Chapter 36: Three thousand golden coins for a kiss!
"I am Mari. Today, I will be the one handling this auction. Without further ado, let's begin!" Mari was her name and she was that sexy lady who gathered everyone's attention with her beauty alone.
Her voice also had its own charm and properly shifted everyone's attention to the auction. The main stage got crowded with staff that pulled items on a small rolling table. The items were varying from weapons and accessories that increased one's strength or properly protected one's bodies.
Tetsuya expected various items, so he just chuckled and eyed every item on the stage. He also didn't find any reason to not look at the sexy orange-haired woman presenting those with her charm.
"Ten gold coins!"
"Twelve gold coins!"
"Fourteen gold coins!" And so on! Everyone was slowly bidding, mostly increasing the gold count by two. The items were worthy of gold coins and this alone made mercenaries contort their faces with grimace.
For the high status people or people with proper backing, such spending meant nothing! There was also a reason why everyone wanted to spend more and win the battle. No, it was not status, but the charm blinding their hearts and eyes!
Mari and her family perfectly utilized her charm and even though one would pay for the items after the auction, one would need to arrive before her and take 'confirmation' from her hands.
As women often were more poisonous than poison or more worthy than any treasures, the men's competitive instincts got poked by Mari's charm and they began to spend more than usual.
Tetsuya was laughing out openly at them; some of his 'neighbors' turned their eyes at him and glanced scornfully, as if he couldn't enjoy life and women's beauty.
Being taunted by such people, Tetsuya just ignored them. His eyes alone left these people thinking and who with a clear mind would even argue with such fools?
As the auction continued, Tetsuya finally found his target.
"This is a Low Grade Earth Rune that comes from the Redsand Kingdom." Mari took out the rune that could be used in various ways. Its shape and aura already told this to everyone gathered.
It was Low Grade Earth Rune, so the name also confirmed this.
This rune could be used in three main ways: Held by the user, imbued with the body or one could try to completely take over it with one's mind and body like Red Rose woman for example.
Of course, it was still Low Grade, but this rune brought a lot of excitement to the stage.
"It's actually Low Grade… Damn. It's going to cost a lot…" Yurek complained as his info was a little off, then his eyes shifted to Tetsuya. He was listening to the agitated crowd that was shouting big numbers!
It quickly escalated to the one hundred coins bid!
"One hundred and ten gold coins!" The stakes kept getting raised! The whole crowd got shocked by those wealthy people and such people quickly took over the stage.
With shining eyes like beautiful diamonds, Mari kept looking at everyone who bid with a charming smile!
"One thousand gold coins." A sudden voice silenced the crowd. Who else other than the game master could it be? Tetsuya quickly became the center of attention and the man who had the beauty's eyes all on himself.
He kept his head high while resting it on his hand. His two friends got startled, each on their own.
The old man just went, "Heavens." And paled.
As for Karola, she forgot about the bidding plate and raised it belatedly. She was rather timid under such pressure and Tetsuya's blooming and confident smile took over the stage.
"Hah! Finally, someone worthy of fighting. I bid one thousand and hundred gold coins." The young master who had golden balls spoke. He threw a snickering smile at Tetsuya, then turned his eyes at Mari.
She trembled with happiness, her two breasts heavily going up and down. It was not too hard to imagine his satisfaction. Of course, Tetsuya also saw those going up and down like that.
He was a man who knew how to act, "Two thousand golden coins."
The crowd paled as he went higher by nine hundred coins! A lot of whispers began to flow through the stage as it was simply not worth to pay this much for rune.
And Tetsuya waited for them to assault everyone, including Mari. "I agree with the crowd." He deeply looked at Mari, his eyes laced in lust. Those eyes turned dangerously confident when Tetsuya's target changed to the young master.
This young master agreed with Tetsuya, somewhat, "Three thousand golden coins! And I want Miss Mari to kiss me." Some people nearly fainted from the shock and some face palmed themselves.
Miss Mari also blushed cutely and whispered loud enough for Tetsuya and the young master to hear them, "But on the cheek, okay?"
The young master nodded, then sat down with satisfaction blooming in his heart. Then, he turned his attention to Tetsuya who openly said, "Who am I to pay for a woman's heart?"
"""...""" The crowd paled deeper.
"Do I look like someone who needs to pay for a kiss?" Tetsuya's ego eyes bloomed with a superior aura. He waved his hand while saying, "That's how a person who does looks like. Take a good look, people. And three thousand gold coins for a kiss? I wonder if daddy is going to like that, Pretty Boy."
"Y-you… You are dead." The young master nearly puked from the unwanted attention. He openly threatened Tetsuya, then went to take confirmation of purchase from Mari. His eyes didn't even look at her beauty as if she was not worth this much money!
Then, the auction resumed, but people were more wary!
"Tetsuya… You wouldn't give up on the rune, so…" Yurek asked while inwardly knowing what Tetsuya's plan was. This man wanted to kill this young master and take the rune for himself!
"Wrong. I am not going to chase this brainless dog. He will come to me and pass the rune on his own." Tetsuya reminded Yurek and Karola about this man's threat, then enjoyed the auction with his eyes on Mari who was also peeking at him with different eyes.