Masks at the Auction

"You can add something disgusting inside the pills, and then send it to auction house."

Julian D’Aurelius’s tone was almost casual when he said it—like he was asking for tea instead of setting a trap that could ruin someone completely.

Manager Pang froze for a split second, the packet of powder still warm in his palm.

"...Understood, Young Master Julian."

His voice came out steady, but his mind was already racing.

Julian gave him a light pat on the shoulder—friendly, almost encouraging—before turning away.

Then he laughed.

A low, amused sound that lingered in the air like a quiet storm waiting to break.

Without another word, he walked out of the antique shop.

The door chimed softly behind him.

And just like that—

He was gone.

Leaving behind nothing but instructions...

and consequences.

—

In the original story, Evan had seen the Nine Way Cleansing Elixir for the first time at the auction.

A turning point.

A gift from fate.

Now—

With Lucas stepping into that role—

It would be no different.

The script might have shifted...

But the bait was still there.

And Julian?

He wasn’t here to stop the game.

He was here to rewrite it.

The medicinal powder he handed over—

Was not ordinary.

It had been carefully concocted.

Refined.

Balanced in such a way that no scent could betray it.

No trace could expose it.

Without tasting it—

No one would ever know.

Poison.

Invisible.

Perfect.

Julian’s lips curved slightly as he walked down the street.

Just like feces...

You can see it.

You can smell it.

But unless you taste it—

How can you be absolutely certain?

The thought amused him more than it should have.

—

Inside the shop—

"Something... disgusting?"

Manager Pang muttered under his breath.

His wrinkled hand rose instinctively to rub his bald head, fingers sliding over the smooth skin as he frowned deeply.

Decades of experience.

Decades of craftsmanship.

And yet—

This might be the strangest request he had ever received.

He stood there for a long moment.

Thinking.

Calculating.

Trying to interpret the meaning behind those words.

Then—

Slowly—

His gaze shifted.

Toward the restroom.

Silence.

A long, heavy silence.

Then—

"...I see."

His eyes sharpened with sudden understanding.

A plan formed.

Not elegant.

Not refined.

But effective.

Very effective.

—

Some time later—

The restroom door creaked open.

Manager Pang stepped out.

His face was flushed red.

Not from exertion—

But from something far more... personal.

He coughed lightly, adjusting his sleeves with forced dignity.

As if nothing had happened.

As if his dignity hadn’t just been sacrificed for the sake of "Young Master Julian’s plan."

A strange feeling stirred in his chest.

He had done such mischievous things as a child.

Things he had long buried beneath years of discipline and professionalism.

And now—

At this age—

He was reliving it.

A strange, ridiculous sense of nostalgia washed over him.

"...Youth truly comes back in unexpected ways."

He shook his head, half amused, half embarrassed.

But his hands didn’t stop.

The work was done meticulously.

Carefully.

The powder was shaped into pills.

Blended.

Sealed.

And hidden within the lion Gem statue.

Perfectly.

Flawlessly.

Once everything was complete—

Manager Pang personally delivered the item to auction house.

No delegation.

No shortcuts.

This— Was not something he trusted to anyone else.

...

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Time, like a quiet river, carried everything forward without pause.

And soon—

The day arrived.

The auction was held at the Glass Villa, located in the suburbs of Valemont.

A place where mountains met water.

Where silence felt expensive.

Where every breath carried wealth and status.

The villa stood like a polished jewel—glass reflecting the sky, sunlight scattering across its surface like shards of gold.

This was where the city’s elite came to indulge.

To trade.

To compete.

To reveal their ambitions behind polite smiles.

-------

Julian stepped out of his car.

The air was crisp.

Cool.

Carrying faint hints of greenery and distant water.

He adjusted his coat slightly, golden eyes scanning the surroundings with quiet familiarity.

He knew this place well.

Too well.

Almost immediately—

Voices greeted him.

"Hello, Young Master Julian!"

"Oh, Young Master Julian is here too?"

"What are you planning to buy today, Young Master Julian? It’s the first time I’ve seen you at an antique auction."

Faces turned.

Smiles appeared.

Polite.

Curious.

Some even eager.

Julian responded with a few nods, a few brief replies—his expression calm, effortless.

But after a few exchanges—

He grew bored.

Too many people.

Too many meaningless conversations.

Without hesitation—

He slipped away.

Quietly.

Like he was never part of the crowd to begin with.

—

Inside the villa—

The atmosphere shifted.

Dimmer lighting.

Soft murmurs.

Luxury wrapped in restraint.

The moment Julian stepped through the main door—

He saw her.

Yana.

She stood near the front rows, her long black hair falling over her shoulders, her posture straight, composed.

And beside her—

A young man.

Handsome.

With a devilish smile.

Sharp.

Confident.

Unsettling.

Lucas.

That smile—

It reminded Julian of something instantly.

Too familiar.

Too annoying.

The only difference—

Lucas’s smile tilted to the right.

Evan’s tilted to the left.

If the two were combined—

Julian almost snorted.

It would look ridiculous.

For Lucas—

This was his first time seeing Julian’s real face.

So he didn’t react.

Didn’t recognize him.

He simply kept smiling.

Confident.

Carefree.

Because to him—

The best way to kill someone...

Was from the shadows.

A clean strike.

A fatal blow.

No warning.

No hesitation.

That was his specialty.

Meanwhile—

Julian’s gaze lingered on him a moment longer.

( This bastard... smiling just like Evan. )

His lips twitched slightly.

( If you put their mouths together and cross their eyes... damn, that would be something. )

Beside Lucas—

Yana’s lips trembled faintly.

She heard it.

Every word.

And suddenly—

That devilish smile she once ignored...

Looked ridiculous.

Almost... broken.

Like something was wrong with his face.

Her gaze shifted subtly.

Cooler now.

Sharper.

After taking her father to senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood...

After hearing the truth...

After realizing how close they had come to disaster—

Her anger had changed.

It was no longer reckless.

No longer impulsive.

It had become something colder.

Controlled.

Calculated.

For two days—

She had thought about nothing else.

Revenge.

But rushing in blindly—

Would only lead to failure.

So she chose patience.

Let him relax.

Let him believe.

Then—

Strike once.

And end it.

Today—

When Lucas suggested attending the auction to find medicinal herbs for her father—

She agreed.

Alone.

No guards.

No witnesses.

Just the two of them.

A perfect setup.

The three of them stood within the same space—

Yet none acknowledged the others.

No greetings.

No recognition.

Only silence.

Heavy.

Intentional.

Julian walked forward and took a seat in the front row.

His posture relaxed.

Almost lazy.

As if nothing here truly mattered to him.

He pulled out his phone and glanced at it casually.

A quick check.

A quiet calculation.

Today—

The Scythe Division was not present.

Lucas had sent them away for other tasks.

After being beaten by them last time—

Resentment had already taken root in his heart.

Not enough to suspect.

Not yet.

Because from his perspective—

They had done their job.

Followed his orders.

The beating—

Was just a misunderstanding.