"I'm tellin' ya, you don't have any curses on you,"
Horse shite. It's probably because you can't see them.
"Wow, this the thanks I get for trying to help a guy out,"
I roll my eyes, taking another bite of toast.
I might be addicted to this stuff.
"You know what, I've had enough of your shenanigans!" My shenanigans? Really?
"I challenge thee to a duel! I'll settle my seniority once and for all!"
"Modest talk for someone two ranks above me,"
"Urg," He flinched, "Tsk, not my fault you always treat me like garbage,"
Oh, come now, "I've always treated you with the best intentions in my heart,"
"Really?"
He looks sceptical and he's right to be so.
"No,"
"Sigh, in that case, let's try something else," He grins.
"In two days, there's gonna be a tip top auction. How about this, whoever gets the better stuff, wins,"
He extends a hand.
"By get, you mean robbing, right?"
Laffer's smile freezes, "Y-yeah,"
"So, I'm guessing it's a competition of who gets the more expensive stuff? Or are we trying to get items with greater usefulness?"
"Uhm, I haven't thought that far," He scratches his head.
"How about we make it a competition to get practical useful items, rather than just cost?"
"O-okay, sure,"
Heh, you fool. You've fallen for my trap.
I've also heard about this latest auction. It's apparently going to be a large mix, varying from rare materials and artifacts to prestigious works of art. And because we're going by practicality, it doesn't matter how many people you rob, because if you only come back with artworks, I'm sure to win.
"Hm, it's good you are doing something productive for once," Lacer assented with this friendly competition, "It would be good if you can restock our supplies,"
"I'm guessing you would also evaluate the winner of this?"
He agreed.
"Oh yeah, you can't bring anyone else with you,"
"I wasn't planning on it,"
I was planning on it.
"Tsk, do you take me for a fool?"
Well, yes I do.
"I know your gonna try to bring your bird along on a practicality as she ain't a person,"
"I wasn't planning on it, but sure,"
Again, I was planning on it.
"Tsk, then that meant you were planning on bringing the little demon along weren't you?"
"It's Lazari and unlike you, I do consider her a person, you obnoxious prick," I say with the straightest face I can manage.
I can feel the toxicity on my tongue, but I reign it in.
I breathe out. Self control, buddy, Self control.
Again, self control. Don't shoot the bouncers.
Don't shoot the aristocrats either. I'm calm. My tranquillity matches that of a serene woodlands.
I breathe in and out.
But damn, I can't stand their chi chi, pretentious act! They sure know how to trigger people alright.
"Heh, to think a peasant got in here, seems like the standards here have lowered,"
One sneers in my direction.
I forgot how much I hated the upper class. It takes me a minute to stop myself from stabbing the man. Nonetheless, I find myself a nice comfy corner at the back of the hall as the auction goers file in. Some take high class seats above the crowd while the rest seat themselves in front of the stage.
"What do they do here?"
"Buy stuff. Though they offer higher prices if they really want something, like haggling," I give a simple explanation of an auction.
Hm, yes, you may wonder who that was, and that was Lazari. I petitioned for a handicap to really cinch my chances of beating the man. Even if the prize is something as petty as seniority, which is actually worth jack all.
However…
It's all about the bragging rights!
The intelligentsia and those rich snobs may not understand, but for us commoners, bragging rights are everything! To be able to put a man down, and have him unable to retaliate and yet still have the moral high ground is one of the most euphoric feelings I know of. Even more so, when the said man in question is two power ranks above you.
And yet, the most humiliating feeling is to be kicked down and unable to bite back. It devalues the value of one's being. Truly terrible stuff. The penalty was just as large as the prize.
You may say, that such mirth is merely the works of the depraved. But what is really depraved is how the bourgeoisie do it. With no effort put in, except for their birthrights, they think that they're above everyone, that they can just sneer at me and expect me to just take it.
That's undeserved and even more depraved than any actions I could commit.
That said, I'll be sure to mug him once this is over.
I pull up some cloth to hide my wide smile.
"Welcome! Welcome!"
After a sufficient number of people entered, an auctioneer took the stage.
"What a fine night we have today, with so many ladies and gentlemen. I hope you're ready to loose your wallets as we are sure to have something to catch your eye,"
Going through some formalities he signals behind him, as the stage curtains lift up. In this manner, the first item of the night is presented.
"First on today's agenda, we have a pristine work of art! An enchanting collage from the eastern states said to be able to put one's mind at ease,"
It was legitimately some kind of background frame. It was just a painting of some grassy plains.
Nonetheless, as the first item, they started small, before jumping to enchanted weapons and toward the end some miscellaneous goods. And by miscellaneous, I mean there were some really random items on show.
Like, there was a brick for goodness sake! A brick!
"Hah! You may think this is a brick, but it's not any old brick, it's only the finest of them all. An essence brick," He paused to let that sink in, "A brick of honour!"
My lord. You've got to be kidding me. It's a brick! How can a brick even have honour?!
Surely people aren't buying that, and I mean that both figuratively and physically. No way is anyone buying that brick.
And they don't. No one makes a bid. After all, no one expected such a mundane item to be brought up so late into the night. In fact, many are not so quietly badmouthing the auctioneer.
And despite his attempts to shill the brick, its starting price had to be lowered to a silver for some scholar to take pity on the guy. Yet the scholar had a wide grin like he just had a field day. I will never understand these academics.
But still. A silver for a brick? That auctioneer is the one who just got a market day.
"Can't believe someone bought the thing,"
"Hm, isn't that pretty amazing,"
"Indeed, that auctioneer's charisma is off the charts,"
"No, the brick,"
What? I don't think Lazari's quite comprehending the sheer trickery employed to sell off that brick.
"It's a special brick,"
"What makes you say that?"
"I dunno, I just feel it,"
"Chii," Lily gives a short chirrup of assent.
Normally, I would just brush this off. However!
A demon and a magical beast are telling that this brick is special. Add in the fact that no way a normal brick would be placed in an auction, meaning that even if it doesn't amount to much, the brick is still worth a pretty penny.
Though we are competing in more practical items and there were many other options to choose from.
"D'you think we should take the brick?"
"Anything,"
Sigh, I turn to Lily for a more proper answer. And with a puffed chest, and wide grin, it gives a low chirp.
Of course, I'm going to be the kind of person to steal a brick. Of course.
I wonder what other thieves would think of me.
The brick bandit? Surely I'm the first.
…
"Sigh, this is so boring,"
Once again, the extraordinary star summoner Marrielle Goldburn was stuck on the short end of the stick.
"Alright, we're short on hands, so you're gonna be guarding the auction house. It's predicted that there'll be ruckus there, as always,"
Was what her team captain said.
"No use complaining, might as well just try and catch some crooks whilst we're at it," Hector shrugged.
He wore a more armoured version of the standard footmen outfit, with a rifle slung across his back. The rifle was silver, with intricate engravings dotted around it. Hector prided himself on his works. So much so, that he stabbed a man for ruining one of his projects.
Wasn't his finest hour, but something that he didn't regret.
The auction house had its own guards, but their job only extended to the auction house and its interior. Once outside, they had no more business to do with anyone, so to quell the wave of theft about to happen, more guards were placed in and around the auction house.
By the time the auction finished the moon was already high in the sky
At that moment, a wave of people left the auction house, most quickly scurrying away. Some wait inside until the crowd clears, some try to worm their way out. But it doesn't take long for robbers to appear.
"Hey! Watch it!" Looks like some scholar looking person just bumped into Marielle.
Though before she can do anything, the scholar is tackled and pinned down in a standard arresting procedure.
"Get off the man!" Hector yells at the guy, aiming his rifle.
This guy looks kind of familiar…
"Wait, it's the drug dealer!"