Chương 1687: [1584] – Y07.084 – A Man of Silvers IX

'Three hundred thousand,' the Faro thought, her eyes darting towards the Niza's son for a beat, noting he was considering bidding once more, though it was quite the heavy sum. The auction had warned them they had come across quite the pair of weapons, and they assumed they would need to spend roughly this much, but they still needed to save themselves for the next few auctions across the year, and for the years beyond.

The pair could afford to spend such mountains of silver at this time, but they were not those who had to spend their coin on their people, to keep their positions secure.

'Three hundred thousand,' Emarak thought, holding his chin, his thumb brushing along his jawline. The number had suddenly jumped, and though it was still an acceptable price to pay, it wasn't quite as acceptable as it had been previously. He thought of his father, his ancestors, his family name, and how much he had to bid in order to not shame his name. However. To think this Mo and this Iyrman were both disrespecting him so brazenly.

He would need to teach them a lesson, if not through the power of his great wealth, then the power of his great force, for they should-, Emarak's eyes slowly slipped across towards the corner, towards a particular figure, whose own eyes remained towards her eldest brother, her tiny mouth a circle of awe. There was a reason, he supposed, they behaved so openly hostile towards them, and it was a reason that would cause his own hand to pause.

It was a little matter if they were of a small merchant family, or even a typical commoner, not that one would be allowed to step into such a grand realm, but for an Iyrman, and for an Iyrman who was currently walking the land with children of the Iyr… Emarak swallowed the wound, allowing it to fester in his heart under the shadows, and instead he pulled back, clasping his fingers together. It was not a shame to his family's name if he stepped back at three hundred thousand silver, he thought.

"The wealth of the business is so great," Merchant Mohammed mused, reaching up to brush along his thick moustache, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, but not the kind that would get him killed, the kind that revealed he had no idea it was so easy for them to wield.

"It would be untoward to wield the wealth of the Rot family," Jurot replied simply, his arms crossed, the Iyrman sat upright, feeling the gaze of his wife against the side of his face. It was upon feeling her gaze, the Iyrman's heart throbbed. He narrowed his eyes, praying they would bid once more, so he could bid four hundred thousand, for it should be at least that much.

"The Rot family has remained so well known even for two thousand years, so I shudder to think of its great wealth." The Iyrman remained still, though the corners of his lips began to curl upwards, and though the merchant had struck on Jurot's meaning immediately, was there a need to reveal the poverty of the merchants so openly?

'It seems as though…' Dina thought. It wasn't long before she called the end of the bidding for the ultimate item, and the auction slowly wound to a close.

"Why did you spend so much on a blade?" Pam whispered, leaning towards her husband, her breath tickling his neck.

"It is a blade with a great tale," Jurot replied, staring at nothing in particular in front of him. However, as she continued to glare at him, the Iyrman surrendered, his ears beginning to turn red.

"It would look good by your side."

'I don't even know how to fight,' the woman thought, though remained completely bewildered by the Iyrman, who could spend a lifetime's worth of coin so easily. She stared up towards the sky, wishing it would swallow her whole.

'Should I have asked for more than five thousand?'

"Big brother, you are so manly," Lanarot said, reaching up to grab his bicep, causing the Iyrman to flex out of instinct.

"If you say it, it must be true." The girl flushed slightly, smirking.

"Yes. Of course."

"Of course," her brothers repeated after her, causing her to snicker. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"Brothers! You are so silly!"

"You are so manly too, since you spent so much silver for your grandmother," Adam reminded the girl.

"You silly boy. I am not manly, I am so womanly." Lanarot held out her arms and flexed her biceps as her eldest brothers would.

"Oh my! So womanly! So womanly!" the half elf pulled back lightly, trying to protect himself from his sister's great strength.

"When you grow up, you will be as strong as me too," Lanarot assured, peeking up at her brother, the pair snickering together.

'He truly is a Crazy Brother…' Mohammed thought, glancing aside to Aliya, who kept the half elf and his wife within her sight, considering his relationship with the Iyr. It was special, beyond special, unique. Throughout history, she knew of few who held such a relationship to the Iyr, but there was something else about this relationship, for it was not just simply a connection to the Rot family, but a connection to the entire Iyr itself. The merchants had gathered this much, but…

"Does the auction house also have other items for sale not through an auction?" Adam asked.

"It has quite the collection, some even reaching the quality of what was auctioned here today," Mohammed replied, with a tone that suggested he was no longer able to be surprised by the half elf.

"Then, let's spend a little more silver before we go, and…" Adam let out a gentle grumble.

"It seems I wasn't able to spoil you or the good Kal properly, other than giving you a good show." Kal Rushad had half prayed the half elf had forgotten him, but seeing the half elf beaming at him, the middle aged Aswadian smiled politely, bowing his head gently.

"The show was grand indeed."

"I suppose if there's something that does not speak my heart, I will have to send something from the business in the near future," the half elf admitted, beaming with a bright smile towards them all.

"Let's go see if there's anything here first." As the group prepared to spend more silver, the half elf leaned over to his Aunt, raising his brows slightly.

"Aunt, can I, you know, ask the Iyr to send the silver to the auction house, and then they can take the money from the business?"

"Yes," Sonarot replied, smiling politely.

"By the way, Aunt…"

"Yes?"

"During the next auction, I'll be sure to spoil you too." Adam held up a thumb up towards his Aunt, who smiled in return, the half elf flushing slightly.

'I should have made another fifty thousand to spoil Aunt and Lanababy…'

"Adam," Jurot called as they made their way into the hill proper, in which the House on the Hill stored great wealth.

"Will you train Pam to become an Expert?"

"Me?"

"I do not think I will be able to."

"Yeah, that's no problem," Adam replied simply.

"We'll farm up some XP this year."

"If I fight too, will that assist?"

"Yes?" Adam replied, taking a moment to think.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"Okay." Adam glanced aside to his brother's, whose eyes suddenly darkened and not because the gentle glow of the stones embedded within the walls did not reach his eyes.

'Stop making it sound so dangerous…'

"I don't wish to become an Expert," Pam stated, rushing up after her husband as she felt a disturbance within her heart.

"Are you sure?" Adam replied.

"I am certain."

"You won't even have to lift a blade or anything, you just need to watch."

"I…" Pam blinked, furrowing her brows towards the half elf.

"Why are you acting like this is the craziest thing you've learned about me?" Adam replied, his eyes holding her gaze, and for the first time, he held the look many often stared at him with. Pam blinked once more, turning her head towards her husband, who did not dare to give such a look, but even his eyes seemed neutral, the kind of neutral which stated he wished to look at her the same way, though after a moment, his eyes held a different kind of beastly look.

Though many others travelled with him, many of whom who were not Iyrmen, they decided against listening to his ridiculous words, especially Kal Rushad.

'One must lift a blade to become an Expert,' the Fariq Thanwi thought. The underground district was large, pillars keeping the ceiling from falling upon them, though even if half had been destroyed, the ceiling would hold, and each was carved with simple patterns. Fine weaponry and armour lined the various circular stalls, a dozen or so workers each at the ready, another dozen tending to various vague matters.

With all the equipment nearby, this was exactly the kind of place the half elf wanted to be, especially since it was time for that.

"Ahm Mohammed, could you facilitate a meeting between myself and someone high up in the House on the Hill?" Adam asked. The air grew heavy for a moment, for such words coming out of the half elf after what he had done would cause anyone to stumble.

"It may be a little difficult to upon such short notice," Mohammed admitted, partly so he didn't get blacklisted from the auction house.

"I guess I'll just ask Kal Uli to help me out in Jabal Adh Aswad," Adam replied casually, but realised perhaps his petty threat didn't land for they had no idea what he was thinking.

"I guess even for I, the High Alchemist of the United Kindom, who has so many magical weapons to sell, am not fine enough to auction such fine magical weapons, the kind that can defeat Fariq Thanwi of various Orders, in the House on the Hill." Mohammed held the half elf's gaze, which had dropped his foolish pretence, and continued to stare with an expectant gaze, touched by disappointment.

'Oh,' Mohammed thought.