It wasn’t just Merlin who thought so—everyone there couldn’t help but hold their breath.

Trading three Mythic-tier items for a single potion was the act of a madman.

Even though the Solistic Potion was rare, it wasn’t worth three Mythic-tier items.

But Fenric did it anyway. The richest man on the continent casually tossed away three mythic-tier items as if they were nothing more than trash.

To the experts present at the auction, it felt like a harsh slap to the face, leaving them ashamed.

Unfortunately, no one dared to complain, let alone harbor ill will toward him. They couldn’t see Fenric directly, but they could sense powerful presences standing beside him.

It was clear that two individuals at the First Spirit Core level were guarding him.

The woman representing Fenric took the potion and returned to the VIP room upstairs.

The moment quickly passed, and the auction continued.

The next item was a mythic-tier artifact shaped like a crown.

“The name of this item is the Crown of Darkness. Its name comes from its dark and gloomy color. As for its abilities, I don’t fully understand them. Experts from the Arden family have tried to study it, but they couldn’t find any answers. So, I don’t have high expectations for this item. You may place your bids.”

The experts hesitated. An item with unknown functions was hardly appealing.

Although it was a Mythic-tier artifact, they didn’t dare take the risk.

That’s because some Mythic-tier items were classified as “cursed.”

“Cursed” here wasn’t just a label—they truly carried a curse that could harm their users.

So, they didn’t dare offer a high price.

“I’ll trade it for a Legendary-tier item.”

“Me too.”

A few people began making offers. It was clear they weren’t serious and were just placing random bids.

Merlin examined the Crown of Darkness with a curious gaze. For some reason, he felt the artifact wasn’t ordinary.

“Merlin, take that artifact. I sense a connection with it.”

Lyserra’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Merlin was startled. “Are you sure, Lyserra? Could that artifact belong to you?”

“It seems so. My memories are starting to return, though not all of them. I feel a sense of familiarity with that artifact, so it’s likely connected to my past.”

Out of curiosity, Merlin opened the status panel for the Crown of Darkness.

Name: Crown of Darkness

Rank: Hidden

Description: ???

Merlin’s heart pounded, and his breath quickened in shock.

‘Its rank is hidden? Could it be an artifact beyond Mythic?’ he exclaimed inwardly.

Only two items he knew of were at that level—the Two Primordial Daggers and the Unbreakable Rope.

They were all his, and Merlin had never seen anything else like them.

And now, an item of the same tier had appeared. It was truly shocking.

He looked around and realized that no one else knew the truth.

A sense of nervousness welled up inside him. He wanted to make an offer immediately, but he feared it might only drive others to bid higher.

He didn’t have many Legendary-tier items, let alone good Mythic-tier ones.

Then he remembered he had plenty of A- and S-rank potions. A-rank was equivalent to gold-grade potions, while S-rank matched seven-color potions.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and said, “Three gold-grade healing potions with one hundred percent purity.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone was stunned. They turned to look at Merlin in astonishment.

“Gold-grade healing potions with one hundred percent purity? Is that guy crazy?”

“I don’t get it either. This doesn’t make any sense at all.”

The experts couldn’t contain their shock and began to doubt Merlin’s offer.

It must be noted that a gold-grade potion with one hundred percent purity was extremely rare

For experts at the First Spirit Core, Ninth Awakening, and Nine Star Mage levels, such a potion was incredibly valuable, and they would never trade it away.

After all, its benefits and effectiveness were immense, especially in critical situations.

“Merlin, you…” Linda beside him was just as shocked.

She didn’t understand how her disciple could possess three gold-grade potions with such purity.

What was even more shocking was that he was trading them for a Mythic-tier item that was most likely cursed.

Merlin glanced at her and smiled. “Don’t worry, Master. I have my reasons. Trust me.”

Linda took a deep breath and said nothing more. She trusted Merlin more than anyone, so she didn’t ask further questions—not even where he had obtained the three potions.

On stage, Graham frowned at Merlin’s offer.

He doubted Merlin actually possessed the three potions, but as the host, he couldn’t voice his suspicion.

Otherwise, his reputation would be ruined in the eyes of many.

“Since no one else is bidding, I declare that man the winner. Please come up on stage.”

Merlin stood up and walked toward the stage. He opened his palm, and three vials of potion appeared.

Each contained a thick blue liquid that glowed faintly.

Graham asked his subordinate to inspect them. After confirming they were genuine, his gaze toward Merlin shifted to admiration.

Earlier, he had been annoyed and angry that Merlin dared to outbid him in front of everyone. But now, he no longer felt that way.

Merlin was worthy of being a friend of the Arden family.

After the transaction, Merlin returned to his seat under everyone’s piercing stares.

“Done.” Merlin exhaled in relief.

He stared at the black crown in his hand with curiosity.

If not for Lyserra’s warning, he wouldn’t have noticed the uniqueness of this item.

Fortunately, no one else realized it, allowing him to acquire such a rare and priceless item for just three A-rank potions.

The auction continued. Four Mythic-tier items were brought out one after another, and the sight made Merlin’s eyes widen in astonishment.

Up until now, he had assumed Mythic-tier items were extremely rare—and that assumption was correct.

It was just that most of them were controlled by major powers like Saint Freya Academy, the Three Kingdoms, the Arden family, the Beethoven family, and others.

As a result, Mythic-tier items were nearly impossible for ordinary people to possess.

After an intense hour in the auction hall, the final round finally arrived.

Graham stepped to the front of the stage with a smile.

“I’m sure this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for, isn’t it?”

The experts in attendance were filled with excitement and anticipation.

Satisfied with their reaction, Graham continued, “As I mentioned earlier, we’ve successfully captured a princess from the fox race. As you know, she possesses an extremely pure bloodline and can heal all diseases, wounds, and curses unconditionally—except in one way: by sleeping with her. You could say you’re getting two benefits at once. Interesting, isn’t it?”

His words were like gasoline poured onto a raging fire.

Nearly ninety percent of those present were men, and the thought of having a fox-race princess as both a lover and a healer sent their excitement soaring.

“How disgusting,” Linda muttered, knitting her brows.

She understood the law of this world—might makes right.

Still, the thought of a fox girl—let alone a princess—being toyed with by an old man made her sick.

However, she couldn’t do anything about it. She didn’t want to provoke the fox race’s wrath or bring disaster upon her academy.

Better to let those foolish and greedy people face the consequences.

At that moment, a man walked in, pushing a cage about a meter tall.

The cage was covered with a black cloth, hiding whatever was inside.

The man pulled it away, and instantly, a girl was revealed before everyone’s eyes.

She was incredibly beautiful, around ten or eleven years old.

Her long, light red hair flowed down her back.

A fluffy tail swayed behind her, and two adorable ears rested atop her head.

The girl looked around with fear and anxiety. Her face was pale, as if she had lost a lot of blood.

Graham glanced at her meaningfully, then announced, “Please place your bids!”

A man suddenly raised his right hand. “I’m offering a semi-Mythic-tier item!”

“Only semi-mythic!? I’m offering a Mythic-tier item and a Legendary-tier item!”

A commotion erupted as no one wanted to be outdone.

The auction grew so heated that Merlin felt his heart pounding.

‘Crazy… they’re all completely insane!’ Merlin exclaimed in shock.

They were like beasts ready to tear apart a piece of meat right in front of them.

Merlin looked at the fox girl with pity. He didn’t know her. Most likely, she was just a minor character who never appeared in the novel The Lost Hero.

But there was nothing he could do. As Linda had said, whoever won the fox girl would likely meet a tragic end.

Even with good intentions, he would inevitably be seen as an enemy by the fox race.

So it was better not to get involved.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the fierce bidding.

“Two Mythic-tier items and three Legendary-tier items.”

Merlin turned toward the voice and was surprised by who had spoken.

“Gustav Alveron…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep