Gunmage

"You fucker!"

The man yelled as he charged at Victor. He barely managed to take a few steps before the event security, normally a passive presence at such auctions, rushed in and forcefully restrained him.

The event was filled with some of the most prestigious nobles, those prestigious enough to be part of magic society, so such behavior was completely out of place.

"Sir, please calm yourself,"

Echoed the voices of security, their attempts to soothe him as others watched the scene unfold.

Such a childish outburst would have normally warranted a far harsher intervention, but there were certain realities at play here.

Throwing him out? For how much he'd already spent on this event? Not a chance in hell. They had no choice but to pacify him.

The struggle took longer than any of the guests would have liked, but eventually, things settled down. The auction, which had briefly lost its course, continued to proceed as planned.

Victor, using a significant portion of his wealth—which he fervently hoped Selaphiel would reimburse him for—systematically acquired the items on the list she'd provided.

He occasionally bid for things that weren't on her list, just to obscure his true intentions. He couldn't risk anyone realizing what he was truly here for.

As the auction entered its midpoint, the lady in front of him spoke, her voice cutting through the murmur of the room.

"You seem to be doing well."

Victor blinked, momentarily surprised by the sudden conversation. He was not above engaging in small talk, but it was odd that she'd chosen this exact moment to speak.

Was it because of the amount of money he'd already spent? Did she think he was some ridiculously wealthy noble? She, after all, hadn't bid on anything yet, not even once.

"Heh,"

Victor muttered internally.

"Sorry, lady. But I'll be bankrupt if the Von Heims don't pay me back for this. You're barking up the wrong tree."

While he entertained such thoughts, the lady suddenly spoke again.

"You should have gotten everything on Selaphiel's list by now, haven't you?"

Victor froze, the words slicing through his mind like a knife. The auction's announcer droned on in the background, but the noise was lost to him now.

If not for the masks everyone was compelled to wear, he would have given himself away entirely with his initial reaction. As it was, the carved wood remained smooth and expressionless—but his thoughts were a whirlwind.

Victor quickly composed himself.

"Selaphiel?"

He asked, his voice even.

"Oh, you mean the lady of the Von Heim family? What list are you talking about?"

She didn't even flinch at his feigned ignorance.

"Don't play dumb, Victor. I'm here on official business."

Victor's demeanor shifted slightly at the mention of "official business," the words cutting through the carefully constructed facade he'd been keeping up.

"Did you predict me sitting here? Is that why you arrived before me?"

He raised an eyebrow, his voice filled with genuine interest.

"I never knew we had a seer in our ranks. Very impressive."

The woman's gaze was cold as she stared at him. The silence stretched between them until she spoke again.

"Or, I just had the organizers assign you to my seat."

Victor nodded absently, his earlier assumption crumbling.

"Seems more plausible,"

He muttered.

Now that the pretense was gone, she leaned in slightly, her voice quiet but insistent.

"Victor, why do you think Selaphiel sent you here to get the ingredients for her... plans? Why not a Von Heim family member? Why not her, herself? Why go through the trouble of making it so... conspicuous?"

Victor rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's quite obvious. She's trying to bait simple-minded fools into a trap."

The woman let out a small sigh but continued, her tone devoid of inflection, as if she wasn't particularly offended by his words.

"Yes, we're all quite aware of your... sentiments."

Victor's lips curled into a bitter smirk, but the woman didn't react. She continued speaking with a chilling calmness.

"However, such a simple-minded trap could not be crafted by an individual with such great renown. The plan is too simple, suitable only for capturing utter idiots."

Victor nearly applauded, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"You mean the same trap you're all about to walk into? Only for idiots? How shocking."

But the woman was unfazed. Her indifference bordered on terrifying. She simply went on.

"You see—"

But Victor cut her off, his patience wearing thin.

"Please, cut the bullshit and tell me why you're really here."

A pause. The woman seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking again.

"You see, the top brass have other ideas on what her real purpose is."

Victor's eyebrows furrowed, his annoyance mounting.

"Didn't I tell you to get to the point?"

The woman did not flinch at his tone. She spoke, but this time her voice held a warning edge, as though her patience was beginning to wear thin.

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Do be patient, Mr. Victor."

Victor shuddered involuntarily at the icy tone.

Her words had no direct threat, but the coldness in her voice sent a chill through him.

He fell silent. If she was who he thought she was, then he might have just made a very dangerous mistake. His arrogance evaporated as quickly as it had come, and he straightened, appearing suddenly meek.

The woman cleared her throat before continuing.

"A few ideas have been thrown around regarding why she's acting the way she has, and the most prominent theory is that it's a diversion."

Victor blinked, momentarily confused.

"A diversion?"

She nodded.

"Yes. What we believe is that while you're here, playing the fool, while our attention is focused on what happens after this, the lady in question has nearly completed the entirety of her plans."

Victor paused. The realization hit him like a thunderclap.

"So what you're saying is that...?"

The woman continued, without skipping a beat.

"Our strike forces are already in position. Once we get approval from the Jade Tower, which shouldn't take too long, we will storm the Von Heim manor."

Victor's eyes widened. He was stunned.

"Storm? Storm where? The Von Heim manor?"

The words sounded utterly out of place in the same sentence. His mind struggled to comprehend what she was saying.

"Are you crazy?!"

He rose abruptly from his seat, drawing the attention of the other guests. Noticing their eyes on him, he slowly sank back into his chair, the realization sinking in.

What did it matter if they decided to invade the Von Heim manor? What did it matter if they all got slaughtered like pigs? It was none of his concern. His job was simple: finish Selaphiel's assignment.

As his mind processed the implications of her words, he began to feel a sense of calm wash over him. Nothing mattered, not really.

"I apologize for my outburst,"

He said, his tone now more composed.

The woman was not impressed. Her expression remained unreadable as she spoke again.

"No need. No matter how much I might want to cut your tongue out and feed it to you, I can't, because my mission now is to protect you."

Victor recoiled slightly at her words. There was something unsettling about how nonchalantly she threatened him.

But what was the second part of that sentence? Protect him? From what?

He asked, his voice tinged with confusion,

"Ugh... sorry, but what exactly are you protecting me from?"

Though he couldn't see her eyes behind the mask, he felt the weight of her condescending glare. Her next words were spoken with an air of absolute certainty.

"From the Von Heim family, of course."

Victor blinked, his confusion deepening.

"OK? What?!"

He wasn't sure whether he was more surprised by her words or the calmness with which she delivered them.

"Why would they be after me?"

He asked, his voice rising slightly.

The woman sighed audibly. Her patience was clearly running thin.

"Although we've seen through their deception, and our timing is perfect, the Von Heim family will be weakened considerably.

But there's absolutely no chance of them being destroyed. This is why they'll begin to question why exactly their plans were found out."

Victor narrowed his eyes as the truth slowly dawned upon him.

She continued, unfazed by the tension building between them.

"It would be a different matter if we attacked once you've finished your assignment. The excuse would be that you were acting suspiciously, or that the combination of materials you acquired from the auction was problematic. That would justify following you. While some might see through it, it's generally a solid excuse that wouldn't put you at risk."

Victor's heart began to race.

"But if we attack before you've completed the assignment,"

The woman continued,

"It would mean their plans had been leaked. The only loose end is you."

Victor's voice faltered, a sinking feeling taking over.

"No. No!"

His mind raced.

"Tell them to call off the attack!"

He turned to her sharply, his voice desperate.

"The Von Heims are merciless! They'll kill me!"

She—