The Dukeâs tone was as clear as glass and twice as cold.
The room that had spokenâRoom Nineâimmediately fell silent.
A single verbal slap from a Duke was enough to shut down even the most arrogant noble houses.
A slow, almost smug grin played at the edge of Arianneâs lips. "Fatherâs had enough of the posturing."
Michael sat back, nodding slowly. "Canât blame him."
And yet, inwardly, Michael sighed.
Even the Duke was bidding now.
"Two million, one hundred," called Room Three again.
Then Room Five.
"Two-two."
"Two-three."
"Two million, five hundred thousand," came the thunderous bid from Room Fifteen.
The hall shookânot literally, but the weight of the number struck every listener like a hammer.
Some nobles gasped.
Others fell silent, their expressions stiff.
Michael simply exhaled.
âYeah... Iâm definitely not in the right tax bracket for this one.â
He glanced at the crystal embedded in his seat. Not even worth considering.
"I swear," he muttered to himself, "this place wasnât built for a poor man like me."
Arianne laughed softly beside him.
"Youâve done more than enough tonight. If you bought that scroll too, people would riot."
Michael offered a dry chuckle, but his mind was already racing through the conversion.
Two million, five hundred thousand gold coins.
That was... over 250 million silver coins.
Or in Aurora terms...
250 million dollars.
For a one-time use item.
Sure, it was powerful..
But still.
And the scroll?
It hadnât even been sold yet.
"Do I hear two million, six hundred?" the auctioneer asked.
Silence.
No one answered.
The weight of Room Fifteenâs bid had cracked the spirit of every other contender.
"Going once... going twice..."
"Three million."
The voice wasnât Duke Evermoonâs.
It came from Room Three.
The air changed again. Even the auctioneer flinched slightly, not expecting the sudden surge.
Before the silence could settleâ
"Three point four," came the calm call from Room One.
"Three point six," Room Five snapped next, unwilling to let go.
Thenâ
"Four million," Room Fifteen.
It was the Duke again.
"Four point five million gold coins," Room Three fired off.
The auctioneer looked ready to drop the gavel.
He glanced toward Room Fifteen, waiting... nothing came.
He waited five long secondsâcounted them carefully with flicks of his fingers.
Then the gavel fell.
Bang!
"SOLD! For four million, five hundred thousand gold coinsâto Room Three!"
A roar erupted across the auction house.
Some gasped, others cheered. But most? They stared in stunned silence, unable to fully process what had just happened.
A single-use item. A scroll.
Sold for 450 million silver coins.
Michael exhaled slowly, as if releasing the last lingering hope of ever affording something like that.
He leaned back in his seat, watching the glowing crystal not far from his hand reach. It hadnât even flickered once during the entire bidding war.
"I wasnât even a participant," he murmured.
"Good," Arianne said lightly. "If youâd even tried to bid, I mightâve elbowed you unconscious."
Michael chuckled softly. "For my own good, I assume?"
"For your financial survival I presume," she corrected.
"Haha."
Michaelâs gaze returned to the auction floor, where the attendants were clearing the pedestal. They did so with reverent care, as if handling a divine relic.
He found his fingers twitching.
Whoever Room Three was, they now possessed a weapon of mass destruction.
However, Michael figured that for something like this to appear and for other competitors to be calm, it meant it was something others had.
He figured this trade just meant one more trump card.
The waters of this world was indeed quite deep.
Michaelâs thoughts turned practical.
"4.5 million gold coins..."
He did the math in his head.
That was 450 million silver.
And in dollar terms?
Auroraâs conversion rate was roughly one silver coin to one dollar.
So, yes. $450 million.
Gone in seconds.
The kind of number that should belong in international trade agreements or black budget military projects.
He let out a low whistle. "And I thought I spent big."
Arianne raised a brow. "You did spend big. Just not this-crushing big."
"Fair point."
This auction wasnât even over yet.
The lights dimmed again.
The auctioneer stepped forward.
Michaelâs brows lifted slightly.
Arianne straightened.
If the ninth item was a great-tier scroll... what in the hell could possibly be worth more?
They were about to find out.
The auctioneer let the anticipation hang for a breath longer, before raising his hand.
"And now," he began, voice calm but resonant, "for our tenth and final item of the night."
An attendant rolled out a golden stand. On it sat a single object covered by a glimmering silk cloth.
The audience leaned forward in silence.
"In this world, there are many powerful items, forged artifacts, relics of magic and might. But the rarest of all," the auctioneer continued, pacing slowly along the edge of the stage, "are those untouched by man."
He stopped beside the stand.
"Natural treasures."
A wave of understanding swept through the room.
The cloth was pulled away.
A large fruit was revealedâits surface pulsing faintly with vitality, glowing softly from within. Its skin shimmered with a spectrum of light, like sunlight trapped inside.
"Miracle fruits," the auctioneer said. "Born in places saturated by elemental energy or nourished by the worldâs spirit veins, and protected by nature itself."
"Some miracle fruits purify the marrow and blood, allowing a mortal to step into the path of a cultivator. Some heal grievous wounds that even peak-tier elixirs cannot mend. And someâsome grant what the heavens rarely allow."
He paused, savoring the silence.
Then he spoke.
"This... is the Longevity Fruit."
The words dropped like thunder.
Michaelâs eyes narrowed.
He had some experience with miracle fruits.
Take the Soul Magic Fruit, for example.
Not only had it significantly increased his mana, but it was also the reason heâd gained a deeper connection to his soul. It had also allowed him to perceive the very appearance of his talentâsomething he figured shouldnât be possible with his rank yet.