Chapter Six: True Victory
“I can’t believe it!” Liz wailed. “I went to six different places and couldn’t find a single one! Zip! Zero!”
“Yeah, well, it’s busy this time of year,” I said.
“I was torn on whether to go out on an expedition or search for a bounty. But it takes time to search for a bounty and convert the reward into money, and if I go out on an expedition, I might not make it in time for the auction. So, I thought that the best course of action was to sell the drops that I earned from phantoms and monsters to gain even a bit more for our funds!”
“Yeah, uh-huh.”
I was walking around the imperial capital with a smiling Liz and Sitri in tow. The auction had begun, and the city was teeming with people. For a while, the capital would be noisy like a festival. Stalls lined the main road, and a few were hosting smaller auctions, copying the official auction that would be hosted. The Explorers’ Association was buried with requests, and this was the time for both merchants and hunters to make some cash.
My mind had been occupied by a Reversible Face for the past few days, but as I calmed myself down, I realized that several other useful Relics would be put up for auction too. My current situation didn’t allow me to reach for those, but it felt a little lonely, like I couldn’t participate in a party. Liz was all smiles, but Sitri sighed deeply.
“You’re so useless, Liz,” Sitri grumbled. “If only you found an expensive Relic. That would’ve put my mind more at ease.”
“Huh?!” Liz demanded. “It’s your fault that you’re in this mess in the first place! Why does everyone know about the Relic that Krai Baby’s after?!”
Uh, sorry, that’d be my fault... I gazed at the two sisters bantering and felt a sense of guilt, causing me to look away quietly.
“Hmm... Even if we gathered all of our savings, we didn’t quite reach a billion gild,” Sitri said.
“Well, we did go all out to conquer that palace, and our rewards from that are in Luke’s hands,” Liz said with a pout.
Our party had a rule that if one had to leave the party for whatever reason, barring extenuating circumstances, they wouldn’t take home the rewards from these expeditions. Had Liz or Sitri been able to grab even a bit of this money, the outcome of the auction might’ve changed.
Sitri sighed. “Agreed. This was all just poor timing. Usually, I’d be able to make this situation work more in our favor.”
She’s done so much and she’s still not satisfied? I thought as she looked up at me.
“We probably have about a seventy percent chance of winning,” she said. “If you didn’t say no, I think we could still hatch a few plans...”
“No,” I replied firmly. “You’ve done more than enough, Sitri. Thank you.”
“Aw...”
The corners of her lips tugged upwards. Sitri was brighter than Liz, but she had an unfortunate tendency to take things too far. I guessed that this was simply the fate of a competent person.
“I know! Krai Baby, if you still can’t get that Relic...” Liz said with a confident smile, squeezing my right arm and pushing her body to my side, “I’ll steal it from that shitty brat!”
“You’re up against a noble, you know,” I warned.
I mean, it’s not like she should steal regardless if the person in question was a noble or not. That’s not what a Thief does. Stealing is a crime.
“Huh? Is that an issue?” she asked. “Don’t worry, those complacent knights can’t lay a finger on me! I won’t lose to them!”
“Liz, if you do that, Krai will become the prime suspect!” Sitri said. “If you’re gonna do it...you better make it look like a burglary or something.”
“Stop that,” I said.
Seriously. Do you guys not know when to pull the brakes? I assumed that they were joking, but some jokes were in poor taste.
The Zebrudia Auction was hosted in a chalky white theater in the center of the imperial capital. This arena was normally used for concerts and plays; the polished marble building was gathering a crowd of men and women of all ages. How many of them are planning on bidding on an item? How many of them will try to outbid us? The only thing I could do now was pray for a fun, clean auction.
The entrance was divided into three: one for nobles, one for hunters, and one for everyone else. It went without saying that nobles were separated from the rest, but hunters were also differentiated because there would certainly be problems if they were grouped together with the general public.
The entrance fee to the auction was a hundred thousand gild. The most crowded entrance that stood out among the rest was the one for hunters. Firstly, their appearances were very conspicuous. Why did that person come in a full suit of armor for the auction? Some looked severely intimidating, and for whatever reason, some had even brought their weapons along with them.
I noticed a familiar group within the crowd. There was a young boy with flaming red hair that seemed to burn even the heavens, a frightening, elderly man with dark brown hair, a female Thief with brown hair, and the apprentice of the lady who was currently glued to my right arm.
It’d been a while since the melting pot of members that were hurled into the White Wolf’s Den had gathered. There were a few unfamiliar faces surrounding them, but even I wouldn’t mistake Tino’s face. I considered talking to Gilbert first, changed my mind to Greg, considered Rhuda, and eventually settled on Tino.
“Hey, Tino!” I said. “Are you guys here to buy something too?”
“Master! Good morning!” she said.
The other members noticed me and gave an awkward smile. Did Tino start tagging along with them ever since they formed a party with us? In any case, I’m glad that she made a few new friends.
“I’m here to see your valiance with my own eyes!” Tino said. “I saw them trying to visit the auction, so I thought I’d go with them, is all.”
“Tino, you turn into a completely different person in front of the Thousand Tricks,” Gilbert muttered.
Tino shot him a scornful glare. Though completely by accident, I was in the center of this maelstrom of an auction. The man beside Gilbert looked at me with interest before he started whispering. Yeah, this is uncomfortable for me.
“Valiance aside, if you were going to the auction, you should’ve gone with us,” I said.
“Er, well, you didn’t...invite me,” Tino replied.
Sorry. Oh my gosh, I’m so, so sorry. I heard that you even lent us some of your money. I’m truly sorry. That totally slipped my mind. But if I were allowed to give an excuse, er...right! It’s probably better if you went with Rhuda and the others to avoid attracting attention. Honestly, if I could, I’d love to switch places with you.
I noticed Rhuda shooting daggers at me. Maybe she knows that Tino’s loaning me money.
“Ah, erm... That is to say...” I stammered.
Tino stared up at me as I struggled to find my words. What am I supposed to say? I can invite her now, but she’s with them now, and she won’t feel at ease with Liz and co by her side. Just then, I thought of a great idea.
“Tino, if you don’t mind, why don’t you enter the auction in my stead?” I suggested.
“Huh? In your stead?” she repeated.
The Zebrudia Auction allowed the usage of a substitute. This was pretty self-explanatory, but this was a policy that allowed one to join the auction in lieu of another. We’d attend the auction, but instead of vocalizing our intentions, we’d send a unique hand signal to Tino to communicate with her and have her bid instead.
Substitution was used mostly by those who wanted to hide their identities. Since people knew that I was aiming for a Reversible Face, this would do little to conceal my identity, but it would help me enjoy the auction a bit more. Tino widened her eyes in shock while Sitri nodded while narrowing hers.
“I see...” the Alchemist muttered. “That’s not a bad idea. While I’m not sure how the young noble would react to this, we might be able to confuse her. It might only alleviate our anxiety, but are you sure about this? Wouldn’t you like to bid on the item you want?”
Indeed, I loved auctions. The act of joining a passionate bidding war and successfully buying an item that I wanted was wonderfully cathartic. But I thought that I should concede that privilege this time around.
“I participated in the auction last year and the year before that too,” I said. “It’s a bit messy this time. Come on, Liz, don’t look so wistful.”
Liz looked restless, perhaps eager to be my substitute. But I felt like she was acting a bit too immature.
“All right...” Liz said sluggishly before she glared at her sister. “Tsk, you better win, T.”
“R-Right!” Tino replied. “Leave it to me, Master, Lizzy! I’ll win that auction and get that item! You can count on me!”
She balled her hands into fists with gusto. There seems to be pressure on her to win, but our funds are limited, so if we’re over our budget and lose, that won’t necessarily be her fault.
A carriage arrived at the nobles’ entrance, sporting the familiar emblem of House Gladis. Enveloped in a pure white dress, Lady Éclair stepped out and glanced around. When she finally spotted me, she glared at me with such intensity that I could hardly believe that she was a young girl. The look of astonishment that she’d shown when we arrived to negotiate with her was nowhere to be seen—an unmistakable sign that she’d gathered more than two hundred million.
Sitri remained composed, but she squeezed my hand. When I glanced at her, a smile was plastered on her face, but I could tell that she was desperately burying her anxiety beneath her cheery expression. Did we...lose this one?
***
The auction venue was filled with the heat of the bidders. The seats which surrounded the large center stage were divided into three. Most of them were for the general public, including those from trading companies and the wealthy. The treasure hunters were guided towards seats that were a bit isolated from the rest, and the nobles and other VIPs were given special chairs.
The hunters’ seats were the noisiest. Anyone could join in on the Zebrudia Auction, so long as they paid the admission fee, but no commoner would cough up a hundred thousand gild just to be a mere spectator. Naturally, this meant that many bidders were refined and composed, part of the upper class, but this rule didn’t apply to the treasure hunters.
The admission fee wasn’t too costly for hunters. Most of them lived day-to-day with little thought to the future, and their atmosphere was completely different from the rest. Food and drinks weren’t allowed within the venue, but boisterous laughter and vulgar roaring could be heard throughout the room.
There was staggered seating, allowing patrons to view the stage clearly. We were guided to an area that was higher elevated than the rest of the hunters, allowing us a bird’s-eye view of the hunters’ seats.
“Huh?!” Liz growled, immediately threatening a nearby hunter. “’Ey, you bastard! You were looking at me, weren’t ya? Where’re you from? I’ll give you five seconds. Spill it!”
“Wh-What?!” a poor hunter replied.
“Hey, could you stop her for me?” I whispered to the calmer Smart as I poked her.
Liz had clenched the arm of a burly man, who was much larger than her, and glared at him with rage burning in her eyes. She was a small woman, and the man she was threatening was much beefier, but he quickly turned pale, his gripped arm creaking at his joints. In stark contrast to her fragile appearance, she was actually very strong. She could easily snap an arm or two without an ounce of hesitation. The man looked to be in distress as he tried to twist his body and step back, but possibly due to the difference in strength, he realized that he couldn’t budge. Sitri, who initially acted like she was an innocent bystander, stood up to quell her older sister the troublemaker.
“Liz, Krai said that we should let him go.”
“Huh? Again?” Liz grunted. “This is boring.”
“It’s not like the people here are worth fighting against anyway. Come on, sit down.”
“Tch,” Liz said with an annoyed click of her tongue, releasing her poor victim from her grasp. “Get lost, you hear me? Next time you show up with that shitty face of yours, I’ll pound your ass to hell.”
The hunter quickly fled with his tail between his legs. That was peak survival of the fittest. The crowd fell silent for a moment upon watching Liz roar at the hunter, but they immediately became rowdy once more. Exchanges like these were a daily occurrence. I wanna quit being a hunter. I just wanna go to a faraway city, open up a confectionary store, and quietly live the remainder of my life in peace.
“I’m sorry, Krai,” Sitri apologized. “Liz is small but noisy.”
Liz heard her sister’s words. “Siddy, stop using me to win points with Krai Baby! Because you were ill prepared, we’ve got weird guys close to us. Besides, what the hell? Who allowed you to sit next to him? Don’t touch Krai Baby! You better stay a meter away from him at all times!”
“You’re at fault because you were late! You should lead the way and open a path for us! Do your job. I’m the one funding this, you know... Right, Krai?”
“Huh?! So what? That doesn’t matter, right, Krai Baby?”
“Mhm, uh-huh,” I replied. “I’m sure there are a lot more Relics up for auction... Look, Lion’s Chains. Urgh, but large chains take up space and they’re not even that strong.”
I crossed my legs while scanning the catalog that I received upon entering the venue. The name, characteristics, effects, seller, and appraiser were all neatly listed for each Relic. There was even a danger rating and location of discovery. Each item up for auction was appraised by an expert, but that didn’t mean that the auctioned items were definitively legit. While these occasions were rare, if you were unlucky, you’d purchase a fake that would cost you a pretty penny.
The auction was also a place to judge items and network. Rare books, items, works of art, and jewelry were also up for grabs, but I was only interested in Relics. This annual auction lived up to its name and had plenty of interesting Relics to offer. I’ll save up money so that I can join in on the fun next year. I swear it. I was too thoughtless this time around.
Far below me was Tino, nervously talking with Greg and the others. Farther away, in the nobles’ seating by the ceiling was Lady Éclair sitting and looking just as anxious.
The Relic we were aiming for, which had become big news within the capital, would come out in the latter half of the auction, being treated as a highlight of the event. Their battle over, Sitri took my left while Liz sat on my right. Things were finally starting to grow quiet. The Zebrudia Auction, which had been troubling me for the past several days, had finally opened its curtains.
***
The Zebrudia Auction was a simple affair. Each auctioned item started off with its lowest price, and bidders would reveal what they were willing to pay. While each item would have a minimum increment when raising the price, it was generally by a hundred thousand gild, a million gild, or ten million gild. Once someone offered the highest bid, the auctioneer would wait two minutes. If there weren’t any other offers, the item would be sold to the final bidder.
Once an item was sold, it was impossible to cancel the transaction. If, for whatever reason, the buyer couldn’t purchase the item at the price that they’d promised, they’d be punished severely for their crimes.
There were numerous possible methods to place a bid. You could write a price on a board and raise it in the air, or shout out your price. You could even use predetermined hand signals.
“All right! Sold, for fifteen million gild! Mirror Shield will go to Number 413!” the auctioneer shouted.
A thunderous applause echoed throughout the room. As the name had suggested, a mysterious shield that resembled a mirror was carried off stage. The more the auction progressed, the brighter the flames grew. The bidders grew more restless and antsy.
“Next up, is Entry Number 15!” the auctioneer shouted. “Hailing from the Era of Magical Arms, an item that was said to be handled by a clan of chains and known to be the strongest chain-type Relic for attacks...”
I couldn’t help but lean forward eagerly. I was so excited. There was only one item I could bid on today, so the Relics that were auctioned now were nothing more than appetizers, but I was affected by the fiery bidding war that ensued. My heart pounded with delight. Why is that Reversible Face in the latter half of the auction?! If it was up first, I could’ve used any remaining money to bid for other Relics!
“Krai, your face seems red,” Sitri noted.
“I think you’re imagining things,” I replied.
“Don’t worry. I will use any means possible and get that item without fail. I swear it on my name. Please be at ease. If our current funds aren’t enough, I don’t mind selling our house.”
Sitri clenched her fist, ignorant of my thoughts. I didn’t think I was in any position to ask her to allow me to use some of our funds to bid on another Relic. A wave of regret swept over me. Dammit! If only I saved up some money! No, if only Luke and the others returned quickly... No, wait... That’s right! I’ve got Lucia’s savings! I almost forgot! Uh...is it all right for an older brother to use his younger sister’s money?
I tapped my foot restlessly as one item after another was auctioned off in front of my eyes. I wasn’t sure if this was perfect or terrible timing, but all of the items were Relics. There was a chain and a ring with a mysterious power, a cape that allowed one to breathe underwater, and a pair of boots that allowed the user to float a centimeter in the air. I saw a crystal ball that could predict the weather with seventy percent accuracy and a sword that could shrink as small as thirty centimeters or grow as long as three meters. I want that. I want that so badly. It was unusual for my materialistic desires to be on full display, but I couldn’t help these feelings that welled up within me.
I wasn’t a Relic user; I was just a collector. Even if the items were weak or useless, I wanted it for collection’s sake. These precious items were sold dirt cheap. The highlight of the auction would appear later, but if I had the money right now, I would’ve placed a bid on these Relics without hesitation. Damn! If I could’ve bought that Reversible Face for cheap, I could’ve bought all the other ones too! You guys didn’t buy that item as an investment, did you? You guys are gonna use them, right?! I’d use them! I’d use them preciously, so please give them to me. Who cares about Reversible Face, right? Maybe we should give up, yeah? Quantity over quality?
Watching random merchants and hunters buy Relics in front of me was akin to the pain of seeing your crush being stolen away as you found yourself unable to do anything. But if I were to bid on something here and lose the Reversible Face auction, I wouldn’t be able to face the people who did their best to get me this far. I clenched my fists so hard that my knuckles turned white. I had to endure this. If I grew too relaxed, I’d cry out. Why am I not filthy rich?! Dammit! Is this as high as I can go?
Tino was glancing up at me, eagerly waiting for my signal. I’d already told her the item that I was shooting for, but she would always carefully confirm with me, attesting to her honest nature. Unfortunately, this positive trait of hers was currently working against her. I could tell that she was encouraging me with her eyes. “Master, are you sure you don’t need that? If you don’t buy it right now, you’ll never get your hands on it ever again,” was written all over her face—I was certain that I heard Tino’s thoughts.
Was this an auditory hallucination, or was this reality? I’d never been so flustered before. I was much calmer when I was surrounded by wolf knights in the White Wolf’s Den or when Sitri Slime was gone. My palms weren’t just clammy—I felt like they were absolutely soaked in my sweat. My trembling fingertips grew numb as I kept my fist clenched. My heart was thudding as though I’d just finished running a marathon at full speed. My throat was parched and I yearned to take a sip of water. I want a Relic that’s in the shape of a water canteen and provides unlimited water! I wanted a ring that’ll never make me thirsty when I wear it! Someone, please stop me! Take the wheel! Damn!
T-Tino’s telling me to buy these Relics. I can hear her thoughts! “Master, I’m disappointed in you for being unable to buy items of this caliber. You’re a failure of a collector.” I can hear her say it! Are you sure? Can I really? Is it worth letting down an apprentice? I pushed back my hair which was matted with sweat while staring at the stage. My time to make a decision had come. Reversible Face was still waiting for its turn. This auction’s objective might have been to outbid others, but without a doubt, my greatest opponent was myself. I didn’t mean to brag, but both my body and mental strength were quite frail. I tried to endure my impulses and gulped. I was tempted to close my eyes and cover my ears, but I felt like doing so would imply that I was admitting defeat.
“What’s wrong? Are you all right?” Liz peered at me with worry.
“Y-Yeah, I am,” I replied.
I closed my eyes and chided myself. I’m useless in battle, but I didn’t think I’d be so hopeless during times like these too. Wait. I’m a weakling, a small fry. That’s true. But precisely because I am so weak, I can’t disappoint those who expect something from me. If I were to give in to my desires and join the auction right now, how would Matthis and Eva feel? I’d troubled them more than enough. How would my clan members, who saw me riddled with debt, feel? They’d likely see me as someone who lacked self-control, a failure of a person. And, uh, they’re not wrong, to be honest... Above all, how would Sitri and Liz feel? If I were to use the money that they desperately gathered towards another Relic, would they say something?
After mulling it over for a brief while, I finally opened my eyes. Yeah, I think the Smarts would forgive me without saying a word. We’d gathered far over two hundred million, the amount that we’d told Lady Éclair. I think we’d be fine even if we used just a little. Enduring all this is even more stressful anyway.
Before I knew it, my body had stopped trembling. I took a deep breath and raised my head, finally making my resolve. My wavering determination was only solidified when I vocalized it. The husky voice that I managed to squeeze out made it clear just how dry my throat was.
“The time...has come.”
Very well. Your recklessness ends here. I’ll show you what true fear is. I’m the Thousand Tricks, the man who borrowed all the money that he could from his childhood friend to buy Relics. Burn my pathetic self into your minds.
A large piece of black armor was being carried onstage. It stood solemnly and with dignity as though someone was inside, silencing the rowdy crowd. It was around four meters tall. A massive shield and an impressive sword that were a perfect fit for the suit of armor created the full set. This was clearly not meant for humans to use. Maybe Ansem can wear it. The crowd quietly waited for the auctioneer’s words.
“Entry Number 44! An item from the empire’s pride and joy, the Vault Investigation Bureau! This is a metallic golem created by a certain magic organization!”
I see. So, it’s not a weapon, but a golem... Wait, huh? When I glanced beside me, I saw Sitri staring in astonishment, her eyes wide.
“Huh?” she murmured. “A...kasha?”
I was very familiar with this word. I once again turned towards the doll that was carried onstage. Vault Investigation Bureau, a certain magic organization, a metallic golem... There’s no mistaking it. That was the golem that was on the list of the spoils of war that we discussed splitting just the other day. What’s it doing in this auction? Government institutions would indeed auction off some items from time to time, but I had no idea how this specific golem was put up for the event.
Was there someone with peculiar tastes? Was someone planning on using it as a subject of research? The item, which had a starting price of thirty million gild, erupted in the fiercest bidding war of the day. As its price started to soar in the blink of an eye, I simply couldn’t understand its value. If I had that much money to spend on a mere golem, I would’ve spent it on Relics.
“Siddy...” Liz mumbled.
“Y-Yeah...” Sitri replied.
Of course, my train of thought was in the minority. I noticed Sitri sitting beside me, wide-eyed while her shoulders were trembling. Her usually calm demeanor was gone, and she was gazing down at the black golem, squeezing her hands tightly on her lap. The fiery bidding war continued, and two people, desperate to get their hands on this golem, were pushing up the price. Finally, a bid of over a hundred million gild was called out, and even the auctioneer couldn’t hide the excitement in their voice.
“Didn’t you want that, Sitri?” I asked, poking her shoulder.
“N-No...” Sitri replied, slowly shaking her head after a beat of silence.
However, I could see that her eyes were damp. Sitri was an introvert and rarely stated her own opinions. She especially always took a step back when it came to me. Noticing my dubious gaze, she quickly tried to think of an excuse.
“B-But it’s, er...an item that has been created after many years of research and numerous failed attempts. The cost to build it is no doubt great, but that’s not the most important bit...” Sitri said in a small voice, her voice trembling as her words were filled with her emotions.
I couldn’t quite understand, but once I heard Sitri’s explanation, it was clear that this was an amazing item. Others likely knew the value of that golem as the price continued to soar. Even the auctioneer didn’t seem to expect that an item with a starting value of thirty million gild would jump up to over two hundred million. And the bidding war showed no signs of slowing down. There were now three people engaged in their fierce battle. I guess there are a lot of wealthy people here.
“Er, I’m not sure how other people view this golem, but to me, it’s more like a keepsake of my friend,” Sitri said.
“It has sentimental value to you, then?” I asked.
I looked to her for confirmation, but I thought that was impossible. There was no way that she’d hold any sentimental feelings for the golems collected in Akashic Tower. Sitri visibly shrank and put her head down, trying to hide her facial expressions.
“Uh, not really... There’s...nothing for you to worry about,” Sitri whispered.
I sighed and reached out, grabbing her hand atop her lap. “You’re lying, aren’t you, Sitri?”
I might have been dense, but I knew my childhood friend very well. Even if I hadn’t known her for so long, as I saw her with tears in her eyes, there was no way that I’d take her words at face value.
***
The price continued to skyrocket and had jumped to over three hundred million. A bidder had given up, and only two were remaining.
One of them...was me.
Our entire funds were Sitri’s savings. There wasn’t a Relic in the world that I wanted over my childhood friend’s tear-filled desires. It was my fault that I couldn’t get her this item when we were splitting the spoils of war.
I licked my lips and tried to energize myself as I boasted, “Money should be used during times like these.”
There was likely more beneath the surface than a friend’s memento. Chances were low that Sitri’s friend was associated with a dangerous magic organization. However, her expression was anything but composed. She was used to enduring most desires, and it was unusual for her to wear her emotions on her sleeve. I presumed that Sitri’s Alchemist friend’s technology had been used to create that golem. The Tower was an illegal magic syndicate and they weren’t above stealing other people’s ideas. There was a chance that her friend had her technology stolen and was killed in the clash. Magic syndicates were never up to any good.
Hence, Sitri had requested the golem when splitting the loot and was currently torn between her loyalty to me and her desire for the item. I might be biased, but I think I’ve got the right idea. Wait...am I having a brainsmart moment right now?
To be honest, I didn’t understand Sitri’s feelings. Even if she told me, I likely would still be confused. But I wasn’t one to make the wrong decision. I was the leader of Grieving Souls and Sitri’s best friend first, and the Thousand Tricks second.
T looked at me with suspicion as though to ask, “Huh? Really? Are you sure? You want that weird doll instead of a Relic?” But I was sure. This is Sitri’s money anyway.
“Huh?” Sitri muttered in shock.
Did she think that I would prioritize my own desires over her tears? You don’t trust me enough. You should be more open about your wants. Liz, who always voiced her desires and lived a stress-free life, stared on in surprise.
“Huh?” she said. “Krai Baby, did you...? You go!”
“In any case, magic syndicates are always up to no good,” I said.
Sitri clenched her trembling fingertips as she stared intently at the stage. It reminded me of the time when she was still a child and had lacked confidence in whatever she did. Liz rearranged her legs and glanced at me.
“But are you sure about this, Krai Baby? What about the mask? If I were her, I would’ve held myself back.”
“It’s fine,” I replied. “I don’t need it. It’s worthless in comparison.”
She chuckled. “Are you trying to act strong?”
Ugh, this is why childhood friends have an advantage... Just like how I knew Sitri well, Liz also knew me quite well. She continued to giggle and poke my shoulder.
I furrowed my brows. “I’m not. Sure, I might’ve wanted that Relic, but this golem is much more important right now.”
“Th-Thank you so much,” Sitri stammered. “I-I didn’t think it would make an appearance... Krai, I’ll definitely make it up to you one day.”
Make it up to me? This is your money.
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “And the bidding isn’t over just yet. It might be a bit too early to celebrate.”
There was a moment of silence before she let out an emotional reply. “Right.”
I wasn’t sure if it was due to her excitement, but her usually pale skin was flushed red—even her ears took on a pink tinge. She likely wouldn’t have been this emotional had I successfully bought the mask. I hadn’t given up on the Relic just yet either as I gestured to Tino to keep raising the price by the lowest increment. Sitri had prepared 950 million gild in total. If her plan was successful and I was able to buy the mask with a little over 200 million gild, we’d have 750 million left over.
I knew nothing about alchemy, but I didn’t think that the newest golem would cost 750 million gild. I sank into my seat, relaxed, as I heard the price start to rise little by little. Two hundred million had already become three hundred million, and then it turned into four hundred million. Wait, four hundred million?! I’m sorry, what?! Who has that much money?! With four hundred million, I could buy four centimillioner Relics! The auction arena fell silent at the unexpected price. Sitri clenched her fist in front of chest as she watched on anxiously. I had little choice but to maintain my composure and fold my arms.
Sitri, do you really need it? Do you really want it? No, sorry. This is fine. It’s your money, so I don’t mind. But the price quietly kept soaring. I was only up against one person. A single other bidder. No one had their sights on this golem and expected the price to jump up so quickly. The mask had commanded the most attention; who would’ve expected the golem to turn into such a heated bidding war?
“Who could’ve expected this?!” the auctioneer shouted. “Five hundred million gild! The golem is now priced at five hundred million! From here on, the smallest increment will be twenty million gild! Ah, and we’ve got it! We’ve got a bid for a big five-two-oh gild!”
Five hundred twenty million? What kind of wealthy person are we up against?! Still, that was far below the debt that I dug myself into. Was this all because of the heat of the auction? I doubted that my opponent expected to cough up over five hundred million gild for this item. The bidding continued as the price slowly started to climb. The excitement and unique sense of power were the biggest draws when enjoying an auction, but this time around, I could only pray that my opponent would quickly surrender. The price was now 660 million gild.
“Krai...” Sitri said with tears in her eyes. “It’s fine. At this rate, you won’t be able to...”
I didn’t expect this outcome. Had we not been well prepared for the mask, I would’ve never tried to bid on the golem. But Sitri, this money is all yours. You, Liz, and Tino all pooled together your money, but I’m broke and didn’t provide a single gild for this. I’m sorry.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” I said, trying to dispel her worries. “Right, I had actually been pooling this money to buy the golem.”
“What?!” Sitri gasped. “I...didn’t notice that at all. I just thought that your...usual tendencies came out again.”
Usual? Excuse me? I didn’t say anything and gazed back at the stage. Come on, give up already. We’ve got 750 million gild at our disposal. Just surrender and walk away. Please. I’m begging you. Do I need to go down on my knees and grovel? I’ll do it. Of course I will. Easy peasy. But my prayers weren’t answered as the auctioneer shouted with excitement.
“The price has been raised by a hundred million gild! It’s now at 760 million gild! Number 25 has placed their bid!”
Who the hell is Number 25?! Tino turned to me, clearly expressing her shock as she knew our funds and what I was here for in the first place. I silently gave her a thumbs-up signal, implying that we would continue the battle. My stomach started to hurt. Unless that young noblewoman surrendered of her own accord, there was no chance that I’d get my hands on that mask.
But if that were the case, I’d go all out on this golem. I’d get it without fail. I was required to pump myself up for this. Maybe we were up against someone who was far wealthier than us. Maybe we wouldn’t be able to get this golem no matter how hard we tried. If we gave it all we got and couldn’t get it, Sitri would give up as well.
Still, I guessed that our opponent wasn’t having it easy either. This item was initially placed at thirty million gild and we probably had a good shot at winning this bid. The extra hundred million might have their final attempt—their absolute limit. Even if it wasn’t, they were likely nearing their max. I took a deep breath and gave Tino a new order. Take this!
“What?!” the auctioneer cried. “The price has just risen by another hundred million! We’ve got a bid for 860 million gild, folks! Number 66 has placed an offer for 860 million!”
I felt sick. It’d been a while since I spent this much money to obtain a single item. I felt nauseous. Though I had a ten-digit debt to take care of, that was a result of matters piling up for years—as a poor person to the core, I felt that bidding this much money was pure stress.
I shuddered with trepidation as the auction continued. Possibly shocked by my increase in price, no one said another word. While there was no literal clash of swords, a battle was surely raging on.
“Any takers? Eight hundred sixty million gild! Eight-six-oh! We’ve only got thirty seconds left! Number 66 just might take this item home!”
Die! Die and give up on this golem! I took a deep breath, continuously praying to a deity that I didn’t even believe in. Sitri curled herself into a ball and froze in place as though she was shielding herself from a storm. We were nearing our limit.
Eight hundred sixty million gild was more than enough to spend the rest of your life playing around while doing nothing. What was Sitri planning on doing with such a massive marriage fund anyway? Useless thoughts swirled in my head as I tried to escape reality. Is it not thirty seconds yet?! Time ticked on; every second felt like several minutes. I felt like everything came to a halt as the black golem gave off a dull luster under the light of the chandelier. Just then, the auctioneer gave a look of pure shock.
“N-Nine hundred...sixty million.”
We were stunned by this bid.
“Nine hundred sixty million gild! Number 25 has placed their bid for 960 million gild!” the auctioneer shouted.
I felt my blood freeze. Just who are we up against? A trading company? A noble? This is impossible. Who would offer that much money for a golem? Sitri’s eyes were round with shock as a single tear slid down her cheek.
“Ah, well, we were unlucky,” Liz sighed. “It’s rare to see you lose, Krai Baby. We shoulda sold off our weapons and anything else that we had. Hindsight’s twenty-twenty.”
While I had my collection, auctions didn’t allow us to pay our bids with items. We required either a check or cash. Sitri looked down and Tino gazed at me with astonishment. I thought I saw her cheeks twitch, but she gave a small nod. Amid the noisy crowd, the auctioneer’s voice rang out loud and clear.
“A billion?! Number 66 has offered a billion sixty million gild!”
“Huh?” Sitri murmured as tears streamed down her face.
She turned to me with confusion. Her entire savings was 950 million gild. If the buyer couldn’t pay the money after successfully bidding on an item, they would be subjected to a strict punishment. This meant that we couldn’t go over budget. However, I felt at peace. The anxiety that had gripped my body just mere moments ago had dissipated into the air. I was serene like the surface of a still lake. I had already broken through the barrier and was completely zen. A calm smile formed on my lips as I clutched Sitri’s hands.
“I told you, didn’t I? Don’t worry about it. Well, I’d like for you to worry a little...” I said.
To be precise, please come with me when I kowtow to Lucia. Crap, I just used over half of Lucia’s savings without her permission. But I don’t regret my choices. I don’t. I-I... I don’t regret my choices! Ahhh!
“Going one, going twice, sold! To Number 66, treasure hunter Greg Zangief! This massive metallic golem has been sold for one billion sixty million gild! Please give a round of applause to this bold hunter who won this fiery auction!” the auctioneer shouted.
Amid the thunderous applause, Greg, who was sitting beside Tino, looked up at me pale-faced.
The arena was still affected by the passion of the heated auction. There was a brief intermission, but practically no one left. We gave a sidelong glance as we left the arena and Tino jogged after us. She approached Liz, Sitri, and I, put her hands in front, and bowed deeply.
“I’m so sorry, Master. I didn’t think this would happen,” Tino said.
“Huh?” I replied. “Ah, it’s fine. I don’t mind.”
I’d asked Tino to be my replacement. I was a little surprised to hear Greg’s name called instead, but that was nothing to be angry about. It’d been a while since the bidding war for the golem had ended, but Greg was behind her, looking pale as a ghost. He was sweating buckets. He was glancing around anxiously like a small animal, and I couldn’t relate more to him.
He was the hero who bid for the most expensive item yet—he should’ve been proud like one. He’d already removed the number that he wore for the auction and no one knew his face, so he wasn’t surrounded by a crowd yet, but it was only a matter of time before his name would be spread throughout the capital.
To keep things fair, Zebrudia Auction allowed the buyers to be searched easily. Hence, there was a substitute system in play, but to a mid-grade hunter, it might’ve been a bit too heavy of a cross to bear. Tino was nervously giving her excuses to Liz, who was smiling silently.
“Um, I really was planning on taking over, but I couldn’t make the preparations, and when I tried to confirm your hand signals, Master, I realized that I had no idea what the auction’s hand signals meant,” she said.
Tino can be a bit of an airhead sometimes... But there were numerous signals used during an auction. It was impossible to have a newcomer learn all of those on the fly. Of course, if that was the case, it was possible to just shout out the price or raise a board with a price written on it, but almost everyone who participated in the auction chose to employ hand signals.
“And since Greg said that he knew them, I left it to him,” she said. “We divvied up the roles—I would look for your signals while Greg would participate in the auction. I didn’t think that it would turn out like this. I thought that he would handle the first round of auctioning as I learned from him, and then I’d take over for the real prize!”
“Yeah, uh-huh, I hear you...” I replied.
The result was that I’d spent all of our money on that golem instead of the Relic that I was initially aiming for. In my defense, I didn’t expect this outcome either, so it wasn’t like I could’ve prevented it. Liz tapped my shoulder, made a gesture as though I should lop off a head, and finished it by tilting her head to one side, imitating death. I’m not gonna do that...
“You don’t have to look so frightened,” I said. “You did more than enough. Much better than what I could’ve asked for. It’s all according to plan.”
“Krai,” Greg said, revealing why he looked so pale. “Er, you’re over budget, but are you okay with that?”
The bid that he placed had vastly surpassed the budget that I told him before the auction. Failure to pay would result in Greg also being severely punished, so I understood his fear. Of course, I didn’t plan on troubling him.
“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’ve got money,” I replied.
It’s not really my money, though. I was internally prostrating to Lucia as I wrote a check for 110 million gild and handed it to Sitri. While I’d be taking money from Lucia’s account, it had already been set so that I could sign off in her stead. Sitri took the check and carefully placed it in her bag, making her total a billion sixty million gild.
“Master...” Tino murmured apologetically. “Er, um... So, the Relic...”
“Oh, I don’t need that anymore,” I replied. “We achieved our goal, didn’t we? I’m tired, so I think I’ll head home.”
“Huh?”
The auction had just begun and the arena was still filled with people. I guessed that rare Relics would be put on display—I was curious, but it was tough for me to look at them while knowing that I didn’t have the funds or means to bid on them. There was even a chance that I’d give in to my urges and try to use the rest of Lucia’s money. It was better if I just wasn’t present for it at all.
Above all, I could no longer buy that mask. My auction was over. I suspected that Lady Éclair must’ve lit a fire in her fighting spirit by now, but I could no longer entertain her. You win. Of course you do. I’m just gonna head home and sulk in bed.
“Krai, I’ll head over with Greg and collect the item that we just bid on,” Sitri said with a smile that reached up to her ears. She held up her suitcase stuffed with silver coins.
Well, I’m glad that I was able to protect her smile, at least.
“Liz, could you go do some research on our opponent, Number 25?” Sitri asked. “They might be gone already, but I’m sure that the auctioneer has that info.”
“H-Hey, now. Isn’t it against the rules to look into our...” Liz started before she quickly changed her tune. “N-No, never mind.”
It might be against the rules, but it’s not difficult to look into. I couldn’t blame Sitri for wanting to know the identity of our opponent, who had desperately tried to outbid us. I didn’t expect for us to be shown the documents with the bidder’s details though, since y’know, against the rules and all.
“Greg, thanks for helping me out today. I hope we can meet again,” I said before I turned towards the smiling Smart. “Sitri, I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Of course!” she energetically replied. “Thank you, Krai! I’ll visit you later!”
Will Eva get angry at me? I’m sure she will...but that’s that. I opened my mouth wide and yawned while I headed out of the arena, a sense of satisfaction filling my heart.
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