The wide room full of comfortable chairs was now filled with people in different clothing.
Some wore lavish noble clothes, while some were wearing normal clothing or even armor.
But everyone sitting here definitely had the white stick with red numbers in their hands.
Before these chairs, there was a big stage and a big fountain-like structure with flowing water in a thin layer.
There were some images and messages appearing on this water slide. And just beside this big floating water, there was a small podium.
The podium and the big table in the middle were the only things on this big stage, but everyone had their attention focused on it. It was about to start very soon now...
There were special rooms around this room, like a balcony from which one can look down. And being one of the people in those rooms meant that they are naturally special and close to the master of this whole place, the cold golden demoness.
Their rank in society was irrelevant in this place, as even some of the empire's dukes and even kings of some other country who secretly attended this auction had to sit in those chairs below the balcony.
So, just being one of the people sitting there was an honor in itself, but that wasn't all either.
Their confidentiality was always maintained.
It was a well-thought-out setting that told everyone attending this event that they all would be in the presence of some of the most important people in the world, but that too, in the end, didn't matter here.
Wealth, money, resources, and the will to spend the money that one had were all limited.
Everyone knew that they couldn't get everything with whatever money they had and there would naturally be people among them who would have far more money to buy a few more items.
They couldn't buy more than a few things either and they certainly couldn't buy that even remotely looks and felt unprofitable.
They were there for things that others didn't have. They were there to get rare things that one couldn't buy, even with all the money they had.
They were here to gamble and get things that could make them even richer than they were.
They were there to get the things that they could boast about to their fellow nobles.
And they were here for the exhilarating experience they would feel after winning even a single more important item from the hands of hundreds of them.
But they also had to be careful here... the auction had its reputation for offering rare, even extremely rare, items, but there was a twist when it comes to the annual auction.
There were going to be things from each and every person sitting in this room. In those chairs. Among them and maybe just beside them.
There were baits that might look and feel profitable but might just turn out to be fake or garbages that they paid their entire fortune for...
And that's why they had to be faster, sharper, and more knowledgeable than their fellow bidders.
Eyes. They were some of the most important things that guaranteed a treasure. And just after that came luck.
There were many among the bidders who were taking part in this auction while just believing in their instincts, intuition, and luck. And it definitely worked many times.
...
There were many types and kinds of bidders in this place, but every one of them had one thing in common... money.
They were people who were confident in their wealth, and not all the people here were wealthy nobles. Many were unknown people, many were solo mages or knights, many were adventurer parties, and some were even explorers and merchants who possessed wealth incomparable to even high-ranking nobles.
They were all people with good eyes, appraisal, and analyzing skills, good luck, and special wisdom.
Or... many were here to just have some fun.
It certainly was fun to watch people splash their entire fortune and get a simple rock in return because of their wrong judgment. Who wouldn't want to laugh at the misfortune of others?
Most humans certainly would, right?
Anyway...
[ "Ahem. Hello, hello. Check. Ok." ]
The cheerful room quickly fell silent as soon as they heard a warm voice and looked at the stage.
A gorgeous woman in 'attractive' lavish clothing was standing behind the podium wearing something on her eyes.
They knew the identity of this device well, so that was unimportant, but they also knew the identity of this person standing before them.
Some of them were there just to see a glimpse of this person every year and it definitely was worth the effort...
The maiden standing on the podium was no less than an angel freshly fallen from heaven.
She was beautiful... so much so that one could actually compare her to the humanoid form of divine beasts talked about in the myths.
Her platinum hair attracted the attention of upperclassmen, and her simple but deep blue eyes attracted the attention of all the important people present there.
Her face was giving off light as though the light from holy objects and the physical body of this lady were so carefully crafted and perfect in every area that it seemed a god had personally taken their eternal time to perfect her.
That was the simplest description one could give about her, but in true meaning... she was ineffable.
But her physical appearance wasn't the only thing that made her special...
[ "Alright. X3 all check. Requesting permission to start the event... ok. Thanks A2." ]
Her voice was warm and every one hearing it, felt a wave of calmness wash over them.
And that was just the voice before the actual start of the event, too.
Most of them attended this event more than one time so they knew what this meant and some sharp ones were even surprised by the A2 and not 'A' thing she said.
But hardly anyone among them gave much attention to it. The auction was starting after all...
And they certainly couldn't miss-
[ "A very good afternoon to everyone~!" ]
Yes, this.
Sarah Allan Luke.
A lady of unknown origin but someone known throughout the continent for her beauty and breathtaking, cheerful voice as (Auctioneer Angel).
If the general manager Zack is considered the right hand of the master of Hiraani, she is the left hand and the heart of all the special auctions held throughout the year.
A lady who attends only a few events and mostly operates in the Hiraani. Many people attend every event as her just to hear that special voice too.
And especially during the auctions like this one.
[ "Worm welcomes to all the guests gathered here. Thank you for sparing your time for this noble cause.
I believe everyone already knows about the specifics of the event. Well, you can read the process from the papers being distributed by our good, hardworking people.
The auction items will appear on this table. Its image will be displayed on the big water screen before you all.
It's big and cool so everyone will be able to observe the item~.
The observation time will be ten seconds as usual and the bidding will start immediately afterward.
The highest bidder wins, so... let's not waste any more time and call the very first item~!" ]
Her divine voice created an immediate, heated response from the bidders, and the silent room became filled with different voices and talks again.
That was the magic of her voice, which marked the start of the annual winter auction of the greatest auction house, Hiraani.
-Thump. Thump. Thump.
And with the three thumps of the special golden gavel, the middle part of the big table in the center shook and sank down...
-Skeeeeee...
And then something came up from the sunken part of the table.
[ "Alright people~! What do we have for the very first item for our great auction~?
Ohhh!
A red flower? Certainly not something normal if it's in a glass case with some red rocks, right?
How much would one start with for such a pretty flower~?" ]
Her voice was provocative and even though she simply described the first item, the way she pointed out the glass case made many people think positively about the first item of the day...
But mages and the ones who knew about the identity of this flower were in great turmoil...!
"Langsdorf?!!" a person in mage clothing and hood, who certainly looked old from the outside, was the first one to shout that, but he certainly wasn't the last one.
"Vampire flower...?! Is that real?!"
"What is this...? A natural treasure from the start? Is the pattern different this time?"
"It's only the first item, and it's something this good? Does that mean this year's auction is different?! Or... or... will the things after this actually be better than this?"
"It's real! It's teal! Look at those rocks! They are blood stones! It's the real deal!!"
"Not only that... look at that state. It's like the flower was picked out just yesterday."
"Chief! Chief! We must have that! We can finally work on that if we have that!!"
"Oyyy! Give me one of those auction plans!"
"Langsdorf...!"
[ "Ok so, observation time ends-" ]
"100 gold!"
"You cheap ass old man! Go somewhere else! 500 gold!"
"No, you don't! 550 Gold!"
"Just for a flower...?"
"You fool! That's a natural treasure! 700 gold! We must have it!"
And just like that, the very first heated betting started among the participants.
The bids and the number of bidders bidding with that price were displayed just above the image of the flower on the big water-screen. And as the numbers were heatedly increasing, it easily crossed the price of 3 platinum and only stopped when it reached 30 platinum and 400 gold, not just an absurd price for the general public but also something that only appeared after a few items in this annual winter auction.
It was something big... and the one who bought this was definitely someone crazy.
It may be a natural treasure, but paying 30,400 gold for a flower?
Everyone attending this auction knew just after this that the annual winter auction they all knew was going to be different this time.
And the second item of this very auction affirmed their doubts...
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