Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Mithril Ring?
Inside the auction house’s private box, Gro looked at Richard, feeling incredibly grievous: I said I was silly, but I didn’t really want a confirmation, just some comfort. How did it end up… How did it end up…
While Gro was feeling wronged, the comfort came.
Gro heard the sound of soft footsteps behind him, followed by a pair of small hands landing on his head. He could feel that they were Pandora’s hands.
Gro’s body instantly went cold, and his sense of grievance vanished, leaving only fear: I mean, the angry voice that spoke earlier was indeed a bit loud, and it might have disturbed Pandora again. So… this time, am I really going to be beaten to death?
Pandora was touching his head!
Was she looking for the right spot to strike, preparing to explode his head with a single punch?
...
Pandora’s hand stopped, stopped!
Had she already chosen the spot and decided to strike?
Pandora was patting his head!
Was she testing the force, really intending to explode his head?
Gro couldn’t help but think of the farmers in the fields, patting ripe fruits. After being patted, the fruits would either be snapped with a “crack” or shattered with a “bang”.
So… So…
Gro felt Pandora’s hand suddenly lift and it seemed as if he could already see the next moment when Pandora’s fist would heavily fall and smash his head directly into his chest cavity.
Gro was completely stiff, but he waited a long time without feeling Pandora’s falling fist.
Gathering his courage, Gro looked at Pandora with some bewilderment, only to find Pandora was sitting on the side, looking at him with a somewhat pitiful gaze.
Gro was puzzled.
Hmm? Had he missed something? Did he suddenly get amnesia? Had he really been hit by Pandora and turned silly because of that? Otherwise, why couldn’t he connect the events before and after?
It was then Richard spoke up, looking at Gro, “Just now, Pandora was comforting you.”
Hmm? Comforting him?
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Gro was stunned.
So it was comfort, comfort for his grievances. Pandora’s touch and gentle pat on the head, wasn’t that supposed to be comforting? But… what kind of comfort was that, and where had she learned it from? He didn’t feel comforted at all, only frightened.
Gro suddenly remembered the unlucky guy he saw outside the auction house being ‘comforted’ by Pandora, wondering if that person had felt the same way.
“Umm…”
…
Lost in his thoughts, Gro saw that many people in the auction house had begun to leave; they were all there for the Examination Exemption Certificates and, seeing the auction for the certificates come to an end, they naturally had no reason to stay.
Clearly, the number of people in the hall had diminished by two-thirds in a moment, leaving the venue somewhat empty.
However, Richard did not leave because his purpose wasn’t attending the Examination Exemption Certificate auction but to see if there was anything of need at this auction. Simply put, Richard was truly there for the auction.
Likewise, Gro didn’t leave, partly to accompany Richard, and partly because the ten thousand Gold Coins had not yet been delivered. As a promise, he could only stay as collateral.
The auction continued.
Even though there were few people, the auctioneer persisted in upholding professional ethics.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we present the next item for auction,” the auctioneer on stage announced, “This is a tempera Color Painting by Master Feijis, depicting a woman. This painting…”
As the auctioneer described it, a server moved a tempera Color Painting framed in wood onto the stage, displaying it to all.
Then the bidding began.
“30 Gold Coins…”
“31 Gold Coins…”
“32 Gold Coins…”
“…”
Richard glanced around with little interest, did not raise his sign, and silently waited for the next auction item.
The next one, the next one, and the one after that…
Just when the auction was about to draw to a close, Richard had yet to see an item similar to the “Dream Girl” appear. As he was contemplating a possible misjudgment in his decision-making, he heard the auctioneer’s tone rise and announce, “Ladies and gentlemen, we now present the final item of the day, a curious object. While it may not be as precious as the previous Examination Exemption Certificate, it certainly has some magical uses.”
A server stepped onto the stage, holding a tray that held a silver-white ring.
The remaining people in the room stretched their necks curiously to see, buzzing with discussion.
“It looks just like an ordinary silver ring.”
“I think it might not even be silver, probably iron.”
“What’s the use of this thing?”
“Who knows.”
“The last item turns out to be this, I would have left earlier had I known.”
“Exactly, exactly.”
“I mean…”
“…”
Listening to the many unfriendly comments from below, the auctioneer felt somewhat embarrassed, but still said, “As everyone can see, this is a ring, unadorned, and it looks just like the cheapest, most common ring you could find in a shop.
But what I must tell you is that it is no ordinary ring. It may look plain, but it has a series of astonishing features. For example, it is nearly indestructible, whether smashed with rocks or thrown into a furnace to burn, it does not undergo any significant change.
Moreover, according to the ring’s owner, it is connected to the Mysterious Wizard. It was given under a fortuitous coincidence by a Mysterious wizard. The material it’s made from is not silver, not iron, but is very likely the legendary Mithril…”
The auctioneer spoke on at length and finally took a deep breath to announce, “In light of the various features of this ring, the starting bid is set at 100 Gold Coins, each increase in bid…”
“Hush—”
The auctioneer hadn’t finished speaking when the remaining crowd collectively hissed in unison. In their view, the silver-white ring displayed on stage was utterly fraudulent and useless.
What does nearly indestructible mean? With ‘nearly,’ it indicates it is still destructible, it’s just very sturdy at best. But what’s the use of a very sturdy ring?
If it were a very sturdy Iron Sword, perhaps it could be called a Treasure Sword. If it were a very sturdy armor, perhaps it could be called Treasure Armor. But a sturdy ring, could it be called a Treasure Ring? Is the plan to use this ring to hit people, or to defend against attacks?
It’s basically like an unbreakable porcelain bowl, impressive to hear, but at best, just a bowl. In fact, this ring is even less useful than an unbreakable porcelain bowl; at least bowls can be used to eat, but a ring cannot even hold food.
As for Mithril and such, that’s even more far-fetched. Tales of legendary materials, can they be believed? Why not claim that it is made of Dragon Bone from a legendary Bone Ring? Show some guts, bring out a Dragon to parade, let everyone have a look!
King offered by a Wizard, is even more made up, with no credibility whatsoever. Wizards giving away items? Not taking away your belongings along with your life is good enough.
And they want to auction this entirely fraudulent thing for the high price of 100 Gold Coins? Do they think everyone here is a fool?
The auctioneer felt awkward and in reality, was also feeling quite guilty, thinking that the ring wasn’t worth 100 Gold Coins, not even one Gold Coin. But the ring’s owner, not only of noble status, but also insisted on a starting bid of at least 100 Gold Coins, claiming over and over that the ring had connections with the Mysterious Wizard, and he had no other choice.
Amidst the hissing, the auctioneer braced himself and spoke, “Ahem, the starting bid for this ring is 100 Gold Coins, with each increase in bid… not less than 5 Gold Coins. Alright, let’s begin the bidding.”
After the auctioneer finished speaking, the entire room went silent, deliberately creating a lull.
Many were waiting to see the joke unfold.
In the private box, Richard’s eyes twinkled, and he suddenly raised his sign.