< “Are you lying to me?” >

[laughs] < “I wish… I would want to be young.” > [awkward smile] Ben responds.

< “This seems to be a heavy topic.” >

< “Life is like a ticking bomb, but the more you hear the ticking, the worse it gets.” >

< “Do you have that many regrets?” >

< “Regrets… Such a bitter word. I would rather have none, but as time passes, you can only but stack those together like a Jenga game.” >

They keep eating while throwing questions around sometimes.

< “What do you miss the most?” >

< “The simplicity. Anything new and unknown has this exciting feeling attached to it. However, when you live long and experience much, every single thing becomes a reference to everything else.” >

< “You talk about life like some would talk about a game.” >

< “Isn’t it almost the same?” >

< “A game has so much less on the line.” > Ginn points out.

< “Sure, but some care more about games than their lives. One will only feel that something is on the line if they care. The same applies to the opposite. If someone gives up on life, is there anything on the line for them? We are things made out of feelings. Anyway, what do you miss the most?” >

[silence]

< “I lived enough to bury everyone I cared the most about, yet, if I could meet them again, I would. However, I don’t miss anything in particular about Earth, as I have always prioritized connections over anything else.” >

< “Quite a surprising characteristic, even most who lived like that wouldn’t dare to say it out loud. There is always something inside our minds, triggering us into wanting more and more.” >

< “We are naturally greed.” > Ginn nods as he agrees.

< “It isn’t particularly bad tho, but sometimes we screw it up.” >

Eventually, they finish eating but stay in place talking.

< “I wonder if you still think it is an amazing thing to have a second opportunity like this?” >

< “I have grown to not think of it as a second. More like a continuation, as I can’t separate myself from who I was. Did you ever consider what would you be doing right now if you didn’t remember?” >

< “Hopefully, not something too much different.” >

< “A black state… A new life.” > Ben whispers.

< “I seek to explore, to be happy, to connect, and to belong somewhere with someone. What do you seek in this life?” > Ginn asks.

< “To live… And maybe long enough to discovers a few things, like why and how I came here, but, most importantly, can I change?” >

< “Change what?” >

Ben’s eyes widen, and a silly smile appears on his face.

< “I am selfish and greedy. So I would change anything I could. The question you should ask is what I would change into… But for that, I don’t have an answer.” > His smiles disappear. < “I am too preoccupied about living to bother with much else. Hopefully, someday… But anyway, would you ever go back if you could?” >

< “To Earth? If it is in the day I died, no. If it is in the past, maybe.” >

< “What if you were reborn without memories?” >

< “That…” > Ginn says, in an unsure tone.

< “I particularly think it would be kind of pointless if I didn’t have at least a bit of control to change the life I lived.” > Ben says.

< “Wouldn’t it be a very similar life, maybe even equal?” >

< “Depends how deterministic it would be, but if we begin to explore such grounds, we need to approach the idea if it would even be the same world. Besides, does it even matter if we can do nothing about it? Like, right now, why are you here?” >

< “I don’t know.” >

< “Magic is in the air, but we can’t peak into fate or destiny. We can’t see why we are different. We may be able to repeat it, but nothing guarantees it since we know nothing about everywhere else or how reincarnation even works. Nevertheless, we can still try while the world seems to laugh at us.” >

< “Don’t you think this would change if one is strong enough?” >

< “I am not sure, but since I never saw anything indicating otherwise, I can only feel anxiety towards it. Maybe you will prove me wrong someday.” >

A powerlessness smile appears on Ginn’s face, and he says: < “Some things seem rather easy, while others too hard. I don’t know if I will ever get such fundamental answers. I can only keep trying.” >

After pausing for a moment, Ben finally asks something he seems a bit unsure about: < “How is it to be born with talent?” >

< “To be fair, I don’t know how I would live without it.” >

< “I am sure you would.” >

Someone enters the room, interrupting their talk. The one entering has dark blue skin, deep blue eyes, long wavy dark blue hair, a muscular body, broad shoulders, and a short beard. He is wearing a yellow overall and below a dark green long-sleeved shirt. He is Silver Redriver, the lead Blacksmith of < Dragons >.

“Good morning. Sorry for interrupting, but if we don’t leave soon, Leo will miss the auction.” Silver says.

“Let’s talk later then. Shall we leave now?” Ginn asks.

“Sure,” Ben answers, as he stands up and walks towards the door.

As they were leaving the building, Emma Goldspear joins them.

Emma is the < Dragons >’s lead in business affairs. She has white-yellowish skin, short wavy blond hair with long side bangs, black eyes, and an unusually long face. Also, she is wearing a long light blue dress and a long sleeve white jacket.

Before leaving, Ginn puts on a simple cultivator robe with dragons drawing on it, hiding below it, his casual clothes.

Immediately, the group of four leaves the base on a standard carriage.

—

{ Sunday, November 11th, 1800. Planet Spirit, Qhechan Empire, Evergreen City. }

Clearsky is a clan and company focused on high-end trading. While they are most famous for the Auction Houses, their business isn’t limited to only such. They work on extraction, refinement, and buying and selling of materials in high amounts. They also produce all kinds of middle-level artifacts, and they have connections with many small businesses. Their most expensive and advanced specialization is the production of large Arrays.

Because it is auction day, the area around Evergreen’s Clearsky Auction House is bustling. While the crowd comes and goes, Ginn’s carriage arrives. They enter the building, and a man and woman on formal attire greet them.

“Good morning. Mr. Aravyz, I am here to lead you to the meeting room.” the man says.

“Leo, we part our ways here, I will see you later,” Ginn says goodbye to Ben.

Once Ginn’s group is gone, the woman greets Ben.

“Good morning, Mr. Moon. My name is Lia, and I will be your attendant for the day. Shall we go directly to the VIP room?”

“Morning, Lia. Sure.” he greets back.

“Then, please, follow me.”

—

Once they arrive at the VIP room, Lia talks again: “The auction will begin in 16 minutes. Everything was already agreed upon, so you shouldn’t worry about anything else. I hope you enjoy your stay.”

Entering the room, Ben takes note of his surroundings. The area is a few meters wide. The wall in his front is all-glass, close to it is a comfortable high chair, and he notices a book above its side table. On the wall, on the left, Ben sees a long sofa, and on his right, a long table and a clothes-hanging pole.

‘Probably the itinerary.’ “Thank you,” he answers Lia.

Ben takes his overcoat, putting it on the pole.

He then goes to the chair. Arriving, he notices that it turns around, so he moves it and then sits.

The whole room is bright, and soft music comes from the ceiling. However, the glass wall is one-way only, making sure the VIPs have their privacy.

Through the glass, a theater-like hall can be seen around two-thirds filled, and a few people are still arriving at the auction that is soon to start.

At the high side table, Ben sees the itinerary and the communication device through which one makes their bid. He then takes the catalog and begins to look through it.

“Do Sir have any drink and food preferences?” Lia asks once Ben is comfortable.

“If I remember it right, Clearsky action offers a mead course, right?”

“Yes, Mr. Moon. It is one of Clearsky Clan’s specialties. Do you have any preferences with side dishes? “

“The standard light one.”

“Alright, I will be back soon.” She then leaves the room.

Left alone, Ben goes through the pages, looking at what is to be sold today. He does a fast scan first, before taking the communication device into his hands and examining it a bit. Soon, the glass wall halts the seen-through effect, and a few images appear in it. Ben quickly passes through the images while briefly stopping in a few ones. He uses the big video and the weak aura the wall emits to analyses the treasures.

A few minutes later, Lia comes back. She puts the drink and snack on Ben’s side table before moving to the side. There, she stays still, waiting.

Ben keeps scrolling through the itinerary while drinking Clearsky Mead. Eventually, the projection on the wall and the music are interrupted. In his front, an image of a middle-aged man in very formal clothes appears, and his voice sounds, from the ceiling, loud and clear.

“Good morning, everyone. Today is November 11th, and it’s nine o’clock. Clearsky Biweekly Auction starts now.”

Diverting his attention, Ben looks back at the book on his hand. He skips a few pages before stopping and looking at his first target. In the picture, he sees a dark steel pocket-clock. Its design is simplistic and smooth, but once you read its description, you understand its price. The pocket-clock can emit light or a disturbing aura perfect against some low-level monster. However, it is the ability to help with spirit energy refinement that gives its price-tag of 50 Spirits.

‘Not long ago, I hoped to receive around this value after helping the rude young bastard. Ha… How things can go unexpectedly sometimes. I would still like to kick the idiot in the balls tho, only then would I feel totally in peace. Hehe… It wouldn’t be usable after… hah.’

A sly smile appears on Ben.

The auction isn’t their first event, so the whole thing goes quickly and smoothly. Soon, the time for Ben’s target arrives.

“60, B46 bids 60!”

[…]

“80, VIP13 bids 80!”

VIP13 is Ben’s room number.

“100, B46 bids 100!”

Looking through the glass, Ben sees the young girl bidding from the open area. He quickly identifies her faction due to the unforgettable purple patterns.

Ben’s eyes twitch, but he only takes his communication device, and bids again: “110.”

“110, VIP13 bids 110!” the middle-aged man yells.

However, before even catching his breath, he yells again: “140, B46 bids 140!”

“150,” Ben says to his communicator.

“150, VIP13 bids 150!” […] “Going once, going twice, sold! N11-6 sold to VIP13.”

Once the bidding finally stops, Lia leaves the room calmly.

Ben’s attention diverts from the annoying yelling again and focuses on his second target a few pages later. He sees a beautiful necklace, and a description explaining that the artifact has a protective nature. Five beads form the main structure of the jewel, and each one of them loses its luster after being used once. The necklace has three uses left and sells at a higher price due to it being a vintage from the past.

Not long after leaving, Lia enters again with a little box in her hands. She puts the box at the high side table before stepping aside. In it, Ben finds the pocket-clock.

‘So fast.’ he thinks.

His eyes then move back to the necklace. Although it is an excellent jewel, it wasn’t such general information that got Ben’s attention. What did was the supportive pattern in the middle bead. He has seen that drawing before. Specifically, he used a teleportation key with the exact same pattern around two thousand years ago.

While his interest is quite high, he doesn’t show it outside. He only waits normally for the bid to start.

“70, B46 bids 70!” the middle-aged man yells.

Ben finally focus again in the action once the bid for the necklace begins.

‘You ain’t getting it…’

[…] “100, A10 bids 100!” […] “180, B46 bids 180!” […]

“200,” Ben says to the communicator.

“200, VIP13 bids 200!” the sound resonates clear in the room.

“220, A10 bids 220!”

“240, VIP8 bids 240!”

“280.” Ben bids. […] “340, VIP13 bids 340! […] Going once, going twice, sold! N11-14 sold to VIP13.”

‘Beautiful things always cost more! Was there some young master in VIP8, doing some freestyle spending? My imagination always goes out of control when something is hidden from me. Should I play young master too?’ Ben’s face tingle in shame. ‘Nah… I need to control myself. I will only bid the four things I chose and try not to overstay my welcome.’