Whew, this chapter was way longer than usual.
When Marcus woke up the next morning, he cast a simple spell to freshen himself up, got dressed, and headed to the dining hall to eat breakfast. He was surprised however, to find that Sophia had yet to arrive.
“Felix, has Sophia already eaten breakfast?” he asked.
One of the cooks turned to Marcus and bowed. “I’m afraid not your highness.”
“Hmm…” Marcus decided to head to Sophia’s cabin, thinking that perhaps she was just a heavy sleeper, but she wasn’t there either.
“Hmm, where could he have gone to?” Marcus checked her cabin, but she wasn’t there either. The only other place that he could think of was the upper deck.
Sure enough, Marcus found Sophia meditating on the upper deck. She was facing east while surrounded in a watery green light. Now that the sun had risen, she chose to cultivate Mysterious Jade Power once more. It wasn’t nearly as effective as Illusory Snow Dance, but it was still an extremely useful art.
The moment he saw her, Marcus noticed that something was different. When he first met Sophia he had detected a faint air of uncertainty. That was gone now, replaced by an aura of confidence and strength. Somehow, he knew that last night, Sophia had made an important decision that would affect the rest of her life.
“Hey there Sophia!” Marcus called out.
Noticing him for the first time, Sophia turned and smiled. “Good morning Marcus.”
Marcus felt himself freeze up for a moment. He didn’t know why, but when Sophia smiled at him and said his name, he felt a strange tightening sensation in his chest.
Seeing him standing there Sophia tilted her head in confusion. “Marcus? What’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing, nothing at all. I just wanted to tell you that breakfast is ready.”
“Ok!” Ceasing her cultivation, Sophia jumped up and ran inside.
Huh, I wonder what that was, Marcus thought. Eventually though, he just shrugged and followed her inside, deciding not to think about it.
…
East Dragon city was definitely a nation’s capital, but South Sea city was a true metropolis. With its population at a whopping twelve million, even on Earth it would be considered one of the largest cities in the world.
“Wow!” Sophia breathed, gazing below at the stylized arches and colorful domes from the airship’s top deck. It was like looking at a microcosm of Albion itself. Countless cultures and styles from every corner of the continent and beyond had come together to create a beautiful tapestry the size of a city.
“South Sea city is one of the biggest centers of trade on the continent,” Marcus said, walking over to stand beside her. “Over the centuries, countless people of varying backgrounds and ethnicities have come here to make their fortune. Most of them moved on, but some never left. As a result, you’re unlikely to find a more diverse city anywhere in the world.”
Sophia had to hand it to him, despite his complete lack of common sense, Marcus had still received a comprehensive education as the crown prince of a nation.
“What is it that makes South Sea city such an attractive place for merchants?” she asked.
The prince thought for a moment, carefully composing his answer. “Well, a big part of it has to do with its geography,” he explained. “The city sits on the tip of Albion’s south-east coast, making it a useful place for ships heading either east or south to stop and resupply.”
“But that only applies to seafaring ships. Airships wouldn’t have any reason to come here at all.”
Marcus wagged his finger like a teacher lecturing a student. “Not necessarily, South Sea city is an important destination for airships as well.”
“Really?”
“Oh yes. You see, there are three more geographical features that make South Sea city vitally important. The first of which is the Golden Silk River that flows right through the middle of the city, cutting it in half.”
The name Golden Silk River sounded vaguely familiar to Sophia. “Hmm…” Perhaps it was something that she had learned about during Lloyd’s geography lessons.
Suddenly comprehension dawned on her. “Aha!” she shouted, “I knew that I’d heard that name somewhere before! The Golden Silk River was formed due to a convergence of several other major rivers that flow through a number of wealthy and powerful nations.”
“Precisely!” The prince was beaming. Clearly, he was happy to have someone other than dusty old scholars to discuss this with. “The network of waterways that feed into the Golden Silk River stretches all the way up into the northern kingdoms. Sending goods by water is still safer and cheaper than sending them by land or air, so any merchant in eastern half of Albion wishing to expand on an international level will have to send his or her goods through South Sea city at some point.”
Sophia nodded excitedly. “I see, I see, the tariffs alone would be enough to rake in a fortune!” Her eyes glittered with undisguised greed. “So what are the other two features?!”
“Er…” Marcus was happy to see that Sophia was so enthusiastic about the subject, but he couldn’t help but feel that she was perhaps a little too enthusiastic. “Well, the second feature is the city’s proximity to the southern continent.”
Sophia’s eyes widened for a moment. “Of course, I’m such an idiot!” she sighed, slapping her forehead. All she needed to do was look at a map for it to become apparent. The southern continent was slightly to the south-east of Albion, so of course South Sea city would be an ideal location for foreign trade.
“All of those riches from the southern continent, all passing through one place. It would be stranger if this city didn’t become obscenely wealthy.” Sophia had always held a certain degree of curiosity regarding the southern continent. However, she didn’t know much about it aside from the fact that its people had darker skin than the people of Albion, much of its land was covered in jungles, grasslands, and deserts, and the continent had no formal name.
“It can be easy to forget about the southern continent,” Marcus consoled. “After all, aside from merchants and diplomats, hardly anyone from there ever bothers to come to Albion.”
“Haha, I guess. So what’s the third feature?” Sophia asked.
Marcus grinned conspiratorially, “why, South Sea academy of course!”
Although, Sophia had easily understood what made the previous features significant after Marcus mentioned them, this last one left her baffled. Just what did South Sea academy have to do with South Sea city’s prosperity?
Marcus laughed when he saw Sophia’s confused expression, and when she glared at him, he just laughed harder. “A magic academy is basically a gathering place for genius magi,” he eventually explained. “There’s no better place to find high-quality elixirs and magic items. This city has had a close relationship with South Sea academy for centuries, to the point where its name was changed as a sign of respect.”
Hmm, so that explains the awkward name, Sophia thought. I mean come on, South Sea city, try saying that five times fast!
…
The airship had made good time, reaching South Sea city in only three days, and there was still a whole day to kill before the ship would arrive to take Marcus and Sophia to South Sea academy. So rather than staying cooped up in their private hanger, the two of them decided to explore the city.
“So, where would you like to go first?” Marcus asked. They were in the part of the city called the Gold District which was reserved for nobles and anyone with enough money to live like a noble. High-end shops and restaurants lined the tidy and uncongested streets with their wares on full display. Gardens and decorative fountains were strategically placed for the amusement of the wealthy and privileged. All in all, the entire district was basically a monument to excess and overindulgence.
Sophia shrugged helplessly. “This is only the second city that I’ve ever been to. I’ll just follow your lead if that’s alright with you.” Frankly, she would’ve preferred to leave as soon as possible. Just being in the Gold District made her feel uncomfortable
“Haha, it’s my first time here as well, so I think I’ll just have our liaisons show us around.”
East Dragon kingdom might be considered small by most major powers, but it was still a sovereign nation nonetheless. As its crown prince, Marcus would naturally be afforded a certain amount of courtesy by the mayor of South Sea city. As such, they had been provided with free accommodations as well as escorts to protect them and show them around the city.
Sophia glanced at the two dangerous-looking men that had met them as soon as their airship touched down. Their faces seemed rather ordinary, but both of them emitted a terrifying aura that sent a chill down her spine.
If they can pressure ME this much with their presence alone, then they’re probably both Mortal Soul Practitioners. The only alternative explanation would be that their foundation was superior to hers which was unlikely. Only supreme geniuses would be able to advance their Spirit Realm above the fourth tier, and there’s no way that anyone like that would be serving as a simple escort.
One of the two men thinly smiled in a way that almost looked like a sneer. “Your Highness, our city has many interesting things to see. We’d be honored to show you around.”
Oh boy, Sophia thought to herself, this is going to be a long day.
…
At first, Sophia insisted that the attractions of the Gold District would hold no interest to her, but as the escorts took her and Marcus to unique stores, lavish art galleries, and fascinating museum exhibits, she had to admit that she was actually having a pretty good time.
“I never would have imagined that they’d have one of the lost masterpieces of Charles Abbot!”
“I can’t believe that the museum has an entire wing dedicated to cultures from the southern continent! I definitely have to go there someday!”
Marcus and Sophia were taking a break from their sightseeing to enjoy a late lunch in one of the Gold District’s famous cafes. Marcus praised the meal, but Sophia still thought that her mother’s cooking was better.
“Your Highness, I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed your time spent in our fair city,” one of the escorts said.
For a moment one of Sophia’s eyebrows twitched. The escorts had ignored her all day. Even when they did answer her questions, they did so to Marcus, treating her like an extension of the prince. It’s like they think that I’m his attendant or something! Hmph! I wonder how they would react if they knew that my innate potential was even higher than his!
Mortal Soul Practitioners were definitely stronger than Foundation stage Disciples, but that didn’t necessarily make them special. In truth, forming a Nescient Soul wasn’t really that hard, anyone with enough Spiritual Energy would be able to do it, however a practitioner’s future advancement would depend on the quality of the Spirit Realm they formed as a Disciple. Therefore, to most major powers a Disciple with a tier four Spirit Realm would be infinitely more valuable than a Practitioner with a tier six or seven Spirit Realm.
Marcus noticed Sophia’s frustration earlier and pulled her aside. “I know that you’re frustrated by the way that they treat you,” he whispered, “but remember that they work for the mayor of South Sea city. If we offend him, he could make our lives very difficult.”
In truth, they didn’t treat the prince much better. Although their words were never overtly disrespectful, they somehow managed to make everything they said sound condescending.
Sophia nearly cursed out loud. The fact that a pair lowly escorts could afford to be rude to a prince showed just how weak East Dragon kingdom was compared to the other major powers. I swear, one of these days I’m going to come back here and teach these arrogant shits a lesson!
“Your Highness, would you care to visit the South Sea auction house?” The other escort asked once they had left the cafe. “Every month they hold a major event where they auction off countless treasures and oddities from around the world, and today just happens to be today.”
The corner of the prince’s mouth twitched, but otherwise, he showed no signs of being anything other than perfectly content. “Why, that sounds lovely.”
Hearing his agreement, the two escorts allowed a faint smirk to appear on their faces. They didn’t think that the prince of a tiny nation would have the slightest chance of competing with Albion’s most wealthy. They had only invited Marcus to watch him be humiliated.
Haha, mock me while you can, Marcus thought, keeping his face perfectly neutral. We’ll see who has the last laugh!
…
The two escorts showed Marcus and Sophia the way to the South Sea auction house, not that they could have missed it. It was easily the largest building in the Gold District and was visible from several blocks away.
When they stepped through the front entrance, Sophia found herself… disappointed. Oh, it was a magnificent building to be sure. But at this point, it just felt hollow. After all, anyone with enough money to hire a half-decent magus could have a building designed as a work of art, but what was the point if it had no meaning?
In the museum she had seen true masterpieces. Works so profound that, even after seeing them a thousand times, there would still be beauty to be discovered. In comparison, buildings like the auction house just felt… tacky, cheap, and mass-produced.
“Greetings Your Highness.” One of the auction house’s beautiful attendants approached Marcus and bowed in greeting. “The mayor has arraigned a VIP room for you. Please, allow me to show you the way.”
“Hold on a moment,” Marcus interjected, “I actually have a few items that I’d like to put up for auction. I wonder if the South Sea auction house would be able to accommodate me.”
For a moment the attendant gave Marcus an incredulous look. After all, what sort of items could a tiny prince possess that would be worthy of being sold in the prestigious South Sea auction house? She wanted to tell him to just give up and avoid embarrassing himself, but regardless of his status, Marcus was still a guest of the mayor, meaning that she had to give him at least a little face.
“I-I see. Well then, let me bring you to one of our auction house’s elders so that your items can be apprised.” Outwardly she was respectful, but inwardly she was thinking if this prince wants to make a fool of himself, then I’d might as well accommodate him. Who knows, it might be entertaining to watch.
The attendant left for a few moments before returning and motioning for Marcus and Sophia to follow her. She led them down a side hallway and into a private room set aside for appraisals. Inside, there was a rather grumpy old man who seemed less than pleased to see them.
“Honored elder, this is Prince Marcus East.”
The elder didn’t seem particularly impressed by the introduction. He snorted coldly and held out his hand. “Well, show me what you’ve got. I’ll decide if it’s worth selling or not.”
The old man was incredibly rude, but Sophia found herself admiring him just a little. At least he had the guts to say what he thought instead of putting on a mask of false respect and delivering thinly veiled insults.
With a smile, Marcus wordlessly pulled out a storage ring and handed it over to the elder who examined it for a moment.
Initially, the old man had a look of disdain, but as he sent his Spiritual Energy into the ring, his expression quickly shifted to surprise, then amazement, and finally, pale-faced shock.
“Your Highness!” the elder stammered, “the South Sea auction house would be honored to display your items!”
“W-What?!” The attendant was also baffled by the sudden reversal of the elder’s attitude, but before she could say anything else the elder spoke to her using the Voiceless Spirit Transmission skill that belonged to those at the Mortal Soul rank and above.
“Say nothing!” he told her. “From now on, the prince is to be treated as an honored guest of the South Sea auction house. Show him the same level of respect that you would me.”
All of the blood drained from the attendant’s face. How could this tiny prince possibly have something valuable enough to provoke such a reaction from the elder?! She wondered. Is this a sign that East Dragon kingdom is rising in power? For a moment she shivered. It’s a good thing that I found out about this before I offended him! Thinking back to the two escorts from before, the attendant couldn’t help but feel a bit of schadenfreude. Those two idiots spent all day treating this rich prince like a common tourist! I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realize that they’ve insulted someone that they shouldn’t have!
Pretending not to notice the unusual interaction between the two, Marcus continued smiling. “I appreciate your help with this honored elder. Is it really ok for me to put my items up for sale in your South Sea auction house?”
The elder laughed good-naturedly, like he was chatting with an old friend. “Of course, of course your highness! The chance to display so many wonderful hidden treasures and natural oddities is our auction house’s good fortune!”
The two chatted and drank tea for a little while before Marcus excused himself so that he could watch the auction. The elder nodded happily and ordered the attendant to bring him to his VIP room.
In the hallway, Sophia turned to Marcus and whispered franticly “all right, spill it! What the hell was in that storage ring?!” Sophia had felt left out during the entire discussion. She had no idea that Marcus was so rich.
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“Heh-heh, this is all thanks to my Spirit Realm.” Marcus seemed quite pleased with himself as he reveled in his victory. “You see, I have the tier five Spirit Realm Sunken Treasure Sea, which gives me an innate ability to locate treasures. In the past year since my Soul Delving, I’ve spent almost every waking moment traveling all over Albion, hunting down hidden treasures and natural oddities. That storage ring that I gave to the elder contains my entire stash, with the exception of a few choice items that I’ve kept for myself.”
Sophia’s jaw dropped, and she could only think of one word. Unfair! With such a ridiculous ability, Marcus was practically guaranteed to always have money. In just a year he amassed a treasure trove that could make even an elder of the South Sea auction house turn into a babbling sycophant. Sophia didn’t even want to think about how wealthy he’d be once his powers became more refined.
Heh-heh, I’ll definitely have to get him to buy me a few things in the future. Hmm, maybe I should seduce him once my body develops a little more, heh-heh-heh.
Unfortunately, Marcus was far too busy gloating to notice Sophia’s evil plans, and while the two of them were off in their own little worlds, the attendant led them back to their escorts who were waiting in the main lobby.
Strictly speaking, the escorts should have followed them into their meeting with the elder, but they didn’t really care enough to bother, and Marcus and Sophia were just glad for a chance to be rid of them for a moment.
“This way please.” The attendant gestured once again for Marcus, Sophia, and the escorts to follow her. For a moment the two men frowned. They could tell that the attendant’s attitude had changed, but they didn’t understand why. In the end though, they simply shrugged and followed her.
The group was led up several flights of stairs before reaching a lavish and spacious room. The floor was covered in velvet carpet and several comfortable chairs were placed in the center for VIPs to relax in. What made the room odd though was the fact that the far wall was made from one enormous pane of glass. Looking through the window, one could see rows of seats leading up to a large and well-lit stage.
“This screen is a one-way window,” the attendant explained. “We’ll be able to see everything, but anyone looking at us from the other side won’t be able to see anything at all.”
Marcus nodded in approval. “A perfect way for guests to remain anonymous.”
“Indeed. Some of these auctions can get rather heated so – ah, it looks like things are about to get started.”
Marcus and Sophia followed the attendant’s line of sight and saw that a remarkably seductive woman had just walked out on stage. The attendant was rather pretty but this woman was in another league entirely. Her hair was long and silky, and her dress clung tightly to her body, outlining her hourglass figure. If one were to look into her eyes, they would discover a playfulness that dared others to approach her.
Oh she’s good, Sophia thought to herself. She hadn’t been a girl for very long but she could already tell a skilled temptress when she saw one. Fortunately, Marcus was still too young to take interest is such things, but Sophia could hear the two escorts breathing heavily.
“That’s Victoria,” the attendant explained. “She’s our most talented auctioneer. Whenever she goes on stage, we make way more of a profit than we usually do. Some people even attend just so that they can see her.”
Everyone could detect clear admiration in the attendant’s voice, along with a trace of envy.
“Welcome everyone!” Victoria called out, her voice magically amplified. “I’m so glad that you all could visit our auction house this evening.”
Suddenly the entire crowd broke out into applause. Once they had calmed down, Victoria smiled and spoke once more.
“Now then, without further ado, let’s bring out our first treasure!” Two men wheeled out a cart containing a small gourd that emanated a powerful magical aura. “This is a Fresh Water Gourd that our auction house recently obtained from South Sea academy. As I’m sure you’re all aware, this gourd is able to gather the essence of water in order to produce an endless amount of fresh water. However! What you might not know is that this particular gourd is a prototype developed by a conclave disciple and is able to gather water essence at a rate five times faster than ordinary Fresh Water Gourds. In addition, the water that it produces has a minor purification effect, allowing it to cure lesser poisons and reinvigorate the body!”
The crowd whispered anxiously to one another once she had finished introducing the item. Sophia wasn’t particularly impressed by the treasure, but she could see why it might be valuable to others. Plus, she had to keep in mind that this was only the very first item. The later items would definitely be far more extraordinary.
“All right, let’s start the bidding at five hundred gold pieces!”
When she heard the starting bid, Sophia couldn’t help but gasp. Five hundred gold pieces was more money than most of the people in her home town would make in their entire lives! And this was the starting bid for a measly Fresh Water Gourd? She didn’t care what kind of extra features the gourd had, there’s no way she could accept that anyone would be willing to pay five hundred gold pieces for it.
However, immediately after the price was spoken, several people in the crowd started calling out bids. In seconds, the price of the gourd had risen from five hundred gold to over a thousand gold.
Sophia was baffled. She turned to Marcus to ask what the hell was going on, but he seemed equally confused.
The attendant couldn’t help but chuckle at their expressions. “Most of the people who attend the monthly auction only do so for fun,” she explained. “They know that they can’t actually compete with the VIPs, so instead they compete with each other on the first few items that they know the VIPs won’t take interest in.”
“But why would they overpay for something that clearly isn’t worth it?” Sophia asked.
“It’s a matter of face,” Marcus said, finally figuring it out. “To come to a place as prestigious as the South Sea auction house and not buy anything would be an embarrassment. So, even if they know that they’re being ripped off, they’ll still buy just to show that they can.”
Sophia sneered as she looked down at the crowd. “The petty arrogance of the rich. Well, at least we can use this to our advantage. If a simple Fresh Water Gourd can sell for over a thousand gold pieces, I can’t wait to see what your treasures sell for!”
The auction continued for hours, selling item after item at exorbitant prices. Occasionally, Marcus would point out the items that were his, and each time, the faces of the two escorts would become a little bit paler.
Oh shit! One of the escorts thought to himself. We’ve been mocking this tiny prince all day, but it turns out that he’s actually super rich! Inwardly, he cursed the mayor for not telling him that this prince had so much wealth. Now he and his brother had gone and offended someone that they definitely couldn’t afford to!
Marcus and Sophia were so focused on the auction that they didn’t even get to enjoy the humbling of their arrogant escorts. Marcus’ wealth now had to be measured in millions of gold pieces. He could now definitely count himself amongst the ranks of the very rich.
Surprisingly, the items that actually sold the best weren’t the useful magic treasures, but rather, the natural oddities that didn’t seem to serve any real purpose. For example, a magic sword that emanated a shocking aura of bloodlust sold for around two-hundred-fifty thousand gold, while an unusual crystal skull that glowed with different colors depending on who held it wound up selling for five-hundred thousand gold. It seemed baffling until the attendant explained.
“The people who attend these auctions have plenty of ways of getting manufactured magical treasures,” she said, “and at far better prices too. What they’re looking for are bizarre and unusual items that they can put on display and show off. In that respect, the crystal skull would definitely be more enticing than the magic sword.”
Marcus and Sophia simply nodded. They were hardly going to complain about the eccentricities of the rich. In fact, this worked out rather well for them, because most of the treasures that Marcus put up for auction were precisely natural oddities like the crystal skull.
Gradually, the auction house became quieter and quieter as the VIPs began bidding on the more valuable items.
“Alright honored guests,” Victoria said, positively glowing with joy, “this will be our last item for the evening.” Clearly, this auction had been extremely profitable, and Victoria herself would likely make a sizeable profit.
Hearing her words, the crowd leaned in, excited to see what the South Sea action house had saved for last. From the left side of the stage two burly men wheeled in… a cage.
When they saw the cage, everyone in the room gasped. Inside, there was what looked like a little girl. Her skin was smooth and pale, and her raven-black hair long and silky. But that wasn’t what made everyone gasp, there was no shortage of beautiful people in Albion after all. No, what made the crowd gasp were the two delicate horns that curved back over the girl’s head like an ornate headdress, the bat-like wings that extended from her back, and the thin pointed tail that protruded from the base of her spine.
“A demon!” Sophia whispered. She had heard rumors about the mysterious demon continent to the west. Supposedly, the beings that lived there had once waged a war against humanity, plunging the three continents into chaos. However, five hundred years ago the two sides had formed a ceasefire, and now humans and demons rarely interacted.
Marcus and Sophia noticed a strange Spiritual Energy fluctuation behind them. Turning around, they saw that their escorts had turned completely red and their eyes gleamed with madness. Sophia curled her lip in disgust, but then she looked down at the crowd and noticed that all of the men seemed to be having similar reactions. Somehow, this demon girl had turned them all into wild beasts.
Victoria seemed irritated that someone was getting more attention than her, but she was a professional so she continued with the auction. “Ahem, gentlemen, I’ll have to ask that you exercise some restraint. As you might have guessed, this girl is from the Succubus demon clan. She has a powerful innate ability to entrance men. Her combat ability is extremely low, but I think that you’ll be able to find… other uses for her, heh-heh.”
Words cannot describe how furious Sophia was at that moment. The edicts of the Church of Light expressly forbid slavery, but apparently that protection didn’t extend to demons.
“I’ll bid five-hundred thousand gold pieces!” Someone from one of the VIP rooms didn’t even wait for Victoria to set a minimum bid before calling out.
“Haha! You want to compete with me?! Six-hundred thousand!”
“Eight-hundred thousand! I’d like to see who dares to out-bid this young master!”
“You’re all embarrassing yourselves with such meager bids! One million!”
One by one the VIPs cast their bids, their intentions clearly on display. In the cage, the young girl trembled at the sound of their lust-filled voices.
Sophia turned to Marcus. “Marcus, you have to buy her!” she said, panicking.
For a moment Marcus looked at her askance. “Sophia, I didn’t think that you had those kinds of interests-
“That’s not it you idiot! If we don’t buy her, someone else will!”
His eyes widened as he realized the implications of what she was saying. “Sophia,” he began nervously, “she’s a demon-
“She’s a child!” Sophia didn’t even give him a chance to finish his sentence. “Look at her Marcus! I mean, really look at her! This girl’s no older than we are, and she’s about to become somebody’s sex slave! Can you really live with yourself knowing that you had the power to save her and chose to do nothing?!”
Marcus thought about it for a moment before clenching his fists and shouting “TEN MILLION!”
Immediately, the room turned silent as everyone turned to stare at Marcus’ VIP room. On stage, Victoria nearly started salivating. Ten million, this was way more than she expected, it seemed that a big fish had decided to step in.
“Marcus…”
The prince turned to Sophia and grinned. “It’s the right thing to do. Besides, I originally came here so that I could make a massive bid and take back some face for my East Dragon kingdom. I’ve already made almost one-hundred million gold pieces in this auction. I refuse to believe that anyone here can afford to throw away so much!”
Sophia was elated. For someone like Marcus who could find one-hundred million gold pieces worth of treasure in just a year, money really didn’t mean much. Even if he blew it all, he could easily earn it back! The other VIPs though, were wealthy merchants and important figures from powerful clans. They needed money in order to maintain their power and couldn’t simply use it on a whim.
Victoria was the first to snap out of her daze. “We have ten million! Are there any higher bids?”
The VIPs continued bidding, but Marcus would casually outbid them every time.
“Holy crap! Just who is this guy?!”
“He sounds so young!”
“I wonder which major power he’s from.”
“Heh-heh, it looks like we’ll be treated to a good show this time!”
Various conversations broke out amongst the crowd as they watched the price go higher and higher. They actually rather enjoyed seeing the arrogant VIPs get shown up by someone else for a change.
“Twenty-five-million!” An enraged voice called out from one of the VIP rooms. This was the only person who still dared to bet against Marcus. All of the others had already dropped out, deciding that a succubus just wasn’t worth such a ridiculous price.
“Who is that person who’s still betting?”
“That voice, it sounds like the mayor’s eldest son!”
“Ha-ha, of course it’d be him!”
“I’ve heard that the mayor’s son is a vile lecher who enjoys taking beautiful women and discarding them once he’s had his fun!”
Hmm, it would seem that the mayor’s son isn’t very well liked. Listening to the gossip, Sophia could only shake her head. She was already at the point where she couldn’t be any more furious or disgusted.
“Marcus is this how it’s like everywhere?” Sophia asked. “Powerful people using their wealth and influence to do whatever the hell they want, regardless of who gets hurt?” Her former world might not have been full of rainbows and unicorns, but at least people had to go through the trouble of hiding their misdeeds. Here, the laws could only protect you if you had the money to pay for them to.
“Sophia, there are still good people in this world,” Marcus assured. “Twenty-six-million!”
“Bastard! Get out here and show your face! See how this young master will take care of you!”
Marcus only chuckled at the young man’s threats. “Perhaps I’m simply being foolish and immature, but it was my understanding that, at the South Sea auction house, people let their gold do the talking!”
“Ha-ha, well said!”
“It looks like the little mayor doesn’t even know the basics about how an auction works!”
In his VIP room, the mayor’s eldest son was clenching his fists so tightly that blood was seeping out. These bastards never have the guts to say anything to my face! He seethed. They’re just sheep following the leader! “Thirty-million!”
“Young master,” one of his servants whispered, “that’s well over the amount that your father permitted you to spend.”
“Shut the fuck up!” He backhanded the servant so hard that his neck snapped, killing him instantly. “I refuse to let someone else take something that I’ve set my eye on!”
“Fifty-million.” Unlike the mayor’s son, Marcus was completely calm.
Once again, the audience fell completely silent as Marcus nearly doubled his bid without the slightest hesitation.
Sophia could barely keep her laughter contained. Watching Marcus bully this pompous asshole is just way to entertaining! I bet that he’s angry enough to start spitting up blood!
In his VIP room the mayor’s son was completely pale-faced. He just couldn’t imagine anyone throwing away fifty-million gold pieces for a succubus. He knew that he couldn’t compete anymore, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down. Before he could open his mouth to shout another bid though, one of his guards placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Young master, if you go any farther than this, your father will definitely punish you severely.”
The mayor’s son gritted his teeth, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. “Fine!” he shouted. “Since you’re so adamant on having this little bitch, this young master will be merciful!”
His words sounded pretentious, but everyone could tell that they were just a desperate attempt to salvage what was left of his face.
“Marcus, you did it!” Sophia was so excited that she jumped up and hugged the young prince before immediately stepping back. “Er, sorry.”
“Ha-ha, it’s fine.” Marcus’ hands were jittering. What a rush! He thought to himself. Rumors of how the prince of East Dragon kingdom outbid all the major powers of South Sea city would probably persist for months to come. That should show everyone that my East Dragon kingdom can’t be bullied so easily!