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Chapter 105: Big Auction -2 || Harem in a Labyrinth
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 21:10:21 +0000 UTCI arrived at a vacant spot where the papyrus was pasted, with Anastasia by my side.
It was written in Brahim, and thanks to the Advanced Language reward I got from my Villager level-up, I could now read and understand it fluently.
The list was written rather crudely. It contained numbers, the names of the slaves to be presented, and the names of the respective slave merchants. The papyrus itself was long, and the handwriting was messy, so I had to go through it carefully, trailing my finger along the lines.
In the end, I counted eleven exhibits that I was interested in. Thankfully, none of them were lined up back-to-back. I even pointed them out to Anastasia, so she would know whom to look out for.
"It looks like the Wizard really is at the end. That's good for us—many people will be saving their money for the main attraction and won't bid as aggressively on the others," Anastasia murmured, eyes scanning the list with laser focus.
I smiled, knowing full well that, even if they claimed the order was randomized, there was no way the Wizard wasn't deliberately placed at the end as the star of the show.
"All right, Master. I have memorized the list," Anastasia said, withdrawing her hand.
"Really?" I ask in surprise. As all I could manage was a general grasp of the lineup. At times like this, I really missed my phone camera—a single pic would have made things so much easier.
"As a merchant, I have had to memorize much longer and more complex lists. This one's nothing, Master," she replied with a confident smirk.
"That's very impressive," I said, charmed by her confidence. Ever since I had told her that I intended to buy her old servants, her whole demeanour had grown lighter, more cheerful. "All right then, let's find a place to sit."
"Let's sit all the way at the back," I suggested, noticing how most people were trying to grab seats as close to the stage as possible.
"Sure," Anastasia nodded.
We took seats in the left middle column, right at the very back. She sat on the inside, while I took the aisle seat. The seats were made of polished wood and weren't too uncomfortable to sit on.
Looking at all the people sitting eagerly in the front rows made me think back to my college days. Even then, my friends and I always picked the back rows—far from the professor's eyes. Mostly so we could chat, play games, or sneak snacks during the lectures. I chuckled at the memory and shook my head, causing Anastasia to glance at me curiously.
I couldn't really blame the others for choosing the front. They wanted a better view—understandable, since there were no projectors here for people with poor eyesight.
But I had my own reasons to seat at the back.
Thanks to my Appraisal skill, I didn't need to be close to gather intel. Just one sweep of my eyes from the back row, and I could assess everyone in the hall. That's why this was the best spot to maximize my information-gathering advantage.
"There are a lot of people in full black cloaks, hiding their identities," I commented, watching the growing crowd below.
"Yes, many participants prefer to stay anonymous. It's common for Nobles or other high-profile individuals—famous or infamous—to attend in disguise, covering their faces with hoods," Anastasia explained.
Well, their cloaks couldn't hide them from my Appraisal skill.
Though I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that I hadn't spotted any Nobles in disguise. Maybe they were too used to sending lackeys in their stead. I couldn't even find any new or unique Jobs among the crowd.
"Did you recognize anyone today? Maybe an old merchant acquaintance?" I asked, taking Anastasia's smooth, fair hand in mine.
"Ahm, no, Master," she replied with a faint blush. "The Alfa Merchant Group mostly handled transporting goods from other regions to the Imperial Capital in caravans. They also had their own stores there, so I rarely met merchants from outside the city."
"Hmm. What about that Slave Merchant who was with Yasaka and Kunou?" I ask while absentmindedly playing with her soft, delicate fingers as I listened to her sweet voice. Even our shoulders were touching, surely anyone glancing our way would probably assume that we were lovers.
"I have never seen him before. The Alfa group never traded slaves, at least not as far as I know. So they didn't have any Slave Merchants under them." She replied looking down at our hands, a small, content smile gracing her lips.
"What about the others from the group? Like Greg and his two brothers—are they here?" I ask narrowing my eyes.
"Greg, Darin, and Kel are probably still at each other's throats, trying to seize control of the group. They wouldn't waste time coming to a big auction like this—not when all their energy and coins are going into bribes and backroom deals to win over the rest of the merchants." Anastasia replied with a mocking sneer.
So those were their names. That is useful to know—I would be able to identify them with Appraisal if they ever showed up in front of me. And since I hadn't seen any duplicate names in this world so far, I didn't have to worry about confusing them with someone else.
"They won't be enjoying their peaceful lives for much longer," I muttered, tightening my grip around Anastasia's hand, our fingers entwined together.
"What do you mean, Master?" she asked, lifting her blue-green eyes to mine, curiosity dancing in them.
"Nothing important," I replied with a small grin, gently patting the back of her hand.
Not like I even have a concrete plan yet, just a vague outline in my head. But one way or another, I will make sure Anastasia's grievances were heard—and paid for.
"The auction will begin shortly. Please take your seats," Rosten, a Level 44 Merchant, announced from behind a wooden podium to the left of the stage. He was a middle-aged man, sporting a twirled moustache and expensive white robes that practically screamed wealth and status.
People still standing began finding their seats.
"Is he a famous merchant?" I ask, gesturing towards him.
"I have seen him before, presiding over other auctions. He is probably a high-ranking member in the Quratar Merchant Guild," Anastasia answers thoughtfully.
So even within the Merchant Guild there were ranks. Made sense.
Within a few minutes, most of the crowd had settled. The hall was nearly full—maybe almost 80%—though the back seats were still empty as were a couple of rows in front of us.
"Gentlemen, thank you very much for your visit today to the Quratar Merchant Guild. We will now begin the Big Auction sponsored by the Slave Merchant's Guild" Rosten said in a loud voice, his speech clear even from our distance.
Whether it was the acoustics of the auditorium or some bonus from his high Merchant level, I could hear every word with ease. His words made me wonder: Did the Slave Merchant Guild rent the venue from the Quratar Guild as their Sponsorship? Or was there a revenue-sharing deal in place?
"It's starting," I say with an excited smile, feeling a bit giddy. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Though, I admit—some of that excitement might have come from the slim waist I was holding.
"Yes, Master," Anastasia replies with a faint blush, subtly squirming in my arms.
I can't be blamed for this. Her waist looked so delicate, so perfectly shaped in that silk dress, it was practically begging to be held. I gently rub her side, enjoying the smooth glide of silk beneath my fingers. We were sitting quite close—her head resting lightly against my chest, and her left hand held gently in mine.
I had always imagined taking a girl out to a movie, sitting together like this, holding her body close. If this were a real theater, with the lights dimmed and the world outside shut out, I would probably be tempted to do far more wicked things with her.
But for now… This?
This was enough.
"Anastasia, as I told you before, you will be the one bidding in the auction," I inform her in a soft tone.
"Yes, Master. Leave it to me," she replies confidently, gripping my hand tightly.
I smile. Her confidence bringing me comfort. She has done this before, so at least she should be better at this than me, who has no such experience.
"Just remember, those eleven I showed you earlier—you can't miss a single one," I say, looking her in the eyes seriously.
"Understood, Master," she nods with equal seriousness.
"Good girl," I say, smiling.
"Master… if we want to win all eleven of them at the lowest prices, then—I have a plan," she says as she connects to me via the party link and begins outlining it.
"Oh, that's certainly clever. Looks like my Anastasia is quite the cunning one," I say with a happy chuckle, rubbing her slender waist.
"Thank you, Master," she replies, smiling brightly.
"As you all already know, the order of exhibition has been decided by a lottery conducted fairly and impartially. Now then, will the first exhibitor please come to the stage?" Rosten resumes, glancing around the now-settled hall and gesturing towards the side.
I chuckle at his emphasis on the word fair—makes it sound like they have got a guilty conscience.
From the side of the stage, two men enter. It's the Level 1 Dragon Knight and the Level 5 Slave Merchant I saw earlier. He was listed first, so I am not surprised.
"Nice to meet you all. Here's hoping for a fruitful auction for everyone," the Slave Merchant says, bowing politely.
"First exhibit: a 15-year-old male Dragon Knight from the Dragonkin tribe. The minimum bid is 100,000 nars. Now then, please begin," Rosten announces loudly.
100,000 nars—that's 10 gold. Probably the standard starting price for male slaves.
"200,000 nars!"
A merchant near the front raises his hand, immediately doubling the starting bid. Just as I am thinking that, another adventurer counters him.
"220,000 nars!"
'Master, a Dragon Knight's general market price is around 380,000 to 420,000 nars,' Anastasia informs me through the party link, her blue-green eyes intently focused on the auction ahead.
So what she said earlier about being somewhat knowledgeable about market prices was true. Even if she never actually traded slaves as a merchant, she clearly understands the value ranges. I guess that makes sense. Still, while I can understand a high price for a Dragon Warrior, that should only apply to someone strong.
This guy? He is basically a paper tiger—a Level 1 Dragon Warrior with no real experience. Without cheat-like boosts like mine, it will take him years to become even remotely useful on the higher floors of the labyrinth.
Honestly, I am starting to believe what Sherry said—these brokers really are a bunch of cheaters.
"230,000 nars!" "240,000 nars!" "260,000 nars!"
In the background, the auction was heating up rapidly. I could barely keep track of who was bidding what, constantly relying on Appraisal to identify the bidders. Most of the bids were increasing in increments of 10,000 nars—about 1 gold—and yet, Rosten, the auctioneer, remained completely calm, observing the chaos with practiced ease.
"300,000 nars!"
I was startled when the loud female voice came from right beside me. Anastasia had raised her hand and placed a bold bid, increasing the amount by 4 gold in one go. I hadn't realised her soft voice could become this penetrating. Is this really a buff from the Merchant job then?
Several heads turned to look our way. I quickly masked my surprise, leaning back casually with one hand playing with Anastasia's fingers and the other resting on her waist.
"310,000 nars!" "320,000 nars!"
The bidding though didn't stop for a second. Now, only four bidders remained—and one of them was the girl beside me, who calmly raised her hand again.
"350,000 nars!"
My palm in hers was getting sweaty, and my heart was pounding. It wasn't that I couldn't afford the price—I definitely could. I just didn't want to spend that much money on a freaking guy!
Still, I forced myself to stay composed, although I just saw one of the bidders backing down because of her aggressive bidding. Anastasia, on the other hand, looked completely calm, her eyes focused straight ahead without even a flicker of anxiety.
"360,000 nars!"
Thankfully, the merchant seated in the front row craned his head back to look at us—but still raised the bid decisively.
"370,000 nars!"
The adventurer from earlier jumped in again, raising it by one gold—the minimum bid increase, as far as I understood.
"380,000 nars!"
I watched the merchant grit his teeth as he said it, clearly nearing his limit.
"390,000 nars!"
The adventurer snapped, practically glaring at the merchant as he said the number.
The merchant hmphed in frustration and lowered his hand, finally giving up.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Because for a moment, I was worried that the lady beside me would raise her hand again.
'Just according to our plan, Master,' Anastasia's voice rang sweetly in my mind through our party link as she looked up at me with a soft smile.
