The Young Head could see the pressure emanating from the Elder Alchemist, whose jaw was still tense, his hands behind his back as he approached the pavilion. Yet, as he approached, she could also taste it in the air. It wasn’t quite an ability of her family, the Gold Tongues, but more of a feeling which all Gold Tongues possessed.

The taste of gold was heavy in the air.

Elder Yan inhaled deeply, before exhaling, leaving his anger and stress behind. He sat down opposite the Young Head, clearing his throat awkwardly. “I apologise for taking so long to deal with business.”

‘It must have gone poorly,’ she thought, but she smiled. “You do not have to apologise, Elder Yan. I could see that you care deeply for your Page, and how could I dare to criticise you for something like that?”

Elder Yan bowed his head. “Shall we continue our discussion?”

“Let’s,” the young woman said, and yet there was something wrong. Indeed, the Elder was angry still, but that wasn’t the issue. The issue was there was still an overwhelming taste of gold which permeated across her tongue, but she couldn’t pin point it.

The Elder spoke of the pills and potions he had on offer, each of which would have caused the Young Head to fawn over him to try and win him over, and though she was doing her best to accommodate him, there was still gold left on the table.

‘How could I, a Gold Tongue, dare to leave gold on the table?’

‘She’s got pretty good senses,’ Mika thought, noting how the young woman was keeping her wits about her. She no doubt possessed that kind of ability, an ability which allowed someone to be lucky. ‘How have they not managed to conquer the world with their ability? Are they laying low in order to live a long life? Regardless, I do need more gold soon.’

“Are you certain you do not wish to stay, Elder Yan?” the Young Head, Kayla Silver Tongue, asked.

“I have a few other matters I need to deal with, and it is more convenient to stay elsewhere for the moment,” Elder Yan replied, bowing his head lightly, before leaving with Mika.

“Young Head?” the Expert asked, staring at the broad back of her Young Head.

“Place an Expert on each,” she said, thinking about the Alchemists. There was something strange about the situation, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on it. She could no longer taste the gold, but she could still smell it faintly, meaning that she hadn’t lost the ability to make gold just yet. ‘Was he displeased I did not show enough favour? I showed him more than enough, I am certain of it. Should I have waived the fee?’

Mika and Elder Yan returned to the inn, in which the driver was currently enjoying himself, hearing the soft music being played, relaxing as he ate the cheapest snacks he could possibly ask for. The inn workers didn’t like that he was there, but he was here under the word of an Elder Alchemist, so there was nothing to be done.

Elder Yan placed down another golden drake, to make sure that the driver would be well taken care of, before he and Mika sat down in a private room to eat and drink. His annoyance returned, though he waited, and waited.

“Are you displeased, Elder Yan?” Mika asked, speaking with a semblance of respect within his voice.

“I am,” Elder Yan admitted, still waiting.

Mika wondered how they should go about it. There were so many ways to do it, and yet he wasn’t sure which way would be best. ‘Am I the type to think so deeply?’ Mika sighed, smiling to himself. Once he confirmed there were no eyes on them, he wrote down a recipe on a piece of paper, before yawning. “I will excuse myself, Elder.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Good night.” The Elder took the piece of paper, and his eyes dared to peek at it. The Elder had long become unable to feel surprised when it came to the one known as Mika.

Mika awoke early the next morning, stretching out his arms as he yawned. ‘Should I train?’ He looked around, noting that he was still within the inn. ‘No, I should just take it easy.’

The Elder swallowed a pill to remove his exhaustion. He had managed three hours of sleep, a nap one might have called it, but as he refined his pill, energy filled him. He exhaled, stretching out his body, before catching Mika’s eyes as the boy drank his tea.

It had begun.

The gates to the Auction House had opened wide for all. Thousands of commoners made their way through the main roads of the Auction House, and dozens of guards kept an eye out for thieves and charlatans. All manner of people flocked their wares on the auction roads, trading not just coin, but other objects as people bartered between one another. However, as the hours passed, the many of the commoners made their way away, some of them satisfied with what they had found.

Large carriages made their way through the main road towards the Auction House, each draped in banners of a noble house. Each person which stepped out caused the nearby commoners to gasp and mutter between one another, as they tended to do, giving Mika a chance to find out who each person was.

Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and a few First Young Masters and First Young Ladies of their respective families. The first day of the big auctions always brought such great names out, though the first day was never the best. It was a matter of showing respect to the Auction House and the Auction Master.

As the great ones approached the Auction House, the Young Head greeted them all, adorned in a new set of robes, with a golden scarf draped around down across her front from her shoulders. She accepted the greetings of each great figure, and handed over a purple token.

“A purple token? It’s one of those kinds of auctions?” came a whisper from the crowd, which spread like wildfire through the crowd, and then out to the various organisations.

There were only three people who could taste the gold which would be flowing through the Auction House soon.

Mika and Elder Yan eventually approached the Young Head, who beamed towards them, reaching out to shake their hands eagerly.

“Are you well?” Elder Yan asked, who had met the young woman a few hours ago to discuss some business.

“I am even better than last we met,” she replied, still able to smell the gold, though she still wasn’t sure where it was coming from.

“Do you see?”

“He’s an Elder Alchemist, he is!”

“Is he Elder Yan Starr of Starr Alchemy?”

“What’re they doing out here?”

The commoners gossiped between one another, ignoring the cripple beside the Elder Alchemist. That was until they were handed one of the purple tokens, which caused them to speak of every little detail about the pair, as rumours flowed across the sea of people.

Mika and Elder Yan entered the Inner Auction House, where the seasonal auction, known as the big auction, would take place. It was like a tiny fort in the middle of the city, though the rest of the estate was also like a fort, so it was a fort within a fort. The Inner Auction House was only for certain people, those who could afford to bid within its walls. The carpet was lush, the furniture beautifully designed, and everything in sight was bought using golden talons.

‘Should I try to make more money?’ Mika thought. ‘No, no, I’m just a boy still.’ He smiled to himself, excited for the auction since the Elder and he had planned to do that.

The ground floor was for those who were rich commoners and such, the first floor was for those who were from the lesser families and great organisations, and the second floor, where Mika and Elder Yan were led, was the domain of those of the great guests, from the top families.

The sofas were plush, and Mika allowed it to swallow him up. He glanced around, noting which figures were the leaders of underground organisations who sat among the floor beneath them.

‘I should make my own underground organisation too,’ the boy thought, as though he was thinking of gardening. ‘Should I plant the seeds for that soon?’

The auction filled quickly with bodies, with easily a thousand people within the auction, many of whom were richer commoners settled on the ground floor, looking up at the raised platform where all the items would be displayed.

The First Young Master of the Tiger Fist family was settled among his seat, though he noted the lack of his purple token. He glanced around, noting that all the major families, as well as all those from the first floor, possessed a purple token. ‘Did they forget my token?’

Mika couldn’t help but smile, as it had already begun. ‘Let’s cause chaos in this damn city.’