#74. Reunion

The unexpected guests, whose hoods covered their heads completely, didn’t seem bothered by the noise around them. They sat down in the empty seats, as if their positions were all predetermined.

The host spoke again once they were all seated. “First of all, I bow my head and apologize for not informing you in advance.”

He bowed down for a moment, speaking in a dry, serious voice that certainly didn’t match his clown outfit. “The passageways of the Underworld were suddenly opened, and with it came the endless influx of malice carried by ghosts; the Nobles have all had a hard time over the past year. Even for us, the Black Merchants, it was as if we had gone back to the horrific past, and we had to survive a year where nothing but savagery dominated the Underworld.”

The commotion in the auction house slowly subsided. The unexpected guests constantly had the attention of the rest of the floor, as the other participants stared at them with a mix of vigilance and hostility. However, the hooded guests continued to listen diligently to the host, perhaps to get a better understanding of the situation.

“But we,...