As evening descends, Sophia and I head toward our final stop before returning home: the Enchantment Guild's prestigious auction house.
Unlike before, we won't be selling our equipment directly to the guild. This time, we're aiming for something bigger—putting our best items up for auction.
Naturally, both of us wear masks to conceal our identities. While Chameleon Earrings allow us to disguise ourselves, they can only store one alternate appearance per earring. Since we had already used them earlier, changing into an entirely new identity wasn't an option.
Still, for something as simple as auction paperwork, a mask would suffice.
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Upon entering, we are greeted by a middle-aged clerk standing behind a polished mahogany counter. His gray hair is neatly combed, his glasses perched perfectly on the bridge of his nose, and his uniform immaculate—the very image of professionalism.
But it's his sharp, assessing gaze that immediately catches my attention. This is a man who has seen thousands of enchanted items pass through these halls, and his experienced eye is already sizing us up.
"Good evening," he greets smoothly. "Are you here to auction your enchanted equipment?"
His name, Mathew, is inscribed on a small silver nameplate pinned to his lapel.
"Yes," Sophia replies, placing our carefully selected items onto the counter:
Five daggers
Three swords
One spear
One bow
Mathew arches an eyebrow as he examines them.
"These appear to be basic Guild weapons," he remarks. "Are you sure they're worth auctioning?"
His voice is polite, but there's an underlying skepticism. He adjusts his glasses, his fingers briefly skimming over the weapons' hilts and edges.
"I understand that these are the highest-grade blanks available through the Guild—B-tier, if I'm not mistaken. However, that alone doesn't mean they meet our auction house standards."
I nod slightly at his assessment. He's not wrong.
In this auction house, only the most exceptional enchanted equipment from renowned enchanters are put up for sale. The unspoken rule is that blanks must be at least A-tier to even be considered.
But that's only if they were enchanted by a normal enchanter.
Mathew is just a clerk, not an enchanter, so he can't immediately sense the sheer power infused within these weapons. At a glance, they look like ordinary gear, but if he knew what lay beneath the surface, he wouldn't be questioning us.
Sophia crosses her arms, a sly smirk playing at her lips.
"Excuse me," she says smoothly, "but I don't recall reading anywhere that an enchanted item must originate from A-tier blanks or higher in order to qualify for auction."
Mathew frowns slightly.
"In fact," she continues, tapping a finger against the auction house's registration guide, "there is no such official rule. Am I mistaken?"
She's right.
An unwritten rule is not a law. Technically, as long as an item meets the auction's general enchantment criteria, it cannot be outright rejected based on the quality of the blank alone.
Mathew hesitates for a moment, clearly caught off guard by Sophia's challenge. He exhales through his nose, his lips pressing into a thin line before offering a small, professional smile.
"All right, if you really want to proceed," he sighs, folding his arms. "That will be two gold coins per item—or two thousand crowns—as a handling fee. And on top of that, we take a 30% seller's commission on all sales. Let me know if you still wish to continue."
Ah. Now I see how they operate.
That commission is absurdly high—even on Earth, the highest auction house fees rarely exceeded 20%. But here? A staggering 30%!
It suddenly makes sense. This is how the auction house ensures only high-quality items make it through. At such steep rates, it's pointless to auction low-tier goods—the seller would barely break even. Naturally, there are ways to negotiate lower fees, but as first-time sellers, we don't qualify for any special treatment.
Sophia glances at me, silently seeking approval.
I nod. I know exactly how valuable my items are. They'll sell regardless of the commission rate.
Without hesitation, she retrieves twenty gold coins and places them on the counter, covering the auction fee.
Mathew accepts the payment and slides a stack of paperwork toward us. Routine formalities. I sign without a second thought.
And then—everything changes.
The moment Mathew catches sight of my signature, his entire demeanor snaps like a bowstring.
"W-WAIT! ASTERIA?!" His voice cracks with disbelief as he nearly falls out of his chair.
The sheer shock plastered across his face is almost comical.
"You… you're Master Asteria?! The one who's been selling those perfectly enchanted items at the Guild these past few days?!"
I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? You know me?"
Of course, I couldn't use my real name here. Nor could I use the Edward persona, as it's too easily traceable to the businessman identity I registered under at the Adventurer's Guild.
So, I invented a new name—Asteria.
Mathew's panic intensifies. His hands tremble as he hurriedly adjusts his glasses, his earlier calm professionalism unraveling in real time.
"Of course, I know you! Everyone knows you! You're all anyone's been talking about! Your enchantments are legendary—revolutionary even! I— I can't believe I'm actually meeting the Master Asteria in person!"
Just like that, his entire attitude flips.
Gone is the rigid formality. Gone is the initial skepticism.
Mathew practically radiates nervous energy now, his eyes brimming with admiration—and a little bit of fear.
Sophia, watching the dramatic shift in amusement, lets out a soft chuckle.
Mathew, meanwhile, is visibly sweating.
The once composed, indifferent clerk has been reduced to a flustered mess. Even I'm surprised by how much influence I apparently wield.
"Then, about my items for auction…"
"Ah! Of course! If it's you, then we will give you the lowest rate! No, we won't take any fee at all! No handling charges, no commission! Please, auction with us whenever you like—free of charge!"
That's… pretty excessive.
"Huh? Shouldn't you ask your supervisor first before making that decision?"
"N-no need! The higher-ups already sent word that if you ever approached us, we should offer you the best possible treatment!"
Sophia bursts into laughter.
I sigh, shaking my head. "That's nice and all, but I don't want to break the rules just because of my name. Take the handling fee. And as for the commission… 10% is fine, which is your lowest rate."
Mathew's jaw drops.
"Are—are you sure about that?"
"Yeah," I shrug. "Besides, it's not like my items won't sell, right?"
Mathew laughs—this time with a mix of relief and genuine enthusiasm.
"Sell? Master Asteria, these are going to be the most hotly contested items in tomorrow's auction!"
Mathew then hastily reworks the paperwork, adjusting the commission rates accordingly.
Once all documents are signed, he personally escorts us to the exit of the Enchantment Guild—something I highly doubt he does for regular sellers.
"It's truly been an honor doing business with you," he says, bowing deeply. "Please return tomorrow morning for the auction."
I nod. "Sure. See you then."
With our business concluded, Sophia and I leave the auction house.
We then go to the library to pick Yumi up.
Checking my watch, I note the time. 7 PM.
It's been a long, exhausting day.
And judging by the way my stomach is growling, it's time for a well-earned meal.