After looking around the stalls for a while, I came with Isis-san to the
Central Plaza… where the third day's main event, the auction was being
held.
There were so many people in the Central Plaza that we decided to
observe the auction from a distance, taking into account Isis-san's
magic power of death.
When we entered the plaza, we were given a plate with a number on it.
This would probably be my number when I wanted to buy something
from the auction.
Incidentally, I was number 985 and Isis-san was number 986. Well, I
don't really intend to buy anything at the auction at the moment, but
something that I want may appear, so might as well take a look.
Even so… As one would expect from the main event of the day's festival,
there was a huge crowd around us, with many participants raising their
hands in competition with each other. And on the stage set up in the
center of the plaza, the host with a microphone was calling out prices
one after another.
[…The participants don't seem to be shouting out their bids, so how is it
that the host knows how much they bid?]
[…In this auction… You can bid through hand signs… The host has…
high-degree compound eyes… So she's watching all participants at the
same time.]
[…I see.]
I've never seen an auction like this before, so everything looked fresh to
me.
I also noticed some people were raising their hands in a thumbs-up. I
wonder if that's some sort of hand signal?
[Incidentally, what does this signal mean?]
[…Ah.]
"Whoa there! Someone bid double again!!! "Number 985! One white
gold coin!"]
[…Eh?]
When I tried to ask Isis-san what the hand signal meant, she looked
surprised and my number was called by the host immediately after.
A- Ah, sh*t! I see, even from this distance, the host can still see us… In
other words, I've just made a bid.
[…Errr…]
[…When you call on something… You can't take it back anymore.]
[H- Hmmm… But well, this doesn't really mean that I've won the bid
anyway…]
"One white gold coin! Are there any bids above white gold?… It doesn't
seem like anyone is betting anymore. Well then, congratulations to the
young man with number 985 for winning this item!!!"
[......]
Don't let your curiosity lead you to do stupid things… It was a good
lesson. The tuition I paid to learn this lesson was quite expensive, but
well, I guess it can't be helped. It's my fault for being so careless, so I'll
just obediently buy it.
[…Wait, what did I bid on in the first place?]
[…Errr…]
Thinking that I didn't know what item was being auctioned, I asked Isissan, to which she pulled a huge book out from nowhere.
[That is?]
[…The auction's… catalog… Errr… The one being sold now is catalog
number 15, so the one before that… is this one.]
[Errr, let's see…"The journal left by the First Hero, 23 pages,
undeciphered"…]
…Ahh, just looking at its name let me know that it was something I
shouldn't have touched. This is definitely something that could be
considered as Neun-san's black history. Unnn, let's just promptly give it
to Neun-san as soon as I receive it later.
But then again, I doubled the previous bid, and won with one white
gold coin bid… So there were people who wanted to buy it even if they
had to pay five gold coins or five million yen… As expected of the First
Hero.
While I was thinking about this, it seemed that the bid for item number
15 had also been settled and the auction moved on.
"Well then, the next item is… something provided by Underworld King
herself!"
Oya? The next item is provided by Kuro huh… I wonder what that is?
"Catalog number 16! "Underworld King's handmade baby castellas"!"
Why the heck are baby castellas being auctioned off at a high-class
auction… Kuro, what the heck are you doing…
"These baby castella were made by Underworld King-sama to be given
to "a certain person"…A collection set of "not so good" baby castellas!"
In short, it's just a collection of your failed baby castellas, isn't it? Or
rather, that "certain person"…
[…Maybe… for Kaito… Kuromeina… made a whole lot… to feed to Kaito.]
[…I- I see…]
What the heck is this unpleasant feeling creeping on my skin now?
Looking at those baby castellas makes me feel like it's my fault that
those inappropriate items were being sold in this place…
"Well then, the starting price is "one gold coin"!"
I don't know if I should say that it's thoughtlessly increasing or not…
wait, doesn't it seem like it's increasing absurdly!?
"Number 234, five gold coins! Number 57, eight gold coins! Whoa there,
number 622 has bid two white gold coins!"
[E- Eeehhhhh… Why the heck did the price rise that much?]
[…Kuromueina… is very popular… I think that the members of the
Underworld King Adoration Association… would want to acquire it…
even if they had to use the entirety of their wealth for it.]
[......]
I don't know if I should be impressed by Kuro's popularity or pity the
people who are willing to pay tens of millions of yen for baby castella…
As I was dumbfounded by this questionable situation, I suddenly saw a
person running towards me.
[Miyama-sama!?]
[…Lunamaria-san?]
[I'm begging you! Please lend me some money! I have to win this bid at
all costs!!!]
[Are you out of your mind!?]
The zealot who appeared, while maintaining a distance of three meters
from us, shouted at me in a desperate manner.
[Then, out of mind, I shall be! This Lunamaria is willing to die for the
sake of eating Underworld King-sama's homemade food!!!]
[Could you please spare me from that!?]
[I'm begging you! When I tried to borrow money from Milady, she
wouldn't lend any to me, saying "Stop with your foolishness"! Miyamasama is the only one I can rely on now!]
[......]
It's because Lilia-san is completely right. No, it's not like I don't want to
lend her money… But as a friend, though it may just be for argument's
sake, I think Lunamaria-san's strange behaviors should be stopped.
[…I think you should calm down for a bit, Lunamaria-san.]
[I can't! I may never get another chance like this again, you know!!!?]
[…I'll just ask Kuro for some…]
[As expected of Kaito-sama! Your wonderful consideration won't let a
chance to seize a woman's heart to escape! You truly are the most
wonderful man in the world! This Lunamaria-san is more than willing
to be embraced by Kaito-sama now!!!]
[Lilia-saaaaan!!! Can you please fetch your rampaging maid already!?]
I just suggested this to calm down Lunamaria-san. However, I didn't
realize that her train of thought would get derailed even more… For the
time being, let's just get her guardian Lilia-san to fetch her as soon as
possible…
While Lunamaria-san looked at me with sparkling eyes, I pulled away a
bit… No, as I seriously pulled away, waiting for Lilia-san's arrival… I
heard an impressed voice nearby.
[…You… know well… Kaito is… in the whole world… the coolest.]
[…Isis-san.]
Seeing isis-san nodding at her, I let out a big sigh.
Dear Mom, Dad—— After coming to the auction, I've been met with lots
of trouble from the start. There's also the fact that I accidentally won a
bid… Above all, I'm afraid of Lunamaria-san, whose switch was
completely turned on. No, seriously, I'm begging you—— Lilia-san,
please come quickly