Chapter 35

‘Since it’s top-grade, I thought it would at least start at 50 gold coins!’

 

Low-grade and mid-grade mana stones were relatively easy to mine, so their purchase prices were low. Even high-grade stones, which were harder to obtain, were around 30 gold coins.

 

But starting at 200?

 

‘Even if the seller sets the price, this is absurd!’

 

I stared hopelessly at the pouch in my hand. I had roughly 80 gold coins.

 

‘I scraped together everything the merchant guild had.’

 

I didn’t even have enough to join the bidding. The price was completely outside my expectations, and despair washed over me.

 

“What should I do…?”

 

I needed to buy that stone so it wouldn’t be used in the Hunting Festival… My vision blurred. Because of the high price, there weren’t many bidders, and only a few nobles quickly raised their placards.

 

“230 gold coins.”

 

The price began to climb, and soon the bidding shot up without hesitation.

 

“250 gold coins!”

 

My heart started pounding. I needed to at least try.

 

‘Maybe they’ll let me pay in installments!’

 

When buying expensive items, you sometimes asked whether it was lump-sum or installment. Sure, that was from my previous world—but I wasn’t in a position to be picky.

 

“260 gold coins!”

 

I squeezed my eyes shut, raised my placard, and shouted.

 

“280 gold coins!”

 

A voice echoed from the first basement floor.

 

I looked up and saw a masked woman.

 

‘She must be representing the Imperial Family.’

 

There was only one place besides me that would want this stone so badly. I saw her sneer down at me. I lifted my placard again.

 

“300 gold coins!”

 

Moments later, she shouted: “350 gold coins!”

 

Gortu grinned.

 

“350 gold coins! Any higher?”

 

‘It’s fine. The trade with the crown prince went well. The guild will only make money from now on. It’s fine.’

 

I hypnotized myself. Maybe I could do a 36-month installment, take out a bank loan, sell some gemstones—somehow.

 

I jumped to my feet, raised the placard. This was do-or-die.

 

“400 gold coins!”

 

I sneered right back at the masked woman.

 

“Yes! 400 gold coins!”

 

I pretended confident, but inside I was burning with anxiety. I clasped my hands together in my heart. God, Buddha, Allah, and the gods of this world—please listen. I need to buy that stone.

 

‘Otherwise Freyer will get hurt…’

 

The masked woman collapsed back into her seat, and Gortu looked around.

 

“If there are no bids higher than 400 gold coins, the cloaked participant wins…”

 

My eyes sparkled at him.

 

‘Am I actually getting it?’

 

But my hope shattered immediately.

 

“1000 gold coins.”

 

A deep voice boomed from the upper level. Silence fell. A masked, black-haired man stood there—someone who hadn’t participated until now.

 

I fell back into my seat.

 

‘1000 gold coins is impossible.’

 

That was an insurmountable wall. Even selling the guild and my estate, even going into debt, wouldn’t be enough.

 

‘That man must be the Imperial representative.’

 

Only the Imperial Family could casually spend that much.

 

“Yes, 1000 gold coins! Any other bids?”

 

Gortu’s face stretched into a delighted grin.

 

“1000 gold coins, 1000 gold coins, 1000 gold coins.”

 

He repeated it three times.

 

“The top-grade mana stone is sold for 1000 gold coins!”

 

He tapped his gavel.

 

“For the honored guests leaving empty-handed, we promise an even better selection next time. This concludes today’s auction!”

 

The lights turned on.

 

“If you purchased an item, please pay now.”

 

Everyone stood up. I looked at the man who bought the stone. His attendant had already left to pay.

 

‘I can’t let that item pass into their hands.’

 

I jumped up and shouted with every ounce of strength in my lungs: “That top-grade mana stone is fake!”

 

 

***

 

 

Freyer, Jaybil, and Derek arrived at the secret auction house. They watched the entrance from the alley across the street.

 

“Your Highness. Why did you bring him?”

 

Derek glanced unpleasantly at Jaybil.

 

“Sir Derek. I’m the one who obtained this information. A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt.”

 

Jaybil slung an arm over Derek’s shoulder with a grin. Derek shoved the arm off.

 

“Yes. You brought good intel. But I’d prefer narcissists to stay out of missions.”

 

“Sir Derek. By narcissist, are you referring to me?”

 

“Seems you feel targeted, Steward Jaybil.”

 

Jaybil’s eyes widened. Sparks flew between them.

 

“Enough.”

 

Freyer shook his head. He regretted telling Bilion, Jaybil’s brother, that Jaybil was adjusting “too” well.

 

“Jaybil. The guest list?”

 

“My brother said he wrote it perfectly.”

 

Freyer nodded.

 

“This auction is to learn my brother’s scheme. Don’t forget why we’re here.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Their glares finally cooled.

 

“Jaybil, watch the exterior. Derek, you follow me inside.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Jaybil bowed and vanished into the shadows.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Freyer and Derek donned cloaks and masks and approached Illé House. Most auction guests were gone already. A guard glared at them.

 

“Name?”

 

“Show respect. This is the heir of Count Light. I am his escort.”

 

“….”

 

Derek raised his voice at the guard. Freyer felt embarrassed.

 

The guard checked the list, then bowed hastily.

 

“My apologies. I did not recognize the young count.”

 

“Insult our young master again, and the merchant guild will hear of it.”

 

“…Derek. Let’s just go.”

 

Freyer, unable to keep up with Derek’s theatrics, hurried inside. They descended to the second basement floor.

 

“It’s larger than expected. We should split up.”

 

Derek nodded.

 

“I’ll check the first basement. We weren’t allowed in earlier.”

 

“Report anything through the comm bead.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Derek disappeared. Freyer sat in the back row and scanned the room.

 

“There are mages here.”

 

Mage-like mana signatures pulsed from the first basement. This was the crown prince’s secret auction—mages wouldn’t be here by coincidence.

 

“He’s definitely plotting something.”

 

But suspicion alone wasn’t enough to move. Then the comm bead vibrated.

 

—Your Highness. The secretary and his group have entered the auction.

 

“No way.”

 

—Yes. Just a hunch, but he looks like the crown prince.

 

Freyer hadn’t expected the crown prince to come in person. He had to observe for now.

 

“Keep watching. Report anything unusual.”

 

—Yes.

 

The auction began, hosted by the merchant who owned the place.

 

The first item was a necklace inlaid with purple amethyst.

 

“It would suit her.”

 

Freyer wasn’t interested in jewelry, but the moment he saw it, Lilithia came to mind.

 

‘Focus.’

 

He shook his head. He wasn’t here to buy jewelry. And yet, no matter how he looked at it, that necklace belonged on Lilithia. His reason and emotions clashed—

 

“30 gold coins.”

 

His body had already surrendered to emotion, placard lifted.

 

“Yes! 30 gold coins! No other bidders?”

 

None. Freyer easily won the necklace.

 

‘I’m just pretending to be a guest.’

 

He forced himself to believe that and fiddled with the comm bead. Then he watched the auction calmly—until the top-grade mana stone appeared.

 

“How did they even get that?”

 

Obtaining such a stone was harder than plucking stars from the sky. Freyer stared in suspicion. The auction house buzzed with intense competition.

 

“400 gold coins!”

 

A hooded person gave him a strange sense of déjà vu. When someone on the second floor called, “1000 gold coins,” the hooded person collapsed. Freyer kept glancing at them.

 

The comm bead vibrated.

 

—Your Highness. The crown prince’s side bought the stone.

 

It looked like an ordinary top-grade mana stone, but the crown prince paying five times the price was suspicious.

 

“We change the plan. We’re taking the crown prince’s mana stone.”

 

—Yes, understood.

 

Freyer stood to leave with the other guests—

 

“That mana stone is fake!”

 

The familiar voice hit him like lightning. The voice that once wished for his happiness.

 

Golden hair glinted beneath the hood.

 

“Lilithia?”

 

Why was she here? He didn’t have time to ponder it.

 

“Her words shook the mages.”

 

The previously calm magical presence boiled violently.

 

The comm bead rang.

 

—Your Highness! The mages following the crown prince suddenly turned back toward the auction hall after hearing that woman. What should I—

 

There was chaotic footwork, loud scrambling.

 

Then the guards seized Lilithia.

 

“Hey—! Let go of me!”

 

She screamed as one guard clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her backstage.

 

There was no time to waste. Freyer shouted into the comm bead:

 

“Jaybil, follow the mages. Derek, regroup with me—now!”