The Top-Tier Butler of the Marquis Family Chapter 102 : Chapter 102

Chapter 102

The reason I asked Eluna how much capital tis currently held was simple.

Because I intended to participate in the auction myself.

It was not because I had any interest in art, nor because our company building needed decorative pieces. And it certainly was not because the succubus figures had spectacular bodies.

Let us go through it slowly.

To begin with, the plan to sell the fountain pen at a high price had gone wrong. Since I was the one responsible for supplying tis with ample funds, I had no choice but to alter the plan.

Because of the two Young Masters who had appeared so unexpectedly, we had failed to earn the profit I originally intended. So I decided that I would make up for the shortfall by another ans.

At the center of that plan stood Young Master Prah.

To put it simply, I intended to make so money by using Young Master Prah. The reason that was possible was because I possessed information no one else could know.

The Status Window.

I had analyzed the Young Master's Status Window in its entirety. And from it, I had concluded that he was deeply imrsed in demon worship and Necromancy.

He would certainly throw himself at Diablo's Chalice. There was a high chance it was an artifact that exerted special abilities when one set up an altar or perford Necromancy.

Otherwise, he absolutely should have participated in the bidding for the fountain pen. But he had not. That ant there was another item he was after.

At monts like this, I regretted the limits of my ability.

If only I possessed the power to see through objects, I would have been able to grasp the hidden ability of that Diablo's Chalice.

“But there is no need to be impatient.”

The range my Status Window could observe was continuing to expand. At present it could only show information on living beings, but perhaps soday the day would co when I could see the nature of objects as well.

With exaggerated gestures, the auctioneer raised his voice.

“A masterpiece left behind by a great artist! Who among you will na a price for this magnificent work of art that transcends the ages?”

The room stayed quiet.

Then, near the front, soone cautiously raised a placard. With a gesture of his hand, he nad his price.

“Oh! Young Master Prah!”

The auctioneer’s face brightened. But from his perspective, the attendance of the Young Masters was hardly a welco thing. The other nobles would start watching their reactions too carefully.

In fact, the expressions of the high-ranking Noblesse officials observing the auction were rather poor.

“Why do they all look like that?”

“This auction is a disaster for them today. Everyone is too busy watching the Young Masters’ reactions to bid properly.”

“It would certainly be burdenso to spend money under those circumstances.”

I nodded.

After all, if soone made a joke like, “It seems your estate’s revenues are rather generous,” the amount of tribute he would be expected to offer next ti might increase.

In any case, just as I had expected, Young Master Prah bid on Diablo's Chalice.

“Well then, Young Master Prah has called 1,500 Gold. As expected, you have a fine eye for art. Those who understand, will understand the true value of this piece. Is there no next bidder?”

At that point, off to one side, a noble with a great protruding belly cautiously signaled his intention to bid.

“Viscount Garteng! Why, the auction would hardly an anything if you were not to bid. We have 2,000 Gold.”

The second Young Master turned to look at Viscount Garteng, who had entered the bidding against him. When the viscount bowed his head apologetically, Prah smiled brightly and gestured that it was no matter.

He was acting as though he were enjoying it on the surface, but inside he was probably hurling curses.

Viscount Garteng had likely flinched as well. There was no telling what lay behind that smiling face.

Young Master Prah entered another bid.

“2,500 Gold from Young Master Prah! The race between these two continues. This is getting exciting!”

Perhaps the subtle pressure in Prah’s glance had had its effect, because Viscount Garteng withdrew and did not bid again.

anwhile, Kaien, Prah’s elder brother and rival, was looking at his younger brother as though he could not understand him. His expression practically said, Is that really the sort of thing worth paying so much money for?

Of course, Prah himself simply kept smiling and revealed none of his true thoughts.

“No one else? Then it seems we have no choice but to begin the count.”

The auctioneer clapped his hands and urged the room on. It seed it was about ti for to make my move.

I raised my placard and signaled my bid with a gesture of my hand. The thod of participation had been explained in the catalogue, so it was not difficult.

“What!”

The auctioneer pointed a finger at and then recoiled in shock.

“5,000 Gold! Unbelievable. The price has leapt to double. Master Suhyeon of the tis Trading Company, the man currently causing such a stir in the industry, has bid 5,000 Gold!”

Burning gazes poured toward . Naturally, the two subordinates seated beside to assist were also startled. I had not told them in advance that I intended to buy sothing at the auction.

“Oh my heavens! That item is worth 5,000 Gold?”

“Master Suhyeon of the tis Trading Company? I have never heard the na before.”

“He looks incredibly young, yet he spends 5,000 Gold without hesitation. Remarkable.”

The surrounding crowd began murmuring among themselves.

I folded my arms and kept my face expressionless. It was a form of psychological warfare.

Doubling the price could be read as a bluff, but at the sa ti it also conveyed the resolve that I absolutely would not let this object slip away.

That was why it was important not to let my expression be read.

“5,000 Gold?”

Young Master Prah muttered the words. Because my hearing was still heightened, I heard them clearly.

Since I was seated farther back, Prah had to go to the trouble of turning around to look at . When our eyes t, I gave him a slight bow of acknowledgent.

He was smiling, but flas danced in his eyes. So you are finally showing your true colors. But it will not be easy for you.

“Please, everyone, settle down. The auction must continue. Does anyone wish to bid above 5,000 Gold?”

As though he had been waiting for the cue, Young Master Prah bid imdiately.

“7,000 Gold! Young Master Prah has......”

The auctioneer’s comntary was already growing tireso. I responded without delay.

“Master Suhyeon, 8,000 Gold!”

“Oh? And imdiately another bid. Young Master Prah, 9,000 Gold......”

“Ah! As if he had been waiting, Master Suhyeon bids again! 10,000 Gold! Diablo's Chalice has now reached 10,000 Gold. What a stunning contest!”

The murmuring around us swelled even further.

Ten thousand Gold was not rely a number. It was an imnse sum that an ordinary person could never even dream of touching. It was also the amount Eluna had painstakingly built up by selling standard-model fountain pens.

In other words, I had just wagered roughly half of tis’s total funds.

“Master, aren’t you pushing yourself too far? That item is not truly worth that much.”

Eluna asked in a worried voice.

“Whether it has value or not is for to decide.”

“......My apologies.”

“Just wait. Sothing interesting is going to happen.”

I had still not explained my true intention to my two subordinates. I wanted to leave them room to think for themselves.

My plan was to purchase Diablo's Chalice first, and then resell it at a vastly inflated price to the person who actually needed it.

Naturally, that person was none other than Young Master Prah.

He would no longer be able to raise the auction price. If word spread that he had spent over 10,000 Gold on a single work of art, Marquis Chronos would not remain silent.

It would also deal a severe blow to the diligent and respectable image he had built for himself all this ti.

“Kuh......”

With a low laugh, Prah signaled his withdrawal. And so Diablo's Chalice beca mine.

“Congratulations, Master Suhyeon! The highest-priced winning item of the day has appeared. Please, everyone, a warm round of applause!”

Clap clap clap!

As thunderous applause poured down, I rose briefly and bowed politely in acknowledgent. Once seated again, I lost all interest in the auction itself.

“10,000 Gold...... Master, what in the world are you thinking?”

Unable to endure the frustration any longer, Kalmond asked, and I pushed the catalogue aside before replying.

“I intend to resell Diablo's Chalice.”

“To whom?”

“To Young Master Prah.”

Since my business there was done, I rose from my seat and left the auction hall. My loyal subordinates exchanged a glance, then followed behind .

As soon as I stepped outside, an employee of Noblesse approached.

“Congratulations on your purchase. Where would you like the item delivered?”

“To tis headquarters.”

“Understood. Will the paynt be prepared imdiately?”

“I will prepare it at once.”

“Thank you, Master. I will proceed on that understanding.”

Once the Noblesse employee withdrew, we began walking down the corridor to leave the building. Then a voice called out to from behind.

“Suhyeon!”

It was Young Master Prah. Turning around, I greeted him with a light bow.

“What a splendid contest that was. Regrettable though it is, I suppose I must yield Diablo's Chalice to you.”

“My apologies. It happened to be an item that had long interested .”

“Not at all. There is no need for you to mind . An auction is nothing less than a duel in which one fights proudly with one’s wealth, is it not?”

There was a barb hidden in his words.

Can a re trading company’s master truly dare to defeat a Young Master of House Adeline? It would be a lie to say that such a tone was not faintly present.

But I had nothing to be ashad of. After all, I fully intended to hand it over if he asked.

Naturally, only after receiving a price greater than what I had paid today.

“There is, in fact, sothing I would like to discuss with you for a mont. Hmm, would your ti permit it?”

“That would be fine. Since eting you like this is also a matter of fate, I would like to introduce you to our company. Our headquarters building is nearby. Would you care to visit?”

“Very well.”

“Escort the Young Master.”

At my order, Kalmond and Eluna moved to either side of him. Naturally, he already had several guard knights of his own, but I made certain to show that I was taking his protection seriously.

“And where do you co from, exactly?”

“For now, Fortuna.”

“For now?”

“I was a war orphan...... I wandered from place to place before finally settling in Fortuna.”

“My, I have been terribly rude. It must be a mory you do not wish to revisit.”

“Not at all. You may ask freely.”

I spoke with Young Master Prah about many things as we made our way toward the headquarters building. He seed fond of books, and as his Status Window suggested, he also possessed a considerable amount of philosophical knowledge.

“But tell , what did you intend to use Diablo's Chalice for, that you bid on it so eagerly?”

That was the question I ought to have been asking him. He had stolen the initiative from .

“I simply thought it looked magnificent and ended up buying it. For so reason it gave the sense that it bewitched those who looked upon it. I thought it might be pleasant to fill it with wine and drink from it.”

“If it were a wine as red as blood......”

The corners of Young Master Prah’s lips rose slightly. A chill ran across my skin.

“It is certainly sothing of a dangerous object. After all, there is a dreadful legend that Diablo used it to drink human blood.”

“Would the Church dislike hearing that?”

“No. A legend is only a legend, and since it is an object made by a great artist, it likely would not be considered much of a problem.”

I had probed him lightly, but he had not taken the bait. He seed to be unexpectedly high-level.

“Then why did you bid on it, Young Master?”

“Ah, that?”

The Young Master smiled sweetly. On the surface he looked like nothing more than a pure-hearted country youth.

“I, personally, am studying ancient races and magic. I have even published several research papers in the Royal Academy, so I am rather well known in that field.”

“I see. That is truly impressive. House Adeline really is on another level.”

If he had published papers at the Royal Academy, that would be sothing closer to an SCI-level journal than rely a respectable dostic journal. I put on a look of admiration, but at the sa ti I carefully acted out an expression of concern.

“I only hope I did not presumptuously interfere with your research, Young Master.”

“Hahaha. Not at all. Nothing of the kind. Though there is, in fact, one small favor I would like to ask of you.”

“I can only hope it is sothing I am capable of helping with. But first, please, do co inside.”

Once we arrived at the headquarters building, I went upstairs together with Young Master Prah to my room.