Master Assassin of the Ronan

Chapter 49. Tollois Auction House (2)

“Welcome, Number 6321.”

“I’d like to proceed quickly.”

This time, the manager was also wrapped in a seal skin. However, his skin was uniquely red, indicating he held a higher rank in the auction house.

The manager grinned.

Moving quickly was always preferred in the auction house.

“Understood. Then, before we confirm the item, could you state the deposit amount?”

“Thirty million rilks.”

“…!”

The one most shocked by Rubin’s answer was, of course, Kuze. Was he really planning to spend all their funds for their disguised life?

“Oh-ho.”

The appraiser’s interest seemed piqued, a corner of his mouth lifting.

He’d assumed the boy was just a snot-nosed kid, but it looked like he was mistaken.

“For reference, the deposit is a non-refundable payment to the auction house, regardless of whether the auction succeeds.”

“I know. I also know that the deposit amount increases the promotion frequency for the auction item.”

“…It seems you’re not a first-time visitor. Then you must also be aware that a portion of the final bid amount will be taken as a commission if the auction is successful.”

Rubin nodded calmly.

The appraiser quickly scanned both Rubin and Kuze.

In Tollois Auction House, the concept of status was irrelevant. Even so, for someone like the appraiser, experience was invaluable.

The appraiser’s role was to assess the value of auction items. Naturally, his discerning eye was his lifeline.

In terms of that discerning eye, the client sitting across from him was no different from any item he’d had to evaluate.

He prided himself on having appraised countless clients accurately over the years.

‘Judging by his appearance, he’s a noble. Probably third-rate at best… But he’s staking thirty million rilks as a deposit?’

Despite his disdainful thoughts, he greeted the customer with a pleasant face.

“While thirty million rilks isn’t exactly a fortune by our standards, it’s still unexpected. What sort of item requires…?”

Thud.

Before he could finish, Rubin had already placed the “Fiery Jade Stone” on the table.

The appraiser widened his eyes and began examining the stone.

“This is….”

Kuze, watching intently, swallowed hard. This branch looked valuable only to his young master. Could there really be something to it?

“This is….”

“….”

Say something. Just say it! Kuze clenched his fists unconsciously.

“…I don’t know what this is.”

Kuze unconsciously exhaled.

Even the Tollois appraiser didn’t know what it was?

That meant it was literally worthless.

The appraiser picked up the Fiery Jade Stone, examining it from top to bottom.

“It just looks like a type of branch. Does it have any story tied to a famous person? That could add value to the item.”

“It doesn’t.”

The appraiser furrowed his brow but quickly composed his expression.

“As you may know, I’m a lower-ranked appraiser. There are appraisers here at Tollois who use magic. Would you like to request a higher-level appraisal?”

“That would cost extra, wouldn’t it?”

“Correct. But if you’re confident in its value, I’d recommend it. It would benefit you, the client, to have its worth properly validated. And the higher the value, the higher the starting bid.”

“No need. I’m satisfied with the privileges afforded by the deposit.”

Rubin responded with a gentle smile.

Getting a high-level appraiser involved would be troublesome. If his magic-infused eyes revealed the true value of the Fiery Jade Stone, it would complicate things. Too much attention would be a hassle.

The only attention Rubin wanted was that of Tis Kingven.

‘All that’s left is to make Tis Kingven come out.’

At that moment, the appraiser pushed back his chair and stood up, indicating that he would conclude the appraisal process since the client’s intent was clear.

“Understood. We bear no responsibility for a failed auction.”

This was the city of auctions.

Even if a client brought in a random rock from the street, the auction house would put it up for sale as long as the commission was paid.

All they cared about was collecting their fees.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Rubin called the appraiser to a brief halt.

“…?”

“I’d like to name the item for the auction. Please list it as ‘Fiery Jade Stone.’”

“…Fiery Jade Stone? Very well.”

The appraiser bowed politely, struggling to stifle a laugh.

The name was grandiose for what looked like an ordinary branch.

He dismissed it as the whimsical attempt of a young boy exploring Tollois Auction House, perhaps the spoiled son of a wealthy merchant family.

“…Young master.”

After the appraiser left, Kuze’s face turned pale. He had no idea what was happening. A deposit of thirty million rilks on an unrecognized item?

“Of course, we could request additional funding from the main family if necessary, but…”

Kuze was already considering worst-case scenarios. It was a small mercy that Rubin was a direct descendant; otherwise, he’d never get this kind of financial support.

In fact, many family branches struggled to maintain a disguised life like this.

“Let’s go, Kuze. I need to rest at the lodging.”

Unfazed, Rubin remained completely calm.

The two descended from the mountaintop back to the canopy district.

The canopy district had lodgings set aside for auction clients.

These accommodations were much more luxurious than those provided for bidders and were standalone residences.

It was one of the most opulent places in the city.

After all, the auction house earned its income from the items provided by the clients.

“….”

Rubin lay down on the bed in the lodging. Although he’d told Kuze he’d rest, he couldn’t truly relax with something important coming up.

He sank into thought, organizing his plan.

‘First, I need to find Kingven. Where could he be? He should be somewhere nearby around this time.’

Kingven was probably roaming the continent in search of the Fiery Jade Stone. Rubin was confident he could extract a hefty price through negotiations with him.

The biggest issue was getting Kingven to show himself.

Since all identities were meticulously concealed here, there was no guarantee that Kingven was actually in the auction house.

While one could reveal their identity freely, even a fool wouldn’t do that here.

Thus, Rubin had deliberately dropped the name “Fiery Jade Stone.”

After all, it was Kingven himself who had named it that.

Rubin recalled a passage from Tis Kingven’s memoirs.

-“The name Fiery Jade Stone is something I’ve carried with me long before I discovered the actual stone. Whether I saw it in a dream or read it in some old, worn-out book, I don’t know, but it’s a name that has lingered in my mind for as long as I can remember. I always thought that when I finally found it, I would call it Fiery Jade Stone….”

-“What on earth does that mean? Is this Tis Kingven some kind of eccentric?”

Rubin simply chuckled.

Eccentric or not, it was currently the only clue he had to locate Tis Kingven.

‘Still, it’s not enough to be sure.’

This was just the first step in his plan. Rubin had another move prepared.

The next day.

Rubin’s “Fiery Jade Stone” appeared in the auction catalog.

The catalog was divided into three levels: upper, middle, and lower, and most clients could only access the middle and lower levels.

The lower catalog was only distributed within the auction house, delivered daily at dawn to every lodging within the premises.

The middle catalog extended to the city surrounding the auction house and nearby regions.

And then there was the upper catalog.

This was only distributed during the “special auction week” and included items appraised as exceptionally valuable by the top appraisers. It was delivered directly to all the royal families across the continent, with astronomical fees attached.

Having staked thirty million rilks as a deposit, Rubin had access to the middle catalog. However, he deliberately chose only the lower catalog.

“…You’re choosing to use the lower catalog and instead want to use two auction postponements?”

The servant managing the “Fiery Jade Stone” looked at Rubin in confusion. It seemed like a poor decision.

In Tollois Auction House, a “postponement ticket” allowed the client to intentionally delay the auction, typically to attract higher bids.

But would anyone wait around for days just to bid on what looked like an ordinary branch?

“If anyone asks why the ‘Fiery Jade Stone’ keeps getting postponed, tell them this: It will only be revealed once forty bidders have gathered.”

“…Well, understood. It’s not my place to question. I’ll proceed as you requested.”

The servant thought of an old auction saying: “A fool’s loss is their own.”

After that, Rubin spent several uneventful days at the auction house. He stayed secluded in his lodging, venturing out only for brief walks up Tollois Mountain.

Auction house rules allowed clients to participate as bidders in other auctions, but Rubin refrained from doing so.

He neither had the money nor the interest.

‘Is the young master…up on the mountain?’

Today, Kuze had checked in with the servant managing the “Fiery Jade Stone” and was now heading back.

Upon finding Rubin absent from the lodging, he climbed Tollois Mountain to look for him.

It had been five days since they’d entered the auction house.

Not having received any updates from Rubin, Kuze remained in the dark about the progress.

To be honest, he was halfway resigned to the possibility of losing the thirty million rilks.

At least there had been two postponements as Rubin had requested.

Naturally, not a single person had shown interest in bidding during the first two auction attempts.

‘Saying the auction would only proceed with forty people. This could end up a total loss.’

Recalling the empty auction hall, Kuze bit his lower lip in frustration.

‘And why hasn’t Lady Tina returned yet?’

Following Rubin’s orders, Tina had flown to Gillifield Arboretum, transformed into a Roincrow. Her delay was concerning.

‘Could it be…?’

Betrayal or death.

Two unsettling scenarios came to mind.

Of the two, he preferred the latter. In his role of serving his young master, thinking that way brought some comfort.

‘If she betrayed him….’

Kuze clenched his fists.

Even if it had been the young master’s decision, he couldn’t forgive such an act.

“Kuze?”

When he turned around, Rubin was already approaching.

“Why are you so tense? Did something happen?”

“N-no, sir!”

Lost in thoughts of Tina’s possible betrayal, Kuze must have unconsciously let his killing intent show. He quickly adjusted his Dark Ripple.

“Did you meet with the manager?”

“Yes, they said we’ve used up all the postponements, so the auction will proceed regardless of the number of bidders.”

“Good, I understand.”

Rubin responded casually and looked down the mountain.

They were standing at one of the many observation decks halfway up the mountain. Hardly anyone came here, as it was a quiet spot away from the auction’s hustle.

“Young master, the final auction is scheduled for tomorrow evening.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Rubin approached the railing.

Whhoooosh.

The wind blew, ruffling his hair. His face remained calm.

Despite the fact that they were on the verge of losing thirty million rilks!

‘Maybe he’s feeling depressed… Or is he simply composed?’

To Kuze, Rubin’s calm demeanor was disconcerting.

He wondered if his master was secretly regretting his decision. Surely, even the young master had to experience failure sometime, right?

“From here, you can see the entire auction house.”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

Kuze joined Rubin in looking down.

The canopy district was spread out beneath them.

At the heart of the mountain stood the vast artificial canopy, housing the massive auction complex.

The auction area was bustling with energy, surpassing even the liveliest cities on the ground.

“….”

As evening descended, lights gradually illuminated every alley of the auction house.

“Do you know the significance of the four quadrants of the auction house?”

The auction was divided into four sections: north, south, east, and west, each specializing in different types of goods.

“The north holds accessories and weapons, the east deals with jewels and miscellaneous items, and the west is for magic tools.”

Kuze answered instinctively, his gaze naturally shifting to the only section he hadn’t mentioned.

‘The southern quadrant of the auction house.’

Although Kuze knew a fair amount about Tollois Auction House, he had no idea what the southern quadrant held.

In fact, he wasn’t the only one who didn’t know.

That was one of the mysteries of this world.

While the other sections were brightly lit at this hour, the southern section remained shrouded in darkness, as if someone had carved it out of the cityscape.

“The southern section, like the others, has alleys and buildings. They’re simply not in use.”

Rubin spoke, but he didn’t elaborate further, merely shrugging.

‘The Auction House of Memories and Resolve.’

As far as Rubin knew, the southern section was an auction house that dealt in memories and resolve. But now wasn’t the time to tell Kuze.

-Auction House of Memories and Resolve?

Only Haneke responded to his unspoken words.

‘I don’t know the details myself. It was something my mother mentioned to me before she passed.’

-Is that place also connected to Telmach?

‘Probably.’

It was almost certain.

Though he hadn’t heard the full story from his mother, it was clear whose hands held memories and resolve.

‘I heard that section opens intermittently. I assume it’s controlled by the Emperor of the Empire. That might be why Tollois has maintained its original form even during the era of the Rilk Empire.’

An auction for memories and resolve?

The concept alone was beyond imagination.

But his mother had indeed spoken of it. Just what kind of memories, what kind of resolve, were auctioned in that restricted section? How? Why?

Just then—

“Young master.”

“Hm?”

“Lady Tina’s prolonged absence is troubling. Could it be…?”

Rubin cut him off.

“She’s probably lost her way.”

“….”

“More importantly, Kuze, your communication stone is active.”

“Oh…!”

Kuze realized the communication stone he was gripping was glowing blue. It was a stone provided by the auction house manager.

Given the size and scale of the auction house, managers kept in touch with clients through communication stones. It functioned like a pager.

“I’m not sure why the manager is calling, but I’ll check immediately.”

“I’ll be at the lodging.”

Kuze hurriedly descended the observation deck. Rubin took a brief look at the southern quadrant before heading back to the lodging.

‘The true nature of the Auction House of Memories and Resolve… Now’s not the time. Someday, when I’m stronger, the time will come to face it properly. But for now…’

A smile appeared on Rubin’s face. He had a good idea what the call to Kuze was about.

‘Has Kingven finally taken the bait?’

Sure enough, when Kuze met with the manager, he was greeted with a surprising piece of news. So surprised he choked and had to ask again.

“…Are you serious?”

“Haha… I don’t know how this happened, but isn’t it good news?”

“It… it is good news.”

“Relay this to your young master. There will be precisely 41 bidders for tomorrow’s auction.”

“…Yes, I’ll let him know. But the number’s oddly exact. Did the auction house make some arrangements?”

The manager chuckled, fiddling with his seal skin.

Arrangements from the auction house?

In a place where identities were scrupulously concealed, what could they know or trust to arrange something like that?

“Of course not. And….”

“…?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not exactly an even number. Your young master requested forty bidders, but there are precisely forty-one.”