Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1622: The Auction: Part-4

”So you are telling me even Empress Mary will come to the auction?” Lackey asked, his brows knitting together with a curious expression as he leaned forward in his seat before Amara Rosavere.

She sat composed, fingers lightly resting against the armrest, and gave a small, unbothered nod. ”Yes... is something wrong with her being in the auction? Do you not want her presence?”

”No, it’s just... well...” He exhaled slowly, eyes drifting aside as if searching for words that refused to come easily. ”...how should I say it...”

Noticing his hesitation, Rosavere let out a soft hum, ”You’re worried I might reduce the price or show any favour toward her since I am... somewhat close with the Void Empire...”

She tilted her head slightly, ”...is that what you’re trying to say?”

Lackey awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

Her dealings with the Void Empire were not exactly a grand secret; rather, only fragments of it existed within her company, known to a select few... and that alone was enough.

Of course, Rosavere already knew who might have whispered those details into his ears.

Rosavere let out a quiet sigh, leaning back as her expression softened just enough to appear reassuring.

”Don’t worry... business is business, and that dealing I had with them was something entirely separate. We are not friends... we are merely partners in crime, nothing more.”

She paused briefly, letting the words settle before continuing. ”So she will be treated just like everyone else. There is no need for you to overthink this...”

”...that is why I told you to come to the auction and witness it for yourself.”

She leaned forward slightly, ”Our dealing... I will honour it.”

....

..

Those were the words Rosavere had spoken that day when he handed over the containers.

It seemed that even someone like Mary... was nothing more than a business partner in her eyes.

So in simple terms, Rosavere wasn’t favouring anyone... she was simply using everyone, moving them like pieces across an invisible board to reach whatever end she desired.

A perfectly calculated businesswoman!

And that... was exactly what made her far more dangerous than Mary. At least with Mary, he understood the chaos. Her mind ran wild, her actions often irrational, yet predictable within that madness.

But Amara Rosavere... she shifted constantly, her strategies changing like garments chosen for grand occasions.

You never knew which one would suit her next, yet she would keep changing, refining, adjusting... until the result was flawless enough to leave everyone else in quiet envy.

”300 Billion and... one Zenith,”

Victor’s voice rang out as he raised his hand with deliberate ease. A sly grin played across his lips, eyes gleaming with provocation.

Mary clicked her tongue, her expression darkening as her gaze locked onto him. ’Hmph... so my son wants to challenge his own mother? How bold... how foolish...’

A faint, dangerous smile touched her lips, ’I will remind you of your place... You ungrateful bastard.’

She lifted her hand with effortless authority.

”350 Billion.”

”350 Billion and... one Zenith.”

”...”

A strange, stretched silence fell across the entire chamber.

Heads turned, eyes narrowing, confusion spreading like wildfire as even his own family stared at him with visible disbelief.

That... was not how an auction worked.

The rules were simple, almost sacred.

Each bid had to increase by at least a noticeable margin, usually a one percent of the current value... yet here he was, adding a single Zenith as if mocking the very system.

One Zenith.

That’s so absurd!

Slowly, gazes shifted toward Amara Rosavere, as if waiting for the inevitable reaction... irritation, anger, perhaps even a reprimand?

But to their surprise... she smiled.

A soft, amused curve of her lips.

Inside, Rosavere let out a quiet, entertained breath. ’He may be wrong in how he bids... but what does it matter...’

Her eyes flickered between Victor and Mary, catching the unmistakable tension.

’...as long as that one Zenith turns into fifty million Zenith in the end... Fu~Fu~’

The faintest glimmer of delight surfaced in her expression.

Hatred burned openly between ’mother’ and ’son’ now, visible even to those seated far from them.

”400 Billion.”

”400 Billion and One Zenith.”

”500 Billion!!”

”500 Billion and... one Zenith.”

Mary’s face twisted in visible annoyance as she slowly turned toward Victor, ’This bastard of mine... how dare he act against his own mother like this...’

Victor did not even spare her a glance.

With infuriating calm, he picked up another glass, the chilled surface fogged with condensation, and took a slow sip as if the escalating war meant nothing to him.

Amara’s voice rose smoothly, ”500 Billion and One Zenith... going once... going twice—”

”600 Billion.”

Mary cut in with irritation. She let out a faint huff, clearly annoyed that her ’son’ had not even bothered to acknowledge her presence.

She was pissed.

Truly pissed!!

A storm brewed behind her composed posture, her pride clawing at the surface. She would make him regret this... every last bit of it.

She would teach him exactly how great his ’mother’ was.

”Ah~” Victor gasped softly as the cold juice touched his throat, the faint chill making him exhale in quiet satisfaction.

Then, with the same maddening calm, he raised his hand slightly. ”600 Billion and One Zenith—”

”800 Billion!!”

The sudden leap shattered the rhythm of the auction.

”...”

Victor’s eyes shifted, glancing briefly at Mary’s back, his lips curling into a sly, knowing smile.

”800 Billion and One Zenith.”

”900 Billion!”

Mary’s voice rang out again, this time steadier, a sly smile hidden behind her blurred figure as her confidence returned. ’Hehe... he’s walking straight into my trap...’

”900 Billion and... one Zenith.”

Victor added the extra amount with almost playfulness, lifting his glass once more and taking another slow sip.

Outwardly, he looked relaxed and composed.

But inside... a storm churned.

’Aether, what are you doing? 900 Billion is already too much!’

’Yes... we need to think about the future of the Empire. At this rate, we could destroy everything ourselves...’

It wasn’t as if they lacked the money to buy it... No, that was never the real problem.

The real issue lay deeper, gnawing at the foundation of their empire itself. They had already supplied raw materials to Mary at a reduced cost, a decision that had quietly strained their reserves and weakened their long-term stability.

And now... this.

Spending such an absurd amount on artifacts that were meant for a single use only? Just 25 rounds of blast?

It wasn’t just reckless; it bordered on self-destruction.

Every Zenith poured into this bid wasn’t just money spent, it was future strength burned away, resources that could have fortified their empire now slipping through their fingers like sand.

No... this wasn’t good at all.

Yet,

Victor ignored them all.

He simply drank.

”One TRILLION Zenith!”

Mary’s voice exploded across the hall, filled with arrogance, her chin lifting slightly as if she had already claimed victory.

”...”

For a brief moment, time itself seemed to freeze.

The entire hall fell into stunned silence.

Julian went utterly still. This... this was unprecedented.

Never in Rosavere’s history had an auction crossed such a threshold.

Not even once!

One trillion.

The number itself felt unreal, almost sacred in its magnitude.

Julian’s eyes glistened faintly, emotion swelling within his chest. Pride, disbelief, awe... all tangled together.

His granddaughter... had created something that would be remembered for generations.

This auction would carve its name into history, a moment that might never be repeated again.

And yet... it wasn’t over.

As long as competition breathed within the room, the numbers could still rise higher, breaking limits no one had dared to imagine.

Mary’s lips curved into a victorious smirk, satisfaction radiating from her, ’Go on... bid again... hahaha...’

Her thoughts twisted with delight, ’You’re going to lose everything... this is what you get for going against your mother... Hmph... HMPH!!!’

Her eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.

’You think you’ve won? No... I’ve already won, bitch~’

However,

Sssslurrrrrppppppp~

A loud, shameless slurping sound echoed through the utterly silent chamber... stretched, exaggerated, almost artistic in how obnoxious it was.

Every head snapped toward the source.

It was none other than Victor himself, loudly... no, deliberately loudly drinking his juice as if he had been waiting his entire life for this exact moment to disrespect an entire room.

Mary frowned, irritation flashing hard across her face, her fingers twitching slightly against her seat.

’What is he doing...? Come on, bid... just bid...’

Sssslllurrrrrrpppppppp~

The sound came again, longer this time, like a performance that refused to end, dragging itself across everyone’s nerves.

Amara’s calm voice echoed, ”One Trillion Zenith... going once....”

Mary’s blurry figure trembled faintly now, ”W-What are you doing? Bid faster!” she partially shouted dangerously close to losing control.

Yet,

Sssllluurrrrpppppppp~

Victor tilted the glass even further, taking his time as if the world itself could wait. The juice slid down his throat... cool and rich.... ssllurrrpp~ tasting strangely better with every second he delayed.

He even paused midway... just to breathe.

”Going twice...”

”W-Wait!” Mary panicked, her voice breaking as she leaned forward.

”L-Let him finish, alright?! He’s drinking... maybe he was thirsty after bidding so much, s-so let him finish first!”

Her words tumbled out in a hurry.

She turned toward him, almost twisting in her seat now, her voice dropping into something desperate.

”D-Drink faster, bastard... why are you taking so long? The bid is going to end... D-Don’t you wanna win against me?! J-Just add one more that’s all... e-everything will be alright!”

Her tone at the end... unmistakably pleading.

Yet, Victor responded only by lazily tilting the glass again, letting the last bit swirl before finally letting two freezing ice cubes slide into his mouth.

”Crrrchchhhh~”

The crunch echoed loudly... painfully loudly.

Once.

Twice.

He chewed slower than necessary... far slower than any reasonable human should, his jaw moving like a grinding machine designed purely for psychological torture.

Each crunch felt like it stabbed straight into Mary’s nerves.

”And thrice! Winner of this bid is Empress Bloody Mary!” Amara declared, her voice ringing clear as the hammer slammed down with finality.

”NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!” Mary screamed, her voice tearing through the hall, filled with disbelief, rage, and the pure agony of someone who had just realised they had been played like a fool.

Meanwhile, to Victor... that scream sounded like the sweetest melody ever composed.

He slowly swallowed the crushed ice, savouring even that, then let out a small satisfied breath, a faint popping sound escaping his lips.

”PU! What a lovely drink~ Hehe~”

He even glanced at the empty glass for a second... as if considering ordering another, just to make sure her suffering was properly appreciated.