(Evelina's POV — Aurelis Auction Hall)
The moment I stepped past the golden archway, the sound hit me—soft laughter, clinking glass, and the muted chaos of wealth pretending to be elegance.
The Aurelis Auction Hall was a cathedral of decadence. Crystal chandeliers poured light like champagne, gilded walls gleamed under a haze of perfume, and every conversation shimmered with polite venom.
Everywhere I looked, power moved in silk and diamond—industrial heirs, political puppets, and bored aristocrats with hungry eyes. It was beautiful in the same way a lion's cage was—if you forgot who was the meal.
I adjusted the black feather mask over my eyes. The silver trim caught the light, sharp and soft at once.
[System: Objective Active—Purchase an item.] [Reward: ???] [Timeline Distortion—Active.]
"Yeah," I muttered under my breath. "I can feel the distortion. It's called 'people.'"
