The first item had sold for far more than Aurelia and I had anticipated. One and a half times the market value on just the first item, this auction was off to a very good start. And the one who won the bid...
"Isn't it surprising that a prince would lower his chance to acquire an epic grade item just to buy some potions?"
"I don't think he is here for the gauntlets. When I brought him to see the items up for auction he didn't seem to care about the gauntlets but showed great interest in everything else."
"Curious."
"Not really, from what I've gathered while I was doing low-level adventurers' guild quests the kingdom he hails from is located in the north. The land up there is mostly frozen and the populace struggles to make a living. They have been trying to expand south for decades but their military never managed to overcome the southern kingdoms' borders."
"So you're saying he doesn't have the money to compete for more expensive items so he's planning on buying the cheaper ones and increase his kingdom's military in that way instead?"
"That is what his actions so far have led me to believe. After all, he seems far too cool-headed to make such a rash decision."
Our attention returned to the auction when the second item was brought out and we once again entered Arahnia's mind to guide her in unexpected situations.
"Next up we have a set of five unique grade iron boar hide armors. They each have a great defense and can self-repair themselves to a certain degree. The starting bid is 1000 gold coins."
I expanded my senses into all the private booths and marveled at the confused faces of the people inside. Unique grade items were as the name suggested usually unique. A blacksmith who made a unique grade item could not purposely recreate the same item.
The only way to get multiple exact copies of a unique grade item was for a blacksmith who could make magic grade items to forcefully suppress the grade during creation.
Few people who could do that would do it and even if they did do it they wouldn't tell others. Still, the armors were authentic so I wasn't worried if people would believe it.
"2000 gold coins."
Once again the prince raised the bid by a lot. A much as I like him it's not good for business if he intimidates everyone and wins the bid at such a low price.
Unique grade armor rarely appeared on the market so its value couldn't be accurately determined but 400 gold coins were on the lower end of what I expected. But whatever the real profit would come with the items at the end.
"3000 gold coins."
Someone in one of the private booths called a higher bid. Maybe the price wouldn't be as low as I had thought. It all depended on the prince's reaction.
"3100 gold coins."
He only increased the bid by a hundred gold coins. Apparently, he really was short on money and the high bid on the first item was meant to intimidate the competition. Sadly, it didn't seem to have worked.
"3200 gold coins."
"3210 gold coins."
"3300 gold coins."
"3301 gold coins."
This was getting a little out of hand. The princeling was continuously dropping a zero for every time he placed a higher bid. His opponent was audibly getting more and more frustrated by this tactic.
"Enough with your petty increases! 4000 gold coins!"
"4000 gold coins and one silver coin."
An exasperated sigh could be heard from the private booth as the person inside gave up on any further bidding during this round. At first, he'd won by bidding high now he'd won by bidding low, what an interesting prince.
"I don't know who you are but what you are doing isn't something fit for someone in a hegemon booth. We lead people every day, how could you be so stingy! Let me show you how it's done. 5000 gold coins!"
Prince Adrian if I remembered correctly. He sat in hegemon booth 4 being hand-fed grapes by a female servant. I hadn't thought that he would act before the last item showed up. The arrogance on his face when he said that was almost comical. Then he waved his hand and the servant went to kneel before him and started to unbutton his pants.
I really hoped he wouldn't end up staining the room. We should have set up a cleaning fee...
I was debating whether or not I should mess with him by making him unable to get it up but when I heard the words coming out from hegemon booth one I decided otherwise.
"5000 gold coins and one copper coin."
Prince Adrian was fuming with rage in his booth. He had issued a challenge and was met with ridicule.
"10'000 gold coins! Let's see you put a copper coin on top of that!"
Losing your cool during an auction. I clicked my tongue despite no one except Aurelia being able to hear it. Prince Adrian would most definitely regret this decision for many years to come.
"I yield. The mighty leader of people may enjoy his winnings."
Prince Adrain completely lost control of his anger and slapped the kneeling servant right in her face. Jumping up he stumbled over his halfway taken of pants and hit his nose.
"You baited me! I take back my bid!"
Aurelia beside me scoffed.
"Did prince Adrian really think he could challenge prince Albion and not pay the price? Albion is widely known as the sub-zero prince, all who touch him will get frostbites."
"How do they even know sub-zero?"
"Don't question it. Just don't. Also, did prince Adrian just fall on his face?"
"You weren't looking?"
"I stopped looking when his pants dropped."
'Lady Aurelia, Lord Abel? Some help would be much appreciated.'
Right, we had to address prince Adrian's attempt to pull back his bid.