Chapter 132: Auction

Julius looked over at Lily and gave her a soft poke to get her attention. “What does she mean? What kind of effects does having metal affinity properties mean for the core?”

Lily looked at Julius with an understanding grin. “My best guess, is that ice elemental somehow consumed a natural treasure of the metal-attribute variety. This would make it possible for the elemental to develop certain skills and abilities that would influence its core. Normally ice cores are used for cold enchantments and sometimes even stability or other structural enchantments. However, if what she is saying is true, then one could expect a talented enchanter to be able to use this particular core for stability enchantments to a higher degree than what the Tier should indicate.”

“Why wouldn’t they just use a Tier 5 ice core then? Wouldn’t that just be an easier solution instead of finding such a rare core?” Julius pointed out.

Lily nodded. “You are kind of correct, but you also have to consider the fact that if one were to use a Tier 5 core, the energy requirements to fuel the enchantment would be prohibitively more expensive.”

“So if someone were to create something with this core, they could create something that has the strength and resilience of a Tier 5 item without the cost?” Julius asked.

“Not exactly, you won’t be able to perfectly replicate a Tier 5s power, but it does get awfully close,” Lily corrected him.

“Probably some rich noble will get it for their kid or someone they care about,” Aubrey said in disappointment.

Kyle shook his head from his spot and made a sound of disgust. “What a waste of a unique core. Imagine the research potential that would be just thrown away.”

Lily must have seen Julius’s look of confusion. “Some noble will use the core to create a weapon or life-saving item for someone. And since it is only a Tier 4 core, a Tier 3 should be able to at least activate under the right conditions. However, the power of the item would have enough to injure a Tier 4 and maybe even a Tier 5 if they’re unlucky.”

“That sounds pretty nice,” Julius said more to himself than anyone else.

“Yeah, nice if you are a coward you can’t fight for yourself,” Aubrey muttered.

Julius nodded his head at her. “Yeah, but what if a craftsman who isn’t specialized in combat gets attacked? It might save their life from someone. I don’t expect someone who spends most of their day crafting to be able to handle themselves like us.”

Aubrey frowned at that. “I doubt it will go to a craftsman. Most likely, it will go to a spoiled noble’s brat.”

Julius just shrugged his shoulders at her. I can’t deny that. Odds are pretty high that it will go to some rich noble’s son, after all, Julius thought to himself.

He took a look at the stage where the price of the core had already exceeded several dozen platinum at this point, quickly exceeding the low price of its initial bidding price.

In the end, it was sold for almost a hundred platinum. Julius laughed to himself. The first item had already sold for more than he had in the entire storage ring that he had gotten from Geoffrey.

He had at most a few dozen platinum in his ring all put together. He had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t be buying anything from here tonight.

Many items went and passed over the course of the auction. Julius saw some amazing things being sold off for extraordinary prices. One thing that caught his eye was an unhatched egg from a Tier 4 Infernal Drake. A species that is well known for its possibility for evolving into a dragon at Tier 5 if they ever reached that point.

That one sold for well over three hundred platinum.

Luckily, the auction made the bids completely anonymous, so whoever bought it wouldn’t have to worry about someone stealing it later on. All bids were made from a device that each person was given when they entered the auction.

The only ones who bought anything were Kyle and Aubrey. Kyle ended up spotting an elegant engraving tool. It looked like a black and gold fountain pen, costing Kyle a pricey fifty-three platinum.

Aubrey had her eyes on a rare gemstone. It was a Tier 3 Blood Crystal and according to her, could enhance her physical strength if she used it. Fortunately for her, not many people could use it and she ended up getting such an item for a mere thirty-two platinum, a very good bargain according to her.

The others didn’t feel interested in buying anything, most of them, specifically Edgar were content snacking on the buffet they were offered and talking about interesting items that popped up.

It wasn’t until the most recent item came up that Julius paid really close attention. The rest of the audience didn’t seem to pay it that much mind, it was nothing that spectacular by the auction’s standards.

But to Julius, it was something that was very intriguing to him. The item was a Tier 3 life-attributed treasure called a Sylvan Petal. It was grown in some of the most dense life-attributed environments. Many of its uses were alchemy-related and could produce some amazing items for healing as well as many other life affinity products.

This so far was the only thing that Julius might be buying the entire night. If he could get it for under twenty platinum he would buy it. Who knew, maybe Drasil could find a use for it. He really liked the life-affinity troll core, maybe consuming a potion from this Sylvan Petal would help him.

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The pretty lady with pink hair on stage began the process without delay. “Okay, the starting bid is one platinum is there-” Julius watched as the lady for the first time seems taken out of her rhythm.

She quickly got herself back together. “Sorry, that was fast. We already have a current bid of a hundred platinum. Are there any takers for one hundred and one platinum?”

A hundred platinum? Right off the bat? He heard the crowd murmur through the glass pane of their room. There hadn’t been such an extreme initial bid all night and it took many people by surprise.

The hundred platinum must have been too much for anyone else interested or maybe they were scared off by the fast overpriced bid. Whoever it was, clearly wanted it and while the bidding was anonymous, maybe they didn’t want to take the chance of offending someone with such wealth. The person who offered such a large sum won within moments of the item being introduced. It was the fastest-sold item of the entire night by a long shot.

Julius on the other hand was disappointed. He had been excited to enter his bid and participate in the auction. He didn’t think he would win with his low budget but he wanted to experience it and have some fun. He had his own device sitting in his own hands, eagerly awaiting his turn. Now he just felt sad. He didn’t even get to bid a single amount.

He was so caught up in his self-pity, that he didn’t even notice that the other four were looking at each other with weird looks.