Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Finding What I Need (2)

 

A sparkling crystal chandelier. And a golden Great Hall shining elegantly beneath it. Finally, even the jewels decorating the walls here and there.

The view of the auction house located at the end of the passage could be called a feast of excessive luxury, unlike the appearance of the outside of the building, which was disguised as old wood.

Even the individual seats placed far apart were made of high-quality leather that even royalty could not easily see.

There was another point that caught the eye uniquely.

All those sitting in the seats were wearing robes to hide their identities.

The Baron, who followed behind me, muttered as if dazed.

"They look like nobles, but the atmosphere is clearly different from a masquerade ball......."

An atmosphere of the underworld where thick desire could be glimpsed.

That would be something unfamiliar to him, who has lived honestly without any flaws.

"But the root will not be different. To them, it is just a fact that it is a type of play for entertainment. Wearing the robe is also just an element to liven up the mood in the end."

"An element to liven up the mood......."

Leaving the Baron behind as he chewed over the conversation, I sat in a suitable seat.

The servant of the auction house, who confirmed this, approached and carefully placed a small placard for bidding and a glass of wine on the table, and then left.

......Coincidentally, the number assigned to me was 44.

"This is practically like being treated as a dead person."

Is it a crime if it is the crime of using that bastard's pass?

I gave a smirk and then stroked the pocket watch I had put in my chest.

Asus, it is only after you died that a use for you first arose.

By now, those bastards would be anxious to guess my intentions.

It was literally a case where a person with the pass of the dead Asus had fallen from the sky.

But that was a story that had nothing to do with me.

"......However."

At that time, the Baron pursed his lips. He seemed to have something he wanted to say.

I looked at the Baron and spoke.

"What is it?"

"Ah, I was thinking about the pass you mentioned. Did you not say it replaces the invitation? If so, I was wondering if it is not just a matter of sending an invitation normally, so......."

It was a pure question because he truly did not understand.

Of course, it was as he said. But the answer to that was surprisingly simple.

"They are an underworld guild that is sensitive to security to the point that they hid the place and time as you said. Rather than sending invitations where you have to worry about forgery every time, it is more certain to hand a permanent token to someone you can trust."

"......Ah."

Well, besides that, it probably also meant there was no reason to persist with a method widely known to the world.

In fact, if it were a method at the level of what Baron Vidor would guess, I do not know, but troublesome things would have occurred a thousand times already.

I spoke to the Baron, who was wearing a strange expression.

"It is starting."

"Yes?"

At that moment.

CLICK!

The lights illuminating the inside of the auction house were turned off all at once as if waiting, and soon, only a single beam of light remaining on the stage illuminated the auctioneer, who was bowing his head.

-You have waited a long time. The auction will start now, so distinguished guests who have attended, please take your seats.

And the corners of my mouth, as I watched this, were slowly rising.

It was the start of the auction I had truly, truly been waiting for.

***

Thirty minutes after the auction began.

In the meantime, quite a large number of items passed through the stage.

Of course, most were nothing more than works of art for the purpose of heating up the initial enthusiasm of the auction.

Nevertheless, their prices were formed at a very high level, which meant the items put out by the black-market merchant guild this time were valuable, and it was proof that the wealth of the nobles who attended the seats was great.

......No.

It was probably not just for that reason.

"Y-Your Highness......."

Baron Vidor, standing behind me, struggled to dissuade me, not knowing what to do.

But I had nothing to hold me back.

My hand was once again raising the placard held on the table.

"750,000."

-750,000! The guest at number 44 has called out 750,000 gold all at once!

"Ack!"

......Of course, the fact that the guest at number 44.

Meant no one else but me was a fact that even the Baron, who was on the verge of fainting, probably knew.

Gaze mixed with annoyance and shock once again concentrated on me.

"......Tsk, a fellow with no business ethics."

"What is it? Which family did that fellow come from?"

"Seeing that they are not stopping him, it means he has that much wealth......."

Just how many was it already? The items passed into the hands of "Number 44" as soon as they came out.

Starting from the initial price, the fierce auction where the price gradually rose...... was not even necessary.

I merely called out a price abnormally higher than the market price as soon as the item was revealed.

The reason so many items came up onto the stage in a short time of only 30 minutes was because of such a reason.

Moisture filled the eyes of the Baron, who watched this happening right beside him.

"J-Just what are you planning to do?"

"Is there any problem?"

"It is truly no longer at a level where I can laugh it off......."

"I see."

"Uwaaaaaa......."

......He truly has an expression as if he were about to cry.

Even so, he has not yet fallen into a state of desperation. His mental strength was not just anything.

After the shocked gazes subsided a bit, the manager of the auction house placed a colorful piece of plastic on the table.

It was a token announcing that I had successfully bid in the auction.

"......Thank you for participating in the auction."

Unexpectedly, his expression as he retreated afterward was twisted weirdly.

Even though items sold at high prices should be welcomed.

At that time, the Baron's crying face approached my ear.

"Your Highness...... truly, you cannot do this anymore......."

It was a line he had repeated all along like a parrot. Well, actually, it was as he said.

The budget allocated to the First Prince. I had long since used several times that amount.

At this rate, I would be stuck having to pay it back with the palace budget.

Regardless of that.

"Do you know that it is the nineteenth time if you say it one more time?"

"......."

"It is absurd to focus your nerves on such a joyful auction. You need to enjoy it a bit more."

"Huuuuuuu!"

I merely enjoyed the wine placed on the table while shrugging my shoulders.

The fact that the Baron's fist flinched as he watched that was probably not just my imagination.

"King, why do you give me such a trial......."

"Shh, the next item is coming up."

"......."

Along with that resentful mutter, finally, the valuable items that could be called the highlights of the auction began to come up.

-......A-Ahem! You have waited a long time. This item is a rod found in the ruins of the southern continent!

The first start was a silver staff decorated inside a huge glass display case.

-Look at this beautiful figure! The estimated year of production is 1,000 years ago, and seeing that it still shows a strong wave of magic, it would not be an exaggeration to say that a legendary elf made it!

"Hmm!"

"......Oh!"

That elegant figure was enough to draw gasps from the nobles who had been only annoyed.

Suddenly, the confident voice of the auctioneer, amplified by magic, rang out.

-The starting price is 700,000 gold!

"......What!"

"700,000 gold?!"

"Such an outrageous price!"

A small commotion broke out inside the auction house.

Literally, it was only the starting price, yet he had already demanded an amount close to the price of a mansion.

Some nobles, who judged there was no hope, threw the placards held in their hands onto the table early on.

And among them, the Baron.......

"Y-Your Highness, you are surely not participating this time as well......."

"I have my own thoughts."

"......Haha, as expected, you would not buy a mage's item you do not even need. Of course you would not."

He was only suppressing a small sense of anxiety.

Soon, the auction began.

"700,000!"

"800,000!"

"3,500,000."

"What!"

"That crazy bastard!"

"Cough!"

The Baron clutched his heart and collapsed.

And the auctioneer's excited voice echoed through the auction house.

-T-This is incredible! The guest at number 44 has bid 3,500,000 gold! 3,500,000 gold! Are there any more bids?!

"......."

There could not be.

Whether it was made by an elf or not, it was merely a staff to be used for decoration.

Where would there be a crazy person who would burn 3,500,000 gold, an amount that could buy a grand mansion in the capital, on such a thing?

It was truly an outrageous price.

-3, 2, 1...... Ah! Sold! The longsword found in the ruins is sold to the guest at number 27 for 3,500,000 gold!

"Damn it!"

GRIND!

The sound of teeth grinding was heard from here and there.

It was quite a pleasant mood. Quite the opposite of the Baron, who was looking down at me with a face that had turned haggard before I knew it.

Money truly is best when spent.

I felt like I knew the reason why stupid nobles were soaked in luxury.

"Well, even so, this much verification should be enough."

"......What? No, yes?"

I pulled the corners of my mouth into a smirk and stood up from my seat.

From the beginning, my interest was not in such an auction mixed with desire.

Participating in the auction was merely a means, not the end.

"You stay here and participate in the auction on my behalf. Take every single item without missing any."

"Y-Your Highness?!"

The Baron's flustered voice was heard behind my back. However, I did not pay any attention and moved my steps.

***

The end of the passage that continued from the auction house.

And beyond the door situated under tight guard was the black-market merchant who was the host of this auction.

"T-To think you would make a precious visit despite being busy, it is a great honor."

The middle-aged man, who introduced himself as the guild leader and general manager of the black-market merchant guild, suddenly bowed his head.

What was the black-market merchant guild? Were they not the criminals of the underworld who excluded emotions like pity or mercy and strictly followed only the hierarchical relationship of capital?

But the appearance shown now was similar to that of a politician who had succumbed to mundane power.

"I-I intended to visit you when the auction was finished, but I did not know you would already come looking for me. Please sit here."

"I see."

I replied that way and sat down.

It was an attitude without even a bit of hesitation as if I were familiar.

Then, the general manager awkwardly fingered the monocle worn over his right eye and spoke.

"Pardon me, but were you and the Count acquaintances?"

It would be something he guessed from the pocket watch I showed those bastards. To be precise, it was probably closer to a wish than a guess.

However, I did not answer the question and threw out my impression.

"The auction was interesting. Especially this auction was rich in things to see."

"H-Haha, thank you. If you enjoyed it, as the ones who prepared it......."

"But why did you put Asus's things out at the auction?"

"......."

That impression, like a small ripple appearing in a pond.

The awkward smile that had remained on the general manager's lips disappeared.

"......The Count's things? What are you talking about?"

"Did you think I would not know? That most of the items you put out were entrusted by Asus?"

"T-That is......."

The fellow's expression became a state where composure could no longer be found. The emotion that was revealed afterward was fear.

D-Damn it, I knew it would turn out like this for some reason....!

In order to receive a pass for the black-market merchant guild or to order items, tokens for a guarantee were needed.

Jewels or defensive equipment. It did not matter even if it were something like gold coins.

This also had the meaning of a security deposit, but it could be said to be a means to prepare for the event that things went wrong or damage occurred to a spy.

But those bastards sold them as soon as Asus died. And I saw through that and said it.

Why did you sell items that were not yours at your own discretion?

Quite contrary to his desperate wish, a person who knew the exact circumstances had appeared.

But the problem was not that.

"A-Are you the representative appointed by Count Asus?"

"No."

"T-Then......."

The general manager spoke while trying his best to calm his trembling voice.

Because for mere merchants of the underworld to sell Asus's things at their discretion when he received support from "them" was something that could not be passed over lightly.

Of course, I was not on their side.

It could be said that I was on the side that tramples on hope.

"It seems the disappointment he felt was great."

"......!"

Money. Honor.

Such things were infinitely powerless before overwhelming power.

Paradoxically, black-market merchants were merely tools sensitive to power more than anyone.

I arrogantly crossed my legs and acted as a complete stranger.

"To dare covet the things of the Federal Empire...... your courage is commendable."