Chapter 1000: Alternate Timeline: The Nexus Exposition (1)

Two days later;

Nexus Training Grounds, Imperial City;

The early morning sun had only just begun when the entire Nexus Training Grounds already became filled with movement, voices, footsteps, metallic sounds, and the constant rustling of workers hurrying from one place to another as Kiara and her people made their final preparations for the grand firearms exposition.

For the past several days, everyone had been working almost without rest.

And now...

The moment had finally arrived.

The entire venue had been divided carefully into three major sections, each carrying a completely different atmosphere from the others, almost as though three separate worlds had been stitched together within the same compound.

The first section was covered by a massive white pavilion tent whose silk curtains fluttered gently under the morning breeze while crystal chandeliers hanging overhead reflected warm light across polished wooden floors and expensive carpets imported from distant kingdoms.

This was the auction hall.

The place where mountains of gold would soon exchange owners.

The place where emperors, nobles, governors, and powerful clans would fight silently with smiles on their faces while attempting to devour one another through wealth and influence.

Inside the hall, Arceus Silver sat alone at one of the front tables while repeatedly reading through the auction script placed in his hands.

Every now and then, his lips moved quietly as he memorized lines under his breath.

Unlike before, the young man no longer carried the timid air he once possessed while working inside the store.

The past few weeks had changed him considerably.

Handling customers daily.

Managing negotiations.

Learning how to speak carefully.

All of it slowly built confidence within him.

Yet despite that...

A faint tension still lingered inside his expression.

Because this was not merely some ordinary sale.

Millions of gold coins would move through this hall today.

One wrong word.

One mistake.

One awkward pause before the wrong person.

And powerful people might begin looking down upon Nexus entirely.

He didn’t care about himself, but he didn’t want Kiara to apologize to anyone because of his mistakes.

Thus, Arceus kept reading carefully again and again, occasionally tightening his fingers around the script whenever nervousness crept into his thoughts.

Behind him stood Wester Silver silently in his armor.

The Black Knight neither spoke nor moved unnecessarily.

His arms remained folded behind his back while his sharp eyes calmly observed every corner of the auction hall with the vigilance of a veteran guardian beast watching over its den.

Meanwhile, elsewhere inside the pavilion, Noah moved between workers and butler robots while calmly directing arrangements regarding the chandeliers, banquet tables, decorative arrangements, food placement, and wine sections.

Even amidst such chaos, the android maintained flawless composure.

Every command he issued sounded smooth.

Every movement appeared efficient.

Whenever a servant made an error, Noah corrected it gently without raising his voice once.

His calmness gradually spread through the entire staff like cool water flowing over overheated stones.

The second section of the exposition grounds carried an entirely different atmosphere.

Another enormous tent had been erected there, but unlike the luxurious auction hall, this section resembled a strange fusion between a royal exhibition and an armory from another world.

Rows upon rows of firearms rested neatly upon long, polished tables.

Pistols.

Rifles.

Shotguns.

Sniper rifles.

Machine guns.

Each weapon was enclosed carefully inside specially made transparent glass cases that reflected light beautifully beneath the hanging lamps overhead.

And at the center of the entire hall...

Resting the true highlight: The Chimera SGM.

Even while sitting silently within its glass enclosure, the massive weapon radiated an overwhelming presence, drawing the eyes of everyone nearby almost instinctively.

Kiara had spent hundreds of gold coins ordering these custom-made display cases during the past two weeks.

At first, even she had winced slightly at the expense.

But now...

Standing amidst weapons that could potentially bring her mountains of wealth... those costs no longer seemed important.

Zion supervised this section personally alongside several robots.

At every weapon table stood a sales-assistant robot prepared to explain specifications, abilities, ammunition types, and combat functions to arriving VIP guests.

Compared to ordinary servants, the robots possessed perfect memory and flawless speech patterns.

And more importantly...

They did not become nervous in front of powerful nobles.

The third section remained entirely open-air.

Compared to the previous two sections, this place appeared far emptier.

Yet strangely enough... It also carried the greatest pressure.

Because enormous war machines stood there like sleeping monsters waiting silently for someone to awaken them.

A Panzer-I.

A Light Multirole Vehicle.

A PzH 2000 Howitzer.

An LCA aircraft.

And a Destroyer Warship.

Only one model of each rested upon the grounds.

Yet even a single glance toward them made people instinctively stop breathing for a moment.

Even motionless...

They looked dangerous.

Kiara personally handled this section herself.

After arranging the vehicles repeatedly and checking every detail one final time, she deployed another set of sales-assistant robots near each machine so that VIP guests could receive explanations directly.

By eight-thirty in the morning, everything was finally prepared.

Outside the grounds, countless pedestrians passing nearby could not help slowing their steps to stare toward the enormous military vehicles visible beyond the gates.

Some whispered nervously.

Some pointed curiously.

Some merely stared in silence.

But none dared linger too long.

Because imperial soldiers had recently been stationed near the entrance, and their stern expressions alone discouraged unnecessary gatherings.

Meanwhile, Alucard also arrived for duty.

Kiara assigned the young welpire the responsibility of registering guests entering the venue.

A separate desk and chair had been placed near the entrance specifically for him, beneath a large patio umbrella that shielded him from sunlight.

Beside him stood a butler robot.

Perhaps to others, such treatment might appear excessive for an employee.

But Kiara understood something clearly.

Alucard was not ordinary.

A hybrid intelligent being capable of surviving for thousands of years was not someone she intended to neglect carelessly.

Loyalty was valuable.

And loyalty required maintenance.

Fortunately...

Serestia Phoenix unexpectedly decided to abandon her family duties temporarily and appear as a store employee instead.

Around nine in the morning, she casually dragged another chair beside Alucard’s desk before sitting there comfortably as though the place belonged to her.

Serestia had never cared much about societal rules.

And more importantly...

Nobody truly dared question her actions openly.

During her time working at Nexus, she had gradually become close friends with Alucard despite his lack of status, background, or strength.

Now, however, with major House representatives preparing to arrive soon... Her sitting beside him publicly would inevitably provoke many people.

Especially the Imperial Family.

Especially the nobles.

As for how this decision would affect Alucard’s future, only time would reveal the answer.

Meanwhile, Kiara continued moving throughout the venue while inspecting every section personally.

She checked the firearms hall once more.

Then the vehicle section.

Then the banquet arrangements.

Only after ensuring everything remained perfect did she head toward the auction pavilion to fetch her fiancé.

Arceus Silver was still reading through the script nervously.

Seeing the tension lingering across his face, Kiara spoke gently. "There is no need to pressure yourself so much, Mr. Manager. Take it slowly."

Arceus immediately raised his head upon hearing her voice.

A small, awkward smile appeared across his face. "You are here, De... Dear."

Even now, he still stumbled slightly whenever addressing her affectionately.

"Is everything finished?"

Kiara nodded calmly. "The guests may begin arriving at any moment. So we should prepare ourselves."

"Alright."

As the two began walking away together, Wester Silver silently followed behind them.

Yet while observing the strange atmosphere between the engaged couple, confusion slowly surfaced inside his thoughts.

His son constantly stuttered whenever addressing Kiara.

And Kiara herself always used formal prefixes instead of affectionate nicknames.

Weren’t they lovers?

Or perhaps...

Because he remained nearby constantly, she felt embarrassed showing affection openly?

The Black Knight quietly pondered such matters while following behind them like an overly serious mountain guardian watching confused young birds attempt courtship rituals.