The Broken Halo

Simon could not help but wonder if the Grey Pact knew about the value of the Winter Monkey that was being sold at the Winter Moon Auction.

’Five million low grade hell stones is a lot of money. It’s an amount that many tribes and clans would not be able to cough out.’

’But it’s not enough to get the Winter Monkey.’

’Could the reason for this be a lack of information? Or was it done on purpose?’

’First, they said or believed that Lucien was a Supreme Archfiend when he’s actually a Half-Step Greater Demon.’

’Then they couldn’t do a proper research and tell me that Lucien would be in a private booth.’

’Now, they gave me five million low grade hell stones to buy a Winter Monkey and the current price is at four million low grade hell stones.’

’What a hassle.’

Simon did not bother making a bid the moment he heard Lucien make a four million bid.

It was a little bit strange that none had made a bid with intermediate grade hell stones, but he understood.

Intermediate grade hell stones were rarer and more valuable compared to low grade hell stones.

These rich demons could treat low grade hell stones as actual stones, but intermediate grade hell stones were a completely different matter entirely.

’The Winter Monkey is just a Minor Calamity Beast, but it’s price is already higher than the Frostfang Calamity Wolf which is a Prime Calamity Beast.’

’Four million low grade hell stones for the Winter Monkey and three hundred thousand intermediate grade hell stones for the Frostfang Calamity Wolf.’

Despite Lucien’s bid, the other demons did not give up.

However, the increase was no longer absurd like before.

“Four point one million!”

“Four point two million!”

“Four point two five million!”

A demon who sat in the public space of the auction house was about to speak, but a calm voice from one of the private booth was faster.

“Four hundred and fifty thousand intermediate grade hell stones.”

The expressions of some demons changed drastically.

There was a reason why none of them used intermediate hell stones. Besides, four million low grade hell stones was already a lot of money to pay for the Winter Monkey.

Four hundred and fifty thousand intermediate grade hell stones was just too much.

Many demons received instructions from their fathers, mothers, masters, and so on to stand down and let it go.

The Winter Monkey was not the best item the auction house had, so it would not be wise of them to spend so much money on it.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

“Five million low grade hell stones.”

Everybody looked at Simon, and their expressions became strange.

It was a normal thing that when someone started bidding with intermediate grade hell stones, the others would also continue with intermediate grade hell stones.

It would be strange for one to move from intermediate grade hell stones to low grade hell stones, and it would also be a loss of face to whoever that did such a thing.

Basically, it was showing that the bidder could not afford to use intermediate grade hell stones.

As for Simon, he didn’t care about this.

He decided to place a bid so that none would be suspicious of him.

Those around him might find him suspicious if he did not make a single attempt to bid on an item, so he decided to just try.

He ignored the stares and strange gazes he was receiving, and he waited for Lucien or another bidder to outbid him.

And just as he expected, Lucien did.

“Five hundred and ten thousand intermediate hell grade stones.”

Simon nonchalantly shrugged, then he waited and watched the bidding war continue between Lucien and two other demons.

One was in a private booth like Lucien, and the other was in the public space like Simon.

Eventually, Lucien won, paying six hundred thousand intermediate grade hell stones for the Winter Monkey.

The Winter Monkey looked at Lucien’s private booth after the old Frostborn announced that he was the winner.

Its eyes remained calm throughout.

’What a strange monkey.’ Simon thought.

The Winter Monkey was taken away, then the next item was brought forward.

It was a shield.

And this shield was a Mid Calamity Artifact, which meant that it could block the attacks of a Demon Lord… Even a Prime Demon Lord.

However, Simon lost interest in it the moment he realized that it was a shield.

The Chaos Wraps would not allow him to use it, so why bother with it.

The auction continued as normal, and at some point, Simon even received a message from Vexa through his Grave Mark.

She asked him what was taking so long, but he just told her that he would tell her when he was ready.

He also told her about Lucien being in a private booth and how it was not part of the information she gave him.

However, she just told him that nothing could be done about it. That getting insider information about the Winter Moon Auction was not easy in the slightest.

She also asked him if he could carry out the mission or if he wanted to back out of the misinformation.

This might seem considerate to an outsider, but Simon knew that at the end of the day, it would affect him in the future.

It would be a like stain on his CV, and it could be used against him in the future that he was not competent enough to carry out missions in the future.

Sure, it made no sense, but one must not forget that he was a slave.

After telling Vexa that he could still carry out the mission, their conversation ended.

He watched the auction continue, and he was beginning to see how rich some demons were.

There were some items that caught his eye but he could not afford them and he did not see much importance in them.

But that changed when he saw an item he knew that he needed.