Walking inside, Kai was welcomed with a huge lounge that was at least the size of a theatre. In it, a small party was arranged for the invitee before the start of the main event.
Waiters moved around, serving drinks and appetizers of all sorts. Calm music was ringing in the background, giving a gentle yet sophisticated touch to the whole atmosphere.
Looking around, Kai passed beside a waiter and took a drink from the tray. He doesn't drink alcohol but since he was in a situation that required that, he could only do so. His body will instantly detoxify the alcohol so he can't get drunk either.
'Will she really appear?' He thought to himself as he rested his back against the wall and looked around. Who he was looking for was a person who rarely appears at parties where there are a lot of people. She liked to stay alone, as far as he could remember.
But, because this was an auction that would sell antiques and artifacts found across the world, that person would definitely be interested. However, will they really be here? Kai didn't know. That's why he came to check.
Time passed quietly as Kai was waiting. He noticed that Kaya had also walked in. She must've stolen an invitation card of her own. The two shared a meaningful glance before they looked away.
"Oh, Lady Rose, you're as beautiful as ever."
"It's truly an honor to meet you, Lady Rose. Are you free for the after-party? I would like to invite you for dinner."
"Hey, I was about to ask her."
Kai's ears picked up a conversation happening nearby. When he looked there, he saw a group of young men, surrounding what Kai assumed to be a beautiful woman.
"Fufufufu, thank you." The girl replied with a gentle chuckle, making the men even more mesmerized.
'Rose Colbert, a renowned Actress with multiple international awards under her belt. Age 22.' Kai remembered her face since at some point, she had a bounty on her head. However, it seemed that no hitman was able to kill her.
As Kai was having such thoughts, Rose seemed to notice Kai and her eyes flashed with a weird glint before she looked at the men around her.
"I have a matter to deal with, would you excuse me, please?" She said with a beautiful smile that couldn't be refused.
The men were flustered as they understood that she took no interest in them. However, they could only accept it and let her go.
Moving away from them, her expression changed for a second from an elegant smile to pure disgust before quickly returning to how it was before. Then, she picked up a drink and approached Kai.
"Are you perhaps bored?" She asked as she stood next to him.
Kai looked at her for a second before ahead and didn't reply. He just sipped on the drink silently.
"My name is Rose Colbert. Can I know your name?"
No response.
'Hmm, is he playing hard to get?' Rose thought for a second. Although she rarely tries to strike up a conversation with a man, she still knows how to make one turn into her puppet if she wants to.
'He is very handsome. The most handsome man I've seen in a while. I guess I will have to push a little.' She thought secretly.
"I'm sorry if I caused you any discomfort. I just thought that we both seemed to not want to be here so I felt comfortable approaching you. Is that a problem?"
Kai stopped and looked at her for a second before he looked ahead again. "I'm nobody. Please don't associate yourself with me. Look, your friends are looking at us." Kai said casually as he pointed at the group of jealous men who were staring daggers at him.
After that, he walked away without looking back.
"Hey, wait!" She tried to stop him but by the time she moved, he was long gone.
Standing there, Rose could only wonder who this man was. The air around him was way different than anything she had ever seen before.
'Who might he be?'
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, the auction is about to begin in a few minutes. Please, make your way to the main hall." A man clad in a suit opened the doors to the hall and said with a respectful tone.
After that, people started entering the hall in order. Kai didn't immediately walk inside since he was still looking around.
'She's one of the best people when it comes to concealing her presence.' He thought to himself when he couldn't find a trace of her. A flash of cold hatred appeared in his eyes before it vanished as he decided to finally enter the auction hall.
The hall was basically a grand theatre with countless seats separated into two floors with a main stage facing these seats.
The lighting was feint as only the main highlights were used to illuminate the place.
Kai chose a seat at the far corner, away from people. Kaya moved casually and sat in front of him.
"Are you looking for something?" She whispered to him.
"No. But, if you find anything interesting, buy it."
"Ok!"
Kai's eyes started tracing the place until it landed on a particular window right above the second stage. It was completely concealed with glass.
'VIP room…' Squinting slightly, Kai couldn't see anyone inside the room. Even with his sharp vision.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual Red Velvet Auction! It's a pleasure to see you all here. My name is Cid." The same man who told them to enter the hall was the one who stood on the stage now.
"Now, before we start, I shall state that this year's auction will be a very special one. At the end of the event, we will present a certain item. That item is by far the most precious piece we've ever sold."
His words made murmurs erupt in the hall. Everyone was curious to know what this item was all about. Keep in mind that the Red Velvet Auction sells objects that could reach hundreds of millions in price without even batting an eye. So, for them to make such a comment was a historical moment.
"Now, please enjoy."
Clicking his fingers, a woman in a beautiful dress walked onto the stage, pushing a trolley.
"Our first item for the night: The Distorted Man. A piece of art was found in the remains of the Talisanian Empire a few months ago. It depicts a disfigured man looming over a forest ominously. This piece of art is at least 20 thousand years old. The starting price is 2 million."
"2.1 million!"
"2.2 million!"
After introducing the item, people started betting. The price quickly rose from 2 million to 6 million before the bets stopped and the piece of art fell into the hands of one of the rich men in the room."
Then, time slowly moved as items kept appearing and disappearing quickly. Kai watched the event silently while he looked at the booth above them. He had a feeling that someone might be inside. But, he wasn't sure.
Eventually, an item appeared on the stage that caught Kai's attention.
"Our next item: The Teapot of Rainbows. A beautiful pottery of unknown origin found in the northern desert of E-Country. What's special about it is that when put in the light, its outside design would gain colors miraculously. The starting price is 1 Million."
People started betting until one bet came.
"4,514,145 dollars."
When Kai heard that number, his eyes widened slightly.