Chapter 54 Auction (1)

Virelle's POVMaster and my elder brother were the only ones who truly understood me. My parents? They would pay for their transgressions. A flicker of cold rage passed through me but I quickly suppressed it.

At first glance, Ethan had seemed like just another young and handsome boy though he looked a little too perfect.

His features, though still touched by boyishness hinted at a charisma that would bloom fully in a few years.

But it was his demeanour that had caught my attention. He lacked the arrogance and entitlement so common among noble-born youths. Instead, he carried himself with a calm maturity that was both disarming and intriguing.

The more time I spent observing him, the more I realized there was much more to him than I had initially assumed. He navigated the Shadowed Paths of the Euphoria Lounge with an ease that was nothing short of remarkable.

Even I, despite my training had struggled during my first journey through this disorienting realm.

Occasionally, I even caught him glancing at me his gaze lingering for a moment before he quickly averted his eyes.

Unlike the lecherous stares I was used to his gaze seemed restrained. There was something endearing about his attempt to mask his interest and I found myself amused rather than annoyed.

Despite my usual indifference to such attention Ethan's composed demeanour on meeting Elder Brother and Lucien intrigued me. Beneath his youthful exterior lay an enigma, one that seemed far more layered and complex than I had initially believed.

As we walked, I noticed his expression shift and his features softened, suggesting that he was lost in thought.

For a fleeting moment, he looked vulnerable, a quiet melancholy seeping through the cracks of his composed façade. It was a side of him he seemed intent on hiding from the world and the glimpse I had just now stirred an unexpected curiosity within me.

When he turned his head suddenly and caught me staring, I didn't look away. Instead, I smiled faintly testing the waters for his reaction. He returned the smile briefly before turning his attention back to the path ahead.

Interesting, I thought a spark of genuine intrigue igniting within me.

Ethan's POV

As we neared the massive black door at the end of the corridor, the air grew heavier with anticipation.

Soon, the door opened with a creak and a shadowy figure dressed in an attendant's uniform handed us four half-black masks. I took one wordlessly and was momentarily confused about whether we had to remove our white half-masks to wear this one.

I observed others who didn't remove their masks but wore the black one over them. Soon, it shone with a dull black light in the crimson ambiance and seamlessly melted into their forms.

It covered their entire bodies and the figures of Virelle and the others transformed into flowing shadows with no distinguishable features.

I wasn't even able to differentiate between male and female figures with my naked eyes. I contemplated using my soul sense to discern their true identities but refrained considering it might be perceived as rude.

The last thing I wanted was to create any misunderstandings or conflicts in a foreign place.

I placed the black half-mask close to my face and touched it to the white one. It instantly dissolved into a dark liquid that expanded and transformed into black smoke, wrapping itself around me.

I activated my Eyes of Darkness and observed the process more closely. Black spots seemed to swirl within my crimson pools as the mask dissolved like sticky black oil which then evaporated into smoke.

The shadowy shroud enveloped me completely and I realized I could see the outside scenery perfectly though others could not see me. The familiar darkness embracing me felt oddly comforting like the embrace of a long-lost loved one.

A pang of longing struck me as I sighed and thoughts of my mother surfaced in my heart.

What was she doing now? Was she and Grandpa