As the sun dipped below the horizon, Klein and Lyra left the inn and headed toward the western district of Crownfall.

The streets grew narrower and darker the deeper they ventured. Gas lamps flickered with an eerie glow, and the atmosphere shifted from lively to shady.

Lyra walked cautiously with her cloak pulled up to partially hide her face. Klein stayed close beside her, wearing the same cloak as hers.

After nearly twenty minutes of navigating twisting alleys and backstreets, they arrived in front of a large, unassuming warehouse.

A faded, almost invisible sign above the reinforced metal door read "The Black Veil"

Lyra stopped and turned to Klein, "This is it. The underground auction house. They hold special events during the full moon."

"If the Dark Church is going to show up, it’ll be tonight. Stay sharp, and don’t draw too much attention to yourself."

Klein nodded "Mhm."

Lyra gave three knocks in a specific pattern on the heavy door.

A small viewing slit opened, and a pair of sharp, suspicious eyes looked them over. After a tense moment, the door creaked open.

A burly man with a scar across his cheek and a heavy build glared at them.

"Password?" he growled.

"Shadow under the moon," Lyra replied calmly.

The man grunted and stepped aside, letting them in.

Dim purple magical lanterns hung from the high ceiling, casting an eerie glow over the space.

After that, he followed Lyra into the warehouse.

They descended a short flight of stairs into a much larger underground hall that had been carefully renovated for the auction.

Rows of cushioned seats surrounded a central raised platform where the main auction would take place.

Various shady figures like merchants, mercenaries and disguised nobles were already seated or browsing the pre-auction display tables that lined the walls.

Lyra led Klein toward a quieter corner near the back where they could observe without drawing too much attention.

They sat down at a small table partially hidden by a pillar.

"Stay close and keep your voice low," she whispered. "The people here don’t like outsiders asking too many questions."

Klein scanned the room with sharp eyes but he couldn’t find anyone with cursed energy.

As they waited for the auction to begin, Lyra leaned closer to him and continued speaking quietly.

"I heard rumors that the Dark Church sometimes recruits talented individuals with curse attributes here. They offer training and resources in exchange for loyalty."

"If we play our cards right, we might be able to make contact... or at least observe who they approach."

Klein nodded, his gaze moving across the crowd.

The auction officially began when a well-dressed man with a slick smile stepped onto the central platform and banged a gavel.

"Welcome, honored guests, to tonight’s Black Veil Auction," he announced. "We have many rare items for you this evening."

The first few items were relatively ordinary for an underground auction like enchanted weapons, rare herbs, and minor artifacts.

Klein watched carefully while Lyra remained tense beside him.

The auctioneer’s voice rang out "Next up, a fine blade forged with starsteel! Perfect for cutting through magical defenses!"

Bidding wars broke out for some items, while others sold quickly to hooded figures in the back.

As the night deepened, the items on stage became more valuable.

At one point, a tall man in a dark hooded robe stepped forward to bid on a particularly powerful amulet.

The amulet was displayed on a velvet cushion radiating a heavy, oppressive aura that made several weaker attendees shift uncomfortably in their seats.

The distinct aura of cursed energy around the hooded man was strong.

Seeing this, Klein’s gaze narrowed ’Found one... but i think he is at A or B-rank.’

The bidding for the amulet climbed quickly, but the hooded figure won it without much competition.

Then he disappeared into a private booth near the back of the hall.

The auction continued, but Klein’s focus remained on that booth ’Now then.. how shall I handle this situation.’

’If I show my cursed energy and act like I want to be part of the Dark Church, it’s a good idea but it will take time.’

He considered the long game with infiltrating their ranks, gaining trust, and slowly climbing their hierarchy.

’And who knows how long it will take for me to reach the Dark Church HQ and even find a door to the Cursed realm.’

There are too many unknowns. The organization is secretive and likely has multiple layers of security.

’There will be powerful people there.’

Klein’s eyes narrowed slightly as he thought about the risks.

’Another option is to beat the shit out of this guy and torture him to spill the beans.’

’But if he is really A-rank, it will be troublesome.’

His gaze narrowed further ’I do have two trump cards to escape dangerous situations like... teleporting back to Spirit Realm or getting killed and revived by Azara.’

He turned his gaze to Lyra who was sitting beside him ’But those two trump cards don’t work for her.’

’She can’t step into Spirit Realm because she don’t have an ounce of spirit energy.’

---

The auction finally came to an end late into the night.

The crowd began to disperse slowly, with many attendees slipping out through side exits or private doors.

Klein and Lyra waited a few moments before standing up and joining the flow of people leaving the warehouse.

Klein stopped walking after they had moved a short distance from the building.

He turned to Lyra, "You should leave the area and go back to the inn. I have some stuff to do."

Lyra stopped as well and looked at him with a frown "What are you going to do?"

Klein shook his head slightly. "You don’t need to know. Just go back to the inn and wait for me. I’ll return soon."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed, clearly displeased with his answer "I’m not some helpless girl you can just send away."

"We came here together. If you’re planning something dangerous, I should know about it. Or at least come with you."

Klein met her gaze "This part I have to do alone. Go back to the inn, Lyra. I’ll explain later if everything goes well."

Lyra stared at him for a long moment with clear frustration on her face.

She wanted to argue further, but seeing his gaze, she let out a sigh. "...Fine."

"But if you get yourself killed, I’ll find a way to bring you back just to kill you again, you rascal."

Klein gave her a small smile. "I’ll keep that in mind."

Lyra turned and started walking away, but she glanced back at him one last time before disappearing around the corner.

Once she was gone, Klein’s expression turned cold, and he slipped into the shadows and began moving silently toward the hooded figure.