bookpower Chapter 569: First Bite Auction
Chapter 569: First Bite Auction
Chapter 569: First Bite Auction
"We should be able to get at least one," Margaux said as the carriage approached our destination.
"Getting one wouldn't be a problem, but getting them isn't exactly risk-free," I replied.
"There will abe competition since it's an auction, but we have a good chance. However, I wouldn't wager on it if the price exceeds the range we've set for each piece."
A few minutes passed, and the carriage stopped before a small but beautiful building.
I am saying "small' by the city's standards. The building is five stories tall and made of beautiful blue stones, with a spire rising from the middle.
"Welcome to August Hall, Lord Silver, Headmistress Swan," greeted the House Staff as he opened the door.
We stepped out and were promptly escorted inside.
Many other locations are better than this building, but it is tradition to host it here. It has happened for thousands of years, and nobody wants to break the tradition.
Soon, he opened the door and let us into a grand hall.
There are hundreds of chairs, with more than half occupied. I looked at the people and found most of them familiar.
I had been introduced to or talked to them at least once in the past four days.
Soon, the House Staff led us to our seats. It's in the first row.
This time, I am not surprised.
Here, I mostly saw people from the Grade III legacy. Those from Grade IV and above rarely showed any interest in this place.
Their auction will be held tomorrow. I have no interest in them; they are too big for velvet garden to take a bite of. If I tried, they might change the Velvet Garden.
"Lord Silver," greeted Elf, sitting beside me.
"Lord Aardwyn, Lord Constance," I greeted the elf and the man beside me.
"Lord Aardwyn is my father, Lord Silver. Call me Rylan," the elf corrected.
"Rylan," I said.
The elf is the same elf we have seen in the opening ceremony on the first day. His father is a master of Tranquill Bathhouse.@@@@
The man beside him is a guardian from the Grade IV Wander Inn, the master legacy of Tranquill Bathhouse.
I am surprised they are here. I saw them in the morning, talking with Prefectus Prisca and another Master of a Grade IV legacy.
"Forgive me for saying this, but I didn't expect to see you here, Lord Silver," Constance said.
"I could say the same to you, Lord Constance," I replied.
"It's a risky bet you're making, my lord. You're on the list of legacies with the most potential."
"Taking the core essence of another legacy, especially one that's waning, is dangerous for the future," he responded, and he was right.
However, he doesn't know that I can take only the part that aligns with my vision.
The rest of the bite would be purified and converted into pure essence. So, unlike other legacies of my level, I am in a much better position.
However, it is not without risk. I could absorb the core, but only the part that aligns with my vision.
"If I become greedy and absorb more than I should, it will taint the vision. That would be catastrophic for the growth of my legacy, and the consequences could be irreversible."
"Why are you here, Lord Constance?" I asked.
"We are looking for the bite for the Tranquill Bathhouse. We want to strengthen it before the separation to increase its survival chances," he replied.
Yes, the separation.
Wander's Inn would have helped, but it would need all its strength to survive the separation from Tranquill Bathhouse with as little damage as possible.
As he had warned me, it is a risky bet. Taking the essence of a waning legacy could seal the Tranquil Bathhouse's fate, making its demise all the more certain.
"I wish your legacy had been Grade IV, Lord Silver. We would have asked you to take us," said the elf.
"You would not need to say it, Mr. Rylan; I would have requested it myself," I replied, and the man smiled.
I am not saying that out of politeness.
Tranquill Bathhouse is an amazing legacy, even without that artifact they have. It's such a regret that I can't have it. I wouldn't have even minded it being on another continent.
Minutes passed, and the people kept coming until nearly the entire hall was filled with people.
The essence didn't just go for creating the life-saving potions but also for recovering of artifacts and other things.
That gives the Sovereigns the influence over the nobles and other powerful people.
"Anyone for four hundred and thirty?" asked the auctioneer, and sweat began to appear on the man's head. As he realized the trouble he was in.
"Four hundred and thirty, once. Four hundred and thirty, twice..."
"Four hundred and fifty!" said Margaux smoothly before he could say the third time.
I could see the great relief appearing in the eyes of the man, and he slumped for a second before recovering quickly, feeling eyes on him.
"Taurus Theatre goes to Lord Silver. Master of Velvet Garden," said the auctioneer, banging the gavel.
"You had scared that poor man, Miss Swan," said the elf. "I didn't, Mister Rylan. I only delayed because I was thinking about whether to go further,"
"We have a limited budget, after all," she replied sheepishly.
The elf and the man beside him just smiled, seeing her lying through her teeth.
The auction continued as a new legacy coming under the hammer.
Soon, another legacy came on the table, and this time, we bid. It's a bar. We bought it for five hundred and twenty and the tavern after for five hundred and forty.
After that, more legacies came until we reached the last legacy.
"Now, only the one had remained. Taril's Smokehouse. Its Grade III, Tavern Class waning legacy,"
"The bid for it will start at Four hundred emotion essence," said the auctioneer.
It is only a legacy started at four hundred, and there is a reason for that.
"Five hundred emotion essence," said the elf beside me. Betting for the first time. "Five hundred and twenty," came another bid immediately.
"Five hundred and fifty," said another. The bids soon reached the six hundred.
Everybody loves to smoke. One might wonder how it aligns with the bathhouse, but it does. Smoking is quite popular in the bathhouses.
Just as it's popular in taverns, bars, and every other gathering place.
I dislike smoking; I cannot even bear the smell of smoke. I have a smoking area in my establishment, but that is only because patrons want it.
I will not focus on smoking like the others, as it goes against the direction of my vision.
So, we didn't bid.
"Seven hundred and thirty, once. Seven hundred-thirty, twice, seven hundred-thirty, thrice."
"Sold!"
"Smoking bar goes to the Tranquill Bathhouse," announced the auctioneers.
'The elf isn't too happy at such a price,' said Margaux, looking at the painful smile on his face.
'It is more than it is worth, and people knew he wants it. So they pushed him hard,' I replied with a smile.
We paid a similar price for the casino, but that is a casino. It's big, a theatre-class casino, while all the legacies here were tavern-class.
It's not like those legacies aren't dying. They are, but most are making deals internally.
Besides, the casino wouldn't have much of a price. Because of its class, its weight would have been enormous. There would have been very few Grade III takers for it.
Considering the chances of pollution would be higher.
"Thank you all, Masters and Guardians, for giving August Hall this honor; we will always be grateful for it," he said, walking off the stage.
We talked to the people for a few minutes before walking out.
"There was no store legacy or forge," said Margaux. I wanted them so much, but they were hard to find.
If I want them, I will have to approach them individually.
Scarlet Headmistress Lv. 36
Skill Gained: Empathetic Bond
Subscribe to to read Over 20 Advanced Chapters, Character Art, and Maps. Become a Free Member and enjoy the Character Art, Maps, and other interesting things.