episode_0079

In a forest overgrown with bushes.

There, a group of men and women were walking slowly along the road.

Their shoes were worn out, as if they had walked quite a distance.

However, there was no sign of fatigue on their faces.

“It’s been a while, everyone’s gathered here. It’s been a while since I’ve seen everyone’s faces.”

“Isn’t this something to be happy about? If everyone is gathered like this, it means something big is going to happen.”

A woman with a muscular body and a shaggy appearance, who carries a greatsword.

At her words, the stiff-looking woman with a bow who was walking beside her spoke in a voice filled with annoyance.

“Ahahaha.. But still, good things are good. Anyway, I think it’s fun to meet people I’m glad to see again.”

And, a gentle-looking woman who smiles and speaks lightly while looking at those two people.

She was wearing a neat outfit reminiscent of a black mourning dress, and she was carrying a long cane, showing a slight sense of anticipation.

“That being said, honestly, I doubt they’ll all come together. There were more than a few people who got caught up in the gathering on their own before.”

Meanwhile, looking at the three of them, the only Japanese person in this group is a man.

He had a muscular body and a fierce expression, just like a muscular woman, but his eyes had a kind feel to them. He carried a huge hammer and spoke in a voice that sounded a bit dry.

“That may be true, but even so, it’s what the boss said. Even Hild, who is here right now, would give in if it was what the boss said.”

“Umm… I wish you’d avoid that story a little, Brun?”

“So what, even if you pretend not to, you’re the one who likes the leader the most among us, Hild.”

“Hey..”

“Hilde is what kids these days call a tsundere.”

“Ugh… ”

The two people smiled lightly as they looked at their colleague whose face was slightly red.

Meanwhile, the large man, feeling a little curious about what had just been said, asked the woman in black mourning clothes.

“Tsundere? Sigrun, what does that mean?

“It’s a new word popular among students. I heard it refers to being picky and being mean in front of someone you like. As Victor knows, Hild’s personality is a bit… dishonest. ”

“I see, I understand.”

“What are you sitting here explaining in detail..”

Hild is expressing her dissatisfaction with the material she doesn’t like.

After a brief moment of teasing her colleague, the woman in mourning known as Sigrun asked the muscular woman Brun in a slightly calmer tone.

“By the way… what is the purpose of the leader calling us here?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Perhaps he received a request from someone higher up. Something related to the upcoming auction.”

“Auction item winning… It definitely doesn’t seem like it based on this number of people. Could it be what I think it is?”

“… Maybe? Well, we’ll have to open the lid to find out more. Whatever it is, we just have to follow orders. ”

With those words, Brun stands for a moment and looks ahead.

Her eyes began to take in the beautiful view of Bennett’s home as the sun was setting.

*

“600 talents.”

“I don’t buy it. Take it back.”

“598 Absolutely not less than that.”

“Ah, I’m not buying it! I have no intention of paying such a ridiculous fee!”

A person who is stacking up items and bargaining hard.

Senel Polena Dragona.

She was raising the price with a demeanor that seemed quite far removed from her status as a princess.

“..ugh..”

“Ahahaha.. Well, don’t be so embarrassed. Besides, you’re doing this for Lady Katlena, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

And, seeing her enthusiastic appearance, Katlena felt an urge to distance herself and blushed, while Zeros tried to comfort her with an awkward smile.

‘I feel this every time, but sometimes when I see Senel, she has a side that makes people feel embarrassed.’

Of course, she was quite strong and her personality itself wasn’t all that bad. Senel was someone who often built walls around her while maintaining her dignity as a princess.

“Tsk.. You’re such a persistent guy, I only ended up getting 590 talents.”

While grumbling like that, Senel handed Katlena the gold coins he had received as a result of the bargain.

“Okay, take it. This is the amount I paid for the junk you brought.”

“Thank you, sis.”

However, Katlena is grateful to her sister for selling the items she brought at a good price, even though she was not the one who sold them.

However, even in the midst of all this, Senel was showing an attitude that seemed to be not very pleased with the situation just now.

“Oh my, even though those guys were selling it in a hurry, they tried to trick people like this. I feel bad, I could have gotten 600 talents normally.. But the timing was tough, so it wasn’t that easy.”

“Well, the auction will start soon. I guess it can’t be helped since there are a lot of people who need cash.”

Even taking that into account, she felt that she had received a very generous price, but seeing her sister who was not satisfied at all, Katlena just smiled bitterly.

“Anyway, now that we have the funds, let’s decide specifically what to buy.”

“Yes, do that, sis.”

With this, it can be said that the ammunition for war has been prepared.

So the three of them started heading to the inn with the secured funds.

The odds and ends that Katlena brought… are said to be the costs of selling a considerable amount of luxury items used in the duke’s household, as well as the emergency funds and pocket money that she brought with her when she came here.

And.. the total amount including the funds that Senel brought was approximately 1200 talents.

“1 talent is about 10 million won in Korean currency.. 1200 talent is a whopping 12 billion.. This picture will literally show what kind of crazy money-grubbing is.”

Of course, it would be difficult to make an exact comparison since there are differences in the basic value and usability of money. However, even at a glance, it was clear that the two princesses had a truly enormous amount of money.

‘Well, if you look at the area alone, the country larger than the Korean peninsula is the Duchy of Dragona, and these two are princesses of that duchy… In fact, they are no different from princesses.’

Senel and Katlena, who were from a commoner background, were treating the amount of money that made Zeros dizzy as pocket money.

In addition, Zeros was secretly amazed at the scale of this auction, as there were items up for auction that would not be easy to purchase even with their enormous funds.

‘Come to think of it… Historically, during the Age of Exploration, merchants made a lot of money through trade, right? Even here in Benessa, a place that was basically nothing more than a fishing village, became such a great city because it served as a trade window with the East.’

Most of the trade goods between the East and the South on the continent flowed in through Benessa, and the islands that served as bases along the route were also all occupied by Benessa.

There was also a land route, but the amount of goods that could be transported was limited, and the road was rough due to the terrain and attacks by bandits.

Although the Empire was able to secure a certain amount of trade goods due to its direct contact with the East, these were often limited to daily necessities, and truly expensive and valuable items usually flowed into Benessa through this type of long-distance trade.

‘Besides, transportation within the empire is not that good, so it is inevitable that Benetsa, which controls the sea routes, will take the lead in this field.’

For this reason, even now, the Empire is said to have been periodically looking for an opportunity to take control of the seas from Bennett, but the path to that end has been distant.

‘Anyway… In that sense, it’ll be quite fun. This auction. It’ll be a festival of incredible valuables and money. I hope I can secure that item if possible.’

Although there are many rare auction items, Zeros is only after one item.

Since he had already received permission from Katlena to purchase it, saying, “You can only buy one,” Zeros began to smile slightly as he thought about what he would use it for after obtaining it.