?Gregory Noran, the thin man with a large forehead, bushy eyebrows, and a scar across his left cheek was once again sent to the weapon auction in Heeran's love, just as he had last time.
Only this time, he wasn't the one buying something but was instead accompanying someone higher in status than him.
A fine gentleman in his middle years, wearing a blue suit and a matching Tophat, walked alongside him. Truven Briggs, father to Bethanie Briggs —who was otherwise known as Betty— had been sent by his brother-in-law to handle the matters today.
He had always been curious about Ning since he met the fellow during his daughter's administration in the institute because of the Essence core he had. A man with a weird core he had never felt before, whose daughter came first in the entrance exam for the Star Beast Institute could be no normal man.
He had his suspicion that this Ning he had heard about was the same Ning that sold the Lightning Trident. When he received the message from his daughter yesterday about what Ning's shop was called, his suspicion was confirmed.
So, after talking with his brother-in-law, Brassel Noran, the Mayor, he was allowed to handle the matter with the auction today.
"Tell me more about your visit last time," he asked Gregory next to him.
"I can't see what else I have to say, my lord," the man said. "The shop is small, they employ a young woman and a child, and the only thing interesting there was the Lightning Trident he sold."
"The rest of the weapons are… what did you call them? Generic?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord," the man said. "They are nothing if not that. They are so plainly made that it was a surprise they were sold at all. Although, they were sold rather cheaply, so that could be a reason for it."
Truven nodded. "What have you learned about the shop?" he asked.
"It used to belong to a man named Heeran, my lord. He died some 10 years ago, and the shop was handled by his wife after his death. I don't believe she does anything else, so that should have been her only source of income."
"I'm surprised a weapons shop lasted in this city. I would've thought the four beasts would've gobbled them up."
"The woman doesn't budge, my lord. Or so they say. That was her husband's shop, so she kept it. She has no intention to sell, so it is no surprise no one else could buy it."
Truven nodded. "But she still sold the shop in the end," he said.
"No, my lord. I believe this Ning fellow is borrowing the shop more than anything. It still belongs to the woman in the end," Gregory said. "I'm curious if he will move on from her once he makes his own name. At the very least, he has to change shops. The one he is using currently is too small. It won't even fit 50 people in there at once."
Truven chuckled a little. "The Four Beasts wouldn't be silent any longer if he moves on to something better than that, I'm sure," he said and continued walking.
After walking for a bit, the two of them arrived at the shop with the board 'Heeran's Love' flashing brightly even in daylight. One could only wonder how much light was poured into that.
"That's weird," Gregory spoke as he looked around. "Where are the people?"
There were a few people around the road, but unlike last time when there was a crowd in front of the shop, there was nothing.
The young man from last time remained outside, standing listlessly, watching around.
People walked in and out of the shop around him, and he said nothing. He only watched around completely bored. After a few seconds, his eyes fell on Gregory and Truven.
"Are you two here for the auction?" he asked.
"Yes, young man," Truven said. "Has it not started yet? I see nobody here."
"Everyone is inside," the young man said. "You can go in too, or you might be late."
"Inside?" Gregory said in surprise, before turning around to meet Truven's face in delight. "We're lucky it seems, my lord. Either we came early, or nobody bothered to come this time around at all. We can quickly get done with the auction and leave."
Truven nodded. "Good, good. The fewer people, the better," he said. "I will definitely have this Twin Shadow Scythes. I'm sure Betty would love it."
"I will have to buy it too, for young lord James," Gregory said with a dry laugh.
The two of them walked into the shop, and as soon as they did, their eyes went wide in shock.
Bright lights surrounded them, and a cacophony of sounds from the hundreds of people that were lined up in the shop.
"Uhh, Greg… didn't you say it was a small shop?" Truven asked, looking at the shop that was at least 50 meters wide in all directions.
"It was, my lord," Gregory said softly as what he remembered matched in no way to what he saw right now.
The shop was massive and seemed almost as big as one of the Four Beasts. It was even bigger than a few of their shops.
"And you said it couldn't even handle 50 people?" Truven asked.
"I did, my lord," Gregory answered, seeing the hundreds of people that were gathered in front of him, with enough space to gather a few thousand more people inside. He gulped.
"Did you lie to me?" Truven asked.
"I must have, my lord," Gregory said. "I can't imagine how else you can explain this. I… must've lied to myself."
He looked in awe at the massive store with items scattered throughout the walls and tables gathered throughout the room.
It became quickly apparent to Truven and Gregory, that they weren't the only ones in shock. Every person who came in through the door showed the same shocked look on their face.
Somehow, the inside of the room was dozens of times larger than what it seemed from the outside.
