Chapter 43

I entered, and so many scenes filled my thoughts from the time it took me to get there.

The grand auction began as soon as I sat in the designated seats at the bidding hall, moving swiftly.

It felt like my sense of time was slightly off.

As soon as the elderly owner with youthful skin despite his gray hair announced the start of the auction, from the moment the tiara made of unknown golden material was presented as the first item up for bid,

Each item brought up was bid on so quickly that it was almost embarrassing to describe it as mere competition.

Because the nobles or tycoons who wanted each item would start by calling out astronomical sums that would suppress any thought of competition from others,

After the grand auction started and the initial price was called, followed by a hearty voice shouting an amount that would make one’s jaw drop, the hammer came down, signifying the end of the bidding.

Although there were occasional bidders who couldn’t contain their excitement and cheered after their bid was confirmed,

Most of them were too eager to leave their seats to receive the items they had won, so these celebrations didn’t hold much weight.

It was typical for wealthy individuals to engage in fierce bidding wars over the items they coveted.

This grand auction didn’t turn into a fierce competition because the items were diverse by category, and the desires of the participants didn’t overlap.

Though, admittedly, since the bidders had set their minds on calling out high prices from the start, the items were sold at substantial amounts, so there wasn’t a loss for Shaten.

“Seems like the bidders aren’t as greedy as I thought. They could have easily obtained what they wanted and caused a stir with other bids.”

Looking at the subdued atmosphere, Asulin muttered quietly as she lightly tapped her finger on the table in front of her during the brief break before the next item was brought up.

“Even though they wear masks, perhaps they’re holding back because they know each other.”

“Ha ha… That’s possible, but…”

“But?”

“Maybe they’re conserving their strength for something even bigger.”

Tap tap—

Asulin spoke while tapping her right index finger lightly on the table in front of her, as if preemptively blocking any natural words that might come from my mouth in response to her statement.

Tap tap—

Her right index finger tapped the table again, and then she said,

“…We should prepare to outbid them with money.”

“Given the amounts called out here, which are impressive enough to make one’s jaw drop, I don’t think we should worry too much. But it’s always good to be prepared.”

Asulin confidently affirmed the fall of the Peiload, even without uttering its name, as our conversation continued.

Indeed, perhaps it’s due to her experience tasting the rare wines produced elsewhere.

From afar, imagining the war fought with money here, I couldn’t predict how the bidders would react when Peiload appeared on the auction block.

Even though I couldn’t fathom how much money would be called out to obtain it.

“There isn’t much time left.”

Asulin revealed a cold detachment, stripping away the gentle demeanor she usually showed, as she murmured to herself, preparing for the upcoming decisive battle.

She deserved a fitting conclusion to match her overflowing fighting spirit.

While waiting for the next item to be auctioned, I found myself watching the time pass until the auction finally started and the moment arrived to announce the end of the year.

“Thank you for waiting long!”

The powerful voice of Shaten’s chief manager, who took over the auction proceedings in place of the owner, heated up the auction hall.

“Now, only one thing remains! A magnificent Peiload, perfect to conclude this grand auction!”

Though he didn’t specify, the man’s words clearly indicated that only one item remained.

As the auction had been ongoing, the eyes of those remaining, which had maintained an icy composure, suddenly sparked with passion or greed.

Although the number of participants had significantly decreased compared to the initial count, the intensity of each individual was so great that it seemed unbelievable given the smaller number.

If this passion were to erupt outside, it would probably warm up the chilly weather, making it feel less cold than the North.

However, such intense passion was rare among the attendees.

Among those standing out, there was the foreigner from the Western Continent whom I noticed particularly upon entering the auction hall,

And the green-haired young man with a neutral appearance, wearing a golden mask, whom even Asulin, who knew everyone despite their masks, couldn’t identify.

It seemed that these two were the hurdles we had to overcome to win the Peiload through bidding.

Turning my head towards Asulin, I saw her nodding her head politely without speaking, just like me, who shared similar thoughts.

Of course, her nodding was more than just a gesture.

“Looks like it’s getting heated…”

Seeing her eyes blaze, I was sure she was brimming with competitive spirit.

Normally, I would have observed from a distance and tried to calm Asulin down if she got excited,

But “I’m no different,” I thought.

“I wonder how to bid.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”

Despite my rising temperature and fiery eyes, Asulin responded calmly.

Just as I was feeling relieved that my workload had lightened,

Clank!

With a loud noise, the center of the platform where the auction items were always displayed split open,

And something was being raised using a mechanical device above it.

“Gah…!”

Someone in the auction hall gasped involuntarily as intense cold air seeped out from the gap in the platform.

Both Asulin and I knew why that cold air was coming out.

“Hmm…”

The foreigner from the Western Continent stroked his chin and smiled leisurely,

“And indeed…”

The green-haired young man, whose lips curled into a smile, also seemed to know what it was.

Well, it was obvious.

Unlike the other bidders who had managed to acquire multiple items, we and Asulin had been waiting for this moment, not showing any intention to bid on anything else.

Even though they hadn’t shown their true selves yet, the overwhelming coldness emanating from them was enough to make their identity clear, even without seeing their faces.

“Peiload.”

Only then did I mention the name of Peiload aloud, having intentionally avoided it since entering the auction hall.

There was no longer any reason to hold back.

I wanted to confirm the intensity of the coldness associated with Peiload, which was fiercely pouring out,

But as the presence of Peiload slowly emerged from the gap, the release of its coldness stabilized as the display case slowly opened.

This change seemed to indicate that Peiload, which Asulin had claimed was imbued with a stubborn self, was indeed genuine.

As Peiload’s aura began to emerge, Asulin looked around the auction hall with ease, examining who had the right to possess it.

“Huh, I never expected to find something worth seeing after gathering everything else on purpose.”

“Indeed, it seems worth taking a closer look.”

“Of course. Given how long the bidding will likely go on, we should just observe the sword.”

“Still, we should pay close attention to remember it for future reference.”

“Well, this auction will end with Peiload, and the year will draw to a close.”

“That sounds good. There’s a nice club I know. Let’s meet there after it ends.”

On the other hand, some people were quietly observing Peiload as their goal,

Even the two individuals who had been radiating desire-like passion had now calmed their gazes to focus on appreciating Peiload.

The legendary sword, which stood beside the two dragon swords symbolizing the empire, captivated everyone who wasn’t a swordsman with its mere presence.

“The heat from the desert won’t be a concern while carrying this.”

“Yes, it’s certainly worth storing in the vault.”

…Of course, while these were valid impressions, they weren’t all the same.

In any case, despite Peiload’s aura dominating the auction hall with its genuine presence,

“Look! The eternal sword, Peiload, which symbolizes the continuation of the royal lineage and the protection of the empire, will conclude this grand auction! The starting price is 5 million Imperial Marks! Who will make this conclusion even more beautiful?”

Even the announcer, who was closest to Peiload and thus felt its coldness most intensely, kept his expression and voice steady as he mentioned the starting price, which was higher than any other item sold in the auction.

The previous highest bid had been 1 million Imperial Marks.

That sum alone would have been enough to purchase a respectable plot of land at a dignified location and build a splendid mansion on it.

Starting at five times that amount was staggering.

If it were a regular item, the starting price alone would have elicited jeers and boos.

“5.1 million.”

Immediately after the starting price was called, the foreigner from the Western Continent shouted,

“5.15 million.”

The green-haired young man, not wanting to be outdone, immediately raised the bid.

The final moments of this grand auction seemed to be shaping up to be the fiercest bidding competition in Shaten’s history.

Participants who had stayed out of curiosity watched the bidding process with their mouths agape.

“Is there anyone else?”

When the chief manager asked loudly if there were any more bids beyond 5.15 million Imperial Marks,

“5.5 million.”

Asulin immediately joined the bidding with a large sum.

The Western Continental foreigner and the green-haired young man, who had previously exchanged only glances without much reaction, momentarily paused.

Even though they had prepared substantial funds to acquire Peiload, they seemed to realize that Asulin’s bid had ignited the final round of bidding.

“5.55 million!”

“5.6 million!”

Though they didn’t pump up their bids as aggressively as Asulin, their determination to increase the price showed that their resolve wouldn’t easily fade.

Their eyes met sharply as they bid against each other.

Their gaze conveyed a strong message: “How dare you interfere with my intended item?”

Yet, neither of them focused their gaze on Asulin, who had called out the amount that momentarily stalled them.

I understood the reason.

“Heh heh heh…”

Though I was smiling faintly, I wasn’t looking at them directly. Instead, the intensity in Asulin’s eyes as she gazed at Peiload grew stronger.

Exaggerating slightly, it felt like meeting her gaze without permission would instantly pierce through with her intense stare.

These individuals, lacking both wealth and power, couldn’t possibly withstand Asulin’s physical strength.

“The outcome is clear.”

It wasn’t just about the money; the two bidders were clearly being suppressed by Asulin’s气势.