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Despite closely examining the black stone tablet, Yaeger was still puzzled.

She queried, “Has this item always been in this state?”

“No, it was encased in a tortoise shell initially. During our examination, the shell cracked open and released the stone tablet.” An appraiser explained, picking up the tortoise shell from the table.

There was indeed a crack on the shell that closely matched the size of the stone tablets, corroborating their account.

‘The tortoise shell seems familiar.’ Yaeger generally recalled the features of items she had encountered. ‘I sense a mystical energy emanating from the stone tablet. It seems to be no ordinary item.’

She carefully held the stone tablet in her hand, attempting to discern its inner properties. Yet, she was unsuccessful. A protective force seemed to block her sensory attempts.

“Fascinating.” With a smile, Yaeger stored the tablet in her ring.

Such a mysterious object undoubtedly had a special purpose and would prove useful to her eventually.

“Retain the minerals and rarer materials. Dispose of everything else.” After selecting some potentially valuable materials from the manifest, Yaeger issued her orders.

The appraisers present immediately complied and began their tasks swiftly.

Yaeger retreated to the break room, lounged on the sofa, and accessed the forums through her interface. At that moment, the forums were abuzz. The primary topic of discussion was the Imperial Auction House.

Given that this game featured only one active auction house, it was natural for it to stir up controversy.

“I bet the astute players have caught on by now, but replicating my feat is nearly impossible,” Yaeger mused with a smile.

Her connections with Kastina and her formidable reputation within the Empire were key to her easily claiming the auction house. For others, increasing Kastina’s Favorability to such an extent was nearly impossible.

Yaeger scrolled past the trending posts about the auction house, eventually noticing other discussions.

«Shocking! On the edge of love and pain. Heartbreak. A triad of romance and grudges involving the Empire’s scourge!»

“What kind of title is this?”

Upon opening it, as expected, it seemed like clickbait—though, surprisingly, the contents were indeed pertinent to the title.

The post detailed the complex dynamics between Black-hearted Princess, Layna, and the seventh Princess. However, the situation was too convoluted to easily understand. Ultimately, Layna’s death led to the severing of all ties between Black-hearted Princess and the seventh Princess.

Numerous responses were quickly accumulating beneath the post. Yaeger was certain that this post would soon top the trending charts.

Yaeger skimmed through the comments brimming with excitement, reminiscent of children on Christmas morning. She then scrolled back up to view the video attached to the post.

“Kastina’s acting remains top-notch as always. Also, why does that Warrior seem like he’s been paid to act?”

In truth, she hadn’t hired anyone.

“I wouldn’t mind more of these uninvited troublemakers in the future.”

This troublemaker’s involvement enhanced the realism of her conflict with Kastina.

“Even though this drama wasn’t orchestrated for the players, it proved quite effective.”

Currently, every corner of Jade City buzzed with discussions about the conflict between Black-hearted Princess and Kastina.

“I’m going to slaughter a chicken to celebrate!” exclaimed the owner of a local restaurant, clapping his hands.

His statement reflected the widespread sentiment among the lower classes.

“Hmph, this was long overdue,” a member of the royalty remarked disdainfully.

Despite Kastina’s minimal political influence as a Princess, her role still symbolized the royal family. Her prolonged association with an outsider had sullied the royal family’s reputation.

The nobility shared similar sentiments.

Besides the fallout between the two Empire scourges, the auction house was another hot topic in the city, mirroring the forums. The locals understood why the original Imperial Auction House had failed. They held little hope for its successful reopening.

Some even wagered on how long it would take for the Imperial Auction House to fail again. As time advanced beyond the initial betting, odds that the auction house would fail within twenty-four hours dropped to a payout of 1:1.5. Clearly, the majority held a pessimistic view of the auction house’s longevity.

Conversely, players remained jubilant, confident in the auction house’s enduring presence. The auction house’s importance was expected to grow as long as the game continued to hold its popularity.

Time moved swiftly towards the commencement of the first auction since the Imperial Auction House’s reopening. Invited celebrities began to trickle in, while VIP players accessed the second floor ahead of the general crowd.

Yaeger and Kastina, stationed in the VVIP break room on the second floor, observed the guests settling into their seats through the privacy of specially designed glass panels.

“It appears quite lively; this seems poised for success,” Kastina remarked, smiling as she reclined on a plush sofa.

She envisioned a shower of gold coins descending from the heavens, blanketing the ground in a luminous sheen.

“It should conclude perfectly,” Yaeger noted calmly.

The stage was set. The show would commence once all actors were in position. Before long, eighty percent of the seats were filled, predominantly by ticket-purchasing players. Many attendees were there merely to spectate and absorb the ambiance.

Just as the action was poised to commence, the main protagonist of the show made his entrance. Viscount Yelu, flanked by his entourage, entered with the swagger of a celebrity on the red carpet, drawing considerable attention.

“Just as expected, the big fish has arrived,” Yaeger commented with a calm smile.

“Hehe, it’ll be interesting to see his reaction when he realizes something from his home is missing,” Kastina chuckled mischievously.

“I wouldn’t have bothered with him if he had left us alone,” Yaeger remarked, shifting her attention to the other attendees.

A light exclamation escaped her as she spotted a familiar figure below. The girl below scanned the crowd eagerly, clearly searching for someone. A sigh of disappointment followed her fruitless search.

Known in-game as [Cannibal Cat], she was a streamer who had soared to fame by featuring Yaeger in her broadcasts. However, Yaeger’s departure from Broken Leaf City soon after left Cannibal Cat without her star attraction, causing her popularity to plummet.

“Princess, oh Princess, where are you?” Despite her efforts to reach Level 10 and her haste to get to Jade City, she arrived only to find Princess’ home base destroyed. Such a turn of events was both depressing and demoralizing.

‘They had to smash it just as I arrived, not before or after—how unfair!’ Cannibal Cat fumed silently from her seat. Despite the packed venue, she failed to find the one she had been dreaming of day and night, leaving her profoundly disappointed.

Just then, the female auctioneer took to the stage. “Welcome, dear guests, to the inaugural auction of the newly reopened Imperial Auction House…”

Following a protracted introductory speech, the auction commenced.

“Forget it, I can’t force fate,” Cannibal Cat sighed softly, trying to buoy her spirits.

Declaring, “I, [Cannibal Cat], will bear witness to this game’s first auction!” she began her live stream.