“My lady wishes to meet with you.”
Lawrence glances momentarily toward a certain person in the distance and then nods, she courteously leads the way. “Please, follow me.”
He can feel the gazes directed at him, but above all, he is surprised by one gaze in particular. That of the fox-woman, Eminent Greed. The first time he met her, she did not look him in the eyes until he sat at her table, today everything is different.
Once he sits in front of her, he can feel mana flowing around him. He wasn’t able to feel it before, but now he knows that from this moment forward their words will be restricted, no one will be able to hear them.
“Lawrence, how have you been?”
He cannot help but feel puzzled by this start to the conversation, she is the leader of a faction, to ask such a casual question is truly unusual. Even so, Lawrence coordinates and engages in a small, meaningless conversation with this woman, until Eminent Greed’s gaze changes.
“My business is selling magic artifacts, one of the most challenging in the industry. Many of the artifacts we trade come from third parties, I have a network of informants who specialize in finding owners whose magic artifacts exceed their control and by which they will lose their life if they do not dispose of them as soon as possible.”
She smiles and looks toward the balcony, the auction still continues. “You wouldn’t believe the number of fortuitous events that happen in the Heavenly Path Kingdom, I am constantly amazed by the vast amount of magic artifacts that exist... And the trivial sum for which they are willing to dispose of these.”
Eminent Greed explains her business superficially, words that give Lawrence a clear idea of how this woman has earned her position in the auction house.
When she realizes it...
“I need your refiner, Lawrence, my researchers must create a magic artifact that requires a pure body, free from any impurities.”
Business begins.
“I know that in your hands you possess a pill recipe of such characteristics, I need your refiner to make at least ten of these pills. I can provide the materials and am willing to listen to any of your requests, money is not a problem.”
This business is very beneficial for both parties, so much so that it hits Lawrence like a bucket of cold water. He needs time, time to think.
Just as it took him a while to accept the request of that lion man, he has yet to determine the intentions of this fox girl, what is her intention in approaching him? Not only that, does she casually mention that she investigated him and he should not be angry? Because it is precisely this that brought him back to his senses, why was this woman investigating him?
It’s a pleasant coincidence that she discovered the pill, but there must have been a reason why she had been investigating him beforehand!
Lawrence stops to think for a few seconds and then says: “Your researchers constantly need to enter a special condition to create magic artifacts, why my refiner?”
What happened to your previous refiner? Eminent Greed can easily read his intention and yet she is not at all agitated.
“A small percentage of impurities in the medicinal pill can mean the difference between success and failure, while the intermediary of the refiner Bearer of Light conveniently stands before me. What would you have done in my place?”
Indirectly this woman is telling him that he is overthinking it, but if doing business with Eminent Greed were so beneficial, the item owners would not have such a contradictory opinion of her. Not to mention that Lawrence already had certain doubts about this woman.
“I will convey your words to my refiner.”
She nods with a smile, “I'll be waiting for the good news.”
Lawrence has no time to establish a conversation for goodbye, when a few minutes later three medicinal pills are brought up on stage, his fertility pills.
If someone is to blame, it is none other than himself. He spent too much time selling those 7 pills and now he must remain at the same table with Eminent Greed until the end of its auction, otherwise, he would make the others understand that she is bad company.
The only lifeline at the moment is her, as long as she asks him to withdraw he must obey… But such a thing does not happen.
“Before you, the acclaimed fertility pill. Suitable for hunters level 800, and level 900 if you are willing to use an elixir!”
The gazes intensify on Lawrence and many item owners raise their glasses toward him, he in return smiles cordially as a response.
Lawrence turns his attention to the platform and sighs, ‘Sky Petal managed to perfect the formula of the elixir, she could merge it with the fertility pill to increase its efficacy to level 875, but… Hah.’
They are in the capital, where every dog and cat exceeds level 650. There are no few hunters who have in their possession or know someone who possesses an elixir that enhances up to 100 levels its effectiveness. Merging the fertility pill with an inferior elixir would only decrease its value.
“The bids start at three million gold!”
“3.5 million gold…!”
“3.8 million gold…!”
The auctioneer cheerfully states the amounts of the bidders and hides their identities behind their number, slowly characters under the number 100 begin to appear.
While this happens, Eminent Greed looks at Lawrence. “It’s a pill with infinite possibilities that you have there. On the outside it may help those who have not managed to conceive, but this world is not free from deceit and trickery.”
Because to conceive, one does not need to consummate the act. Love is secondary.
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Lawrence is aware of this, but the purpose that its owner will give it is not important. There are so many schemes happening at this moment, that if he worried about each of them, he would fail as a human being.
“Sold for 8.2 million gold to number 57!”
“But do not be discouraged, now begins the auction of the second fertility pill!”
Lawrence forgets to breathe knowing that his pill sells for more than eight million gold and not just by anyone, but by a number above 50! What does this mean? If the first time his pill appeared unexpectedly, the second time might be a possibility, but not so the third time.
Since it was certain that his pill would appear on a third occasion, the real interested parties came in droves. It is because of this that a number above 50, numbers that change constantly, won the winning bid.
But it is also possible to deduce something else about it.
The fertility pill has reached its highest value, from this auction his pills will be sold between 7 to 8 million gold. He will not see a better value than that.
“Sold for 7.8 million gold to number 74!”
The auction of his three pills ends at 23.4 million gold. If the 30% of the house is discounted, Lawrence obtains as a result 16.38 million gold from the auction. It is because of this type of situations that the item owners conduct business behind the scenes, that 30% is really harmful to the seller.
Lawrence is determined to leave this table and raises the last topic of conversation with which to say goodbye to Eminent Greed. It may be the last, but not the least brief. A few minutes pass before the atmosphere is set and he was about to mention those words…
“The next item belongs to one of the most requested categories in the world, so sought after and longed for by many, but only a few are its owners.”
But someone does not want him to move away from her so soon. The item on the platform, is a magic artifact that Lawrence must acquire at all costs.
“A magic artifact that generates mana!”
To the clamor of the public, the auctioneer smiles cheerfully. “This magic artifact, with the appearance of a royal cup, generates mana in liquid state. Once the cup is filled, every drop spilled releases an immense amount of mana. A single drop is enough to replenish the mana of ten hunters of level 700! And it does so daily!”
Medicine can become poison in the right measure and mana is no different, a drop may have such a wonderful effect, but its consumption is harmful. Such a magic artifact has only one purpose, to concentrate the mana in a wide territory.
“Without further ado, the bids start at five million gold!”
“5.5 million gold…!”
“5.9 million gold…!”
Lawrence holds his number and plans to use it to intimidate the troublemakers who only bid to pretend, but in the process increase its final price. His number may be 40, but more than one will back down.
“6.5 million gold, number 40!”
His move attracts the attention of the item owners in this room, but it is Eminent Greed the only one capable of asking him.
“Are you interested?”
Lawrence does not hide his intention, “Yes, there is something I plan to do with it.”
He is not afraid to refer to himself as the mastermind, simply because he is an intermediary. Others will always doubt whether it is his intention or that of his refiner.
Eminent Greed falls silent for a few seconds and then says: “Do you forget what I do, Lawrence?”
He quickly understands her meaning, but before he can respond, she continues speaking. “I have some of them that might interest you, depending on your needs, you can find the magic artifact that fits what you are looking for without having to depend on an auction. Instead of describing them to you, why don’t you come see them in person? We can use that occasion to continue with our previous business.”
He makes an uncomfortable smile, because...
“It’s not just one that I need.”
From her words, it can be deduced that the magic artifacts she possesses have different methods to achieve the same result, but not all of them will behave the same way in his personal dimension. His territory is so vast that he needs more, much more.
He can’t lose this auction just by assumption.
“I see, then…”
She touches her number and, before Lawrence could stop her, she makes a bid.
“7.5 million gold, number 13!”
In that moment there is an overwhelming silence, after the bid by Eminent Greed, no one dares to bid for fear of offending her!
Only Lawrence is different.
“8 million gold, number 40!”
“Thank you for allowing me to obtain this item at a lower value, I will remember this favor.”
Lawrence changes black for white and makes everyone understand that this is just a strategy by Eminent Greed so that he owes her a favor, but the truth is that she had a very different scenario in her head and that Lawrence has just ruined.
He raises his head and discreetly looks her in the eyes, but contrary to expectations, she does not look angry at all. In fact, it is possible to see a hint of joy in her eyes.
While Lawrence lives an uncomfortable situation at that table, on the stage the auctioneer begins to sweat drops as he sees that the article expected to sell for at least 25 million gold, has stopped at 8 million gold.
“Sold to number 40 for eight million gold! Congratulations on this acquisition!”
But the auction must continue, events like these can happen. If someone must regret something, it is the owner of this article for having bad luck.
