Chapter 679 Underground auction
[Eon's POV: ]
I looked at President Zodiac and nodded as we stood before the door to a tavern, a signal indicating we wi=ould be switching to Celes's connection from this point forth.
[[ "Be prepared everyone, and we don't have to cause any ruckus. Let's get this done with and go to sleep." ]]
[[ "Of course you want to go and sleep… man I should pick up someone good as well. Sleeping alone is no fun, haaa." ]]
Yes vice president, do whatever you want but just stick to the plan and your character. It will be a great disaster if you slip up here.
[[ "Cradle. No joking now." ]]
[[ "Yes yes jeez. You boys are no fun. Elle, we should just ditch these bastards after things are done and go off hook up somewhere-" ]]
"Ahem."
[[ "That's his signal, he is starting now. Go do your part." ]]
There were many underground auctions happening during the annual alchemy competation all over the capital city.
And, since the rules and regulations on the tradable goods was the loosest in the principality, this capital city was one of the main connecting points of many import and export markets.
The underground economy was something necessary for the sustainnace of the city itself so even the government gave them some leeway, however, the place we were going to was something a little different from the usual underground markets, auction houses, or shops.
'From the outside, it was just a normal tavern. And just like many cliche tales, we had to do the password thing here as well.'
But it was a little different.
"Hello dear customer~! A party of four, hun? Is it some good opccation that calls for celibrartion, hun~?"
"We would like to order."
The tavern was not that large, just on the medium side. There werent also that many customers here since this one was one of the costlier ones that served premium alchohol and drinks, however, that was just the surface of this building with six stories of structures present beneath it.
'My (: Scan) is picking up some unique things from this place. Looks like it really is as special as the rumours say.'
This was making me more excitined in the auction instead of the demonic humans.
"One blue dragon ale, brewed with a fine grinder fairy dust, make it a diluted form with red water and split it into four parts.'
The first thing to notice here was the small menus list with few premium drinks only, and some snacks of course but who counts those things?
The blue dragon ale was especially a unique item today since there were many clues all around us that screamed this specific drink was the 'key' for today.
And by a 'key' it meant a key to start the conversation about the main topic, which was the four of us that wanted to get into the auction.
"Excellent choice, sir~. Would you like it normal or a little cooler? Ah, and can we modify these things as we want according to your personal taste~?"
Every single employee present here was a highly trained professional. They were not only some simple actors, but, the way they were trained to become what was asked of them was one of a kind in this entire continent, and the group tha managed them, these highly trained professionals that could become anything the situation requires, belonged to someone alredy close to me.
'They did not know who that was though. No one officially did.'
They were kind of tools for hitre that one can rent from 'that person' and these people are paid for their services in unique ways that their master wants.
It was a unique system, but seeing them on field was quite the fun thing.
"Make the drinks cooler. As soon as you can. Make the changes you see fit with the utmost care. Don't worry about the cost-"
"Oy, no! We need the funds for, ahem. Our lady would feel unfomertable without the best one, I understand. But, this isn't the time you should act like this."
Vice president did it pretty well, so well in fact for a second there, I also thought she was going to spill out everything about us.
But, thankfully, after my reply calmed her down, president grabbed her hand like a lover and I looked up at the waiter after a sigh.
"Forgive my companion's rudeness, however, please keep the order just slightly above the colder temperature, make the necessary adjustments for the modifications by yourself."
"Of course~! Please wait here for just a moment~! Oh, I will need an ID please. It's a necessary procedure."
"Oh, of course. Here it is. It would be nice if you can make it quick."
"Haha, we will do our best~!"
I handed him a money card with a thousand platinum coins however, the balance on the card didn't even make him flinch.
He just bowed dow and left for the next table for their orders.
He certainly seemed pretty good with that talent.
[[ "Why is it so difficult to get into a simple auction house? And why this strange processes of ordering a specific kind of drink, then going to the places marked on the specific locations in the tavern individually, and after being taliported to the main site, it would be up to us to find the room of the bidding that we ourselves booked?
Who the fuck came up with this shit ass system?" ]]
She didn't seemed to like how things worked here, but, telling her that it was Sir Justin would make her mood bad, so, I just kept my poker face and looked around me.
There were three counters here with a wall full of alcohol bottles and unique ingredients placed all over them. A total of six waiters that were proficient enough to tend to a hundred customers with ease. Three bartenders, and three ladies in maid uniform as a clean up staff.
Aside from all the seventy people that were here just to enjoy the drinks, the people that did not knew the existence of the underground zone at all, and the thirty that were customers wanting to get into the auction but did not know the proper means, every employee, the normal people in customer clothing, the ones hiding in the shadows, to the ones disguised as 'things' like plants, counters, or brooms were all at least a [Master] of their field.
And, to reach they ranks of a master was no simple thing.
[[ "Oh, right. I saw you gave that person a heavy card. What would you do if they deduct more than what is required? We don't know any means of knowing just how much they are charging and for what reason.
They should at least make the prices of everything public." ]]
[[ "They alredy do that though? It's written right there, see?" ]]
I pointed to the hand written board with the prices and lists of today's special items and if one paired close attention, there was all the information present that one wanting to attend the auction would want, from prises to the things to order for the day.
One just had to look closely enough and understand what is already present there. Some people couldn't even do that much, including this great vice president of ours.
[[ "Tsk. Who said them to write it in that kind of difficult code? What do they think the people who wants to attend that mere auction are? Some kind of criminal masterminds that would know how to solve Pendora's riddle?" ]]
[[ "…wait, did you just say Pendora's riddle? Like Pandora that bunny? From the storybooks?" ]]
She did not mean that Pandora now, right? She certainly did not, right?
[[ "Of course~! The best riddler of the eipcs~! Do these people think they are on the same level as him?! Fucking bastards!" ]]
My eyes were blank when I looked at her after hearing that answer and I couldn't even gather enough strength to keep looking at her for more than half a minute.
What she had just said was pretty ridiculous in itself but the way she said it so innocently that didn't fit anywhere in her character made me question my evaluation of her…
"Here sir~. We hurried up with the order as you requested~. I hope you will look after us favorably~."
"Haha, of course. Here."
I secretly sliced three gold coins in his hand after checking no one was looking, or at least acting like that, we looked at the attractive glasses filled with a blue substance that had very fresh scent to it.
It was a cute fruity smell that was a little tingly but also a little sweet if felt deep as well. It was quite good so, we all took a sip of it first, before picking up the napkins under them and checking the numbers and clues written over them, something that faded away quickly soon after it.
This was our tickite to the underground so without waiting much time, we finished the good drink, chatted a little on the next actions and followed the instructions I had recived.
"Excuse me, can I get a second world understanding?"
It was a question I had to ask a stranger sitting in the exact middle of this entire place, and, right after I asked him that, I shifted time and space.. and appeared in a place that was nothing like the closed off auction house I had been to.
[[ "B2. Reaching C3 in 6." ]]
[[ "D1. Will reach soon." ]]
[[ "I got lucky and fell near C2. I will go there and hold the positions for now. We will start the surveillance after the first segment of the auction." ]]
[[ "Tsk. Fuck. I am all the way at F3 guys, it will take me a while." ]]
Vice captain… well, it looks like today is an unlucky day for her.
Anyway, Rein was there and I was closest to her so we can do a little something before President arrives.
"Hey! You! Keep moving man!"
"Don't block the path! Don't block the path!! Don't block the path!!!"
"Oy boy! Get your shit together! Go find the place assigned to you! They are starting in twenty. You won't be able to bid if you aren't in your booth when it starts!"
"Fuck this! I just passed from here!"
Every floor under that tavern was connected with this same one way path that was akin to a labyrinth.
Without proper help or assistance, it is practically impossible to get to the rooms you had purchased or the ones you were assigned to, that's why bringing more people was considered better.
But we have Celes and her connections so it won't be that difficult to get to the destination.
And as that gentleman in white said, the auction would be start soon so…
'[Quick steps]'
We should all hurry as well.
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