Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Auction (II)

She accompanied them to the Room of Light, which was normally only opened if the governor came in person. Therefore, the group of young people who had occupied the next room were surprised to hear the door. They went out to see who they were, but they arrived too late.

"Who entered there," one of them inquired.

"I'm sorry, but it is against the rules of the Chamber of Commerce to reveal the names of our guests," Lakniba politely apologized.

That answer upset some of the youngsters, who were accustomed to having their will done. However, the Chamber of Commerce was an organization that no one dared to offend lightly, and whoever was there was undoubtedly someone important. Maybe, they could even be a senior officer in said organization.

So, although reluctant, they didn't put more pressure on the receptionist, who returned to her position, nervous. As she did so, she couldn't help but wonder who that group was. Nonetheless, none of them had given her their name. Evidently, she hadn't dared to ask.

"Let's see who they're," then the same young man who had made fun of the group came out.

"Yes, let's go, Johil," a young woman agreed with a rather seductive tone.

They left their room and reached the door that led to the Light one. A moment later, they knocked.

"I'm Johil, son of the governor. I'd like to greet the occupants of the neighboring room," he introduced himself.

Gjaki frowned towards the door.

"So the governor's son... How quickly time flies..." she murmured in a rather sad tone.

Eldi and Goldmi looked at her strangely, while asking her with their gaze.

"Ignore them. I've lost the desire to humiliate them," she asked them, and turned.

They were in a luxurious room, with sofas and even beds. It was protected by a barrier that didn't allow anyone to be seen them from outside. They also had a privileged position in the auction room.

Hundreds of seats could be seen filling up quickly, and the same was happening in the other rooms.

Meanwhile, outside, Johil waited with an increasingly irritated face. He was even beginning to turn red with rage. It was the first time he had been ignored like this.

"If they're that rude, worse for them. Let's go back!" he ordered, furious.

They couldn't just break in there. Without a doubt, the occupants of that room were of a higher rank than them. Still, it was humiliating that they hadn't even spoken to them. They were unaware that those were the same ones they had mocked at the entrance.

Several servants brought snacks and drinks, thus forcing the goshawk and lynx to hide again In the Shadow of her sister, which was how they had arrived. It's not that they couldn't get in, especially as they were VIP customers, but they wanted to avoid being recognized.

There could be vampires looking for Gjaki, and it was better that Engenak didn't know about Eldi. Although Goldmi and her sisters had no such problems, some vampires had seen them, and perhaps they could recognize them.

They ordered the servants not to let anyone else enter, which was a fairly common request. Therefore, Gjaki brought Chornakish, Coinin and her grandchildren, and the twins. Elendnas had some things to do, and he had already been to such an auction, while the girls were quite excited.

The four children looked around with great curiosity, and then leaned out of the balcony. It wasn't dangerous, since the barrier would prevent them from falling, but both Coinin and Goldmi approached discreetly.

The children were pointing to the people moving below, laughing, while the rest chatted animatedly. Well, Eldi only at times. He was carefully reviewing the catalog. Although some items were known in advance as part of the promotion, others had been added later.

Partly, it was a surprise. Partly, because they had arrived at the last minute. The organizers of the auction preferred it to be like this, because that way people who would otherwise have stayed at home would come. Even if nothing particularly interested them, they would be there just in case something newly added could catch their attention. Besides, if they were there, they could bid, if only for fun.

He smiled when he saw their weapons, and it was even embarrassing to read the descriptions. He didn't know what part of it was truth and what part was promotion. Anyway, "supreme quality" or "unparalleled craftsmanship" seemed quite exaggerated to him.

He was also taking some notes on a piece of paper, which Gjaki read with curiosity. There was the name of the items and the order in which they would be auctioned.

"Adamantine?" the vampiress asked out loud.

"We don't have much left, and it's not something that is sold in common stores. It would be nice to get some more," Eldi explained,

"Yggdrasil Wood, Philosopher's Stone Essence... There're interesting materials. Mmmmh. Scarlet Ragweed? Emerald nectar? Why are they marked in a different color? There're several like that," the vampiress found it strange.

"It's for Goldmi to review. They're rare ingredients. If she has recipes for them, we could buy them," he revealed.

"Oh! I'll call her now!" she exclaimed. She was undoubtedly interested in tasting new recipes.

"Wait! Don't be impatient, I'm not done yet," Eldi laughed.

"Hurry up, there's not much time left," Gjaki urged him. Eldi and Chornakish smiled.

The feline demihuman looked at Eldi and shrugged, as if to say that the vampiress was hopeless. She turned and looked at him suspiciously, but he was already looking at the children, pretending nothing had happened. Only some whistling was missing.

Shortly afterward, Goldmi confirmed that she had recipes for some of those ingredients, some of which they had never tasted.

"We buy them all! The price doesn't matter!" the vampiress exclaimed, while the children cheered.

"Aunt Gjaki, can we bid?" an adorable demihuman vampire kid with rabbit ears asked.

"I also want!"

"Me too!"

"Me too too!"

"Okay, okay, once each," 'Aunt Gjaki' promised them.

"You spoil them too much," Coinin reproached her, although it would have been more credible without the smile in her lips.

"Do you want to bid too?" Gjaki mocked.

"Can I!?" she exclaimed, playing along, wanting to seem excited.

"Ha, ha. I want to bid too!" Goldmi also tagged along.

Gjaki then looked at Eldi and Chornakish, menacingly.

"Okay, okay, me too," the high human resigned.

"I'll come after him," Chornakish whispered seductively into the vampiress' ear.

"Hey! There're children!" Coinin scolded them.

"What's up with us?" Eldmi asked curiously.

"Eh... Nothing, nothing. Behold! It's starting!" Goldmi changed the subject. She was grateful that the hostess had come out on stage. The auction was about to begin.