Auction (2)

Upon arrival at the auction in the city of Arkre, Elodie relishes the rare freedom she experiences outside of Constel, where her fame usually attracts constant attention—a notion she has grown weary of.

"Confirmed. Revet de Rishae, Elodie de Rishae. Please, this way."

"Ah, my sister is Elodie de 'Inies' Rishae, to be precise. Please correct the—"

"Brother, let's just go in."

Elodie nudges Revet forward and they enter the auction hall, which is bustling with a significant crowd. Revet's anticipation of an extraordinary item seems to be well-founded.

The interior of the auction hall resembles a movie theater, with seating that curves slightly and spreads out wide, facing the stage where the auctioneer and items will be presented.

"Aren't you nervous, Elodie?"

"Nervous? We're not children. And it's not my first time at an auction."

"But it's been a very long time."

Revet had a point.

In fact, this was Elodie's second time at an auction. The first time, she vaguely remembers holding her father's hand as they attended. They had purchased a 'WizardGram' then, which she ended up giving to Frondier.

"…What is that guy doing here?"

Suddenly, Revet spoke through gritted teeth, his face turning feral.

There was only one person who could elicit such a reaction from him, as far as Elodie knew.

"…Frondier?"

A few seats ahead on the left, there sat Frondier, unmistakable with his jet-black hair and languid expression, looking as if he might fall asleep any moment.

"What is he doing here…"

"Brother, it's just an auction house. If you book in advance, anyone can come."

"…Right."

Elodie was calming Revet down while also finding herself puzzled.

Frondier at the auction house? Looking around, it seemed he had come alone, without anyone from his family. Meaning, he wasn't here on behalf of the Enfer or Azier.

But without his family by his side, Frondier would be penniless.

"Be careful, Elodie. The head of the household might have just given him some money to experience this. To gain some experience, you know."

"Experience?"

"Yes. Nobles, whether they like it or not, often encounter high-value transactions. An auction house is a place where the value of items constantly changes. It's a good place to learn how fickle the flow of money can be."

Revet's words made some sense.

If Frondier were a typical noble's child, that is.

But Frondier is Frondier. An outsider of the Enfer family, who hasn't spoken a word to anyone in the past five years.

Would they suddenly give him a social experience?

"And usually, they are given a specific errand."

"Errand?"

"To buy a designated item. In this case, it's 'Viper Steel'. Whether it's for Lord Enfer or Azier, Viper Steel is a very important metal for a warrior."

"…So, he's my rival at the auction?"

"Yes. An enemy."

I asked about a rival, but why did he affirm it and then change it to an enemy?

I wanted to argue about that, but the start of the auction was quicker than Elodie's retort.

"Ladies and gentlemen present here, I, the host 'Gilles Brosau', greet you on behalf of the committee."

The host came onto the stage and announced the start of the auction with familiar phrases.

While the host was talking about the season, the weather, and how much trouble everyone had gone through to get here, Elodie asked in a lowered voice.

"So, when is it? The Viper Steel?"

"It's the last item. The most valuable of all items today."

Revet handed her a pamphlet with the auction list.

When did he get this? Elodie carefully scanned through the list of items.

……Seeing this, there seem to be many interesting items. Elodie, having neither the eye nor the knowledge for it, couldn't tell how much any of this should cost.

The auction officially began, and items started to be presented one after another.

With each item that came out, Elodie alternated between looking at the pamphlet's pictures and the actual items in front of her. Revet watched her do this, smiling.

"……The items look good."

"The auction house starts with items of higher value. It's thought to elevate the level of the auction. Then, as it goes on, items of lower value or with some defects also start appearing, and their prices can suddenly jump up."

Indeed.

It's said that auctions are the fairest way to determine the price of items when people are thinking rationally, but it turns out that it's not easy for people to think rationally.

Elodie glanced at Frondier for a moment. Frondier hadn't budged an inch while the items were being presented. He must be waiting for Viper Steel.

And as the auction moved beyond its early stages, just as Revet had said, the more mundane items began to appear.

It was unclear whether they were of high value or not, but unique or peculiar items started to show up. Truly, things that sparked curiosity.

The next item was one of these.

"Now, the next item is the 'cursed cloth.'"

As the presenter said, the item that appeared in the center was an ordinary blue cloth.

At a glance, there was nothing artistically remarkable about it. Its material was unclear, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.

However, its designation set it apart from the items that had come before.

"This blue cloth once passed through the hands of a certain lady. She decided to cut it up and use it as a handkerchief. After cutting it to a suitable size, she placed it in her pocket to use whenever needed. But then, a few days later! The handkerchief that should have been in her pocket had mysteriously disappeared."

The presenter led the story with a playful expression and tone of voice.

Hmm, Elodie listened to the story with keen interest.