Volume 2 Chapter 8: Part 1: It's Rena Valentine

 

"Do you want to fight, you brat!" Colton slams his drink down again as he glares at Onyx. He can't believe somebody would fight him like this. 

 

Michelle scoffs, "What's wrong, Viscount Preashe? Do you not like somebody else bidding against you?" What he's doing is nothing more than stupid. 

 

Colton sneers, "Does this person even have enough coins to pay for all of this? Platinum coins don't grow on trees." Colton does not believe Onyx would have 18 platinum coins to pay for it. 

 

"Heh." Michelle's expression turns dark. Fine, it's your funeral. Seeing how adamant he's being, she'll let it happen. Let his face get slapped by Onyx. 

 

"I have more than enough coins," Onyx spoke up. But then he asks, "But I should be saying this to you; do you have enough to match me?"

 

"..." Colton backs off when he hears that. Onyx's question is on the dot. The reason why Colton said something was that he couldn't add any more coins to the bid. 

 

He hit his limit. 

 

That's why he's calling Onyx out. 

 

And the merchants on the first floor caught onto it too. They can see it on Colton's face. 

 

"So you accuse me of having no coins to bid. And yet, you don't have any coins yourself. Aren't you acting a little too spoiled?" Onyx chuckles as he mocks him. He finds it funny that he would do something like that. 

 

Is this the same kid? Gilbert looks over at Onyx. He thought of Onyx as a kind and gentle person. Turns out the guy has a dark side to him!

 

Get him, kid! Michelle, on the other hand, praises Onyx. Keep slapping that fool's face!

 

Oliver shakes his head. He looks over at Colton and gives him a pitiful look. That guy has no idea who he's messing with. 

 

"You-" Colton glares at Onyx even more, "You didn't answer my question, do you or do you not have the coins to buy her?"

 

"..." Are you going to not answer his question as well? 

 

Onyx shakes his head and looks over to Gilbert. He nods, 

 

"Viscount Preashe. I can guarantee this honorable guest has more than enough coins to bid." Hearing that, the people became more favorable toward Onyx's position. The auction house's master personally spoke up for him. 

 

That alone was enough.

 

Colton shouts, "Oh, please! How can a child have so much money?! 

 

"..." You shouldn't be saying something like that. Colton's around his mid-twenties. 

 

From how high they bid, even a fool can tell he got all his coins without an effort. He got his coins from somewhere else.

 

"Do you think you can fool me? I bet you guys gave him all of it." He points at Oliver, Michelle, and Gilbert. He got the message now. 

 

The reason how he can do all of this is because of those three.

 

But that got to the crowd. If the three strongest powers in advent city got together: getting 18 platinum coins was nothing.

 

"Hah, you are a fool to the end." Gilbert shakes his head. He gave Colton a free out from this situation. But the man himself kept driving it in. So it's not his problem, 

 

"I wasn't going to say anything about this because we keep all our people safe. However, I'll tell you all; this person here is none other than the person who brought the deviled python and the crimson saint spider lily to this auction house."

 

"..." The moment they heard that, the crowd became shocked and stunned into silence. 

 

This kid's the one who brought in all those high-class materials?! But it made sense now. Of course, he would have enough if he had brought those items!

 

Those shocked expressions are nothing compared to what Colton made. 

 

He's the one who brought the items here?!

 

The other VIPs don't voice their opinions and look at Onyx with interest. Unlike Colton, they didn't show a shocked expression. That's because it's apparent to them.

 

With the three most influential figures sitting together with a person, people will tend to realize the person is the same too. 

 

"Now that I revealed it, does anybody else have a problem with my friend's bid?" Gilbert looks down at everybody again. And nobody said a word. 

 

"Good. Also, Viscount Colton, for causing problems in the auction hall today, you will be banned from entering the auction hall ever again." He can't let Colton get off scot-free from that. 

 

Colton's expression turns even paler. He can't say anything to that. 

 

Gilbert looks at the auctioneer, signaling her to continue. The auctioneer nods and bangs her hammer down, 

 

"And sold to the gentleman for 18 platinum coins! And this here ends our auction. Those who have won the bid, please follow us to the back to obtain your items."

 

Hearing that, people start to leave the auction house. 

 

"Thank you for that, Gilbert."

 

"Don't worry about it. If I didn't do anything about it, how can I call myself the auction house's owner?" Gilbert laughs, 

 

"But is it ok to ban him like that?" All in all, Colton is still a noble. He might go crazy on Gilbert for doing something like that. 

 

"Nah, Colton is only a viscount. He can't do anything to me." He destroyed the VIP room and then accused Onyx and them of manipulating the auction. 

 

Gilbert has more than enough reason to ban Colton from the auction house.

 

"But let's not worry about him. Let's go to the back and get your coins and Rena." 

 

"Mmhmm." The three follow Gilbert to the back. As they walk down the stairs, they see merchants standing in the hallway. Why are they still here? Onyx thought they'd left. 

 

Seeing Onyx, they quickly swarm around him! 

 

"Hello, good young sir! Will you form a contract with my merchant group!"

 

"No! Form with me! I'll give you an exclusive contract!"

 

"Please become my personal adventurer!"

 

The merchants came in swarms, wanting to gain a connection with Onyx. But Oliver immediately shuts them all down, 

 

"Everybody back off! He's an adventurer from my guild. So step off, or do you wanna mess with me?" Hearing that, the merchants took a step back. Nobody wants to mess with Oliver. His figure is imposing. 

 

Michelle adds, "This boy's mine. Anybody who tries to do anything with him will not get away with it. I'll personally deal with them myself."

 

What's more, she hugs his arm, showing how intimate they are. 

 

"..." Do you have to do that? Onyx kept the straightest face possible. But inside, he was trying to keep it cool. 

 

With that, the crowd backs away from him and leaves. They don't want to mess with Onyx anymore. Seeing them leave, Onyx looks down at Michelle, 

 

"Can you let go of me now?"

 

Michelle tilts her head with a smile, "What? You don't like me doing this?" She got closer to Onyx, making more contact.  

 

"No, but it's hard to move," Onyx says with a straight face. 

 

"...Tch!" Michelle looks away from him. She still doesn't get off his arm. 

 

"Anyways. Onyx, you have to be wary." Gilbert coughs as he warns. 

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Those merchants aren't going to stop hounding you. You should be more careful from now on." 

 

"They won't do anything in front of us. But when you're alone, that's a whole different story." Oliver adds to it. 

 

"Understood." Finishing with the warning, the four continue to the back. 

 

And there, they see the other people who bid for the items. The employees hand the items they won, and they give them the coins. 

 

"Ms.Michelle, here is your crimson saint spider lily and the other items." An employee hands over the flower to Michelle.

 

"Yes! Finally!" And the grin on her face was wide enough to fall off her face. Anybody can tell that she is happy about obtaining it. 

 

Gilbert nudges her, "Michelle, stop focusing on the flower. You still have work to do."

 

"Relax, I know that too." That's why I came here too. Michelle places her ring on the flower, and it disappears. 

 

What replaces it is a bag. Michelle tosses over to Onyx, "Here are the coins." 

 

Gilbert shakes his head and looks toward the employees. She nods and brings out another bag, "Onyx, here are all the coins you got from all items auctioned. I've already taken out our shares."

 

"Thanks." Onyx takes the bags. 

 

"Also, here is what you auctioned, good sir." Onyx turns around to another employee as he brings Rena over.

 

So thin! Onyx's eyes went wide. Compared to the first time he saw her, Rena's body is thinner than the last time he saw them. 

 

Onyx looks at Michelle. 

 

The latter shakes her head. She told him it was up to him. But never did he expect something like this to happen. He didn't think it was this bad. 

 

Michelle asks, "Onyx, give me your hand." 

 

Onyx raises his arm to her, and she draws some of his blood. Michelle walks over to Rena. The two talk a bit before she draws something on her hands. And she did the same to him.

 

"And like this, you are now Rena's master. Please take good care of her." Michelle's previous mischievous expression is nowhere to be there. 

 

Instead, it's a serious one. 

 

"I know." Onyx walks over to Rena. Seeing him up close now, Rena's about to bow her head down, 

 

"Mast-" Before Rena can finish her sentence, Onyx takes off his suit and places it around her shoulders. What's more, he picks her up into a princess carry!

 

What is going on?! That's the face Rena has, surprised by what Onyx did. And she isn't alone in this either as Oliver's face gapes open. 

 

Gilbert's brows raise when he sees that. 

 

"I don't want anybody to see you like this." How could she be forced into such a state? If there's a wind in the auction house, she might have been blown down by it!

 

What if she got sick too? Thinking of this, Onyx frowns. He hugs Rena tighter, close to him. 

 

Despite his thoughts, what others are thinking is quite different!

 

"..." Can you not be this smooth?!

 

I'm going to be sick. Oliver feels like he's about to gag any second now. Is this what I need to be popular with the ladies? If it is, then he doesn't want to be like that. 

 

And Gilbert has the same thought. 

 

Compared to how the two men felt, the female employees blushed. They can't help but be a little envious of Rena. Even with the mask, they can tell he's a handsome man. 

 

Michelle's face turns red too. I want somebody to do that to me too. 

 

Not knowing what everybody was thinking, Onyx turns to Oliver, "Oliver, are we going to leave now?" 

 

"I got something to do with Gilbert right here. You can take the carriage back to the guildhall." Oliver smiles as he swings his arm around Gilbert's hand.

 

"Understood. Thank you for everything." Onyx doesn't say anything else as he walks away with Rena. 

 

Gilbert moves Oliver's arm off, "You really don't have anything to do, do you?"

 

"Oliver shrugs his shoulders, "I don't want to be a bother in young love. So crack some wine. It's time to party!"

 

"You guys do that. I'm going back." Michelle quickly leaves without turning back. 

 

"Probably going to use the flower." "The flower."

...

"..." In the carriage, Onyx places Rena on the other side of the seat. The two are looking at each other in awkward silence.  

 

What should I say? Onyx realizes that he doesn't know what to say to her! 

 

Luckily, Rena is the first one to speak up, 

 

"Master, thank you for lending me this coat. I know I dirty it, but her-" Rena was going to give him back the coat. But Onyx stops her, 

 

"You don't have to return it. Wear it for now." There's a slight cold draft coming from the window. Onyx frowns. 

 

"Understood." Rena doesn't say anything else as she wears the coat. It's warm and soothing. 

 

It doesn't take long for them to arrive in front of the guildhall,

 

"Thank you for taking us back." Onyx bows his head. 

 

"It's my duty. Are you sure you don't need me to drive you in front of your home?" 

 

Onyx shakes his head, "No, here is fine." If the carriage arrives in front of the inn, there'll be a commotion. 

 

"I see. Then walk safely." The coachman doesn't say anything else and leaves to pick up Oliver. 

 

"Alright, let's leave too." Onyx was about to pick up Rena again. But, 

 

"Master, you don't have to do anything." Rena's embarrassed. She got a lot of looks when Onyx carried her out.

 

"You're not wearing shoes. It'll hurt your feet if you walk. And you're light, so I can carry you easily."

 

"..." That's not the point.