DKIE CH11: Exposure

As Luka was dreaming of fan culture, a sudden pressure filled the hall.

The source of the pressure was not a person, but the unveiling of the first auction item.

Guests in the adjacent box weren’t bothering to lower their voices: “The first item is a special-grade battleship. Looks like there are many good things at this auction today.”

Below, a battleship, clearly subjected to a shrinking spell, appeared. Its intense technological feel surpassed even what was seen in sci-fi movies.

But everyone was accustomed to it, merely discussing the magical inscriptions covering it.

A civilization, a whole epoch ahead in technology, yet a cultural wasteland.

Luka breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there was a flaw. Otherwise, he only understood the principles of gunpowder and glass making. In an era where magic had made these things commonplace, he would probably be chewing on tree bark indefinitely.

Soon, the first bid was made.

“Five thousand gold coins!”

Without a reserve price, this wasn’t just wealthy; it was obscenely rich.

Luka curled his lip. Even if he sold himself, he couldn’t afford it.

“Wait, I am here to be sold.”

The quill pen really wanted to give him a few strokes to wake him up.

Cullen had clearly stated that the booklet was a gift and not part of the auction.

The quill pen was equally uninterested in the auction. In its prime, it had witnessed all sorts of rare artifacts; these current items were simply not worth its attention.

Luka carelessly listened to the bids, occasionally glancing at the dragon-horned man in the special seating, his thoughts gradually drifting to cultivation.

Money was just a bridge to an end; strength was the fundamental power in a world where the strong reigned supreme.

“Faith…” Luka murmured, propping his head.

In his original world, the official definition of faith was extreme belief and respect for a certain ideology, religion, or person. In the Holy Demon Continent, the definition of this word was much simpler and cruder.

It could largely be categorized as a strong emotional response directed solely at a specific person or event.

There were many types of related sensing spells across various races, and they weren’t hidden as secrets.

The fundamental reason was that the feedback effect was absolutely related to individual strength.

No matter how strong the faith, if the main body’s strength was weak, it would be like a fleeting breeze, quickly dissipating. Powerful individuals, on the other hand, believed in the law of the jungle and wouldn’t cast their gaze upon weak existences.

Therefore, to this day, no one had ever reached the peak of their life by relying solely on faith cultivation.

The quill pen saw his wandering gaze and instantly knew what he was thinking.

“Only now do you find it absurd? It’s good enough that the strong in this world don’t easily trample the weak.”

The temperature in Flintwood Pavilion was higher than the normal outside temperature.

Luka sat up straighter, fanning himself with his hand: “That’s because you haven’t seen the world.”

The quill pen, which had almost unified an empire: …

“Have you seen fans who commit suicide because of their idols? Have you seen fans who kill because of their idols? Have you seen fans who end up killing their idols… Haven’t seen any of it? Then you should see the world.”

The quill pen thought he was talking nonsense.

No one with a brain would do that.

Luka grinned, explaining: “Fans are divided into many types, one of which is technically called brain-damaged fans.”

Thinking of something, he kindly reminded: “By the way, you only have one heart now, so don’t become a brain-damaged fan in the future.”

The quill pen held this term in contempt, finally spitting out coldly, “Mind your own business.”

While they exchanged a few words, a single bid for an item on the floor had already exceeded thirty thousand gold coins. Money here seemed like just an ordinary number, constantly being raised, flowing like rushing water.

Luka’s heart ached hearing it.

He now had a strong possessiveness over other people’s money.

To alleviate this fervor, he simply began cultivating the faith spell to pass the time.

The faith spell recorded by the demon race was fully titled Aries’ Gold’s Notebook, an accidental discovery by a necromancer while studying spells.

Entering it was simple: follow the guidance to construct a magical framework within the body, then gradually activate it using the power of faith. His former science student advantage became apparent; the process of constructing the magic array was easier than imagined. However, without faith, a mere framework couldn’t exert any effect at all.

Time ticked by minute by minute. On stage, the auctioneer unveiled an item.

“Dream…”

“One hundred thousand gold coins.”

The auctioneer hadn’t even announced the full name, yet a terrifying sum had already been bid.

Usually, the first bid would symbolically suppress the price, but when they clearly saw who the bidder was, the people attending the auction became very quiet. Any objections on the tip of their tongues were all swallowed, replaced by proper smiles.

Faces transformed instantly.

In the lavish VIP box, the City Lord of Stone City gently stroked his small mustache and chuckled, “Lord Rio truly is generous with his bids.”

When the dragon transformed into human form, his physique was taller.

Hurricane Dragon Rio was even more particular than true nobles. Dragons weren’t just brawling brutes; even a common button on his clothes was covered in mysterious elements.

“There’s no need to waste time on bidding wars.”

Rio was not interested in the psychological bidding battles at human auctions.

Cullen, sitting behind them, sighed inwardly. Luka had miscalculated this time.

The item the giant dragon bought was not from the Rhine Merchant Guild. It was an item the City Lord had specifically added last minute to attract the Dragon race.

This item was called Dream Breath Grass. As the name suggested, taking it allowed one to have beautiful dreams. It was a very useless yet very powerful herb.

Its medicinal properties were extremely potent, potent enough to affect dragons, but it couldn’t work in a one-on-one fight.

Hurricane Dragon Rio’s high-priced purchase this time clearly indicated he was preparing for dormancy, and it would last for at least ten years.

“Even if what he wrote caters to the dragon race’s preferences, the giant dragon will forget it once he wakes up from his nap.”

Thinking of this, Cullen slightly shook his head.

In the box on the floor below, Luka noticed that fleeting glance.

He proudly declared, “Just watch, my novel will become famous throughout the Holy Demon Continent.”

The quill pen felt that this person shouldn’t be selling stories, but rather confidence.

Hurricane Dragon Rio officially purchased the grass, and the item had already been delivered.

The Dream Breath Grass and the preview booklet were both placed into an exquisite box, presented respectfully by the auction house attendant.

Rio didn’t inspect the contents and was preparing to leave directly.

The City Lord of Boulder City lightly coughed.

Considering that the other party had found the Dream Breath Grass, Rio ultimately decided to patiently wait for the auction to end.

Now, only the last item remained. The eighth-rank magician presiding over the auction was truly building suspense, using at least three punctuation marks and two emphatic tones in every sentence. As the host of the auction, Cullenf had temporarily set aside the book matter, with a faint air of self-satisfaction on his face.

“This item was discovered by the Rhine Merchant Guild in a ruin. We have had it appraised by three professionals and can confirm its authenticity…”

An ancient parchment book was exposed to everyone’s view.

From its appearance, the cover was already somewhat cracked. The item itself emitted subtle magical fluctuations, indicating it likely contained records of related spells.

From the moment the parchment book appeared, Luka clearly sensed that the quill pen’s state was unusual.

Just as he was about to ask, the host took a deep breath and said:

“The final item: ‘Alex’s Diary’!”

As the words fell, the crowd in the hall first froze, then a rapid and frantic wave of bids surged forth. Bidding paddles were raised on every floor, dazzling to the eye. And the bids were not low; each increment started with a five-digit number.

Luka was stunned for a while, then communicated through their blood pact: “You kept a diary?”

The quill pen’s voice became gloomy, exuding a strange quality, saying, “Occasionally.”

The atmosphere in the hall was feverish, with many people’s eyes gleaming with determination to win.

Alex, as the most legendary existence on the continent, the research value of his diary was self-evident.

Luka could understand the reason for this exaggerated bidding. Whether it was magicians, necromancers… or other types of professions, the diaries they wrote would never be limited to trivial matters, but more to research and insights into magic.

The price soared to an absurd figure. The auction host calmed his racing heart and aptly said, “Many concealment spells are set within the diary. We have only broken through the tip of the iceberg. If you are not skilled in spell deciphering, it is advised to consider your purchase carefully.”

Upon hearing this, it only further ignited everyone’s desire for the diary.

Luka softly said, “I thought I was the only one here to be ‘sold’ today. I didn’t expect you were too.”

Before the quill pen could bristle, he sighed sympathetically, “You wrote a diary, and later generations are making a fortune off it. You’re practically losing a huge sum even after death.”

Too tragic.

Luka quickly added, “Why don’t you tell me all the diary’s contents? That way, the Rhine Merchant Guild and the buyer of the diary will lose a huge sum, and you’ll make it back!”

“…”

Alex’s Diary ultimately sold for 280,000 gold coins, falling into the hands of an unnamed mysterious buyer.

Hurricane Dragon Rio did not participate in the bidding. The spells cultivated by the Dragon race had significant limitations, often related to their own characteristics.

As soon as the auction ended, the City Lord personally escorted him to the door, smiling cordially and exchanging pleasantries.

Newspaper reporters were recording with scrying stones, already drafting several headlines about the improved relations between the Dragon and Human races.

“Consider it a favor.”

After Rio spoke, a hurricane swirled into a long river. The reporters on the street couldn’t even open their eyes. When the storm subsided, the tall figure had vanished into the sky, leaving peculiar patterns in the clouds.

The City Lord stood rooted, in a very good mood. Relations between humans and demons were tense, but war wouldn’t break out anytime soon.

However, a war might erupt during the giant dragon’s nap.

A favor implicitly represented an opportunity to intervene.

“Still not coming over?”

His objective achieved, the City Lord’s smile slightly faded as he looked at the lavish girl discreetly hiding in the back.

The girl reluctantly walked over, first dutifully bowed and greeted, then argued, “I didn’t let anyone publish ‘below-the-neck literature’ in the newspaper.”

Both the newspaper and Boulder Magazine Agency were her life’s work.

The City Lord naturally wouldn’t quibble over such things with a junior.

“Go home and report your safety. Your father is very worried…” Halfway through his sentence, he saw the paper in the girl’s hand.

Although a concealment spell was used, such a trick could not escape his discerning eyes.

Journalists had to work fast. The paper contained drafted headlines and outlines for tomorrow’s news:

Lift Your Mask, Let Me See Your Face — City Lord Edition.

Luka raised an eyebrow.

The identity of the Demon King and Saintess’s child was too sensitive. If exposed publicly, it would certainly not be a good thing.

The current situation was very unfavorable to him.

Luka was unsure if the City Lord would reveal his identity on the spot, and he definitely didn’t want to remove his mask; doing so would devalue him.

Those in high positions always lacked patience.

A decision had to be made quickly, otherwise, when the City Lord spoke a second time, it might not be a half-command, but direct action.

Luka pondered briefly, withdrawing his gaze from the dragon’s traces in the clouds.

He placed his left hand over his right chest, bowed slightly forward while nodding, like a true noble, impeccably polite.

Under everyone’s gaze, the corner of his mouth beneath the mask curled slightly upward:

“Please convey my regards to my mother and father.”

Author’s Note:

The auction items are important foreshadowing, haha. Next chapter, our hatching fan will appear~