335 One to the Future (5)

The first auction house of Arminus Central Exchange.

Even at regular auctions where only good items were collected and held, crowds flocked to the place where it was never more than half full.

They’re not even gossiping.

“The Nenma Clan Master over there also participated.”

“I don’t intend to use it myself, but I think the purpose is to give it to the explorer called ‘Iron Wall’. Didn’t Team 1’s Guardian die a while ago? The purpose is to fill the void.”

Let’s start with the explorer who shines through his gear.

“Oh, are you also aiming for the essence of Ragman?”

“If the price is right, where is the item that a merchant cannot buy?”

“Hmm, it would be difficult to get that price when the items on the auction are sold… … .”

“The value of things is not only in goods. Duke Kudo’s birthday is coming soon, isn’t it?”

“Well, if I could just use that as an excuse to attend the banquet, I would be able to get a lot of aristocrats out of it.”

Those who aren’t explorers, but those who give off a lot of tea with money just by looking at them.

There were no people who seemed to have participated just by watching.

It was a natural thing to do.

The auction was a hot topic, and it was said that the tickets to the auction house were sold at a very high price.

‘In the first place, the price and the ticketing was good.’

If it wasn’t for Amelia, who first announced the news of the auction right before the information was released in earnest, she would have had to get a ticket and enter alone.

“Don’t keep looking around, there’s nothing good about attracting attention.”

There were signs that nagging was about to begin, so I changed the topic to get used to it.

“But have you been to a place like this often?”

“… … Come and see.”

Seriously, he’s been an explorer much longer than me, doesn’t he?

“Then, if you have any questions, I can ask you.”

From then on, I just spent time looking around with a squint.

“Surprisingly, there are many people who wear masks like us. The successful bidder of the auction will be treated anonymously anyway.”

“Because there are people everywhere who do not want to announce their participation.”

“Oh, what’s that guy in a suit over there? I don’t think I’m an explorer or a merchant.”

“I am an agent sent by an influential person. It’s neatly dressed, but it’s probably not from a noble family, because even in those areas, the noble family thinks about the face of the family first.”

“Oh, yes?”

This isn’t even an encyclopedia.

For each question asked, an answer is returned without delay.

So, as we were asking more questions to check the performance, the auction started.

“Amelia… Can’t we buy that?”

“… … If you give up afterward.”

“I can’t live… … .”

Did you pay a lot of attention not only to the 3rd grade essence, but also to other items? The first exhibited items, as well as the ones that came out after that, were of a very high standard.

‘At what exchange auction house triple numbers come out?’

It wasn’t even a poorly performed Triple Numbers.

It’s not useful to me, but it’s a common item that can be used by all dealers who use cutlery.

‘Huh, if I had the money, I’d buy that one too and put it in a safe.’

Every time a new auction item came up, I put my regrets aside and watched the overheated competition.

“140 million stones! 140 million stones came out. Any more bidders?”

“… … .”

“… … The bid was won by an anonymous bidder!”

Auctions in this era were very cool.

It is not a method in which bids can be raised metallurgically only in units set by the facilitator for each amount of money, but a free bidding system in which high bids can be entered at once.

The bidding method on such a subject was strangely modern.

Np, np, T-Did-Dick.

Each chair has a magic tool that can be written on the right armrest, and when you put in a bid and hit enter, the price appears on the electronic board on the podium.

As a result, the identity of the bidder is hidden.

‘Actually, if you don’t protect your anonymity in this way, you might get into a fight later.’

For reference, this method was first used in a perforated auction house.

What I learned while studying history at the library was that there was a rivalry between prestigious aristocrats for revealing their real names, and then the business got bigger and they fought back and forth.

“Okay then, this is the seventeenth item!”

After one auction was over, a new item appeared on the podium as if waiting.

It was a test tube stored in a luxurious box.

So far, there have been many times when the essence has appeared, but this time the situation was different in many ways.

“Yandel.”

“Know.”

Unlike the previous essences, there is a large picture standing next to the box. An illustration of a giant monster roaring with its whole body covered in a thick shell.

Ball-Herchan.

‘To prepare for such a thing, you really paid a lot of attention to this auction.’

Those who participated in the auction murmured at the dynamic appearance that seemed to come to life at any moment.

“Oh… … . indeed… … .”

“I thought this essence would come out at the end.”

“Yes. It’s a little weird. There were a total of 35 items to be exhibited today, so there must be more than half left… … .”

Some people questioned the fact that the essence came out in the middle of the auction, but it didn’t seem strange to me.

No, it was rather a commendable statement.

“The Arminus Trading Co. did the hair.”

When the essence comes out at the end, those who have collected money have no choice but to save the capital until then.

Thus, there is less room for bidding on other items.

But what if it appears in the middle and decides the owner early?

Then things change.

The use of the remaining capital has disappeared, so if the necessary items are available, you will be able to bid without any psychological resistance.

“This item is the essence of Vol-Herchan, and it was acquired by the Marel Clan’s ‘Thunderbolt’ by directly slaying the ferocious beast during this expedition… … .”

The atmosphere in the hall changed when the host began to explain the product with the story related to this item in earnest.

“Uh huh… … .”

In the previous auction, the people who were friendly and chatted with each other noticed each other.

Desire flashed in the explorers’ eyes, and the merchant’s eyes lit up with a sharp light like a seungnyang waiting for an opportunity.

They didn’t only hold swords, but they were like those with a battle in front of them.

And in that situation… … .

‘tt, whoever’s over.’

Np, Np, Tdd-Dee, Np-.

I wrote down the amount in advance.

and.

“Now, the starting price is 50 million stones—.”

As soon as the auction starts.

beep.

I pressed enter.

As if responding to this, a number appeared on the billboard.

[870,000,000]

870 million stones.

This was the reason why the auction became so famous that it later got into Amelia’s ears.

“… … !”

“… … !”

There was only one bid.

***

There was a moment of silence during a really violent raise.

“870 million stones… ! 870 million stones came out.”

The fuss started as the host showed a professional mindset and opened his mouth in a calm voice.

“870 million stones?”

“From the beginning, such a madman… … .”

Those who open their mouths as if they are not praying.

“What kind of person are you to pay such an amount at once… … .”

Those who are curious about my identity, etc.

While those who gave up the competition just lit up their eyes as if it was interesting.

Those who were seriously aiming for this essence were different.

“You have to make a decision quickly before you win the bid.”

They changed their complexion and hurriedly started a discussion.

Oh, by the way, here, too, the reactions were different.

“870 million stones is a lot… .”

Those who have already exceeded the budget.

“It’s not impossible, but… … . It’s crazy to buy that essence used by Guardians for that money. We give up the bid.”

A person who simply makes a decision based on cost-effectiveness.

and… … .

“Why don’t you bid?”

“Maybe the exchange has been tricked.”

Even those who hesitate to bid because of the suspicion.

“If it’s a masterpiece, are you talking about the wind catcher?”

“There is a possibility, but… The exchange may have been just betting on the essence as a bait from the beginning and not selling it.”

Some even had conversations that seemed to have in mind the possibility that the essence of Vol-Herchan was a fake for solicitors… … .

It wasn’t that important.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Novel from https://readwn.com

My head is pounding at the unexpected amount.

It is difficult to make an accurate judgment on the words around you that add to the confusion, even at the moment when you are diligently contemplating whether to bid or not.

Tick tock, tick tock-.

Time was passing.

“The bidder… Don’t you have any more… ?”

The host, who was beating the winning bidder coolly, took three times longer than usual, and finally opened his mouth.

and… … .

“… … .”

“… … .”

Seeing those who were busy looking at each other, they announced the end of the bidding.

earth! earth! earth!

Let’s hear a clear ringing that signifies the payment of a dungeon.

I nodded to myself several times with a satisfied smile on my lips.

Cancer, the flowers of the auction are bought immediately.

***

After the auction was over, and after a storm, we went to the delivery room, paid the price, and took over the essence of Vol-Herchan.

“870 million stones… Confirmed.”

The person who delivered the goods seemed to have a pretty decent position within the exchange, but he seemed to be very curious, apart from looking badly at us who made the weird rumors.

But is this professionalism?

“good bye.”

The employee only looked at us in masks from time to time, and didn’t even ask us about our identities or say anything useless.

“Nothing, don’t go.”

When I came out of the delivery room, I could feel the eyes everywhere. Everyone seemed curious what we might have brought.

However, among the 35 items, we did not know what we had purchased, so no one came to speak hastily.

“Who is following?”

“No more. Looking at the level, it seems like they were just stepping on it out of curiosity.”

“okay?”

“Where are you going?”

where to go

Is there only one more?

“Go to the temple.”

After leaving Commelby on a carriage, we immediately entered the Reatlas Church. It was the evening time to prevent outsiders from visiting, but it was barely safe.

“You have come to erase the marks on your soul.”

“Here is a donation.”

“Yes. Would your colleague wait outside?”

“I do… .”

I paid the leftover money to match the priest and removed the essence.

The essence that was deleted was a corpse golem as determined in advance.

‘By the way, I have never erased the essence from the temple until now.’

I usually hear it from other kids, but the first time I actually tried to remove purified water was a much more bizarre experience than I thought.

‘Look at the directing, in the game, I just had to move the keyboard a few times.’

A pure white space where a pure white light enveloped me.

I woke up there naked, and in my hand was the blue dagger I had just received from the priest… … .

Huge monsters were swarming around.

They were all locked in a thick iron cage.

Ogre, Orc Hero, Stormgash, Manticore, Bayon.

And to the corpse golem, my goal for today.

After watching them for a while, I used a dagger to cut the corpse golem and the thread of light connected to my body.

and… … .

aa-!

When I woke up, it was a temple.

“I feel very strange.”

“The bond that had been engraved on my soul was torn away, so it is natural. Don’t worry too much, as this is what most people do at first. After a few days, you will get used to the empty seats.”

“The relationship was broken… … .”

I thought it was a priestly word from the Reatlas Church, but there were times when I nodded my head somewhere.

It is because the feeling of weakness was considerable to say that the emptiness created by simply reducing the stats.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about. Eat some meat and you’ll be fine.”

After finishing my work at the temple, I went back to the dorm with Amelia.

Then, he took out the test tube that had won the auction.

“Amelia, are you ready?”

“… … ?”

Amelia put on a look on her face that she didn’t understand what I meant.

“I meant not to be surprised, as fragments of the record may react the moment you eat this.”

“ah… … .”

I also met the GM and left the equipment in the safe.

Even Amelia followed her sister and took economic measures in advance to avoid paying taxes in the future.

So if my prediction is correct… … .

‘This will be the last puzzle.’

I took out the shards of records from subspace and absorbed the essence.

‘nice… … Eat pure water for this taste.’

A sense of fullness that fills up so densely that it is difficult to feel the void of the corpse golem.

The beam of light contained in the test tube is absorbed into the body, and strength begins to boil in the body.

Of course, he was much weaker than the ogres.

Essences with such strong strength are not common even at rank 2 or higher.

‘Still, what’s important is the skill.’

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling the afterglow.

And looking at the fragments of the record, which was still silent, he gave his mouth a bitter taste.

“… … Maybe it wasn’t like this either.”

So what else should we do next?

How many more years should I be locked up here?

At a time when I couldn’t even fully enjoy the joy of getting a new essence because of such anxiety.

“Yeah, it was time to go back… … .”

Amelia muttered as if sighing.

“yes?”

As I tilted my head, Amelia looked at me and smiled reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

It was a look of regret for something.