Orin's eyes narrowed by a fraction. The muscles in his jaw tightened before he turned fully toward Aurelia, facing her head-on. The evening wind stirred loose strands of his hair, carrying with it the scent of trampled grass and dust from the arena grounds.
"Aurelia, I'm not angry with you. I know you're powerless against Soren." His gaze held hers steadily. "But don't say another word about Ronan."
His voice dipped lower.
"If you do, I swear you'll regret it."
The words weren't loud.
They didn't need to be.
There was no shouting, no dramatic burst of anger. Just a quiet edge beneath his tone, something cold enough that it felt like a blade being pressed gently against skin. Sharp. Controlled. Dangerous.
Aurelia's breath caught.
Not from fear.
From surprise.
Her fingers curled unconsciously at her sides as she stared at him.
Orin had always felt... different from the others in the clan. Softer around the edges. Patient. The type who listened more than he spoke. Even when others laughed or mocked someone, Orin usually stayed quiet.
But right now—
She searched his face.
The gentleness was still there.
And somehow that made it worse.
Because beneath it, for the first time, she noticed something else.
Something that had perhaps always existed.
Had she simply never looked closely enough?
Kellan suddenly cleared his throat, the sound awkwardly loud amidst the silence.
"Ronan..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "can we talk later?"
Ronan stood nearby, as composed as ever, as if the tension around him had simply drifted past without touching him. His expression remained calm.
"Sure," he said with a nod. "You can find me at Sir Alden's training grounds this evening."
"Alright."
Kellan hesitated.
His eyes flickered briefly toward Orin.
Then he exhaled quietly and gestured toward Aurelia and Selyra.
The three stepped away.
After creating some distance from the others, Kellan leaned closer toward Aurelia.
"You should check the swords."
Aurelia blinked. "What?"
"The swords," he repeated quietly. "Just... curious about something."
A crease formed between her brows.
Still confused, she reached toward her storage ring and drew one of the blades out.
Metal slid against its sheath with a soft whisper.
Shing.
Her expression froze.
The blade reflected the fading sunlight, its surface gleaming with pristine sharpness.
No scratches.
No tiny chips.
No signs of impact.
Nothing.
Her eyes widened.
"They're..." Her voice lowered. "Untouched."
Kellan leaned in.
"What do you mean?"
"They're exactly the same." Her fingers slowly traced the flat side of the blade. "Just like when I gave them to him."
Silence.
Kellan stared.
Then his eyes widened slightly as realisation struck.
"So..." he whispered, almost to himself.
"They never even used them."
Aurelia's gaze instinctively drifted back.
Toward Orin.
Toward Ronan.
But Orin had already turned away.
No pride.
No smug smile.
No attempt to make anyone notice.
He simply stood beside Ronan, talking quietly as if nothing unusual had happened.
Something strange settled in Aurelia's chest.
The instructor's amplified voice echoed across the field, breaking the moment.
"That concludes our first auction! Now let's welcome our second-place team: Kairos, Liora Viridion, and Dain Viridion!"
Polite applause rose through the arena.
The three stepped forward confidently, displaying several Rank Three monster cores and materials. Their presentation was solid, and many students quickly began making purchases.
After several trades, the instructor smiled again.
"And now, our third team: Ronan and Orin! Let's see what they have to offer."
Immediately, whispers spread through the crowd.
"They're up."
"The two monsters?"
"I heard they collected ridiculous amounts of resources."
Ronan and Orin walked calmly toward the stage.
Neither looked nervous.
Neither hurried.
Their steps remained steady beneath hundreds of eyes.
The murmuring gradually quieted as they reached the centre.
Ronan stepped forward.
"Good evening, everyone."
His voice spread clearly across the field.
"Before we begin the auction, I have a few conditions."
His fingers brushed lightly against his storage ring.
A pulse of light shimmered.
One.
Two.
Three.
Gasps erupted.
Twelve Rank Three monster cores floated into the air, suspended before everyone like small stars. Dense energy rolled outward from them in slow waves, causing many students' eyes to widen.
"I am looking for four specific elemental cores," Ronan continued. "Earth. Thunder. Wind. And Fire. All Rank Three."
Another flash.
Twelve Rank Two monster cores appeared.
Besides them, twelve Dragonblood Ivy and twelve Moonpetal Lily herbs materialised.
The crowd instantly exploded into whispers.
"What?"
"Who trades Rank Three for Rank Three?"
"Is he serious?"
Ronan calmly continued as though he couldn't hear them.
"You may choose two of the three Rank Two items as a bonus."
Silence.
Then—
The entire audience erupted.
A student near the front practically shot to his feet.
"I—I have a Rank Three Earth-element core!" he blurted out. "Can I trade for a Rank Three Water core, one Rank Two Water core, and a Moonpetal Lily?"
Ronan smiled faintly.
"Certainly."
Then he extended his hand.
"But may I inspect the quality first?"
The student hurried over and handed it to him.
Ronan turned the core over carefully in his hand. Light flowed faintly across its crystalline surface.
A few moments later, he nodded.
"This core is excellent."
He completed the exchange smoothly.
Rank Three core.
Rank Two core.
Moonpetal Lily.
The student accepted them with obvious excitement.
Then Ronan paused.
"Oh."
He added a Dragonblood Ivy.
"As our first trade," he said, "a little extra."
The student's eyes nearly shone.
"Thank you! Really!"
Ronan and Orin bowed slightly.
"It's our pleasure to do business with you."
And with that—
The auction truly began.
As trades continued, the atmosphere steadily heated.
The first three traders each received bonus items, and soon the crowd began buzzing restlessly.
"Do we get extras too?"
"Maybe."
"Move faster!"
Ronan eventually raised a hand.
His calm voice cut through the noise with surgical precision.
"We've concluded our first three trades."
Instant silence.
"From now on, there will be no extra items."
A wave of disappointment swept through the audience.
Grumbles sounded immediately.
But no one openly objected.
"There are only nine Rank Three herbs remaining," Ronan continued evenly. "Even without bonuses, these cores are still available."
He smiled lightly.
"But not for long."
The effect was immediate.
Students practically rushed forward.
Above the field, seated among the higher viewing rows, Amara clicked her tongue.
"Are those two boys out of their minds? They're not earning anything. They're burning resources."
Beside her, Lady Ishulane chuckled softly.
Her eyes curved with amusement.
"They're not playing for profit, Amara."
She rested her chin against one hand.
"They're playing a different game."
Her smile deepened.
"Let's see what surprise they have planned."
Soon, the final exchanges seemed to conclude.
The crowd began relaxing.
Then Ronan stepped forward again.
"For the next item," he said, "I have a new condition."
Light shimmered.
Twenty-one Dragonblood Ivy herbs appeared.
Twenty-one Moonpetal Lilies appeared beside them.
A wave of surprise rolled through the audience.
"This time, I want one Rank Three Lunasoul Herb and one Silverdew Herb."
He gestured toward the herbs.
"In return, you may choose six herbs. Mixing three of each is acceptable."
Silence followed.
Then an elderly man suddenly stood with a broad grin.
"I have both."
Ronan's eyes brightened slightly.
Without hesitation, he selected the herbs personally and handed them over.
Then added six more.
"Thank you, Sir."
The old man laughed warmly.
"Much appreciated."
Ronan and Orin bowed with polite smiles.
But before the atmosphere could settle—
The instructor suddenly spoke.
"I have one Silverdew Herb."
Without missing a beat, he walked forward.
"I'll take my share."
Ronan handed over three Dragonblood Ivies and three Moonpetal Lilies.
The instructor frowned.
"...Wasn't I supposed to receive twelve?"
He turned suspicious eyes toward the elderly man.
Ronan blinked.
Then smiled gently.
"Sir, I think there's been a misunderstanding."
He looked toward the old man.
"Forgive me. May I see the herbs I gave you?"
Chuckling knowingly, the old man handed them back.
The projection screen above is activated.
Light washed across the field.
The enlarged image displayed every tiny detail—the stems, veins, textures.
Perfect quality.
Except...
Several cuts looked rough.
Uneven.
Sloppy.
Like someone inexperienced had harvested them.
Ronan gestured toward the display.
"Sir mentioned earlier that unprofessional cuts reduce herb value by half." He turned toward the instructor respectfully. "So naturally, I compensated him with additional herbs."
The instructor stared.
Then stared harder.
"...This?"
High above, Lady Ishulane nearly burst into laughter.
"This brat has nerve."
Her shoulders shook.
"Revenge served cold."
Her grin widened.
"Those cuts don't affect the value at all."
She laughed openly.
"But the excuse? Brilliant."
Then she suddenly raised her voice.
"Ronan! I don't have Lunasoul or Silverdew—but I do have a Spectral Surge Elixir. Interested?"
Gasps swept through the crowd.
Even nearby instructors turned.
A Spectral Surge Elixir?
That was worth far more than the displayed herbs.
Ronan accepted the small jade bottle carefully.
For the first time, even his expression showed slight surprise.
"This exceeds the value of my herbs."
He thought briefly.
Then nodded.
"Allow me to add something."
A Ghostshade Root appeared.
Then a Mistveil Petal.
Then two Rank Three Fire-element cores.
"I hope this balances the exchange."
Lady Ishulane stood immediately and clapped.
"More than fair."
She grinned.
"The trade is accepted."
Excitement surged once more.
But Ronan wasn't finished.
"For the final item..."
The field slowly quieted.
"This time, I'll only trade for Balance Orchid."
A pause.
"If no one has it, we end here."
Silence stretched for a heartbeat.
Then two people stood simultaneously.
The same old man—Arnold.
And a young woman with fiery red hair.
Rose Flamecrest.
Ronan nodded.
"For each of you, one Rank Four and one Rank Three herb."
He opened both palms.
Three Rank Four herbs appeared.
Duskfang Mandrake.
Venomthorn Bramble.
Dense spiritual energy instantly spread into the air.
Arnold's eyes widened.
Rose's pupils practically lit up.
Above, Lady Ishulane muttered under her breath.
"If he doesn't save one for me, I'll roast him alive."
Amara rolled her eyes.
"You're acting like a little girl again."
Lady Ishulane ignored her completely.
With a smile, Ronan raised his voice one final time.
"That concludes our trades."
He and Orin bowed.
"Thank you all for participating."
As the evening continued, other teams stepped onto the stage one after another, displaying treasures and making exchanges of their own.
But the atmosphere had already changed.
Because somewhere between Ronan's calm smile and Orin's silent support...
The two had quietly stolen the stage.
And everyone knew it.
No one said it aloud.
They didn't need to.