The First Day of the Auction
Singer of Nature's Song
Nature's Song holds the power to wrap a forest in gentle warmth.
They fundamentally accelerate the growth of plants and make them hardier still. However, a Singer of Nature's Song can survive only in the embrace of the nature races.
As they grow, they become able to sing other Nature's Songs.
The words rose the moment I looked at the child — precious information granted by the Hidden Trait Great Sage.
With a prearranged signal, I ordered Hudson to place a bid.
I can make the Verdant Forest even stronger.
When the druids grew stronger, so did I. And I was certain I had seen a child who looked much like this one among the elves.
If I can open a channel to the elves as well, ten million gold wouldn't be nearly enough.
If that were possible, even ten million gold to bring the child home would be a bargain. Elves shunned humanity even more fiercely than the White King or the Four Lords. Naturally, the countless legends, myths, quests, and treasures tied to them had never once reached a Player's hands.
Look at those faces — as if to say, what kind of fool buys something like that?
The stares from the Imperial nobles were painfully transparent. The young lady of House Dersian, in particular, wore open mockery on her face. Still unfinished in her education, it seemed.
Thanks to the nobles' open scorn, bidders were slow to appear.
"Any further bids? If there are no more, lot fifty-five goes to Guest Number Fifty-Five for one million gold!"
The hall remained silent. Even the outsiders who had overheard the nobles' remarks showed no interest in bidding.
"Guest Number Fifty-Five, sold! Congratulations!"
…And who, exactly, was the one without an eye for quality?
I allowed myself a small smile.
The auction continued after that.
The young lady of House Dersian clicked her tongue inwardly.
To have so little eye for goods…
He seemed to have more gold than expected, but most of the early lots were nothing more than ant bait — flashy pieces designed to lure the tasteless. A stretch of time when ants, dazzled by the shine, swarmed in and burned through their gold without a second thought.
"Guest Number Fifty-Five, sold! Congratulations!"
"Guest Number Fifty-Five, sold! Congratulations!"
"Guest Number Fifty-Five, sold! Congratulations!"
The hammer fell again and again. Number Fifty-Five — Hudson, was it?
He's sweeping everything through the fifth lot?
Hudson was scooping up auction pieces like a fish in water. Roughly ten million gold spent so far.
Still, he must be nearing his limit.
Ten million gold was a respectable haul for a monster. Not that it would ever make him a real competitor.
And the sixth lot, as it happened, was something she had her own eyes on.
"Our next item is none other than — the Berserker Set! As every noble personage here has already seen noted on the invitation, this is a proven article. Personally guaranteed by the lord of this very domain, Lord Darkhan — a treasure among treasures that makes the heart tremble at the mere sight of it!"
The piece that followed set every eye alight.
A full suit of crimson plate and helm — the Berserker Set.
And the one who had put it up was Lord Darkhan himself. Naming the seller outright meant confidence of the highest order.
Greed settled into every gaze. The young lady of House Dersian clenched her fists.
The Berserker Set! Just as I expected — something the family needs.
She had guessed as much from the name alone, but seeing it in the flesh only hardened her certainty. An item that would benefit the house itself. By her eye and her insight, this had to be purchased. She would not let anyone take it from her.
The appraiser she had brought along was nodding vigorously as well.
That is mine.
For the first time since the auction began, fire lit both of the young lady's eyes.
"Opening bid: ten million gold! Bidding increments of five million. We begin!"
At that same hour, countless soldiers had gathered in the neutral city of Delphia.
Nearly three thousand troops dispatched from various cities, among them many whose names alone commanded recognition. Every one of them had come for a single purpose: to stand against that red warp.
A deep, grinding roar filled the air.
The crimson warp, swollen as if to swallow the city whole, crackled — and from within it, a colossal monster began to take shape.
"The Four Calamities — Baal…!"
"Hold! Hold the line!"
"Do not falter! We will win this!"
They stood united to stop Baal, the calamity that had crossed the warp to invade. Defeat here meant the fall of countless cities — of their homes.
At last, the subjugation of Baal of the Four Calamities had begun.
News of the Calamity subjugation at the neutral city of Delphia was a major topic among Players as well. Delphia was one of the five cities linked to the Mountain of the Cultivator, and famous as the City of Blacksmiths.
Player Talk was buzzing with related posts. Delphia had promised arms to every participant in the subjugation. Delphia-forged equipment fetched whatever price you named — a fairly tempting offer.
Three thousand warriors scraped together from the five neutral cities and their neighbors. Outside of the recent Grand Expedition, a force of this size was rare.
Drakestar, a host of rankers, and now the Empire on top of that. But the claim that the Empire — which hadn't even joined the Grand Expedition — had entered the Calamity subjugation was hard to swallow.
The poster who had mentioned the Imperial then laid out specifics.
"Ten million gold! The noble Guest Number Three has opened the bidding."
Number Three. The young lady of House Dersian unfurled her fan, and the auctioneer took up the call.
She had not entered a single bid in any previous lot. This was a declaration of will: the Berserker Set, at least, would be hers. It was also a leisurely invitation — if you were confident, try betting against her.
A fan snapped open.
"Guest Number Ninety-One! Fifteen million gold!"
Number Ninety-One. Master had entered the fray as well. Unlike the Imperial nobles, he had no need to read the room.
The lower the number, the more important the seat in this auction.
Number Two was Lord Darkhan. Number Three was the young lady of House Dersian. Both were co-hosts of the event. There was clearly a hierarchy of importance tied to participant numbers.
Who sat at Number One, ahead of even them, was unknown — but if Lord Darkhan was showcasing the piece and the young lady of House Dersian was bidding, this item was no ordinary lot. It was also a perfect chance to catch their eye.
"Ah! The noble Guest Number Six has entered! Twenty million gold!"
"I will not yield! The esteemed Guest Number Three raises the bid. Already twenty-five million gold!!"
"A new bidder appears. Guest Number Seventy-Eight for thirty million gold!"
Four bidders locked in competition. In moments the price vaulted past thirty million and climbed to fifty million gold.
…Still so composed. Just how much money do Imperial nobles have?
Master's brow furrowed of its own accord. The gold he had prepared totaled roughly two hundred million — funds clawed back from Obsidian, scraped together by force-selling every ruin he could, down to the last scrap of his soul. Even for a set, fifty million gold on a single auction lot was a painful outlay. And yet the other participants still looked unbothered.
"The bid for the Berserker Set has reached fifty million gold. We will now raise the increment to ten million. Sixty million — any takers?"
A fan snapped open.
"The honorable Guest Number Three! The auction is on fire!"
"Guest Number Ninety-One! The bid has already surpassed seventy million gold!"
"Ahh, and immediately Guest Number Three—!"
"Guest Number Ninety-One bids a full ninety million gold!"
Master threw his final wager. Ninety million was the limit. He could not spend a hundred million on the first day.
There's nothing left to sell. Not unless I start auctioning my own equipment.
Even an Imperial noble would struggle to put up a hundred million gold. Every other bidder had already dropped out. Only Number Three remained — the young lady of House Dersian.
Master cast a glance her way.
"Guest Number Three takes the lead at one hundred million gold! Extraordinary! But I dare say it is worth every coin!"
Master exhaled inwardly. Every auction participant registered in advance and could only spend amounts already verified — and held in physical currency. Bid beyond that, and you were automatically disqualified. In other words, the young lady of House Dersian was carrying at least several hundred million gold in hard coin.
Still, I've achieved my primary goal.
Being noticed. That had been the point from the start. Pushing further and somehow winning the lot would have been a headache — but he had at least shown he could burn through nearly a hundred million gold without flinching. As if to prove it, he felt several nobles in the Imperial seats turn their eyes toward him.
"Any further bids? If there are no more, the Berserker Set goes to the noble Guest Number Three. I will count to three. Three, two…"
No one here could match that bottomless well. It was only the first day of the auction. However remarkable the Berserker Set might be, plenty of lots remained.
A fan snapped open.
"Guest Number Fifty-Five! A new contender rises! One hundred and ten million gold!"
Every gaze swung toward Number Fifty-Five. A sudden bidder — and Number Fifty-Five at that, the one who had already caused a stir in the city. The same one who had clashed with Number Three, the young lady of House Dersian.
A monster holding more than a hundred million gold…?
The young lady of House Dersian frowned. That the auctioneer was proceeding normally meant the funds had already been verified in hard currency. She was a co-host of the auction, but the auction itself belonged to Lord Darkhan. The banquet that would follow was her domain.
She unfurled her fan once more. If he meant to force his way after her, let him try.
"The noble Guest Number Three bids again. One hundred and twenty million gold!"
The auctioneer's shoulders heaved as he cried out.
"Guest Number Fifty-Five matches once more!"
"Ahh, she will not yield! Guest Number Three throws one hundred and forty million gold. Will it go to one hundred and fifty?"
"…It has! Guest Number Fifty-Five for one hundred and fifty million gold!"
But when the bid broke one hundred and fifty million, even she had to hesitate.
What?
Was gold rotting in his pockets? One hundred and fifty million gold was a sum even high nobles did not spend lightly. And the auction had only just begun. Whether the Berserker Set was even worth more than one hundred and fifty million was an open question.
"My lady. Beyond this…"
The appraiser she had brought whispered a quiet warning. He had been shaking his head ever since the bid passed one hundred and ten million.
What is this? Who is that creature, and why does he keep getting in my way!
She trembled with frustration. She did not want to lose. But she had to look further ahead. She had truly wanted it — yet anything more was waste. And if Number Fifty-Five somehow failed to bid higher, the loss would be enormous.
Calm down. Raising the bid any further is stupid. How many lots are still left?
He had spent one hundred and fifty million gold. Whatever remained could not be much.
"At one hundred and fifty million gold, Guest Number Fifty-Five has won the Berserker Set! Whoo-hoo!! Magnificent!"
…He had drawn every eye in a single stroke — but could that last? The attention would fade quickly, and by the time the auction ended, she would be the one standing at center stage.
The young lady of House Dersian forced her composure back into place.
Not bad.
After the first day's auction ended, every participant was guided to a prepared banquet hall. In that glittering chamber, glass in hand, I reviewed the lots I had won.
The Singer of Nature's Song and the Berserker Set were the centerpieces, but beyond those I had focused on pieces with high value relative to their price — materials I could feed into the Throne of Light, or use to strengthen my companions. Either way, nothing wasted.
The Eye of Greed. With this, I could read the true worth of every auction piece.
Every participant had brought observation-type skills, tools, or outright appraisers — all to judge a lot's real value and walk away with a profit. But I needed only one thing.
The Eye of Greed.
A replicated artificial eye received from Greed, the Golden Goblin King. He had manufactured them himself to speed exploration of the labyrinth, or so he claimed. Greed had gathered the golden goblins still remaining in the Abyss Labyrinth and was methodically collecting the treasures of the old empire hidden within. Boldly put, the finest workforce in the world was mining resources for him. And of the artificial eyes Greed had distributed among those golden goblins, I had brought one.
A tiny golden eye no larger than a cherry tomato — but a replica of Greed's own. I was certain nothing in this hall could read value more reliably.
A gifted appraiser? A high-grade observation skill? Could any of them compare to Greed, who had spent eons gathering treasure from the Abyss?
The Singer of Nature's Song is worth a hundred million gold. The Berserker Set is worth two hundred million. Both are the real thing.
The hammer prices had run high — but thanks to that, I had taken no loss.