NOVPUBIvan boldly declared that he would show them the underground vault of the Kunst Auction House.
Alex already knew about it, but he was still a bit surprised that Ivan Luk himself was personally offering to give him a tour.
‘So he’s not keeping it a secret.’
There were ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ only two possible reasons for Ivan acting this way.
One, he was such an idiot that he didn’t think twice about exposing such an important place.
Or—
‘He’s so confident that even if people know about this place, there’s no way anyone could break in.’
Alex was sure it was the latter.
“Here we are. What do you think?”
The moment they stood at the entrance to the underground, Alex could feel it. He could see why Ivan Luk could be so damn smug about it.
‘It’s deadly serious from the entrance alone.’
The only way down was by elevator.
And right there at the elevator entrance, guards were stationed.
Two of them. Not a lot for guarding an entrance, but if they were knight-level guards, that changed everything.
‘And the security on the entrance itself...’
Surprisingly, there wasn’t even a button for the elevator.
Instead, Ivan pulled out a key he had prepared in advance and inserted it into a slot where the button should have been.
With a mechanical grinding sound, the elevator doors slid open.
‘So it’s not just a regular elevator. Looks like this thing’s been rigged with some intricate mechanism—it won’t open without that key.’
Alex pretended to be impressed by the spectacle, but his eyes didn’t miss the key’s details.
Gold-plated, with a red gem set into the handle—a flashy piece.
Got it.
“Alright. Let’s go in, Guar.”
“Of course, my friend.”
Ivan Luk, Alex, and the escorts, including Phantos, stepped into the elevator.
The driver didn’t follow. This place was off-limits to anyone not personally invited.
So the case the driver had been carrying was now handed off to Phantos.
The elevator interior was more spacious than expected. It could easily fit over 30 large adult men.
Made that way, no doubt, for moving heavy and bulky items.
Ding.
At last, the elevator reached the basement, and the doors opened.
Contrary to Alex’s assumption that it’d be just a plain space, the inside was a maze of long corridors and multiple passages.
“This right here is the underground vault of our Kunst Auction House, which hasn’t been breached once in 20 years. Impenetrable security.”
“Ohhh. Impressive.”
Alex clapped his hands like a kid, casually sweeping his eyes across the scene.
“But I’m curious—how does this place actually run? I didn’t expect such a massive space beneath the auction house.”
“Haha. Well, we need a lot of room to store the auction items, don’t we? My father, the chairman, had this future in mind when he built this place.”
“As expected of the Luk Corporation’s chairman. And you’re the next in line, aren’t you, Ivan?”
“Ehem. Oh, come on. Not yet, but it won’t be long. Hahaha!”
Ivan couldn’t hold back his excitement at Alex’s blatant flattery and began rambling about things no one even asked.
“This basement’s got resting quarters for the guards, storage rooms too. But the safest spot is the auction vault itself. It’s basically a giant safe.”
“My item’s going in there too?”
“Of course. The whole point of this basement is the vault. It’s made up of three large rooms, and each one is equipped with the latest artifacts to keep them under constant surveillance 24/7.”
“That’s really something!”
While Alex acted all amazed, he was mentally cross-checking this with the intel Hans had gathered—and confirmed it was all true.
“So, where should we store this item?”
“Room 3, obviously. Sure, there are three vault rooms, but they’re not all the same. We rank items by importance—lesser stuff goes into Room 1, and the most critical items go into Room 3. Of course, anything kept down here is valuable, but you get what I’m saying, right?”
“Of course I do. Even among treasures, there’s always a hierarchy.”
“Hahaha, exactly, Guar. You get it. Poor, stinking peasants think everything shiny is precious, but people like us—we know how to tell real value apart. Look at this. See this pocket watch I’m wearing?”
Out of nowhere, Ivan started bragging about his outfit and accessories.
Alex thought he was utterly pathetic but was about to humor him anyway—until he suddenly paused.
It was because of the mood coming from Phantos, who had been silently following nearby.
A faint murderous intent.
Phantos was slowly getting pissed.
Alex shot him a warning glance, just for him.
‘Hey, what the hell are you doing? Calm the fuck down. We’re not here to fight.’
‘.......’
Phantos had been glaring at Ivan Luk.
The other bodyguards hadn’t noticed yet, but Alex, who was sharp about this sort of thing, realized it was only a matter of time.
If this kept up, they’d blow their cover.
“Ah, right!”
Alex clapped his hands, breaking the tension.
Ivan finally stopped rambling.
“Silly me! Now that I think of it, I haven’t eaten a thing since noon. Say, Ivan, you wouldn’t happen to know a good place to eat?”
“Uh, huh? Oh! Of course. Actually, we can eat right here. The Kunst Auction House has a top-class restaurant for our guests.”
“Ha! Is that so? Then lead the way! Hey, guard, hand over the bag.”
Alex gave Phantos another signal.
But Phantos didn’t budge. Just stood there in silence.
Tch. Alex clicked his tongue inwardly. He’d known from the start that Phantos wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill beastkin with a weird personality.
But to think the guy would go rogue in the middle of an operation?
“Guar? Is something wrong with your guard?”
“Oh, my guy? Don’t worry about him. He’s always like that. A quiet type—sometimes doesn’t listen to me, you know.”
“That really okay?”
“He’s got the skills to back it up, trust me.”
Alex played it off, stepped closer to Phantos, and whispered low enough for only him to hear.
‘You thinking of disobeying the leader’s orders?’
Phantos flinched.
At the mention of Ludger, Phantos finally reacted.
Up until now, he’d been wondering how to shut Ivan up—whether to smash his mouth or something.
He didn’t care about some operation or whatever.
What he couldn’t stand were loudmouths with no strength or guts to back it up.
But the moment Alex brought up Ludger, Phantos realized the leader had entrusted him with an important mission—and that took priority over everything.
“......Here.”
Phantos held out the large case he was carrying.
Ivan’s guards stepped up and took it from him.
Alex wiped the sweat from his brow as he watched.
“Well, shall we go eat now?”
He’d seen everything he needed to down here—mission accomplished.
* * *
Alex had dinner with Ivan.
Phantos didn’t join them. He stood quietly off to the side.
Probably because he knew if he kept listening to Ivan yap on, he might end up lashing out without thinking.
Alex actually found that reassuring. Without Ludger around, Phantos was like a ticking time bomb, and who knew when he’d go off.
They’d almost gotten exposed in the underground vault just earlier.
‘Still, we got what we needed.’
Before dinner, Ivan had shown Alex one more place.
The security control room that monitored the underground vault in real time.
A wide room with about six monitors—what Ludger called “displays”—mounted on the walls, and guards watching them.
‘So that’s how it’s set up.’
Ivan probably showed it off to brag, but to Alex, it was like he was giving away everything for free.
Now Alex had a full picture of how the place’s security operated.
‘Now all that’s left is...’
Telling the leader and the others what he’d learned.
Which meant he needed to get out of here, fast...
“Enjoy your meal.”
Right then, the chef personally brought out a plate of steak and set it in front of him.
‘Ah, well, might as well eat first.’
Still, it would be a crime to sit in front of a meal crafted by a top-tier chef and think about something else.
Alex justified it to himself like that as he picked up his fork and knife.
* * *
After finishing the meal, Alex took advantage of a moment when Ivan was distracted to briefly report to Ludger.
‘The mission’s a success, Leader.’
[Is that so? Good.]
‘You were right. Seeing it all for myself, I can tell—it’s possible. Now we just have to execute, right?’
[Exactly. As long as you remember everything you saw.]
‘Come on, what do you take me for? As long as nothing unexpected gets in the way, this operation will go off without a hitch. I can feel it.’
[Then that’s reassuring.]
Alex was just about to take his leave from Ivan.
And then he saw her.
A woman had just walked into the Kunst Auction House’s restaurant.
“Seriously, why does the commander want me waiting here of all places?”
‘...Huh?’
Alex froze, his face blank before he even thought about controlling his expression.
His voice trembled as he sent a message to Ludger.
‘...Leader. We’ve got a problem.’
[What is it?]
‘Something unexpected just showed up.’
[What?]
Alex couldn’t take his eyes off the woman as she glanced around the restaurant.
She hadn’t noticed him yet.
But the moment her head turned toward their table—
Whip.
Alex instinctively turned his back to her.
[Victor Hugo. Answer me. What’s happening?]
‘...She’s here.’
[She? Who’s there?]
‘...Enya. Enya Joinas.’
The woman who had just entered the restaurant inside the Kunst Auction House.
Wearing a dress, though she seemed uncomfortable in it, constantly adjusting and fidgeting.
A knight of the Security Bureau’s Nightcrawler unit, currently stationed in Rederbelk under Terrina’s orders.
[Enya? Don’t tell me—it’s that Enya?]
‘Yeah. My ex-girlfriend.’
She was Alex’s former lover.
* * *
When Ludger heard the news from Alex, he couldn’t help but frown.
Not because he thought it was nonsense—just the opposite.
‘Enya Joinas? Wasn’t she with the Security Bureau?’
Ludger recalled the recent visit from the Bureau.
‘Ah, right. That time.’
Back then, the one who had questioned him about the werewolf incident had been Lloyd, the knight with glasses.
And wasn’t it Terrina Lionhowl herself who had come to Seorn?
Thanks to the Headmaster, he hadn’t met her face-to-face, but he did catch a glimpse of her through the glass.
And by her side, along with Lloyd, there had been another knight. He hadn’t paid much attention at the time, but now it was clear.
‘That was her—Enya.’
Ludger also knew about Alex’s past with Enya. He knew exactly what had happened between them.
And now, of all times, they ran into each other here.
“Victor Hugo. Get out of there. Don’t think about anything else, just focus on that.”
[...Got it.]
Alex’s reply came through the communicator.
Ending the transmission, Alex turned to Ivan right away.
“Friend, I’m afraid I have to go.”
“Huh? Already?”
“Haha. I’ve come all the way to one of the Empire’s greatest cities—it’d be a shame not to look around a bit more, don’t you think? Don’t worry. I’ve left the item with you, and I’ll come back for it later.”
“Oh, of course. But, uh, about that mana stone—”
“Let’s talk about that later. Business should be discussed in a more important setting, don’t you agree? My friend?”
“Oh? Oh, yes! Of course!”
Alex gave a signal to Phantos.
The operation was over. Time to get out.
Phantos stepped up beside him, standing like a proper escort.
“What kind of place even is this?”
Enya’s voice echoed faintly in his ears.
As Alex left the restaurant, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
She hadn’t recognized him yet.
Good. It’d be bad if she did. He wasn’t here as Alex—he was here as Guar.
All he could do was watch.
‘You haven’t changed.’
But deep down, part of him wished she would recognize him.
Then and now, Enya looked just the same.
No—maybe just a bit more mature now.
Still short, still someone others might underestimate.
But Alex knew better than anyone how strong she really was.
‘But...’
He bit his lip.
He couldn’t approach Enya anymore.
He didn’t deserve to.
—Liar!
He still couldn’t forget the sound of her voice, screaming at him that day.
So now, even running into her here, he had to act like they were strangers.
All that was left for him was regret.
“Let’s go.”
Alex urged Phantos along and left the Kunst Auction House.
