As Eustace relished the delight of the unexpected appearance of the Third-Phase of the Darkness Possession Potion, his euphoria was interrupted by the realization that a couple of gazes were fixed upon him.

He was suddenly alarmed as he guessed the intent behind those stares.

They were the two ladies who were previously observing him.

“Not good…” Eustace inwardly lamented, understanding that these ladies had likely detected the shift in his emotions and were eagerly awaiting an opportunity for him to let his guard down.

He narrowed his eyes as he controlled his emotions and locked his gaze back onto the two individuals.

To be honest, he wasn’t exactly sure why he was being stared at. He could only guess that these two had nefarious thoughts, and he had to be wary of them…

***

Rosella proceeded to unveil the unique terms set by the owner of the Third Phase of the Darkness Possession Potion. Rather than seeking monetary compensation, the owner desired to exchange the potion for a Dragon Scale or an equivalent material capable of crafting a formidable defensive item. This announcement brought about a shift in the auction dynamics.

Whispers and murmurs could be heard as the people started frowning at this arrangement.

“Those who possess such an item and are willing to make a trade, please raise the number in your seats.” Rosella declared, prompting a flurry of responses from a few enthusiastic attendees.

The crowd quickly became abuzz with individuals offering their items, recognizing the versatility and value of the potion being auctioned.

Eustace had a quick look at them, and even without using his Divine Sense, he could tell that these people weren’t Dark Arts Practitioners.

This confused him a bit, but he heard a few people talking about this potion.

Apparently, it made sense that the Darkness Possession Potion held appeal not only for Dark Arts Practitioners. Those interested in performing rituals, attracting dark spirits, or utilizing potent poisons would actually want this item as well.

Indeed, the potion’s potency made it a coveted asset in various realms of arcane practices, especially in the art of poisons.

Amidst the clamor, numerous participants presented their offerings.

One person offered a fragment of a Turtle Dragon Shell, another boasted three Wyvern Scales obtained from undead creatures, while another proposed a Tier 3 Earth Golem’s Core as a potential trade.

The bids continued to pour in, with a total of ten individuals ultimately making offers.

Eustace watched the proceedings unfold, contemplating whether he had to join in the bidding war.

He knew that securing the Third Phase of the Darkness Possession Potion could be a pivotal step in his journey… However, he couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong with this offer.

***

Unbeknownst to Eustace, another individual within the Auction House shared his suspicions.

It was none other than Lesley, who had skillfully disguised herself among the attendees. As a Dark Arts Practitioner with a deep-seated animosity towards the Holy Arts Faction, Lesley couldn’t help but question the sudden appearance of the potion.

‘Is this a trap?’ Lesley pondered. She considered that this auction was a way to identify the remaining members of the Vessels or to ensnare other Dark Magicians within the city.

Because the war against the Dark Arts was already in its early stages, she couldn’t help but link this matter.

She also felt a bit frustrated as she realized she hadn’t detected any signs of Divine Sense scanning her surroundings, a method she had successfully cracked as part of her mission to eliminate the Holy Arts practitioners. 𝘪𝑎.

Lesley’s ultimate goal was to eradicate the vulnerability of Dark Magicians against the Holy Arts. While she hadn’t yet created a Tier 3 Variant capable of countering the practitioners of Holy Arts, she had made significant progress in deciphering the secrets of Divine Sense.

With time, she hoped to perfect this method and impart it to the entire Dark Arts Faction.

‘Captain, should we bid for this item? It doesn’t feel right to hand over this potion to those people…’ Her subordinates, through their telepathic communication, voiced concerns about the situation.

After careful consideration, Lesley came to a decision.

‘No… I don’t feel right about it either, but we can’t act now. Let’s wait for the winner and seize the potion from them. If we can kill them in the process, it would be even better.’ She firmly responded.

Her subordinates could only nod as they patiently awaited the conclusion of the bidding…

***

In the meantime, as Rosella was still looking for other offers, Eustace reached a decision.

He took a deep breath and confidently raised his number, catching the attention of both Rosella and the surrounding crowd.

“I have a genuine Dragon Scale. Let’s make a trade…” Eustace declared, his voice carrying a hint of confidence.

A few people started doubting what they just heard, but Eustace suddenly reached into his bag and produced the Dragon Scale, presenting it as evidence of his offer.

Everyone was shocked and marveled at the sight of a real Dragon Scale! The only exceptions were Teresa and Clare, who had been observing Eustace closely. They couldn’t help but feel confused by the situation.

As they examined the Dragon Scale Eustace had produced, they immediately noticed that it was distinctly different from the Dragon Scale they had previously seen Vale display in front of numerous individuals.

‘It’s really different…’

This discrepancy caused Teresa and Clare to exchange perplexed glances, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Apparently, Teresa had prepared two items as a means to entice Vale or Clovis to reveal themselves.

These items included a scroll capable of summoning the Holy Messenger and the Darkness Possession Potion currently up for auction.

Having observed Eustace’s reactions to these particular items, Teresa and Clare began to entertain the notion that Eustace might be connected to Clovis or potentially even be Clovis himself, cleverly disguised through advanced means they couldn’t see. Additionally, they considered the possibility that the Grimoire Eustace possessed might be borrowed or obtained in some other manner, further fueling their uncertainty.

“No… This just confirmed our guess. That guy must be Vale, or Vale had given this item to him. There’s no way a Dragon Scale would just appear here. He must’ve gotten a different scale inside the Tower.” Teresa claimed as she shared her plans with Clare.

Whether they are right or wrong, they would capture this man!𝑖.𝑐ℴ𝑚

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