"W-what is this?" Drake eeked out through clenched teeth.
"Ara ara, my my…. Still able to speak?" the woman smiled releasing the pressure as she took a puff from her pipe, "After hearing what had happened in that woman's tutorial I was expecting someone miraculous but to withstand an A-Rank Aura, even if I was only playing around is quite impressive…"
The woman walked forward with a sway that made Drake unable to look away even as he heard Sah Ul' cough and gasp next to him.
Unable to hold out after the aura was released he knelt to the floor for a moment only for the woman to lift his head up with her delicate-looking finger.
Drake sneered looking back at her. Her face was flawless, golden locks just as vibrant as her eyes flowed over her shoulders and the smell of flowers hit Drake's senses. On top of her head were two golden fox ears playfully flicking back and forth, and from behind her a similar colored set of tails wagging back and forth slowly.
"My… you are quite something aren't you," she cooed, her eyes running up and down Drake's body, "Would you sell yourself to me? I could always use a strapping young man in my arsenal."
Drake heard Sah Ul' growl from the side between her coughs as he smirked back at the woman, "Sorry but as a man who knows his worth, you couldn't afford me."
The woman stood up straight smiling back as she produced a stone in her hand. The stone contained what Drake could only describe as beauty manifested. The colors contained inside the glass container danced with one another in an entrancing spell he couldn't tear his eyes from.
And apparently neither could Natto as the sound of her popping out of him rang in his ear as she screamed.
"Yes! Take him! You may take him, certainly! The stone will be sufficient payment!" Natto stammered with deseration, nodding her head furiously.
"What? What even is that?" Drake asked.
"Fool!" Natto snapped, "That is an S-Rank Monster Core! You could buy universes for that stone and still have enough left over to live several lives!"
"Oh come on. I'm worth more than that, at least two stupid stones," Drake scoffed, finally able to move properly enough to help Sah Ul' up.
"Shall I offer two cores then?" the woman offered.
"No!" Drake spat, surprised he could get a word in over Natto.
Looking to his side he saw the little squirrel on the floor. She had passed out gurgling after seeing the second core produced from the woman's hand.
Drake scooped up the hopeless little garbage disposal and sighed.
"What do you want?" Drake asked the woman, "And who even the hell are you?"
"I want you of course. My name is Taliya, I'm a collector of sorts," she smiled.
"No. What do you really want."
Taliya pouted stowing her cores, "You are certainly no fun… I want nothing from you Little Wallen. I was simply teasing the newest owner of one of my Auction Houses."
"Going a bit overboard don't you think? Are you even allowed to do that?"
Taliya's ears and tails went stiff for a moment before she coughed, "O-of course… I am the Franchise owner. Regardless, it is only us here for now. The connection to the other branches has yet to be established."
"Connection?" Drake asked trying to stire Natto awake.
"I suppose you haven't been explained anything, accompany me to the back room and I shall give you all the details you will need."
"Yeah, no hard pass. You seem like someone who would take advantage of me."
Drake's off-the-cuff comment forced Taliya to stumble slightly as she began to walk toward the back, her face turning around tears slightly in her eyes.
"W-why would you say that?!" she huffed, "I only teased you a little!"
Drake crossed his arms looking uninterested.
"F-Fine…. The connection I speak of is the sub-spaces made by having the Sub-Auction Houses established on this planet. Each sponsored Auction House of the Spirit Fox is connected with the larger House that auctions goods from all over the multiverse. Anything and everything can be sold and bought here for a price. The house allows you to have access to that market for 5% of anything sold or purchased here," she explained, "Happy?!"
"So snippy…" Drake chuckled, "Sub-Auction Houses? Are you saying that I can place other auction locations up?"
"As long as you own the Anchoring Crystal of the location or have the permission of the owner yes. I do suggest that you do it sparingly," she enunciated.
"Why's that?"
Crossing her arms she tapped her pipe on her arm pursing her lips as if thinking about whether or not she should answer.
"That is because although you may not directly receive a cut of the sales. Your city will receive more traffic if there are fewer locations to access the auction from. Have you not thought about such yet? My my, you may not be as special as I thought," she teased.
Drake nodded ignoring her jab, "I see, do I have access to the auction right now? And how are you here? I understand the other buildings I have placed also have people in them somehow."
Taliya scoffed, "Your assistant seems to be sleeping on the job, Little Wallen… The spaces within the system buildings are sub-spaces, much like the tutorial you were in. They are created independently once you enter the door. You enter and step through into the space that is the building, once you step out you are transported back to your planet. While you are here you see other people of every species and rank, but rest assured, they will not be able to harm or coerce you in any way. That I guarantee."
"Of course, only you can do that right?" Drake jabbed.
"Y-yes…." Taliya answered, her eye twitching slightly, "I mean, n-no, of course not!"
"Then about the access right now?" Drake asked again.
"Unfortunately not at the moment. The next time you enter you will have access. For now, we are dealing with some rather troublesome people, but I wished to greet you personally."
The air around Taliya changed, her playful attitude vanishing as her aura began to bubble up in the room.
"Once more. I am Taliya Delray. Owner of the Spirit Fox of Delight. Of the proud Spirit Fox Race and Renmai Clan, at your service. Little Wallen," she smiled, "And as a congratulation for being the one who has purchased our store on this planet, I wish to offer you a welcoming gift."
"It's not something devious is it..?" Drake asked recoiling slightly.
"No! Why would you think that?!" Taliya pouted, "You are taking your playing too far Little Wallen.. No, I wish to offer you something you are looking for. There are more than just items being sold at our establishment after all."
Taliya waved her hand a small piece of paper that resembled the mana map he had received for his Anchoring Crystal appearing.
"And this is?" Drake asked.
"It is the location of your family. Well at least your mother," Taliya replied tersely.
Drake moved forward and gave the fox woman a heartfelt embrace that truely surprised her as she yelped.
"Thank you. Really… I don't know how to repay this," Drake said softly releasing her.
Taliya's face softened for a moment before she placed a playful smile back on her face.
"Oh, my my, you should know better than to suddenly embrace a woman in front of another," she cooed, looking over at Sah Ul' with slight pity, "By I am not finished, I have heard through the grapevine that you are also fostering the first generation on your planet. As a token of good will I have gathered a few trinkets that have been gathering dust."
Taliya waved her hand again a wooden box with a golden fox on the cover appearing in her hand between them.
Drake received it, cracking it open to see four brilliantly shining stones.
[Main Class Stone: Wind Gunman] [Epic]
[Skill Stone: Phantom] [Rare]
[Main Class Stone: Ki User] [Epic]
[Skill Stone: Rend] [Rare]
"You're simply giving me these? I can't accept these, there are two Epic Stones here. Besides, I don't need this many…" Drake said gawking at the stones.
"You will take them, you may find use for them yet. I have a feeling there will be quite the event waiting for you in the future," Taliya mused, pulling from her pipe, "Now off you go before you sour my mood more with your teasing, Little Wallen."
Drake scoffed, "Sure. I have some business to discuss with you about some plans I have now that you've told me about the subhouses. Can I rely on you being available in the future?"
Taliya bowed slightly, "Why of course. I will always be within reach of you, Little Wallen."
Drake shivered slightly at her wording but nodded all the same. Suddenly he felt a pulling on his hoodie from behind.
Turning around he saw Sah Ul' urging him with her eyes and nodding to the door, surprising him.
"Patriarch, let us depart from this place…" she said softly.
"S-sure," Drake answered, allowing her to lead him out.
They both exited the Auction House, Taliya seeing them off with a wave as they passed through the door, a mischievous grin on her face.
The awkward tension rose as Drake tried to shake Natto awake in his arms as a desperate play for a lifeline.
"That woman was dangerous!" Sah Ul' growled.
Drake gave a nervous grin, "I don't think she was that bad, she was pretty cool."
Sah Ul' stopped looking Drake in the eyes, "She was most definitely bad! She was trying to seduce the Patriarch! On top of it, she was of normal warmth."
"N-no I meant that she was an alright person… She did give us a few really good Skill Stones and Class Stones."
"I do not understand!" Sah Ul' shouted in anger, "She was a deceiver, trying to use her tricks to find our weaknesses!"
Drake chuckled to himself, impressed with Sarah's mental gymnastics.
She really doesn't like her huh? He thought.
"Don't think about it too much, she's apparently A-Rank and she can't do anything to us or even come here for another 10 years or more. Besides, now I have more important matters to address," Drake explained looking down at the map Taliya provided.
"Let's go find the kids and see if Kalik is awake, we're going to have to find out who is coming with us."
"Coming with us?" Sah Ul' asked tilting her head slightly, "Going with us where?"
—-----------
"Hey, hey! Look I gathered them all just like you asked Drake!" Quetz chirped, raising a hand.
"I see that Quetz, that's a good girl thank you," Drake praised, patting her on the head.
Natto had since woken up and was sitting on Drake's shoulder pouting.
"You could have at least taken one stone… It is not like you needed your chastity or something…" she grumbled.
"Excuse me? Are you really suggesting I give myself up to a woman who's probably older than our planet? Just so you can get your hands on a Monster Core?" Drake scoffed.
"Yes! Certainly! It was a good deal!" Natto shouted, raising her arms in the air.
"What is she talking about?" Charlotte asked, completely confused.
"Nothing," Drake replied.
"I am talking about Drake not wanting to give up his body for something that would have allowed us to buy an entire universe! Not to mention something I could have used to Rank Up to at least B-Rank!" Natto explained scowling at Drake.
"W-what?" Charlotte stammered, looking between the pair and then Sah Ul' frowning next to them.
"Harlot…." Sah Ul' mumbled.
"Sounds like you had a good time without us," Landin laughed.
"It was not fun," Drake sighed, "Ok maybe a little fun…" he admitted, "But that isn't the point. Kalik, Charlotte, Landin, Quetz."
Drake looked for Janney but she had apparently decided to stay with the baby again. He didn't fault her but instead was impressed at her devotion to taking care of him.
"We'll have to catch Janey up later. Does she have all the things she needs for the baby?" Drake asked first.
"She said you gave her enough baby supplies to last a lifetime and several more babies, so I think we're fine…" Charlotte giggled.
Drake nodded, "Good, then. You four will be accompanying me and Sarah on a little trip."
"Trip?" they all asked at once.
"That's right. In a week's time, when Landin turns 16, we will each have you go through your class change, register you for your system center cards, and train you to break through to F-Rank on the way to pick up several important people."
"I have a question, I have a question." Quetz asked, raising a feathered arm, "Who's the important people?"
Drake smiled, "My family. And a big Cyclops dude I owe a favor to. But mostly my family."