Central Security of the Goldenfield Auction Hall. Some guards puffing on cigarettes gestured with their chins.
“Look at that. It’s the skeleton.”
The skin-and-bones security officer known as the “Scout” was staggering over, carrying an enormous hammer.
“That body’s beyond what exercise can fix.”
“Hey, someone go take the hammer away and give him a spoon. Tell him to eat something.”
“Pffft.”
For this Eternal Ship auction, the hall had hired several external security agents. The skeletal “Scout” was one of them.
“...But what’s he stumbling around with?”
A hammer.
Or so they thought.
On closer inspection, it was a sword—its tip embedded in a rock-like hunk.
“...Huh? Isn’t that... the Peacemaker†?”
Several guards jumped up, tossing their cigarettes aside and approaching him.
Just then, the Scout shouted:
“Black Abyss officer! Where’s the Black Abyss officer?!”
“What’s going on, Scout? And what’s that weapon?”
“No, where’s the Black Abyss officer?!”
“If they were here, they’d have answered already, right? Hey, contact the Guard. ...Scout, so what’s up with that weapon?”
The Scout—he was, in fact, someone who had received two stigmata of the “Scout’s Mark│ㅅㅇ),” and could observe a dozen areas simultaneously. A living CCTV, basically.
“There’s a group trying to steal one of the VVIP auction items! Estimated headcount: four to seven assassins!”
“What?!”
Even the laid-back guards stiffened.
“This sword is an imitation of the Peacemaker†, likely made by them! I found it in the vault! I don’t have time to chat, just hurry and call your Black Abyss officers!”
It was quite a rude command.
“Look, even if you say that... hold on a sec.”
“Hurry up! Now!”
The Scout hadn’t been rude from the start.
But according to the [Stigma] of the Scout’s Mark, as of yesterday afternoon, over half of the guards here were “not human.” That included high-ranking staff.
So he needed someone trustworthy—and the Black Star⚉ Matriarch’s Guard had all been verified as human.
“You called, Scout Siflon?”
A Guard arrived. Despite being a member of a crime cartel, he had soft eyes.
Maybe the Matriarch liked cute young men? Just a passing thought. Regardless, this was the only man directly connected to the Matriarch.
“Hose! Come over here!”
As the Scout hurriedly tried to speak to him privately, he stopped.
“Ah, wait. Hold on a sec... I need to verify you’re really Hose. And that you’re human.”
“Ah, of course.”
He activated the [Stigma] and checked the man’s species. [Human]—confirmed.
“Hose, could you show me something that proves your Black Star⚉ affiliation?”
Hose calmly held out his bracelet, which confirmed his [Stigma].
“Oh, uh...”
“You want to see my underwear too? Weren’t you in a rush?”
“Ack, no, not at all! So, the thing is—”
The Scout explained: A group of 4–7 assassins was targeting the underground vault beneath the casino.
Hose’s eyes widened.
“Our Black Star⚉ has never failed to protect anything we were tasked with.”
“I know. Of course I know!”
When it comes to “hiding” something, no one in the world surpasses the Black Star⚉. They are darkness incarnate. That’s why the casino partnered with her.
“But now is not the time for complacency. These people know way more about the auction hall than we expected!”
“...What details have you read?”
“Look.”
The Scout raised his hand and cast a simple [Illusion]. Then glanced around and lowered his voice.
“They’ve split into teams and are searching for different ways into the casino’s underground vault.”
He had identified three teams:
The pink-haired girl and the big guy.
The gray-haired one and a sniper.
And the blonde woman with the leader.
“Each of them has a role!”
He briefly explained their “strategy.”
“The pink-haired one and the brute will target the banquet hall, the VIP auction floor, the coliseum, and the racetrack. They’ve figured out that the building’s [Magic Power Supply] is located there and will try to shut it down. Though honestly, their success rate is low.”
“But the gray-haired one and the sniper—that pair is dangerous. They’re experienced assassins! They’ll track specific targets and collect [Master Keycards] and vault access permissions!”
“Lastly, the blonde woman and the leader—we can’t figure out what they’re doing at all! They’re both wearing anonymizing masks. By context alone, they ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) seem like the most dangerous group—but they’re the hardest to trace!”
He followed up with several supporting arguments.
“This is too risky for us to handle alone! We need to inform the Empire!”
But Hose’s expression soured.
“Are you out of your mind? We can’t alert the outside!”
“Why not?!”
If someone like the Luminous Constellation⁺₊⋆ was making a move, that would instantly draw the obsessive curiosity of every [Constellation].
If a Constellation was willing to fight—despite weakening from conflict—then there must be something worth wagering their power for.
“There’ll be a battle in three days, right?! They’re counting on that! They’re using the clash between Black Star and Luminous as a distraction to rob the casino! We have to tell someone first!”
“No. We can’t.”
This is an era where nothing stays secret. If you alert a foreign security agency, the truth will spread like wildfire.
Worst case, other Constellations who recognize the Peacemaker†’s value will get involved. Basically, nuclear war.
“Confidentiality was a condition! If not, you shouldn’t have even signed the contract with us...!”
“Did I sign it?! Did I?! I’m outsourced like you! Goddamn it...”
The Scout beat his own ribs in frustration.
“For real though—what the hell is that sword?!”
“Pardon?”
“That sword stuck in a rock—why are two Constellations and an elite assassin squad going to war over it?! Isn’t it ranked [Normal]?!”
“Ah......”
“What the hell is it hiding?! Stop keeping secrets—just tell me already! What is that sword?!”
He held up the imitation Peacemaker†.
Hose glanced around, then leaned in slightly.
“...You really wanna know?”
“Yes!”
“...You sure you really wanna know?”
“Of course I do! Damn it! Constellations going head-to-head over some [Normal]-grade sword? That hasn’t happened in ten years!”
“...It’s not a [Normal]-grade sword.”
“...What?”
The Scout’s eyes went round.
“That sword has a hidden awakening factor. Once triggered, it ranks at [Legendary III] or higher.”
“L-Legendary III or higher...?!”
His jaw dropped. A [Legendary III] weapon is a game-changer. Each country might have only a handful, and most are classified as national treasures.
Even in the Empire, fewer than ten people are licensed to use [Legendary III]-grade weapons—and nearly all of them are [Constellations].
“...There’s a grade above that?”
It was staggering. A [Legendary III] alone could flip the tide of a war.
Anything beyond that grade was...
“You can’t normally use it. But even if you melt it down just for the materials, it’s still monstrous. Agion is currently ranked 20th, right? If he gets that sword and absorbs it properly, he’ll climb to top 3.”
Top 3?!
His jaw dropped further.
‘Oh... my god......’
At that moment, he fully understood why they couldn’t let this go public. Everyone knew how sensitive Constellations were about their rankings.
“Then I’ll go report this to the Matriarch.”
“Yes, please do.”
Just as Hose turned to go, he paused.
“Ah, but—can I ask you one more thing?”
“Yes, of course.”
“You said the pink-haired team has a low chance of accessing the [Magic Power Supply]. Why is that? I need to know before we deploy our teams.”
“Oh, that’s simple. Their route includes an executive elevator—but Goldenfield set a trap inside it.”
“A trap?”
“Yeah. Once you get in, it drops. Only the guards and executive staff were informed.”
“So then...”
“The general staff don’t even know the elevator exists. But if you dig into the layout, someone sharp could figure it out. Anyone who uses it is guaranteed to fall into the trap.”
“I see.”
Hose smiled sweetly and raised a finger.
“Thanks. I had no idea about that.”
Then touched the man’s forehead.
“Wait—what is thi―”
⋮
『 World Forgery: Memory Forgery [Security] 』
⋮
The Scout collapsed like a skeleton hitting the floor.
Hose—or rather, Dante Hiakapo—turned briskly and walked outside.
Speaking into his Crystal Orb:
“Elize, Kendreik. We’re changing the route.”
– Yes!
– Oof!
***
<Connection> established.
And so began the casino vault heist.
Elize and Kendreik were assigned up to three primary objectives.
< Dante: Elize team, deploy. >
The first: locate the [Magic Power Supply Unit].
The goal was to destroy the core feeding magical power to the entire building and plunge it into chaos.
This was one of the game’s roguelike mechanics—while the auction house’s [Power Unit] was always located on B1, its exact position changed with every playthrough.
< Dante: As planned—Kendreik, win consecutive matches in the colosseum to get invited to a VIP room. Elize, gather intel by circulating the banquet hall. Assassination is allowed if necessary. Just don’t get caught by the security team. >
Now, in this quiet interlude, it had to be found.
< Dante: We’re low on time. Judging by the flow, Agion will launch his assault within 48 hours. Move fast. >
Their current location: the underground storage room.
– Uuurrghhh.
Boom boom.
A giant fist pounded on the door.
Translation: Hurry up.
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
Just as Elize slipped her feet into her high heels—she paused.
She’d accidentally glanced at a mirror.
“Uh...??”
Startled!
And thoroughly shocked.
Her outfit was a banquet hall dress. Custom-tailored by Dante with the 『Personal Fit』 enchantment.
At first, wearing it felt like a new game, and the snug fit had been exciting. But now that she was fully dressed... it felt far too revealing.
An open neckline that exposed everything below her collarbones, a tightly cinched corset, and a high slit running up the side of her leg.
“Hmm...”
In truth, it wasn’t even that extreme. Just the standard amount of exposure for a formal dress.
But Elize, who had heard her father say “no lewd clothes” 1,251,280 times since childhood, was now in complete turmoil.
“......”
What do I do.
This is way too embarrassing.
Should I wear it?
Take it off?
Find a different dress?
Wear a T-shirt underneath?
But wouldn’t that look weird?
Banquet halls are supposed to be places where men grease their hair and women bare their shoulders, right?
She tried tugging the fabric over her chest—but it was enchanted to fit her form perfectly. It wouldn’t budge.
BANG BANG BANG!
– UUURRGHHH!
Kendreik was getting impatient.
He wanted her out now.
Elize looked at the door, looked at the mirror, looked down at herself—completely at a loss.
‘Mmm... Ugh...’
If she’d had a tail, it’d be drooping.
She cracked the door open and peeked out. Kendreik stood there in nothing but boxer briefs, gloves in hand. He was signed up to fight in the colosseum.
“Hey.”
“Urrgh?”
“Aren’t you going to wear clothes?”
“UURGH!”
Kendreik flexed both biceps and struck a muscular pose, his massive, aesthetic body on full display.
“But you could still wear something, couldn’t you?”
“Urgh.”
He nodded solemnly.
The reason he wasn’t wearing anything else was because it drew more attention.
At 2.25 meters tall, packed with rippling muscle, he radiated inspiration to every man who saw him.
Just walking down the hallway earlier, people had gasped in awe.
He’d be invited to a VIP room in no time.
At that moment, Elize blinked as a thought occurred to her. Colosseums are traditionally male spaces—but wouldn’t a woman on a winning streak also be invited to a VIP room?
“Kendreik. Help me with something.”
Elize’s next words left Kendreik staring with a dumb expression.
“...Uurgh?”
⋮
Thirty minutes later.
Kendreik—now fully made up by Elize—entered the banquet hall. Wearing Elize’s dress. Thanks to 『Personal Fit』, it had somehow stretched to accommodate him.
Two meters and twenty-five centimeters tall. Veiny, sculpted musculature. A wig and full makeup. A dress with an open chest revealing massive pectorals, triangular delts like cannonballs spilling from the sleeves, thick forearms, and stilettos bulging perfectly to match the shape of his enormous feet.
Every gaze in the room turned to him.
And a certain noble—known for being a banquet hall socialite—thought to himself:
‘Beautiful.’
An absolute knockout.