Read Novel Full Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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Chapter 306 – Public Auction
It was a palatial-scale Hunter’s Guild in Sanur.
Its central entrance displayed an unusual liveliness.
Occasionally, a lavish, box-shaped carriage would stop in front of the guild, and an attendant would help a noblewoman in an elegant dress step out.
There were also many men with beards, toad-like figures whose clothes were clean but whose faces were dirty.
I walked along with the crowd, mingling among such people.
Straight ahead from the entrance, the venue entrance soon came into view.
The wooden board with the catalog that Alan-san had shown me yesterday was hung there. Next to it was a large sign that read, “No Weapons Allowed.”
It was just as I’d read in the book Auction Host Nations: Their Scale and Tendencies.”
Auctions hosted by the Hunter Guild are also called “public auctions” and are apparently one of the few places where high-ranking individuals can enter openly.
“I’m getting nervous!”
“Really? You look like you’re having a blast.”
“Well, I am looking forward to the auction, but the aura of wealth around me is overwhelming.”
Not everyone, mind you.
Looking around, I see people who look a bit wealthy, people who look quite wealthy, and proxies for people who look incredibly wealthy.
The auction hall seemed to be filled almost exclusively with these three types of wealthy folks. Even though I dressed up nicely, I felt like I barely belonged in the proxy category.
In other words, I was slightly out of place.
Due to her strong desire and my circumstances, Riste is joining me today.
To avoid trouble, she is wearing a mask, and splitting the difference between us should be just about right.
After all, it’s our first time, and I plan to wreak havoc as Riste’s proxy today.
After giving my name at the entrance, I was handed a large, wooden, numbered tag. Stepping inside, I found myself in a space reminiscent of the lecture halls at the university I dropped out of.
In the center of the large, tiered room, a lectern-like desk stood, surrounded by hundreds of high-quality chairs arranged in a fan shape.
The more well-built people seemed to be moving to the lower, easier-to-see seats, so I read the room and headed for the top tier.
Wanting to take notes, if possible, I sat in a corner where there weren’t many people.
As I fidgeted in my seat waiting, the moderator appeared on the central stage once nearly 90% of the chairs were filled.
After a brief greeting, it seemed the first auction item would begin immediately.
“We will now commence the auction. Item 1: ‘Fragment of Wisdom 23-16.’ Starting bid: 800 million Beeke.”
“Ooh…”
My voice mingled with the murmurs of the crowd.
The catalog was merely a list of item names and their auction order. It didn’t include starting prices.
Judging by the reaction and the price, the first item was probably the biggest prize of the night.
“800 million.”
“Bidder number 46—800 million.”
“850 million.”
“Number 102—850 million.”
“One billion.”
“Number 51—one billion.”
It is completely unacceptable to win the bid and then say, “I don’t have the money.”
That’s why there’s a system for depositing funds with the auction counter beforehand. The money I deposited this time was about 1.9 billion Beeke.
Somehow, the payment for the large batch of Palmera materials that I had previously supplied to General Master Org-san had also been deposited. This total cash amount was after I withdrew as much of that money as possible.
Honestly, I thought I could secure some of the items I wanted at this auction, but this is bad.
I’d heard that wisdom fragments could be expensive depending on the quantity, but for number 23 to surpass one billion so easily? That’s way beyond what I expected.
“Riste, I’m sorry, but we have to give up on the fragments of wisdom. If I bid on them now, I’ll ruin myself.”
“It seems so. Let’s just treat this as an opportunity to get a feel for the market.”
“Bidder number 51—1.52 billion.”
“…”
“Any other bids? It’s sold to bidder number 51 for 1.52 billion.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Caught up in the rising applause, I found myself joining in naturally.
They said items after number 20 were typically acquired by collective entities, such as nations, piling up money.
I see.
Gathering these apparently requires an extraordinary level of resolve.
After that, items like dungeon-produced equipment with relatively good properties, silver materials, and blue books with weak skills continued to appear—things not worth spending money on.
Finally, the item I was after appeared:
“Item 22, ‘Skill Seed.’ The starting bid is 60 million Beeke.”
“60 million.”
“Bidder number 10—60 million.”
“70 million.”
“Number 66—70 million.”
As the bids poured in, one after another, I looked again at the card on my lap, which was clearly marked “85.”
(All right, let’s go…)
“One hundred million.”
“Bidder number 85—100 million.”
The moment I showed the card and called out the price, the old lady sitting nearby looked shocked. But this was where the real battle began.
The 100 million Beeke per item listed in the rare item buyout guide was the cash price for buyers who wanted immediate payment and couldn’t wait for the auction. It should be lower than the actual market rate.
I didn’t know how high the price would go, but I was determined to win every single “Skill Seed”!
“110 million.”
“Number 66—110 million.”
“120 million.”
“Number 85—120 million.”
“130 million.”
“Number 66—130 million.”
Then, the room stirred slightly.
Clearly, the price is exceeding the normal market value.
But—
“150 million.”
“Bidder number 85—150 million.”
“Oh…”
“…”
“Any other bids? Sold to bidder number 85 for 150 million.”
Phew…
I finally won just one bid.
Still, my throat is parched from this weird tension.
Air escapes my mouth involuntarily.
It seems I ended up paying way above market value. But, considering how hard it is to earn tens of millions and how much time it would take, it’s a worthwhile win for me.
The problem is, there are still five more to go.
(If they drag this out again, it’ll really hurt…but what if?)
A flicker of unease.
Three hours later, it proved to be spot on.
(That one, number 66…)
The morning session ended for lunch.
Three “Skill Seeds” were listed in the first half, and I won all three.
However, the total winning bid was 470 million BK.
This was clearly extraordinary. Everyone in the venue was stunned, even the ladies nearby.
Even Magnark-san, the appraiser to whom I reported, was so shocked that he nearly spat out his tea.
“Could they be driving up the price, waiting for Loki-kun’s budget to run out?”
“That’s a possibility, but—”
If I let one go, they might back off.
While that outcome was foreseeable, the exact opposite scenario was also imaginable.
“The reason rare items keep rising in price year after year? Probably because of that reincarnator named Marie.”
“I see…”
“If that’s the case, showing weakness could mean losing everything.”
Fundamentally, when it comes to financial resources, the difference between us is like heaven and earth.
But…
Number 66 is a man, so even if he’s here, it’s likely a proxy.
The bidding calls made that clear immediately. While there are probably some formidable figures in the crowd for VIP protection, there is no one powerful enough to trigger a warning from Insight in this hall.
At this point, the possibility of Marie being seated somewhere like Riste is ruled out.
This means that the chances of an extremely reckless bid happening today are pretty low.
(I’m not sure if number 66 is Marie’s proxy, but they’ve been glaring at me since the second lot.)
Ah, whatever.
Being glared at won’t change what I’m doing.
I’ll take down all three remaining items in the afternoon session. While I’m at it, I’ll check out the market for other rare items and buy them if they’re cheap.
“Should we head back soon?”
“Yeah, is it okay if I come with you?”
“I’ve got plenty of mana left, so it’s fine.”
We had deliberately teleported to the small neighboring town for lunch to avoid getting dragged into unnecessary trouble.
After confirming that Riste had put on her mask, we returned to the venue. Apparently, winning multiple lots was conspicuous after all.
Exposed to curious stares, I resigned myself to it and sat down, closing my eyes.
At least they weren’t approaching with ulterior motives—or so I thought.
“Excuse me?”
Hearing that voice again, I sighed deeply and turned my gaze.
“What is it, Number 66-san?”
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