Inside VIP Room One, Prince Caspian gritted his teeth, his hand shaking over the dial.
"Caspian, stop this madness right now," Princess Seraphina warned him sharply. "Do not pick a fight with the Valmonts. We know absolutely nothing about this Lord Zero. Who is he? Where did he come from? Why do you blindly assume he will just join you and help make you King?"
Caspian let go of the dial and turned to his sister with a cold, cruel smirk.
"Why wouldn't he join me?" Caspian laughed darkly. "If gold is not enough, we will offer him a royal marriage. He will marry you, Seraphina. You are known as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Once Father sees the quality of Lord Zero's items, the King will gladly agree to this strategy."
Seraphina's face went pale. She took a step back, her heart sinking.
"Do not forget your place, sister," Caspian continued, his voice harsh. "You are simply a political tool to build alliances for this Kingdom. I know you hate your current fiancé. I know the Crown Prince of the Ironclad Empire is a lusty, disgusting dog. But he brings us military power"
Caspian pointed out the window toward the stage. "If Lord Zero proves to be more valuable than the Ironclad Empire, we will break your engagement and give you to him instead. It is that simple"
Seraphina looked down at the floor, a cold feeling of dread filling her chest. Caspian was right. She had no freedom. Whether she was forced to marry the disgusting Prince of the Ironclad Empire, or this mysterious, unknown Lord Zero, her fate was exactly the same.
She was not a person. To her family, she was just a beautiful trophy to be traded, destined to be nothing more than a high-status concubine for powerful men.
Down on the stage, the Auctioneer broke the silence. The Princes had accepted Brielle's warning and stopped bidding.
"Going once! Going twice!" the Auctioneer shouted.
BANG.
"Sold! To Lady Elara Valmont for Thirty-Five Platinum Coins!"
When the Auctioneer's gavel hit the obsidian podium, a heavy realization washed over the massive crowd on the main floor. The merchants, knights, and minor nobles whispered among themselves in awe. They had just witnessed something incredible.
Two Crown Princes—the future Kings of two massive nations—were forced to shut their mouths and back down.
This single moment proved a brutal truth about the human world. Being a Royal Prince did not mean you were completely untouchable. Wearing a shiny crown did not automatically put you at the absolute top of the survival food chain.
In a world filled with terrifying monsters, deadly dungeons, and endless wars, having strong swords and powerful magic was important. But at the end of the day, when a soldier's chest was sliced open or a mage was dying from a poisoned arrow, royal titles and gold coins could not save their lives.
Only healing potions could.
There were many ancient, wealthy, and powerful noble families spread across the human continent. Some controlled deep iron mines, while others commanded massive armies. But the Valmont Family was different. They were part of an untouchable elite.
Even the Kings themselves had to think twice before ever threatening the Valmonts. If a King tried to force his power on them, Lady Elara Valmont could simply close her potion shops and stop the supply wagons. Without those healing elixirs, the Kingdom's army would bleed to death on the battlefield in a matter of days.
Because they created the one thing that every single person desperately needed to survive, the Valmont family effectively held the royal families by the throat. They were the true rulers from the shadows.
Up in VIP Room Seven, Zero watched the crowd through his dark window. He understood exactly how this human society worked. They valued life, and they paid a fortune to those who could protect it.
But as the crowd stared at the golden vial of Rank B Lotion being carried off the stage, every noble, merchant, and royal had the exact same terrifying thought
The Valmont family controls the world because they make the best potions. But if this mysterious Lord Zero can easily create items that are 100% pure... then the Valmont monopoly is over. The entire balance of power in the world is about to completely shatter
Inside VIP Room Two, Lady Elara Valmont carefully placed the golden vial of Rank B Lotion into a secure, velvet-lined wooden box. She let out a long, heavy sigh. The excitement of winning was gone, replaced by a deep, serious look.
She turned to her childhood friend and personal bodyguard. In this world, a highly trusted, high-ranking personal knight was called a Sworn Shield.
"Brielle," Elara said softly, looking out the dark window at the crowds below. "The entire world looks at us and thinks the Valmont Family has a perfect, unbreakable monopoly. They think we are untouchable gods of alchemy"
Brielle Ironheart frowned, her hand resting on her sword. "Are we not, El? We just forced two Crown Princes to back down with a single warning"
Elara shook her head, a worried look flashing in her sharp eyes.
"That is just what we let the public believe," Elara explained. "But you must always remember, Brielle: there are many ambitious people in this world who think exactly like I do. They all want to be the absolute best"
Elara walked over to her Sworn Shield, speaking in a low, serious tone.
"There are other powerful alchemy families in the neighboring Kingdoms," Elara continued. "Right now, the purity of the potions they create is much lower than ours. That is the only reason we are still number one. But they are not giving up. They are competing with us every single day. They are researching, practicing, and slowly getting better. The gap between us is closing"
Elara looked back at the wooden box holding Lord Zero's 100% pure lotion.
"If things continue normally, those rival families might catch up to the Valmonts in ten or twenty years," Elara said, her voice turning cold with determination. "But this man... this Lord Zero... he changes everything"
She clenched her delicate hands into fists.
"If one of our rival alchemy families finds Lord Zero first and uses his 100% pure ingredients, they will crush the Valmont family overnight," Elara stated firmly "We cannot let that happen. We must find Lord Zero and bring him into our family, no matter what it costs.
The rest of the auction went by slowly. After the explosive bidding war over Lord Zero's miracle lotion, everything else felt incredibly boring.
The Auctioneer brought out enchanted armor, rare monster bones, and magical skill tomes. The regular nobles and merchants fought over them, spending their gold coins. But up in the VIP rooms, the royals and guild masters stayed completely silent. Their minds were entirely focused on the mysterious 'Lord Zero' and the perfect items he had provided.
Inside VIP Room Seven, Zero sat quietly in his velvet chair. He didn't place a single bid. He didn't need to. He had already won the night.
Between the Velkora Fruits (8 Platinum) and the Rank B Lotion (35 Platinum), Zero had just made a total of 43 Platinum Coins. In the Kingdom's currency, that was equal to 4,300 Gold Coins. He had walked into this city with pocket change, and now he was leaving with the wealth of a King.
Down on the stage, the Auctioneer sold the final item of the night—a set of dwarven shields.
Zero looked down at the giant Centaur-kin resting comfortably against his armored leg. It was time to go collect his money. Walking into the Chief Appraiser's office with a mythical giant centaur would cause too much chaos.
"The auction is over, Kaelith," Zero's distorted voice rumbled softly. "It is time for me to collect our funds. Return to the Shadow Sanctuary and rest"
Kaelith opened her amber eyes and looked up at her Master. She felt incredibly safe resting by his side, but she knew her duty as his Vanguard.
She carefully folded her massive front legs and pushed her towering, heavy body up from the fur rug. She bowed her head deeply.
"Yes, My Lord," Kaelith whispered respectfully. "I will wait for you in the shadows"
The dark pool of ink on the floor quickly expanded again. Kaelith stepped into the center of it. Slowly, her heavy hooves and powerful body sank directly into the solid floor, melting away into the darkness until there was absolutely nothing left. The shadow shrank and vanished, leaving the room looking completely normal.
In the corner of the room, Lyra the maid let out a massive, shaky breath, her knees almost giving out from relief now that the terrifying giant monster was gone.
"And that concludes tonight's magnificent event!" the Auctioneer shouted, bowing to the cheering crowd. "Thank you all for attending the Golden Scales!"
Zero stood up from his velvet chair. The heavy Abyssal Steel plates of his armor groaned and clanked, the sound echoing in the quiet room. He adjusted his midnight-blue cloak, hiding his massive frame.
Lyra quickly stepped forward, keeping her head bowed respectfully. She didn't dare look into the glowing red eyes of his iron mask.
"M-My Lord Zero," Lyra stammered nervously. "Chief Appraiser Bartholomeus has safely stored your payments in the guild's main vault. He is waiting in his private office to hand over your Platinum Coins whenever you are ready"
Zero crossed his heavy gauntlets over his chest. He thought about the arrogant Princes, the desperate alchemists, and the massive fortune waiting for him downstairs.
"Lead the way," Zero commanded coldly. "Let's go collect my gold