"Hey, can I speak to you?" Nox said to Wendy, who was just about to leave since class had come to an end.
"What is it?" Wendy asked with a slight frown on her face. Even her voice sounded a bit rude, as if she was not pleased to see Nox, which made him frown.
"If you have anything to say, speak fast. I have something to attend to," she said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently.
"Are you okay?" Nox asked in a concerned voice, raising an eyebrow slightly as he noticed Wendy's attitude. Why was she acting as if he had offended her? He tried to think of anything he might have done wrong, but nothing came to mind.
Is she on her... Nox thought with a thoughtful expression. He had learned from a source that didn't need mentioning that girls tend to behave strangely during that time of the month.
"Anyways," Nox said, deciding not to dwell on it and go straight to the main reason he had approached her in the first place. "Do you know where I can get these items?"
Nox then proceeded to mention the items his pet's evolution required. Wendy listened with a somewhat confused expression because this was the first time she was hearing most of the things Nox was listing. Her blank stare made it obvious that it was difficult for her to visualize them.
When Nox was done with his list, Wendy said with a slight shrug, "I don't really know what you're talking about, but from the way it sounds, I think the best place for you to get these items is an auction—the black market auction, to be specific."
Nox's eyes flickered with interest. "The black market auction?"
Wendy nodded, her expression softening slightly as she noticed the genuine curiosity in Nox's voice. "Yeah, it's where rare and difficult-to-find items end up. Things that the regular markets don't deal with, and sometimes even things that shouldn't be sold to the public. It's risky, but if you're looking for those types of items, that's probably your best bet."
Although he had not been to one before, Nox knew what an auction was. But it was the first time he was learning about black market auctions. Was it similar to the underground businesses back on Earth?
"Tell me more." Nox suddenly became more intrigued and leaned in as he asked.
Wendy sighed and glanced around, as though making sure no one was eavesdropping. "They operate under the radar, always moving, always hidden. Some are small and local. Others? Huge and international. They're like... a mix of everything—everything you could possibly think of. Beasts, weapons, artifacts. Some items might not even belong to this world."
Nox raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Wendy hesitated, her eyes darting to the side as a student passed by, glancing at them with a scowl. The student seemed envious of Nox.
Once the student was gone, Wendy continued in a quieter voice. "I mean... things that are beyond normal comprehension. Things that shouldn't exist but do. Magic. Cursed items. And people... people with strange powers, too. You'd be surprised at the kind of buyers that show up."
"And the sellers?" Nox wanted to know if he could trade some of the items in his inventory in case his gold coins weren't enough.
"Anyone can sell. Some are from noble houses; others are... well, not exactly people you'd want to trust. Criminal syndicates, mercenary groups, even rogue mages." Wendy gave a small, sardonic laugh. "But they all have one thing in common: desperation. They want something, and they're willing to sell anything to get it."
"One thing I love about them is that... usually, before you participate in the auction, you can send a request to the organizers about the goods you want. Then they'll arrange for them to be present."
"Really?" Nox was impressed. This... this was the perfect place to get the items for his pet's evolution. The items his pet required to evolve had a variety of uses; definitely, someone—maybe an alchemist—would need them as well.
Nox narrowed his eyes. "How do I get in? Where do these auctions take place?"
"Don't be in a hurry, Nox," Wendy scolded. "You can't just waltz in. These things are invite-only or require an entrance fee. And the entrance fee is very outrageous, so it's only exclusive to high-ranking nobles or extremely wealthy individuals."
"How much do you think the auction would cost?"
"I dunno, but it should be in the thousands."
"Where can I find them?"
Wendy hesitated, then leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's one auction coming up soon. It's one of the biggest. They say it's hosted in the capital. I don't know the exact location, but there's a contact who can get you in... for the right price, of course."
When Nox and Wendy later went to the headmistress's office, Bridget was seated elegantly in a purple gown that hugged her form. She sat with her legs crossed, wearing glasses that didn't hide her sharp, purple eyes.
"You want to take a leave to head downtown?" Bridget asked.
"Yes," Nox answered politely.
"For what reason, if you don't mind me asking?" Bridget's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"Something important," was all that Nox said. He didn't see any need to tell her about his plans.
Bridget hesitated for a moment, seeming to think deeply. Then she looked at Wendy and Nox and said, "Alright, you're free to go. However, don't take more than two days."
"Mmm," Nox nodded and left. The reason he was taking Wendy along was that he wasn't too familiar with the capital and needed a guide he could trust. Naturally, the only person who met this criterion was Wendy.
Moments after Wendy and Nox left the academy premises, another knock resounded on the door of the headmistress's office. Bridget frowned as she recognized the person standing before her. It was the knight commander of the Vermilion Academy.
"Long time no see, Bridget," he said in a casual tone as he went to sit down on the free seat, placing his legs on her desk without permission.
Bridget's purple eyes alternated between his legs and his face as she said in a cold, deep voice, devoid of her usual playfulness, "What are you doing here?"
"Something important has gone missing, and the king suspects it's the doing of one of your students," the commander said. "In other words, I'm here to carry out an investigation."