Devil's Business

Last Supper

Smell of hotel room service’s meal filled the room in which Juno resides for the past nights of his voyage. In the middle of July, day of independence for Atia before the man of Gram, the sale of ‘the last supper’ paintings is due to start. The fist-fight to achieve the triumph of obtaining the rights upon this painting was enlightened everyone to visit the country, including Juno and his fiduciary duty upon the investment of the devil. So far, many things had enthralled him to find out the historical appliances of the demon’s existence prior to his tenure.

Warron Dinner’s acknowledgement, as far as he concerned, was due to one of his client in the past that has complimented of the beast’s magical power ahead of him in careless manner. Unfortunately, he chose not to unveil the connection, rather tempted him by saying,”Good luck in reading the books, Mr. Ayodhya!” before masking himself back into the dusk.

And today marks the next clue of the demon’s ancient feature. Paintings of Geronimo Luda, a well-known eccentric personality of 1213, had confessed of something which only a person related to the quest would know about. Mark of the beast, or any way in-between, were shown by the smothered colors upon the canvas.

“It’s started at 9 o’clock. I’m better chatting Melissa before-“

(Knock-Knock)

“Mr. Ayodhya, this is Melissa.” Said the person in front of the door as Juno sprayed two shots of fragrance,”Are you ready? The meetings would be commenced at 9 today.”

Juno, as he has heard of somebody he wants to call earlier, hurried to grab his brown suit and wore it up on his way to the hotel room’s entrance,”Hello there, Melissa. Ready to buckle up for the deal?” Spoke Juno to his aide for the day. She nods at once while fixing her client’s attire for the gala,”Definitely, Mr. Ayodhya. This is my first time on the official auction day, and I am a little bit nervous.” Stated her afterwards. Juno himself could felt the tremble of Melissa’s bewilderment upon her way to fix his tie.

---

The room in which Juno and Melissa had visited, the main hall of display for “the last supper”, were filled to the brim with contestants of the auction. They were all seated on the preserved position upon the clutch of the round table. Distinctive to the conventional alignment of an auction, four people were seated in accordance to their profession and affiliation. In each available table of the hall, it should be filled with at least two of the auction’s contestant, which probably has one assistant as their advisor if they need it for suggestions upon the quest.

Before long, the charade of Atia’s comemmoration of Gram’s defeat were shown up by mass of events happened around the clock. Atia’s national ballet dancer team were entering the ground of battlefield for the premier entertainment of the gala. In accordance to the ballet session who started the entire story, the local’s choir sang the anthem of Atia before the speech of Atia’s leader whom promotes and reminisced her own bitter experience from the battlefield when she was young.

“And now-“ Announced the host with clamoring voice,”It’s time for our biggest deal of the planet, “The last Supper”!”

As preceded, the gala’s orchestra began to beating their drum and bass. The curtain with which the painting was hidden from anyone’s sight starting to rise up ahead of the contestants and journalists of the show.

“So, the auction of this painting started at 10 million dollars. All of you can elevate the offer- Ah, someone from table 6 has offered 12 million, how grateful I- okay, the next is 16 million from the lady of table eight.” Pronounced the host of the auction as he received surge of offerings from the auction’s participant.

The man with devil’s hand seemed calm and collected, even though the price has elevated near two hundred millions after 30 minutes of the auction’s showcase. Melissa, because she never saw anything like millions of money upon the wooden board, turned her heads infinitely by the speed of the participant’s input and fierce exchange over the crowd. Juno himself gently noted any odd price and chuckling a bit, while thinking of what he should prepare for the blast.

On the other side of his table, a lady with blue coat appeared unsettled by how aloof the man in front of her has become. She was stuck at 100 millions and passed herself to the thrilling auction accordingly as she was lacking of funds hereafter. With her slanted eyes, she spoke to Juno,”Are you sure not putting something up, darling? The price has been-“

“Wait a bit, ma’am. I am trying to fix something up.” Stated Juno in advance. On the stage, however, the surge of bidding were slowly ceased out when it hits 300 million dollars. As the host gradually putting the bid warfare to a close, He wrote down the price and swung it right up to the air.

“Seriously, sir? five hundred millions? Am I being hypnotised?” Stated the host as his eyes widened by the enormous bid offered to the painting,” Anyone wanted to challenge this monster? Nobody? Alright, the price was set. “The last supper” sold to the man in a brown suit on table 10!” Shouted the host in the final statement, which pointed the end of the day for the auction to them all.

---

The signing process was scheduled at 2 in the afternoon. Juno had this thoughts dwindled within since the very day of his acknowledgement of the issue. There are questions left unanswered, especially to the confirmation of ‘sustenance’ requirements stated by the demon. He wasn’t so sure when would the demon appear, or how his magic pen informed him of the bad deal, but nothing to predict otherwise.

As he twirling the skull designed ballpoint on his right hand, his mind floating around and got stiffen by the task. If this purchase truly happened, he would lose more than half of his wealth in one swoop. There is no way for the beast to left him with more tasks once it’s finished, he thought for the second time. He could finally invest on something, growing his business in a flash by selling the asset acquired from his company. Who would ever thought that his business were nothing but a cloak for the expense?

“I have to complete the track before retiring, that’s for certain.” Muffled Juno as he got out from his loneliness inside the hotel room.

In order to cure his inquisitiveness of his recently obtained artifact, he stepped down the stairwell two levels downstairs. The press conference was planned to be concluded inside the rented auditorium of the hotel there. As he entered the fray, he found no journalists at the moment, just several technician which lie in focus to the electronic mechanism of the conference site,”I must be too excited. Even Melissa still not here right now.” Muttered him as he walks out from the room.

Since he has an hour for sightseeing at the moment, Juno waltz inside the hall for peeking to his painting and its beauty. A few staffs could be seen running around to detach the painting from its red throne. It is precisely his peak, top of the mountain for the most expensive painting in the world today. His name would be crafted down the lists of richpedia, the internet community compilation of bizarre purchase shoved by the wealthy to buy something that should be cheaper than it looks. Half of his fortune were spent only for fragile canvas, solely to boast his seemingly bottomless well of gold, so it was still counted as virile action of the rich.

In his way to step out from the hall, a stranger’s hand is patting him on the left,“Hey, buddy. Don’t wanna spill out your plan, huh?” Said the man from behind. Juno felt disgruntled by the provocation, but a tad worried with the knowledge poised by the simple statement muttered by somebody to his ear. As he turned his back, Je-llo was hugging him seamlessly in happiness,”Won’t you give me a hint on your remarkable adventure, man? This is too much for me!” 

Je-llo, the poet of Jatra, has unfathomable interest upon arts and craft. His house is stuffed with several infamous painting of the world. The base design of ‘the last supper’ and its bloody figures is interesting for someone like this guy of the richman’s block.

“So, when’s the signing? I am totally freaked out back then, dude! You rock!” Said Je-llo as he gasped several times by the time they leaving the hall,”Like, totally-totally- unbelievable for you to punch the guts of mine like that, bro!”

“Who cares for money, if you got it chewy, right?”

Je-llo got even more enthralled by the sudden throw of rhyme from his partner,”A big fit for a big purse, to beat the meat and for the ruse.” Sang him in motion as he danced to his own rhyme in following to the one’s made by Juno earlier. 

---

While they walk to the main lobby for a stint of air, Melissa was waiting there and sitting with no motion whatsoever. As she noticed the presence of two humans on her right, which were seemed interested and gazing at her non-stop, She tried to mock them out on public. However, as she turned around, she found Her boss standing there and smiling, hence made her posing awkwardly to Juno and Je-llo as she rubbed her neck steadily”Hello, Mr. Je-llo. I am your fans. May I have your number, please?” Said her in advance while preparing for her phone,”If you may not, I would be delighted if I can snapshot your smile with my boss!”

“Who’s this fine lady, Brother? She seemed too ‘excited’ for me.” Asked Je-llo towards Juno in front,”Anyway, milady, I can’t give you my numbers. But, for my man’s right here, I’ll let you take a picture with me for once.”

“Thank you! You’re so sweet, Mr. World!” Screamed Melissa before giving her phone to Juno,”Please assist me with this for one time, Mr. Ayodhya. This is too wonderful to miss!”

---

The three of them, because of the sudden meetup, gone together to the signing conference. In this session, journalists from major press were gathered inside and ready to shoot the majestic event on the go. The canvas of ‘the last supper’ was intact upon the left side of the conference table. The certificate of ownership for the painting is nesting itself on the table, accompanied with the director and previous owner of the art. Juno, as designated before the show commenced, was sitting in the middle of the two. He smiles gracefully to the audience, which were all journalists, and proceeded to sign the contract afterwards.

“Congratulations, Mr. Ayodhya. May this painting has its nice long rest within your possession the moment onwards.” Spoke the director as he shakes Juno’s hand before the snap of the press. Juno gave his best grin in return to the director, as well as the previous owner beside him.

---

Three days later, the legendary painting has arrived to his mansion. Five hundred millions worth of dollars were transferred alongside the contract taken at the gala for the item, not comprising the journey for the painting to Jatra later on. The container truck was confined and escorted by two police guardian in every corner, which means a lot to the value of the painting within.

Of course, the two enthusiastic adult teenager of the art at the time were enthralled when the package arrived. Three personnel of the carrier were dispatched to the rear-side of the container, cracking it down in prudent fashion.

“How is that possible? Is there any hole on the container?” Shouted one man in panic after looking at what contained inside,”It’s gone!”