A beautiful cart rolled on the stage and arrived next to Jacqueline, who was all smile. Her seductive posture and dress made the men gulp in desire, to the dismay of their wives.
Before the start of the auction, Brigand had told her it would be a special event, and that she would get a nice bonus if her performance was adequate.
What better way to raise the room's temperature than with an alluring woman?
After posturing for a few more seconds and sensing murderous gazes, she finally spoke.
"To kick off the event, we're presenting this item!"
With a delicate swoop, she removed the cloth and a large crystal came into view. It was the size of a fist, crimson and quite reflective. Its edges were also rough, indicating it hadn't been tampered with.
The audience, which had been captivated by the hostess so far, cried out in surprise at its sight.
What an amazing opener!
The eyes of many nobles shone with greed, ready to snatch it at all costs.
After letting the tension build up a little more, Jacqueline continued.
"This is a Blood Ruby. As you may already know, the formation of such a crystal requires immense bloodshed, with its size varying accordingly. This one was excavated under a battleground where 5000 lives perished. They are extremely rare and can be used to enhance weapons. The starting bid is 100 gold coins!"
The crowd was already at its limits, and as soon as the price was announced, a furious bidding war unfolded.
"150!"
"You poor bastard, crawl back in your hole! 250!"
"What did you say?! 300!"
The gallery, which had been inflamed by Jacqueline, exploded like a powder keg, with insults flying in every direction. The previously dignified nobles were now no less different than a bunch of rabid dogs.
However, the steep increases abruptly stopped when some realized it was only the first item.
They had clearly fallen into a stupid bidding pattern, and they could only lower their heads in shame.
In the end, it was sold to a VIP lounge for 430 gold coins, making Derrick wince.
He wasn't interested in the item, as he could find every material he needed, but the price was absurdly high for the first item shown. He had underestimated the wealth of those attending.
This time, the cart that arrived was huge, with the cloth covering the item resembling more of a drape.
Murmurs started like a wildfire, with the anticipation quickly building up. The first item hadn't disappointed, and people couldn't wait to see the follow-up.
With another graceful movement, Jacqueline removed the fabric, revealing an egg. It was 60 centimeters high and had a circumference of 70 centimeters. It was creamy white with black freckles that were randomly spread. These freckles also seemed to have a different texture, one that was similar to scales.
Confusion filled the room. What was this?
However, some folks held their breath, wondering if this was a hallucination or not.
Why the hell would someone auction such a treasure!?
Almost all the VIP rooms started emitting pressure, trying to dissuade each other from bidding. The lone holdout was Derrick, who didn't dare use appraisal in the presence of these mysterious and powerful individuals.
"I was shocked as well when the item's nature was brought to my attention. For the first time in its existence, the Lancaster Auction House is proud to present a Dragon Snake's egg"
Gasps came out of everyone. This was an incredible development!
So much so that people started discussing their financial ceiling, ready to cripple their near future to obtain it.
What was a Dragon Snake?
In one of his favorite books, Derrick had extensively learned about these fantastic monsters. Like its name suggested, it was a hybrid between a dragon and a snake. It was a creature that, when born, would associate itself with the first being it saw. It would then become its protector, classifying it as a Guardian Beast.
Of course, its real value lied in the fact that it contained the genes of a dragon, a mythical creature so rare that some Scholars had even ruled them extinct.
Dragons apparently ruled over the continent when it was in its infancy, occupying the apex of the ecosystem. Legends say they were so strong that a single breath of fire could wipe out dozens of kilometers of land. Terrifyingly huge remains of these beasts had been discovered, giving credence to these tales.
This was why everyone wanted it.
Even if the Dragon Snake's bloodline only contained a trace of draconic gene, the investment would pay for itself in the long-run.
Now that he knew what was at stake, Derrick's eyes couldn't move away from the cart.
Even though he had creatures under his control, he wanted to study the egg with the system's help. With that thought in mind, he asked the most important question.
"System, can we isolate the two bloodlines and purify them?"
[Host's demand exceeds the System's current ability. An upgrade is needed to answer the query]
At that moment, adrenaline rushed into his bloodstream, realizing the implication of the answer. The system hadn't refuted him, meaning it was not impossible!
If everything went right, he would be able to hatch dragons!
Derrick broke out into a sinister laughter, which caught the butler off guard. Pablo barely understood what was going on, but this reaction wasn't one he had seen before.
Jacqueline's voice brought Derrick back from insanity, with her next words pouring a bucket of cold water on everyone in the room, himself included.
When things appeared too good to be true, it was because they usually were.
"The egg is 400 years old, and its last owners haven't been able to make it hatch. However, they have been able to determine that its fetus is still viable, waiting for the proper stimuli. The initial bid starts at 500 gold coins!"
The nobles in the gallery below had already sat down, morose that the egg would probably never hatch. They wouldn't gamble their entire futures on an off-chance that they would succeed. The investment-to-risk ratio was simply too great.
After all, the current owner was probably selling it to recoup some of his losses.
The pressure emitted by the VIP lounges had also decreased, with some completely losing interest in what they now considered to be a decorative toy.
Derrick's resolve had slightly wavered when he heard about the egg's condition, but he couldn't be deterred.
He had the system on his side, and the possibility of hatching dragons was simply too alluring.
He would get it no matter the cost.