They continued conversing about random things until a new slave peaked either of their interest. The quality was slowly, but surely increasing. The men finished drinking all their wine, requesting for more the whole bottle instead of refills.

A lone student sat around a group of nobles, he kept an uninterested expression when dealing with the nobles he was sitting next to. It wasn’t as he disliked them yet he had no connection to them, he was placed in this table because he went alone. Given his appearance and average pitched voice, the nobles didn’t take him seriously, treating him like a child.

This greatly annoyed him as he glared at them, however didn’t make a remark. While he had no intention of getting along with the nobles, he also had no plans to ruin his fun time. The student, who wasn’t wearing his uniform, scratched his head as he sighed. He held the urge to hit the table.

“Item number 73. From Riel, 10 years old. Height 135 centimeters, weight 28 kilos. (4’5, 61 lbs) Light blue hair, red eyes. Gender, female. Animal species, rabbit. Potential, A. In terrible health, suffering from Aura Infection, a couple of external injuries. Let the bidding begin at two hundred thirty five gold coins.”

The rabbit girl sniffed, tears falling from her face. She quietly cried, constantly wiping her face with her hands. Seeing this, the butler gave her a handkerchief. He nicely smiled, patting her head in a way to calm her. It didn’t exactly work, but at least she had a way to wipe her tears without dirtying the floor.

When the potential was utter from the butler’s mouth most nobles gasped. It was really uncommon to see such high potential in at the very start of the auction. Yet the moment the health was revealed many nobles back away from bidding.

Aura Infection is when victims mana is consumed constantly. Many who suffer from this are either bedridden or they die. The ones who survive have to have high potential since they have more mana to be consumed. Those with lower than C potential don’t make it too far.

It’s currently unknown what the cause of the disease is, every being has a possibility to be born with this or even obtain it later in life. Luckily, there is a cure for the disease. You would have to continue to pour mana until it stops consuming mana. The victim would need to learn how to control their mana to the point where they can separate a section where it’s to be eaten.

Keep doings this and soon it will stop bothering the victim. A posible theory that people who study this disease suggest a possible cause. The mana is constantly consumed when the victim is in danger in a way to protect them. That’s why when you keep pouring mana it realizes that it no longer needs to borrow the mana to protect the victim.

All in all, this is nothing, but a theory. There’s no evidence but few special cases where the proposal is true. The whole thing is still being researched.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Now, why am I telling you this? Well, a certain man is interested in the slave for that same reason. He wanted to research the disease and it’s possible symptoms, cause, and other treatments. The man had no idea that such a opportunity presented itself. That’s why when he raised is hand to gather the attention of the butler, he no longer cared how much he had to spent.

“Five hundred gold coins.” The bird masked man’s bid was more than double the initial price.

Hearing his words, the nobles backed away. The price was far too expensive for a sick slave. The initial price was too good to pass up so many were prepared to bid. However, seeing the VIP bird like masked man offer more than double, they knew that no matter if someone matched the price he would just double it again. He had

enough money to take a loss.

Yet there was someone who challenged this.

“Eight hundred fifty gold coins.”

A young sounding voice caught the attention in everyone in this room. While no one knew his age, he definitely was in his teens. Unbeknownst to everyone he was a student at a certain magic academy. He confidently smirked, that he matched the price. He loved every second of the attention he was being given, yet nothing came closer to him not letting the fifth man get his target that easily.

He dared him, he dared the man to offer more. He wanted to see him struggling and ultimately not obtain what he wished for. The boy in his teens was waiting for a counter offer.

However, the man just put his hand down.

“Eight hundred fifty gold coins. Going once. Going twice…Sold!”

The teen started dumbfounded at this. Had he really given up that easily? There’s no way! This wasn’t the first time they had this exchange, so why? Why now!? The student clenched his fist, gritting his teeth in anger. He hated how he been played. He hated how he was made to lose money.

The fifth man couldn’t care less to the what the teen was feeling as he quickly gave up. The rabbit girl did peak his interest though that didn’t mean he was going to spend all his money on her.

There was another reason, he actually didn’t care about it in the first place.

Indeed, he had been researching the topic but it wasn’t as in depth for him to purchase a slave. He just wanted to mess with the teen. The man was really getting annoyed at him interfering with his purchases.

Can’t he bid in peace?

At every bid he placed the teen had to counter his offer. It was getting to the point where the man had to stop pursuing since he knew it would only hurt him in the end.

What did the student do with all the slaves? The man didn’t and couldn’t care, but it still was strange how teen could keep buying slaves. From what he knew, the student had no job or his parents had well paying jobs where he would have enough money to spend.

The plague doctor looking man had actual reason for buying slaves and how he obtain his money. Yet from this boy, there was no such thing.

Either he’s hiding his income source.

Or he’s participating in illegal activities.