It was a clear and radiant day.
The Arcadia Auction House—one of the most exclusive venues in North America—was buzzing with excitement.Collectors, aristocrats, and moguls filled the grand entrance hall. Even the air seemed to hum with wealth and anticipation.
Standing by the marble steps were Elsa and a short-haired girl named Jin. Both were devoted art enthusiasts, dressed in retro-modern attire that reflected their love for antiquities and lost craftsmanship.
They had managed to secure entry to smaller galleries before, but Arcadia's Grand Vault Auction was another level entirely—a place where dragonbone sculptures, elf-royal paintings, and ancient spell manuscripts went for tens of millions.
They were still waiting for someone.
Jin sighed, brushing a strand of her cropped hair aside.
"That Jason Carter you met at the Celestial Art Gala—was that really him? The guy who bought half the showcase that night? Why isn't he here yet? Don't tell me he's ditching us."
Elsa smiled softly, her demeanor calm and refined, like a lady out of a Renaissance portrait.
"I asked him. He admitted it himself. I even recognized his assistant—Grace, the woman from that night's exhibit. Jason's not the kind to stand people up. He just doesn't show up early. Wealthy men like him never do."
Jin let out a dreamy sigh.
"I still can't forget that night. His assistant, Grace, bid on an entire set of Phoenixveil ceremonial attire—made from starlight silk and elven feathers. I thought whoever married a man like that would live the dream… and then he turned out to be that handsome! Unreal."
Elsa laughed gently.
"Oh? Sounds like someone's got a crush. Why didn't you say something to him that night?"
Before Jin could answer, the quiet hum of conversation around them broke. Heads turned toward the entrance as a Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up in front of the golden steps.
The driver, Olivia, quickly stepped out and opened the rear door.
And from the car emerged Jason Carter.
The air around the entrance seemed to pause for a second.
He was tall, strikingly handsome, with the kind of composure that made time itself slow down. His clothes were deceptively casual—charcoal jacket, cream pants, a subtle silver chain—but to those who truly knew fashion, the details screamed otherworldly refinement.
The material shimmered faintly under sunlight—not ordinary cloth, but Aetherweave, a legendary fabric spun by the spellwrights of old. Each thread was infused with trace elements of moonlight essence and gold dust, interwoven by arcane looms that only a handful of craftsmen in the world could still operate.
The process of weaving aetherweave was so intricate that two artisans working in tandem could produce only a few inches a day. It required seraph-thread silk, mithril fibers, and even fragments of phoenix plume—materials that made even the world's luxury brands look mass-produced.
Most people could never afford it. Even if they could, such fabric was meant to be displayed in museums, not worn.
Yet here Jason was—wearing it casually. Effortlessly.
His movements were smooth, natural, and confident. The outfit's fit was perfect—clearly tailored by a master hand. He looked both laid-back and impossibly refined, like a man who could walk into a royal ball or a battlefield and belong in either.
To someone like Elsa, who adored relics and historical elegance, his presence was devastating. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably.
System Notification:Elsa Favorability toward Jason Carter +10
At that moment, the heavy glass doors of the auction house swung open. A group of well-dressed men led by a balding middle-aged director hurried forward, their expressions full of respect.
"Mr. Carter! We've been waiting for you. Please, right this way—the Arcane Vault has been prepared."
Jason gave a faint nod, his eyes calm and unreadable, the sunlight glinting off the edge of his cufflinks like liquid silver.
Every step he took felt like a ripple spreading through the crowd—an unspoken reminder that this wasn't just a man walking into an auction.It was a king entering his domain.
The marble foyer of Arcadia Auction House was buzzing like a hive of anticipation.
As Jason Carter stepped out of his Rolls-Royce, a group of sharply dressed executives rushed out to meet him.At their head was a balding man in a tailored gray suit — Charles Jennings, the President of Arcadia Auction House, followed by several senior managers.
For regular collectors, even the wealthiest, being greeted by a doorman was already considered high treatment. But now, the President himself was outside waiting — a gesture reserved only for the kind of guest whose name made entire boards of directors stand up straighter.
When Elsa and Jin saw this, their jaws went slack.
"Wait… that's the president of Arcadia," Jin whispered, barely believing her eyes."He came out to greet him personally?"
Elsa's expression froze for a moment before she regained her composure — barely.This level of deference was something she'd only seen extended to royal families or global magnates.
Charles greeted with a smile that was equal parts warmth and reverence.
"Mr. Carter, welcome to Arcadia. The Grand Vault is ready for you. Please, this way."
Jason returned a courteous nod. His tone was calm, almost understated.
"Thank you, Charles. Let's not delay — the auction's about to begin."
As he turned, Jason's gaze briefly fell on Elsa and Jin waiting near the steps. His expression softened slightly, a faint hint of a smile on his lips.
"Come along. You'll want a good seat for what's coming."
The two girls blinked in disbelief before instinctively falling in behind him, like students following a legendary professor.
Charles noticed them and gave an apologetic smile, nodding politely — a silent way of saying: forgive us for not welcoming you earlier.
Both Elsa and Jin felt a flush of awe.They weren't guests here — they were simply Jason Carter's guests. And that alone was enough to make one of the most powerful men in the auction world bow slightly.
System Notification:Elsa — Affection +5
Inside, the auction hall gleamed with chandeliers made of crystal mana stones, refracting light into soft golden hues. Rows of velvet seats curved around a center stage displaying relics from across realms — everything from elf-crafted crowns to ancient dragonbone pendants.
Jason was led directly to the VIP Seat, situated dead center in the front row — a space reserved for individuals whose bank accounts were measured in nations, not numbers.
On his right sat Olivia, his assistant.On his left, Elsa, and beside her, Jin, who still couldn't believe she was allowed in this section at all.
Even CEOs and foreign investors behind them were forced to sit a row back.
Elsa could feel her heartbeat racing.She risked a glance at Jason from the corner of her eye.
He looked effortlessly composed — dressed in Aetherweave, that mythical cloth that shimmered subtly under the chandeliers. He didn't look like a man trying to impress anyone; he simply was impressive.
His aura wasn't loud. It was magnetic — the kind that made people instinctively straighten their posture and lower their voices.
For Elsa, who'd always seen herself as sophisticated and self-contained, this feeling was new. It was both terrifying and intoxicating.
"Get it together, Elsa," she whispered to herself. "You've met billionaires before… just not ones who look like this."
She took a few slow breaths, trying to suppress the fluttering in her chest. But the warmth in her stomach only grew stronger.
There was something about Jason's presence — the faint, comforting scent of sandalwood and magic ink, the quiet strength in his posture — that made her feel… safe. Protected.
Without realizing it, she leaned ever so slightly toward him.
System Notification: Elsa — Affection +5Total Favorability: 20
Jason, of course, hadn't said a word yet. He didn't need to.His aura — intensified by the faint trace of his Spirit Convergence Sigil — worked subtly, amplifying attraction and calm around him.
It was one of the many reasons people gravitated toward him without knowing why.
To give such an artifact to anyone else, especially a woman, would be foolish. It wasn't just a charm — it was a weapon of charisma.
Jason sat back comfortably, his gaze fixed on the stage as the auctioneer began introducing the first ancient relic.
Meanwhile, Elsa kept stealing glances, trying not to seem obvious, but failing miserably.
Jason hadn't done anything — not even spoken — and yet her affection value had already climbed by twenty.
"They say women aren't won by pursuit," Jason thought, hiding a faint smirk."They're drawn by gravity."
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