At ten in the morning, Petras Auction House.
As one of the most famous auction houses on the Southern Continent, its branch in the eastern part of the continent was situated in District 3 of Palieu. For generations, it had been a sacred ground for art and antique collectors seeking rare treasures.
Beyond ordinary sales, it hosted dozens of large-scale, members-only auctions each year, featuring paintings, furniture, jewelry, magic apparatuses, contracts, and more.
The facade of this massive, multi-story, fortress-like building was decorated with intricate carvings and classic Palieu architectural elements, and the golden plaque above the main entrance gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight.
Stepping inside this historic edifice, it felt as though with every footstep, the echoes of historic, astronomical bids from past transactions still reverberated in one's ears.
Inside the grand hall, light cascaded from masterfully crafted chandeliers, dotting this palace of art like scattered stars.
At this moment, deep within Petras Auction House, the weekly grand auction was already underway.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today's grand gathering at Petras Auction in the Flower Capital. What we are about to embark upon is not merely an auction, but a journey through time, guiding you to appreciate the allure of priceless treasures. Let us set sail with passion, and may these most precious collections find their most ideal new owners!"
The auctioneer's resounding voice echoed both inside and outside the auction hall.
The auditorium was arranged like a theater, fanning out in tiered rows around the stage. Behind the stone balustrades of the second-floor gallery were exclusive seats reserved for VIPs.
Lanqi, Talia, and Boss Cat sat in a relatively inconspicuous section of the gallery, surrounded by lavishly dressed members of the wealthy elite.
"Your membership actually worked," Talia murmured, glancing sideways at Lanqi.
Neither of them had any interest in the treasure currently up for bidding, so amid the noisy buzz of the crowd, they began to chat.
"Of course. I wouldn't drag you out here for nothing," Lanqi replied with a smug grin.
Had they not made the spontaneous decision to come today when seats were already tight, an earlier reservation might have even landed them a spot in the VIP section above.
However, they hadn't been able to secure three seats this time. Lanqi was the only member of the Petras Chamber of Commerce, so Talia had entered as his female companion, leaving Boss Cat with no choice but to be cradled in Talia's arms.
"Meow, what on earth are they selling..."
Boss Cat stared at the prices of the lots on the distant auction stage, feeling thoroughly like an unsophisticated country cat.
If Asna hadn't taken over Boss Cat's Restaurant and multiplied its revenue several times over, it wouldn't have even dared dream of bidding to buy a chef.
Even if they did purchase a demon chef, Lanqi would probably have to front some of the money first, with the restaurant's monthly earnings going toward paying him back later.
On the distant stage, the auction block was fashioned like a century-old cabinet. Its gold-leaf accents and exquisite carpentry made it stand out prominently within the entire auction hall.
In an adjacent glass display case, an imperishable crystal necklace rested quietly on a velvet cushion, every amber-yellow gemstone glinting with interlacing radiance under the lights.
"Our next lot is an artistic masterpiece passed down through a century. It has not only witnessed the changing tides of a family's history, but also carries the profound artistic legacy of Master Gela Zelte. This piece is undoubtedly a dream treasure for every jewelry collector."
As the auctioneer introduced it, the necklace named [Memory of Starlight] and its specifications were displayed.
[Memory of Starlight]
[Type: Magic Item]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Tier: 1]
[Any living being wearing this necklace will receive a slight increase in spirit, with a small probability of resonating with the memories of an ancestor who once wore it. One-time effect.]
In no time at all, the bidding broke through the ten-thousand-pound mark.
In the auditorium, Boss Cat looked at Lanqi from Talia's embrace in utter bewilderment.
"Can that thing really be worth that much, meow?"
The necklace's attributes were practically nonexistent. If it could sell for so much, Boss Cat wouldn't even dare estimate how much the statues Lanqi had restored in the orc city-state of the Shadow World would fetch.
Of course, if someone actually stole those divine statues to sell for money, that whole bunch of orcs would probably fly into an all-out berserk frenzy and fight to the death.
"Its inherent attributes aren't that powerful, but it has been endowed with the legendary touch of a master craftsman. If it were used as a base material to craft an equipment card, one might even produce an Epic," Lanqi mused, propping his chin in his hand.
The concept of a "legendary touch" had been taught to him by Professor Borao, though the professor hadn't explained it in exhaustive detail, preferring Lanqi to grasp it on his own.
According to Professor Borao, over-interpretation would only dull one's inspiration. If a craftsman embarked on a path solely pursuing a legendary touch, they would never attain a true one. Thus, he hadn't wished to teach Lanqi too much, nor had there been any need to.
Lanqi had a rough sense of what that legendary touch meant. When making cards, there was always an indefinable element that could only be felt, not expressed in words. That was likely it—the key to anchoring history. Once endowed with a legendary touch, an Epic could be forged.
Beside him, Talia quietly listened to Lanqi's inner voice.
Ever since their minds had become linked, she felt as though she could occasionally absorb some of Lanqi's insights.
In a sense, Lanqi studying was equivalent to her studying; she could directly reap the rewards of his labor.
"Of course, the collectors bidding on this necklace probably don't intend to use it for crafting. They likely just appreciate it as an art piece," Lanqi noted. He felt that paying over ten thousand pounds was still a massive markup, driven primarily by collectible value.
Converting it into the simplest measure of purchasing power, ten thousand pounds could buy thirty million bottles of mineral water.
As the auction progressed, the auctioneer's voice reverberated through the hall.
Each time an artwork was knocked down, a wave of discussion swept through the room, and whenever an exceptionally high-priced lot was hammered sold, cheers and applause erupted.
Outside the main hall doors stood everyone from professional art collectors to ordinary, curious reporters. Some crouched while others stood, peering intently through the small glass windows in the doors to record anything that might serve as news.
"Alright, distinguished guests, now comes the highlight of the event!"
The meticulously arranged auction stage remained the center of attention. The auctioneer stood upon it in a dark suit, holding a small silver gavel that symbolized his authority.
His rhythmic, articulate delivery instantly pulled every eye back toward him.
Like a brilliant solo performance, it pushed the atmosphere of the entire venue to a crescendo.
Right after, a demon servant was brought onto the stage.
"Celestia, a Tier 6 demon, possesses well-trained, comprehensive scouting capabilities. Former captain of the Vanguard Reconnaissance Unit of the 35th Brigade of the Demon King's Army's 6th Army Corps. After surrendering, in order to avoid execution, she chose to sign a servant contract of 355 years. In other words, her legal contract currently has 231 years remaining."
The demon servant introduced by the auctioneer possessed pale blue skin distinctly different from that of humans. Her irises were as deep as the night sky, and her long ears twitched ever so slightly.
Despite being in such a humiliating position, she maintained a calm posture.
As the auctioneer finished detailing the demon servant's special abilities and background, the atmosphere in the hall grew even more charged. Many wealthy patrons seemed eager to have her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Celestia not only possesses a striking appearance as a servant, but also extraordinary combat power capable of multiplying the strength of any noble house!"
The mood in the room ignited, and the auctioneer recaptured the attention of every distinguished guest with his magnetic voice.
"Even more incredible is that once she becomes your servant, she will protect you and your house for generations to come!"
He cleared his throat and continued his pitch.
Below the stage, Talia looked away, unwilling to watch any longer.
Beneath her bangs, her eyes were hidden, seemingly shadowed in darkness.
"..."
Lanqi looked at Talia beside him and said nothing.
He could roughly understand what Talia felt, as a fallen princess of a ruined kingdom, watching her kin being auctioned off.
At the same time, she had no grounds to argue, for demons put up for auction truly had brought it upon themselves. She understood that logic perfectly well.
On the stage, the auctioneer struck the lectern with his silver gavel, announcing that bidding was officially open.
Numerous wealthy merchants immediately began calling out bids, each hoping to take this formidable Tier 6 demon servant home.
The numbers climbed rapidly, jumping from several thousand to over ten thousand in less than half a minute. Every price hike drew gasps and murmurs from the auditorium.
This bidding war was not merely a display of wealth, but a contest of power and status.
A Tier 6 servant would be a formidable competitor even in the Flower Capital Holy Grail Familiar Tournament, let alone Celestia, who, as a genuine veteran of the Demon King's Army, possessed combat experience and practical abilities that defied imagination.
The expressions of the bidders were an intricate weave of anticipation and calculation as they constantly gauged their strongest rivals.
Meanwhile, the demon stood quietly on the stage. There was no fear in her eyes, as if she had already seen through all this clamor and vanity.
"55,000 pounds!"
In the end, when a blond nobleman dressed in formal attire on the second-floor VIP terrace called out an astronomical sum for the final bid, the entire room fell silent.
The auctioneer brought the gavel down for the final strike. The demon servant merely lowered her head slightly, accepting her new fate.
"Meow, meow..."
Boss Cat had never seen so much money in its life. It was entirely dumbfounded.
"The reason she sold for so much is mainly due to her strong abilities and the lengthy contract duration."
Barring any unforeseen death on Celestia's part or the risk of her harming her master, this was effectively a long-term employment contract spanning more than two centuries.
Furthermore, Celestia's contract explicitly stated that she could not be coerced or harmed, her duties had to remain lawful, and she was entitled to basic living care, the statutory minimum wage, and regular holidays.
"Another factor is her good looks. Often, attractive demons command double the price at auction houses," Lanqi explained to Boss Cat.
"..."
Talia's gaze instantly locked onto Lanqi.
"Setting strength aside and judging purely by card art, Poet of Great Love remains number one under the heavens. No demon could ever surpass her peerless beauty," Lanqi said, looking at Talia.
Talia retracted her gaze.
Indeed, the Demon Lord of Mad Love—both incomparably powerful and utterly peerless in beauty—was truly the most perfect.
"Meow, meow."
Boss Cat felt like these two were at it again.
"Speaking of which, if we captured some members of the Blood Clan to sell, wouldn't that be even more lucrative... starting with a fifty-thousand-year contract at the very least..." Lanqi murmured to himself, as if an idea had suddenly struck him.
"Meow!"
Just hearing Lanqi say that, Boss Cat could already picture Hubao kneeling before the goddess statue, weeping uncontrollably.
As they chatted and watched the proceedings, more than half an hour flew by.
Every now and then, an intriguing lot appeared, and new VIPs entered while other patrons who had lost interest departed midway through.
Lanqi occasionally spotted an item he fancied, but after a second thought, he decided against it.
For instance, the [Shadow Petal], a mythical plant said to grow on the edge of the void, could temporarily allow the user to blend into shadows, granting a brief period of invisibility—ideal for covert operations, assassin missions, or top-secret reconnaissance. It would have made a rather nice skin for Poet of Great Love.
There was also the [Traveler's Compass], an antique compass magic apparatus that prevented its bearer from ever getting lost no matter where they were.
Every week brought all sorts of bizarre curiosities; if one tried to buy them all, there would be no end to it.
Up on the stage, the auctioneer paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd in the auditorium.
"Next is another merchandise contract for a demon servant. Her starting bid might still be substantial—but remember, the opportunity to acquire a legend is never too expensive!"
As the auctioneer's words fell, the hall stirred with excitement once more.
Distinguished guests exchanged words and glances, eagerly awaiting the entrance.
Soon, a slender, androgynous female demon with pale skin and silky silver hair was brought onto the stage.
"Erwin, formerly part of the Logistics Unit of the 9th Army Corps. Although she is only Tier 2 and not a combat-type demon, she possesses multiple skills as a housekeeper, magical chef, and gardener. She can provide your estate with a comprehensive guarantee of luxurious living. Her contract has 156 years remaining, with a starting bid of 950 pounds! Who will be her new master? Let us see!"
Below the stage, Boss Cat's eyes lit up the moment it saw her information.
Though her culinary skills were far inferior to Miss Lisanthie's from the airship, her wide array of domestic talents made Boss Cat feel that hiring such a chef would be well worth it.
"She's even more competent than Pranay!" Boss Cat marveled.
From what it could see, although Pranay had never made a mistake at work, he mostly just stood behind the bar polishing glasses.
Moreover, Pranay looked rather weak; even Boss Cat couldn't sense any magical energy from him.
"Er..."
Lanqi felt that Boss Cat had truly been phased out by its own restaurant. It had completely failed to notice how astonishingly efficient Pranay was in his daily work; Pranay was simply discreet and only looked like he wasn't doing anything.
Often, useless bosses never realized that the true pillars of a company were the employees who seemed relatively idle.
If they actually brought an ordinary demon back and she discovered the true identity of the great demon running the tavern, she would probably faint from fright.
"1,100 pounds," Lanqi raised his paddle.
Since Boss Cat showed some interest in this demon who possessed cooking skills, Lanqi placed a bid on its behalf, only to be outbid almost immediately.
"Keep bidding? Boss Cat," Lanqi asked, watching the price quickly rise to 1,500 pounds.
Pushing it to 2,000 pounds would actually be a poor deal. Other people were competing for her purely because she was quite good-looking.
"Meow, keep going. A slight markup is fine—it's a long-term contract after all," Boss Cat said, feeling a pang of financial heartache.
"1,550 pounds," Lanqi raised his paddle again.
"2,000 pounds!"
A new bid rang out from on high, instantly bringing a broad smile to the auctioneer's face, while Lanqi blinked in mild surprise.
"What do you say, Boss Cat?" Lanqi looked down to ask the little black cat's opinion.
"Try one more time," Boss Cat insisted unwillingly.
"2,050 pounds," Lanqi raised his paddle.
"2,500 pounds!"
Accompanied by a mocking tone, the voice called down from above once more.
This time, Boss Cat fell silent, and Lanqi lowered his paddle.
As the auctioneer brought down his gavel with a satisfied grin, the ownership of this demon's contract was settled.
A new round of bidding commenced in an orderly fashion.
"Who is that gentleman?" Lanqi asked the customer beside him, with whom he had been chatting on and off earlier.
Only now did he realize that almost every lot had been snatched away at an extreme premium by that blond young nobleman seated in the elevated VIP box.
Whoever competed against him would be met with a price that snuffed out all hope.
He didn't even bother with incremental raises, making his opponents feel petty and humiliated for inching up the price.
"The young master of Earl Baptiste's family," the wealthy merchant whispered to Lanqi. "Rumor has it every maid in his household is a demon, and he is obsessed with competing in familiar tournaments. He calls himself the Little Demon King of Posen."
The neighboring patron had exchanged a few words with Lanqi now and then, and as they grew more familiar, Lanqi turned to the people around him whenever he had a question.
"..."
Talia frowned slightly beside him.
She found it utterly baffling. How on earth was Lanqi so socially adept? In the blink of an eye, he was chatting warmly with complete strangers again.
Still, what annoyed her at the moment was that young master of Earl Baptiste's family up in the VIP box.
"Heh, when it comes to rare demons, I'll buy them regardless of the cost," the blond noble said contentedly to the Petras Chamber of Commerce officer beside him in the second-floor VIP box.
He didn't lower his voice in the slightest.
He seemed to be announcing to the first-time visitors in the auction house not to bother competing with him.
He would end up buying them in the end anyway, and if anyone drove up his bids, he wouldn't mind driving up the prices on the items they wanted, either.
Talia quietly watched the man's flamboyant behavior, her expression darkening.
Such a direct gaze was quickly caught by the blond nobleman.
He looked down, his eyes locking with Lanqi and Talia for a moment, sharp and piercing as icicles.
Immediately, a flicker of displeasure crossed the young master's eyes, clearly offended by Talia's stare.
"Hmph. That gray-haired country girl isn't bad-looking, but what a sour face she has," the young master curled his lip into a cold sneer, uttering a disdainful snort.
His gaze swept over Talia and Lanqi like he was sizing up two cheap pieces of merchandise, filled with contempt.
The young master beckoned to the auction house officer beside him, gesturing for him to come over.
"Bring me your catalogue. Everything I'm interested in, I'll buy out at the buyout price."
He issued the order with utter nonchalance.
Certain lots at Petras Auction House were assigned a buyout option.
Normally, the buyout price set by Petras Auction House was far higher than the average hammer price, so very few customers ever opted to buy items outright.
Yet the arrogance in the young master's tone was as unquestionable as the noble air he exuded.
Clearly, he wanted to flaunt his immense wealth and absolute superiority before Lanqi and Talia, and even more so, to strip them of the opportunity to participate in the auction altogether.
It seemed that because of Talia's earlier glance, he had resolved not to let this insolent girl get her hands on anything she desired today.
Talia, however, kept her brow furrowed as she stared at the distant VIP box of the blond noble, saying nothing.
"Tata, let it go," Lanqi said gently, seemingly trying to ease Talia's frustration as he glanced back in the direction of her gaze.
"I'm not angry," Talia replied, fixing her eyes on the Posen noble whose wealth bordered on the absurd, knowing he was not someone easily trifled with.
If it truly came down to a battle of financial resources, they would probably have to summon Hyperion—and even then, only on the condition that Hyperion had already inherited the ducal estate's fortune.
Moreover, in an auction house within a core city-state, there was virtually no room for violence. Even Loren couldn't casually unleash high-tier spells here; entering combat mode or releasing substantial magical energy inside the city would immediately trigger alarms and suppressive countermeasures.
"Unsophisticated country bumpkins..." the young master murmured, narrowing his left eye as his lips moved subtly, making his words effortless to read.
He seemed to find great amusement in provoking this gray-haired girl who looked as if she might explode at the slightest touch.
"..."
Talia's gaze grew progressively colder.
Had this been a century ago, she wouldn't have tolerated such provocation for a single second.
Lanqi hastily grabbed her wrist.
He was genuinely afraid that Tata's fists would move faster than her brain.
The moment she displayed any violent tendencies, they could be treated as outlaws.
No matter how lively the auction hall continued to be, a tense silence hung between the blond noble and the two travelers and their cat across the expanse of the room. Talia seemed to register Lanqi's warning; pulling her gaze away from the nobleman's box, she turned to look at Lanqi's face.
Talia gently slipped her wrist from Lanqi's grip for the moment.
"Lanqi, do you have a way to teach that fellow a lesson?" she finally spoke.
Although she disliked asking Lanqi for help, and didn't even know if he would be willing to aid her, her chest genuinely felt stifled with indignation.
She had no way of dealing with high-ranking nobility in an unfamiliar land without violating the law.
It was times like these that made her feel how difficult it was to spar with people under the constraints of countless rules and regulations.
"...Of course not. We can't break the law," Lanqi looked at her and answered earnestly.
"I see," Talia said.
There was no disappointment in her tone.
That was just how her relationship with Lanqi was. She had never expected him to protect her the way he pampered Hyperion, nor was she the sort of delicate girl who succumbed to feelings of grievance.
Besides, this fellow loved provoking her most of all; seeing someone else provoke her probably didn't bother him in the slightest.
Yet just then, she saw Lanqi raise his hand, gesturing for a staff member in the aisle to come over.
"Excuse me, I have a super rare contracted creature here. Would it be possible to insert it into the auction lineup?" Lanqi asked the approaching auction house attendant.
"Er, according to our auction house regulations, disrupting the queue is not permitted. While there are precedents for this, the contract must be exceptionally rare to even warrant an exception," the attendant explained.
Looking at the young man, the attendant couldn't see how he could possibly possess an extraordinarily rare contracted beast.
However, he had no authority to make such a call; he still needed to take him to see the manager to determine if a last-minute addition was permissible.
"I'm sorry, Boss Cat. We have to part ways temporarily, but to save the demon race, I have no other choice," Lanqi said helplessly, cupping Boss Cat in both hands.
"Meow, meow, meow! Nooooo!!" Boss Cat shrieked.
"Hey, Lanqi, are you serious?" Talia pressed a hand onto Lanqi's shoulder.
Though she understood that only by securing a massive sum of capital could they contend and play the game against the blond noble, money shouldn't be made like this.
Selling Boss Cat was going a bit too far, no matter how one looked at it.
Lanqi could only shake his head with a sigh.
...
Twenty minutes later.
Boss Cat and Lanqi had been gone from the auction hall for some time.
Talia remained in her original seat, quietly watching the stage.
"I have an announcement for everyone! An unprecedented lot has just been inserted into the lineup!" the auctioneer suddenly received word, a mysterious, tantalizing smile spreading across his face as he proclaimed it to the entire venue.
It was a super-special, rare race employment contract.
Even in all his years serving as the chief auctioneer of Petras Auction House, he had never seen anything like it.
"Naturally, the racial verification has already been completed!"
In an instant, waves of clamor rippled through the audience below.
None of them had expected a surprise in today's auction.
Usually, only an extraordinary, peerless treasure would prompt the auctioneer to make a last-minute addition and hype up the atmosphere to such an extent.
Next, the curtain drew back.
On the stage, the staff members led Lanqi out.
"The race is called the Lanqi race! Starting bid: ten thousand pounds!"
Talia: "Pfft!"
She nearly choked on her own spit.
Whoever bought this guy... it was truly a case of easy to invite a god in, but impossible to get rid of him!
Chapter 672