"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Auction of the Stars!"
The lights suddenly dimmed and a spotlight illuminated the stage that was located at the center of the auction house. A middle-aged man with blonde hair and green eyes appeared. He waved his hand and gave the crowd a beaming smile.
"A good day to all of you! My name is Dio, and I will be your host for today's special event," Dio said with mirth in his eyes. "Before we start, I would like to show everyone the rules of the house." He raised both his hands and a giant projection appeared on top of him.
The rules were written in golden letters and they state the following.
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1. No fighting is allowed. You may fight using words, but the moment anyone use their weapons, spells, or anything that could potentially harm someone within the boundaries of the auction house they would be severely punished.
2. You cannot bid more than resources you currently have within the auction house. Anyone who break this rule would be severely punished.
3. Pooling resources together are allowed, but you could only do it with one person.
4. Theft is not allowed. Anyone who try to steal the auctioned items within the boundaries of the auction house would be punished by DEATH!
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Kei read the rules and nodded his head. This was his first time participating in the auction and he was looking forward to the drama that would unfold when the bidding begins.
"Please, do not take our rules lightly," Dio said with a smile. "Many had tried to break them in the past, and believe me when I say that all of them… had tragic endings."
He then clapped his hands and two beautiful girls walked up to the stage and stood by his side.
"Well then, enough of the pleasantries and let's start the auction shall we?"
His words were greeted with applause and cheering from the crowd. Dio chuckled and a golden hammer appeared in his hand. With a gesture, an ornate box materialized between the two ladies beside him.
"Our first item to be auctioned came from the Elven Kingdom of Heliotrope. This book only contain drawings that were personally drawn by his excellency, Orlando, the Overlord of the North!" Dio said. His hands trembled as he touched the lid of the ornate box. "Only those with… discerning eyes will be able to appreciate the fine details within this book."
He opened the box and a book floated in mid-air. The book has a black cover and words written in silver letters shone brightly on its surface.
[Call Me: Sir]
"Wow! A book that is personally drawn by an Overlord?! That is a collector's item!"
"The Elven Overlord, he's someone with class. This book might teach us something very important."
"I wonder what kind of book it is. I'm very curious!"
The crowd murmured and Dio gave them all a mysterious smile. Since he was the one presiding the auction house, he was able to see the contents of the book. What he saw shocked him to the core, and gave him many sleepless nights.
'May the Gods show mercy to the innocent victim who will get this book.' Dio held back a shiver.
"I know that all of you are wondering about the content of this book. Sadly, his excellency Orlando, ordered us not to tell anyone." Dio gave a slight bow. "This is his first creation and he want it to be a surprise."
"So without further ado, bidding starts at 5,000 gold coins! Increments should be 500 gold coins and above only!"
"6,000!"
"8,000!"
"10,000!"
"15,000!"
A series of bids were fired off in rapid succession. There were many collectors among the crowd who always participate in the Auction of the Stars. They seek rare items to be used as bragging rights to their peers. A book personally made by an Overlord would make their acquaintances green with jealousy.
"Master! Could we bid for that book as well?" Shino asked.
"Mmm, are you curious about that book?" Kei patted her head with a smile.
Shino nodded her head. "Yes! Very curious!"
"Very well." Kei cleared his throat and joined the bidding. "50,000 gold coins!"
Dio glanced at his direction and nodded his head. "This gentleman offered 50,000 gold coins! Any bidders?"
The crowd quieted down and stared at the VIP room where Kei was seated. They were unable to see his face because there was an enchantment laid out inside the Auction House to hide the identity of the bidders.
Those seated on the regular seats wore enchanted masks, while those in the VIP rooms were protected by a veil of illusion. Spells, artifacts, and even unique treasures that have the ability to see through illusions lose their power within the boundaries of the auction house.
No one would be able to tell who's who, no matter how hard they try.
"Are there no more bidders?" Dio asked. "Going once! Going twice!"
"Bang!" The hammer dropped down marking the successful bid for the book entitled [Call Me: Sir]
'Good riddance.' Dio turned around and secretly wiped the sweat on his forehead. The book returned to its ornate box and disappeared from the stage. The box reappeared in front of Kei.
The item that was won through the bidding would automatically appear in front of their new owners as soon as the proper amount was paid.
Aside from the enchanted masks, the auction house also provides a special pouch to those participating in the bidding. They could put all their gold inside the pouch and it automatically deducts the gold of their winning bid.
This pouch also ensures that no bidder would be able bid more than what they currently have. If they surpass the limit of their current credit then the pouch would sound an alarm informing everyone that the bid was null and void.
"Mmm, let's see this 'masterpiece' that Orlando drew himself." Kei took the book out of the box with a smirk and opened it. His body trembled and he hurriedly closed the book in his hand.
"Fck!" Kei grimaced. "You stupid elf! Give me back my gold!"
Kei let out a series of curses and swear words aimed towards the Overlord of the North. He raised the book in his hand and was about to slam it unto the ground when Shino stopped him.
"Master! Please calm down!" Shino pleaded.
Kei breathed deeply in order to regain his calm. The drawings inside the book almost made him spat blood. He swore that the next time he see Orlando, he would give him a good nagging.
Little Daisy snatched the book from his hand while he was trying to regain his calm.
"You are over exaggerating Kei." Little Daisy scoffed at him. "Just what could possibly be wrong with this boo- Oh my!"
Little Daisy gasped and turned the pages of the book. There was a faint blush on her cheeks and it became more noticeable as she browsed its contents. The book has very graphic drawings of two handsome men…
"Lend this to me," Little Daisy said and stored the book on her storage bag without waiting for his reply. Kei could only gape at her not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"What is the book about Little Daisy?" Shino asked.
Little Daisy motioned for her to come closer. Shino stood up and sat beside her. Little Daisy whispered something in her ear which made Shino tilt her head in confusion.
"Two men doing what?"
Little Daisy averted her gaze away from Kei. "Hush! I'll let you see later."
"Oi! Don't show that to Shino!" Kei pulled Shino away from Little Daisy. "You can keep that book, but never show it to her. Don't ruin her innocence!"
"But, I want to see it." Shino pleaded. "Please, Master!"
Kei placed his hand on top of her shoulder. "Listen to me Shino. There are some things that are better left unseen. This is for your own good. That book will just corrupt your soul."
It took some time, but Shino finally relented and rested her head on his chest. Kei kissed her forehead and whispered words of apology. He was still cursing the elf in his mind and regretted his decision for wasting 50,000 gold for a BL Book.
Dio's cheerful voice broke his revelry and he returned his attention to the stage.
"Our second item for today's auction is a treasure that was unearthed from the ruins near the forbidden area [Atlantis] of the Southern Monarcy."
A compass the size of an adult hand floated beside Dio. It looks like an ordinary compass, but it seemed to pulse with life.
Kei's pupils shrank when he saw the compass. "A sentient artifact!"
He was not the only one who's interest was piqued. Many of the rich and powerful understood that some sentient artifacts were labeled as priceless treasures. If this compass was sentient, then it might give them an unexpected surprise.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the [Compass of Daedalus]," Dio said with reverence. "This is not a compass that points to the North."
He made a sweeping gesture. "You are probably thinking that this compass points to a treasure right? Well, you're not wrong in that assumption. However, the use of this compass will vary from person to person."
"After doing countless research, we found out that the compass holds an incredible power." He paused to allow some time for the audience to digest his words.
Dio's expression turned serious. "The [Compass of Daedalus] points to the thing you want most in this world."