Auren spends the next few days training, spending time with the others, and visiting the auction.
Because the others, who have no money to play around, are left bored at the prospect of sitting in the audience hall for hours on end, Auren ends up going only with Ura and Zepile. The rest get back to taking care of their business, or in Vanessa's case, training while annoying her brother.
Auren, using Zepile as his agent, continues spending his money, while the latter does his absolute best to employ all known bidding tactics to pay the least amount of money possible. Despite Auren's protest, he also convinces him to let go of a few items that still fulfill Auren's conditions.
"If we buy everything at any cost, we'll be taken advantage of!" Zepile explains forcefully. "You need to let some items go, or we'll be exposed. Trust me, Auren, we'd be overpaying by fifty percent... or more! We need to demonstrate we're not some chumps buying anything we're interested in at any cost."
He really takes his job seriously. In fact, he acts like my money is his own... this kind of employee is the only one you can truly trust. I'll go along with him.
Reluctantly, but convinced, Auren leaves him be, deciding to let go of gaudy and expensive-looking items that contain just a tiny fraction of Aura and which are only high-priced because of rarity or historic significance.
On the third day of the auction, as he, Zepile, and Ura go to leave the site of the auction, a pair of women approaches them, still inside the premises of the auction.
Both of them are wearing expensive designer clothes and are escorted by multiple buff-looking bodyguards. One of them has gray hair and looks to be in her sixties, while the other one looks about half her age, with clear similarities to the older one, just younger.
"Greetings, Hunter Auren," the older one says. "My lovely daughter and I have seen you acquire quite a few items today, so congratulations are in order. You see, we're... businesswomen."
"I see," Auren replies, perfectly calm. "I don't want to be rude... but I am quite busy. Is there anything you need?"
"No, no, please don't misunderstand," the younger one says, raising her hands. "I'm Maya Bueleur, surely you know me and my famous mother, Mia."
"I'm afraid I don't... but surely my partners do. However, I still don't see what you want from me," Auren replies, trying to remain polite, yet also not interested in casual talk.
"They're the owners of a large-sized shipping and logistics company. As far as I know, only acting on the Yorbian continent," Ura replies. "We've used their services quite often. Though not a global player, they are quite... wealthy."
"Right, of course, you know us, that makes me feel relieved. In any case," Maya says, smiling, "I'm also a... collector, and more recently an investor. Since you appear to be a very wealthy, generous man, I'd like to propose a trade offer."
She then opens a small briefcase and pulls out a single thin folder.
I'm not touching anything a suspicious woman gives me.
Auren uses Gyo, yet still sees nothing wrong with it.
Still, I need to play it safe.
"Zepile," Auren calls out, gesturing toward the folder.
Zepile immediately grabs it and opens it. Inside are a few sheets of paper with photographs.
As Zepile holds them in his hand, Auren glances at them from the side.
"Ben's Knives," he immediately mutters, recognizing the small objects on them instantly.
I knew this would happen... word has spread. Somehow. Probably through my requests on the Hunter site. I've been advertising for a while now. Collector... and investor... as if.
"So finally, someone has collected them secretly, fully knowing that I'm collecting them... and now I suppose you want to sell them to me? I guess your contacts within your company have made it easy to collect these," Auren reasons, staring at them, for now still composed.
"Indeed..." Maya replies carefully. "It's a free country, of course anyone can buy them. Surely you are interested? I could also simply auction them off."
"The deadline for adding items to the auction has passed. Also, these Knives have never been rare and expensive enough to auction them off. Just because the temporary price has shot up, mostly due to my actions, doesn't mean prestigious auctions will accept it," Auren counters.
"Hmph, so you don't want them?" She asks, her expression souring.
"It depends on the price," Auren says, shrugging. "While I am not opposed to the fact that someone has gone through all the labor of gathering them for me... I won't be held hostage."
"One billion per knife, we have twenty-three to offer. If you buy them all, we'll settle for twenty," she says, a calculated grin visible on her face.
Her face... seeing it, I can't help but....
Auren briefly uses Ren, his Aura gushing outward, turning both his adversaries and their guards' faces white.
He then stops, smiling as well.
"Don't worry," he says, raising his hand and walking away. "I'll pass, on principle. But I'm quite happy you gathered them for me. I'll thank you in due time." Before he walks away, he turns around. "Did you know that the current base rate of... solving problems offered by my good friends, and perhaps future in-laws, is one billion? I'll probably also get a friends-and-family discount. You'll know about it soon."
"Wait... what?!" Maya yells, running after him. "What do you mean?!" she asks, now looking angry and panicked, while her mother holds her arm, stopping her.
"Auren..." Zepile asks, looking a little worried as they leave them behind. "I didn't get that. What did you mean, indeed? Do you have any plans?"
"Of course," he says, trying not to reveal anything. "It will have to wait a while, but I'll be just fine."
That was... stupid, impulsive, and frankly insane. Why did I do that... I had to force myself to hold back during the Collector's meeting with Kite and then again with Morel and his students, which has caused me to get stressed out. Also, Pariston is annoying me constantly. I feel stressed. Is this related to my Aura? Usually, I am not one to act this stupidly.
I need to calm down and stop doing these silly things. If I really want to go down that route, I need to do it and not just openly announce it with witnesses present, while openly threatening them. That's what a pushover who only talks does.
"Really?" Zepile asks for confirmation. "That sounds promising then."
"Focus on the auction... I'll think about what I'll do about them," Auren says, his face turning cold, causing Zepile to grow visibly tense.
On the night of the next day, he and Zepile go over his finances.
"We've spent a total of..." Zepile says, sweat pouring down his face. "Sixteen billion Jenny..."
"So?" Auren asks. "As I said... money isn't really an issue. There is still one day lost, but my funds are looking fine. I have around two hundred billion in my account since the next installment from Battera came through. Along with Pariston's payment, I'm in a great financial position. Also, you told me we bought these items at fair prices, so I didn't even suffer a loss."
"Yes, I'm fairly certain I can sell them for around twelve to fifteen billion in a reasonable amount of time, which would only be a slight loss. However, at various events, I believe we would even stand to gain. In fact, at next year's auction, I'll predict their value will increase by five hundred million to one billion Jenny. These high-priced collectibles are a stable investment."
"Good, so essentially we lost nothing. We just converted our currency," Auren simplifies.
"I guess... so?" Zepile confirms. "In any case, I believe we did quite well."
"You're doing fine... keep it up," Auren says, clapping Zepile on the shoulder, content with his performance.
On the final day of the auction, which promises to auction off the most expensive items, the group gathers again in full.
It takes a full three hours until today's host, an exceptionally beautiful woman, even for the Southern Piece Auction's standards, presents one of the highest-priced items, causing the crowd to go wild.
"The Wood Faerie's Tear. It's been said that this is a mythical gem found in a forest that only appears once every thousand years. It's disappeared for over five hundred years and has only recently been sighted," the host explains, pointing toward a large, glowing green tear-shaped gem, resembling an emerald.
"A gem, what a waste of money..." Auren comments, staring at one of the screens. "Items such as these are a scam in my opinion. Colored glass looks about as good and costs less than 10 Jenny for something at this size. In any case, that reminds me of someone. I wonder if that person is here as well?"
"Hmm? Who do you mean?" Neffi asks, looking puzzled.
"Forget it," Auren replies, smiling, recalling the person in question.
"The starting price is ten billion Jenny!" the host finally announces.
"So much?" Goreinu asks. "The price prediction is all over the place for this one. I've heard it's worth five billion, but other people have predicted thirty billion. With Ten billion, how many maids could I..."
As the others scornfully look at Goreinu, Auren grows bored with the auction already.
Using Gyo, Auren searches the hall, and after a few seconds, he indeed sees a familiar woman, appearing to be a twelve-year-old girl, wearing a large ball dress.
Biscuit Krueger is actually here. Can she afford this thing?
He then glances at the monitors, showing off the tear, before inspecting it with his own eyes.
Still in thought, he suddenly blinks, then does it again. His eyes glued on the tear, Auren can't help but grow curious.
That thing... has Aura?!
"..."
"The first bid from No. 1788 for ten billion!" the host yells, officially starting the bidding.
"I need to take a closer look," Auren declares, standing up.
"Auren, wait?!" Neffi yells, confused.
"You can't just leave..." Zepile comments, "That's improper."
Who cares?!
Using Zetsu to draw less attention towards himself, Auren runs down the stairs of the hall until he's standing quite close to the item.
Now, carefully inspecting it, he sees the deep green tear surrounded by a strong amount of Aura.
Is it conjured? It could be a scam... but by now, I know how residual Aura feels and how it looks. I need to carefully look and confirm it.
Meanwhile the bids continue, the host creating some excitement. "Wow, No. 1715 offers 13.5 billion for the beautiful Faerie's Tear!"
Using En, but hiding his Aura as best as he can with In, Auren carefully inspects the tear.
It's genuine... this isn't conjured. It's the real deal. The amount of Aura is also very high... slightly lower than my Regalia, but it's only a small item, after all, only the size of a thumb.
"Fourteen billion from the cute little lady with the No. 16 in the front row!" the announcer yells.
Biscuit?
Auren quickly rushes back up the hall, running back to his seats.
"Sixteen billion from 1715!"
"Seventeen billion from No. 16!"
Biscuit, along with a chubby man with the number 1715, keep bidding.
"Zepile, get it for me. Price doesn't matter!" Auren orders. "You can wait till the end, but I want it!"
"Auren?! Are you sure? The price will probably climb even higher... so much for a gem?! It's not a smart investment. The gem market is highly volatile lately, especially for a piece like that. You just said yourself that..." he asks.
However, as he meets Auren's eyes, he immediately stops arguing, gulps, and mentally prepares himself.
"I'll get it!" he declares.
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A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments, and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
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