"500!"
The audience turned its attention to the modified voice coming out of Derrick's booth. To throw away such a sum for something that was no more than a decoration meant that this person's background was quite extraordinary.
When they were about to discuss its potential identity, another voice was heard.
"550"
Its nonchalance perturbed everyone, including Derrick. Was the other party bidding simply out of boredom?!
While clenching his teeth, Derrick continued.
"600"
"650"
"700"
"750"
The gallery below was getting more and more restless. The amount of wealth thrown back and forth made them shake with excitement.
This was the true power they craved.
Meanwhile, Derrick's face had become quite unsightly. His gamble was becoming extremely expensive.
Of course, he could recoup the losses with his crafts, but they were time-consuming and required rare materials.
After another minute, the price had already reached the exorbitant sum of 1050 gold coins.
"Pfft… What an overpay. Thanks for the entertainment"
The other voice was filled with contempt, looking down on the fool who probably ruined himself in order to pursue a pipe dream.
The other interested parties had also immediately let go when the item had crossed the thousand mark, signaling the end of the bid.
Derrick was fuming with anger.
He was pleased by the outcome, but being looked down upon didn't sit well with him.
He was stronger than his previously weak self, so it was time to bite back.
"Imagine talking when you can't even cough up such a paltry sum… Go back to your farm, peasant"
Absolute silence pervaded the hall. Who was this party to say an amount like that was insignificant?!
Violent pressure burst out of the VIP lounge, clearly angered by Derrick's provocation. It definitely wanted him to kowtow and apologize for his insolence by displaying its strength.
Derrick was still sitting in his chair, now a tad uncomfortable. It appeared they were indeed strong, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
With a scoff, he continued.
"Having a tantrum in public? Are you simply a spoiled brat who hasn't been taught any manners?"
He couldn't exert his aura due to its dark nature, but he sure as hell could answer back! This opponent clearly didn't know what it had gotten itself into.
Seeing the degrading situation, Jacqueline seized control and redirected all the attention towards herself.
"Dear guests, do I need to remind you that those who do not respect the rules of our house will be banned from future events? Please behave yourselves!"
The pressure enveloping Derrick vanished, relieving the nobles below as well. They hadn't been the targets, but it still greatly affected them.
With everything under control, Jacqueline concluded the sale.
Derrick's credit line had taken a huge hit, going from an available 1842 to 792 gold coins.
That's right. Derrick had indeed been granted a credit line worth 2000 gold coins, including the 500 he was already owed.
However, this wasn't the amount he would acquire in the end. This was simply spending money that Brigand had agreed to loan till his items were sold.
The egg was soon delivered to his room, and he immediately placed it in his pouch. He could now wait for the auction to unfold, satisfied with his purchase.
***
"Who's that insolent bastard?!"
The young master was furiously pacing around the room, followed by a grizzled attendant who tried calming him down.
"We are investigating his origins, please be patient…"
"I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS DISRESPECTED BEFORE! I WANT HIS HEAD!!!"
The unruly man grabbed a costly bottle of wine before throwing it against the wall, creating an explosion throughout the room.
For the first time since the start of the auction, the butler who stood in the corner of the room raised his head and looked into the young master's eyes, sending shivers through his body. This was clearly a warning.
He quickly sat down again and began ruminating alone, rejoicing at the fact that he would soon unleash all his displeasure on the unknown party that had dared to offend him...
***
The auction moved along nicely, with a few interesting items that Derrick would have bought if he wasn't so poor.
He once again swore he would establish a flourishing economy in Akata, thus allowing him to start collecting taxes. He couldn't always be this limited in his expenditures.
The intermission then arrived and Jacqueline told the guests that it would last 10 minutes.
It was time to go get refreshments or more funds if they wanted to participate in the latter half of the event.
The necromancer's excitement was palpable. It was time to see his hard work paying off.
Suddenly, he felt a pair of nefarious eyes on him.
"I should've known they wouldn't just let it go..."
Derrick lamented a little before smirking. The cubicles were protected by strong magic that prevented parties from identifying each other, but it still wouldn't stop the truly motivated fellows.
The necromancer couldn't be bothered by the probe, since he already knew that it was doomed to fail. Brigand had assured him that his identity was safe, which could only mean one thing.
As sudden as it had arrived, the feeling disappeared. Alma had most-likely found and silenced the threat. Derrick admired her, as she truly was gifted.
He couldn't help but wonder about the other party's faces when they would learn of the unfortunate event…
The pause soon ended with Jacqueline once again walking onto the stage, still as dazzling as ever in her tight dress.
"It's time to unveil the main attractions and present what you've most-likely been waiting for! There will be 3 sets presented, so keep that in mind"
While saying her cue, a neatly dressed butler came from the backstage, armed with a spear and a large rectangular shield.
Their designs were mesmerizing, with their details indicating the work of an expert.
When he was next to Jacqueline, she pointed her slender finger in the air and two magical screens appeared, showing the descriptions of the items.
[Ravenous Spear]
[Grade : Rare]
[Attack Power : 17]
[Ability : Transfusion (Will transfer 5% of the target's attack power to its wielder. The empowerment will last for an entire day. Cooldown Timer : 7 days)]
[Description : Carved from the bones of a Ravenous Snake]
[Ravenous Shield]
[Grade : Rare]
[Defense Power : 15]
[Ability : Reflection (Reflects 1% of an incoming attack's damage, be it magical or physical. Cooldown Timer : None)]
[Description : Made out of a Ravenous Snake's skin and hardened muscles]
The VIP lounges once again emitted pressure, but in a much more forceful manner this time around.
They had heard of the premier items sold last time, but still remained doubtful.
Now that they were seeing them for themselves, they were going to do everything to acquire them.
The entirety of the auction house went into an uproar, with Jacqueline letting the tension build up once again before continuing the presentation.
"This is the first set. The price starts at 500 gold coins!"