Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The surrounding bidders were stunned, and even the host was bewildered. It took him a while to react. With trembling hands, as if afraid the person would go back on their word, he struck the auction hammer without a second confirmation.
“Bang!”
“Congratulations to this noble guest in the upper private room, these female slaves are yours!”
The host was ecstatic. He earned a 2% commission on every item sold, and just from selling this cage of female slaves, he would receive 200 gold coins, which was more than his annual income from his usual work.
“Who is that person? So rich!”
“It might be Duke Polvert. He controls three mining veins and still manages to skim off a lot of profit after giving the king his share.”
“Doesn’t seem like it… that Lord is usually so stingy… uh… frugal, how could he spend ten thousand gold on six useless female slaves?”
The surrounding bidders buzzed with discussion, guessing the identity of the person in the private room. The auction house kept the identity of those in the private rooms completely secret, but they were generally among the few great nobles or their offspring.
A cage of female slaves had already been delivered to the private room by the attendants, and the funds would be settled after the auction. The auction continued.
Following the same pattern, another cage of alien female slaves was brought out.
“Everyone, please take a look. Compared to the previous cage of female slaves, these are slightly older.”
“But this doesn’t mean they are not good!”
“Compared to those naive and innocent little girls, this cage of female slaves possesses a hint of youthful charm and a greater sense of bewitchment.”
“Moreover, they are more developed, which can bring you the ultimate experience between youth and tenderness!”
The host spoke with great enthusiasm. In any case, he could always find selling points for every cage of female slaves. However, his commentary wasn’t the most important factor. Everyone was looking at the merchandise.
The slaves in the cages were slender and graceful, with curves in all the right places. Their skin was like condensed fat, and their features were as beautiful as paintings. Each one was a top-tier specimen.
The atmosphere, cooled by the ten thousand gold coins, became heated again, even more so than when the previous cage of female slaves appeared. People don’t always prefer fatty meat, nor do they always prefer lean meat; a balance of both appeals to most.
“Now, the bidding begins! The starting price is 2000 gold coins, with each bid no less than 100 gold coins!”
“I bid 3800!”
The wealthy merchant from before spoke again. It seemed that both lolis and young women were within his preferences.
“Ten thousand.”
Nobody Does Human Things (M) raised their hand to bid, their expression so casual it seemed almost provocative. However, this action finally caused chaos in the auction hall. Spending ten thousand gold coins on a cage of female slaves could be considered a spontaneous acquisition driven by desire and wealth. But bidding ten thousand for the second cage directly was unprecedented. This forced people to wonder if the nouveau riche in the private room was out of their minds. Where did so much money come from? How much gold did the Karari treasury even have?
“Uh… Sir, do you really intend to bid ten thousand gold coins?”
The host was a little scared now. Although he loved making money, there was something strange about this situation, and he also feared for his life. The unknown was the most terrifying. He knew who was in the top-tier private rooms, but none of them, in his estimation, could casually squander twenty thousand gold coins. Where did this money come from? Could they have really ransacked the King’s treasury?
“Ten thousand it is, what’s with the hesitation?”
The voice from the private room sounded impatient. The host swallowed his fear, not daring to say anything. He forced an awkward smile, pulled a handkerchief from his chest pocket to wipe the cold sweat from his face, and then struck the auction table with his hammer.
“Ten thousand gold coins, sold! Congratulations to this gentleman for acquiring our second cage of female slaves!”
The auction house attendants continued to bring out the third cage of female slaves. However, before the host could even start the introduction, the same calm voice from the private room rang out again:
“Stop wasting time. Ten thousand. I’ll take it.”
The host wanted to retort, “Do you even have that much money?” But considering his own position and the status of the important figures in the private room, he swallowed his doubts.
“If you don’t want to sell, just say so. What’s the point of this shady business? Are you trying to drive up the price of these female slaves? Do you really think we’re fools?!”
Someone stood up, pointing at the host and accusing him angrily. After all, producing thirty thousand gold coins at once was too extraordinary. Even the Karari King didn’t have such audacity. Therefore, this was very likely a staged performance by the auction house itself, aimed at inflating the price of alien female slaves.
“I swear to all you noble guests that all auction processes at our auction house are normal and without any foul play. That individual did indeed offer thirty thousand gold coins.”
The host smiled bitterly. After this deal, he would earn three hundred gold coins, but at this moment, he couldn’t be happy at all. Although the bidders present were not as noble as the individuals in the private rooms, being targeted by them was a troublesome matter. Who knew if one day, walking on a dark road, he might be impaled by a sword falling from the sky.
“What proof do you have that there’s no foul play?”
“Bring out the gentleman who bought the three cages of female slaves! I want to see who has so much money?”
“We cannot reveal the identities of the esteemed guests in the private rooms. I apologize.”
Facing various questions, the host’s face turned pale. Asking the person in the private room to come out and provide proof was something he wouldn’t even dare to imagine.
“Silence!”
A roar like that of a lion echoed from behind the auction stage, followed by heavy footsteps. A tall and imposing knight emerged. He had thick, dark hair, dark skin, and a ferocious face like a beast. His caterpillar-like eyebrows were joined, and his entire being exuded a formidable aura. The moment this knight appeared, the clamor in the auction hall gradually subsided. Those who lived in Karari Royal Capital and had some knowledge would recognize the commander of the Karari Royal City garrison, Polvert, also known as the Ogre Knight. This Sky Knight’s appearance was so ugly that it was highly recognizable, drawing attention wherever he went. Often, Polvert would be featured as a character in frightening stories told by mothers to lull their children to sleep.
“You all should know me. I am here under His Majesty’s command to maintain the peace in the entire Karari Royal Capital and am also the guard of this auction house.”
Polvert thrust his broadsword, as large as a door panel, into the ground, then placed one hand on his chest. His fierce gaze swept across the entire hall, and he declared loudly, “I can guarantee with my own honor that the Karari Auction House has no foul play.”
