"Hehe. Amazing right?" mom asked with a playful smile as soon as we reached the third floor of the auction house that only opens up for special auctions for a certain time.
It was actually a great place, covered by accessories, decorations, and things that screamed of wealth.
And the innocent Anna was definitely enchanted by them.
"Wowy mama! Everything's so shiny-shiny~!"
She was as adorable as ever. But even Celes, who only got excited by colorful lights, was amazed.
[[ Master~! So many lights! Everything is shiny~! I wanna eat them~!" ]]
Well, all the things were shiny because of the reflections. There were countless different magic lights, lamps, and jewels that produced light everywhere. And Celes naturally loved those things.
She was understandable but even the youngest one among us, the few-week-old wyvern, Uto was also cheerful... just that her voice was so low that only a few of us and Alf could hear it.
The place was naturally that much amazing.
Hiraani has three floors. The first one was dedicated to general trade and bartering exchange.
Everyone from common people to merchants and nobles does business on this floor.
The second floor is where most general auction rooms are located. It's also a place where the main regular business auction takes place.
The third and main floor where we were currently dumbfoundedly standing was the stage for today's annual auction.
The whole floor only contains three rooms, unlike the vast places on the first and second floors.
One for the storage of the 'general' items, one for the overall surveillance and management of the auction house, and the last one was this enormous one-room auction that we were standing before...
"UwU. My little Eon also likes this humble place so much that you are speechless? Mama's happy~!"
And she really was happy. Almost happy enough to cry tears of joy... but she held them back.
She was a mom, my mom, and this was her first time showing me the place that made her what she was.
This was the moment that she saw the surprise on my face at the greatness of something that was a part of my dear mom... of course, the caring lady would want to cry while laughing.
She was happy... so I just nodded and gently hugged her.
"This place is amazing, mom. This whole place, Hiraani, is amazing. And you too."
She was startled at the sudden hug, but she liked it more than the words of praise that she always wanted to hear.
"Yesss~! Mama is amazing~!" Anna hugged her, too. The bliss of her two lovely children hugging her was something she could never deny.
It was a pleasant atmosphere. And the other family members with us mostly just gave us warm looks.
They had seen this endless-looking room with many chairs and the higher platform with the giant water screen floating right beside the podium.
They had seen this place many times, but this time was different. Anna was here for the first time and so was I. It was just fascinating for all of us.
This amazing-looking place, the whole building, many people doing their work with not much pressure, everything was new and amazing.
And mom was even more amazing to build something like this.
"Okay, okay. Let's go to the balconies now. The emperor and empresses would be arriving soon. The nobles should also have already finished the registration of their items.
It would be best to just quickly greet the royal family and go to our special room. I don't like them that much, anyway."
Mom specifically whispered that last line in my ear, and I understood what she meant.
"It's alright."
My answer was short but clear. There was no anxiety nor any doubt in those words. And she was naturally impressed by that and patted my head.
"Alright. Let's go~."
She was even happier now. And so was everyone else.
The mood improved from just this small incident and we all moved up to greet the great royal family of our great empire.
***
But, the meeting was short.
"According to what I once heard, he says his children are still not qualified enough to attend any events with him," Rein said in a low voice as we reached our special room.
'The emperor... he's frighteningly stronger than I thought.'
This was my first time meeting the great current father of the empire and his three wives.
'And the empresses are also a bit stronger than the rumors and books said.'
Emperor himself was a [King] ranked swordsman and a (tier-9) mage, probably the best magic swordsman on the continent.
He was strong and his natural presence itself was also so strong that I couldn't even have thought a human could also possess such frightening strength.
It would be suicidal to even think of using any skill on him, even if it is my origin skill.
He also had his own origin skill and crystal butterfly, so it was enough that I just greeted him and the things finished quickly.
This was his first time seeing Anna and, naturally, he couldn't be deceived by just some artifacts. He naturally grasped her enormous hidden talent and gave her a meaningful smile and head pat.
She was just happy and greeted him politely, actually knowing the emperor is the supreme power of the place they live in.
And he liked her even more because of that.
His three partners, a high elf, a witch, and the best chef of the continent, were astonished to see the representative of Atraxia house with us... as well as somewhat surprised to see me, a new boy they had only ever heard about.
Not just my appearance was fascinating for them, the supreme ladies of the nation, but they were also surprised how their skills couldn't show my screen even after being activated on me.
Well, it would be one thing if they didn't even activate like when they used it on Anna and Zoe, as it would simply mean they are blessed beings but, their skills did activate on me... only ending up helping in Lucy's growth.
And they all definitely were skills on par with Rein's eyes... giving a glimpse of their actual strength.
And the emperor was the same in this matter.
He was someone who was the closest being to an absolute here. Also closest to achieving transcendence. And someone who defiantly held more than one world authority like the headmaster.
But still, his skill was only strong enough to dig into basic stats, but Lucy managed to block the other 'special' things.
Only the headmaster had ever seen everything on my screen, so this was genuinely the greatest after him. And it intrigued him enough that he asked me for a private dinner chat.
This was surprising for his partners, but they also naturally wanted to have a nice long chat with me... and today was just the right day, so... I would be seeing them again tonight.
Well, mom didn't like it, but she also couldn't do anything. We were talking about the emperor here. She naturally had no space to retort.
But I also wanted to have a talk with him, so I politely accepted his generous grace that even his children hardly ever get.
And by his children, I meant the three imperial princes and princesses who were almost as young as us.
He was a great character, and I liked his stories when I was young, but after growing up and knowing this world and all the black-and-white history of this great blessed empire, I knew what being the emperor actually meant.
And he was some of the smartest ones in his history... a kind that I didn't like much. Just like mom.
Well, my dinner would be away from my family today, something I didn't like much but had no choice but to accept.
"Haaa..."
He was a strange, strong person. It would be quite something to have a talk with him.
But for now...
"Master, here. It's good to see you in better health than usual."
The general manager of Hiraani bowed with deep respect and handed mom a tray full of some things.
"It's all thanks to these two, Zack. Oh, and Anna too. Without her, even the three of us would have been useless." Mom chuckled while answering him and looked at our little Anna, who was watching the stage, seats, and people below us.
She was fascinated with how we were sitting far above everyone else and also how the place that was empty just a few moments ago was filling up with many people.
She was smiling, and the manager nodded at her words.
"Hahaha. Indeed. Lady Anastasia is definitely amazing. And it is also a blessing to finally meet her. And you too master Axion.
I can't even express my gratitude for the countless things that you have knowingly or unknowingly done for all of us.
Thank you very much!"
He bowed after saying that and I had no idea what the hell was he even talking about.
But, well... it was ok because his bow finished quickly and then he looked at Rein with a calm but indifferent gaze.
"Nice to see you again, lady Reinelle. I hope sir duke and lady duchess are in good health."
It was a different attitude from the one he showed towards us... and mom didn't like it so she whispered something in his ear with a smile and his eyes widened as he looked at me and then at Rein, now with the same respect that he had when looking at us.
"I apologize ma lady. I had no idea about this. Please have a good time. And thanks very much for all your great work!"
Now she was smiling brightly and both of us could vaguely guess what she might have said.
Not that it actually mattered... anyway.
"Brian darling, can you please distribute these?" she asked dad and handed him a piece of paper and some white bidding sticks with red numbers on them.
They were an artifact that worked within Hiraani and specifically during a particular auction.
One can make a bid by shouting their bidding amount while pressing the small button and the auctioneer would confirm their bids.
It was how things worked and one didn't have to actually shout that loudly for it. Just raising the stick and saying the amount in a voice that the operating system could understand was enough.
It was convenient and everyone here had got their number sticks, aside from Anna, of course. She was young, so dad would do the bidding for her if she wanted anything.
Rein and I also got our bidding sticks, but that wasn't the only thing that mom gave us...
"Here, you two. Eon is A2 and Elle is A3. Please help this damsel one last time~."
The slavery and boring hard work that we thought we wouldn't have to endure for a while after the last of preparations was still not over just yet...
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