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“Did… did I hear one hundred thousand gold?”
The number was met with a commotion from the audience. Everyone’s eyes were drawn inexorably to one point, and the crowd split apart in unison to reveal an individual, about 160cm, standing firmly in the center of it all.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
“I said, one hundred thousand gold.”
“...!” The auctioneer's mouth dropped open in shock.
“Is it insufficient?”
“N-no, it’s just that—”
He stared at the small-robed person suspiciously, but the bidder’s face was hidden deep inside the hood.
The bid had increased from twenty thousand to one hundred thousand gold so rapidly that the auctioneer couldn't believe it. This was a sum that could easily be used to purchase a mid-sized merchant group, so how could he maintain his composure? The auctioneer felt the need to be cautious and meticulously scrutinized the bidder.
“Please tell me your name,” he asked carefully.
“....” The individual stared at him for a moment before reaching inside the robe.
“...?”
He looked in confusion at the small leather pouch that was produced.
“I don’t believe you’re asking for my name because you really want to know.”
“That’s…”
“I believe that money is status here?” The individual glanced at the pouch as they spoke. “This is a subspace pouch. It contains precisely one thousand coins, each worth one hundred gold.”
“...!” The auctioneer's eyes widened greedily.
‘What a goldmine!’
There was no reason for the individual to be lying when they would be caught the moment the artifact’s authenticity was checked. And once it was confirmed, there was no reason to bother opening it up to check the contents since the pouch itself was a representation of wealth.
“You may check it out for yourself. There isn't any warding magic on it.”
“Ah, there’s no need for that.”
Having swiftly completed his calculations, the auctioneer shook his head. He didn’t forget to quickly scan the crowd with a trained eye as he shook his head.
“Are there any bids greater than one hundred thousand gold?”
“....”
As he expected, there was only silence.
The robed figure spoke pleasantly, “Let’s stop dragging things out.”
“B-but we must adhere to procedures…”
“At a time like this, do you really think there’s another who has the ability to pay such a large sum of money in full?”
The robed figure’s assertion instantly shut the auctioneer’s mouth.
“I should also point out that it’s not a sword but a spear that I’m willing to buy for this price. If it’s the ‘Iron Empress’ of the Astro Merchant Group, then maybe it would be more understandable…”
The auctioneer flinched so hard it was visible.
That was the problem. If it were a sword, the value would rise tenfold; no, he could expect to get more than that. Of course, he also wouldn’t have to go through a cumbersome auction like this since the prestigious families would somehow hear about it without the Astro Merchant Group having to advertise it like this.
‘But it’s different with a spear. Damn, greed really is never-ending. It’s a hundred thousand gold, but it still seems like a shame to sell it for this price.’
The auctioneer smacked his lips in pity.
Even the nobles of large estates overflowing with gold would hesitate to spend one hundred thousand gold. Hertonia’s work may be renowned and expensive, but there were very few people who would be willing to spend a large sum of money on something that was no better than decoration.
‘Most people on the continent now acknowledge the spear’s superiority as a weapon, but they also know that it is a long and awkward weapon that is hard to handle. That’s the problem.’
For the infantry or commoners, it was their dream weapon, but knights, who aimed for much more, did not think the same.
Currently, there was only one person who could maximize the potential of the spear: the Hero King, who had vanished.
“W-well then, I’ll assume there are no more bids…” The auctioneer’s voice rang through the silence. “The renowned spear of Hertonia is sold for one hundred thousand gold!”
“WAHHHHH!”
Erhaim Square was filled with cheers from the audience.
***
Two individuals wearing robes walked through a rather dark alleyway far from the square. Their faces were covered by their hoods. The short one walked next to the taller individual, about 190cm, who was carrying a pure white spear that was double their height.
They suddenly stopped.
“...We’re being followed.”
“I know.” The smaller figure nodded, unsurprised
“How long are you planning on following us?”
“Until the day your heart finally turns to me?”
“...!”
The smaller figure’s eyes widened at the cringy sentence.
“This voice…”
“Did you get so preoccupied with the spear that you forgot your promise to me?”
“...Then you should have acted better toward me.”
The smaller figure’s lips, just visible from under the hood, curved into a smile. Perfect white teeth gleamed in the darkness from between the lush lips.
“It’s been a while, Sir Cain.”
The smaller figure removed her hood, revealing her face that was framed by shoulder-length light blue hair that shone like the sky. Her eyes glimmered with dazzling reliance, and in the past three years, she had gotten more beautiful as she matured.
Icarus smiled at the person next to Cain as she spoke, “How are you, Sir Christian?”
“I’m well, thank you.” Christian gave Icarus a small smile in response.
“Are you looking at someone else when I, your boyfriend, am right in front of you?”
“Boyfriend? Who’s my boyfriend?”
“I’m talking about me, of course,” Cain proclaimed.
“You’re still the same, Sir Cain. Aren’t you tired of it?”
“That’s just part of my charm.”
“I don’t like clingy guys.”
“What a pity. You’re so smart, and yet, you can’t see what a fine man I am…” Cain trailed off as his eyes looked down. “It seems like you’ve stayed the same, Icarus.”
“Where are you looking?” Icarus screamed furiously.
“Look at the ice treats lady over there; why are you developing every else but there? Or wait. Are you really a lady-like guy?”
“Keep talking, and I’ll take that part you’re not using.”
Cain flinched and stepped back, his body unconsciously shrinking away from Icarus.
“How are you able to speak such cruel words so nonchalantly?”
“Haven’t I told you that men who are reserved, trustworthy, and dependable are the ones who are popular?”
“Like?” Cain questioned.
“Like… our master…”
Cain and Icarus became silent simultaneously.
Cain spoke again after a brief moment of pause.
“...So, I wonder what our strategist—who should be very busy with state affairs—is doing all the way here in Erhaim…no, Reinhardt? I doubt you’re here just to gather information…”
Cain cast a quick glance at the spear the robed figure next to Icarus was holding.
“...I received a message...”
“What?”
“Saying that they think they found out our master’s last whereabouts.”
Even Christian, whose face had remained perfectly emotionless so far, widened his eyes at that.
“Is that true?”
“First…”
“Who!” Cain rushed up to Icarus' face in a frenzy.
“I don’t know the specifics either.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I told you, I just got a message.”
“If it’s a message…” Christian seemed to know something. “It must be the Moon Gate. Did she send you a message?”
Icarus nodded in response.
“I came here to verify that. There is a possibility that someone could intercept messages if I used a crystal ball.”
“Then that means…”
“Since the situation is stabilizing, we now have some breathing room. As expected, the evasive Moon Gate’s headquarters was actually still here…”
All of a sudden, Cain and Christian, and even the robed figure standing in the shadow, still holding the spear, trembled.
“Let’s talk about this later,” the robed individual’s low voice suddenly spoke.
“Huh? What do you…?” Icarus looked at them in confusion as she asked.
“At least a thousand?”
“I don’t think the number is the issue here.”
“Should we run?”
“Where to?”
Cain frowned at Christian’s question. He looked to the side to speak to Icarus.
“You idiot. This is why I always told you to be careful. Of course, you’d become a target in this harsh world once people discovered that you’re carrying that much money with just the two of you.”
“...Are we being followed?”
When Cain quietly clicked his tongue, Icarus instantly grasped the situation.
He closed his eyes and deeply focused for a moment. His expression hardened as she changed his attitude.
“...Sorry, I apologize.”
“...?”
“It’s not you. They’re after us.”
“That’s not good,” Christian muttered in response to Cain’s words. “The Ice Emperor is here…”
“Can you handle him?”
“Sir Cain, are you confident you can handle him?”
Cain erupted into laughter when Christian answered his question with a question.
“We’ve waited for so long; you think we’re going to get caught like this?”
“The opponent is one of the Nine Stars.”
“That’s just hearsay.” Cain grinned as he drew an inky black greatsword as tall as he was. “He’s never fought against me, has he?”
“That’s true,” a new voice spoke.
“...!”
The quartet’s eyes flew open. The voice was clearly audible and seemed to come from right next to them.
Cain’s focus quickly shifted to the opposite end of the alley.
A man with a palpable presence stood there, his silhouette against the light
“I like that confidence of yours. It is indeed true that you have to experience something to get the measure of it.”
“The Ice Emperor, Duke Eima!” Cain shouted
“After the death of the Dark God, I was able to obtain the lowest rank, but…”
Step, step, step
“I’m still a different class from you.”
“....”
“Twin Lions, no, Solo Knight Cain and Blessed Knight Christian.”
“...!”
“Hehehe. I expected you to be here, but with two Superhumans here, His Majesty’s worries will be reduced…”
Duke Eima approached them and smiled.
“Let me ask you a question.”
Step.
“Your master.”
Step.
“The one who everyone praises as the Hero King.”
The duke stopped in front of them.
“The one who escaped the attack of three Stars, which not even the Dark God could escape…”
“....”
“Where is Joshua Sanders?”
Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.