"Aaaannddd the winner is...! Lady Yunaaa!!"
A loud voice echoed throughout the streets and boisterous cheers followed suit soon after. Her name ringing in the air, the young lady couldn't help but break a smile on her face, waving her hand slowly as she ascended up the stage.
The moment she was up there, she then received a medal and a few prizes including some coupons and cash money. But the one she was so excited for was the various herbs and magic plants offered as the grand prize.
'Haah... Really, this girl...' ［Grey］
It was now the second day of the Festival of Hearts, and as they decided yesterday, Grey and Yuna are now alone by themselves, enjoying their long-awaited date as they go around the city, trying all sorts of things which caught their eye.
And now, Yuna entered an intermediate alchemist competition where anyone under the age of twenty-five could enter. Unfortunately for everyone, they didn't expect a Tier-8, Grandmaster Alchemist to take part in the competition.
The item to be concocted was a tough one, for normal alchemists that is. But for Yuna, it was but a breeze, even humming as she made the item in just a couple minutes. She won the competition by complete landslide, no difficulties at all.
"Mmn～! So sweet～!" ［Yuna］
Not an ounce of remorse in her face, Yuna was now enjoying some sweet treats to celebrate her victory. She happily bought all sorts of cookies and candies off the stalls and munched down on them one after another.
"Yuna... You sure are super cheerful, aren't you?" ［Grey］
"Fufufu! It's a festival, after all! We should just enjoy ourselves, plus... It's been some time since we've had a date... Can you blame me for being excited?" ［Yuna］
"Well, I guess that's true..." ［Grey］
Of course, there was also the constant flirting of the idiot couple as they went around the festive and lively streets, holding one another's hand as they walked side by side, faces tinted a light rosy color. A sight for sore eyes for the others.
They went around the festival more and explored the districts they hadn't gone to the day before. And as to be expected, they enjoyed a lot more shows and contests, having fun in the best way they could and enjoying the moment while it lasted.
Before they even knew it, the hours already passed and the bells rang throughout the whole city a couple more times. Afternoon was already upon them, still exploring the festival after they had a delightful lunch.
"Hohoho! I could say the same to you. I didn't think I'd see you here." ［Beklaim］
"Of course. This is a rare opportunity, after all. Is there any place more profitable than Erdea as of the current? And... I'm also here to have some fun."
"You're totally correct, my friend! Hohoho!" ［Beklaim］
And as they went around the place, they heard a familiar voice echoing along the bustling crowd. It was the ever so cheerful Beklaim who was exchanging words with a fellow merchant, laughing boisterously from time to time.
It wasn't just him. Just like any other place they have been to, there were quite a lot of people gathering around the stage, eyes sparkling with excitement as they awaited the start of yet another event. A sight which only aroused the curiosity of the two.
"Then, see you around, Beklaim. I'll be continuing my stroll now."
"Hohoho! I hope you have a good time!" ［Beklaim］
Before long, Beklaim's acquaintance finally parted away from him. And just as he turned around, he saw the two familiar youths behind him, waving their hands with smiles on their faces. Faces of delight, they were.
"Ohh! Good day, Your Highー Mister Grey! Miss Yuna! Are you two going around the festival as well?" ［Beklaim］
"Un. How have you been, Mister Beklaim?" ［Yuna］
"Hohoho! I've been well, Your Highnesses. How about you? I heard you had a duel with His Majesty, the Azure Sword Emperor yesterday." ［Beklaim］
"Fufufu! That we did." ［Yuna］
The rumors had already spread like wildfire, almost everyone knowing and talking about the sudden events which unfolded yesterday. It spread so much, even those who were on the other side of the city have already heard about it in just a single day.
Yet strangely enough, despite yesterday's events, Grey and Yuna weren't crowded by crowds upon crowds of people like they usually get dragged into. Rather, it was quite peaceful, not many people bothering them.
They only have the Festival of Hearts itself to thank for it. With how many and diverse people were at the moment, there were many who possessed silver hair, amethyst eyes, and such characteristics. Not to mention the people were also preoccupied with the events as well.
With it, Grey and Yuna could go around in the festival without any worries and enjoy any and all events they found interesting. Some recognized them, but the most they did was greet them with a smile. It was quite a refreshing experience.
"By the way, Mister Beklaim, what is this even all about?" ［Grey］
"Oh, this... They are holding a trivia tournament where anyone can join. And from what I've heard, the grand prize is quite something," ［Beklaim］
Beklaim explained the rules further, and apparently, it was a last-man standing type of game. The host asks a question, and four choices will be given. One simply needs to stand in the correct answer lane to advance to the next round.
And like any other game, the first questions would be very easy, progressing harder and harder with every round. It is even said that if one were to last until the very last question, they would be able to win a special prize other than the grand prize.
"Grey, should we join as well?" ［Yuna］
"Hmm... I think I'll have to pass out on this one. Yuna, you can play on your own. I'll be cheering for you." ［Grey］
"Ehh...? You aren't joining..? ［Yuna］
"Not like I don't want to, but more like I shouldn't." ［Grey］
Said Grey as he scratched his chin. If it were just answering trivia they were talking about, with the vast array of knowledge God passed on to him, he would be able to pass through the questions with relative ease.
To top it all off, he also possessed "Judgement" which could see through deceptions and "Eyes of Destiny" which could see a couple seconds into the future. No matter how one looked at it, it would be completely unfair for the other contestants.
If he were to join as he is, he would surely win by default without even trying. Guilt would gnaw away on his conscience if he were to gain victory due to such an unfair advantage. Scholars would surely cry if they were to learn such.
"Mmn... That's unfortunate... Well then, please cheer for me, okay?" ［Yuna］
"Of course. Good luck and have fun, my Dearest Princess... You as well, Mister Beklaim. I hope it turns in your favor." ［Grey］
"Hohoho! That much is more than enough, Mister Grey." ［Beklaim］
Things now decided, Grey then stepped out of the competition and watched Yuna and Beklaim from outside. Before long, the hostess of the trivia tournament finally came out and presented herself on the stage, all eyes on her.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! People across the continent, welcome to the 17th Trivia Tournament of Erdea! Today..." ［Hostess］
The hostess was as cheerful as one can be, riling up the people and making sure there was only excitement in the air. Her loud and cheerful voice echoed as she explained the rules to everyone, repeating some lines from time to time.
And as the hostess' words drifted afloat in the air, people's excitement only rose even higher. There were a couple hundred of them, coming from different races, sexes, and even age groups. They were all eager and enthusiastic as one can be.
"Then, without further ado...! Let's begin! It's～ Trivia Time～!" ［Hostess］
WHOOOOHHHH!! OOOHHHHH!! WHOOHOOOO!!
Loud cheers echoed in the air and the people jumped up and down. As her lips curled into a smile, the hostess got herself the first few question cards of the easy round. She then looked at the crowd once again, holding her microphone tight.
"Then, for the first question... This is an easy one! Every how many years does the Festival of Hearts occur? A! Seven!... B! Eight!... C! Nine!... Or, D! Ten!... Please choose your answers, right... now!" ［Hostess］
The hostess announced and boise clamored all over the place. After hearing the choices, everyone quickly lined up after lance "C", not a single person to be seen in the other lanes. Before long, time finally ran out.
"And the answer is... Letter C! Nine years!" ［Hostess］
WHOOOOHHHH!! OOOHHHHH!! WHOOHOOOO!!
It was an easy question, not a single contestant eliminated, a loud cheer following soon after. But such a celebration didn't last long. With the first question now over, the hostess proceeded with the second question and the crowd turned quiet.
At first, none were eliminated, but as the questions progressed towards intermediate difficulty, people started dropping out like flies. One of the questions especially, was quite devastating, cleaving their numbers to less than half.
Thankfully, both Beklaim and Yuna stayed on the game, still going strong despite all the questions thrown at them. Soon enough, the intermediate round was finally over and only less than fifty people remained from the original couple hundred.
"Fufufu! It seems like the competition is still going strong. Then! We shall proceed with the difficult questions!" ［Hostess］
The hostess announced with a smile on her face, but the same couldn't be said for the contestants. They were now full of seriousness, not wanting to lose focus even for a single second. The tournament had just gotten fiercer.
"Question 1 of the difficult round! What magic plant is known for its effectiveness against pyrotoxins? A! Hederea!... B! Mila-mila!... C! Paveriolli!... Or, D! Rino-rino!... Contestants! What's your answer?!" ［Hostess］
The crowd was sent to utter chaos, everyone panicking as they tried to choose the correct answer. Though some knew what the answer was, many of them were only taking guesses, lining up at random lanes.
After a while, the timer finally ran out, and everyone was on their respective lanes. There was only tension and anxiety looming in the air, some trembling as they prayed that they got the answer. And the answer which was soon revealed by the hostess.
"And～ the correct answer is～! Letter D! Rino-rino!" ［Hostess］
"Nooo!! I was so close!!"
"Agh! Dammit! I failed again!"
Along with the hostess' announcement, a cloud of dread loomed over the contestants as they took in their loss. In just a single round, most of the contestants were wiped out of the game, only a little over a dozen of them remaining in the game.
"Haah... How unfortunate..." ［Beklaim］
"You did well, Mister Beklaim." ［Grey］
Even Beklaim was also knocked out in that round, with Yuna only remaining because the topic was related to magic plants and alchemy. Otherwise, the game could have turned out very differently from how it did.
After that first question, the hostess threw question after question, topics ranging from general knowledge, geography, history, adventuring, literature, arts, and many more. The contestants dropped like flies at the rate the questions were relayed on them.
"And the answer is～ B! The Kingdom of Beaufort!" ［Hostess］
"Eeh?! I was wrong?!" ［Yuna］
Soon enough, Yuna was finally eliminated out of the game, walking out with her head hanging down, a crestfallen expression on her face. She didn't even make it to the top three, four more participants remaining in the game.
Thankfully, there was a consolation prize for those who reached the difficult round. Yuna received a basket of fruits and treats, yet despite all the prizes, she still looked crestfallen, like a child who just lost her favorite toy.
"Grey... Did you know the answer to that question...?" ［Yuna］
"Well, yeah... But don't worry too much about it, you already did well enough. And... You look cuter when you're smiling, you know?" ［Grey］
"Mmn... Okay..." ［Yuna］
Though, just a single compliment later, Yuna's crestfallen mood quickly improved, trying to stop herself from smiling. They were flirting so naturally, they totally forgot Beklaim was still with them, now looking at them with warm and gentle eyes.
"Hohoho! I almost forgot, I still have a prior engagement to attend. I will be taking my leave now, Mister Grey, Miss Yuna." ［Beklaim］
"A-Ah, yeah... See you next time, Mister Beklaim." ［Grey］
"Yes, I hope so too. I hope you enjoy the rest of the festival." ［Beklaim］
Said Beklaim, soon turning away and waving his hands goodbye. In reality, he actually didn't have any prior appointments, rather, he just wanted to be considerate leaving the two youths to enjoy themselves in their lovely little gate.
Soon after, Beklaim finally vanished out of sight, Grey and Yuna amongst the bustling crowdー Well, was at the center of the crowd... As they also soon departed, heading wherever their feet took them and simply enjoying themselves.
"Oh, come to think of it... We've been wandering around the streets, but... I haven't seen any royalties since the afternoon started... Is there an event happening somewhere, Grey?" ［Yuna］
"Hm? An event... Well, there's 'that', isn't there?" ［Grey］
"'That'...?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, the Grand Auction." ［Grey］
At Grey's words, Yuna was frozen in silence, eyes wide open in shock as her mouth hung open in agape. It was as if she just heard something unbelievableー or rather, she just remembered something very, very important.
The herbs, the magic plants, the rare materials, and the secret alchemy books which would be auctioned during the event. All items flashed inside her mind as her heart raced in panic. Such thoughts ran inside her mind at the speed of light.
"Yuna... Yuna... Hey, Yunaー !!!" ［Grey］
"Grey, let's hurry up! We can still catch up if we run!" ［Yuna］
The very moment she snapped back to reality, Yuna immediately grabbed Grey by the wrists and ran towards the Geldhart Auction House at full speed, jumping towards the roof and running along with haste, Grey dragged along by her whims.
There were only traces of hurry and concern on her beautiful face, looking as if the world was crumbling down before her, leaving bursts of fierce and howling winds at her wake, making the banners dance and flutter as she passed by them.
Such was the expression and actions of an alchemy maniac who doesn't want to lose to anyone when it came to acquiring ingredients. It doesn't matter if they were Nobility or Royalty. As long as ingredients were on the line, she won't back down... She's also a hoarder, after all.
It didn't even take them a couple minutes to reach the Auction House, the surprised faces of the guards and escorts greeting them as they descended from high above as if it was the most natural thing to do.
"Is the auction still accepting guests?!" ［Yuna］
"A-Ah, Y-Yeahー I mean, yes! No! Wait! Please show your identifications first!"
"Ah, right, here you go! Grey, I'll leave it all to you!" ［Yuna］
She was in a rush, alright. As soon as she tossed her identification card to Grey, she suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving her fiancé and a couple of surprised faces behind, soon heading inside without wasting any more time.
"Haah... I'm really sorry about that girl... I'll take responsibility for everything, and right, here's our identification." ［Grey］
"A-Ah, yes..."
Though surprised, the guards still tried to maintain their composure, scanning Grey and Yuna's cards as they peeked inside from time to time. Composure which was soon broken as soon as they realized who the young man was before him.
After all, they have already heard of their battle against the Azure Sword Emperor, enchanted by their valor despite their age. And now, in a strange turn of fate, one of those very youths was standing before them. They couldn't help but be excited.
"U-Umm...! Your Highness, this may be presumptuous of us, but!... If it is alright with you, could we please have your autograph?!"
"Yes...?" ［Grey］
Just a second ago, they were full of confusion, but now, they are courageously asking for an autograph from the young man before them. The very same young man who was now laced with surprise and confusion, a wry smile spelled on his face.
There were no other choices left. Though he didn't know if it would count as "taking responsibility", it was the least he could do to appease the guards even a little bit. Meanwhile, totally different scenes unfolded inside the Auction House.
The atmosphere was now much livelier than before, VIPS risking millions as they bid for the items presented up the stage. Both royalty, nobility, and merchants alike shouted loud, a plethora of voices booming in the air.
"Oh my, they're presenting quite the valuable item, aren't they? It's been years since I've seen such a herb." ［Talia］
"Is this the Jalacka fruit which can only be harvested once a century? I heard it's something every alchemist pine for." ［Natasha］
"Jalacka... I'm sure Elder Sister Yuna would have loved it..." ［Iris］
Of course, there was also the Royal Family of Alfrione amongst them, watching such a chaotic scene unfold as they listened to the people fight over a single fruit. The King was especially having fun pitching a bid from time to time just to raise the price.
"Hahaha! It's been quite some time since I've had this much fun!" ［Ernes］
"Dear, you should really stop doing that. If you continue to do that, it will come back and bite you sooner or later." ［Talia］
"You worry too much, Talia. I'm already a master in this." ［Ernes］
It wasn't the first time the Queen had warned him, but the King's answer remained the same. He was also quite cunning, stopping his bids once he noticed the other bidders had started hesitating. He didn't want to lose even a single kiel, after all.
The King's shenanigans continued to ensue and the bids rose higher and higher. Before anyone could notice, the doors of their private chambers suddenly opened without warning, a silent creak soon resounding in the air.
"The Jalacka fruit for 8.6 million! Going once! Going twiceー" ［Auctioneer］
"8.7 million!" ［Yuna］
It was all too sudden. Before they even noticed, Yuna was already right beside them, and not only that, she was now holding the bidding paddle which was once in the King's hands, the latter confused as one can be.
The opponent bidder tried to raise the price, but Yuna didn't back down a single bit, raising it even higher, without a tinge of hesitation in her voice. She sounded so confident, her opponent started to doubt whether they should still continue or not.
"The Jalacka fruit for 9.3 million! Going once! Going twice! And... Sold! The fruit now belongs to bidder number 12!" ［Auctioneer］
"Yaay～! I won～!" ［Yuna］
Before long, Yuna won the bidding, the possession of the Jalacka fruit now in her grasp. There was a smile of satisfaction blooming on her lovely face, still looking innocent despite seeing the shock on everyone's faces.
"Oh, hello, everyone～! How has your day been?" ［Yuna］
"A-Ah, we've been fineー No! That's not important what is right now! When did youー No, how did you sneak past here in the first place?!" ［Ernes］
"Fufufu! Don't sweat the details so much, Your Majesty. What's important is that I won the Jalacka fruit. It's a win-win situation!" ［Yuna］
"Do you even know what a win-win situation means?!"... Is what everyone wanted to ask, but with such a bright smile on her face, there was no way they could. Because if they did, it would surely make their head ache more than it already is.
On top of that, Yuna wasn't even fully listening to them. Most of her attention was on the stage, listening about the next item the auction house was offering, most of the others' words simply slipping out of the other ear.
In reality, she doesn't even care what it's name was or how much they were. As long as it looked like a valuable alchemy ingredient, she would surely bid for it without a second thought. Such was the thought of an alchemist.
"Good afternoon, everyone. Sorry for the sudden intrusion, and... I hope Yuna didn't bother you too much." ［Grey］
"Bother us... Hmm... I don't even know if we could call it that. Though... We were quite surprised, that's for sure." ［Ernes］
"Big Bro!" ［Natalia］
Soon, Grey joined everyone else and they had a lovely chat together. The Little Princess in particular was very happy to see him, hugging his legs as soon as she saw him. He then lifted her up, giving her sweets soon after.
Well, they weren't the only ones who welcomed Grey. The very moment he heard just how much Yuna bid for the Jaclacka fruit, his heart quickly jumped out of his chest. It was the first time he heard of such a large sum of money.
"9.3 million... How absurd..." ［Grey］
"Teehee!" ［Yuna］
And to top it all off, there was no signs of remorse on the young lady's face despite the amount she just spent. She was smiling despite the fact the fruit cost more than ten times the price of their house. It was simply too much.
"For our next item, we have the Mallon flowers which only grow at the peak of the deadly Killaram Mountains. This is an essential ingredient for many Superior-Grade potions and is very effective against..."
To make things worse, the next item in the auction was yet another herb. Grey didn't even have to look at her, just guessing by her peering gaze, he could already tell her eyes were brilliantly sparkling with excitement and expectations.
"Haah... Alright, you can spend as much as you can." ［Grey］
"Yaay～! Thank you, Grey! You're the best!" ［Yuna］
There was no point in resisting. Grey already knew full well she won't be able to resist her pleas, especially with such bright eyes gazing at him. He could only smile wryly as he gave in to his fiancée's pleas.
The King, the Queen, and everyone else could only look at him with eyes of pity and concern. They have yet to get married but the power relationship between them was already established quite firmly.
"6.3 million kiels!" ［Yuna］
Oh, what a fun (?) experience it was.
CHAPTER 289 END