Episode 92: The Auction House (Part 2)
As the auction began, a masked man stepped onto the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today.”
His voice resonated throughout the theater, drawing everyone’s attention.
“We will be following the order in the catalog you received. If you’re interested in an item, please write your bid on the paddle and raise it.”
Damian examined the paddle he had been given. It was enchanted, allowing him to write and erase freely.
“Let’s begin the auction! Our first item is a bundle of Moon Dream Grass!”
A masked woman wheeled out a cart with a bundle of sky-blue, weed-like plants.
“As you know, Moon Dream Grass is a rare plant that only beastfolk can gather. It’s impossible to obtain through regular herbalists.”
Damian recognized the plant from the dark magic knowledge Dorogo had imparted to him.
“Though it looks beautiful, be cautious. It’s a dangerous hallucinogen. We’ll start the bidding at 20 gold coins, considering its rarity!”
Bidders in the audience began raising their paddles. The auctioneer called out energetically.
“21 gold… 24 gold! We have 27 gold!”
Damian listened to the conversation in the adjacent room. He heard Alexander Apple and a woman’s voice.
“Sir, Marina insisted that we must acquire the Moon Dream Grass.”
“No rush. We have plenty of funds.”
The sound of writing followed, and the auctioneer announced, “35 gold! The current highest bid is 35 gold!”
No one else raised their paddle. The auctioneer asked again, “Any more bids? If not, we’ll sell it for 35 gold…”
At that moment, Damian raised his paddle, showing a bid of 60 gold.
“60 gold! We have 60 gold!”
The bid jumped from 35 to 60 gold, but Damian remained unfazed. He knew the item was crucial for the other side.
“60 gold? Is that weed really worth that much?”
“Moon Dream Grass is indeed hard to come by… It might be a bit pricey, but it’s worth it.”
Voices of confusion and frustration came from the next room.
“Sir, we need the Moon Dream Grass.”
“Can’t we find it elsewhere?”
“It’s extremely rare… We could commission the beastfolk, but it would take time.”
“Damn it!”
More writing sounds followed, and the auctioneer shouted, “70 gold! 70 gold! This is the highest bid we’ve ever had for Moon Dream Grass!”
Damian didn’t immediately raise his paddle again, focusing on the conversation next door.
“Sir, if the price goes up again…”
“Don’t worry. We have more than enough money.”
With that assurance, Damian wrote a new number and raised his paddle. The auctioneer exclaimed, “90 gold! 90 gold! I didn’t expect such fierce bidding right from the start!”
As Damian increased the bid, Alexander Apple grew irritated.
“Who the hell is this? Damn it, let’s see who wins this!”
“Sir, please calm down. The price is too high. We have many more items to acquire. Raise the bid one more time, and if they outbid us, let it go.”
Hearing this, Damian lowered his paddle. If they weren’t going to continue, neither would he.
“100 gold! 100 gold! Any more bids?”
Thus, the Moon Dream Grass went to Alexander Apple. Despite acquiring the coveted item, the mood in the next room was sour.
“We’ve taken a loss right from the start. Whoever that bastard is, I’ll make them pay if I find out.”
The next item was brought out. The auctioneer pointed and announced, “Next, we have the Eye of the Basilisk! As you know, it’s extremely dangerous and must be handled with care!”
The Basilisk, known as the king of serpents, was a monster that could petrify anyone who met its gaze.
“Sir, it’s finally here. We must not miss this. It’s the most important item.”
Damian smiled, knowing the Eye of the Basilisk was invaluable to the poison masters of the Mandok School.
This time, he decided to start with a high bid.
“Considering its rarity, we’ll start at 50 gold! Please write your bids!”
The competition was fierce, as the Eye of the Basilisk was rarely seen.
“74 gold! Any more bids?”
As the price doubled, no one else raised their paddle.
“It’s time for us to bid.”
Alexander Apple’s voice came through the wall. Damian prepared to raise his paddle as well.
“90 gold! 90 gold…”
Before the auctioneer could finish, Damian raised his paddle.
“130 gold! 130 gold! I didn’t expect such enthusiasm for the Eye of the Basilisk!”
A curse erupted from the next room.
“Who is it? Who raised the bid by 50 gold?”
“Sir, the Eye of the Basilisk is…”
“I know! It’s important! Stop rushing me!”
The sound of gritted teeth was audible. Shortly after, the auctioneer announced, “160 gold! Any more bids?”
It was futile. Damian immediately raised his bid to 180 gold.
“Damn it! Who is this?”
The reaction was much more intense this time. It seemed their funds were reaching their limit.
Damian didn’t raise his paddle again.
“The Eye of the Basilisk! Sold for 180 gold!”
Despite acquiring the most important item, Alexander Apple was far from pleased, cursing under his breath.
“We’ve already spent 280 gold! In this place, of all places!”
“Sir, please calm down…”
“How can I calm down? We must succeed in this plan!”
Listening to Alexander Apple’s threats, Damian chuckled to himself.
“Next, we have Mandrake Powder! Properly processed, it can be used as a panacea! We’ll start at 20 gold!”
The auctioneer’s words were met with a cautious suggestion from the woman.
“Sir, we also need the Mandrake Powder…”
“Yes, I suppose we do!”
As the two conversed, Damian pondered how much to bid this time. It was a delightful dilemma.
Damian continued to drain Alexander Apple’s funds several more times.
“Now, let me introduce the next item! This is the Mana Cultivation Technique! Unfortunately, more than half of it was burned…”
Damian also acquired the Mana Cultivation Technique he had been eyeing.
“Sold for 12 gold!”
It seemed there were no competitors, as the item wasn’t particularly appealing. The common belief was that only a renowned expert could restore the lost technique.
The cost of hiring such an expert would likely exceed the purchase price.
Thanks to this, Damian obtained the Mana Cultivation Technique at a bargain.
“Our next item is… a rare artifact we couldn’t identify!”
The auctioneer pointed to a crystal on the cart.
Inside the transparent crystal was a large ice crystal.
“Interestingly, holding this item allows you to withstand cold and ice magic!”
The auctioneer explained various details about the Heart of the Elemental.
“Considering its unknown nature, we’ll start at 10 gold!”
A few people raised their paddles. The auctioneer called out busily.
“12 gold! 14 gold! 15 gold!”
The small increments suggested that no one knew the item’s true value.
Perhaps they were buying it simply because it looked pretty and intriguing.
Before writing his bid, Damian listened to the conversation next door.
“Sir, we need that item as well.”
“It doesn’t seem necessary for making poisons… Can’t we skip it?”
“That crystal is filled with elemental power. It would greatly enhance your Thorn Sword.”
“The Thorn Sword?”
The mention of the Thorn Sword piqued Damian’s interest.
“As I mentioned, the Thorn Sword is mostly sealed. Only pure magic can break the seal.”
“So we need the crystal?”
“Yes.”
Alexander Apple groaned, deliberating before making a decision.
”…You acquired the Thorn Sword, so you know best. Alright, let’s buy it.”
A relic sword from a Pandemonium dark mage sounded suspicious.
‘It might not even be a relic sword.’
Damian had already sensed something off about the sword.
It might not be a genuine relic sword, just as he suspected.
“30 gold! 30 gold!”
The auctioneer’s call snapped Damian out of his thoughts. Alexander Apple must have placed a bid.
“30 gold! Any more bids?”
Damian quickly wrote a new bid and raised his paddle.
“40 gold! 40 gold! We have a big spender here!”
It was a hefty sum, but it didn’t matter. The heart of the spirit was worth far more than that.
Damian was prepared to do whatever it took to win the bid for the spirit’s heart.
But the conversation coming from the next room sounded a bit odd.
“Your Excellency, please write down the amount… Your Excellency?”
“Damn it… I can’t raise the bid any higher.”
“But the spirit’s heart…”
“I’m out of money! I’ve spent it all!”
Alexander Apple, his only competitor, had run out of funds.
“No more bids? Then it’s sold for 40 gold!”
Thanks to this, Damian managed to acquire the spirit’s heart for what was practically a steal.
“Your Excellency…!”
“What do you want me to do? I have no more money!”
Listening to their exchange, Damian chuckled quietly.
Meanwhile, another auction item was brought onto the stage.
A chest filled with iridescent beads was displayed.
“Next, we have detoxification beads, crafted by the Alchemy Guild! Just one bead can neutralize any poison…”
It was an item Damian hadn’t noticed before. He flipped through the catalog to check the remaining items.
“Detox beads, alpaca lungs, air-sensing rings…”
There were quite a few items that could counteract poison.
As he examined them, Damian’s expression shifted subtly.
Poison was dangerous, but with the right preparations, it was nothing to fear.
“Looks like I’ll need to spend a bit more.”
Muttering to himself, Damian began jotting down his bids.
By the end of the auction, Damian had secured all the items he wanted.
After that day, Damian focused on preparing for the expedition.
Thanks to Oliver Apple’s remarkable efforts, the timeline was significantly shortened. As a result, Damian and the knights were able to set off much earlier than planned.
“I’ve arranged for a ship, so we’ll travel along the river to the Arden Plains.”
Once again, Oliver Apple’s skills shone through.
With all the routes and logistics meticulously planned, the group traveled comfortably and swiftly.
When they finally reached their destination, the Walnut Estate, they were met with an unexpected sight.
“Uwooo!”
“Ughhh!”
An army of orcs was battering the estate’s walls.
“Sir Damian! The castle is under attack!”
Oliver Apple turned to Damian, flustered. Damian shrugged.
“Well, it’s nothing we can’t handle. Just await the prince’s command.”
“A command?”
“The prince is leading us, isn’t he?”
Oliver Apple’s expression changed at Damian’s words, though his eyes still trembled with uncertainty.
It was his first time in such a position, so his reaction was understandable.
“Your Highness, you need to speak loudly here for it to be impressive.”
Damian joked, and Oliver Apple couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“All troops…!”
That laughter eased the tension. With a clear voice, Oliver Apple shouted.
“Charge!”
Damian drew his sword. He pulled the reins. He was the first to charge toward the orcs.
The remaining knights followed Damian, rushing toward the orcs.
“Let’s go! Waaaah!”
A dozen knights galloped across the plains.