Zen thought, 'Maybe it was just a small event or something.'
However, he immediately recollected his prior deed of going into the Twilight Zone and acquiring the Katana.
Given that auctions are typically the context in which protagonists acquire items that initially appeared devoid of value and went unnoticed by others, yet eventually revealed themselves to be authentic treasures.
Zen then remembered the concept of the butterfly effect. A phenomenon, denoting the notion or act of altering something, regardless of its magnitude, possesses the potential to yield unanticipated repercussions as time progresses.
"That's definitely it, the butterfly effect. Hahaha, I can't believe I am actually experiencing it in real time," he exclaimed, accompanied by a lighthearted chuckle.
Then he withdrew his gaze from them as the auction was about to start.
The person who made his appearance on the stage as the auctioneer was a gentleman characterized by his raven-colored hair, attired in an opulent ensemble of navy blue, crafted from fine materials.
The man introduced himself as today's auctioneer, then proceeded to start the auction by presenting the first item.
The first few items were just paintings, antiques, luxurious accessories, and some artifacts, which did not catch Zen's attention at all.
The next item was a mana stone, which came from a Tier 2 beast, Hydra.
"It's a tiered two mana stone!" someone from the VIP rooms shouted.
"This hydra mana stone has been recently procured by our establishment from the Twilight Zone, and we are initiating the auction at a minimum starting bid of two hundred thousand CDR!"
"It is essential to note that each bid must adhere to an increment of no less than fifty thousand CDR," the auctioneer explained.
A voice belonging to a female spoke from VIP room number one, "Four hundred thousand."
"We got a four hundred thousand bid! Can I get any four hundred fifty?!"
Edward, who was sitting at the front, raised his hand and said, "Four hundred and fifty."
He desired this stone as it had the potential to enhance his power during perilous circumstances. They were being chased, if it comes to it, it could be used to save their lives.
Mana stones also acted the same way as the Great Magister's catalyst, which allowed them to borrow mana from it, increasing their prowess.
Although Edward's family had already been destroyed, they were still from an earl family, so he still had a substantial amount of funds he could use.
"Can I get any five hundred thousand bid?!"
Another voice spoke from room number four, "five hundred thousand."
Then the girl from VIP room one said, "Six hundred thousand."
"Six hundred thousand CDR! Is there any higher bidder!?"
Edward was on the verge of raising his hand to place a higher bid, however, Zen swiftly raised his hand and announced, "two million CDR."
Zen did not think that this was the item that Edward was supposed to get in this auction. Although he already had the mana stones that he had purchased. He did not mind getting more.
As for why he bid almost four times the amount of the current bid, even though he's known for his stingy personality and not wasting money. He was just too lazy to keep bidding, so he directly said two million.
The aftermath of Zen's bid ensued with absolute silence permeating the auction room.
Edward's face revealed a shocking expression. He did have a substantial amount of money, but he could not carelessly spend it. As this was only Crystal's and Edward's money now, it became imperative for them to exercise prudent management.
One person from the room spoke and exclaimed "Damn, two million just like that?!"
The VIP rooms were similarly devoid of noise.
The auctioneer was initially taken aback, as he had never encountered such a peculiar situation before.
However, he swiftly regained his composure and announced, "Tw-Two million! bid from the young man at the back of the room! Any higher bids?!"
As for people suspecting that he was fooling around. They did not even think about it, as this was the territory of the Mevouires family. Any individual who dares engage in frivolous behavior would face swift and severe consequences, such as immediate execution.
The atmosphere in the room fell into complete silence upon witnessing Zen's single, audacious bid of two million.
They thought that if he could bid that amount in one go. He could also afford to bid another surprising amount if someone said another word.
"Going once, going twice, sold!" the auctioneer said, effectively dispelling the silence that had enveloped the room.
The girl who was in the VIP room looked towards the person who bid. She was Anastasia Mevouires, the young lady of the Mevouires!
Her physical allure radiated resplendently, comparable to the unmatched appearance of Celestia and Fiona. Her hair is black and her eyes are silver.
Engaging in conversation with the girl next to her, she queried, "Hmm, Juliet, don't you think that young man wearing a mask is familiar?"
Juliet replied contemplatively, "Hmmm, I don't think we've ever met anyone like that, though?"
"Think back to Raverdieu's birthday banquet. Don't you remember that young master of the Raverdieu causing a scene."
"Although that young man has a mask on and a different color of clothing, don't you think they have a resemblance?" Anastasia told her trying to explain her thoughts.
Contemplating the matter whilst examining the young man, Juliet eventually concurred, asserting, "You are right! He has the same silver white hair, his height seems to be the same, and his temperance is the same!
"No one knows where he disappeared to. Co-Cou-Could that be him?!" She was shocked beyond words.
Anastasia deserves commendation for her remarkable skill of observation.
Despite their absence from Zenryx's birthday banquet. They have witnessed the live broadcast and observed virtually every aspect of the unfolding proceedings, including the remarkable Tritonic holographic video.
"They have the same resemblance, but we can't be too sure." Anastasia said.
Juliet hurriedly spoke like a girl who couldn't wait to meet her crush and said, "Sho-should we meet and go talk to him!"
Zenryx instantly captivated Juliet's heart, and his charisma has continued to ensnare the affections of numerous young ladies ever since his first appearance.
I postulate that it is difficult to fathom someone who would not hold admiration for an individual endowed with a flawlessly aesthetic and unrivaled countenance. With the exception of a few girls, namely Anastasia and Celestia, for instance.
Anastasia answered, "Look at you! Are you in heat or something? But sure, after the auction finishes, we could try to go and meet him to see if it's really him, but there's also a chance it's not him, or deny it, you know."
"I know! Hehe," Juliet responded while chuckling slightly.
While the two girls were conversing with each other, the auction continued.