Chapter 101
I took another look at the item scheduled to be auctioned today.
○ Diablo's Chalice
A chalice said to have been used by the Archdemon Diablo. It is the representative work of Jose Esperanche von Lasranne, a decadent artist beloved by those who pursue depraved sensual beauty. It is unknown whether it is truly connected to demons, but it is said to be such a magnificent work of art that rely gazing upon it feels like peering into the abyss.
Thanks to the kindly written description, I was able to grasp roughly what sort of object it was.
Its surface was shaped like a wineglass, but attached to it were six won with great breasts and wings, as though they themselves were holding up the cup.
I could tell without being told that they were succubi. When it ca to seductive demons boasting voluptuous figures, what else could they be?
And behind them stretched a vision of hell itself. Lava and the River of Death ran across the surface of the cup in exquisitely carved intaglio.
Even the sketch alone sent a chill down my spine. The real thing was bound to be extraordinary.
That was the power art possessed.
“Diablo’s Chalice......”
A question suddenly occurred to . I had heard that there was a Church, but I had no way of knowing just how much symbolic weight such a thing carried in this world.
Kalmond would likely know more about that than Eluna. Even if he looked like a man who had done nothing but live by the blade, he had spent a long ti active in the Underworld and knew a great deal.
“Kalmond. Let ask you sothing.”
Kalmond leaned toward with perfect loyalty. People were passing by one after another nearby, so I lowered my voice appropriately before asking,
“What happens if soone worships demons? You know, if they perform rituals or sothing like that. Killing animals or even people for it.”
“Ah, that. In that case, the Holy Knights of the Church track them down and exterminate them. There are even organizations specially dedicated to dealing with demon worshippers. But why do you ask?”
Extermination, and even dedicated organizations for it...... If this goes wrong, the matter could beco enormous. It felt like I had opened Pandora’s box.
“Because I spotted this item while looking around.”
I pointed to Diablo’s Chalice in the catalogue. After studying it for a mont, Kalmond smiled.
“Diablo’s Chalice, is it? Well, works of art like this are not considered a serious problem. There was so controversy around them in the past, but objects made by especially famous artists still sell for very high prices. Even the Church cannot stop that. In particular, the man who made this chalice is known as a master craftsman specializing in artworks symbolizing death.”
“In what era did a man nad Jose Esperanche work?”
“He lived before the Continental Calendar, so it must have been around five hundred years ago.”
Resting my chin on my hand, I stared fixedly at the sketch of Diablo’s Chalice.
I did not understand everything perfectly, but it seed the power of the Church was not as overwhelming as I had expected. Still, demon worship itself was clearly treated as taboo.
“So demon worship is forbidden, but creating or trading artworks like this is acceptable?”
“If it were truly a problem, it would never have appeared in an auction house at all.”
“That’s quite the double standard.”
“What do you an by that?”
“When I do it, it’s romance. When soone else does it, it’s adultery.”
“Hahaha. That is an amusing way to put it. I agree that the standard is unclear. That is simply how the Church always is. They only ever speak in vague phrases like divine providence. If God truly existed, shouldn’t all war and disease in this world have disappeared long ago?”
If it beca known that the second Young Master was a demon worshipper, the honor of House Adeline would be dragged through the dirt.
Honor once lost could be restored with ti, but when I thought of everything that would happen in the anti, the road ahead looked dark indeed.
Now, when tis was still in its vigorous stage of growth and we were preparing to seize control of the Underworld, nothing could be allowed to happen to House Adeline. They were ant to be my strongest backing. There was still so much sweet profit left to draw from them. They could not be allowed to fall apart.
I turned my gaze toward the second Young Master once more.
He clearly had no interest in the succession. And yet he had shown interest in .
“Why did he take an interest in ?”
“What do you an?”
“That? No, it’s nothing. Just talking to myself.”
Ignoring Eluna’s curiosity, I sank back into thought.
Was it simply because I was competent?
No, that did not seem right. It was more likely that he had sensed sothing special about . Since he too was a Mana User, perhaps he had realized that I was one as well.
It felt as though my head were growing hotter and hotter.
In the anti, a man who appeared to be the auctioneer walked out onto the platform. He was a splendid middle-aged man in a tuxedo with a red bow tie.
“Ladies and gentlen who have graced Noblesse with your presence, welco. I am Howl, and I have the honor of serving as your auctioneer this evening. I ask for your kindness.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Applause broke out. I joined in without any real spirit and kept my eyes on the auctioneer. With a broad smile, he gestured to the red curtain drawn behind him.
“We have prepared so rare treasures for you today. There are even a few items that were not announced beforehand, so I would be most grateful if you remained with us until the very end. If anyone requires assistance, simply raise the yellow placard slightly, and a mber of staff will attend you.”
Employees began filing in one after another. There were a great many of them. Among them were ard personnel as well.
“Is there anything here that would interest you, Master?”
Eluna asked, and I shook my head. I had looked through the entire catalogue, but nothing in it had particularly appealed to . My honest thought was that it would be better to make such things myself and use them.
“Then let us begin the auction. The first item is more than worthy of stirring the mood. The famous blade said to have been wielded by the Sword Saint of the Kingdom of Esralda—Avalanche!”
At that instant, the red curtain swept open, revealing a sword displayed upon an ornate stand. An employee slowly pushed the stand forward toward the front of the stage.
The stage was bright. Bathed in light, the sword cast its keen aura in every direction. Even to soone like , who knew little about swords, it looked unmistakably like a masterwork weapon.
“Oh......”
Exclamations rose here and there.
The reactions were sharply divided. The gaunt nobles showed little interest, but the nobles clad in armor or built like hulking beasts looked ready to shoot lasers from their eyes.
I, however, felt little greed for it. A Mana Pistol was far more efficient than a sword.
As a matter of fact, I had been carrying out upgrades on it bit by bit, and with each passing day the pistol’s accuracy and power were improving.
If I could command Mana a little more freely, the day might even co when I could fire guided rounds.
Of course, there would surely be monts in crisis when I needed a sword. But that could be handled by pouring Mana into one. If I later decided I truly needed a better blade, it would not be too late to seek one out then.
“The opening bid is 1,000 Gold. Let us begin imdiately!”
The first placard rose at once. It belonged to a middle-aged man I had never seen before.
“Sir Casper has bid 1,500 Gold. Does anyone else wish to follow?”
“I cannot yield that easily. Sir Milian has bid 2,000 Gold.”
“Sir Sellop bids boldly—4,000 Gold!”
Apparently it was an extrely fine sword, because before long the bidding had surpassed 10,000 Gold. In the end, the famous sword Avalanche was sold for 12,000 Gold.
From the very start, the heat of the auction hall blazed.
“This is entertaining.”
And it truly was. Not only Eluna, but Kalmond too was thoroughly absorbed.
“Once we beco rich later, let’s co back with sacks of Gold Coins and sweep everything up. Just be patient a little longer. Better days are coming.”
“It is already fun enough for us just to watch.”
“Isn’t it about ti you replaced your weapon too? It looked a little worn.”
“Hahaha. A true artisan does not bla his tools.”
Still, Kalmond was clearly looking forward to the idea deep down. Once I reached the Royal Capital, I would have to look into finding him a suitable weapon. Or perhaps I could commission one from Smith.
And then, at last, the main event I had been waiting for began.
Cutting across the red curtain, the item I had submitted for auction revealed itself.
“Oh! That is......!”
“Isn’t that the limited-edition item made by the tis Trading Company? That pen with its own ink reservoir.”
“It looks extrely elegant.”
A murmur spread through the audience.
“And next, the item said to be unobtainable even with money! A fountain pen. A revolutionary product that removes the need to carry around an ink bottle. It is identical in both appearance and function to the one used by His Excellency Marquis Chronos himself. Even vast riches cannot procure this treasure—yet today, we seek its owner. Opening bid: 5,000 Gold!”
The auctioneer’s voice introducing the fountain pen sounded more excited than at any point thus far.
But perhaps the introduction had been too effective.
The hall fell silent.
Seated toward the back, I had a broad view of the entire auction room. The mont the Marquis was ntioned, the assembled nobles began carefully gauging the reactions of Young Master Kaien and Young Master Prah.
When no one bid, the auctioneer seed montarily flustered. But he was a professional.
“Surely no one ans to let such a precious object slip away? Your chance is now! Do not hesitate!”
Then at last, a placard rose, signaling a bid. The man holding it was none other than Young Master Kaien. The auctioneer’s face brightened.
“5,500 Gold! Young Master Kaien bids 5,500 Gold. Is there no next bidder?”
Naturally, all eyes turned to Young Master Prah.
The distinguished guests gathered here were not fools. The reason the two Young Masters, who had no interest whatsoever in auctions, had appeared here was obvious enough.
It was strange to think that this single little fountain pen had been imbued with the symbolism of succession.
“Incredible. Is there truly no one else? 5,500 Gold.”
And yet Young Master Prah did not move in the slightest. The count began, and as Young Master Kaien stared fixedly at his younger brother, a victor’s smile spread across his lips.
“5,500 Gold...... sold to Young Master Kaien. Congratulations.”
The auctioneer showed clear disappointnt.
But though disappointnt was as far as he went, Eluna, who had arranged this auction, looked nearly stricken. Even Kalmond, who had been hoping for a huge profit, seed stunned.
5,500 Gold was still a great sum, of course, but if we had simply sold it privately, we could easily have gotten more than 10,000, so it was impossible not to feel so regret.
Still, I laughed boldly.
“Do not worry about it. Every object has its owner. Let us just think of Young Master Kaien as the rightful owner of this one. More importantly, there is still another pen left, isn’t there? And later Spinel will make a few more as well.”
“But......”
“I said it is all right.”
I patted Eluna on the shoulder and tried to encourage her. To be honest, it stung, but there was no other way to raise her spirits.
I had to be the sort of person who was generous toward mistakes.
It was the very thing I had repeated to myself every ti professors tore to pieces. My subordinates would continue to make mistakes in the future too, and whenever possible, I would forgive them. And in doing so, I would create the foundation from which they could grow even further.
The auction continued, and at last the object I had been waiting for appeared.
“The next item is the masterpiece of the great artist Jose Esperanche von Lasranne—Diablo’s Chalice. Opening bid: 1,000 Gold! Compared to the artistic value this object possesses, one might say that is a very modest price indeed.”
Another spectacle had begun. Having waited for this mont, I turned to Eluna and asked,
“How much liquid capital can tis mobilize right now?”
“20,000 Gold can be made available imdiately.”
“Good.”
I looked toward the second Young Master and smiled.
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