Count Jun'ō did nothing but smile and refuse to bid. He intended to bid on June 30th. Days passed. The price of the three sculptures continued to increase. However, since even the works of an expert crafter were no more than about a thousand gold, the price increased rather gradually. 500 gold coins. 510 gold coins. 515 gold coins. Little by little, the bids went up. On June 29th, they had only increased to 625 gold coins.
June 30th. Count Jun'ō really did not show up until nightfall that morning, which was extremely rare for him. After all, the Yamazaki Gallery closed at midnight. The three sculptures by Renji would be taken down from the gallery at midnight as well.
"The price yesterday was 625 gold coins. I'll make my bid at the very end." Count Jun'ō smiled as he strode toward the three sculptures. "900 gold coins? What kind of idiot made this bid?" Upon seeing the highest bid, Count Jun'ō's heart exploded with fury. Yesterday, the price was just 625 gold coins, but in a single day, the price jumped so ridiculously. Of course, since Count Jun'ō was furious, he couldn't do anything. He decided to patiently wait, and only after a long period of time did he raise his head, looking up to the clock above. "It's already 11 PM.
In an hour, this place will be closed." Count Jun'ō smiled wryly.
Count Jun'ō was only a middle-class noble when compared to others in the Solara Kingdom City. Count Jun'ō actually had quite a poor income when he was younger. Only later did he, through his shrewd investment in and collection of sculptures, amass tremendous fortune bit by bit. Currently, his net worth reached hundreds of thousands of gold coins; he was therefore among those more successful nobles. "Count Jun'ō, you are here as well? " A whiskered middle-aged man in a swallow shirt smiled as he walked over. At the sight of this figure, Count Jun'ō's expression changed, but he still smoothed out calmly into a smile. "Count Damian! It's almost eleven.
Why are you here? " But with his heart, Count Jun'ō had the feeling that matters had just taken a turn for the worse. Count Jun'ō and Count Damian were both considered rather famous collectors of sculpture within the noble circles of Solara Kingdom City. "Me? For these three sculptures, of course." Count Damian stroked his whiskers, then said contentedly, "Count Jun'ō, take a look. The lines and aura of these three sculptures are so very mesmerizing.
The master who could create such a unique atmosphere must also be a unique person." Count Jun'ō's heart trembled.
Indeed… This Count Damian had also seen the value of these three sculptures. For him to come at eleven o'clock most likely meant he had the very same idea as Count Jun'ō. "Miss, come here, please." Count Damian said in a very courteous tone to a lady attendant standing nearby. She approached them with a smile. Count Damian pointed at the three sculptures of Renji. "I am willing to pay a thousand gold coins for each of these sculptures." The lady attendant politely said, "Just a moment." She took out a recording book and jotted down something before placing the bidding slips next to the sculptures. "A thousand gold coins? " Count Jun'ō's face quivered on the muscles. Count Damian smiled to say to him, "Count Jun'ō, these three sculptures really are something else. Right, what brings you out here so late at night, rather than resting at home?
Are you here for these three sculptures as well?
" Count Jun'ō lightly hummed.
"I hadn't thought that Count Damian would attach such importance to these three sculptures.
To be frank, I haven't paid much attention to them yet.
Let me take a good look first." Count Jun'ō smiled and then turned and began to study the three sculptures intently, completely ignoring Count Damian.
Seeing this scene in front of him, Count Damian sneered in his heart. "Old fellow, do you really think you can hide your thoughts from me?"
The music was still whispering like the murmurs of a river in the main hall of the Yamazaki Gallery. Count Jun'ō and Count Damian respectively glanced quietly at various sculptures on display. All was as quiet as it could be in the gallery.
"Dong. Dong." The time had reached midnight and the clocks on the walls began to chime.
"Miss, please come here." Count Jun'ō said to the attendant, who immediately ran over. "These three sculptures, I am willing to buy for 1010 gold pieces." Count Jun'ō made his bid at the last moment. The attendant saw that the current bid on the sculptures was 1000 gold pieces. She couldn't help but glance sideways at Count Jun'ō. It was quite fortunate that Count Jun'ō had added ten pieces, and not just one.
"Please wait a moment." The attendant drew out her record book.
"Count Jun'ō actually just overbid by ten gold pieces? I'll give 1100 gold pieces!" Count Damian's voice echoed.
Count Jun'ō frowned as he turned to stare at Count Damian, who strode over in a casual manner with a jocular air and an arrogant look in his eyes. As it happened, Count Damian had been eyeing Count Jun'ō all along and was waiting for his response, coming over immediately after the latter made his bid.
I bid 1200,Count Jun'ō said in a low voice, his anger noticeably apparent. Seeing the oncoming fight between the two nobles, the attendant closed her record book and stepped to the side, happy to see this struggle. The attendants at the Yamazaki Gallery loved to see customers go into a bidding fight.
Count Damian looked into Count Jun'ō with 'surprise'. "Count Jun'ō, even the sculptures in the hall of the experts are worth only about a thousand gold coins. How could a frugal man such as you be willing to pay 1200 gold?"
Frugal? Miserly was the word! Count Jun'ō was infamous for his miserliness.
"Count Jun'ō, if even you are willing to bid 1200, then I also am not able to be stingy. 1300 gold pieces! Count Jun'ō looked coldly. "The only reason why I am willing to offer a high price for these three sculptures is because I am fond of them. Their real value is only around a thousand gold or so. 1500 gold pieces! If you, Count Damian, are willing to make a higher bid, then you can take them."
Count Jun'ō said as he made his final offer. Frankly speaking, Count Damian was far from as keen as Count Jun'ō. He did not feel the special, bizarre aura of those statues. For Count Damian, the secret was hidden nowhere in those statues - they were just three excellent works of art each worth one thousand pieces of gold or so. Quoting a higher price would not make much sense. "Haha." Count Damian laughed.
"It's so rare for Count Jun'ō to be so refreshingly magnanimous in his bidding. In honor of this occasion, I certainly can't rob a man of his beloved possessions. These three sculptures are all yours, Count Jun'ō." Only now did the attendant step forward again and begin recording the bid into her book.
"Milord Counts, it's already midnight. The gallery is about to close. Count Jun'ō, tomorrow I will get people to deliver the sculptures to you." The attendant smiled.
It wasn't until now that Count Jun'ō finally smiled. Count Jun'ō cast a glance at Damian and felt disdain. "Kid, how many years have I spent analyzing stone sculpting? You don't have any insight and you still want to bid against me?