Chapter 2.9

“Three million won! Is there anyone willing to bid higher?” 

The auctioneer’s voice was filled with excitement, but no one else raised their paddle. The crowd was too busy stealing glances at Ariana’s table, their eyes filled with disbelief.  

Some wondered, ‘Could she know the sculpture’s true value?’ and scrutinized the bidder’s identity. If the person appeared to be an expert in art, they were willing to compete. However, upon realizing the bidder was a young, beautiful noblewoman, they quickly lost interest. They dismissed her as a clueless aristocrat indulging in reckless spending, likely drawn in by the allure of the “final item” title.  

“If there are no further bids, I will call it three times before closing the sale!”  

The auctioneer called out the bid three times, but the room remained silent.  

“Congratulations! 〈Birth of the Goddess of Beauty〉 has been sold to Participant #1 for three million won!”  

Unlike the applause that typically followed other sales, murmurs filled the room.  

“The winning bidder, please come to the podium to complete payment and claim your item.”  

At Sotherin, the final item of each auction was always handed over in front of the audience. The winning bidder would sign a check, hand it to the auctioneer, and receive the item in a scene often captured in photographs for promotional purposes. If the item was particularly noteworthy, these photos would appear in newspapers and newsletters across the Empire.  

Ariana ascended the podium slowly. After writing the amount on the check and signing it, she handed it to the auctioneer. The murmurs grew louder as people began to recognize her.  

“That’s Ariana Astaroth!”  

“Isn’t she the one who married a commoner because she was broke?”  

“Yes, her father, the late Earl, was a notorious collector who squandered the family’s fortune.”  

“She must have so much money now, marrying a nouveau riche, to buy something so ridiculous.”  

Rowen frowned as he listened to the gossip from below the stage. The chatter was so loud that Ariana must have heard every word. He glanced at her face, expecting some reaction, but she remained unbothered.  

Instead, she examined the sculpture intently. She touched it, lifted it to inspect it under the light, and observed it from every angle. After a thorough inspection, Ariana turned to the auctioneer and asked,  

“This sculpture is mine now, correct?”  

“Yes.”  

“Then I’m free to do whatever I want with it?”  

“Of course.”  

While Ariana conversed with the auctioneer, a photographer approached the stage with a sullen expression, camera in hand. Normally, he would have directed the winning bidder to pose in various ways, but today, he didn’t feel the need. The sculpture wasn’t famous, it hadn’t sold for an astronomical price, and it was so ugly that he didn’t even want to photograph it.  

‘I’ll just take a quick shot and be done with it.’  

Without much warning, the photographer casually pressed the shutter.  

Pop! As the flash went off, Ariana, as if waiting for that exact moment, smiled gracefully and let the sculpture drop to the ground.  

“Gasp!”  

The sculpture shattered into countless pieces upon hitting the floor, its fragments scattering everywhere. The shocked photographer instinctively pressed the shutter repeatedly, capturing the scene as the flash continued to fire.  

“She’s insane…”  

Someone muttered in a daze, and the sentiment was shared by everyone present. Buying such an ugly sculpture for three million won and then smashing it to pieces—what kind of madness was this?  

Rowen was equally stunned. Ariana had said she intended to make her presence known at the auction, and she had certainly achieved that goal. By tomorrow—no, by tonight—everyone would be talking about the outrageous spectacle the Countess of Astaroth had caused at Sotherin.  

Then, someone noticed something.  

“What’s that?” 

Amid the scattered fragments of the sculpture, a glimmer of gold caught the eye.  

“There’s something shiny in there.”  

“What? Where?”  

“It looks like… gold?”  

As more people noticed the golden object, the atmosphere in the auction hall shifted from shock to intrigue.  

Ariana observed the growing commotion for a moment before reaching for the golden object hidden among the broken pieces. It was partially covered in white plaster—the remnants of the shattered sculpture.  

When she placed the golden object on the display stand, the remaining plaster fell away, revealing its true form.  

“A-a goddess…!”

The goddess was exquisitely beautiful, her serene smile captivating all who gazed upon her. Her flowing garments and hair seemed light enough to fly away at any moment, and the bouquet of flowers she held delicately in her arms appeared so detailed that one could almost sense their fragrance. Though the white plaster hadn’t completely fallen off, the golden sculpture of the goddess radiated beauty. Under the lights, the shimmering golden hue dazzled the eyes, making her even more enchanting.  

“Finally… she looks worthy of her name.”  

Ariana smiled at the crowd, who were rendered speechless by the sculpture’s beauty. The white shell that had covered her exterior was gone, revealing the golden goddess of beauty. It was truly the 〈Birth of the Goddess of Beauty〉.  

***

One day, when Ariana was just twelve years old, the Earl of Astaroth returned from a trip to the southern region, where he had heard of a rare artifact. As always, he brought back several antiques.  

The Earl immediately summoned Pablo, an appraisal expert, to his mansion to assess the authenticity of the items he had acquired. Occasionally, it was revealed that one of the Earl’s purchases was a counterfeit. Despite his extensive knowledge in various fields, the Earl wasn’t a complete expert, and mistakes were inevitable. It was particularly challenging when the seller was unaware that they were selling a fake, as their demeanor offered no clues.  

Pablo, who had rushed to the mansion upon the Earl’s call, inspected the antiques filling the study and let out a deep sigh.  

“When you go to purchase items like these, you should take me along.”  

“How could I take you all the way to the southern region? If you accompanied me, you’d lose over a week’s worth of work.”  

Understanding that the Earl collected antiques not for personal profit but for their intrinsic value, Pablo always offered his appraisal services free of charge. Even when the Earl tried to slip money into Pablo’s pocket, he would somehow return it, leaving the Earl with no choice but to accept his generosity. Under such circumstances, requesting Pablo to travel for free appraisals felt selfish.  

“Perhaps you can reconsider that sentiment once you stop buying strange items from fraudsters.”  

“Why? Did I buy something strange again?”  

The Earl stroked his chin as he asked, and Pablo nodded while removing his magnifying glasses.  

“You’ve brought back five items in total, and one of them is a fake.”  

“Hmm. I suspected this sculpture might be the issue…”  

The Earl stared at the white plaster sculpture. It wasn’t intentionally crafted to look ugly; rather, it seemed as though a novice had clumsily applied plaster in layers. The seller had been so confident and convincing in their explanation that the Earl had trusted them and made the purchase. However, it was possible that the seller had also been duped.  

“This sculpture…” 

Pablo began to explain.  

But before he could continue, Ariana interrupted, staring intently at the plaster sculpture. Somehow, she had sneaked into the study while the two were engrossed in conversation.  

“This sculpture is strange.”  

Her words drew the Earl and Pablo’s attention. Ariana tilted her head as she scrutinized the sculpture.  

“The craftsmanship is sloppy, but the pose and composition are perfect. Could there be some hidden secret?”  

The Earl and Pablo exchanged wide-eyed glances before turning back to Ariana, who seemed far more interested in the odd sculpture than in their reactions.