yet the murmurs barely faded before another bid from the VIP suite raised the stakes.
"Forty million."
This time, no one could remain calm. It wasn't just an increase of a few million; it was a leap into a staggering figure.
"From ten million to forty? Damn it, they must have their own money printing factory, right?" someone muttered under their breath.
"They must think they're buying islands, not jewels!"
Many shook their heads in silence, while others slumped in dismay.
No matter how enticing the piece of jewelry was, no one was reckless enough to go beyond their means.
"This will be headline news for sure. It must be Tristan Felan. Unless…" someone trailed off, glancing at Shin's shadowed figure. "Could it be Shin Keir? Perhaps as a gift for Elder Madam Keir? I heard she treasures rare jewelry."
The possibility struck some as reasonable, though few truly believed Shin capable of such sentiment.
Still, the sheer amount made one truth clear: this was pocket change to the great noble families, while everyone else was forced to sit back and watch.
"Forty-five million!"
All heads swiveled.
Calin Ricci sat poised and radiant, chin high, eyes calm, her bidding paddle raised without hesitation.
The crowd buzzed with renewed excitement. Of course, first-tier families like hers could match such heights.
"Calin! Your family practically controls the jewel market in this country," a socialite cooed. "Haven't you had enough treasures at home already?"
"Ah, but if you add this ring to your collection, your name will go down in history."
Calin's polite smile remained fixed, though inwardly she ignored their flattery. She had only one purpose: to catch Shin Keir's attention.
Whether the ring was for him or Tristan, owning it would give her the perfect excuse to approach Shin and perhaps bargain her way into his world.
But inside the suite, Shin and Tristan barely acknowledged the frenzy outside. Their conversation remained fixed on the ring's darker nature.
"You know the danger of demon items, Shin," Tristan warned, his voice sharp. "And yet you'd still consider gifting one to Yeri?"
Shin scoffed, his smirk never faltering. "With my intent imbued in them, they will never harm her. The only ones at risk are thieves foolish enough to steal what isn't theirs. Then, they'll have only themselves to blame for their calamity."
Tristan pinched his nose. Only Shin Keir could sound terrifying while talking about giving a proposal gift.
"Find out how this thing got here," Shin ordered.
Tristan tapped his chin. "It says three centuries ago. At that time, you should have still been demon emperor. If a dimensional crack let something slip through, shouldn't you have known?"
Shin's cold stare froze him mid-sentence. "Are you calling me incompetent?"
Tristan almost blurted, No, just mad, but bit back the words. Instead, he muttered carefully, "I'm only saying those matters were handled by palace mages. Any anomaly would've been reported. You wouldn't necessarily…"
"Trivial matters didn't always reach me," Shin cut in flatly.
Tristan held his tongue, though inwardly he thought: No, you were too busy bathing the realm in blood at that time, slaughtering anyone who dared to dethrone the Empress.
The auctioneer's voice rang out again, pulling them back.
As the bidding war for the pink diamond ring continued, Calin prepared to raise her offer to forty-eight million, only for another bid to echo.
"Sixty million!"
The entire hall fell into stunned silence before erupting into gasps and chatter.
"A ten-million-dollar ring shooting up to sixty? This is insane!" someone exclaimed, unable to contain their disbelief.
"The Keirs must truly want this! Could it be another gift for the matriarch?"
No one dared push higher, except Calin. Biting her lip, she calculated. Sixty million wasn't unbearable, though her family would scold her for splurging. Still, her pride demanded she not back down.
"Sixty-two million!" she called, her voice rang out confidently, but her heart hammering.
But almost immediately, another exclusive suite answered:
"Sixty-five million."
Calin's composure cracked. Who dares interrupt me now?
Shin's eyes narrowed. "Who is in that suite?"
Tristan gestured, sending their bodyguard to investigate.
Meanwhile, the auctioneer lifted the gavel for the final call, "Any higher offers?"
Whispers filled the air. Would the Keirs give up now?
Then a chilling new bid thundered from their suite:
"Eighty million."
The gavel wavered in the auctioneer's trembling hand. The highest jewelry bid in their history. The hall fell into stunned silence, then erupted once more in frenzy.
"Eighty million for a ring?! I'd bury it with me if someone gave me that!"
"This is historic! Elder Madam Keir must be ecstatic!"
"This will go viral by morning. Another priceless addition to the Keir family's collection!"
The auctioneer, barely able to contain his excitement, slammed the gavel down.
"Going once, going twice—SOLD!"
Applause and cheers rippled through the hall. The assumption was unanimous, either Tristan Felan buying for a woman, or Shin Keir dutifully gifting to his grandmother.
No one imagined the truth.
Except Calin Ricci, whose stomach knotted with unease. She knew Shin Keir loathed indulging the women of his family.
So it shouldn't be Shin Keir, right?
If this ring was for anyone… it wasn't the matriarch.
She couldn't stop her eyes from darting to the Keir suite, an ominous chill crawling over her skin.
Moments later, the bodyguard returned with information. "It was someone from the Song family. The other suite."
Tristan laughed sharply. "The Songs? A dog chasing treasures they can't afford? Are they not afraid of being accused of corruption?"
Indeed, the Songs held prestige and political authority, but financially, they lagged behind the other three noble families, surviving through connections, bribes, and embezzlement.
Though no one dared say it openly, but to spend sixty-five million in open auction was practically shouting their sins aloud.
Shin gave one last expressionless glance toward the rival suite, then turned to Tristan. "Stay if you wish. I'm leaving."
Tristan rose too, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. "No thanks. I have a date waiting."
The moment they exited, the crowd surged forward, a storm of gossip and eager faces.
"Young Master Felan, is it true? Are you finally settling down?"
"Congratulations! Elder Madam Keir will surely be delighted with your gift!"
Tristan merely arched an eyebrow. So that was it, they believed he was the one who had spent eighty million on the pink diamond ring.
Neither he nor Shin corrected them. After all, they have no obligation to explain.