Chapter 37: Angel's Automatic Notes
"Take your time to think it over."
Germain checked the pocket watch he pulled from his Hunter's coat.
"I've got something else to take care of, so I'll be leaving for now. But I'll be staying in Yorknew City for another two or three days you have my contact information."
"Where are you going?" Skizuku asked curiously.
"I'd rather not say." Germain stood up from the spinning chair in the internet café, retrieved his Hunter License, and shut down the computer. "Contact me once you've made your decision."
Skizuku had already closed her eyes and folded her arms, lost deep in thought. She didn't hear a word he said.
Seeing that, Germain decided not to interrupt her and quietly left.
At nine o'clock that night, inside an auction house.
The walls were a rich burgundy, the crystal chandeliers glowed softly, the floors gleamed spotless and the receptionist greeted Germain with particular enthusiasm.
After spending the entire afternoon visiting half of Yorknew City and comparing three different hunter-exclusive auction houses, Germain finally chose the one that suited him best.
The appraiser, himself a professional Hunter, immediately sensed something wrong with "The Crow Lord's Single Eye." He believed it was shrouded in dark "thoughts" and would bring misfortune to whoever possessed it.
Wearing rubber gloves, he handled the baseball-sized eyeball cautiously, then placed it back into its glass jar filled with preservation fluid without touching it again.
"Sir, I have two suggestions," the appraiser said, removing his gloves. "Would you prefer the safer route auctioning it off or a faster private resale?"
Germain hesitated. "Tell me the pros and cons of each."
The appraiser nodded and gave a concise explanation.
"The auction route is secure and stable. With more bidders involved, it's easier to reach a high price. The downside is the time it requires the full consignment process, including settlement and fees."
"How long would that take?" Germain asked.
"At least more than two weeks," the appraiser admitted. "Sometimes things don't go smoothly one or two months isn't uncommon."
Germain couldn't afford to wait that long. "What about the second option?"
"In a quick resale, we offer the item privately to a few interested clients. The advantage is fast settlement, but the downside is that the price depends entirely on the buyer's personal taste."
"How fast can it be finalized?"
"We currently have several clients here in Yorknew," said the appraiser. "If one of them takes an immediate liking to it, it wouldn't be surprising if they pay on the spot."
After considering for a moment, Germain decided. "Alright. Please contact a buyer for me here in Yorknew."
"Understood. Please wait."
The appraiser pulled out his phone, took several photos of the eye from different angles, sent them out, then made a call.
After a short, dull conversation, he hung up and said, "Someone from the Nosra Family will be coming to take a look. Please wait here."
"The Nosra Family…?" Germain echoed.
The appraiser looked up, startled that Germain didn't even know the name.
To prevent him from unintentionally offending them, he quickly added, "They're a rapidly rising mafia family. They happen to be in Yorknew now, looking for beast eyes, magical beast parts, and rare creatures."
"I've heard that the family's daughter has extraordinary fortune-telling abilities perhaps even some kind of telepathy. Even the Ten Dons trust her predictions."
The head of the Nosra Family had gradually expanded their power by relying on his daughter's divination and the confidence of the Ten Dons.
"Nosra Family… daughter… divination…" Germain thought. "It must be her."
He nodded calmly, already guessing who was coming.
At ten o'clock that night, the Nosra Family finally arrived.
Surrounded by over a dozen black-suited bodyguards stood a middle-aged man and a young girl with long blue hair who clung affectionately to his arm.
The appraiser led them to a sofa, where he presented the glass jar containing The Crow Lord's Single Eye submerged in liquid.
Light Nostrade, head of the Nosra Family, pursed his lips and turned toward his bodyguard, Dalzollene.
Dalzollene immediately understood, stepped forward, picked up the jar, examined it briefly, then set it back down and bowed.
"Boss, this eyeball definitely carries a powerful curse."
Light's frown eased noticeably.
However, his daughter, Neon, pouted beside him.
"This isn't even a human eye… I still prefer human organs. A Scarlet Eye from the Kurta Clan would've been perfect!" she complained, hands on her hips.
"Neon, that can't be helped," Light said gently. "There are very few Scarlet Eyes left on the market. I've heard the Fourth Prince of the Kakin Royal Family bought nearly all of them."
Neon thought for a moment, then sighed. "I know, Dad. I'm not a child anymore. There's no way our family can compete with a royal prince's wealth…"
"Well, I'm glad you understand. But for your birthday this year, I'll definitely prepare a rare human organ for you something to add to your collection."
"Really? Yay! Thanks, Dad, I love you!" Neon cheered, throwing her arms around him.
Light laughed heartily, clearly moved by his daughter's happiness.
Germain, however, ignored the strange conversation in front of him.
He was far more concerned with how many millions this "Crow Lord's Eye" might fetch.
Soon, Light's attention returned to the eyeball on the table.
He studied it quietly, then leaned toward Dalzollene and whispered, "Neon's prophetic poem pointed to this exact eye. Are you certain?"
It turned out the Nosra Family's trip to Yorknew was no coincidence it was because Neon had used her Angel's Automatic Writing notebook to perform a divination for her father.
Her Nen ability, "Prophetic Binding of the Mind," allowed her to foresee cryptic glimpses of a person's future for an entire month expressed through poetry.
"Yes," Dalzollene nodded quietly. "'The place where treasures gather' likely refers to Yorknew City, and 'the pupil of the dreadful beast' must be this eye."
Light pondered for a moment, then murmured, "So if I spend a great deal of money 'water it with more blood' and buy this eyeball, the 'flower in the palm' will not wither, right?"
Dalzollene glanced at Neon, who was still beaming with joy, and nodded. "That should be correct."
After a moment of silence, Light made his decision.
He turned to Germain and said, "I'm willing to pay 100 million rings for it. Of course, I'll also cover all additional auction fees."
(End of Chapter)