Aditya remained silent and watchful as the bidding war for the Azure Moonflower Herb raged on around him. He did not want to participate in the early stages of the bidding, avoiding any appearance of desperation. Aditya was keenly aware that if he showed too much eagerness, someone might take advantage of his desperation to drive up the price of the herb. He was confident and patient, knowing full well that the price was likely to surpass 200 million or even reach the 400 million mark. The price was no concern to him; it was the strategy that mattered.
The room continued to buzz with excitement:
"190 million," called out a voice from the second floor, a note of determination in the tone.
"200," another voice chimed in, the number round and significant.
As the price reached the 200 million mark, something noticeable happened. The number of bidders started to decline sharply. The auction house had a specific rule in place for all of the guests. Those seated on the first floor could only bid up to 100 million, and not a coin more. The guests on the second floor were limited to 200 million. Only those privileged enough to be on the third floor, the VIP guests, had no limit to their bids.
This rule had been implemented to prevent guests from artificially increasing the price of a treasure, even if they had no real intention of purchasing it. Such acts had become all too common, and the auction house needed to take measures to prevent them. It was a matter of fairness and order. If someone had enough money and wanted the freedom to bid higher, they had to purchase a VIP seat and become a guest of the third floor.
The room seemed to hold its breath as the price reached its plateau for most of the bidders. A few voices still rang out from the third floor, but the frantic pace had slowed, and a new phase of the bidding was about to begin.
Aditya's eyes were fixed on the delicate Azure Moonflower Herb, his mind sharp and his strategy clear. He knew his moment to bid was coming, and he was ready. The real battle for the herb was about to commence, and he was prepared to win it, no matter the cost. The room waited in eager anticipation, sensing that something extraordinary was about to happen.
The room was filled with anticipation and tension as the bidding for the Azure Moonflower Herb continued to rise. Finally, after waiting patiently, Aditya, the Emperor of the Istarin Empire, made his move.
"250 million royal gold coins," he declared, his voice calm and confident.
The guests of the third floor turned their eyes towards him. They had been wondering why Aditya wasn't taking part in the bid. Now it became clear that he was simply biding his time, waiting for the competition to be narrowed down to the VIP guests of the third floor.
"270 million royal gold coins," came the response from Thomas, the arrogant and envious crown prince of the Terra Regency. His voice carried a challenge, and his eyes were fixed on Aditya, brimming with a mixture of jealousy and defiance.
"290 million royal gold coins," another Emperor chimed in, pushing the price even higher.
"310 million," Aditya calmly placed his bid, unperturbed by the rising numbers. His confidence seemed to shake the room, and as the number crossed the 300 million mark, most of the guests on the third floor gave up, realizing they were outmatched.
The room fell into a heavy silence, filled with a sense of finality. It seemed that the bidding war was coming to an end, and Aditya thought that he had won. But then, breaking the silence, a voice rang out, filled with determination and a touch of malice.
"350 million royal gold coins," Thomas called, his voice echoing through the room. He gave a provocative glance in Aditya's direction, his eyes gleaming with a desire to humiliate the Emperor.
Everyone in the room could feel the tension between the two men. Thomas knew that he couldn't take Aditya's women or challenge him openly, but he saw an opportunity here to make Aditya lose face. He wanted to drive up the price of a treasure he had no real interest in buying, just to make Aditya pay more. It was a petty move, but one that revealed Thomas's jealousy and arrogance.
The room waited, holding its collective breath, wondering how Aditya would respond. Would he rise to the challenge? Would he let Thomas's provocation go unanswered? The bidding had become more than just a matter of money; it was now a battle of pride and ego, played out in front of an audience of Emperors and nobles.
Aditya's eyes met Thomas's, and in that moment, a silent understanding passed between them. Aditya knew what Thomas was trying to do, and he was not about to be outmaneuvered.
The entire auction house had been holding its breath, waiting for Aditya to make his next move. The expectation was palpable; everyone knew that the Emperor of the Istarin Empire was immensely wealthy. They assumed he would place a higher bid, easily surpassing Thomas's attempt to provoke him.
But as the seconds ticked by, a strange silence settled over the room. People began to exchange puzzled glances, wondering why Aditya was hesitating. One second passed, and then two, and the confusion grew. Even the VIP guests like Noah, who were usually so composed, found themselves staring in Aditya's direction, trying to discern his thoughts behind the curtained windows.
Thomas, the crown prince of Terra Regency, was becoming more and more nervous as the seconds dragged on. The arrogant smile that had been on his face when he made his bid was slowly replaced by a look of uncertainty and then outright fear.
He had been so sure of himself, so convinced that he could use this opportunity to humiliate Aditya. He thought he could force the Emperor to pay more, to dance to his tune. But now, with each passing second of silence from Aditya, Thomas's confidence was crumbling.
Cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead as the realization hit him: he had made a grave mistake. Aditya had seen through his ploy, and instead of playing along, the Emperor had chosen to remain silent. Thomas's heart began to pound in his chest as the implications of this decision sank in.
He didn't have 350 million royal gold coins. He never intended to actually buy the Azure Moonflower Herb. His whole plan had been to artificially drive up the price, to force Aditya to pay more. But now, with Aditya refusing to bid further, Thomas was trapped.
The room seemed to close in around him, the eyes of the other guests feeling like they were boring into him, seeing through his facade. His breath came in short gasps, and he could feel panic rising within him. What had he done? How had he been so foolish as to think he could outsmart Aditya?
The silence stretched on, becoming a heavy weight that pressed down on Thomas, making him feel as if he were about to be crushed. He had wanted to make a grand gesture, to show everyone that he was not to be underestimated. But now, all he had done was expose his own arrogance and folly.
He glanced around the room, looking for some sign of support or understanding, but all he saw were the faces of people who were slowly coming to realize what had happened. He had played a dangerous game, and he had lost.
The silence was no longer just an absence of sound; it was a judgment, a condemnation. It was the unspoken acknowledgment that Thomas had overreached, that he had let his jealousy and pride lead him into a trap of his own making. And now, there was no way out.
He had tried to humiliate Aditya, but in the end, he had only humiliated himself. The bitter taste of defeat was in his mouth, and he knew that he would never live this down. The auction house, once filled with the excitement of bidding and the promise of rare treasures, had become a prison, and he was the one who had locked himself in.
Sakura, the elegant succubus host, maintained a poised and professional demeanor, even though she was expecting Aditya to continue the bid. When Aditya's bid didn't come, she was puzzled for a moment. A quick glance at Thomas's increasingly nervous face gave her the insight she needed into the situation, but she knew her place as the host. She had to keep things moving and remain impartial.
With a gracious smile, she announced, "Congratulations to His Royal Highness, Thomas, for winning the bid. Since this item is the most expensive treasure that was sold in this auction today, I hope His Royal Highness won't mind providing the 350 million Royal gold coins right now. This concludes our last item of this auction. And so, with this year's Mystical Treasures Auction, we come to a close. Thank you to all of our esteemed guests for attending this year's event. I hope to see you all at next year's Mystical Treasures Auction as well."
Her words echoed through the hall, but all eyes were on Thomas. His face, once filled with arrogance and smug satisfaction, now looked as if it had been twisted in anguish. The realization that he had just committed himself to paying a vast sum of money that he couldn't possibly afford was sinking in.
He felt everyone's stares, like sharp needles pricking at him, their curiosity and judgment weighing him down. He wanted to cry, but no tears came. His face contorted into an ugly grimace when Sakura asked for the money. He knew she was aware that he didn't have the means to pay such an amount. Even if his father, the ruler of Terra Regency, were to come, they still wouldn't be able to pay the staggering sum. 350 million royal gold coins were equivalent to 3 billion and 500 million gold coins. It was an amount that far exceeded even their royal treasury.
The room seemed to spin around Thomas as he struggled to find words to respond. How had he been so foolish? What had possessed him to act in such a rash manner? His desire to humiliate Aditya had led him to this terrible predicament.
The silence in the room grew heavy, filled with tension and unspoken questions. What would Thomas do now? How would he handle this disaster of his own making? The eyes of the guests bored into him, waiting for his response, their gazes a mixture of curiosity, sympathy, and disdain.
Thomas's mind raced, his thoughts jumbled and panicked. The enormity of the situation was overwhelming, and he felt as if he were drowning in his own folly. The room, once filled with the excitement and allure of rare treasures, now felt like a trap, a cage that had closed around him, leaving him nowhere to turn.
He had sought to prove himself, to demonstrate his power and influence. But now, he was exposed, his arrogance and jealousy laid bare for all to see. The weight of his mistake pressed down on him, a heavy burden that he knew he would carry for the rest of his life.
The moment stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity as Thomas grappled with the reality of what he had done. The auction house, once a place of dreams and desires, had become a nightmare, and he was the author of his own downfall.
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