**Fzzzz… shhhh—click**
The doors of the Private Hall opened almost silently.
**Tck… tck… tck—hummm**
Kirito expected a conventional meeting room. A table, chairs, maybe a floating screen. What he found was something entirely different.
The office was a declaration of power.
It occupied the top floor of Cervantes, and three of its four walls were completely transparent from the inside, offering a panoramic view of Akibahollow that stretched as far as the eye could see. The neon skyscrapers, the crowded avenues filled with users, the data streetlights pulsing like a circulatory system: everything lay at the feet of whoever occupied that office.
But it wasn't the windows that impressed. It was the interior.
The floor was made of a polished black marble that reflected each light source like a liquid mirror.
**Krrrrm… shhhhhnk—tok**
The columns were not made of stone, but of solidified data: translucent cylinders within which torrents of real-time information flowed, auction figures, quotes, names of buyers and sellers.
The furniture was sparse but imposing: a curved black desk with golden veins, two armchairs in front of it, and behind, a throne.
**Fzzzz—boommm**
It was more than a seat. It was a throne.
**Clic—shhhhh… dong**
Tall, with an oval back, wide armrests, and a base that emerged from the ground as if it had grown from the building's foundations. It was not empty.
**Zzzzap—tin… shhhh**
{—"Observe. Every element in this room is designed with a purpose. The windows make you feel small. The data columns remind you how much information they handle. The throne establishes hierarchy. It's environmental psychology."}
**Plink… krrr—tsss**
(—"They want you to feel insignificant before negotiating. That way, you accept worse conditions.")
**Fzzzz—mmm—click**
{—"Exactly. It's a passive pressure technique. But it only works if you don't detect it in time."}
**Tck—shhhhh… tok**
(—"I've detected it since the first step I took into the room.")
Kirito felt a bit intrigued by the owner of the place and her mind, which was trying to take control from the very beginning of the negotiation.
**Fzzz—tik… tik… shhhhhh**
The receptionist Siren stepped forward with trembling steps and stopped beside the desk, her head bowed and hands clasped in her lap, saying with little firmness:
**Shhhh—plin… tok**
—"I've brought the clients..."
She said nothing more, nor was it needed.
Because the woman on the throne already knew everything.
And she was also a Siren.
But she was unlike the others. If the receptionists in the lobby were beautiful, this one was sublime. Her age was hard to determine: she could be thirty or more. Her skin had a pearly hue with bluish reflections, like the inside of an oyster. Her eyes were large, almond-shaped, of a deep blue reminiscent of the seabed where light no longer reaches. Those eyes were already evaluating.
Her hair was a cascade of sky blue that fell over her shoulders and spilled down the back of the throne in soft waves, partially gathered in a high bun from which strategic strands escaped. Small scales shimmered at her temples and the nape of her neck, like jewels embedded in her skin.
She wore an outfit that defied the line between professional and sensual. A long dress of dark navy, with a side slit revealing a sculpted leg up to the thigh. The fabric clung to her body like water, accentuating a narrow waist and rounded hips, while her chest, considerable and firm, hinted without vulgarity beneath the neckline. Over her shoulders, a short jacket with golden details and subtle shoulder pads gave her an air of authority. Her ear fins, longer and more elegant than those of the receptionist, glowed faintly with a blue light every time she breathed.
But the most impressive thing was her smile.
It was not a welcoming smile. It was the smile of someone who has already calculated all the variables and knows exactly how the conversation will end.
**Tink-tink**
Her long, pale fingers drummed once on the armrest of the throne.
—"Shiratsuki —she said, and her voice was like deep water: smooth on the surface, but charged with immense pressure beneath—. I didn't expect to see you today. And less... accompanied."
Her marine eyes slid toward Kirito. They scanned him from head to toe in less than a second.
—"A Human. Level one —her smile widened slightly—. I haven't had one in this office for years. And less in the company of the Blood Moon."
Kirito blinked.
(—"Blood Moon?")
{—"A title. It's not just any name. It has been given to her. Or she has earned it."}
(—"Moon... for Shiratsuki. White Moon. But Blood?")
His eyes instinctively fell toward the daggers hanging at the hip of the Half-Elf. The white one, with pearlescent reflections that matched her outfit. The red one, of a blood tone so deep it almost seemed to absorb the light around it.
{—"Moon refers to 'Shiratsuki'. Blood probably refers to something else. Her fighting style. Her history. Or perhaps that red dagger. The title suggests someone who has shed blood. A lot."}
Shiratsuki noticed the gaze. Her red eyes narrowed.
—"Why are you looking at me like that?"
—"I was just looking at your daggers," Kirito replied calmly. "White and red. They match you."
—"It's just a nickname they've given me."
From the throne, the voice of the Siren slipped like an underwater current.
—"I'd rather say it's a title you've earned. For many reasons. Too many, perhaps, for this boy."
—"I don't care."
Kirito's response was so quick and firm that both women paused. Shiratsuki raised an eyebrow. The boss tilted her head.
—"You don't care?" —the Siren asked, with a tone bordering on genuine curiosity—. "Aren't you worried about being in front of someone with such a title? Someone who could harm you effortlessly?"
—"Sooner or later, I'll know anyway. So there's no reason to worry." Kirito shrugged—. "There are titles one earns without wanting them. That doesn't define the person. It defines the circumstances."
—"..."
—"..."
—"..."
A brief silence crossed the room.
And then, Shiratsuki smiled.
It was a different smile. It wasn't the sharp smile from before, nor the amused, nor the professional. It was a minimal smile, barely a curve at the corners of her lips. A smile not meant to be seen. Kirito saw it.
The boss did too. And she let out a soft, elegant laugh, like the tinkling of crystals under water.
—"Well, well... Looks like you have someone who is not afraid of the unknown or the bloody..."
**Fzzzz**
The air tensed. Shiratsuki had just turned her head toward the Siren, and her gaze was a silent knife. She said nothing nor needed to.
Her red eyes said: "enough with the topic."
The boss ignored it with the nonchalance of someone who has dodged such looks for decades. Instead of responding, she turned to Kirito. And then did something the receptionist Siren would have never expected to see.
She stood up from her throne and bowed toward Kirito. It wasn't an exaggerated bow, but it was deep enough for her sky-blue strands to brush her shoulders. Deep enough to make it clear it wasn't an empty courtesy gesture.
—"I apologize" —she said, straightening—. "For the behavior of my employee. It does not represent the standards of this house."
—"..."
The receptionist Siren opened her mouth, likely to protest or excuse herself, but the boss raised a finger without looking at her. The mouth closed instantly.
—"And don't take it amiss that I call you 'Human'. It was just a little test on my part. I wanted to see if it affected you."
{—"I figured as much."}
Kirito shook his head. A small smile appeared on his lips.
—"I don't mind being called 'Human'. Just as I don't like to look down on others because of their race. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Being Human is not a weakness. It's simply who I am."
The boss's smile widened. Shiratsuki, beside her, also let a curve appear on her lips. Even the receptionist Siren, who remained with her head bowed beside the desk, glanced up for a moment. Her hair partially covered her face, but Kirito noticed it.
He noticed everything.
{—"It seems my words have reached all three of them."}
(—"Certainly... Sincerity is important in these cases.")
{—"Moreover, to form new alliances in an unknown world."}
In less than a fraction of a second, Kirito had reflected.
However, while speaking with the boss, his eyes had not left hers. And in that crossing of gazes, Kirito became fully aware of what was happening.
—"..."
Two pairs of blue eyes.
The boss looked at him from her throne with a deep navy blue. Eyes that had seen countless negotiations, countless lies, countless half-truths. Eyes that evaluated every word, every gesture, every micro-expression.
And Kirito looked back at her with his sapphire blue eyes, unblinking, unflinching, showing no signs of submission or unnecessary challenge. Eyes that had also seen too much. Eyes that also knew how to evaluate.
{—"She is evaluating us. But I'm also evaluating her. And she knows it."}
(—"Let her know. I have nothing to hide.")
—"Ha, ha..."
The boss let out a soft, crystalline laugh that filled the room like the tinkling of seashells under water.
—"I can sense sincerity in your gaze. And in your tone of voice." Her marine eyes sparkled with something akin to satisfaction—. "That pleases me. Do you know why?"
Kirito shook his head.
—"Because very few Humans do not show racism against other races. This war... has gone both ways. From Humans to us and from us to Humans. For years, digital species have been belittled by flesh-and-blood users. And for years, we have responded with the same contempt. It's a cycle. A stupid cycle, but difficult to break..."
**Tck… tck… tck—shhhh**
She paused. Her fingers drummed on her crossed arm, showing dissatisfaction with such a situation.
But this didn't last long before she smiled softly again and continued:
—"But you... You don't fit into that cycle. I can see it. You don't care that we are of other races..."
Kirito nodded. His tone grew softer, as if recalling something very distant.
—"I've had my experiences. One shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Sometimes we find friendships where we least expect them. I just hope to receive the treatment I give."
Shiratsuki smiled. It wasn't a minimal smile like before. It was a wider, happier smile, filled with genuine approval.
—"Well said. I see I was not mistaken in helping you."
Kirito returned the smile.
—"Thank you, Shiratsuki..."
—"Well, well... I'm very glad to meet you. So, let me introduce myself."
He paused theatrically. His ear fins glowed with a soft blue hue.
—"I am Marina. Leader of the Cervantes Auction House in Akibahollow. And you, Kirito, are the first level one Human to step into this office."
Kirito bowed his head in respect.
—"It's a pleasure, Marina."
The name fit. Marina. The sea. The ocean. The depth. Everything about her reminded him of open waters, from the color of her hair to the tone of her voice. A simple but powerful name, like the tide.
Marina smiled. Then, slowly, she turned her head toward the receptionist Mermaid who stood by the desk, head bowed and hands clasped.
—"And you..." —her voice changed. It was still soft, but now it had an invisible edge—. "What are you waiting for? Come here. Introduce yourself. And apologize..."
**Fzzz… shhhh**
The receptionist trembled. A visible shiver ran through her scales.
—"Y-Yes, Lady Marina..."
**Tck… tck… plin—shhhhh**
She stepped forward with short steps and stopped in front of Kirito.
Her aquamarine eyes, still wet from humiliation, rose to meet his.
**Krrrrn… shhhhh—fzzz**
She bowed deeply, so deeply that her ear fins brushed her shoulders.
—"I-I'm very sorry for my previous behavior... It was unforgivable. I shouldn't have judged you by your race or your level. I apologize, sir..."
Kirito watched her in silence for a moment.
{—"She definitely learned her lesson."}
(—"I see no resentment in her eyes, only shame...")
**Krrrrn… shhhhh**
The young Mermaid continued to tremble as Kirito processed everything about her.
{—"No insincerity..."}
—"I accept your apology," —he said, in a calm tone—. "Don't worry about it anymore."
The receptionist raised her head. Her expression was a mix of relief and disbelief, as if she hadn't expected to be forgiven so quickly.
—"R-Really, sir...?"
To further ease her words, he smiled reassuringly:
—"Really. It's already forgotten... But don't call me 'sir'. It makes me sound old."
The Mermaid blinked, puzzled.
—"B-But... how should I...?"
—"I don't mind being called Human either. But if you can avoid it, I prefer that you call me by my name. Kirito."
The receptionist lifted her face. Her expression was a mix of relief and disbelief. For the first time throughout the encounter, a genuine smile —small, fragile, but real— appeared on her lips.
—"Thank you, s-sir... Kirito." She corrected herself in time, and the name came from her mouth with an almost reverent tone—. "My–my name is Coral. And I really thank you for your kindness."
{—"Coral. A marine name, subtle without being obvious. It fits her aesthetic. The pearlescent scales, the tone of her skin. A coral is small but resilient."}
—"Coral..." —Kirito repeated, nodding with a smile—. "You have a fitting and beautiful name..."
—"Thank you..."
Coral's smile abruptly faded.
—"I'm glad everything is cleared up. Coral, we'll talk later, you and I. I will personally ensure this doesn't happen again."
Marina's voice slid from the throne like a cold current.
—"!..."
**Krrrrn…**
Coral trembled. A visible shiver ran through her scales from her shoulders to her fins. Her fingers intertwined tightly in her lap.
But before she could respond, another voice rose.
—"Don't be so harsh on her."
Marina turned to Kirito. Shiratsuki did too. Coral lifted her head, incredulous.
Kirito shook his head.
—"It was a mistake. Anyone would have made it in her place. She's been attending to clients all day, I show up as level one and Human... It's logical she thought I'd waste her time. Don't blame her too much..."
Marina was silent for a moment. Then, a smile curved her lips.
—"Well, well... It seems we have someone indulgent with women."
Shiratsuki crossed her arms and let out a snort that was almost a laugh.
—"I'm getting to know you better, Kirito..."
**Rrrss**
Kirito gave a bitter smile as he scratched his cheek. One of those that express memory.
—"Ha, ha... You're not the first to tell me I tend to be a bit more indulgent with women."
—"Is that so?..." —murmured Shiratsuki—. "And what is the limit of that indulgence?" —asked Marina, leaning forward with interest.
Kirito's smile changed at that moment.
It didn't disappear. But it sharpened. What was once bitterness transformed into something harder. Colder. His blue eyes in the depths shone with an intensity that hadn't been there a second before.
—"Until they threaten my loved ones... or the world."
—"!..."
—"!..."
—"!..."
Silence fell over the room like a slab.
It was the kind of phrase that, said by anyone else, would have provoked laughter. A level one rookie talking about protecting the world. Ridiculous. But no one laughed. Neither Marina, with her many years of experience. Nor Shiratsuki, with her level 150 and blood daggers. Not even Coral, who barely knew him.
Because there was something in his tone. Something in the way his eyes sharpened when he said it. It wasn't a boast. It was a statement of fact. As if he had done it before. As if he had already carried that weight.
{—"I've just puzzled them. The three of them are processing what I said."}
(—"I don't want them to fear me. Just to understand me.")
{—"They are doing that. But they are also intrigued. Right now, for them, I am a mystery."}
Kirito felt the gazes of the three women on him. Marina was observing him with her sea-like eyes, evaluating him again, but this time without the superiority she had before. Shiratsuki looked at him with a spark of more intense curiosity. And Coral... Coral looked at him as someone who has just been saved by someone who had no obligation to do so.
**Hujum**
He cleared his throat and broke the silence by putting a fist to his mouth.
—"Well. Could I take a seat? I came here to negotiate."
Marina blinked. Then she let out a soft, crystalline laugh and leaned back in her throne.
—"Of course. That's why you came, isn't it?"
Her smile remained professional, but there was something more in it now. Something more sincere. An emerging respect that hadn't been there when Kirito crossed the door.
—"Coral —she said, looking toward the receptionist—. I won't pursue this matter any further at the request of client Kirito, but you will have to attend to us like a servant in this negotiation. So please bring us tea."
—"Yes, Lady Marina!"
Coral nodded with a brighter smile than before. Relief shone in her aquamarine eyes. Her punishment would be lighter. She knew it. And all thanks to the intervention of the very one she had despised.
**Thump**
Before leaving, she paused for a moment by the door. Her lips moved in a murmur that only she could hear.
—"Thank you, Kirito... I will never forget it."
But Kirito, with his lip-reading ability, understood it at that moment.
(—"You're welcome. Just make the most of this opportunity, Coral...")
**Themp—themp**
And as she walked down the hall, Coral made a silent promise. She was going to improve. She was going to be less racist. Because someone she had treated poorly had just extended a hand to her.
That wasn't something to forget.
**Fuumm—krrr… tsss**
Marina leaned back in her throne and rested her cheek on her knuckles. Her expression had regained professionalism, but now there was something more in her sea eyes: genuine curiosity.
—"Well, Kirito. Let's get back to business. What is that ability you needed to show in private? And it better be interesting, because I've presented myself in person and calmed the situation just to see you."
**Tck—shhhhh...**
**Tckk—shhhhhh...**
Kirito nodded, so both he and Shiratsuki took a seat in front of Marina's desk and he then said:
—"Well. To clear up all the mystery, Marina..."
He raised his right hand with the palm up.
—"... It's this."
**Fzzzz**
Particles burst from his inventory like a swarm of golden fireflies. They spun in the air, intertwined, compacted, and within seconds formed a solid rectangle over his palm.
But this time it was different.
The card was not a simple card of light. The moment it materialized, a golden glow erupted from its surface and flooded the entire room.
**Doom**
Marina's eyes widened. Shiratsuki stepped forward without realizing it.
**Sssssssszzzz**
The glow gradually diminished until it became a contained shimmer, but the card continued to pulse with its own light, as if it were breathing. On its surface, the neon characters glowed with an unmistakable brilliance.
---
[LIP READING]
Rarity: Ultra Rare (Golden)
Mastery: Perfect (100%)
Utility: Mundane (Category G)
Status: Active
---
—"This is!..." —murmured Marina, leaning forward.
—"Perfect!..." —Shiratsuki completed, her eyes fixed on the card—. "Ultra Rare..."
The two women pronounced the words almost simultaneously, each in her own way. Marina with calculating amazement. Shiratsuki with involuntary reverence.
Kirito noticed it too. The card had shown itself much more glamorously than when he invoked it at the city entrance.
{—"Interesting. The visual manifestation has been more intense than before. It must be that the first time I saw it, it was only meant to be seen by me."}
—"I see..." —said Kirito, looking down at the card—. "It seems that when shown to the outside, it likes to be glamorous."
—"That's not glamour," —corrected Marina, her eyes still fixed on the golden glow—. "That is a rarity that shouldn't be in this city. What the hell...?"
Before she could finish her sentence, a hand moved faster than thought.
**Shhh**
Shiratsuki snatched the card from his hand.
Kirito blinked. Again, he couldn't do anything as such speed moved. His second line of thought registered the movement: a fraction of a second and the card was no longer in his palm, but in the fingers of the Half-Elf.
—"I can't believe it..." —whispered Shiratsuki, turning the card between her hands as if it were a sacred object—. "I have an Ultra Rare ability in my hands... And a Perfect one..."
She read the description aloud, her red eyes scanning each line with fascination.
—"Lip Reading. Perfect Mastery. Category G... Mundane."
Marina blinked. Her ear fins trembled slightly. And then, her expression changed. Curiosity gave way to a discomfort she made no effort to hide.
—"Hey."
Shiratsuki did not look up.
—"Hey, Blood Moon."
The Half-Elf tensed. Her fingers closed around the card and her red eyes slowly lifted, locking onto Marina.
—"You know I don't like being called that title."
—"Well, if you don't like it, give me the card. Now." Marina extended her hand palm up, in a gesture that allowed no discussion—. "The business is with me, not you. I want to see it with my own eyes."
—"I was looking at it first."
—"I don't care. Give it to me."
Kirito observed the exchange. The two women stared at each other, one from the throne, the other beside him. The air between them had grown thick, charged with a tension that had nothing to do with the card.
{—"This isn't about the skill. It's something personal between them. The title 'Blood Moon' has struck a chord."}
(—"I know. But it's not convenient for me if they fight. I need this to be a negotiation, not a battle.")
Kirito shook his head and murmured softly, as if speaking to himself:
—"Just what I needed... A ladies' fight."
Shiratsuki heard him. She shot him a sideways glance, half annoyance and half amusement.
—"Hmph..."
**Tsss**
Then she snorted and, with a brisk motion, threw the card toward Marina.
**Fzzzz**
The card flew through the air at a speed that would have been impossible for a normal user to follow.
**Tick**
But Marina, unfazed, raised two fingers and caught it with the same naturalness with which one picks a flower.
{—"She caught a card thrown at high speed effortlessly. Her level is not low."}
Kirito averted his gaze to the level indicator floating above Marina's shoulder. He hadn't looked at it before, too busy with the negotiation and introductions. But now he saw it clearly.
Level 99.
(—"Ninety-nine. Almost a hundred. Not as high as Shiratsuki, but on the verge of the ceiling I thought existed.")
{—"Another proof that level 100 is not the limit. And that this woman is not just an administrator: she is a fighter."}
Marina twirled the card between her fingers, reading each line with the attention of someone who has appraised thousands of objects in her life. Her expression shifted from astonishment to disbelief, and then to something more complex.
—"Well, well..." —she murmured, looking up at Kirito—. "I've never held an Ultra Rare skill in my hands before. And believe me, a lot of things have passed through this office."
She paused. Her ocean eyes sparkled.
—"It's Category G. Mundane. It's not useful for combat, defense, or hacking. But it's Perfect. And it's Ultra Rare. That makes it a collector's item. In this city of beginners, all high rarity skills end up being sent to higher-level cities. But this... this has appeared here. In the hands of a level one."
She lifted her gaze to Kirito. Her expression was intense, evaluative, with a finger resting on her lower lip. Shiratsuki was also staring at him, arms crossed, with a spark of curiosity she made no effort to hide.
—"Tell me one thing, Kirito —Marina said, and her voice sounded deeper than before—. How did you obtain this skill being level one? Did you study this for years in your past life? Because for it to be Perfect... it's not enough to learn. You have to perfect it. And that doesn't happen in a day."
Kirito shrugged with a calm smile.
—"It's a secret."
Marina narrowed her eyes. Shiratsuki frowned. The answer had sat poorly with them like a bitter candy: sweet for the honesty, sour for the evasion.
**Tat, tat, tat**
—"A secret..." —Marina repeated, drumming her fingers on the armrest.
—"Well, so we have..." —murmured Shiratsuki, crossing her arms.
But the annoyance lasted only a moment. Marina was the first to relax her shoulders and let out a sigh.
—"Well, you're right. They are your secrets. And I must respect them. After all, this is a business. I don't need to know how you got it to know what it's worth."
Shiratsuki nodded, though her red eyes still shone with curiosity.
—"True. Besides, I barely know you. Or we know each other." She paused and softened her tone—. "I know I have no right to demand anything from you."
—"Ha, ha..."
Kirito let out a short laugh. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but a genuine, almost warm one. The two women looked at him.
—"Well... —he said, leaning back in the chair—. I wouldn't mind showing you how I got it. But I would need a certain response from you, to make the deal... but with certain prerequisites beforehand..."
Marina nodded, regaining her professional smile.
—"I'm listening."
—"First, I'd like to auction it or sell it. If it's the latter, that would be best. How much do you think I'd get for it?"
Marina took the golden card between her fingers and examined it closely.
—"..."
Her ocean eyes scanned each line, each character, each indicator. Her ear fins glimmered faintly as she processed the information with the experience of someone who has appraised thousands of objects throughout her career. She was about to respond when...
**Knock, knock.**
The office door opened with a soft whisper.
**Nnnnssss—nnnssss**
Coral entered, pushing a floating cart holding a silver tray with a steaming teapot, three white porcelain cups, and a selection of small pastries and candied fruits. The aroma of green tea and vanilla filled the room.
But Coral did not advance beyond the threshold.
—"!..."
She froze. Her eyes, wide as saucers, were fixed on the golden card her boss held between her fingers.
**Rrrrkk**
The teapot trembled slightly on the tray.
—"That's... It can't be..." —she stammered—. "Ultra Rare...? In your hands...? And I...? I didn't even want to see it...?"
Her voice was a mixture of astonishment, disbelief, and a growing desperation. Her cheeks, once pale, flushed with embarrassment.
—"How foolish I am... How foolish... I had an Ultra Rare skill right in front of my nose and I... I disregarded it..."
Marina did not turn. She simply raised the card a bit higher so Coral could see it clearly from the door.
—"Don't stand there like an idiot. Come in."
—"B-But I..."
—"Come in, Coral. This will serve as a lesson." Marina slightly tilted her head and gave her a look that was both stern and compassionate—. "So that next time you don't judge someone by their level or race."
Coral nodded quickly, with jerky movements, and pushed the cart into the office. Her hands still trembled as she placed the cups on the desk.
—"Y-Yes, Ms. Marina... You're absolutely right..." She turned to Kirito and bowed again—. "And you... Kirito... I apologize again. Really. If I had known you brought something like this... No, that's no excuse. I should have treated it well from the start, no matter what you brought."
Kirito raised a hand to stop her.
—"It's fine, Coral. You've apologized before. It's forgotten."
—"But it's just that..."
—"It's forgotten" —Kirito repeated, and this time his tone allowed no rebuttal. It was kind, but firm—. "Now please serve me the tea. It smells good."
Coral blinked. Then slowly, a small but sincere smile appeared on her lips.
—"Y-Yes... Right away."
As Coral served the tea with hands that gradually stopped trembling, Marina shifted her attention back to Kirito. She left the golden card on the desk, between the cups and pastries, and rested her cheek on her knuckles.
—"Well. Before I was interrupted..." —she shot a fleeting glance at Coral, who visibly shrank— "...I was about to answer your question."
—"I'm listening."
—"You asked how much I would give you for it." Marina's ocean eyes sparkled—. "And the answer is: it depends."
Kirito raised an eyebrow.
—"Depends on what?"
Marina leaned back in her throne and raised a finger, like a teacher about to give a lesson.
—"If you auction it, they will surely give you... —she paused for effect— ...a Platinum Neuron. At a minimum."
Kirito felt his second mind ignite.
{—"A Platinum Neuron. That's equivalent to a hundred Gold. A million yen. At a minimum."}
(—And if there are good buyers, it could go up.)
—"And if there are good buyers" —Marina continued, as if she had read his mind— "it could go up a bit more. Perhaps one and a half Platinums. It depends on who is bidding that day."
Kirito's eyes sparkled with interest. A million yen for the android body.
**Tap**
Before he could respond, Marina leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk.
—"But if you sell it directly to me... I'll give you 90 Gold. It's a quick sale. No commissions. No waiting. Clean money."
Shiratsuki let out a sharp laugh.
—"90? You're stingy, Marina."
—"What did you say?"
But the Half-Elf completely ignored her and directed herself straight at Kirito.
—"Don't listen to this shameless woman. Sell it to me. I'll give you 120 Gold. And you won't have to pay auction commission or wait for buyers to show up."
**Plapk**
—"Hey!" —Marina sat up in her throne, her ear fins lit up with indignation—. "You're ruining the deal! You're an intruder! Don't you know how to keep your mouth shut?"
Shiratsuki gave her a sharp smile, one that digs where it hurts most.
—"No, like you, who only knows how to use my title to annoy me. Are you a child?"
—"Am I a child?!"
Kirito watched them in silence, with an amused smile he made no effort to hide.
(—"You two seem like two girls fighting over a toy.")
Neither of them paid him any attention. They were too busy glaring at each other.
Z**Sssst**
Marina composed herself first. She smoothed her dress, regained her professional smile, and turned to Kirito with a much more serious tone.
—"Alright. I'm willing to raise my offer. I'll give you 120 Gold outright. And not only that, Kirito..." She paused theatrically—. "I'll also give you priority access to future high-level auctions, regardless of your level. My doors will always be open for you. And I don't mind being the one who always attends to you..."
Shiratsuki turned to her with eyes sparking.
—"Intruder!"
—"And what do you want that skill for, anyway?"
—"I want it for myself. Unlike you, who only want it for collection. I'll actually put it to use. I promise you." Shiratsuki turned to Kirito and looked him directly in the eyes. Her tone was serious, with no trace of the previous fury—. "I promise, Kirito."
—"..."
Meanwhile, Coral had remained next to the tea cart, completely motionless. With the teapot in one hand and a half-filled cup in the other, she watched the scene with wide eyes.
Her boss, the imposing Marina, and the legendary Blood Moon were fighting like two girls over a skill. And it wasn't just any skill. It was an Ultra Rare skill. Golden. Perfect. Brought by a level one Human whom she had just scorned a few minutes earlier.
{—"Coral is watching us. Her expression is a mix of astonishment, disbelief, and something resembling admiration. She's learning a lesson she won't forget."}
(—Not just her. I am too. I had never seen two high-level women fight over something of mine like this.)
{—"It's the power of scarcity. Everyone wants what they can't have."}
Coral still dared not intervene. She knew that either of them—her boss or the Half-Elf—could send her flying with a puff of breath if she got in the way. So she stayed on the sidelines, silently serving tea with hands that no longer trembled but also dared not make noise.
But she also understood the desire of both. A skill like that didn't appear every day. It was like finding a diamond in a coal mine. And having it within reach made even the most composed individuals lose control.
Kirito raised a hand.
—"Do you think we're going to move forward like this?"
The two women stopped dead in their tracks.
—"..."
—"..."
Marina, who was about to throw another retort, shut her mouth. Shiratsuki, who already had the answer on the tip of her tongue, swallowed it.
...
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
Marina was the first to react. She straightened her sky-blue hair with a dignified gesture and regained her posture on the throne.
—"You're right. I apologize. It's not like me to let myself get carried away like this."
Shiratsuki, on the other hand, averted her gaze to the side. A slight blush—barely noticeable under her pale skin—tinted her cheeks.
—"I'm sorry too... It's just... it's normal for us to fight over something like this, Kirito. But that's no excuse."
**Tck—shhhh**
—"Alright," Kirito said, lowering his hand and finally taking the tea and dessert Coral offered him. He took the opportunity as he saw the tensions ease a bit—"Now, can we continue the negotiation as civilized people?"
**Hummm—plin**
Marina nodded with a professional smile, but warmer than before, accepting her portion as well.
—"Of course. I owe you a serious negotiation. You've traveled all this way and trusted my house. I won't let you down."
**Tsss—tok**
Shiratsuki also nodded, still with slightly flushed cheeks.
—"I feel the same. This time... I'll speak when it's my turn."
**Fzzz—themp**
Coral took her place in the corner after finishing serving tea and dessert to Shiratsuki.
**Mmm**
**Sssshhss**
Kirito settled into the armchair and took a sip of tea before speaking.
—"There's something I don't understand. Is there any way to prove that the skill is real? Aside from the card, I mean. And another thing... A person with a golden skill can't use it constantly and sell it over and over, right? Aren't there limits?"
Marina nodded, pleased with the question.
—"That's a good question. And yes, it can be proven. I'll explain it to you now. But first, let me answer the other thing."
**Ttks**
She leaned forward and rested her forearms on the desk. Her sea-blue eyes sparkled with the passion of someone who has been in the business for decades and still enjoys explaining it.
—"When a person sells their skill, it doesn't mean they can't use it. It means it's partially blocked. The skill remains in the person but doesn't work at full capacity. For example: a person who sells their swordsman skill doesn't forget how to use the sword. But they can't wield it with the same strength. They can't execute the same techniques. Let's say their mastery drops to fifty percent."
She paused to let the information settle.
—"And also, they can't sell that skill again until the blocking time has passed."
—"How long?"
—"It depends on the rarity." Marina raised a hand and began counting on her fingers—"A Trivial skill blocks the sale for 7 days. A Standard, 14. And it goes up from there. But an Ultra Rare... —she raised three fingers— ...can block you for up to three months."
Kirito nodded slowly.
—"I see. So not everyone is willing to sell. Because it means selling your power for money. And being without it for a while."
—"Exactly. And the higher the rarity, the longer the punishment. The system is designed to prevent things from getting out of hand. If someone could sell a Perfect skill over and over without consequences, the market would collapse in a week."
—"So why are high-rank skills so desired?"
Marina smiled. She took the golden card between her fingers and held it up.
—"Because they open up great learning opportunities for a person. In reality, there are three."
—"Three?"
—"Three learning methods." Marina lowered the card and placed it on the desk—"The first is the most basic: low meditation. You sit, concentrate, absorb knowledge for an hour, and the level would be two below the original."
Marina then raised her second finger.
—"The second option: medium meditation. Twelve hours of continuous concentration. If you do it right, your mastery would reach nn level below."
Kirito leaned forward.
—"And the third option... I suppose is high meditation. The one that allows you to record it perfectly."
Marina blinked. Shiratsuki did too. Coral, from her corner, raised her head in surprise.
—"Exactly," Marina said, recovering. "High meditation. Twenty-four hours or more. It depends on the person. With that, you can reach one hundred percent. The Perfect."
—"That explains why people want high-rarity skills," Kirito concluded. "It's not just for the value. It's because it saves you months or years of training."
—"Exactly."
—"Hey..." Shiratsuki looked at him with a mix of surprise and admiration—"Did someone explain all this to you before?"
—"No," Kirito shook his head—"But it wasn't hard to reach that conclusion. If there are three levels of meditation, and each requires more time than the previous one, it's logical that the highest one allows you to reach the maximum level."
Marina let out a soft laugh.
—"Well, well... If that's the case, I believe you. You have quite a perceptive mind, Kirito."
—"It's true," Shiratsuki added, crossing her arms—"You're right. It's exactly like that."
Kirito nodded, but his expression remained serious.
—"And you also said it can be proven, Marina. How?"
Instead of answering with words, Marina slid her hand under the desk. A metallic click resonated in the room. A small security drawer, camouflaged among the golden veins of the black marble, opened automatically upon detecting its owner's fingerprints.
From inside, Marina extracted a device.
It was the size of a book but thicker. Its surface was made of matte black metal with a rectangular slot in the center, the exact size of a skill card. On one side, a touch panel with the silhouette of an open hand glowed with a faint blue light. Small indicator lights ran along its edges like tiny stars.
Marina placed it on the desk with the delicacy of someone handling a valuable object.
—"Well. This is what this is for."
—"What is it?"
—"A Skill Checker. You insert the card into the slot, place your hand on the panel, and the system confirms the authenticity of the knowledge. It shows the rarity, mastery, category... Everything. No tricks. No fakes."
Her sea-blue eyes fixed on Kirito.
Gently caressing the device, she continued.
—"But it's more than just a simple checker. This little marvel not only confirms authenticity. It also allows you to test the skill. Temporarily. Without buying it."
—"And how does it work?"
—"It works like this." Marina turned to Shiratsuki, who was still standing next to Kirito's armchair—"We're going to do the test. I'll use the skill first. And you'll be the guinea pig."
Shiratsuki raised an eyebrow.
—"Guinea pig? Me?"
—"Yes, you..."
Shiratsuki huffed, but a smile appeared on her lips.
—"Alright. But I'd like to try it myself afterward."
—"Of course," Marina conceded—"One for each of us. It's only fair."
Kirito watched the exchange closely. He had never seen a device like that. But something inside him, an intuition that went beyond logic, told him he already knew what was going to happen. As if his mind had connected the dots before the scene unfolded.
And exactly what he imagined happened.
Marina inserted the golden card into the device's slot. A soft click. The touch panel with the silhouette of the hand lit up with a golden glow, identical to that of the card.
[—"Skill detected: Lip Reading. Rarity: Ultra Rare. Mastery: Perfect. Would you like to perform a temporary test?"]
—"Yes," Marina said.
She placed her hand on the panel. The golden glow climbed up her fingers, traveled up her wrist, her forearm, her shoulder, and finally reached her head. Her sea-blue eyes sparkled with renewed intensity, as if the entire ocean fit in her pupils. A small gasp escaped her lips.
Knowledge flowed into her. It wasn't hers, but for a few minutes, she would feel as if it were.
Marina blinked. She looked at Shiratsuki, and she returned the gaze with equal surprise.
And her lips moved silently, forming words that emitted no sound.
<—"Already?! Shouldn't it take a couple of minutes for it to work?">
Marina squinted and nodded with wide-open eyes.
<—"That's right, this is..."
<—"Abnormal...">
<—"Yes, yes... How can this be?"
**Themp, themp**
Shiratsuki stepped forward.
—"Now I really want to try it."
—"Sure, sure. Go ahead... I'm also curious to see if it will repeat in you..."
Shiratsuki approached the device. Her fingers brushed the metallic surface before placing her palm on the panel. The same golden glow coursed through her hand, climbed up her arm, reached her brain. Her red eyes—already intense—shone with a deeper, bloodier glow, as if the skill had ignited something within her.
She turned to Marina with a shocked expression.
<—"So it wasn't a coincidence. Do you feel it too, Shiratsuki?">
Marina started moving her lips silently, still in a state of surprise.
<—"Yes, I understand you without issue...">
<—"Shiratsuki, I want to conduct one more test. Try to talk to me just by moving your lips. Do you understand?">
<—"I understand...">
Shiratsuki nodded seriously and then turned to Kirito, releasing the device, and said:
—"Can you let us try it for another five minutes to be sure?"
—"We just want to confirm something..."
Added Marina with a tense smile to Shiratsuki's request.
Kirito understood every single one of her previous words from lip reading, but he did not ask for explanations due to their tense looks and simply focused on having tea and the dessert Coral brought him.
—"Sure, I have no problem if it's five or ten minutes... As long as you ensure that everything is fine, I have no problem..."
Kirito acted carefree on the outside; however, inside his mind was grasping everything.
{—"It seems my previous conclusion was correct."}
(—"The ability I have is not normal.")
{—"That's good, but measures will have to be taken."}
—"Thank you for your understanding, Kirito."
Said Shiratsuki with a slight smile.
—"Let us take you at your word, and we'll be back in ten minutes..."
**Tass—tass**
**Fzzz—click**
Added Marina after standing up, taking Shiratsuki by the hand, and heading out of the room, leaving the device with the ability on the desk.
—"I'll wait here..."
He said without worry.
Marina nodded and then said without looking back:
—"Coral, entertain young Kirito in our absence."
—"Yes, Miss Marina..."
**Tck—shhhhh**
Coral only said that before watching the door close with a hasty and involuntary slam from Shiratsuki.
—"Don't worry, Coral... Why don't you sit down and let's chat a bit?"
—"I can talk from here; it's not necessary for me to sit..."
Coral refused to do so due to her role as a maid imposed by her boss Marina.
—"Oh, come on, it'll just be for a few minutes. And isn't it true that Marina said you should take good care of me? This is something I want from you."
**Fuumm—shhhh**
Coral started to hesitate at his insistence, and seeing how he patted the seat next to him, she couldn't refuse any longer.
—"Alright..."
Said Coral, starting to walk in his direction.
*****
**Tck—shhhhh**
The door slid open with a whisper, and the two women entered.
**Themp—themp**
**Thump—thump**
Marina was in front. Shiratsuki, a step behind. Their faces no longer showed the surprise from ten minutes ago. Now they were composed, calm. But it was a calmness that didn't quite feel real. Like a surface of water under which a deep current was hidden.
—"..."
—"..."
Their eyes were fixed on Kirito.
It wasn't a hostile look. It was something else. As if they had just discovered that the level one Human sitting in the armchair was not an ordinary person, but an enigma that required all their attention.
{—"They've returned calmer, but their body language gives them away. And neither of them has stopped looking at me."}
(—"I know. They are processing what they saw...")
Kirito held their dual gaze without flinching. His cup of tea was already empty.
Marina scanned the scene with her oceanic eyes. She saw the empty cup. She saw Kirito's relaxed posture.
Coral had already returned to her previous position, standing, and let out a sigh of relief for having returned in time for Marina to see her.
—"Coral —said Marina, in a tone regaining authority but without the harshness of before, as she walked towards her seat—. Did you take good care of young Kirito?"
Coral stood up immediately. Her voice, although still carrying a slight tremor, was firmer than before.
—"Y-Yes, Miss Marina. I served him more tea and... we chatted a bit."
—"Just a bit? —Kirito glanced at her sideways, with a half-smile—. I'd say we talked quite a lot. He told me he has been working at Cervantes for many years."
Coral blushed slightly and lowered her gaze.
—"It's... It's true, Mr. Kirito."
Marina observed the exchange with an expression that was difficult to decipher. Then she nodded slowly.
—"Good. I'm glad the wait was productive."
Marina circled the desk and took her throne with the same elegance as before. Shiratsuki also returned to the seat beside Kirito, and her red eyes returned to Marina in front. However, unconsciously, they kept drifting back to Kirito's side.
In contrast, he acted as if he didn't notice and his attention was focused ahead.
—"Haaaah..."
Marina rested her cheek on her knuckles after sighing a bit and then spoke.
—"Kirito... Is there something you want to tell me about that ability?"
—"Something like what?"
—"Something like the fact that it shouldn't be so peculiar."
—"Can you be more specific?"
Marina nodded. Her oceanic eyes shifted to Shiratsuki, who returned the gaze and also nodded. There was a new complicity between them, forged in the last ten minutes.
—"Look, Kirito..."
**Tzsss**
Marina took the golden card that was still in the device, carefully extracted it, and held it up.
—"I know you have your own secrets. But what you need to understand is this."
She paused. The light from the card reflected in her eyes.
—"This ability is not normal."
—"In what sense?"
—"In the sense that both my companion here and I should not have learned it instantly. Generally, an ability of this type requires at least one or two minutes to be assimilated, depending on the complexity. But yours..."
—"It wasn't like that —continued Shiratsuki, picking up where Marina left off—. It was recorded in us instantly. It was as if it had belonged to us forever. And there's something more."
—"Okay..."
Kirito placed his hand on his chin while nodding at Shiratsuki's explanation.
—"What one learns with the temporary trial fades quickly. It's a demonstration, not an acquisition. But in your case, the opposite happens. We still have it in our minds. More than ten minutes have passed, and we can understand each other without issue just by moving our lips."
Marina nodded and resumed the explanation.
—"Although, of course, it's not at the level provided by the perfect ability. But yes, at a Standard level or even a bit more, you could say. Enough to use the ability at a satisfactory degree."
**Dmmm**
She leaned forward and touched her temple with a finger.
—"So I'm curious. How did you manage to have such an ability? Is it perhaps a Human race ability that hasn't been exploited? Because, to my knowledge, no Human has ever obtained a golden ability. Expert, yes. But... Perfect?"
—"I see..."
Kirito nodded in understanding. His expression didn't change, but inside, his second mind was already working at full speed.
{—"She's right. No Human has achieved a Perfect ability. That confirms even more: I am an anomaly. And that's without me mentioning the black flicker."}
(—"The EX. If they knew that, their reaction would be even greater.")
{—"Exactly. So I must measure what I reveal."}
—"Haaaaah..."
Kirito let out a sigh and leaned back in the armchair.
—"Well. As you can see, I'm level one. And also a novice —he gestured around, encompassing the room, the building, the entire world—. Everything you're telling me is new to me. Let's say... I'm a person who learns very quickly."
He paused. His eyes scanned the three women: Marina on her throne, Shiratsuki next to him, Coral standing by the tea cart.
—"And as you know, I've said I'm willing to share with you how I learned it. Because I need allies. That's why I'm going to say it. And I'd like to be honest and confess why I want that money."
—"Confess? —Marina raised an eyebrow.
—"Yes. The reason I want the money."
The three women looked at him with anticipation.
—"How much is a robotic body or android worth on the outside? One that I could buy with this money."
—"..."
—"..."
—"..."
The silence that followed was different. It was the silence of someone who has just heard something unexpected.
Marina was the first to speak.
—"You... are not a flesh-and-blood Human?"
Shiratsuki's eyes widened. Even Coral, from her corner, stopped breathing for a moment.
Kirito shook his head.
—"It's a bit complicated. Let's say I'm a mix. From two worlds."
—"!..."
Something resonated inside Shiratsuki. Her red eyes shone with a different intensity.
—"A mix... of two worlds... —she repeated softly, as if savoring each word.
Marina, more practical, recovered first.
—"I understand. Well, to answer your question: with the money I'm going to give you, you have more than enough to buy the most basic android body. But if you want something better..."
—"I want details... —interrupted Kirito, his eyes shining with anticipation.
—"Well. So far you haven't done badly —Marina smiled elegantly—. Since I am also a supplier of that type of body on the outside..."
—"That's much better..."
Said Kirito in a tone of voice showing more excitement than he had shown throughout the meeting, and the three in the room noticed this.
—"Well, well... It seems this is very important to you, Kirito."
Said Marina with an interested tone on the matter.
Kirito, with a mysterious smile, said:
—"You have no idea..."