Chapter 24
Elize responded coldly.
“I’m not so sure. I appreciate the sentiment, but that’s not Sophs’ policy.”
“Is that so?”
Bobido laughed “ho ho.” It was rather unpleasant.
“I heard Sophs has put up quite a few items for this Gahasu auction… I wonder if they’ll be any good this time?”
At that moment, Elize’s face turned bright red.
‘What’s this?’
[Elize Barrett]
Once mistakenly bought a forgery that Bobido had put up, thinking it was genuine.
So that happened.
‘No wonder she doesn’t want to deal with him.’
Baeksan stayed back, quietly crossing her arms without intervening.
“You’ll see when the time comes.”
“Not everything needs to be seen to be known. Sophs is indeed an amazing guild, but isn’t that only when it comes to appraisals?”
“Are you insulting Sophs right to my face?”
“Not at all.”
Bobido waggled his finger in front of her.
“I’m saying it’s amazing. Your ability to lead the guild this far even with the Guild Master absent, Miss Barrett.”
“What do you mean…”
“I mean if Sophs fails and you need a job, feel free to contact me.”
Bobido smiled arrogantly and turned around.
“Though you’d have to work under me, of course.”
“…!”
Elize’s face flushed with anger, but she stood there with clenched fists, unable to say anything.
‘Hmm.’
After briefly stroking her chin, Baeksan called out to her.
“Elize.”
Elize turned to Baeksan with a sigh.
“…I showed an unseemly side.”
“Indeed. What’s his problem?”
“It’s because the Guild Master has been away for so long.”
“Guild Master?”
“Yes. They’re an extraordinary mage… but it’s been a while since they left saying they wanted to find something interesting. When there’s no leader… it’s easy to be looked down upon.”
After saying this, Elize lowered her eyes painfully.
“…Actually, I made a mistake too. Right after the Guild Master left, I was desperate to improve performance, and well…”
Her voice grew smaller, as if feeling ashamed.
Since Baeksan already knew about this through the system window, she didn’t ask further and instead asked something else.
“Where did the Guild Master go?”
Elize suddenly came to her senses.
“Well… They tend to travel everywhere… Oh.”
Elize spoke as if suddenly remembering something.
“Come to think of it, I need to report about Minervina…”
“The auction will now begin. All attendees please be seated!”
Elize’s words were drowned out by the auction staff’s announcement.
Elize smiled and gathered her catalog.
“We should go in.”
“We should. But first, when’s the next auction?”
“Pardon?”
Elize opened her golden eyes wide.
“It’s in a month, but…”
“You’ll take me, right?”
“For free?”
…She’s quite thorough.
“Of course you’ll have to pay. But surely you won’t leave me behind after hearing that?”
Finally understanding Baeksan’s meaning, Elize grinned. It was a much more energetic smile than before.
“I couldn’t possibly.”
Baeksan smiled back.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you see something interesting enough to be worth the money.”
* * *
Usually, auctions start with famous works that everyone’s interested in. It’s to build excitement.
The first item was something Baeksan knew.
[Lily of the Battlefield]
An enamel decorated egg craft made by Artisan Pavela.
The modest lily made of pearls and diamonds symbolizes peace at the end of war.
‘Looks like Bathilda put it up for auction.’
Though the system said it was a master craftsman’s work, its value had been questionable due to the plaster obscuring its shape,
but seeing it now, it looked quite valuable.
Perhaps because of this, the paddles rose quickly.
“1.5 million gold, 1.55 million gold, 1.6 million gold!”
The nobles in attendance urged their servants to raise their paddles.
“That gentleman offers 1.99 million, the lady 2 million!”
The raising and lowering of paddles gained momentum.
“2,078,000 gold! My lady, would you go up another 2,000?”
Gradually the bidding slowed, until finally only one paddle remained.
“2,098,900 gold! Sold!”
The auctioneer called the price three times before striking the gavel.
Watching this, Baeksan took deep breaths to control her anguish.
“…? Minervina? What’s wrong?”
“Just a stomach ache…”
“Should we step out?”
“No…”
Whew, Baeksan steadied her breathing.
‘That’s out of reach, it was a sour grape…’
Pavela’s egg sold for a proper price. She needed to forget it.
“More importantly, let’s get serious now.”
Baeksan’s role was to ensure a margin in the competition between Sophs and other bidders.
Usually, one builds an information foundation by participating in pre-auction exhibitions.
Appraising if items are genuine and predicting if prices will rise.
But of course…
[Green Death]
Howley MacCrawford’s work, silkscreened on linen.
Perhaps the artist will suddenly die soon and the price will skyrocket?
“Buy that one.”
Baeksan didn’t need such preparation.
“But that artist’s works aren’t worth much…”
“No time. If things go wrong, I’ll work like a dog to make up for it.”
“…Alright.”
Fortunately, Elize raised her paddle before the auctioneer moved on, and they won the bid.
The piece quickly went down from the stage, and the next work was brought up immediately.
Each item’s auction takes between one minute to five minutes. Less famous works pass by quickly.
Baeksan stayed alert, not wanting to miss even one.
[Portrait of Odin]
A portrait secretly drawn with magic by Odin’s disciple of his master.
Instead of getting angry, Odin cast a spell to split the work in half the moment it was sold, intending to devastate his disciple.
However, contrary to Odin’s intention, the auction price…
Of course, with the system present, such things couldn’t happen.
‘At this point, isn’t this like future prediction?’
At any rate, it was to Baeksan’s advantage.
“Buy that too.”
It was harvest time.
* * *
Several hours passed like this.
When both the auctioneer and participants were getting somewhat tired,
Pat. Pat. Pat.
The auction hall lights went out.
And a round spotlight fell on the podium.
“Finally…!”
People sat up straight, tensing again, and the auctioneer cleared his throat.
Soon, two Gahasu staff members brought a glass case and placed it on the central pedestal.
Inside the glass case, a sacred jewel floated in midair. Made entirely of gold with large gems embedded throughout, it looked valuable.
It was also something Baeksan knew very well.
[Haunted King’s Sacred Jewel]
“That’s it!”
“Must have that one…!”
A wave of excitement swept through the auction hall as soon as the jewel appeared.
The auctioneer seemed to regain his energy too.
“Finally, the item you’ve all been waiting for. The sacred jewel of Lutie’s last king, ‘Tigris Colossus’!”
Applause echoed through the auction hall.
“This item carries a very wicked curse. How to use it will be up to whoever wins the bid…”
The auctioneer spread his arms ominously.
“Then, shall we start at 450,000 gold!”
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, countless paddles rose from all directions.
“502,000, 504,000, 506,000…. Let’s raise it more. We’ll go by 20,000! 526,000! 546,000!”
It was chaos, a scene of madness.
Nobles urging their servants to keep raising paddles.
“1 million gold! Now we’ll go by 100,000!”
Servants twitching their paddles while clutching communication stones.
“1.4 million! 1.5 million!”
The auctioneer calling prices like a mad horse.
“2 million! We’ve passed 2 million gold!”
And amidst all this, Elize overcome with joy.
‘This woman is really strange and amazing too…’
