episode_0096

Episode 96 Auction (1)

Golden Merchant Guild.

A place regarded as a legend among merchants, having risen to become the best merchant guild on the continent in just 50 years.

There were many large merchant guilds with long histories on the continent, and it was only natural that it became famous after surpassing them all to become number one in half a century.

And Barto Bennet.

He was the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, and the name of the person who appeared before us.

At the appearance of a stranger, the group, except for me, looked at him with wary eyes. It was because Barto Bennet’s face was not well known.

I answered his question.

“I will gladly have some if you buy it for me.”

Barto Bennet gave a signal, and the bartender, understanding his intention, prepared the drink.

“Kyle, do you know him? *Sniff sniff,* I feel like I’ve smelled him before….”

At that moment, Lana approached with a worried look and whispered in my ear.

“I don’t know him personally, but he’s a good person. I’ll go talk to him for a bit.”

“Okay! I understand!”

I headed to Barto Bennet’s side.

“How do you know who I am and accept this so readily, approaching without fear?”

“Who else would you be? The owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, of course.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re the only one who would crack such a joke to a scruffy old man like me.”

“If anyone else did, the staff would have kicked them out a long time ago.”

The casino staff seemed uninterested in him while paying close attention.

“And the details are lacking. What commoner neatly grooms their hair and nails?”

Besides, Barto Bennet seemed like a commoner at first glance, but upon closer inspection, he was anything but. Except for his clothes, he exuded elegance.

He picked up the glass placed in front of him and drank. He didn’t like alcohol, so it was a non-alcoholic drink. After swallowing the liquid, he continued.

“People judge others by their appearance first.”

“While some people do that, others don’t care about their attire. Like me.”

Then Barto Bennet chuckled.

“I can’t figure you out at all. Are you a split personality or something?”

“It’s not like I’ve been living as a ruffian. This level of acting is easy.”

“No wonder they say ‘love, love.’ The story from the banquet hall is still a hot topic.”

“Is it fun to tease someone young enough to be your grandson?”

“It is fun. Especially if it’s the kid who caused this commotion by dragging me out.”

At his words, I smiled silently.

The reason I recklessly spent money at the casino was to call him out. Letan was as good as Barto Bennet’s.

“What’s the reason you sought out this old man?”

“You’re agreeing quite readily? The losses must be enormous.”

“The price can be discussed later.”

Just how much is he going to ask for?

‘As expected of a merchant. It’s not easy to deal with him.’

Well, even so, calling out the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild to this extent is a bargain.

“The reason I came to the Free City is to participate in the auction.”

“Do you have an invitation?”

I subtly showed the two invitations in my inner pocket.

“You managed to get the back one. It’s not easy to get even with connections.”

“I put in some effort.”

“Did you come to the casino to raise funds as well?”

“That’s also one of the purposes.”

The front and back. To get the items I wanted from those two auctions, I needed a lot of money. A lot.

“Anyway, what I want to say is… I want you to help me with this auction.”

I moved closer and lowered my voice as much as possible. There weren’t many people around, but just in case.

“Help you at the auction. What exactly?”

“Firstly, there are many items I want to obtain at the auction. But I want to minimize unnecessary expenses. I would like you to intervene appropriately and stop them at that time.”

The Golden Merchant Guild’s name carries weight anywhere on the continent. So if he intervenes during the auction, participants will be wary and back down on their own.

Of course, it won’t work for everyone, but it will at least greatly help in saving costs.

After hearing my words, he seemed to contemplate for a moment but didn’t immediately come to a conclusion.

“If there’s a first, that means there’s also a second, right?”

“Of course.”

I continued.

“The second is. You’ve probably already heard about it. What race is coming out at the back auction.”

“…Did the rumors spread that far?”

“It would be stranger if they didn’t.”

An elf is going up for auction, no less.

The story has probably already reached the ears of wealthy people all over the continent.

“The second is to help with the purchase of the elf? Unfortunately, that’s impossible. As you said, the rumors have spread far and wide, and the competition is fierce. Even I would have a hard time stopping the overheating.”

Elves are a race famous for their innate beauty. That’s why there are so many people who want to get their hands on them at any cost. So much so that they committed the act of hunting elves 400 years ago.

They are probably still lobbying the Free City or related parties immensely.

“Unfortunately, that’s not it. Do you think I’m crazy? To buy an elf?”

Buying a woman born under God with money? You might as well kill me.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s nothing much… I’m thinking of causing some terrorism at the back auction.”

I said in a calm voice. Then Barto Bennet looked at me with an absurd expression and said.

“…I thought you were just a ruffian, but you’re completely insane.”

“Hey, why do you say such things.”

“Then you’re saying that’s not the case? If you think you’re normal, go see a priest or something.”

He treated my words as nonsense and sipped his glass. He meant he would pretend he didn’t hear me and I should leave.

“You don’t have to directly help us. My group and I will carry out the plan. The guild will probably not be involved with us.”

A simple task of moving the guards and auction item placement slightly. Unless we leave evidence, there is absolutely no chance of getting caught.

Even so, he didn’t listen. I didn’t stop.

“I’ll give you half of the money I won today, though not all of it.”

“It’s a big misconception if you think you can win me over with that money. Compared to my wealth, 2.5 billion gold is just pocket change.”

Barto Bennet refused. I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“Then how about I arrange a meeting with the Eustia Holy Kingdom?”

“…….”

Only then did he look at me.

The Eustia Holy Kingdom may seem open at first glance, but it is quite closed off in some ways. Thus, there are no cases of individuals or groups trading, unless it is between countries.

“You have a backer.”

“Surely a student wouldn’t commit terrorism in their right mind.”

“Judging from the conversation….”

He glanced at me and didn’t continue. He realized from the fact that I came to save the elf who asked me to come.

“Tsk tsk, really… A person even greater than the current head of the family has been born.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Then would it be a compliment or an insult?”

He had a brighter expression than before, and we exchanged words as we had been doing.

And after a while.

“Then I’ll see you on the day of the auction.”

“Go in peace.”

I left the casino, receiving his send-off.

***

A week passed quickly.

Playing, resting, and visiting historical sites. As I spent time like that, the day of the auction arrived.

The auction in the Free City starts at exactly 6 PM. So I moved according to the time.

Arriving at the auction house, I handed the white invitation to the staff. A total of 4 people could accompany one invitation, so we entered without any issues.

Moreover, the invitation that Velum prepared was a VIP invitation. We were guided to VIP seats.

Seats with a clear view of the auction stage below. I examined the auction house.

Participants filling the first floor, people who looked like nobles or the rich, laughing and chatting. The auction stage was covered by a huge red curtain, revealing nothing. Judging by the occasional breeze, it was still being prepared.

Next was the VIP seating on the same 2nd floor. Far away, I could see the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, Barto Bennet. I made a short greeting when our eyes met.

In fact, there was no reason to be wary here, so I just looked at the auction catalog. Flipping through each page and examining the list, I expressed my thoughts inwardly.

‘There’s a lot of useless stuff.’

There were items that had no value to me, like pottery or relics. There were also useful auction items such as artifacts, magical tools, and elixirs.

‘I want to sweep them all away if I could.’

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a budget that was that generous, so I gave up. I need to save money appropriately at the front auction.

“Ruina-senpai. Is there anything you want to buy?”

“Yeah. This.”

I heard Lana’s and Senpai’s voices next to me. They were also looking at the catalog like me.

“And this, this, and this too.”

She flipped through the book, picking out items she wanted to bid on. Then, feeling my gaze, she turned her head.

“Can I buy them?”

“You can buy them, but I don’t have any money to buy them for you.”

“I have a lot of money. You don’t need to buy them for me.”

I already knew that.

‘Well, it should be okay.’

Senpai was earning money through a contract at the casino in the first place. So there won’t be any problems.

I sipped the prepared drink and looked at Evan this time. He didn’t seem very interested in the auction.

“Aren’t you buying anything?”

“Eii, what would I buy. It just looks expensive.”

“Should I buy you something?”

“You don’t have to go that far. I’m okay. I’ll just watch.”

Indeed, the base price of auction items is 100,000 gold units. That money is still a story from another world for a commoner like Evan.

-I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who attended our auction….

At that time, the auctioneer’s voice echoed on the stage, the curtain on the stage rose, and the light dimmed. The noise in the hall gradually subsided.

-The first auction item for all of you who have traveled through the desert and come to this remote place, bringing peace and safety to our city!

At that moment, the bottom of the stage opened, and the item rose.

-This is an artifact created 200 years ago by an anonymous alchemist! The starting bid is 300,000 gold, and the increment is 50,000 gold coins!

And the auction began.

-Ah~ Number 112! Suddenly 600,000 gold coins! Calls for twice the starting price!

The auctioneer called out our seat number.

I turned my head, and I saw Senpai entering the bid price for the magic tool.

“I told you. I have a lot of money.”

She looked at me with sparkling eyes and a triumphant face.