Chapter - 108 Round Robin (2)
As I had previously announced, I planned to bid on an artifact in this auction.
The reason, as everyone probably expected, was that I felt the need for enhanced combat power.
Perhaps "diversification of combat styles" would be a more accurate phrase than "enhanced combat power."
I acutely felt this need since the joint grade mock battle last ti.
More precisely, when I faced Theodore.
'If I couldn't get close in a situation where I couldn't use 『Outlaw 』... I would have no choice but to rely on a gamble.'
Actually, that scene itself wasn't much of a problem.
In a real fight, I would have used Scroll - 『Mont of Decisive Battle[A]』, or 『Outlaw 』.
At that ti, there were too many eyes watching, so I couldn't use Scroll - 『Mont of Decisive Battle[A]』 to avoid revealing my full power, and I couldn't use private weapons anyway... even if it had been allowed, I would have sealed it because it would have killed Theodore.
Well, anyway, the important point here was, 'What do I do when my existing tactics don't work, or when I can't use them?'
As in the joint grade mock battle last ti, I wouldn't be able to use all my tactics in every battle.
I had to consider cases where they would be blocked in various ways depending on the battle's characteristics.
Following that line of thought, I ca to the conclusion that I needed to diversify my combat styles as much as possible.
And among them, I also had a rather clear criterion for choosing artifacts.
'Explosive power to turn the situation around is more important than stability.'
As long as the effect was good, the difficulty of the activation conditions didn't matter.
It's a really harsh statent, but over ti, one inevitably becos skilled at anything.
In my case, the number of attempts was... though "excessive" isn't a gentle term, it was certainly more than ample.
Therefore, I selected the artifact to bid on based on these two criteria.
-An artifact that allows for a different type of combat strategy than what I currently possess.
-An artifact that prioritizes explosive power over stability.
Of course, I had to consider the budget limitations as well.
And following those criteria, I found one artifact in the Railroad Mysterium's auction catalog.
***
"Next, we will move on to 『Fortress Kill』. The starting price is 17 million Crescents."
The auction was in full swing. One could tell just by seeing the starting prices of the auction items gradually rise.
"17.5 million."
"18 million!"
"18.5 million!"
"19.5 million."
They made declarations one after another from the start, and what was 17 million was already approaching 20 million.
30 million Korean Won had instantly flown up.
"It's really fierce..."
It was as Yuna next to , who was horrified, said... but.
'The real show is coming later.'
It seed she hadn't looked at the catalog, but she looked like she would foam at the mouth and faint if she did. From my impression after seeing the catalog... this was nothing.
"20.5 million!"
"21.5 million."
"22.5 million!"
The bidders for 『Fortress Kill』 had narrowed down to two people. One was, how should I put it, a bald middle-aged man who looked like the personification of a bad-tempered magnate.
The other was an old man in a fedora.
'What do both of them plan to use it for?'
That thought ca to . They didn't look like they'd wield it.
Was it the mindset of magnates who collect art?
Anyway.
"...24 million."
Amidst the tedious exchanges of 1 million incrents, the old man called out, adding another 0.5 million to his 1 million.
"..."
At that, the bald middle-aged man paused for a mont.
It might have been due to the significant increase in price compared to the starting bid, making it burdenso...
'Perhaps the fact that he added more money during the competition played a big role.'
'I will have this item, even if I have to spend more money.'
By raising the incrent from 1 million to 1.5 million, the old man implicitly showed such an intention.
The bald middle-aged man must have judged that there would be no rit in competing while enduring such an expenditure.
Anyway.
"24 million. Are there any bids above 24 million?"
The auctioneer in the white mask asked the auction participants as the competition between the two stopped.
"Then, Fortress Kill..."
Just as the bidding for 『Fortress Kill』 was about to conclude.
"26 million."
I held up the number plate in my hand and spoke.
"...Hiccup."
Yuna, sitting next to , stared at with wide eyes.
With an expression that asked, 'Did you have that much money?'
But, naturally, the auctioneer calmly continued the auction.
"26 million. Are there any bids above 26 million?"
"...27 million."
Did he really want this quite a bit? The old man called out an additional amount.
Though the amount he added was less than the 1.5 million he added earlier.
But I had no intention of backing down.
"29 million."
I rely added another 2 million.
'It would be good if he gave up here.'
Well. While my current cash in hand was indeed 29 million Crescents, it wasn't impossible to procure additional funds.
Right now, my source of funds was sitting right to my right. It would be fine to ask her for a suitable loan, saying I would repay her later.
'Still, I don't want to owe Regina.'
"..."
Fortunately, as I wished, the old man remained silent. Perhaps he also thought that if he pursued, I would just add another 2 million.
Since I had added 2 million twice in a row.
Anyway, no one else attempted to bid higher...
"『Fortress Kill』, successfully bid at 29 million, number 23."
I managed to successfully bid right within my budget.
"...You know, I find you a bit unfamiliar now..."
And in return, I lost a little bit of Yuna's affinity.
"You had that much money?"
Regina spoke to from my right.
"I had so saved up."
"Ah, was that the reason you've been so busy recently?"
"Sothing like that."
Regina shook her head.
"It's astonishing that you earned that much money in such a short period."
Well, that was certainly true.
Honestly, even I thought so.
The conversation didn't stop there; Regina continued, literally whispering into my ear in a seductive tone.
"But... if there's anything else you desire, it's fine to owe , Young Master?"
"..."
I subtly glanced at Regina, who was whispering like that, out of the corner of my eye.
Her fiery violet eyes, for so reason, seed so deep and dark.
"Hahahaha..."
She also seed to be wearing an even more sadistic smile than before.
"...I'll politely decline that much. I'm a knight or a retainer, I don't want to be a debtor."
It was in the form of a joke, but it was sincere.
'I'd rather sell my organs.'
Regina was the type of person who would deceive others but never incur a loss herself.
If I borrowed an amount close to a billion, I would be completely trapped in an instant.
"Oh dear, I've been rejected."
"...Are you really making such jokes?"
At my words, Regina rely shrugged, maintaining her expression.
A scary child.
***
The auction continued. Unlike my 『Fortress Kill』, which didn't see a huge price jump relatively early on, once the auction entered its middle stages, prices began to skyrocket.
"Next, 『Gorgon Helt』. The starting price is 40 million."
The starting price alone was well over double that of the early stage, and…
"43 million!"
"47 million!"
"52 million!"
The variance in the called prices was also incomparable to before.
However, Regina and I knew without speaking.
That the real auction had not yet begun.
And that the reason we were here had not yet appeared.
A short while later.
"Next, 『Phase Coordinates』. The starting price is 60 million."
When that voice was heard, I looked towards Regina.
'It's starting.'
And, looking at Regina, I nodded.
"Huhu."
Regina also smiled back in response.
"63 million!"
The first bid ca from a young man. Seeing the pendant with a considerably large Magic Tower emblem carved on it around his neck, he was clearly soone from the Magic Tower.
"67 million!"
And with that retort, the bidding war began anew.
"85 million!"
And as the amount gradually rose, when it seed the Magic Tower's young man was finally suppressing the flurry of bids…
"95 million!"
Soone shouted that.
A deep, heavy male voice.
The person was none other than Kirios il Enlight.
He had suddenly joined the flurry of bids that had been rising by 3-4 million, by adding 10 million.
"Kugh..."
The young man from the Magic Tower couldn't help but be intimidated.
Given Kirios' personality, it was likely that, unlike my earlier display of intent, if he called out 10 million more, he would call out 20 million again.
Kirios was that kind of person.
"95 million. Are there any bids above 95 million?"
"..."
The young man's silence. It clearly ant it was beyond his budget.
However. Breaking that silence, a gentle voice echoed through the auction hall.
"150 million."
And the person was, as expected, the First Imperial Princess of the Empire, Regina Eliade Abellon.
-150 million?
-She added 50, 55 million...
The surroundings stirred. Although it wasn't an enormous sum compared to the later stages, the focus was on the speed of the increase. And the person who intervened.
"..."
Though distant, I could feel Kirios' eyebrow twitching.
He probably didn't expect her to intervene here.
But Kirios was not one to back down.
"200 million."
50 million. A staggering 500 million Korean Won jumped at once.
Kirios' character was one thing, but ultimately, he would have a reason to acquire this artifact, even at a loss.
A reason I knew very well.
Grin.
The Imperial Princess curved her lips, then…
"300 million."
She called out an additional 100 million.
-What is this...
-The high-value competition started earlier than expected.
-The Imperial Princess and the Duchy...
The auction participants began to whisper even more.
It was an amount that warranted it, and the individuals involved warranted it.
'Kirios, what will you do?'
Actually, I knew the outco.
"...450 million."
450 million.
He called an additional 150 million.
In Korean currency, it jumped by 1.5 billion, amounting to a total of 4.5 billion.
If the Imperial Princess hadn't intervened, he would have bid at 95 million.
"Ahahaha-."
The Imperial Princess laughed and shrugged. aning, 'that's enough.'
"450 million. Are there any bids above 450 million?"
Of course not.
"『Phase Coordinates』, successfully bid at 450 million, number 105."
We lost the bidding war.
That is, it was unfolding according to our plan.
And it wasn't simply about forcing a financial loss on the Duchy.
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