The Turbulent Auction House
Brancia, the capital of the Atun Kingdom.
While the Farrow Territory was undergoing a massive upheaval, several initiatives were also quietly moving forward in Brancia.
Seira, the second daughter of the Cavine family, had received a special mission from Baron Jeron Farrow. She had been busy bribing the influential nobles who pulled the strings of the kingdom, successfully winning their favor.
But her role did not end there.
She had also submitted a masterpiece to the royal auction house, securing an astronomical profit. She was proving herself to be truly versatile.
Today was the day of the second auction.
During the first auction, the masterpiece The Tree of Life had been sold for a staggering three hundred thousand gold coins.
The winning bidder had poured in that massive sum despite knowing that Duke Langton already possessed an identical painting.
Since the first auction had fetched such a high price, today's piece was expected to bring in around four hundred to five hundred thousand gold coins.
Because she was carrying out such a vital mission, Jeron spared no expense to ensure Seira's comfort during her stay in the capital.
Yet, Seira rarely had to spend her own money.
Duke Langton and other prominent figures in politics were constantly going out of their way to accommodate her.
Clink.
Waking up in the morning, Seira sat on the terrace of her luxury inn, elegantly sipping black tea.
Her clear eyes drifted down to the street below, which was just beginning to wake up.
People bustled about.
Shops were setting up their displays, and the streets began to fill with women preparing for breakfast.
The tall buildings and well-paved roads certainly befitted Brancia's status as the capital of a kingdom, but the dreadful stench was something she simply could not get used to.
"Our territory really is a wonderful place to live," Seira murmured. "Things would be so much better if they just cleaned up the dung rolling around the streets. Why do they live like this?"
Once a day, Brancia's street sweepers did gather the waste.
The problem was that they did a half-hearted job, and the city officials never bothered to reprimand them. The concept of basic hygiene simply did not exist in this world, which was why things were in this state.
She was lost in these idle thoughts when a knock sounded at the door.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," Seira said.
A woman with striking blonde hair, a member of the merchant coalition, entered the VIP suite.
Lilith was an assistant Seira had handpicked before traveling to the capital.
She possessed a sharp mind for business and was highly skilled in self-defense. Once Seira officially became a vassal, Lilith's own status would skyrocket alongside hers.
Knowing this, Lilith was exceptionally dedicated to assisting Seira.
"Lady Seira, a carrier pigeon has arrived from the territory," Lilith reported.
"A carrier pigeon?"
"Yes, a new order from the Lord."
Seira took the message from Lilith. The contents of the order were quite simple.
Contact Duke Langton and request his support for a territory war against the Rebion family.
The format of the territory war does not matter. To secure his backing, present him with all the wine you brought to the capital as a gift.
"...Is he serious?" Seira muttered.
"This command was delivered through multiple redundant channels," Lilith replied. "If the Lord issued such an order, surely he must have a profound scheme in mind?"
Lilith also knew that Jeron was no ordinary man.
Unlike other greedy lords, he cared for his people and carefully calculated every move before taking action.
A man like him would not make such a decision on a whim.
"He must be absolutely certain of victory," Seira said, her eyes gleaming. "In that case, we must make it happen."
A territory war against the Rebion family?
Considering the network of connections she had established in the capital, pulling this off wouldn't be too difficult.
Lilith added, "Since today is the day of the auction, it would be best to contact Duke Langton at the auction house."
"Get everything ready."
"Yes, Lady Seira."
Seira looked back out the terrace, leisurely taking in the view once more.
It felt as though today would be one of the best days of her life.
The Royal Auction House, located on the outskirts of the capital.
Unlike the auction houses run by local lords or the black markets, this place boasted a colossal scale.
It could accommodate up to three thousand people and even featured a massive carriage depot in front of the building.
On auction days, royal knights and guards were deployed to secure the perimeter, and countless high-ranking nobles attended.
At times, even members of the royal family and the King himself participated, making the security level rival that of the royal palace.
Thanks to this high-quality service provided by the royal family, the commission fee was a whopping fifteen percent, but the nobles paid it without hesitation.
When using the Royal Auction House, there was no risk of counterfeits. Safety was guaranteed, and high-value items were even delivered directly to the buyer's residence within the capital region.
Seira paid the entry fee and entered one of the VIP rooms.
The VIP rooms were private suites overlooking the main auction floor, equipped with plush chairs and top-tier service.
Occupying the best seat in the house was Duke Langton, who had already emptied a bottle of wine.
"Greetings, Your Grace!" Seira called out.
"Well, look who it is! If it isn't Lady Seira?"
Duke Langton greeted her warmly, as if welcoming an old friend.
Such was the power of bribes.
"I've brought a small token of my appreciation," Seira said.
"Oh? But you've already given me so much."
At Seira's gesture, her assistant brought in a wooden crate. Inside were eight beautifully packaged bottles of wine.
Jeron had originally promised to send the Duke one bottle per quarter, but Seira had brought a two-year supply all at once.
Duke Langton chuckled, looking slightly overwhelmed.
"Now, now, you're starting to frighten me. What is all this?"
"It's nothing, Your Grace. Thanks to you, my Lord and I have been able to hold our heads high."
"Hahaha! Flattery will get you everywhere. Speak plainly, then. What is it you want?"
The Duke knew this was no ordinary gift.
Accepting eight bottles of this precious nectar and doing nothing in return? That went against all noble etiquette. If Seira simply turned and left now, he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink out of sheer unease.
Seira smiled brightly and got straight to the point.
"I understand that Viscount Rebion has been sending letters to political circles, lobbying to approve a territory war."
"Indeed. I've been blocking it myself. A territory war at a time like this is utterly absurd."
"Actually, I would like you to approve it."
"What?"
Langton asked again, wondering if he had misheard.
But Seira's gaze remained completely unwavering.
"Is it possible?" she asked.
"Hmm. Are you truly serious about this?"
"Any format of territory war is fine. However, we want it clearly stated that the responsibility for this conflict lies solely with the participating parties, and we would like a central official dispatched to oversee it and ensure a fair fight."
"Ho... You really are serious. A full-scale war would be difficult to push through, but I can certainly get a Grand Knight duel approved."
"A one-on-one duel, you mean?"
"Indeed. We can draw up a contract before the duel and have the royal family notarize it. But are you sure about this? The losses will be devastating if you fail."
"My Lord has assured me that the protection of the dragon will manifest in this duel, so victory is guaranteed."
"The protection of the dragon?!"
Seira nodded solemnly.
Should he believe this or not?
Duke Langton was thoroughly shocked, but he could always ask the central official dispatched as the referee to verify if the dragon's protection actually manifested.
"Well, if he has a trick up his sleeve... Very well, I shall help. It would be unseemly for a noble to accept such gifts and do nothing."
"Thank you, Your Grace!"
"Think nothing of it. Since you're here, take a seat. Didn't you submit an item for today's auction?"
"Yes!"
She sat down beside Duke Langton to watch the auction.
Whenever something caught his eye, Langton would wave his hand and bid without hesitation. The amount he spent today alone easily exceeded one hundred thousand gold coins.
Even Seira, who had spent her life in commerce, was left speechless by his extravagance.
The auction went on for nearly an hour, and the masterpiece she had brought finally made its appearance at the very end.
"Thank you for waiting, ladies and gentlemen! Another masterpiece from the Farrow family has arrived for today's auction!" the auctioneer announced.
"Ohhh!"
A collective murmur rippled through the crowd.
In an instant, the entire auction house began to buzz with excitement.
Up until now, the Farrow family had released only three masterpieces.
One was Duke Langton's The Tree of Life, and another was the Mona Lisa, which had been gifted to the King.
The third was another copy of The Tree of Life sold at the previous auction, which had fetched a staggering three hundred thousand gold coins.
Since the buyer of that painting had been none other than Duke Lion, the competition this time was expected to be fierce.
The auctioneer pulled back the velvet curtain.
Whoosh!
"Allow me to introduce a legendary masterpiece passed down from ancient times—The Creation of Adam!"
"What?! The Creation of Adam?!"
"Heavens, such a work actually existed?!"
A wave of profound shock swept through the hall.
Strictly speaking, The Creation of Adam was a fresco, but printing it onto canvas was child's play back on Earth.
While such a massive painting might not fit well in a modern Earth home, bringing it to this medieval world was a different story.
Hanging it in the lobby of a grand manor would create an incredibly majestic atmosphere.
Furthermore, this time, the artwork was presented as a set of three high-quality acrylic frames.
To the people of the Karen Continent, who firmly believed in creationism, looking at this masterpiece made their eyes nearly pop out of their heads.
"Even if it is born of mere imagination, it is a wondrous sight, as if the act of creation is unfolding right before our eyes!"
"A true masterpiece! A one-of-a-kind treasure in this world!"
The crowd clamored in excitement.
Duke Langton's eyes widened as well.
"What a truly magnificent painting!"
"Does it please you, Your Grace?"
"Indeed it does!"
"We actually have a smaller version scaled down into a single frame," Seira whispered. "My Lord intends to present it to you as a gift in the near future."
"Ho! Is that true?!"
"Of course."
"Ahem, cough! Well, if you ever face any difficulties, do not hesitate to let me know!"
Duke Langton coughed, nearly choking on his own saliva at the mention of receiving another masterpiece.
Since The Tree of Life was already proudly displayed in his manor, he had no need to strain his finances to win today's bid.
Knowing that Jeron would gift him another painting for free put his mind completely at ease.
Seira smirked at the Duke's reaction and turned her attention back to the auction.
"Reflecting a portion of the previous winning bid, we shall start the bidding at one hundred thousand gold coins! Do I hear one hundred thousand?" the auctioneer called out.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!" a voice boomed.
"Whoa! The bidding is starting off incredibly hot! We have three hundred and fifty thousand! Do I hear three hundred and sixty thousand?"
"Three hundred and sixty thousand!"
"Four hundred thousand!"
"Four hundred thousand! Do I hear any higher?!"
"Four hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Four hundred and fifty thousand?! That's enough to run an entire territory for a year!"
It was an astronomical sum.
The competition was reaching a fever pitch.
Watching the scene unfold, Seira realized that keeping the supply low was indeed the key to maximizing profits.
When Baron Jeron had first explained the concept to her, she hadn't fully grasped it, but seeing it in action made everything crystal clear.
People went wild for scarcity.
Because only a handful of these masterpieces existed, their desire to possess them grew exponentially.
"Five hundred thousand!"
A booming voice echoed from one of the VIP rooms.
The crowd turned to identify the man who had shouted such an absurd sum.
It was Duke Haman, the leader of the Fourth Prince's faction and the kingdom's Quartermaster General.
Seeing rival factions secure masterpieces one by one had triggered his competitive nature, prompting him to make a massive bid.
"Five hundred thousand gold coins! Are there any other bids?" the auctioneer called out.
Silence filled the room.
"Sold!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Applause erupted throughout the hall.
The attendees praised The Creation of Adam as a priceless treasure.
Of course, little did they know that more than ten identical prints were currently rolling around the warehouse back in the Farrow Territory.
Well, it doesn't matter, right? I never actually said there was only one in existence.
Seira had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into a wicked grin.
After the auction concluded, she bid farewell to Duke Langton.
"Be sure to visit my manor before you leave the capital," the Duke insisted.
"I certainly will, Your Grace!"
Seira planned to participate in only three auctions before heading back down to the territory.
Releasing any more paintings would flood the market, driving down their value and destroying their scarcity.
From now on, whenever they ran low on funds, another masterpiece would make its appearance at the auction. The Farrow Territory had essentially secured an inexhaustible gold mine.
However, when Seira visited the auction house's administrative office to collect her funds, she ran into an unexpected figure.
It was Viscount Jec, the Commander of the Royal Knights.
"Lady Seira? Might I have a moment of your time?"
"Pardon? What is this about...?"
"His Majesty wishes to directly purchase the next masterpiece you bring to the auction."
"...!"