Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Auction (VI)

Once again, silence invaded the room. Once again, the "anonymous bidder" had acted, and this time they had surpassed by four million an already high bid. That way, it demonstrated their solvency, and their determination to obtain the item in contention.

The governor's son, like everyone else, was stunned for a few moments, although his feelings soon turned to fury. While he couldn't be sure, he was convinced that they were the same ones who had been bothering him on previous purchases, the same ones he had wanted to intimidate.

If he had thought more calmly, Johil would have realized that someone capable of offering that sum wasn't a nobody, but anger blinded him. He only thought about taking revenge for the affronts received, just as greed tempted him. If he could get revenge, maybe that valuable item would be his too.

He was tempted to bid, but the price was more than they could pay. It may not have been low for Gjaki either, but she and her companions could afford it several times over, such were the riches accumulated during the game. Furthermore, no amount of gold was as important to Goldmi as the potion, and the phoenix shell was one of the necessary ingredients.

Expectant, and in respectful silence, the audience attended the countdown.

"Fifteen million at one, fifteen million at two, fifteen million at three... It has been won for fifteen million!"

The hostess had to wait for the applause to end before continuing to speak.

"It's been an exciting bid, without a doubt the crown jewel of an exciting auction. Thank you all for coming, and until next year. We'll bring the best items for all of you!" the hostess said goodbye, and made an elegant bow to the audience before leaving.

Applause, cheers, murmurs, declarations of love for the hostess and discussions broke the silence. Many talked and speculated about who that "anonymous bidder" was, some even got it right by pure luck.

Nor were there few mocking the governor's son, at the expense of how he had been humiliated by the supposedly "anonymous bidder." They laughed at him for provoking them, for having been taught a lesson for his arrogance. Nonetheless, most did it in low voices. They were afraid of being heard by those who shouldn't.

Lakniba personally went to deliver the items and receive payment, after subtracting the proceeds from the products sold. Gjaki was an adamantine client, so she hadn't needed to prove that she had the capital to compete, but that didn't mean she did. It had happened in the past, which had required the headquarters to intervene to solve the problem.

Therefore, the receptionist was nervous, although she soon realized that there was no reason for it. However, her eyes bulged when Eldi began to take out gold coins, one after another, and piled them up in front of her.

"T... This... Are you going to pay everything in cash?" she asked, a little scared.

She couldn't object to being paid in gold coins, but more than fifteen million was a big problem, a huge problem.

"Ha, ha, ha!" everyone laughed.

"Don't pay attention to them, it was just a joke," Goldmi consoled her, though she had also laughed, and hadn't objected to the little prank.

Gjaki then took out what she called magic bills. They were impossible to counterfeit, and much more practical than paying in gold coins when large amounts were involved. They were issued by one of the local banks, and were much more manageable

"You scared me..." she complained, and sighed in relief.

"Ha, ha. You should've seen your face," Gjaki continued laughing.

The receptionist opened her mouth to say something, but she refrained. She was embarrassed, though not angry. The joke had been innocent, without malice. On other occasions, she had suffered much worse ones, and some had even led to harassment. Plus, she liked the group.

"Thank you for attending the event. Do you need help carrying the purchased items?" she smiled at them.

"It's not necessary, we can handle them," Eldi assured, and made some of them disappear.

Lakniba looked at him with some surprise, since it wasn't common to possess space artifacts. This proved once again that those guests weren't simple. They surely came from powerful families or organizations, and their origin seemed even more important than that of the arrogant Johil.

Despite this, they acted without arrogance, which increased the appreciation and respect of the receptionist. Furthermore, she suspected that they had been the ones who had been bothering the governor's son, which reinforced her sympathy for them. The fact that they had some of the items they had bid against him reinforced her conviction. Although she couldn't be sure that they were the ones who had bid just to annoy him, they were certainly the most suspicious.

"Do you want to leave via one of our reserved exits? This way, you'll avoid problems," she suggested.

There was obvious concern in her voice. They had offended Johil, and their latest acquisition could cause the greed of unscrupulous people. By using such an exit, they could leave unnoticed.

"Sure. Where's it?" asked Eldi.

"This way. Follow me," she asked them.

Lakniba frowned as she left the room, for Johil and his group were there, waiting. They were furious, irritated, and they also wanted to know who those neighbors who had ignored them were.

Their surprise was great when they met the three companions. They were wearing simple clothes, and were disguised again. What surprised them most was recognizing them as that group of "commoners" they had made fun of.

"You... Are you the ones who have been bidding against us?" one of them asked accusingly.

She suspected them at the same time she doubted. They didn't look like they could afford it, but they were leaving the Room of Light, the one reserved for the best clients. Neither she or her friends had access to it, nor did the representatives of the different guilds.

Lakniba said nothing, and continue walking. She hoped it would all end there. There could be no fights inside, but once recognized, they could search for them outside.

Eldi and Goldmi looked at them and turned away again, ignoring them. They were going over the ingredients missing, and they didn't feel like dealing with those youngsters.

Gjaki, for her part, looked them straight in the eyes, especially Johil, while smiling mockingly. She didn't say anything, but her expression certainly denoted that she was mocking them, in part acknowledging the accusation. Some even took a step towards her, but the rest stopped them. That wasn't the place to fight.

"There was no need to provoke them," Goldmi scolded, which worried the receptionist.

Gjaki looked at her, smiling with amusement, although there was some sadness and disappointment in her eyes.

"I want to see how far they'll go. If they're just rich idiots, or if their families have already degenerated to the point of no return."

Those words and tone greatly surprised Lakniba, for she was implying even more than what she was saying.

"Who're they?" she wondered.