Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 504 - 503: Painting with the King’s Heart

Chapter 504: Chapter 503: Painting with the King’s Heart

Richard thought to himself when he heard the bidding for the young girl on the stage rise to four thousand three hundred Gold Coins. Gradually, the voices of the bids became scarce.

After all, not many people had so much money to spend frivolously, no matter if they were Wizards or Wizard Apprentices. In other places, more than four thousand Gold Coins could buy a group of well-trained young girls, but here it only bought one. One would only pay such a price if they really liked her or were acting on an impulse.

Eventually, when the price reached four thousand nine hundred Gold Coins, the bidding stopped completely.

The auctioneer confirmed several times before loudly announcing, "Congratulations to bidder number nineteen! This auction item is yours!"

After he finished speaking, the auctioneer turned to the winner with a smile, "By the way, Mr. Bidder Number Nineteen, given the special nature of this auction item, you don’t have to wait until the auction ends. We can bring her to you now, what do you think?"

Normally, it would be hard for anyone to resist such a temptation, but bidder number nineteen somehow did not appreciate it, leaving the auctioneer feeling snubbed.

"No need!" Bidder number nineteen declared, his voice old and hoarse, sounding like a man in his seventies or eighties, though it was very likely feigned.

He paused for a moment before addressing the auctioneer, "I prefer everything to follow the rules. So, whatever the procedure is, let’s stick to it. I don’t want to be the exception.

This girl, take her backstage now. Then dress her properly, pack her personal belongings, and after the auction is over, she’ll leave with me.

After all, I’ve spent four thousand five hundred Gold Coins, and I don’t want to lead her out naked — my property is not for others to admire, understand?"

The auctioneer’s expression stiffened, but the customer is king. Even though his auction house was not the most upright, he couldn’t afford to be confrontational and he forced a smile, "Understood, it will be taken care of."

"However, I must remind the customer that once you leave this place, it’s no longer our responsibility. In case of any mishap on the way..."

"I am fully responsible for my own! I know that!" Bidder number nineteen cut in impatiently, "I’ve been here before, I don’t need your prattling! If there’s nothing else, proceed with the next item quickly. I don’t have time to waste with you."

"Ah, yes, of course." The auctioneer, feeling deflated under the commanding presence of bidder number nineteen, grimaced and gestured for the young girl to be taken away, then ordered the next auction item to be brought forward.

"Now, the next item up for auction is a Color Painting!" The auctioneer took a deep breath to regain his composure and restored his smile. While speaking, he gestured towards a wooden table.

On one side of the wooden table, the employees of the auction house had placed an exquisitely crafted square metal frame, antiquated in appearance, with a colorful painting inside.

The content of the painting was bizarre and chilling, featuring various Demons, Skulls, and Fierce Flames, akin to the imagined vision of hell.

The auctioneer introduced, "As you all can see, this here is a painting of hell. The artist is from Lisben Island, named Huster Na. He recently passed away, so... rest assured that this is a collectible piece guaranteed to appreciate in value."

"Of course, even though the artist is deceased and the piece has potential to appreciate in value, you all must think this painting doesn’t serve much practical purpose." The auctioneer looked at the crowd’s lukewarm reaction and slowly continued, "However, I want to tell you that while the painting may be ordinary, the pigment used is not. See this red color? Does it not have a special luster? Let me tell you now, it contains the half-heart of a King."

"Hmm?" the audience below uttered sounds of surprise, their curiosity successfully piqued.

The host, seeing the change in the atmosphere, seized the opportunity and began to recount quickly, "The owner of this King’s Heart was called Dieter Hu Fu Regidov, and his son was Amon Hu Fu Regidov. Both of them were once kings of the Pu Aiji Kingdom, located beyond the East Coast on Lisben Island.

The Pu Aiji Kingdom was originally a very small kingdom, but under Amon Hu Fu Regidov’s reign, it rapidly expanded. Its territory grew many times over, and it even attempted to become a Wizard Country. It is speculated that some wizard power was supporting him from behind.

But good times didn’t last long. Just last year, other wizard forces that couldn’t stand watching took action. They neatly and swiftly killed King Amon, reportedly freezing him into an ice sculpture outright.

Afterward, the whole Pu Aiji Kingdom plunged into chaos, political forces reshuffled, and the Royal Family was nearly uprooted. During this process, the tomb of Amon’s father—former King Dieter Hu Fu Regidov—was unfortunately looted, and items from the grave subsequently found their way to the public.

The Kingdom of Pu Aiji had a particular custom where, when someone died, their organs would be removed. The body’s blood would be drained, carefully smeared with aromatic oils, wrapped in burial shrouds, dressed in garments, and placed into a sealed lead, stone, and wooden coffin within three layers, ensuring the body could be preserved for hundreds of years without decaying.

The removed organs were then soaked in strong liquor, mixed with cinnamon, spices, medicinal herbs, and sealed in pottery jars placed alongside the coffin.

Over time, the organs sealed in the pottery jars would dissolve, turning into a special kind of clear oil that floated on the surface of the jar’s liquid. This painting was created using the clear oil from a jar containing a heart. It used up half of the clear oil, so you could also say that it used half a heart."

The host took a deep breath and looked towards the people downstairs, "So, you see, this is indeed a very special painting. I think a starting price of a thousand Gold Coins is not too much to ask. What does everyone think?"

No one responded. Each bidder, having listened to the story with a morbid curiosity, lost interest—after all, nobody liked things made from dead people’s organs, unless they had a peculiar fetish.

Richard in the corner, looking at the Color Painting on stage, muttered to himself, "Corpse Oil Painting, huh?"

He had heard of such paintings on Earth:

After the French Revolution, royal tombs were raided, coffins were opened, and as many as thirteen Holy Bone Shrines that once held the hearts of kings and queens were scattered among the public.

It was said that these thirteen hearts eventually ended up in the hands of two painters—Madan Delolin and Saint Martin.

Of them, Madan Delolin received eleven hearts and used them all up due to his industrious painting, creating masterpieces such as "In the Kitchen," which were later purchased by a French King who was unaware and very fond of art, and added them to his collection.

Saint Martin received only two hearts, and due to a lack of inspiration, used only half of one. Eventually, seeing he couldn’t use it up, he simply returned the remaining half of "Louis XIV" and the complete "Louis XIII" back to the Royal Family.

The King at that time was Louis XVIII, who, overjoyed at receiving his ancestor’s hearts, lavishly rewarded Saint Martin and then enshrined his ancestors’ hearts in the church. Afterward, he returned to the palace, happily admiring the Color Painting "In the Kitchen"—yes, that unknowing French King was he.

Richard’s eyes flickered as he touched his chin. He knew of Corpse Oil Paintings on Earth and never expected to encounter similar things here, especially related to the Pu Aiji Kingdom he had once visited.

But even so, he wasn’t interested in such paintings, except...

...