Rian was now seated on a simple wooden chair, facing a long wooden table that looked classic yet impeccably maintained.
In front of him, a holographic panel floated, displaying a sophisticated interface, each tab listing various items—from equipment and accessories to rare goods and exotic materials.
Around him, dozens of Herald sat in similar positions, each seemingly busy swiping through their panels, bidding, selecting, or simply observing.
Though it appeared as if everyone was merely waving their fingers in the air, each holographic panel was private and could only be seen by its owner.
This place was none other than the Auction House, an elite facility located at the heart of the Trade Area.
Previously, upon passing through the transparent membrane of the Transfer Door, Rian had been greeted by a scene resembling a traditional market—bustling, crowded, and vibrant.
Walking calmly through that area, Rian finally arrived at this classical-futuristic building and decided to step inside.
Now, sitting casually yet fully focused, Rian engaged seriously in bidding, vying for equipment and unique items that caught his attention.
After some time competing with the other Herald, Rian finally rose from his chair.
With confident steps and a faint, victorious smile, he walked toward the exit of the Auction House.
It was no surprise that the smile wasn't without reason.
Although he had only recently become a Herald, Rian's total wealth had reached 54,000 System Points—an amount clearly surpassing the standard wealth of a Level 5 Authority Herald.
Such wealth was equivalent to what an average Level 4 Authority Herald would possess.
And even though most of those points had already been spent during the recent auction session, Rian's purchasing power still remained well above average.
It was no wonder that every item he desired was immediately secured, even if it meant spending a significant portion of his system points in a short amount of time.
Now, his remaining balance stood at 10,000 System Points—a sum still slightly above average for a new Herald, yet for Rian, it was merely an emergency reserve.
Exiting the grand Auction House, Rian adjusted his sunglasses with stylish precision.
His next destination: the Residential Area, an exclusive district for Herald.
The journey through the Trading Area was long and somewhat bothersome for Rian. Honestly, in his heart, he felt lazy—it seemed like walking in endless circles.
The only thing he wanted right now was to sit comfortably at home, meticulously caring for his facial skin.
But unfortunately, life as a Herald was not as luxurious as high-end skincare.
If Rian allowed himself to be too lazy, too distracted by pore treatments instead of honing his skills, he could very well meet an untimely death—again!
And Rian knew all too well: a face ruined after reincarnation? That was far more tragic than death itself.
That was why, despite his somewhat reluctant steps, Rian continued onward. Because one thing was perfectly clear to him:
The Infinity Room was a Heaven for the strong… and a long Hell for the weak.
After trudging through the tedious journey, Rian's gaze suddenly caught on something—much like spotting an 80% discount on premium skincare.
That was how Rian would describe the sudden surge of interest that pulled him in.
Without a second thought, he quickened his pace toward the source of fascination: a small, newly opened stall that immediately drew attention.
"That…" Rian murmured softly, a faint smile curling his lips. A few steps later, he was standing directly in front of it.
Rian's eyes immediately locked onto the holographic display of the stall's merchandise: Special Bullets.
Each bullet had a unique effect: exploding like a grenade, blinding like a flashbang, igniting like a flame grenade, or shocking like a taser.
Intriguing. Extremely intriguing.
Across the counter stood a petite girl, no taller than 141 cm. She wore a pristine white dress, the skirt flowing gracefully to her calves.
Long blonde hair, piercing yellow eyes with pupils sharp like an ancient creature, an aura so strikingly mysterious, and, of course, a presence that could only be summed up in one word: loli.
The little girl's eyes widened, staring at Rian as if she had just discovered the rarest, most dazzling diamond in the entire universe.
Meanwhile, Rian remained focused on examining the neatly arranged bullets in the display case. His gaze was serious, his finger pointing precisely at the bullet labeled Explosive Type.
"Rarely does this handsome man show interest…" Rian said in an elegant tone, "…give me a box of .50 Magnum explosive rounds. Price: 500 System Points? No problem."
Yet, there was no response.
Silence. No movement from the little girl, not even a breath. She simply stared at Rian as if reading something invisible to others, tracing the layers of his existence down to the very core.
Rian's brows furrowed slightly. The gaze was sharp, profound, and somehow… unsettling. There was a sense that this girl could strip his soul bare with just a single look.
But of course, the special bullets were still far more important to Rian.
Finally, the little girl opened her mouth and grinned widely. With a confident gesture, she raised her index finger and pointed directly at Rian's face.
"I'm not selling any special bullets to you," she declared triumphantly. "Instead… Rian Andromeda, become my servant! I'm sure you won't regret it!"
Rian furrowed his brows. "…Servant? What servant? How is that even possible?"
But he immediately restrained himself, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Wait a second. You haven't asked my name once. How do you even know who I am?"
The little girl merely tilted her head slightly, then replied in a flat tone, yet her voice seemed to softly echo in the air.
"Why does the sun shine?" she asked. "Why doesn't the moon? Why is the sky blue, but the sea black?"
"…What?" Rian said, puzzled, tilting his head slightly.
"You ask like a child, Rian Andromeda," the girl said, narrowing her sharp yellow eyes. "Don't you have Six Eyes? Use them. Find out for yourself."
Rian fell silent. He wasn't someone who got confused easily, but for the first time, he wasn't sure who this girl really was… or why her presence felt like a riddle even the system couldn't immediately explain.
Meanwhile, Rian's Six Eyes were working at full capacity—analyzing every gesture, every subtle detail, even the possible anomalies hidden behind the girl's mysterious aura.
It only took him a few seconds to start piecing together a logical answer.
From behind his dark lenses, Rian's gaze locked onto the girl's eyes—those unusual, golden pupils that shimmered faintly.
"…Those eyes… they're your special ability, aren't they?" Rian asked quietly.
The girl grinned, folding her arms confidently across her chest. "Just as I expected from the Beyonder who completed his first mission alone and earned an Extreme Evaluation."
Rian's brow furrowed, and he let out a faint huff. "You even know about that?"
With unshakable enthusiasm, the little girl pointed at Rian again. "That's exactly why! Rian Andromeda, become my servant! Your place is by my side—as mine!"
A few seconds of silence passed. Rian blinked behind his dark sunglasses, then turned his back without much reaction.
"Sorry," he said casually as he walked away, "this handsome man isn't interested in being anyone's servant. So, little princess, I'm leaving…"
Seeing Rian reject her offer, the girl let out a short sigh before drawing a silver pistol from her storage. As if it had materialized out of thin air, the weapon immediately aimed at Rian.
BANG!
The bullet shot forward at incredible speed, heading straight for the back of Rian's head. But before it could touch his skin, the Six Eyes reacted. In a split second, Rian sharply ducked forward.
The bullet skimmed just a few inches above his hair, disappearing into who knows where.
Rian immediately stopped. He slowly turned his head back, his gaze sharp from behind the dark lenses, filled with irritation.
"Why the hell did you shoot this handsome man!?" Rian snapped, his voice dripping with offense. "Do you think you're a kid or something!?"
The girl's face contorted, and she erupted in anger. "WHAT!? YOU CALLED ME A KID!?" she shouted, flinging herself into a dramatic motion.
The girl had now drawn a second pistol, black this time, holding one in each hand.
"I'm going to blow your face to pieces!" she shouted, aiming both guns at Rian. "You narcissistic bastard!!"
Rian's eyes widened.
"BLOW THIS HANDSOME MAN'S FACE TO PIECES!? Do you even know how long it takes to take care of this face!? Unforgivable! Immoral! Barbaric!"
The girl fired again.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Rian performed light acrobatics to the side, still grumbling, "Are you some kind of savage kid!? Who taught you manners!? This handsome man wanted to buy, not become a servant!?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A KID!?" the girl snapped back, increasingly frustrated.
"Of course you, little princess," Rian said, pointing at her. "If not a kid… then what? Toddler? Infant?"
And so, an absurd quarrel unfolded between the hot-tempered loli vendor and Rian Andromeda, the handsome man.