Chương 69: Grand Auction

Jack stared at the blue jewelry, his mind racing. The magical mind-attack outside had stopped, but looking at this specific stone, Jack suddenly felt a deep, chilling sense of extreme paranoia. The timing was entirely too perfect. A massive mental disruption occurs in the street, and Karen just happens to wander into a random shop and pick up a specific gem?

"Put it down, Karen," Jack ordered quietly, his eyes darting around the small shop.

"But it is very pretty, My Lord," Karen replied innocently, looking down at the blue stone.

"I just liked it. I wanted to see how much it costs." Jack didn't argue with her. He turned his attention to the shopkeeper standing behind the polished wooden counter.

"You," Jack said sharply.

"How much is that clip?" The shopkeeper did not answer. He was an older man wearing a fine velvet vest, but he was just standing there, staring blankly at the wall behind Jack. His eyes were completely unfocused. He looked like a man trapped in a waking dream. Jack's paranoia spiked into absolute, screaming alarm. He actively gathered the mana in his Iron Core, preparing to forcibly grab Karen's arm and drag her out of the shop into the busy street. Something was deeply wrong in this room.

Suddenly, the dark blue gemstone on the clip in Karen's hand shone with a very faint, almost imperceptible light. It was so subtle that a normal person wouldn't have even noticed it. But the exact fraction of a second the light pulsed, the intense paranoia and sharp suspicion in Jack's mind completely vanished. It did not fade slowly. It simply disappeared, as if a switch had been flipped inside his brain. Jack relaxed his grip on his cane. He let out a soft breath, his posture returning to normal.

The sharp alarm he had felt just a second ago now felt incredibly silly to him.

"Why was I so worried?" Jack thought to himself, shaking his head slightly.

"It was just a minor disturbance in the street outside. A city this large is bound to have a few crazy adventurers." Jack smiled warmly at Karen.

"It is a nice clip. If you like it, you should have it." Karen beamed, her nervous demeanor instantly lifting.

"Really, Lord Jack? Thank you!" Jack turned back to the counter. The shopkeeper blinked a few times, as if suddenly waking up from a short nap, and offered a polite, professional smile.

"Welcome to my shop, sir," the shopkeeper greeted them smoothly, acting entirely normal.

"I see the young lady has found the lapis-stone clip. A very fine choice."

"How much?" Jack asked casually.

"Just three gold coin," the merchant replied. Jack reached into his pocket, pulled out the amount, and set it on the counter. He didn't even think twice about the man's blank stare from moments ago. His mind had completely written it off as simple boredom.

"Wear it," Jack told Karen. Karen happily slid the blue clip into her hair. It held a few strands neatly in place.

"Come on," Jack said, turning toward the door.

"The excitement for the day is over. Let us head back to the inn and rest before the grand auction tomorrow." They walked out of the shop and blended back into the busy crowd of the Inner Ward. Jack felt perfectly fine. He was completely unaware of the subtle, masterful mental block that had just been permanently locked into his thoughts. That evening, the atmosphere inside their rented room at the stone inn was quiet and comfortable. Karen had retired to her own small room to sleep.

Jack was sitting at a sturdy wooden desk near the window, lit by a warm oil lamp. He had his primary ledger open in front of him.

"Spatial Rings," Jack whispered to himself. This was his absolute highest priority. The Frost-Grip fief had the manpower now, but hauling tons of coal from the deep mines to the forge was breaking the backs of his human workers. If he could secure even a single high-grade spatial ring, one man could transport a mountain of coal in a few minutes without breaking a sweat. It would completely revolutionize their labour. He moved down the list.

"High-Grade Clear Glass." He needed massive quantities of it. The single greenhouse they had built against the castle wall had kept them alive during the winter, but it was nowhere near large enough for their growing population. He intended to build five more massive winter greenhouses. To do that, he needed flawless glass that would not crack under the weight of heavy snow. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Magical Heat Runes," Jack muttered, tapping the parchment again. Burning coal to keep the cabins warm was efficient, but burning coal to heat massive greenhouses was incredibly wasteful. He needed permanent magical heat runes that could be embedded directly into the stone foundations, providing steady, endless warmth without needing physical fuel. His village was built entirely of wood. It was sturdy, but wood burned and wood rotted.

If he wanted to turn his valley into a true, impenetrable fortress, he needed the secrets to forging advanced building materials like alchemical cement and reinforced steel. Jack closed the ledger. He had a massive shopping list, and he knew it was going to cost an absolute fortune. But he wasn't worried. He had Silas's Gold Vow-Token in his pocket. The Inquisitor had given him a line of credit worth two hundred thousand gold coins. Jack fully intended to use every single copper of it to build his empire.

He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window at the dark city. He felt incredibly calm. His Iron Core was completely stable, and his mind felt sharp. He did not spare a single thought for the blue hair clip Karen was wearing in the next room. The next day, just as the sun began to set over the western plains, a sharp knock echoed on the door of the room. Jack grabbed his cane and opened the door. Silas Thorne stood in the hallway. The Inquisitor was wearing a fresh, spotless set of white and gold robes.

He looked composed and professional, but Jack noticed a very faint stiffness in the man's shoulders.

"Good evening, Silas," Jack said smoothly.

"Did you finish your business at the Holy Sanctum guild?"

"I did," Silas replied, his tone entirely flat.

"The corpse of the Sun-Flare Condor has been delivered. It is handled." Internally, Silas was deeply stressed. He had spent the entire previous evening and most of today actively avoiding any other high-ranking Church officials stationed in the city. He didn't want anyone asking him why a Gold Core Inquisitor was escorting a minor northern noble around the market. He just wanted to get this auction over with, fulfill High Cardinal Xander's bizarre orders, and get back to figuring out the Church's dark secrets.

"Are you ready, Lord Jack?" Silas asked, gesturing down the hall.

"We are," Jack nodded. Karen stepped out of her room, wearing a clean, simple dress, her hair neatly held back by the blue clip. She kept her head down, still intimidated by the priest. They left the inn and walked out into the streets of the Inner Ward. The atmosphere of the city had completely changed from the previous day. As the sun set, the magical streetlamps flared to life, casting a warm, glowing light over the marble cobblestones. The streets were absolutely packed.

Thousands of wealthy merchants, nobles, and powerful adventurers were all moving in the exact same direction.

"The Grand Auction only happens once a season," Silas explained as they navigated the crowd.

"It is the premier economic event of the West. Fortunes will be made and lost tonight." They walked for twenty minutes until the massive structure of the Golden Scale Consortium's central amphitheater came into view. It was a breathtaking piece of architecture. It looked like a massive, open-air coliseum, built entirely from polished white stone and heavily laced with thick veins of real gold. The crowds outside the main entrance were chaotic.

Hundreds of lesser merchants shouting, shoving, and arguing with the heavily armored guards just to get a seat in the general viewing stands. Silas did not even slow down. He completely bypassed the massive crowd and walked directly toward a private, heavily guarded side entrance. Two massive guards wearing full plate armor crossed their halberds, blocking the path. Silas didn't speak.

He simply reached into his robes and pulled out the Gold Vow-Token, holding it up so the magical runes caught the light of the streetlamps. The guards took one look at the token and immediately uncrossed their weapons, bowing deeply.

"Welcome, esteemed guests," one of the guards said respectfully.

"Please, step inside. Your escort is waiting." They walked through the private doors and were immediately met by a sharply dressed Guild attendant. The attendant bowed and led them up a wide, plushly carpeted spiral staircase, far away from the noise and smell of the common merchants. They reached the top of the stairs and stepped into a luxurious, private VIP balcony. The balcony was incredibly spacious.

The floors were covered in thick red velvet carpets, and a long wooden table was set with fresh fruit, expensive wine, and water. Three large, incredibly comfortable cushioned chairs were positioned right at the edge of the balcony. Jack walked to the edge and looked down. They were seated high above the massive, circular amphitheater floor. Down below, thousands of regular merchants and minor nobles were packed tightly onto hard wooden benches.

In the direct center of the amphitheater was a raised, brightly lit circular stage where the items would be presented.

"This is very comfortable," Jack noted, taking a seat in one of the plush chairs and resting his cane across his lap.

"A Gold Token guarantees privacy and respect," Silas said, taking the seat next to him.

"You are completely separated from the common rabble. No one down there can see who is bidding from these upper boxes. It prevents grudges and assassinations over contested items." Karen nervously took the third chair, keeping her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked down at the massive, roaring crowd below with wide eyes. Suddenly, the loud, chaotic noise of the thousands of people in the amphitheater was cut off. A single man stepped out onto the brightly lit center stage. He was wearing a sharp black suit.

He did not hold a speaking horn, yet when he opened his mouth, his voice boomed effortlessly across the massive arena, clear and incredibly loud.

"A Silver Core mage with a Wind affinity," Silas murmured to Jack.

"He uses his magic to project his voice so every single person in the arena can hear the bids."

"Welcome, Lords, Ladies, and Guildmasters!" the auctioneer's voice echoed like thunder.

"Welcome to the Golden Scale Consortium's Grand Auction! Tonight, we have wonders from across the continent. Artifacts of power, materials of empire, and secrets of the ancients!" The crowd roared in excitement. Jack leaned forward in his plush chair. He ignored the fruit and the wine on the table beside him. His eyes were locked onto the center stage.

"Let the scales be tipped!" the auctioneer shouted, raising his hand. The heavy iron doors at the back of the stage slowly ground open, and the first item of the night was wheeled out on a velvet-covered cart.