Volume 2 Chapter 7: Part 5: Auction

That's the only thing Onyx can say in this situation. He beat the deviled python only out of luck.

There's nothing he can say. He can't explain it. Even with his plan, the python blew past it with its strength. And the only reason why he won is luck.

"..." Michelle stares at Onyx in amazement. Gilbert adds, "Are you going to bid for the eyes?"

"No way! Do you think I'm a fool?" Michelle scowls at him. How can she not know what Gilbert is planning to do? If the eyes are sold right now, then what about the others?

There have to be other pieces there. But Michelle shouldn't be focused on that but on Onyx. He did something not many adventurers were capable of doing.

Michelle licks her lips. Should I take him now? Somebody like that who's this excellent is bound to be taken away instantly.

"!" Onyx's spine shivers. What happened? He felt a cold tingle coming down on him. But it only lasts a few seconds before he looks at the other people sitting in the VIP boxes.

He got a view of all of them. Each one has a different appearance from the other.

They're not bidding too. The VIP's eyes shined when they saw the eyes in the beginning. But now, they're just sipping on their drinks or talking with their partners.

They know there's more to it than that. Like Michelle, they know there should be more python parts coming.

"And sold! The final price for the pair of python eyes is 2 platinum and 8 gold coins!" The auctioneer screams out. The person who bought it had an expression like he was the happiest person alive!

And the people who didn't get it were crying.

But their expressions only last a few seconds,

"For our next item, we'll sell none other than the fangs of the deviled python!" The crowd turns silent. What did we hear?

The auctioneer chuckles, "Did everybody think we'll only be selling the eyes? No! Today, we will be selling all parts of the python!" The crowd then looks back at Gilbert, where he shouts out,

"What my employee says is correct. All the body parts from the devil python will be sold off today!" Hearing this, another rupture of applause came out.

Knew it! Michelle shakes her head. Her thoughts were correct.

"We'll be starting the fang at 3 platinum coins! Only gold coins will be used from now on." Like that, the auction continues forward. But this time, the fight between everybody became crazier!

Compared to the eyes, the fangs are 10 times better! It's in perfect condition compared to the eyes.

...

"5 platinum coins!" Colton screams out! Hearing him bid, the butler sweats,

"Young master, we can't spend so many coins on the fang." Their objective is to obtain Rena. They can't spend so much no matter how tempting the item is.

"Be quiet! Don't tell me what to do! That fang can become one of the best weapons possible!" The fangs of a devil python are a high-class item. Unlike the eyes, the fangs are more versatile. It can be made into a powerful weapon.

"And nobody would dare buy that woman. Do you not see her for what she is?" Colton grins. That's how confident he is as he continues with his bid.

"...That is true." The butler can't agree more. When he first saw how many coins they were given, he thought it was too many.

But that doesn't change the fact you're using too much. The butler can't say anything to Colton as he continues to bid for the fang.

...

Wow. I got 16 platinum coins from all of that. Onyx can't believe it. The fang gave him an extra 7 platinum coins. And the rest of his materials got him the rest.

And to make matters even more surprising is the hides haven't been auctioned yet.

It was a good idea to take back the fangs and hide. Onyx sighs in relief. All that fear and worrying he had before was for nothing. Before the auction day, Onyx told Gilbert he'll take back one of the fangs and a third of the hide.

Onyx has a hunch that he's going to need it.

"Onyx, look. The hides are being sold off right now." Oliver and the rest look down.

"And for our final piece for the deviled python, we have the hide of the deviled python!" The hide was rolled in by two employees. The auctioneer praises, "Unlike any other hides sold off, this one is in perfect condition!"

"The starting price for the hide is 8 platinum coins. Only platinum coins will be used for bids, folks!"With this, the battle starts,

"11 platinum coins!" And just like that, the price shot up.

"12 platinum coins!"

What is with this number?! Onyx's face turns wide when he sees how the hide went up. Onyx didn't expect it would shoot up so high.

"The one you brought back was in good condition. So people will want it." The market price Gilbert said before was for a damaged hide.

The one Onyx brought back has little to no marks on it. What's more, it's only a third. That clean-cut Onyx made was a great divider, so it didn't look bad.

"And sold! Thank you for your bid!" The person who bought this hide was one of the VIPs for 16 platinum coins.

"And this is not all! Here is the second piece of the hide!" And the bid for the second piece started off again.

While the battle for the second hide is going on, Onyx's face is blank. 32 platinum coins. That kept going through his mind.

Seeing his blank expression, Oliver nudges Onyx, "Onyx, snap back to reality! You'll be seeing more coins coming your way! So calm down!"

"Y-yeah." Onyx stutters, trying to rack his mind around it all. But then,

"And sold! for a total of 15 platinum coins. Thank you for the purchase!" An extra 15 coins just came flying his way now.

"Dammit!" The crowd from the ground level shouted out in despair. The difference between who won and who lost is large!

I got more than enough now. Adding everything together, Onyx has around 47 platinum coins! He's way over what Michelle told him. If he doesn't win, he won't know what to say.

He turns to Gilbert,

"Gilbert, when is Rena going to be sold?"

"She will be going last."

"I see." Onyx sighs. You don't have to worry about anything. You have more than enough money. Just be patient.

While he's thinking of this, the people on the ground level are leaving.

"Wait, Wait, Wait! Good folks, the auction isn't done yet!" The auctioneer's face pales when she sees them walking away.

The expression on their face says it all. What could be better than those items? Hearing the auctioneer's voice, they got back to their seats!

"We only have three more items left in the auction. And the next two we have to offer is something more significant than the deviled python!"

"..." Can you not keep doing that to us? The crowd can't believe so many high-class items are being auctioned today!

"The next two items auctioned up are the crimson saint spider lilies! And these are not just any crimson saint spider lilies! The healing effects are 50 percent stronger than a normal one!"

"..."

"We'll start the bid for one flower for 15 platinum coins!" That amount shut down anybody's bids. The base amount is overkill for anybody.

"18 platinum coins!" And just like that, the coins increased by 3! Everybody turns around to see who placed a bid. The person who did this is none other than Michelle!

"Michelle?" Oliver looks at her in shock. Did you have to increase the number by that much? There will be no fight back.

"Don't you Michelle me! Do you know the effects of the flower? Not only does the crimson saint spider lily heals wounds, but it also clears all impurities and brightens one's skin! It makes a person look ten years younger than they are!"

Michelle knows all of the effects of the spider lily by heart!

She has to get it. NO MATTER WHAT!

Onyx and the two scoot away from her. Her eyes show a scary light.

It's a raging inferno! But then,

"Onyx."

EEEEPPP! Onyx's mind went on full red alert! That's what he's thinking as he's about to run for it! But the grip on his shoulder makes him drop back down to the seat!

"Didn't you say you would give me those items?" Michelle smiles. There is no way she could forget all about this.

"I did. But-" "Then why is something like that over there? Why did you hand it over to Gilbert?" Michelle doesn't give him time to explain as she throws a barrage of questions.

What do I do about this?! Onyx looks over to Gilbert and Oliver, and they look away from him.

"Well, you did promise her you would give those items to her." "Yeah, Onyx. You can't just break promises."

Traitors!

Onyx's expression turns dark. They're leaving him to deal with it all! Onyx quickly turns back to Michelle,

"I was in the heat of the moment. So I completely forgot about you." The reason why he completely forgot about her was because of Rena. He wanted to have some insurance for everything.

Heck! Onyx would give it to her now that he has more than enough coins.

"...Fine. Because it's for Rena, I will overlook it. But there will be no next time, ok?" Michelle can't let it go. She did obtain the flower right now. But she's still peeved she has to get it from the auction house.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Onyx agrees quickly! He can't say no to those evil eyes!

"Good." Michelle doesn't say anything else as she looks back at the auction.

...

"We must get that flower!" Colton screams out!

"Young master, we cannot!" The butler quickly rejects the idea. Just from the first crimson saint spider lily being sold, the other should be the same! Either one would go over their budget!

They already got lucky with the deviled python as they didn't get any of it. The other VIPs outbid them. But,

"Shut it! I will get the second one!" Colton doesn't care! There's no way he couldn't be the first since Michelle has her eyes on it.

But the second one. Colton already decided he'll get it!

"17 platinum coins!" Colton calls out.

...

"That fool really thinks he could buy Rena and the flower?" Oliver shakes his head as he watches Colton continue to bid. Buying Rena and then buying the crimson saint spider lilies is something impossible. Not unless Onyx taps out.

"20 platinum coins." Another voice cuts in. It isn't Michelle this time. Instead, it's another VIP. Like Onyx, the person wore a mask like him.

"..." No one said anything.

"And sold! Thank you for the purchase!" The auctioneer slams her hammer down.

"Dammit!" Colton throws down the drink in his hand again! He stares daggers toward the masked figure. But the person doesn't care about his look and looks toward Onyx's group.

Who is that person? Onyx notices the person looking at him too. He's curious as to who the person is.

However, he can care less now.

"And this is the last item that'll be auctioned off!" And what was brought out to the front was Rena. She wore a one-piece rag. Her legs and arms are chained up too.

"Today, we will be auctioning this woman off. She will start at 1 platinum coin. However, you can use gold coins to bid."

When the auctioneer says this, what happens is,

"..." Silence.

Unlike the other times, nobody says anything.

"She has white hair."

"Who would want to buy her?"

Murmurs go around. All of them have the same idea; don't bid.

Hmm? What's wrong with her white hair? Onyx doesn't care as he calls out,

"2 gold coins." Everybody turns to see who would actually bid. And it's none other than the masked person with Gilbert, Oliver, and Michelle.

"3 gold coins." But he's not the only one, as Colton calls out a bid.

Onyx stares him down as he calls out, "8 gold coins."

"1 platinum coin." And Colton eyes Onyx down.

"2 platinum coins."

Who is this brat?! Colton narrows his eyes as he looks at Onyx. He shouts out, "4 platinum coins!"

"6 platinum coins!"

The battle between the two is crazy! They only had to use gold coins. And yet, it jumped up to 6 platinum! The people on the ground watched as the mysterious figure bid against the noble.

...

What is going on? Rena's eyes went wide when she heard the amount being called out. Pure shock is on her face as she can't believe someone would use so much.

"12 platinum coins!" She turns to Colton only to see his face black and blue. She can tell he's furious.

But the other person is calm.

"14 platinum coins." He bids two platinum coins higher. Who is this person? How can he throw coins out like nothing? Did Michelle hire him to help her out?

"16 platinum coins!"

"18 platinum coins."