"D-do I really have to wear this?" I hugged my arms, trying not to look at my reflection for too long.
This was, without a doubt, the most expensive thing I had ever worn in my life. Even if I combined all the money I had saved up... it still wouldn't come close to this dress.
Thirty million won. For a single piece of fabric.
I still couldn't believe it.
The red satin clung tightly to my body, outlining every curve in a way that made me painfully conscious. If I sat down, wouldn't my stomach show? And this slit... Was it really supposed to go that high?
Seriously... where was the modesty?
Elena glanced down at herself, her expression tightening in disbelief before she turned to Jiyeon with a faintly desperate look.
"As I thought, I can't wear this," she said. "It's too much."
But despite her protest, it was already too late. The car was in motion, steadily carrying them toward the auction.
Jiyeon didn't even look concerned. If anything, she seemed pleased.
"I had that dress custom-made for you," she said smoothly. "Trust me, you won't regret it."
She leaned over and opened the car door as it slowed to a stop.
"And besides," she added with a small smile, "no one will know who you are anyway."
"...Right," I sighed in defeat as I put on the mask that covered half of my face.
It fit a little too perfectly, which honestly wasn't surprising anymore. Jiyeon probably had my measurements memorized at this point.
Jiyeon, Chiyeon, and Hyein did the same, each of them slipping on their masks without hesitation. Even they didn't seem interested in drawing attention tonight, which only made me more nervous about what kind of place we were walking into.
On the way here, Jiyeon had explained how this year's National Auction was different.
Unlike previous years, the Korean Association was in charge of hosting the event, and apparently, that meant they had to go all out. The masquerade wasn't for secrecy or safety, it was simply to aesthetically outshine the other countries. Even something like an international auction turned into a silent competition between nations, each one trying to prove they had better taste, better resources, and better control.
Honestly, it sounded exhausting.
"So this is all just to show off?" I asked quietly.
"Not entirely," Jiyeon replied. "There's a reason for the gathering before the auction starts."
I blinked. "There's more?"
She nodded, adjusting her gloves as if this was completely normal. "There's a pre-event party. People call it that, but it's not really for entertainment. It's where everyone observes each other, guilds, associations, investors. They figure out who's here, who they're connected to, and what they might be aiming for."
"In other words," Hyein added calmly, "it's where people decide who to approach... and who to avoid."
That didn't sound like a party at all?
It sounded like walking into a room where everyone was quietly judging you.
I swallowed, suddenly very aware of how out of place I was.
The roundabout was lined with expensive cars, one after another.
I didn't know much about brands, but even I could tell, everything here screamed wealth and power. It wasn't just the guests. Even the staff standing neatly along the sides gave off a different kind of presence.
They weren't ordinary employees.
Even without activating my skill, I could already tell from the pressure alone that they were at least B-rank hunters.
"...This is a little intimidating," I admitted quietly, glancing at the hunters walking past in elegant outfits. They carried themselves too confidently, most of them were probably S-ranks themselves. "Are those people all S-ranks?"
Jiyeon shook her head. "The guests are mostly S-rank and high A-rank hunters. The staff are B-rank."
She glanced at me briefly.
"...So you're probably the only C-rank here."
...
What? That doesn't make me feel better at all.
I immediately lowered my head a little, suddenly very aware of myself.
Why did I come here again..?
"Jiyeon noona, isn't that...?" Hyein's voice cut in, a little more alert than before. All three of them turned toward the entrance.
I followed their gaze.
A man had just stepped inside.
I couldn't see his face clearly because of the mask, but even then, it didn't matter. He stood out immediately. Tall, broad shoulders, and his presence made the space around him feel... heavier.
For some reason, he reminded me of Jinhyuk.
Just from a glance, I could already tell, he wasn't someone ordinary.
"Yeah," Jiyeon said under her breath. "Gilbert Kingswell."
Her tone had changed slightly. More serious.
"The only L-ranker in the UK." She paused for a moment before adding, "...and the Crown Prince of England."
"Oh."
I followed the girls inside that led to a beautiful large ballroom adorned with all kinds of decorations and I tried looking for that man again.
『 Under The Oak Tree 』
This place is filled with some notable individuals, it seems.
Right. Well after all, these people are a bunch of S-ranks, A-ranks, and even senators... These are people that I would've never thought I'd meet in my life. Regular people like me sees these people as celebrities, never to meet them, yet here they are.
My eyes scanned the room as I used my skill to analyze their status. It was nothing short of amazing. Each one of them were insanely powerful that I couldn't help but admire.
Particularly, the individual I was looking for came up.
『 Name: Gilbert Kingswell 』
『 Rank: L 』
『 Title: Weight of the Strong, Gravity's Favor, Falling King. 』
『 Constellations: The Judge of Weight. 』
『 Abilities: Kneel, Heavy Hand, Kings Weight...click to see more. 』
『 Fate Entanglement: 0% 』
His stats were just as impressive as Jinhyuk.
I blinked, staring for a second longer than I probably should have before quickly looking away, pretending I hadn't just checked.
...So there are really people as impressive as Jinhyuk? But, where are the other L-rankers?
I've heard there are four in total, with Jinhyuk being one of them, but no matter how much I look around, I don't see anyone who stands out like that.
"I'll be right back. Will you be alright by yourself?" The girls had their own agendas, but they seemed worried to let me be.
"I'm fine. I'll just sit in the corner and eat. Don't worry about me."
They nodded and soon drifted off into the crowd, seamlessly blending into conversations with other guests.
As for how they could tell who was who in a place filled with masked attendees...
I had no idea.
Maybe they had some kind of identification skill, or maybe they were just confident enough to strike up conversations with anyone and figure it out along the way.
Either way, it wasn't something I needed to worry about.
I quietly slipped away from the crowd and made my way toward a quieter corner, when someone came up to me.
"Would you like a drink?"
My head snapped up almost immediately.
The waiter stood there holding a tray filled with everything from expensive-looking alcohol to water and... Coffee!!
"I'll take coffee," I replied too quickly, trying to sound calm.
She nodded and poured it into a cup with practiced ease before handing it to me and moving on without another word.
The moment I took a sip, my eyes lit up.
...What?
Even though it had clearly been prepared in advance, the flavor was rich and balanced, and the temperature was somehow perfect, not too hot, not lukewarm, just right.
How is it this good?
I lowered the cup slightly, scanning the room as I tried to find the waiter again.
I need to ask where this came from, "Excuse me."
I froze.
Before I could move, someone had already stepped into my path.