High guys, girls too. Here's the new chapter, and info.

Now, about the stats, I made this without any knowledge of real gaming so (shrug)

Health- Vitality*10

Health regen- agility*.2

Mana- Intelligence*5

Mana Regen- Wisdom*.1

Stamina- Strength*5

Stamina Regen- Endurance*.1

Feel free to drop opinions, I'll read all of them.

Finally, please remember, if you enjoy this story, please leave a review on the main page. It really helps me out, and brings new readers too. Of course, comments make me just as happy :p (almost 600 followers!)

Enjoy!

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The receptionist returned with a small pouch in her hand. "Sir Steel, may I present you bounties for your participation and contribution to the expedition." She handed it over and bowed to him, "Thank you for saving our town, and helping to increase our profits." She gave him a wink.

For your contribution to the expedition, you have received:

100 silvers, given as 1 gold

Steel gleefully pocketed the money. He now had two gold coins, two! From all the yelling coming around the hall, he hadn't heard anyone asking for a single gold on any item. Before his inner greed could rear its head higher, the receptionist broke into his thoughts.

"Master Yorick has also informed me to give you two things." She handed him a pin that resembled an "S" and a slip of paper, "The pin will allow you to enter out VIP auctions, including the slave auction and the private auction. The paper I have given you contains the time when the gloves of the alpha wolf will be sold in the private auction." She shook her head in amusement, "That was the idea anyway, but you almost missed it. In fact, I advise you to hurry over there, they should be bringing it out soon." She pointed at an ornate set of red doors further in the guild, guarded by two large and very scary looking men.

Hearing her, Steel thanked her for her help as he hurriedly equipped the pin and made his way over to the doors. A small crowd of players were trying to argue their way in as he approached.

"Come on, let us in already. We have silver to spend." A swordsman held put a pouch and jingled it, "I may accidentally drop some on the way in too."

The guard huffed and punched the swordsman, knocking him onto his back, "Bribery is not permitted in the sight of the merchant guild." He stated stoically. Steel snickered at the sight.

'In other words, don't try to bride so obviously with so little money.' He thought humorously. Steel strolled up to through the crowd and presented his pin to the guards. They stared at it for only a moment.

"Have an enjoyable evening sir." One said as the other opened the door for him. Steel laughed as the door closed behind him and the roar of protests began strewing from the other players.

'I take this time to gloat because I went through hell to get here.' He recited the old saying in his head. An elder in the real world had told him this quote, explaining why old people snickered at young people so often. He understood the meaning now.

He walked down a brightly lit and well-furnished corridor to another door, which opened as he approached it. A butler was on the other side, already bowing to Steel. "Good day sir, and welcome to the private auction of Rostwood." He said, straightening up, "I must say, it's impressive that one so young was able to get into this place. Master Yorick has waved the fee since it is your first time, but please remember any future visits will require a gold coin for entry."

Steel's inner greed fell over in defeat, so much for feeling on top of the world. He hid his feelings as he said, "I take it works to keep the riffraff out?"

The butler nodded, smiling, "Indeed you are correct sir. The private auction is big spender’s only, even invited guests such as you." He took a moment to peruse Steel's equipment and looks, frowning slightly, "You do have money to spend, correct?"

Steel put on his best arrogant face, "How dare you! Do you think Master Yorick would invite a plebeian to his auction! I will not stand for this insult, I'm leaving and I swear Yorick will here of this!" He turned haughtily, slowing counting down in his head.

'Three, two, one...'

"Please wait sir!" The butler said frantically, "I'm so sorry, my mistake. I did not recognize such an affluent man from your attire, please excuse my judgment." The butler was bowed in a complete 90 degree angle now, which impressed Steel.

Keeping up with appearances, Steel sniffed, "Sir, this is a ploy, do you not realize?" The butler straightened up, confused. Steel sighed, "Do you believe others will pay me mind dressed as I am? Will they consider me a threat in the auction?" The butler's eyes widened in realization.

"Quite genius sir, I see you are a man of great mind as well as wealth!"

Steel nodded, "Indeed, but do not be fooled by the appearance, this armor was handcrafted by a professional craftsman from the skin of the finest devil wolf. its value is quite high, even if its appearance is deceiving."

He held out the sleeve for the butler to inspect, whose eyes widened again at the feel, "Amazing sir, I have never felt such high quality leather before. Please, allow me to lead you to a private booth to apologize for my horrendous mistake. You will have a choice of food and drink at your request."

Steel nodded, and when the butler turned to lead him, let a small smile appear on his face.

Status updateUsing a mix of truth and half-truths, as well as convincing acting, you have convinced the staff of the private auction you are a man of intelligence and subtlety. You have acquired the Con-Artist skill.

+5 charm

Skill Name:Skill Rarity:Skill Rank:Skill Experience:Con-ArtistCE15%You use your charm to convince someone of somethingPassive Effect:Your speech and persuasion gain a passive bonus from the amount of charm you possess.Costs:N/ACool downN/A

'I can see this being useful.' He thought to himself as he followed the butler up a set of stairs. They came to a landing with a door, and the butler opened it for Steel. Inside, a small room connected to an outside balcony, which had a magnificent view of the auction stage. Steel could hear the auctioneer count the bidding for the latest item.

"Is there anything I can get you sir?" The butler asked politely.

"I'm not one to eat other's food, but a fine wine would do." Steel demurred, waving his wand in the air, "Also, do you know when the gloves are up for auction?"

The butler nodded, smiling, "I thought you were after those. You're in luck sir, they are the next item out. Allow me to serve you a glass of our finest wine." He strolled gracefully over to one of the walls, and opened it, pulling out a wine glass and bottle. Steel blinked, his mask almost breaking.

"Quite an interesting design you have here." He commented, watching the hole close without leaving a trace of existence.

"We at the private auction do our best to meet the needs of our customers." The butler handed Steel the glass and bowed, "Enjoy the auction sir." He closed the door behind him.

Steel sighed, the tension falling out of him. Playing an arrogant snob had been hard on his heart. Luckily, he had plenty of memories to play off of.

He took a sip of the wine and found it to be fantastic, fruity and flavorful, with a mild aftertaste. Third section students could drink alcohol, but only until they reached a certain level of toxicity. He walked out onto the veranda and sat down, taking in the auction hall.

It was quite an amazing and elaborate design. Private rooms lined the walls, and a large gallery filled up the floor in front of the stage. Steel couldn't tell if the auctioneer was using some kind of sound magic or if the acoustics were just really good, because he could hear the man quite effortlessly.

"And sold to the lovely lady in the white hat for 50 gold! A round of applause ladies and gentlemen!" He announced, the item being carried off the stage. Steel couldn't see it, but it looked like a statue. Still, 50 gold was a lot, and everyone here was rich. He gulped, worried about how he was going to get the gloves.

As there was a pause in the auction, Steel looked around the veranda. He found a mask, a pair of magic eyeglasses, and a rod. From watching old shows, Steel was pretty sure the rod was for bidding, and had no desire to embarrass himself by raising it accidentally. He put on the mask, followed by the glasses. Now, he could see the stage perfectly. Actually, it was like he was right there in the front row.

"Magic sure is amazing." He mused, "I wonder if there's a specialized class for these kinds of things.

His attention reverted to the stage as the next item was brought out onto the stage.

"Finally it's here ladies and gentlemen, the final piece of loot taken form the corpse of the dreaded alpha wolf! This pair of gloves was sent by the gods themselves for such a great deed! They are amazingly soft, functional, and most of all effective in combat! Anyone would surely benefit from them! Bidding starts at 5 gold, any takers."

Steel's heart fell. He didn't even have enough gold to start off the bidding. Depressed, he watched as the price soared from 5 to 70 gold in a flash.

"70 gold going once, going twice. Sold to the Archmage!"

Steel spewed his win out of his mouth in shock. He'd been outbid, mentally at least, by the Archmage. That man certainly was popping up a lot. He wiped his mouth, "Maybe I can cozy up to him with a favor? Looks like I have another spot to check out before the day is done." He sighed.

He didn't have too much interest in the rest of the items, so he finished his wine and left the room. As reached the bottom of the stairs, he was met by a different butler.

"Sir, are you sure you want to leave now?" He asked.

Steel nodded, "Yes, I've lost my bidding mood with that loss. However, could you direct me toward the slave auction? I would like to spend my gold on something today."

The butler bowed, "Of course sir, right this way." Evidently, word had spread of his fake reputation. Steel was inwardly pleased by this turn of events.

The butler led him to a smaller, black door in the lobby. "Follow the corridor here and you will arrive at the slave auction. You are quite wise to head over now when everyone else is focused on the larger items in the private auction. Your intelligence continues to astound us, no one else has ever done this before." He bowed and left Steel.

'Huh, my Con-Artist gained some exp.' Steel thought happily, reading the notice in front of him. Unintentional or not, this trip had provided him with some interesting rewards. The hallway was just as nice as the previous one, but much longer this time. There were no doors at the end, instead opening into a large room with a raised stage. There was a desk at the entrance, the attendant snoozing on it. There didn't seem to be anyone here right now; at least no bidding anyway.

Steel walked up to the sleeping man and rapped his knuckles on the desk. Startles, the man got up and stared around. Noticing Steel, he coughed and adjusted his outfit. "I'm sorry sir, the auction will be starting once the private auction is complete." He informed Steel, still a little sleepy.

Steel sighed, turning his arrogant face on again, "Sir, I don't know who you think I am, but I am a favored guest of Master Yorick himself. I came here to inspect the slaves personally, or do I have to find someone else to help me?" He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his fingers impatiently.

The attendant paled, "I'll be right back sir!" He hurried off into the back. Steel shook his head at the sight, 'Wonder what the normal clientele is like for them to be so respectful?'

The attendant returned quickly with a manager like character in tow. The man bowed, "Greetings sir, I am the overseer here and I have been informed of your coming by Master Yorick himself. Though, I did not expect you to be here so soon." His face was neutral, but Steel could hear the question on his lips.

"I was disappointed by the private auction, but did not want to leave until I had spent some of the gold I brought with me, is that a problem?" Steel asked, inspecting his nails.

At the sound of gold, the overseer smiled and nodded, "Yes, I understand perfectly my lord. Allow me to show you some of our generous wares, and perhaps interest you in a sale before the others get here." Steel nodded, holding a look of disdain on his face, "See that you do then."

He was led into the back rooms behind the raised platform. Inside, Steel found a variety of cages holding all manner of creatures. He raised an eyebrow, "This is quite an impressive collection you have here. Are they all to be auctioned off them?" He asked curiously.

The overseer shook his head, "Some are already sold, and others merely here in transit to other locations. Are you looking for a magical beast or demon sir?"

Steel considered, then shook his head, "No, I merely seek an attendant for my latest acquisition." He brought out the egg, "In order to help raise this one." He watched the greed appear in the overseer's eyes.

"Yes, raising beasts is a hard and dirty job. I compliment you for your keen insight." As the overseer turned around, Steel let a look of disgust cross his face. He really didn't like the man's attitude, as if everything had a certain price to it. It was similar to his experiences in real life.

'Keep it down Plat." Steel thought to himself, "Just be cool till this is all over."

The overseer led him into another room, this one filled with humanoid slaves. Steel had to admit, for slaves they didn't look too bad. They were obviously well fed, and wore clothing instead of rags.

"You keep them well off don't you?" Steel commented. The overseer nodded.

"Keeping them at least satisfied raises the sale price and lowers potential runners." He explained, "Also, even though slavery is an ancient trade, we do have standards."

"How so?"

The overseer shifted his footing, "Well, slavery exists in all the civilizations. Humans, for example, are common slaves outside of our kingdom. An agreement was struck that slaves would be at least well fed so as to keep the peace between the nations in older times. It actually increased profit, so the practice stuck, even if some are not worth more than dirt." He said matter-of-factly.

Steel inwardly winced, but kept up the facade, "I see. So what do you advice for someone to take care of my beast? I'd prefer someone who can fight as well as train."

The overseer scratched his head, "Hm, any slave that can fight is a risk, so most of our stock comes from non-fighters. My advice is to train someone rather than buy a potential back-stab."

'Ironic, since I bet any slave would kill to be free.' Steel thought.

The overseer led him over to a cage, "The beastmen here of high stock, and are very good with animals. They. . ."

"No beastmen." Steel stated bluntly, his face unable to keep the pain from leaking onto it. The overseer noticed, and professionally directed Steel's attention to another cage.

"How about a dwarf? They are good with their hands, and can craft as well as train for you."

Steel considered, than shook his head, "I'll think about it, what else?"

The overseer considered, "Well, we have a few elf slaves, but they are all reserved already to high nobility. Orcs are impossible to keep here, so only the human slaves are left."

He pointed to a row of cages, "Feel free to browse, I'll be inspecting the slaves for today's auctions, so let me know when you pick your choice."

Steel walked down the row, inspecting the occupants within. Though fed and clothed, it was obvious that no one wanted to be here. Each gave him a look of acceptance and sadness, as if it were as inevitable as death to be sold. He felt sympathy toward them, but knew they hadn't been strong enough to escape this fate. In the end, their new homes would likely be safer than anything else. He continues walking until a sight gave him pause.

One slave was in a cage all by himself, and he was wearing rags. His face looked defiantly up at him, as if daring Steel to continue looking at him. Steel cocked his head, curious.

"Sir, what is the story of this slave here?"

The overseer appeared momentarily, and frowned. "This one has been most uncooperative sir. Refuses both cloth and food, and tries to escape at every opportunity. Truth be told, we were going to sell it for cheap, or, failing that send it to the coliseum in the capital to fight." The slave made a growling noise at the overseer, who took a step back.

Steel scratched his head, "I'll take him off your hands for 50 silvers."

The overseer chuckled, "We'd get more than that sending it off. 5 gold and its yours."

Steel shook his head, "If you were sending him off after failure to sell, I doubt it would be for much. 75 silver."

The overseer shook his head, "We put a lot into our slave, food and clothing. . . "

"Really? Because all I can see is a filth and starvation." Steel said, eyeing the slave. The overseer grimaced. That line must have been automatic for him to say, but it cost him this time.

"1 gold then." He finally settled. Steel shook his hand.

"I'll have it cleaned and delivered to you, where is your place of residence?"

"I have a permanent room at the adventurer's Guild I'm currently staying at, have him set there." Steel replied, turning to leave.

He had a new helper now, one that hopefully would not end up killing him.