Chapter 77: Suspiciously Rich (3)
Chapter 77: Suspiciously Rich (3)
“This next item is an elixir crafted by Sir Cliff, the Empire’s greatest alchemist. It is a miracle formula that can actually regrow lost hair…!”
“1,000 gold!”
“Do you see this? Such exquisite craftsmanship. This is a masterpiece artifact created by the Aurora Magic Tower, specialists in the study of natural mana phenomena in the remote wildlands! As for its effects, it drastically increases resistance to the four major elements…”
“4,000 gold!”
“The daughter of the Viscounts Kalua, who were defeated in a recent territory war! The right to use Mirk Kalua as a servant for three years is our next item! Ah, though I say ‘servant’… you all know what that means, don’t you? We shall start the bidding at 500 gold!”
“……”
“Next, we have the tear-soaked talisman of Yak Decalcha, the ill-fated Arch Shaman who failed to glimpse the future through prophecy magic! Having bought at the peak and now 90,000 gold in debt, he offers this…”
“2,000 gold!”
“Pink Oil! Apply it for beautiful skin, and it even provides a subtle, yet erotic sensation! Of course, this is in a different league from the low-grade products on the market! Look here! It bears the five-star certification of authenticity from the Revenant Workshop…”
“300 gold!”
.
.
.
.
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As I swept up everything that looked even remotely useful, whispers began to drift from the surrounding seats.
“Oh my? Is he trying to buy up the other items for cheap while everyone else is focused on the Elves?”
“Since funds are limited, it’s a wise move, if you think about it.”
“Perhaps he’s satisfied with the slave he already has. Look at her. Her beauty rivals any Elf, doesn’t it? Seeing as he hasn’t spared a glance for the other slaves, I’m certain of it.”
“Dammit… Why is a guy with such a full head of hair buying hair growth medicine?!”
Uh, well…
I felt a bit bad for the bald, middle-aged man wiping away tears in the corner, but it couldn't be helped.
I was planning to give that to Professor Jason later as a gift to bribe him into giving me private lessons in close-quarters combat.
Since it’s going to a fellow bald man anyway, he should just give up gracefully.
Anyway, I continued playing the auction like that for a while.
A few people tried to challenge me, but each time, I invoked the power of ‘money-slapping,’ savoring the thrill of capitalism for several hours.
Then, unlike before, a quiet excitement—rather than a rowdy one—began to envelop the auction house.
Was it because today’s highlight was finally within reach?
The auctioneer, who had been putting on an exaggerated performance befitting his ridiculous mask, composed himself and straightened his clothes.
“Now then… it is finally time for the item you have all been waiting for.”
Flash.
The spotlight, which had been illuminating the auctioneer and the items until now, shifted to the thick curtains at the back.
Since the curtains were large enough to cover an entire wall, the surrounding area brightened significantly.
Stepping slightly to the side, the auctioneer continued, his smirk visible even behind the mask.
“This is today’s main course… but honestly, showing them to you one by one would be a bit of a tease, wouldn’t it? Especially after you’ve waited this long. Therefore, I shall show them all at once!”
Rumble.
The curtains rose slowly.
The spotlight, having lost its target after the auctioneer moved, now landed on… a line of Elves standing behind the curtain.
Five men and women, their expressions filled with rage and humiliation, were draped in mana-sealing artifacts.
Pointing at the Elves, who were dressed in outfits even more revealing than what Carla had worn in the past, the auctioneer raised his voice.
“The Sylvan Magic Tower! The pride of the Elves, who claimed they would replace spirit summoning with elemental magic! But now, they are nothing more than mere slaves! And fierce, uneducated slaves at that.”
The audience, both men and women, who had been quiet until now, began to watch with gleaming eyes.
I also used the magical tool attached to the VIP seat to take a closer look at the Elven slaves.
Three women and two men.
Every single one of them was beautiful, but two in particular stood out.
One was Elisha, with her familiar blue ringlets, blue eyes, and those wicked thighs.
The other was a small girl with long, flowing white hair.
However, since it was impossible for a literal child to hold a leadership position in a Magic Tower, that person was likely the Sylvan Tower Lord.
I had heard the Tower Lord was a High Elf, just like Elisha.
In the game, she only ever appeared in the news of her execution, so this was my first time seeing her face, but I was certain.
While a tall, slender physique was a racial trait of Elves… High Elves were an exception.
They were the priestesses who first communed with the World Tree. Because of that lineage, the blessing of the World Tree still flowed through them.
It granted them immense vitality, further extending the already long lifespan of an Elf.
The setting dictated that this vitality affected their bodies, causing them to grow into physical forms different from ordinary Elves.
I’d heard that usually, they ended up with voluptuous figures like Elisha’s…
But occasionally, a High Elf born with an unusually high amount of vitality would have their growth stunted at a certain point.
The Sylvan Tower Lord must be one of those cases.
As if confirming my suspicion, the auctioneer began a long-winded explanation about this very fact.
Since I already knew the lore, I let it go in one ear and out the other… but everyone else was listening intently.
Well, ordinary Elves were one thing, but High Elves weren't exactly common, so it was bound to be interesting.
Encouraged by the positive reaction from the audience, the auctioneer got even more excited, using grand gestures to share a few more stories.
“Haha! Come to think of it, did you know? In the distant past, some powerful figures seeking eternal youth used to hunt and eat High Elves. Just… munch, munch.”
Whoa.
That actually happened?
I knew the settings in H&A inside out thanks to my Excellent Memory trait, but there were many things I didn't know about the history of the Eurelia Continent that didn't appear in the game.
“They were likely after the immense vitality dwelling within a High Elf’s body. However, since no one ever achieved their goal, I hope none of you make a similar mistake. …Well, I suppose ‘eating’ them in a different way would be the proper usage!”
The auction house atmosphere turned jovial as the audience laughed at the auctioneer’s crude joke.
Of course, the Elves involved looked absolutely disgusted.
Elisha, in particular, was fuming.
She likely didn't appreciate her mentor, the Tower Lord, being made the butt of such a joke.
Even though she was unfairly enslaved because of that very mentor.
…Seeing her like this, her personality really is consistent.
Even after I ruined her reputation, she didn't hold a grudge once she understood it was my own way of navigating the situation.
I nodded to myself, recalling the past, but then—
Perhaps because they had skipped the slave education to preserve their noble image, unlike Carla, who had been thoroughly broken.
Elisha finally couldn't take it anymore and was about to snap.
“You—!”
“Stop. It is fine. I am alright, so stay still, Elisha. Getting angry will only give them what they want.”
The Tower Lord, the only one with a calm expression, stopped Elisha.
Right. A long-lived Elf wouldn't be ignorant of the various fantasies other races harbored toward them.
Well, Elves were a race that usually couldn't swallow their pride even if they knew… but I guess the Tower Lord was a bit different.
Clink.
The sound of chains echoed from the shackles on her hands and feet as the Tower Lord took a step forward and cried out in a delicate voice.
“Listen! If you have the means, please take both me and this child together. If you do, I will willingly follow my new master’s every command, no matter who they are. Not only will I surrender my life’s work in magic, but if you tell me to crawl, I will crawl; if you tell me to bark, I will bark; and if you tell me to lick, I will lick. So please, reconsider.”
The Tower Lord then bowed her head deeply.
But did she know?
That there are those who only get more fired up when someone acts like that.
…Actually, she might have done it on purpose.
If her goal was to be sold to the same place as Elisha, there was no better way.
Indeed, people who wanted to break the Tower Lord—who looked small and fragile yet mentally strong—began to pop up everywhere.
“We’ve heard enough stories, start the auction already!”
“Yeah! We want to hear about the goods, not High Elf history!”
As voices urging the auction to start rang out from all over, the auctioneer scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.
“Hmm… I still have many stories prepared… but if you insist, I suppose I have no choice! Very well! Let’s move straight to the product descriptions!”
The auctioneer continued, pointing to the male Elf on the far right.
“First, this Elf’s name is…”
Starting with the male Elf I had zero interest in, he continued the descriptions one by one moving to the left. And then.
“This one is Elisha Sylvan Glenziel, once a promising future Archmage! Ah, I suppose we should drop the ‘Sylvan’ now that she’s been expelled from the Magic Tower! As you can probably guess from her figure, she is a High Elf, just like her mentor, the former Tower Lord! She is 20 years old. And of course, a virgin!”
“Finally! The former Sylvan Tower Lord who dared to propose conditions to our customers, Iris Sylvan Banatis! She is a staggering 517 years old! And yet, a virgin! A 517-year-old virgin! This is bound to have a premium attached!”
As the auctioneer finished his explanation, a tense silence filled the auction house.
Elven slaves were expensive.
Their above-average beauty was one reason, but their long lifespan meant that beauty lasted a long time.
Beyond that, the scarcity of supply, the fantasies surrounding the Elven race, their strong sense of chastity, and so on.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they possessed every single trait that made them popular.
That was why everyone was sizing each other up.
How could they use their funds to buy the Elf they wanted? Was the person next to them aiming for the same Elf?
The room buzzed as everyone tried to probe each other’s intentions.
In an atmosphere where desire and reason were muddily intertwined, the auctioneer spoke with a smirk.
“Let the bidding begin! You may nominate any slave you wish, in any order, and present your amount!”
“““……”””
Even though the auctioneer had set the stage, everyone was just watching each other, hesitant to step forward first. So, I raised my hand.
“Oh! Our VIP guest, who has purchased almost every item presented so far! You’ve raised your hand again! Which slave are you bidding on, and for how much?”
I gave a smirk to Elisha, who was staring blankly in my direction as if she had only just noticed me, and replied.
“All of them. 100,000 gold total.”
A silence born of pure shock followed.
In that silence, Carla mindlessly picked up a grape and popped it into my mouth.
“Nom.”
…Stay still for a second.
I was having a cool moment here.