Episode 49. Tolois Auction House (2)
“Hello, number 6321.”
“I hope it progresses quickly.”
This time, the person in charge was also a man wearing a seal skin. However, his skin was unusually red. This meant that he was one of the most important people in the auction house.
The manager smiled. Moving quickly was the preferred method at the auction house.
“Okay. Then, before we check the requested item, could you tell me the deposit?”
“30 million reels.”
“… … !”
The one who was most surprised by Rubin’s answer was, of course, Kuze. You’re going to put in all the money for the disguised life?
“Oh.”
The examiner’s interest also seemed to have been piqued, as one corner of his mouth went up. He had thought it was a runny-nosed kid, but it seemed he had been mistaken.
“For your information, the deposit is an amount paid to the auction house regardless of whether the auction is successful or not.”
“I know. And the number of times you can advertise an auction item increases depending on the amount of your deposit.”
“… I guess this isn’t your first time here. Then you must also know that if the auction is successful, you have to pay a portion of the successful bidder’s transaction amount as a commission.”
Rubin nodded blandly.
The appraiser quickly examined Rubin and Kuze.
The Tolois Auction House has no concept of status. Nevertheless, those who are at the level of appraisers have accumulated experience.
The role of an appraiser is to determine the value of an auction item. Naturally, the ability to discern the value of an item is vital.
From the perspective of the appraiser’s discerning eye, the client sitting across from him was no different from the object. He was proud of having properly appraised various clients so far.
‘He looks like he’s a noble, but he’s only a third-class noble… And he burned 30 million as a deposit?’
Despite his arrogant personality, he served customers with a kind face.
“30 million lilks may not be considered expensive by our auction house standards, but it’s still a bit surprising. What kind of item is it…?”
Bam.
Rubin had already placed the ‘Meteorite’ on the desk.
The appraiser opened his eyes wide and began to examine the meteorite.
“This is… … .”
Kuze, who had been watching, gulped. It was a branch that only the master seemed to know its value. Could there really be something in it?
“This is… … .”
“… … .”
Speak. Speak! Kuze clenched his fists for no reason.
“…I don’t know what it is.”
Kuze, who was watching, let out a breath without realizing it. You don’t know what a Tolois appraiser is? If that’s true, then it means he’s literally worthless.
The appraiser picked up the meteorite and examined it from top to bottom.
“It just looks like a kind of tree branch. Is it perhaps an item with a story related to a famous person? If so, its value goes up.”
“That’s not it.”
The appraiser frowned, but quickly regained control of his expression.
“As you know, I am a junior appraiser. There are also appraisers who use magic at our Tolois Auction House. Would you like to undergo a higher level appraisal procedure?”
“That would cost more money.”
“That’s right. But if you’re sure of the value of the item, I recommend you take that step. It’s better for the client to have the value properly proven. And the higher the value of the item, the higher the starting bid.”
“That’s fine. I just need to be granted the rights that match my deposit.”
Rubin answered with a good-natured smile.
It would be difficult if a high-level appraiser got involved. He might reveal the value of the meteorite to his magical eyes. It would be tiring if flies got involved.
The only Paris Rubin wanted was T’s Kingven.
‘From now on, all we have to do is find Tish Kingven.’
At that moment, the appraiser stood up and pushed the chair away. It meant that since the client’s will was firm, the appraisal procedure would end like this.
“Okay, I understand. I am not responsible for any failure of the auction.”
This was a city of auction houses. Even if the bidder brought a stone from the street, it would be auctioned if they paid a fee.
The auction house only needs to collect the corresponding profits.
“Oh, and.”
Rubin stopped the examiner for a moment.
“… … ?”
“I would like to name the auction item. Please write it as ‘Hwaunseok.’”
“… A meteorite? Okay.”
The appraiser bowed his upper body politely. He was holding back a snicker. It was too grand for a name attached to a tree branch.
The appraiser dismissed it as a visit to the Tolois auction house by a young ignorant boy. Thinking that he must have been the spoiled son of a wealthy merchant family.
“…master.”
After the appraiser left.
Kuze’s face was stern. He couldn’t figure out what was going on. A deposit of 30 million rilcrans for an item that even the appraiser couldn’t recognize.
“Of course, we can ask our parents for additional support in case of emergency… … .”
Kuze was already assuming the worst case scenario. It was fortunate that he was a descendant of the main family, but if he had been from another branch family, it would have been impossible.
In reality, there were many children who were forced to live in poverty while living in hiding with the Roynens.
“Let’s go, Kuze. We need to go to the inn and get some rest.”
Whether or not, Rubin remained calm.
The two left the mountaintop and came back down to the shade area.
The awning area provided accommodations for the bidders. In contrast to the bidders’ accommodations, they were luxurious and independent.
It was arguably the most luxurious place in the city, after all, it was the clients’ items that made the auction house money.
“… … .”
Rubin lying on the bed in the inn. He told Kuze that he would rest, but he couldn’t rest comfortably when he had something important to do.
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He was lost in thought and made a plan.
‘First, we need to find Kingven. Where could he be? He should be around here at this time of year.’
Kingven, who was probably wandering the continent in search of meteorites by now, was confident that he could receive a huge reward through negotiations with him.
However, the biggest headache was making Kingven appear in front of us.
Since all the users’ identities were kept completely hidden, there was no guarantee that Kingven would be present at the auction house. Of course, he was free to reveal his identity, but even a fool would not do so.
So Rubin deliberately dropped the name ‘Firestone’. After all, it was none other than Kingven who named it Firestone.
Rubin recalled a passage from T.S. Kingven’s biography:
-… The name Hwaunseok is something I have kept in my mind since before I discovered Hwaunseok. I don’t know if I saw it in a dream or if I read it by chance in a corner of an old, worn-out book, but in any case, it is a name I have kept in my head for a very long time. I thought that if I ever discovered Hwaunseok, I would definitely give it this name… … .
-… What does that mean? Is that guy called Tiss Kingven a weirdo?
Rubin just laughed. Whether freak or real, this was definitely the only clue they had to finding Tiss Kingven.
‘But this alone is not enough to feel reassured.’
This is only a preliminary strategy. Rubin also had another move prepared.
The next day.
Rubin’s ‘Meteorite’ was listed on the auction brochure. The auction brochure is divided into upper, middle, and lower sections, but most clients were only able to use the middle and lower sections.
The lower-grade promotional leaflet is only delivered to those who have entered the auction house. It is sent out to all accommodations within the auction house every morning.
The intermediate promotional materials were sent not only to the auction house, but also to the city on the ground floor and the surrounding areas.
And a high-level promotional material.
This was sent out only during the ‘special sale week’, and only those who were judged by the appraisers to be of exceptional value could be listed here. The high-grade promotional materials were delivered directly to all royal families on the continent. Of course, the cost of doing so was astronomical.
Rubin was able to use mid-level promotional materials because he had put up 30 million rilks as a deposit. However, he deliberately used low-level promotional materials.
“… Instead of using a low-grade promotional material, you would like to use the auction ticket twice?”
The servant in charge of the ‘firestone’ looked at Rubin with a face that seemed to be incomprehensible. No matter how he looked at it, it felt like a great loss.
At the Tolois Auction House, the ‘right to fail’ literally meant the right of the bidder to intentionally fail the auction in order to find a bidder willing to pay a higher price.
But would anyone wait for days for an auction of an ordinary branch that hasn’t even received any comments from the appraiser?
“If there is a bidder who asks why my ‘Hwaunseok’ keeps failing to sell, I tell him this. I will only release the ‘Hwaunseok’ to the public if there are more than 40 bidders.”
“… Okay, I understand. It’s none of my business. I’ll proceed accordingly.
The servant finished preparing for the auction, recalling the old auction house proverb, “The loss is yours.”
‘They say it will be made public only when 40 people gather? I wonder if even one person will show up to ask why the auction failed… ‘
From that day on, the days at the auction house were boring. Rubin spent his time doing only thoroughly closed activities.
Most of the time, we were confined to the accommodations provided, and even when we went out, it was only to go for a short walk up Mount Tholos.
According to the auction house’s rules, even if he was a client, he could participate as a bidder in other auctions, but Rubin did not do so.
Rubin didn’t have that much money to begin with, nor did he feel the need to.
‘Is your majesty… up in the mountain?’
Today, Kuze met the servant in charge of the ‘firestone’ and asked about the progress, and was on his way back. After confirming that Rubin was not in the inn, he climbed Mount Tolois to find Rubin.
Before I knew it, it was the 5th day since I entered the auction house.
Kuze, who had not heard any plans from Rubin, still had no idea what was going on.
To be honest, I was half-resigned, thinking that all that was left was to lose 30 million reels.
The only good thing is that there were two failed bids as Rubin had requested. Naturally, there were no bidders in the first or second auctions.
‘They say they’ll hold an auction only if 40 people show up. If this continues, I’ll just end up wasting money.’
Kuze bit his lower lip as he recalled the empty seats in the bidding room.
‘By the way, why isn’t Tina coming back?’
Tina headed to the Gillyfield Arboretum according to the instructions of the master. She transformed into Roinecrow and flew away. It was strange that she was so late.
‘no way…….’
Betrayal or death.
Two unpleasant scenarios came to mind. The latter was the better one. From the perspective of someone who served the master, it was easier to think that way.
‘If you betrayed your master… … .’
Kuze clenched his fist. No matter how much it was the master’s decision, it was unacceptable.
“Kuje?”
When I looked back, Rubin had already approached me.
“Why are you straining your eyes so much? What’s wrong?”
“Ah… no!”
He must have unconsciously become murderous because he thought Tina might have betrayed him. Kuze hurriedly put the darkness in order.
“Did you meet the person in charge?”
“Yes, now that all the bid rights have been exhausted, the auction must proceed unconditionally even if there are no bidders next time.”
“Okay, I got it.”
Rubin answered nonchalantly and looked down the mountain.
The place they were standing was one of the many observation decks located in the middle of the mountain. Since no one came to the auction house to leisurely look at the view, it was always deserted.
“Your Majesty, the last auction date is tomorrow evening.”
“Um. Okay.”
Rubin walked towards the railing.
Wheeee.
The wind blew and blew his hair. His face was still indifferent. He looked like he was going to blow 30 million lilks right now!
‘Maybe you’re depressed… or not? Are you being bold?’
In Kuze’s eyes, Rubin’s calmness seemed too unsettling. He thought that maybe he was regretting his decision. Of course, he was a young master who had only run towards success so far. It was time for him to experience failure.
“You can see the entire auction house from here.”
“… Yes, I see.”
Kuze also looked down with Rubin. The sunshade area was clearly visible.
A huge artificial canopy built in the middle of Mount Tolois. Filling that canopy was a huge auction house.
The scene, where a huge number of auctions take place every day, was more vibrant than the cities on earth.
“… … .”
As evening approaches, the lights in the alleys of the auction house begin to come on one by one.
“Do you know what the four cardinal directions of this auction house mean?”
The auction house could be divided into east, west, south, and north. Each area had a set of items to handle.
“The north is for jewelry and weapons, the east is for jewels and miscellaneous goods, and the west is for magic tools.”
Kuze answered like that. Naturally, his gaze turned to the one area that was not mentioned.
‘Southern section of the auction house.’
Although Kuze knew something about the Tolois Auction House, he didn’t know what was being handled in the southern area.
Actually, it’s not that I don’t know.
Because that was one of the secrets of this world.
At this time, while the other districts were lit up, the southern district was completely dark, as if that side had been cut out of a cake.
“The southern district has alleys and buildings like other places. They’re just not used.”
Rubin opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything. He just shrugged.
‘Auction house of memories and determination.’
As far as Rubin knew, the southern sector was an auction house that dealt in memories and determination. However, now was not the time to tell Kuze this fact.
-Auction house of memories and determination?
Only Haneke reacts to the words he swallowed.
‘I don’t know exactly. It’s a story I heard from my mother before she died.’
-Is that place also related to Telmah?
‘Probably so.’
Isn’t that a natural thing?
Although I didn’t hear the detailed story from my mother, it was clear who was holding the memory and the determination.
‘I heard that the auction house area is opened irregularly. The one in charge of that place is probably the Emperor of the Empire. Maybe that’s why Tolois was maintained in its original form even during the era of the Lilic Empire.’
Auctioning memories and determination? It’s hard to imagine just from the explanation.
But my mother had clearly said so. What kind of memories, what kind of determination, are you auctioning off in this blocked area? How? Why?
That was when.
“master.”
“hmm?”
“It’s strange that Tina hasn’t come yet. Could it be… …”
Rubin cut Kuze off.
“You must be lost.”
“… … .”
“More than that, Kuze, your communicator is responding right now.”
“ah……!”
Kuze noticed that the communication stone he was holding was glowing blue. It was the communication stone he had received from the auction house manager.
Because the auction house was so large and spacious, the person in charge communicated with the client through a telephone booth. It was like a pager of sorts.
“I don’t know why the person in charge is looking for you, but I’ll check right away.”
“I’ll be at the hotel.”
Kuze quickly walked down the observation deck. Rubin glanced at the southern area and then headed to his quarters.
‘What is the true nature of the Auction House of Memories and Determinations? Now is not the time. Later, when I have gained strength, the time will come when I can properly face it. By the way… … .’
A smile appeared on Rubin’s face, as he guessed what kind of summons Kuze had received.
‘Is Kingven finally coming forward?’
It was not that Kuze, who had met the person in charge, was faced with surprising news. Kuze, who was so surprised that he even heard a voice, asked back.
“… Is that true?”
“Ha… This is really it. I don’t know how I ended up like this. Anyway, isn’t this good news?”
“Good news… but.”
“Please tell your lord that there will be exactly 41 bidders at the auction tomorrow.”
“… Yes, I will do that. But that number is just right. Did you take any action at the auction house?”
The person in charge snickered as he touched the seal’s skin.
You’re saying that you’re going to take action at the auction house? What do you know and what do you believe in that you can take such action in this place where your identity is completely hidden?
“How could that be? And… … .”
“… … ?”
“Strictly speaking, it’s not an exact match. Client #6321 seemed to have hoped for 40 bidders, but there were exactly 41.”
