After a quick call with Pariston, who merely asks him to come to an underground floor of the auction, Auren steps away from the others, intending to leave right away.
"Auren..." Neffi says, turning pale. "Will you be fine... I don't like that guy. Can't you just leave it to Lady Rakshala? She can take care of that guy and his requests. There is no need to..."
"No," Auren immediately replies. "I'll be just fine. Please enjoy the auction, eat something nice, order drinks, and buy whatever you want. I'll buy it for you. One hundred million limit."
"What?! You don't need to..." Neffi replies.
"That goes for everyone else as well. If I earn all that dirty money, I can at least spend it in the same way. Zepile, do your best for the auction, I'm depending on you."
"Yes, Auren," Zepile says, looking excited. "Always wanted to play a part in an auction such as this. As for the money, I'll buy something that can be used as an investment."
"I'll pass," Konrad says, before glancing at Vanessa. "So does my sister."
"No, I won't... I'm not as rich as you!" Vanessa immediately rejects her brother's request, looking smug, her tongue stretched out as far as possible.
"Good," Auren says, grinning.
"We... also can't accept," Ura replies, looking worried.
"Wha?! Hell no, I want my mone—" Oron tries to say, only for Ura to raise her hand.
"Let him," Auren orders. "Anyone who wants to can spend it. If you feel bad, how about you invest in something valuable and then resell it for profit? Let's make it into a game... you can pay me back the money and still profit. Everyone gets 100 million. Ura, Zepile, you buy it for the rest."
"Deal!" Oron yells, looking excited. "Man, I love you, Auren, this is the kind of employer I can actually respect!"
Auren then proceeds to walk through the auction site. Walking away from the giant hall used for the auction, Auren sees fewer and fewer people.
As he descends the building, reaching the lower levels situated underground, Auren encounters nobody else.
Pariston said to use this way... for privacy.
The lower level is sparsely decorated and looks more like a bunch of maintenance tunnels used for supplies and storage, not even an ounce of the fanciful decoration from the auction side and restaurants is visible anymore.
Despite Auren's Regalia, namely the pair of heavy metallic boots, and the empty corridors, Auren, employing Shadow Step, does not create any discernible sound, granting him a ghost-like presence, as if he's supernaturally gliding through the complex.
At the end of a long, empty corridor, Auren spots two men in black suits, similar to his own, guarding a door.
With just a glance, Auren identifies them as Hunters and, of course, Nen users.
Pariston's goons...
"I've heard rumors," one of them says. "You know the underworld techniques. Even at the auction, you dress like a soldier. I'm glad I don't have to stop you, I'm not getting paid enough for that."
"Like a ghost..." the other comments, looking slightly worried.
Auren does not speak and wordlessly opens the door—the men leave him alone without any issue.
Inside, he sees a blond man in a shiny orange suit, wearing a blue tie, sitting in front of a small table.
In his hand is a cup of tea, which he slowly and calmly holds, taking a sip as Auren enters, not facing him directly yet.
"Welcome, my friend, it's such a pleasure to see you," the man says, placing down his cup on the table.
"Though I have to tell you... your style could use some work. How... barbaric."
Auren now walks forward, no longer using Shadow Step, instead forcefully pressing his foot onto the ground, causing a series of loud, dull thuds. They echo through the room, causing the tea inside the cup to shake violently.
"It's been a while... Pariston," Auren says confidently.
"Is there a reason you wear these... things?" Pariston asks, now fully turning around. "It's highly inappropriate for such a noble occasion."
"I'm never taking them off, and I'm more than suspecting you know why," Auren replies, not in the mood to argue. "Now... tell me the plan."
"Do you crave power that much? In any case, before I do... I've received a call from a certain mysterious woman. It looks like I'll soon be meeting your mysterious leader." Pariston's smile grows. "I'm quite excited. Any advice you can give me? I don't want to make a wrong first impression."
"..."
Auren thinks for a second.
He enjoys this so much... now to weaken his position the most... I need to challenge his ego... challenge him to play his game... and then lose because of his arrogance!
"Lie," Auren states coldly. "You mentioned you never needed to do that before. If you don't do it now, I fear you'll be toyed with. Since we're associated, I wouldn't want that to happen to you. I need you for quite a few more things. Pariston, you might be smart, but you're not the only one in the world who is. Don't think you can manipulate and see through just anyone."
Pariston's face darkens as he leans down and smiles widely, his expression unreadable.
"You got me curious..." he whispers, before returning to his bright and kind self, his face making the switch in less than a second. "Do not worry, challenge accepted. As for today... I'll personally present you with a few VIP patients. We'll be supported by a few staff members, all of them knowing only what they need to know. Though you won't even see them. Aside from two trusted... subordinates, who are incapable of leaking information, in charge of security, nobody will know anything about you and your ability."
"You thought this through, huh?" Auren replies, positively surprised.
"Of course... this is an infinite resource of wealth and influence, Auren," Pariston explains, raising a finger. "Just leave it all to me. I'll not only guarantee you safety and anonymity, but most importantly, even at fifty percent, my deals will earn you a dozen times more than you could ever hope to earn on your own."
"So what do I do? Just heal whatever... condition they have?" Auren asks, still a little surprised.
"Hehe, I'll be your assistant and brief you on a case-by-case basis," Pariston says, smiling. "I'll support you as best as I can, do not worry."
"No. I'll be working alone," Auren announces, his voice stern and final.
"How disappointing," Pariston laments, yet still smiling.
He expected that... still playing games.
"I'll brief you whenever I bring in the next patient. When you start, I'll leave you alone. I have a team on standby that will sedate your patient."
"No cameras, no spying, no Hatsus, complete privacy," Auren recounts. "Can I count on that?"
"Of course," Pariston replies with no hesitation. "How could you not, my friend?!"
"..."
It's best I don't reply.
"Where is the room?" Auren asks, looking around.
"That way," Pariston says, pointing toward a room with a wide door nearby. "I'll bring in the patients soon. You can go ahead."
Auren immediately enters the room. The room is completely empty, almost reminding him of an abandoned storage room.
This almost feels like an ambush... this is a little suspicious.
Just two minutes later, as stated, Pariston walks in, pushing a bed along with him.
A young woman lies on top of it, unconscious, just wearing a white hospital gown. On her upper left cheek is a large scar that goes all the way down to her lips.
"Now, this is Miss Luma, thirty-one years old, a model and the daughter of the owner and CEO of the Kellen Company, acting globally," Pariston explains playfully.
"What are her symptoms?" Auren asks, inspecting her body. "It will speed up the process if you can tell me what I need to focus on. Specific organs, diseases... whatever you can tell me helps and makes this easier for me."
"Nothing much," Pariston says, shrugging. "Just the face."
No way...
"Are you kidding me?" Auren yells, his voice growing louder. "I expected incurable people on the brink of death, maybe disabled or crippled people who want to regain their health," Auren continues to argue, ending with a cold and disgusted, "what a waste...."
"Who cares?" Pariston says, looking unbothered. "For the right price... we'll even cure a bruise. Her father is paying us a fortune... three billion... and that's your cut, so just half of the total sum."
"Why?!" Auren asks. "Surely there are other wa—"
"Any way as flawless, safe, and effective as yours?" Pariston asks, cutting in smoothly, grinning.
"I'm not sure... maybe not..." Auren replies, finally realizing the truth. "Too much money, and they don't even know what to spend it on?"
"Indeed," Pariston replies, looking amused. "Also, that should speed up the process and use less Aura, so we can take care of more people. Anything else you require?"
Can't tell him too much.
"You are making a lot of assumptions..." Auren states. "Perhaps wrong assumptions. In any case, come back in five minutes," Auren says, sighing. Before Pariston can leave, Auren clarifies, "I'll open the door when I am done, do not come in by yourself!"
With Pariston gone, Auren then dyes the isolated room in an Azure hue, needing only thirty seconds to remove any scarring or wounds on the patient's face. This process, after all of Auren's experience with Azure Restoration, couldn't be simpler or easier for him—his Aura reserves barely affected at all.
Still, he waits a while longer before he opens the door and pushes her bed, with the unconscious woman, outside.
Pariston returns a while later with the next 'patient'.
Four hours later, a now somewhat exhausted Auren sits at the small table with Pariston, drinking tea.
"How do you like these leaves? They're imported from the Empire and are simply divine," Pariston says, smelling the aroma of the tea.
"... it's tea. Green tea, as far as I can tell. Not my thing, but I would be lying if I said it's bad. Look, I'm not that cultured, Pariston, and you know it," Auren clarifies, holding the cup like it's a chore.
"Talking about culture..." Auren continues slowly.
"A man who hurt his... genitalia in a botched operation, with the intention of... improving his 'stature'..."
"A woman with scars on her face."
"A man with severely damaged hair tissue after a high-speed car crash."
"A woman with stretch marks."
"Another one with scars after a certain... enlargement of breasts."
"These are outright moronic and frankly disgusting patients, almost every single one with unworthy causes. I can't believe this is what you had me do!" Auren complains, not hiding his disgust and anger.
"I also brought in a man with cancer, an amputee, and someone in a coma," Pariston clarifies, smiling calmly.
"Though I can understand your... lack of enthusiasm, perhaps this will change your mind," Pariston says, smiling.
He then takes out a piece of paper and hands it to Auren.
Multiple large sums are added together, forming a total sum of thirty-seven billion Jenny.
"Quite a lot," Auren says, scanning it. "Though you're still holding out on me. Battera paid his entire fortune. Five hundred billion! These are small fish, comparatively. Though for a single day of work, I'd be insane to complain, especially about these minor treatments."
"Hehe," Pariston laughs, taking a sip. "It's bait. This will lead to more and more people wanting to visit the miracle healer. Surely you know that rich people talk... a lot, which will raise the price of your treatments even more. Consider this just a warm-up. Also, I earned myself a lot of favors. In return for doing this a while longer, my... earlier favor with your little expedition will be repaid in full."
"I see... then give me a call," Auren says, emptying his cup of tea and standing up.
"Leaving so early? Just why? How cruel... I wanted to spend more time with you," Pariston inquires, looking shocked and offended.
"I want to see the damn auction!" Auren announces, leaving.
"I'll see you soon..." he hears Pariston whisper calmly, making his skin crawl just a little.
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