Chapter 172: Navi Auction
As the seconds ticked away, with ten minutes left on the countdown, the outline of a white door slowly materialized before her.
Seeing the Teleportation Gate appear, Moira Lynch took a deep breath and stepped inside.
She had expected a magnificently decorated hall on the other side of the door, but instead, she was met with a powerful sense of weightlessness.
In an instant, a pair of White Wings unfurled from Moira Lynch’s back.
’What’s going on?’
Moira Lynch looked around and saw the occasional Flying Device or spaceship passing by.
The people in them saw Moira Lynch hovering alone in midair, a pair of magnificent White Wings on her back.
They all stared, their expressions a mixture of surprise and awe.
Seeing them all heading in the same direction, Moira Lynch seemed to remember something and took out her Navi Auction admission ticket.
The ticket began to fold itself in her hand, forming into the shape of a Thousand Paper Cranes. It then flapped its wings and flew out in front of her.
Realizing it was leading the way, Moira Lynch immediately gave chase.
Though it was her first time using the wings on her back, Moira Lynch felt no awkwardness at all.
Previously, Moira Lynch had placed Snowy in her item-specific storage, intending for it to quickly devour the Yeti Horn.
She had planned to then use her spiritual power to purify it of impurities, turning it into a true weapon.
But Moira Lynch had overlooked one thing: the storage didn’t just contain the Yeti Horn; it also held other items she had collected.
By the time Moira Lynch realized something was wrong, it was too late.
In between bites of the Yeti Horn, Snowy had also started munching on her other items as if they were side dishes.
Why side dishes? Because Moira Lynch had seen it with her own eyes: Snowy would hold the Yeti Horn in one paw and an item in the other, alternating between them like a person taking a bite of a bun and then a bite of a side dish.
Moreover, Snowy was a very picky eater. It turned its nose up at disposable or limited-use items, preferring only high-grade ones, which it devoured one after another with a satisfying crunch.
Fortunately, the items Snowy ate hadn’t actually vanished. Otherwise, Moira Lynch would have been heartbroken to the point of being unable to breathe.
Under the guidance of the Thousand Paper Cranes, Moira Lynch soon caught up with the others.
Gradually, Moira Lynch discovered floating islands appearing around her, each dotted with buildings.
There were shopping malls, pet shops, beauty salons—every kind of store imaginable.
’Starfarers have actually advanced to the point where they can build structures high in the sky.’
’If Caelus could achieve this, wouldn’t housing prices plummet?’
Still, it was obvious this wasn’t a simple feat.
After all, from what she could see, most of the aerial structures before her were commercial. There weren’t many of them, and each was built to be enormous and magnificent, clearly designed to catch a customer’s eye.
The cost to construct such a building must be astronomical.
「Ten minutes or so later.」
Moira Lynch saw the countdown on the tip of the Thousand Paper Cranes’ tail hit zero, and a grand, white, palace-like building appeared before her.
Guest after guest, dressed in either formal suits or gowns, proceeded inside in a slow, orderly fashion.
Then there was Moira Lynch.
Although she had also put effort into her appearance, her hat, mask, and white tracksuit made her look completely out of place.
Moira Lynch retracted her wings, and someone immediately approached her.
Seeing the fluffy ears on the person’s head and the tail behind them, Moira Lynch judged that this must be a Felini Beastman.
"Esteemed guest, please follow me," the Beastkin said politely.
The classic novel trope of being denied entry because of her attire didn’t happen.
This was a rule of the Navi Auction.
Regardless of a guest’s identity, as long as they had an invitation, they would receive the highest-class treatment.
Of course, if the Navi Auction discovered your invitation was obtained through illicit means, they would also make the thief pay the price.
Moira Lynch followed the attendant to her seat and glanced at the number: ninety-nine.
’Not a bad number. Pretty auspicious.’
Only after taking her seat did Moira Lynch have a moment to survey her surroundings.
It was a white hall, adorned with unknown flowers, giving it a dignified and grand atmosphere.
Moira Lynch looked up and saw vast floor-to-ceiling windows, behind which were private booths.
’Of course, an auction house would have private booths.’
But booths like these were clearly for extremely distinguished guests.
While Moira Lynch’s mind was wandering, an exquisitely crafted cake with a faint, sweet aroma was placed in front of her.
On top were brightly colored petals, below which were white cream and piped decorations.
’Do Starfarers like cream cakes too?’
She eagerly took a bite and was instantly captivated by the flavor.
The texture was similar to cream, but not quite. In the middle was a soft, springy filling. All in all, it was a wondrous flavor. The petals on the surface weren’t real flowers, either, but tasted like chocolate—sweet with a faint, pleasant bitterness.
’Patience, what is this cake made of?’ Moira Lynch asked silently in her mind.
[Blue Thought Flower: An edible flower with a taste similar to dark chocolate from Caelus. Long-term consumption can tighten skin and help shape the body.
PS: This flower can only be cultivated on a handful of planets, and Planet Mocha happens to have a suitable environment for the Blue Thought Flower’s growth.]
’It’s dropping me a hint.’
’Just because Planet Mocha is suitable doesn’t mean Mochina is.’
"What about the rest?"
That only explained the petals on top.
[Double Mousse Sprites like to live near Blue Thought Flowers. The cream they produce is popular throughout the interstellar community.]
[Soft Silk Jelly: A specialty of Planet Gourmand, with properties that prevent cavities, whiten teeth, and correct dental alignment.]
’Planet Gourmand!’
’There’s actually a Planet Gourmand in space!!’
Moira Lynch was instantly intrigued by Patience’s mention of Planet Gourmand.
Did that mean it was full of delicacies? Or, like in anime, was everything on the planet edible?
Patience quickly answered her question.
[Planet Gourmand is a type of artificial planet. The conditions on each one vary. There are currently over five hundred such planets in the interstellar community.]
What Moira Lynch didn’t know was that while she and Patience were analyzing the cake, others were quietly observing her.
It couldn’t be helped. Moira Lynch’s outfit was simply too conspicuous; it was hard not to notice her.
From her appearance, they could tell she was young, likely not yet an adult. Her eyes were still so clear.