The auction venue was engulfed with enthusiasm.
The seats, built to enclose the large stage of the centre, were divided into three categories.
General seats for the general public to sit, mainly members of chambers of commerce and bourgeoisies. Isolated hunter seats where treasure hunters are guided. And a VIP seat for specially invited people, starting with nobles.
The noisiest is the hunter seat.
Zebuldia auctions can be attended by anyone as long as they pay an admission fee, but for the general public the admission fee of 100,000 geels is high enough to hesitate to pay on the Monumental Amusement Mountain for no purpose. As a result, the participating members also have a lot of elegant, calm, upper-class people somewhere, but treasure hunters are different.
The admission fee of 100,000 Gears is not that hesitant amount for hunters of some or more levels. Originally, they were those who lived in a transient way.
Hunter seats looked different from the others. Exactly, we are not allowed to bring in weapons and food and beverages, but there are only bloody members gathered, and there are unproductive laughs and yells emanating from there.
The seats were made in a staircase so that the stage could be seen well. We were guided to a high position in the hunter seat, so we can look over the entire hunter seat.
A few meters next to each other, I hear a tall, intimidating voice.
"Ahhh!? I've been watching Liz and the others!? What hand is that? Do it for five seconds. Say it."
"Heh... what..."
"............... that, can you stop me?
Liz was just threatening a seating hunter right around the corner.
He grabs the arm of a big, tall man hunter for one head and looks up with a sharp eye. The other guy was twice as big compared to the little Liz, but it's the guy who's bluer.
The gripped arm is making a stinging noise. Her powers are disproportionately strong. One or two of my arms will fold fine, and I won't hesitate.
A man turns to retreat a step in agony, but his body does not move a step to see if there is a difference in strength.
When I stuck around, the smart of the loved one who sat next to me without my involvement stood up and spoke to the smart of the troublemaker.
"Sister, Mr. Klee told me to let you swim!
"Uh, again? Boring."
"Anyway, I don't know who you're following right now! Look, just take a seat."
"... chip. Get lost. All right? Next time I see you before Liz, I'm gonna kill you."
When Liz lets go, she runs away like she ate a bubble. It's pathetic to even pay the entrance fee... there will be enough for a weak meal.
For a moment the scene was quiet back to the commotion, but the hustle and bustle soon returned. This level of twitching is a routine tea meal. I want to stop being a hunter. I want to spend the rest of my life peacefully doing it even in a sweet place in the distance.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Klee. Sister, it's a small thing and it's so loud..."
Apologize with the kind of voice Citrine whispers. Listening to it, Liz now hung up on her sister.
Pull Citrie's arm hard as she glances at him to intimidate him.
"Sito, don't flatter Klee with me. Eh! I don't think there's a bug coming in here because you didn't hit him properly in advance! Mostly, what? When did you allow me to sit next to you? Don't touch me! Stay away from Cry within a meter radius!
"It's bad your sister's late! Your sister did her part by paying well! Mostly, I'm paying... hey, Mr. Klee."
"Huh!? It doesn't matter. Hey, Klee?
"Yeah, yeah, you are.... Oh, you have all sorts of treasure items on offer besides that one. Ooh..." Lion Chain "or... um... the big chains aren't that strong for the bulk."
Put your feet together and drop your gaze on the catalog handed out on admission.
Appraiser's name on features, effects and seller's name on treasure item. Hazard. Place of discovery.
Each item to be auctioned is guaranteed in quality by a dedicated appraiser, but it is not necessarily certain that the items listed are authentic. It's not like that, but sometimes if you're unlucky, they pay you big bucks to grab a fake.
Auctions are both a place of sight and a place to build connections.
Rare books, weapons, artwork and jewellery are also available, but the only thing I'm interested in is treasure.
That's just one auction a year, and there are a few treasure pieces that I'm worried about just checking.
Definitely save some money next year to join. Too much planning this time.
Far down there, I can see Tino discussing it with the Gregs like he was nervous.
Far away, I can see Miss Eclair sitting with a nervous look on her face in a different VIP seat to see made from near the ceiling.
Guess it's because that's all we talked about, the object treasure is eyeball treatment, and it seems like the second half of it comes out.
Have you settled, Citrie next to my left, and Liz sits next to my right? Finally just a little quieter.
And the Zebuldia auction, which has been haunting my head for some time now, opened the curtain.
§
The Zebuldia auction system is simple.
A minimum amount is set for each item listed, which will be used as the minimum amount and the bidder will present the purchase amount.
The smallest unit to raise the price varies from article to article, but is often 100,000, million, or ten million.
One hundred and twenty seconds after raising the highest price, if there is nothing else to raise the price, the buyer who offered the highest price can get the item.
Once you bid, it's impossible to cancel. If for any reason the goods could not be bought at the amount offered, the tenderer would be guilty and heavily penalized.
There are different ways to bid. You can put up a board that says the price, or you can raise your voice. You can also use a determined hand signal.
"- Yes, then, 'The Mirror Shield' has been awarded to Dear 413 for fifteen million geels!
The applause of 10,000 lightning springs up to the venue. As its name suggests, a strange shield that reflects light like a mirror is carried out of the stage.
As the auction progressed, the voltage of the venue was rising as if the smoking flames were going to burn a little.
"Well, continue - entry number fifteen. The most powerful chain (chain type) attack treasure that the clan of advanced demonic props civilizations, familiars and chains supposedly handled."
The host's voice echoes in his brain. My body is hot.
I have only one purpose. [M] So you should be able to call it a front seat, such as treasure gear, that comes out by then, but the heart was beating as hard as if the enthusiasm around competing had spread.
Why, why is the order of the 'people to convert' in the second half? If that was the first half, I might have been able to compete for another treasure piece with the extra money!
"Mr. Klee, your face is red, isn't it?
"... it's my fault."
"It's okay, absolutely, use all means, bet on this name, I'll let you get it. Rest assured. If you can't buy it with your current funds... you can sell the house"
I don't even know what I'm thinking, and Citrine holds my fist. It's not an atmosphere where you can ask me to allocate a very little money to participate in auctions for other treasure gear.
Heavy regrets were attacking me.
Shit, if you're saving up just a little bit - no, if Luke and the others are just coming home -.
No, seriously. Right. I have Lucia's savings. I have Lucia's savings!... Hey, really, do you have a brother who spends his sister's savings on his own?
Items appear next to next in front of me when I am soaking poor.
Whether it's a good time or a bad time, all that comes out is treasure.
Rings on chains with strange powers, boots floating in space for only a centimeter on cloaks that allow underwater breathing. A sword that can easily transform a blade crossing from 30 cm to 3 m into a crystal ball with a 70% chance of hitting the weather.
I want it. I want it all. I am not a treasure maker. I'm a treasure collector. I don't have to be strong.
Appetite, which is usually rarely on the table, erupts.
A rare treasure piece is won in a bundle of three sentences. If I had money, I wouldn't hesitate to put my hands on it because I was holding my eyeballs back later.
Damn, if 'The Person to Convert' could have been bought cheap, they would have gotten them all, too.
Guess you guys aren't buying it for an investment, are you? Are you sure you want to use it? I use it. I'm sure you'll take care of it.
Enough. Enough with 'The Person to Convert'? Better than quality?
Seeing treasures bought by strange merchants and hunters in front of me was painful as if I were trying to shut up about a girl I liked being stolen.
No, but if you come this far - if you lay your hands on me here and defeat me with a bid for "The Converting Person," I don't have a face to match everyone who's done their best in this matter.
Grab a fist with so much force that your hands are white. Patience. I was going to lose my mind and raise my voice.
Why am I not a millionaire? Shit, is this my limit?
Tino looked up to me. [M] It's like waiting for an autograph from me now or now.
I tell her the object of interest, but it must be because of her seriousness that she checks with discipline every time. But now the beauty of her was behind it.
Urged. Tino is urging me.
Oh, really, that, don't you want it? If you don't get it here, you won't get it for the rest of your life, right? Tino's voice was certainly heard by me.
Is this a phantom? Or is it the truth?
I wasn't so upset when I was surrounded by Wolf Night at [White Wolf's Nest] or when I noticed the loss of Citrine Slime.
I was way beyond the words sweat gripping my hands, etc. My hands tremble. I feel paralyzed at my fingertips. Pressing his chest, he felt a severe heartbeat as if after he had walked with all his strength.
My throat is crunchy. I want some water.
I want the treasure of a water bottle with infinite water gushing! I want a ring that will keep your throat dry if you equip it! Somebody stop me! Damn it!
Tino tells me to buy some treasure. I can't believe I can't even get this amount of treasure. I missed it, he says. Treasure collector disqualified, he says.
Are you sure about this? Is that 'converting person' something you have to get until you betray the expectations of your juniors?
Scratch up damp hair with sweat and stare at the stage. The time had come for choice.
We're still ahead of us with 'The Converting Person' coming out. This is an auction, but the strongest enemy was undoubtedly himself.
I'm not proud of myself, but I'm not just physically capable, I'm quite mentally weak.
It's breathtaking. I feel like closing my eyes and blocking my ears, but if I do that, it's like I admitted to losing.
"What's going on? Are you okay?"
"Huh... oh. I'm fine."
Liz looks at me worried. [M]
Close your eyes and ask yourself.
Oh, I'm a man who's useless in battle, but I can't help it in this place?
No, no. Sure, I'm a miscellaneous fish. Miscellaneous fish, but that's why you can't still betray the expectations of everyone you expect.
If you lose temptation here and now, for example, and participate in a treasure tool competition, what would you think of Mr. Martis or Eva who annoyed you? What do you think of the members of the clan who were looking at me running around in debt?
I'm sure you think he's a bad person who can't even restrain himself from me. No, well, I can't even restrain myself. I'm a bad person...
Most importantly, what would Citrie and Liz think? What would they say if I spent the money I collected to buy other treasures?
After a while, I opened my eyes and nodded.
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Maybe you'll forgive me without saying anything.
Well, I collected well over 200 million I told the lady, so can you handle spending a little bit?
It's more stressful to be patient.
Soon the physical tremor had stopped. Take a big deep breath, make up your mind and give it a head up.
Consolidate your shaking resolve by speaking out. The voice squeezed out of the back of his throat was terrible.
"Is the time... here it comes"
Good, that's enough of your outrage. Let me show you my true horror.
You should burn this "Thousands of Changes" look in your eyes when you owe money to childhood care and buy and fish treasure gear.
It was a huge black armor that was just being transported to the stage.
The venue calms back to its beauty, which stands as if people were in it. Total length, nearly four meters. Huge shields and swords worthy of their height are also arranged in sets, but obviously not for human use.
No, maybe Anthem can gear it up?
The MC reads out the explanation as everyone lurks their breath.
"Followed by entry number forty-four. It is a giant doll of metal recently discovered near Teito. Don't worry, I won't move. Armed is integrated and cannot separate armor helmets, but it won't be a problem. Total length three meters ninety, no cavities inside. It has been found to be made of special metals. Cast it down. Okay, decorate it. If it's just swords and shields, it's also worth it as a weapon. Most importantly, there are nearly three tons in total, if you can, of - here's the start from 30 million Gears!
I see... is it a doll, not a weapon?
It's a brilliant design... but I don't need it. There's nowhere to decorate.
Next to me with a sigh of relief, Fu and Citrie gave a grunting voice.
"Akah... Shh? Why?"