"500 gold came from the Weaver family! Is there someone who is gonna bid more, no? Then, I am selling 3, 2, 1! Sold to the Weaver family! Use it on good days, young master Auriel!" said a blonde haired man in a black suit, whose hands were covered with expensive rings adorned with huge jewels.
This blonde man was on a platform, explaining the items that were going to be auctioned in front of many bidders, who were sitting on single couches and watching this charming auctioneer do his job.
As for Auriel, he wasn't a normal bidder, he was the son of Markus Weaver, who was one of the dukes of the Macien kingdom and a Transcendent. He was directly in the lounge that was reserved for the Weaver family, which was above the normal bidders' head, and Auriel was bidding in there before the black glass.
"Why are you buying a bunch of artifacts and useless stuff, young master Auriel?"
Auriel turned to Gordon and sighed with annoyance.
"All of them have some use for me. Just shut up and do your job."
After saying this, Auriel continued to bid on whatever useful artifacts and materials caught his eye.
And an hour or 2 later, it was time to bid for Awakened slaves.
"My dear bidders, we have a very special product for you!" The blonde haired auctioneer said and brought a person with a collar on her neck.
A girl to be exact, who appeared to be in her teenage years, likely a few years younger than Auriel, stood before them. She was about 5'4 with long golden hair that reached the middle of her back, giving her an air of mystery. She wore tattered rags that barely covered her thin frame and a cloth over her eyes. Despite shaking, she stood with great effort, revealing scars and bruises on her arms but her face was untouched, it was apparent that the person who did this abuse, especially didn't target her face. Her body language spoke of exhaustion and fear as if she had been through many horrors of this dark, cruel world.
But Auriel didn't feel so much pity for this girl like many other people, just curiosity. There was something different in this girl from the other Awakened that he couldn't deduct, and wanted to know about this particularity.
Hence, Auriel leaned a bit forward and listened to the auction salesman.
"This girl is Awakened as you my dear bidders probably know." The blonde man said as he was holding the girl's shoulders from behind.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't find what her ability was even after many tries. All we know is that she is a unique case with affinity to revelations! " He said with enthusiasm and moved the girl a few steps forward.
"So, my dear bidders, this is a gamble. If you manage to unleash her ability and it turns out to be useful, then you'll have a valuable card to use. However, if her ability proves to be useless, then all you can do is to blame your luck!"
After hearing these words, most of the people's excitement dimmed. Everyone who were here was merchants or nobles who liked to take calculated risks, not gambles like this.
However, Auriel decided to buy this slave girl. He knew that there was something mysterious in this girl, and if needed he could just make her puppet to use her ability himself. Abilities about revelations were valuable even if they were weak. He could always find use of her, in the worst case scenario, he could use her as a loyal servant.
Hence, he lifted his hands and spoke in a normal tone.
"500 gold."
Auriel's voice reverberated in the great hall making it known for everyone to hear the bidder. Some of the bidders directly dropped their hands after hearing Auriel's voice as they didn't want to deal with a duke family. It was impossible for them to win a bid against them, but there was still someone whose hand was in the air.
"1000 gold!"
That someone said loudly with a lustful grin on his fat face and licked his lips while looking at the girl.
Though Auriel didn't stop and entered a bid race with this lustful fatty, which lasted for a while and ended at 30,000 gold.
That lustful fatty's face was red as he was breathing irregularly with clenched hands. Then this fatty threw a look toward the Weaver lounge and said:
"Let's talk later, Auriel."
"Who is this disgusting flesh balloon?" Auriel asked Gordon and pointed to the said balloon.
"Pfft- Ahem! He is Marquis Oliver's son, Doliver. Did you forget that he is your best friend, young master Auriel?"
"Shut up. How strong is his family compared to us?"
After hearing Auriel's question, a mocking smile appeared on Gordon's face.
"They are nothing compared to us, young master Auriel."
Auriel nodded as he knew this too, he just wanted to be sure about it.
After that, he didn't care about Doliver and even forgot his insignificant presence. Then he waited for a while until the slave girl he bought, was brought to his lounge by guards.
The girl fell to the floor after the guards released her and stayed over there with tears coming from her eyes, wetting the cloth over her eyes and trailing down on her beautiful, doll-like face.
Auriel sighed again and ordered Sebastian to lift the girl from her armpits and made her sit on the couch Auriel, exactly to his side.
"Hello there. What is your name?" Auriel asked with a warm tone, but the slave girl trembled more and buried her face in her legs, curling up.
Auriel knew that fixing this girl was a hard job as she was close to the breaking point but he also knew that if he gained this girl's trust, then he would gain a devoted person on his side, who would do anything for him.
That is why, he decided to be kind to this poor slave girl, though there was a little bit of compassion in him for this girl, who lived harsh life at this young age.
Auriel's hand went toward the girl and gently touched her hair, then slowly caressed it without minding the intensified tremblings of the slave.
"You don't have to be scared of me. I won't do any harm to you as long as you don't betray me."