They settled onto the spacious couch that could comfortably accommodate four people. To Seth’s right sat Elizabeth, while on his left, Leon took his place, and at the farthest end, Noel found her spot. Karles was standing tall behind the couch. Despite his role as a servant, he was also responsible for their safety.
The auction place was bathed in dim lighting with the spotlight concentrated solely on the stage, drawing everyone's attention to the central focal point.
“Oh, there are interesting people here.”
It wasn't only Seth who noticed the presence of the heroes. Elizabeth wore an intrigued smile as she followed his gaze.
“The heroes are here. Not just one, but three of them.”
“Heroes?” Leon tilted his head, turning to Noel for confirmation.
“They're the famous people summoned from another world to defeat the Demon King,” Noel explained to him.
Leon and Noel curiously looked down at the seats, trying to find the heroes. Heroes were like celebrities in this world so it wasn’t surprising that anyone would be eager to see them.
“I see you're smarter than your brother,” Elizabeth said. Before Leon could respond defensively, she continued, “You're right. Have you guys seen them before?”
The twins shook their heads simultaneously.
Elizabeth turned her gaze back to the crowds. “If you look at the third row from the back, on the right, you can see a man with a black mask. He's wearing a deep blue and silver vest. That's the only hero our kingdom could summon to defeat the Demon King. His name is Im Haeseong.”
Leon furrowed his eyebrows. “How do you know he's a hero? You can't see his face.”
"With the other heroes by their sides, it was not difficult to identify him. The woman sitting in the middle was Lilly Spencer, who worked for the Society of Alchemists. The third hero sitting on Lilly Spencer's left was Melton Dwan, a defender. Both of them hail from the Drerean Kingdom."
Everyone summoned from another world had a specific job title, each possessing an extraordinary power. This was the reason various kingdoms sought individuals from another world to kill the Demon King.
Im Haeseong served as a guard. Lilly Spencer was an alchemist, and Melton Dwan was a defender.
"You know a lot about them," Seth commented.
"It's currently the hot discussion topic amongst the noble ladies," she replied, seeming rather proud of the acknowledgement.
‘She had friends...?’ Seth momentarily found it hard to believe.
They waited as the auctioneer took the stage and bathed in the spotlight. The room fell silent, and the bidding began.
Usually, the least anticipated goods were auctioned off first, which was not the main attraction at this particular event.
'Venom Rosemary.'
'Draught of Night Vision.'
'Scroll of Judgement.'
The purple mana stone they brought with them was eventually sold for fifty thousand gold.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have the fabled sword known as the 'Sword of Rain.' This blade once belonged to the infamous warlord Maldracius, who wielded it in battles against the northern barbarians during the third century. Although this sword was previously auctioned, the owner has passed away only after using it once, and now this legendary blade awaits its new owner."
A familiar sword was seen on the platform. A silver blade engraved with fine details. The grip of the dark, polished wood hilt held a delicately carved gemstone that glinted in blue hues as it caught the light.
‘Passed away? I’m still here.’ Seth felt his mouth twitch.
He didn’t find it surprising that the sword would be auctioned here. It was the best way to fetch a higher price, especially since the Sword of Rain had a good reputation. Wealthy tycoons would likely bid more gold for such a prestigious item. Birds of a Feather was undoubtedly seizing the opportunity to maximize their profit. Using the auction house to sell the sword also made sure that their identities would be hidden, preventing the royal army, the marquess, or Agnes from investigating them.
Elizabeth noticed his unusual expression.
“What’s wrong, Seth?”
He could also feel the twins' gazes fixed on him.
Karles sighed solemnly before he spoke on his behalf. “The 'Sword of Rain' was a gift from the marquess to young master Seth for his 18th birthday. However, a group of uncouth people stole it from him.” Karles glanced at Seth, expecting him to continue.
“I was outnumbered that time.” He sighed as he leaned on the sofa.
People began bidding for the sword.
Karles maintained his usual smile as he looked at his master. “Do you want to get it back?”
“Won’t it be complicated?”
“There are certain procedures we have to go through, but it won't be a big deal as long as we provide evidence about what exactly happened.”
“You take care of it.”
He didn't care enough about taking the sword back, but it was a present from Marquess Gilliame and he didn't want to make the relationship between them worse.
The auctioneer continued, "Up next, we have a relic said to have been forged by the gods themselves. The 'Elysian Eye,' a jeweled amulet said to grant its wearer the gift of divine insight!"
The Elysian Eye was crafted from a radiant pink gemstone. The gem was cut and set in a gold setting.
A wave of excitement swept through the crowd as the Elysian Eye was shown. People from all corners of the room raised their hands and shouted their bid.
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Seth turned my attention to Im Haeseong. He sat calmly with indifference to the jewel on exhibit.
In any case, he already knew the Seer, who was more trustworthy and accurate than this artifact. As a result, he wouldn't require Elysian Eye.
Eventually, the artifact was won by a young woman for sixteen thousand gold.
"Take a look, ladies and gentlemen, at not one, but two legendary blades. The ‘Crimson Sorrow’ are masterpieces of craftsmanship and enchantment. These blades, forged during ancient wars, were individually made for The Red Lion from the fallen Vraqelia clan." The auctioneer's words reverberated through the room as the pair of Crimson Sorrow were presented.
The Crimson Sorrow were blades that gleamed in a rich, deep crimson hue. As they caught the light, the swords seemed to pulse with a mystical energy.
Noel and Leon, who had been quietly observing the proceedings, now gaped in amazement as the pair of Crimson Sorrow were revealed. They exchanged awestruck glances.
Leon said as he pointed to the stage excitedly, “I know The Red Lion’s real name! His name is Capsy Vraqelia.”
The Vraqelia Clan was famous during the first century of the Second Civilization. They were the generation of people who fought and survived during The Great Reset of the First Civilization.
“It’s Caspian Vraqelia,” Noel corrected him.
“Eh, you're right, sister.” Leon chuckled with embarrassment. "We grew up hearing Mom tell us stories about his heroic tales. They were supposedly our ancestors from a very long time ago. I never imagined that his sword still exists.”
The number of people bidding for the Crimson Sorrow was lesser than the ‘Sword of Rain’. It might be true that Crimson Sorrows were ancient relics but not a lot of people were interested if it had low grades.
Noel pulled out her small pouch and poured all the coins inside on her lap. Leon was also rummaging through his dark brown shorts pockets and only found three coins.
“Do you think this is enough?”
“This is all the money Maline saved for us.”
“Ah, the number is getting higher.”
“If you don't have enough money, why don't you ask Seth?” Elizabeth asked, leaning her chin on her palm. Her eyes curved like a sly fox. “After all, he was the one who brought you here.”
‘Is she still upset that I brought the twins without her permission?’ Seth pursed his lips as he examined her expression but he couldn't find any dissatisfaction.
Normally, he wouldn’t waste his money on unnecessary things. However, Noel and Leon were the future leaders destined to overthrow King Gerard. Investing in them was a strategic decision.
The twins looked at him with a mix of uncertainty and expectations. Their brown eyes were glittering.
“Well, you’re right.” Seth cleared his throat. “Karles, you know what to do.”
“I never would have imagined that young master Seth would have such a tender heart for small children.”
“…shut up.”
Karles smiled in amusement. He didn’t disappoint Seth as he also joined the bid for the Crimson Sorrow.
“You... really?” Elizabeth seemed perplexed by his decision. She chuckled half-heartedly as if she'd missed a good opportunity. “I would have asked you to buy me something if I had known.”
As the number of bids climbed, the pool of interested bidders narrowed. Melton also showed his interest in the Crimson Sorrow; he joined the bid.
Eventually, only three contenders remained; Seth's side, Melton, and another mysterious gentleman. The auction hall buzzed with tension as the bidding war unfolded. Karles didn’t seem to be worried about the increasing number.
“Eleven thousand gold!”
“The number is continuing to soar! Thirteen thousand gold from bidder number 67!”
Bidder number 67 was them.
The unidentified gentleman withdrew his bid, leaving only Karles and Melton to compete. Karles' bids were matched with quick counters from Melton, intensifying the battle for the Crimson Sorrow.
“Twenty thousand gold! Is there no one else? In a count of three, if there are no more interested parties, then the swords will belong to bidder number 67!”
Suddenly, Melton ceased his bid and directed a perplexed frown in their direction. His gaze was intense, almost accusatory.
“Three… two… one… Crimson Sorrow now belongs to bidder number 67!”
“Did we win?” Noel muttered.
“Yep!” Leon hugged Noel in happiness.
‘Aren’t they too easy to get excited?’
Seth covered his mouth and smiled. “It’s not a game, okay?”
“You just won bidding against the hero Melton,” Elizabeth said, impressed.
“I know.”
…
“Damn it!”
Melton Dwan cursed under his breath as he glared at the far left. He couldn't see the people there, but he knew for sure that it was a place specifically prepared for VIPs. They were the ones who took the Crimson Sorrow from him.
“Is the Drerean kingdom so poor that they can't even compare it to the Melianor Kingdom? They can't even afford to get me a new weapon? How the hell am I gonna kill those demons?!”
Lilly Spencer pushed her round glasses up the bridge of her nose and said, “It's because you’ve already spent too much money. You keep going to brothels, gambling, and buying high-grade weapons. That's why the higher-ups decided to cut some of our salary.”
'You're affecting me too. Besides, you’re a defender. You don't need those double swords,' she continued in her thoughts.
She was tired of being together with this man. Unfortunately, as they were both summoned from the western part of Earth, he kept on bothering her, saying he felt closer to someone who came from the same place.
They had been summoned into this world for one year; however, Melton was the worst among all of the heroes in terms of his skill and power progress.
“They were the ones who summoned us here! Why should I listen to them and constantly fight those disgusting monsters? I’m not a dog that will bark at their request at any time!” Frustrated, he scratched his head. “I'm going to lose my mind from all of this fucking nonsense.”
Lilly didn't say anything, as she was also getting tired. She would prefer to be summoned with the gentleman sitting on her right instead. Even though he was wearing a mask, she could still see that he was someone handsome from his sharp jawline and fine body build.
He had introduced himself as Im Haeseong, a hero summoned from the kingdom they were currently in—Melianor. Despite being the only hero and being revered by many people, he wasn't as arrogant as she thought.
“Finally, the last product that everyone is waiting for!”
The last product shown was a book decorated with unfamiliar words on the black cover.
“This book is the recent creation of the Mage Tristan Forrest. Without the need for a magician, anybody can use it to rapidly create a summoning ground and summon monsters.”
“Hey, isn't that from the quack mage?” Someone muttered from the seats behind them.
The collective disappointment in the room was palpable as the last item was revealed.
Usually, the final item would be something extraordinary and better than the previous ones. However, the book was not anything good.
Complaints filled the air, with voices raised in protest against it. Many people started to stand up from their seats and leave the place.
What was the point of being able to summon monsters that could not be controlled? At most, it could only be used as a distraction against enemies when fleeing.
However, it was useful for Lilly. Her current experiment, which had been approved by the Society of Alchemists, was to build an army of modified monsters and control them to kill the Demon King.
She had already asked the higher-ups for her experimental specimens. However, they were only able to get at most D-rank monsters unscratched. Anything above that rank was difficult to obtain without hurting them or making them significantly injured. It wasn't the perfect specimen she wanted.
Just as she was about to raise her paddle and make a bid for the book, a voice broke through the murmurs and complaints of the crowd. Another bidder had stepped forward.