The moment the order left his lips, the great doors of the auction hall were thrown open, seemingly on their own, and instantly, dozens of generic NPCs appeared, ready to greet the guests and direct them to their seats.
Sam watched from the sidelines, with the main AI staying by his side, also observing the throng of people streaming into the virtual location. He had no doubt that everything that happened would be reviewed by the company. To his knowledge, it was one of the first major auctions using this system.
Every person that entered the gilded halls was wearing all concealing robes, per his settings, either looking around curiously or proudly strutting with a gaggle of followers, as if expecting red carpets and fanfares at their arrivals.
He could also spot several people slinking in, hiding in crowds or in the shadows, trying to remain inconspicuous.
For a long moment, everybody acted like that, then the reality of the robes hit them and the sound of clamor rose as people began trying to pull them off, while auction house workers – the NPCs – rushed over to explain the settings of the place.
Naturally, those who wanted to hide were happy and those who wanted attention were unhappy, but nobody wanted to leave. The weapons were that important.
Of course, they weren’t entirely unique, as many such magical weapons have been found by players. But most of them were in use, and convincing their users to part with them was an exercise in futility. Granted, some had the means to either economically or physically force these people’s hands, but why do that when Sam was offering them a simple auction where they could use less money to acquire what they wanted?
It took a few minutes, but the chaos generated by robes died down and soon the people were mingling around, checking out the items, swinging around their temporary counterparts, or simply talking with each other.
As instructed by Sam, the NPCs would allow this for half an hour, then slowly escort them to their places.
Knowing that he had some paperwork to get through Sam nodded to the portly man that stood beside him silently like a really out-of-shape guard, turned around, and began walking towards his own private balcony.
Naturally, thanks to the auction hall being in virtual space everybody could have a private balcony. But as the setting up of the auction didn’t cost anything, the company still had to make money off the people who used it.
Sam paid for the NPCs and the auctioneer. The guests would pay for access to private balconies. Those who didn’t want to, or didn’t have the means, could only sit in the middle of the room on the prepared chairs with everybody else.
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Half an hour later he closed the window leading to a text processor where he was putting down ideas for the company expansions as well as a few things he wanted Lucy to look into.
From his balcony he could see as the auction hall slowly filled up with people, all wearing ominous black cloaks eagerly chatting, hoping to gain one of the magical weapons on offer for themselves. Even though, deep down everyone knew that the ones who would be acquiring the weapons would be one of the rich guilds or even some rich individuals.
There was a gentle chime, and the lights dimmed with the spotlight remaining on a small stage at the center of the wall opposite the balconies.
The first chime was followed by two more, each louder than the last one. After the last the entire hall fell silent, and the curtains parted, revealing the lady of the hour, the auctioneer.
She was a beautiful woman, with statuesque looks, great, heaving bossoms that were oh-so-tastefully revealed by her dress, and golden blonde hair that fell on her shoulder in bouncy tresses. She wore a coquettish smile as if she knew something that the audience didn’t.
Sam had to say, Future Unknown really knew how to design their NPCs. He could practically hear the neckbeards' desperation from the regular seating. And the only reason he couldn’t hear anything from the balconies was because every one of them came with sound isolation options by default.
The lady’s smile grew bigger, the spotlight narrowed, illuminating her enchanting figure, and she began speaking.
“Welcome, one and all, to this glorious auction!”
She waited until the clapping died down, then continued.
“As you all know, the crown jewels of today’s auction are the Arachne weapon collection!” she declared, and suddenly three smaller spotlights lit up the area behind her, each one illuminating one glass case filled with the weapons everyone wanted.
Taking a dramatic pause and waiting until the clamor died down a little, the woman continued with a mischievous smile on her face.
“But first! How about we whet our appetite with something smaller?” Innuendo dripping from her words, she strode forward and pointed next to her where on a small stand a box of twenty-four mana potions rose up from the stage.
“Our first item on the agenda is Improved Mana Potions! Guaranteed to quench your thirst in any magical battle! If you wish to know the details about this excellent item, you can consult your complimentary guides!”
She waited for a few moments as the rustling noise in the hall rose as many people began to page through the guide, then as if knowing the exact moment people finished reading the short description about the stats of the potions, she spoke up.
“We start bidding at fifty gold coins!” she declared in a loud voice, sweeping her arms out dramatically, which attracted all attention to artfully placed windows on her dress. “Can I hear sixty? Sixty anyone?”
For a long moment, Sam worried that nobody would bid, but then somebody from the audience raised their hand.
“Seventy!” came the call, and the magic of silence was broken.
“Eighty-five!”
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“Ninety!”
He leaned back with a relieved sigh and smiled as the sounds of aggressive bidding washed over him.
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“…and sold! The dress now belongs to the gentleman in balcony seventeen!” called out the beautiful auctioneer as the last dress up for bidding was taken off the stage by an equally gorgeous assistant.
The moment the dress was out of view, a hush fell on the entire room, with everyone eagerly anticipating the final items.
The woman smiled, not akin to a shark, at least from Sam’s view, and spoke up in a husky voice.
“And now my dear guests, it is time!” One dramatic pause later she continued. “Time for the last three items. The Arachne collection. A weapon collection crafted after the likeness of the great Arachne, and bestowed with powers that would grant its wielder enormous boons.”
Two spotlights blinked out and only one remained, illuminating the shield that Sam held not so long ago in his hands.
She stepped aside, and the stand with the shield moved to the front of the stage between two blinks.
“Arachnotum! The shield that will allow you to protect your comrades or charge into the enemy lines with impunity!” Above her a holographic image of the shield appeared, rotating around its own axis, showcasing the weapon for everyone. “The details, as always can be found in your guides, dear guests!” The beautiful auctioneer finished the initial spiel and waited for exactly three breaths before continuing, only allowing the anticipation to build.
“And now, shall we start on the main meal?” she asked and there was an enormous roar from the audience, some even standing up and clapping for her. Sam just shook his head. ‘They know that she is just an AI, right?’
“Shall we start at ten thousand gold coins for the shield?” she stated and another hush fell on the audience, some even audibly sucking in the air at hearing the price. The auctioneer just smiled mischievously. “Do I hear ten thousand?”
Instantly, a distorted voice from one of the balconies spoke up.
“Eleven thousand!”
“Excellent!” she cheered, and Sam could practically see how several people’s heads followed the ‘cheering’ movement. “Eleven thousand for balcony twenty-three! Do I hear twelve thousand?”
“Twelve thousand!”
“Thirteen!”
“Fifteen!”
“Twenty!”
And it was off…
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The shield was sold for almost sixty thousand gold coins. Naturally, the company behind Magic Unbound would get three percent of the sale price, and the rest would go to Sam. He could have circumvented this trade tax rather simply by using an external auctioneer website or virtual service, but he trusted them even less than Future Unknown. So, he swallowed the tax and instead spent his money on hiring an NPC that would drive the price up. And seeing the mood of the hall, he was rather successful.
The shield was removed from the stage and it was instantly replaced by the spear, standing tall and proud, with a rather menacing aura.
“And now the spear that is akin to the Arachne’s legs, ready to skewer the unwary enemy at the behest of its wielder! The Arachasta!” She began her usual spiel motioning at the weapon, while the 3D image of it rotated over her head. “But beware, because whoever wields it, must know how to handle something so long and girthy!" She let out a musical laugh that had an edge of mischievousness.
“Now!” she clapped her delicately manicured hands together and another silence fell on the audience. “Do I hear ten thousand?”
“Twenty thousand!”
“Thirty!”
“No! Forty!”
“Fifty!”
And so it went until the spear was sold for a whooping seventy thousand gold coins. Sam was already planning to fund so many projects with the money.
The spear was removed and the dagger was placed into the spotlight.
“The Arachente! A dagger for the truly dangerous! For those who call the shadows their home or those who wish to dance the dance of death!” she proclaimed, and Sam could feel the tension grow in the hall.
While the shield and spear were great, with the poison on the dagger it was a much better deal. Plus the Assassin guilds mostly specialized in daggers so they were practically required to bid for it.
“People of the hall! The Abyss Vipers wish to purchase the weapon! Don’t bid and we’ll be thankful!” came from one of the balconies.
‘Ahh, the drama! I was almost surprised it didn’t happen earlier…’ Sam mused good-naturedly as another balcony spoke up.
“The Grey Skull will bid! You don’t scare us you venom chuggers!”
“Go to hell you edgelords! The dagger will be ours and anyone trying to prevent us will feel our wrath!”
“How dare you, we the–“
CLAP
The response was interrupted by a harsh clap originating from the auctioneer. She looked up at the balconies with furrowed bows which then smoothened and she smiled.
“Gentlemen, please sheathe your swords! Today is not a day for fighting with your bodies but with your economic might! How about instead of arguing, you prove your words with your purse?”
She called out, hopefully defusing the situation. And as the yelling didn’t continue, she nodded elegantly and continued the auction.
“My generous guests! Please feast your eyes on today’s last item! Let us bask in its presence, as we call out our bids and finish this exciting event!”
There was very short pause and she continued.
“Now, how about fifteen thousand?”
“Twenty!”
“Twenty-five!”
“Thirty!
“Thirty-one!”
“FIFTY THOUSAND!” came the loud yell from one of the balconies. If Sam remembered right it was the Grey Skull one. “It is ours!”
“Hah!” came the response from the Vipers. “Fifty-one thousand! That’s all you have, you pathetic edgelords?”
Before the obvious provocation could receive a response another voice joined the bidding.
“Sixty!”
And then it continued.
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Five exciting minutes later they were almost done.
“Ninety-five thousand for the gentleman in the back row! Ninety-five thousand going once! Going twi–“
“Ninety-eight…” came the desperate call from the Viper’s balcony. Sam could hear the physical pain in the man’s voice. ‘Can’t wait until the others see how much money we made…’ he thought with a chuckle.
“Excellent! Ninety-eight going once?”
“Ninety-nine!”
“And the gentleman in the back row is back in the lead! Will anyone brave enough to take over from him?”
Naturally, there was a response to that.
“Hundred thousand gold coins,” spoke an arrogant voice, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.
The beautiful auctioneer nodded, not even phased at the number. “A-mazing! One hundred thousand gold coins, my dear guests! What an amazing price for this truly astounding weapon! Will anyone bid against it, or is the mysterious person going to take away the weapon?”
For another long moment, there was silence. She looked around and continued.
“Then one hundred thousand going once! Going twice! Going thr–“
She was, however, interrupted at the last second.
“One hundred and one!”
Despite every balcony obscuring its occupants all eyes in the hall were trying to pierce this defense to see the person who went over one hundred thousand.
The arrogant voice didn’t even hesitate.
“One hundred and ten.”
The NPC on the stage, reading the room’s mood stood there silent, with a small smile on her lips, and waited almost half a minute for anyone else to speak up. But when nobody came calling she spoke up.
“One hundred and ten going once! Going twice! Aaaaand going three times!” She began gently clapping. “The dagger goes to the extremely generous but oh-so-mysterious person! Congratulations!
The dagger was removed from the stage and she began closing the auction.
“My dear guests, I admire your tenacity and I’m glad that today you decided to participate in this extremely exciting event! We saw some ups and downs, while mystery and mystique surrounded us! I hope you enjoyed it and will return to us with good cheer and fat purses! Goodbye!”
She waved excitedly, then turned around and sashayed off the stage directly at the curtains. As soon as the curtains swallowed her, three chimes sounded in succession, signaling the end of the auction for the audience.
Sam just smiled in delight. He would be going home with more than two hundred thousand gold coins, plus with the satisfaction that he managed to screw over some rich people.
‘After all, it’s not my fault that soon, some crafters will figure out how to craft magic weapons…’
With a full belly laugh, he waited until the money was deposited in his inventory and clicked on the logout button. He needed to call Lucy and tell her the good news…