"Wilhelm, if you pace across the room one more time, I'm going to smack you."
Was I pacing?
I stopped in my tracks and glanced at Salem, who crossed her arms threateningly. She most assuredly would follow through on that, I presume.
I hadn't realized I was pacing.
I was lost in thought, it seems.
There are very few times when a situation arises that utterly throws me off guard like this. I expected, well, high-level Mystic Eyes. They were nothing new; I've run into several pairs on board the train thus far. Even Rainbow-level Mystic Eyes aren't something I would get taken aback by, usually.
Doctor Heartless' Mystic Eyes certainly took me off guard. It happens; I can't always account for every single possibility or nuanced ability in existence. Some things are simply going to slip through my knowledge and experience.
But it's not even that.
This, however, was something completely different.
Rainbow Mystic Eyes are always going to be something special. But these were…something else entirely.
I wasn't even sure they were Mystic Eyes.
But I am one hundred percent sure that those eyes never existed in the head of someone before. At the very least, I know for a fact those things were never the eyes of a human.
They were all sorts of wrong.
Morgan was no help either. In that, I didn't expect her to be helpful, but I couldn't glean anything from her because she left immediately after the guest auction was completed.
Admittedly, I mentally mocked the church for sending a Burial Agent here. I thought they were overreacting based on the rumors. But now, I couldn't fault them at all; if anything, they had underreacted.
Even they didn't know based on their turnout.
If they knew, I can say for certain, the entire Burial Agency would have moved, and this auction would have never happened because they would have turned this train over way before.
Hell, the turnout even from other parties would have been significant.
Everyone and their mothers would be fighting over these Eyes.
It takes a lot for me to feel anxious, but here we are.
Regardless, I stopped my pacing and self-inflicted worry. Nothing would come about from me sitting here and thinking of the implications all night.
"Wilhelm, are you alright?" Venelana asked me with clear concern.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just…thinking about things." I hummed. "On that note, please don't ever touch those eyes."
Venelana tilted her head. "Are they dangerous? You haven't said a word since we've gotten back about them."
"For you, maybe. I frankly don't know what would happen if you got 'too close.'" I admitted. "Best not to take any chances." I glanced at Salem. "Possibly you too."
Salem snorted, "I'm immortal."
"I know."
She raised an eyebrow at that.
"You worry too much." Salem crossed her arms.
"So I've been told. But I wouldn't be able to handle it if anything happened to either of you." I gave them both a warm smile.
Venelana pulled me into a hug. "You're always such a sweetheart."
That's one way to have me stop thinking about it, having my face pressed firmly between her boobs.
Reluctantly, I pulled myself free.
"What's your plan for Olga and Trisha?"
"Plan? Was I supposed to have a plan?" Venelana asked in return. "I just did what I wanted and figured I'd just make it up as I go."
That made me chuckle. "She's going to need to stay nearby for a bit."
"Of course, but it's not that bad. A lot of that whole 'staying nearby their king' rhetoric for newly reincarnated devils is a bit exaggerated. It's mostly for humans who need to acclimate to being a devil. Of course there's the transformation aspect that has to do with the Evil Piece, but she doesn't need to spend every second of every day at my side."
Huh, I suppose that makes sense, and I'm not surprised. If anything, it's smart to be vague about it so they can properly shove devil propaganda down the throats of the newly reincarnated devils.
"It's unfortunate timing; I'm sure both Kunou and Olga would get along well." I hummed.
"I was going to point Millicas at her." Venelana smiled. "He needs some more friends too. He has it difficult due to who his parents are."
"Ah, my…younger brother."
I should visit him again sometime; our last time wasn't…unpleasant.
"Well, this trip turned out much more interesting than intended." I straightened my shirt, then reached over and took Salem's hand up to my lips and gave it a kiss.
She gave a small smile that I always loved to see.
Salem's default is quiet.
Even when together with the others, she often just sits there silently. And it's not a matter of being pushed to the side or forgotten. Simply, she isn't one to speak that much.
And that's fine.
I just want her to know that I appreciate her presence regardless.
Small gestures often say more than words can.
"At the risk of inviting even more crazy onto my full plate, I feel like stretching my legs for a bit. You both are more than welcome to join me."
"You go ahead, sweetheart; I was going to catch up on some messages I've missed." Venelana replied.
"I'm at my near limit for socializing. I will wait until you return for the final auction later." Salem said simply.
I didn't try to push it.
I gave one little nod and headed out the door of our room.
Some fresh air would do my head good. Or…not so fresh air, since I was still inside the train. Still, I didn't have any particular destination in mind; I had the thought of going to the caboose, where I could actually get some fresh air on the outside platform.
However, once I left the room compartment and entered that compartment with the lounge setup and bar, I was taken by surprise by who I found sitting by themselves at the bar.
I looked around, seeing no one else in the train compartment, and decided to join them.
"Father Karabo." I greeted the old priest as I took up a bar seat close to his.
He looked up at me; his expression was hard to read, but his eyes looked tired. "Lord Schweinorg." He greeted me politely, if distantly.
Well, I suppose that's to be expected.
"I wasn't aware you drank."
"As an Executor of the Church, we are allowed to partake in certain vices." He responded calmly. "I find myself indulging on this rare occasion."
I raised my hand, and the magic around the bar started to operate; a bottle floated off the shelf, along with a glass, and it poured me a drink.
"Drinking today, drugs tomorrow. Next thing you know, you're going to be consorting with the denizens of hell." I eyed him.
I didn't actually ask him why he was drinking. I think I could parse that one out myself.
There was a moment where his eyes turned to me, his glass to his lips as he paused, then he set it down and let out a laugh.
That's good; I'm glad I could get him to laugh at least. He didn't seem like a bad guy despite being a church executor.
"If I don't go to hell, then who will?" He stated, downing his glass.
"Buddha?" I raised an eyebrow, recognizing the quote as being from Ksitigarbha. A rather famous quote at that.
"I studied many different faiths in my life." He responded.
"How…progressive."
He didn't seem offended by my sarcasm at all. "I'm aware that you don't have the best perception of the Church."
That's putting it mildly.
"You know, there's a lot of irony going on in this room right now." I pointed out.
"It's not lost on me." He sounded amused.
"Do you plan on participating in the auction?" I asked him curiously. I knew it wasn't his purpose for being here, but it's one of those 'I may as well' type deals.
However, he shook his head. "I believe it's best if I keep my distance. I came here for my own goals, and my fellows are not pleased with my presence here on my lonesome."
Hmm, I guess I could see that. They wouldn't be happy about a church executor from somewhere else just randomly showing up that's not part of their group.
"That's probably for the best though." I ran a finger along the rim of my glass. "We finally found the one responsible for the attacks and dealt with him. And the method in which he did attack everyone."
Karabo seemed to perk up once I mentioned that. We hadn't exactly kept him in the loop, and he's been pretty reclusive thus far.
"He had a rather unique pair of Mystic Eyes – Jeweled Ranked. They could steal the vision of other people, and by extension, utilize their Mystic Eyes if they had them."
Karabo's eyes widened for a brief moment, and then he looked down at his glass. "I see."
Well, he didn't need me to explain the details there; he could put two and two together. I presume he also knew how his own eyes worked.
I should probably head over there as well, and with Waver. I hadn't given them the full breakdown of what's happened, and since they were involved, they do deserve to know. But right now my brain is almost entirely focused on the auction.
I took a sip of my drink and decided to put it off until after.
The danger had been dealt with; there was no pressing concern right now, so I could wait until I was in a better state of mind.
I down the rest of my drink.
I had a feeling this was going to be a headache and a half.
[line break]
I straightened my tie before pushing open the train car door.
The hours passed by quickly.
We weren't the first to arrive; both Venelana and Salem flanked me on either side. I scanned the room; it had changed slightly, some of the furniture moved to make it appear more open.
And it looks like there was more seating set up.
I wondered if this was done manually or if it was an automatic process via magical means. It's not like I could thoroughly analyze every minute detail of the Train's magical makeup on sight with how complex it is.
We took the same seats as before since they were open.
I already noted quite a few familiar faces.
Morgan was there already, but she wasn't in the back seat this time; she was more front and center.
I also saw Luvia.
She had been out of sight this entire time, presumably because of my presence.
Waver was here, and his group was present, but I didn't think they were actually going to be participating.
Olga and Trisha had their own seats, but Olga perked up happily once we came in.
The auctioneer was also here, standing at the center, patiently waiting without a single word to anyone who came in.
Gradually, the room began to fill.
Many people whom I hadn't seen at all, or some I had only glimpsed when first getting on the train.
I couldn't really blame them; with how chaotic it had been, it was sensible to hide away in their safe rooms until the auction finally rolled around.
The room was eerily quiet.
To the point where the ticking of the clock at the corner of the room was the loudest noise. Just before it reached the appointed time, the doors on the far end of the room, away from us, opened.
The church people strolled in like they owned the place.
Immediately, it set almost all the Magi in the room at ease.
If it were most other situations, spells would have most assuredly been thrown already. Should I call it progressive that both sides are putting up with the other for the sake of the auction?
Of course, Ciel was also there, but she didn't even care to look our way. It spoke volumes about how important this was to them that they were behaving.
There was no bell or alarm to indicate that it was time.
Simply, the auctioneer woman stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." She spoke politely and authoritatively. "Welcome to tonight's auction event, held by the Rail Zeppelin. We hope the amenities have been to everyone's liking even though we had a few bumps along the way."
Yeah, a 'few bumps,' if you want to call it that.
It's certainly been an experience.
"I would like to begin with the rules. Any fighting is strictly prohibited. We have activated all the magical defenses of the Train, and we will not hesitate to expel anyone who causes problems. Payment must be made in full before items are received. There is a one-day grace period to send the funds to our private accounts before we nullify the bid. We will also be operating on a small bit of the honor system in regard to money; however, items used for bids must be presented immediately for them to count."
It might seem strange for an 'honor' system, but they very well couldn't have everyone 'prove' they had all the money they said they did when a Magi's investments are usually heavily diversified. Not to mention, the technology here is still a bit behind what I'm used to. Being able to show a bank statement on a phone is something unheard of here yet.
Mostly, they just used their professional reputations as guarantees. And if they don't pay up? Well, then they get mocked by their peers, which is significant enough of a detriment for no one to play these games.
At the end of the day, the Train doesn't lose out. They'll just auction the eyes again the next time if they can't collect the money, while the person who made a false bid has their reputation in tatters thereafter.
"Regarding items provided, we have hired a professional adjudicator to appraise the items and assure a fair comparison in value." The auctioneer gestured to Morgan, and I felt that headache coming on. "Miss Morgaine will be evaluating all items presented."
Morgan's lips curled up as our gazes met again.
I hate her.
There was just something so infuriating about her despite her not even doing anything.
"We will reserve the right to reject or evaluate any bids at our discretion." She pressed her hands together. "Are there any questions before we begin?" She paused, giving everyone a moment to raise any objections, but the room was silent. "Very well, let's start with the first item of the evening." She said with a clap.
The door opened and the conductor walked in. I was starting to think that they only had these couple of employees, so they took on multiple jobs.
He was carrying a case again, but it wasn't the eyes; it was a different set of eyes.
"Allow me to introduce Mystic Eyes of Remembrance." The auctioneer began. "These are of the lowest rank, but they have a very practical ability. The user can activate them to recall pieces of information they may have forgotten."
She's right; that is very practical.
I, of course, don't know the specifics, but to be able to recall some forgotten information is a very useful ability.
I just don't know if it's worth going through the trouble of implanting them. Though, there are plenty of ways to utilize mystic eyes without putting them in your head.
"I want those." Salem spoke up.
Huh, I suppose they would also be useful to Salem. I couldn't imagine all the things she's forgotten in her life that would be worth remembering.
"Four Million Pounds." Someone opened with a bid.
That was a lowball bid.
Mystic Eyes, even the lowest levels, were usually very expensive.
"Ten Million." A more earnest bid came out, but it was still relatively low.
It wasn't like the earlier auction where people casually threw out their bids; it seems like everyone was much more reserved. Possibly because no one knew what was coming up next other than the 'main attraction.'
Not everyone here is aiming for the Mystic Eyes of Providence. Some just want a decent pair of Mystic Eyes for a good price, and potentially wasting their funds on this pair could be detrimental.
"You can snatch them up if you act quickly for a low price." I whispered to Salem. "It's still relatively low, and everyone's scared of bidding for the moment."
There was a flash, and I noticed that Salem's expression was more than casual desire.
It made me wonder what she wanted these eyes for.
However, she also didn't appear anxious about it.
I would have been more than happy to buy them for her, but it looked like she wanted to handle it herself, so I didn't butt in.
She gracefully held her hand out, and a small box dropped onto the table. The auction didn't go unnoticed, causing a bit of a thump as it dropped out too. "I'll offer this." Salem said, opening it up.
There were about a dozen Dust Crystals, all of different colors, each one about the size of a finger.
The auctioneer walked over, examining them closely. "May I?" She asked, gesturing to the box.
"Please." Salem responded curtly but politely.
The auctioneer nodded, carefully picking the box up, and she brought it over to Morgan, who began to inspect it.
I could hear the whispers around us; many people here hadn't been in the previous auction, so the sudden reveal of Crystallized Mana was enough to cause a bit of a sensation.
I watched curiously as Morgan picked them up, one by one, inspecting each one. Strangely, it seems like she was taking her 'job' seriously and not just using it to fuck with us.
Her expression was hard to discern, but she eventually placed them all back into the box and leaned in to whisper something in the ear of the auctioneer.
The auctioneer nodded with a smile and returned the box to Salem before taking her place back at the center.
"Miss Salem bids a box of a dozen pieces of Crystallized Mana, estimated to be worth 145 million pounds."
Any whispers immediately ceased. Probably because Salem had raised the bid over a hundred times the previous one.
"Are there any other bids?" The woman asked, looking around.
As expected, there were not. It was hard to top Salem's bid, and she probably overbid by about 45 million pounds. I doubt anyone had the courage to compete with her on this particular item at this point.
The glances sent our way were kind of proof of that.
"Congratulations to our winner." The auctioneer smiled.
The Conductor, who was holding the Eyes in the case, brought them over to our table and gently set them down for Salem to inspect.
She carefully reached out to pull the container closer; she looked at them for a long moment. "I am satisfied." She said plainly, pushing the box of dust forward.
"Thank you, Ma'am." The Conductor took the box back and disappeared through the back doors with it.
There was very little fanfare; it was almost ironic how mundane it felt when auctioning magical eyes. Salem, of course, put the container with the eyes away in her own little storage bracelet, seemingly very pleased with her purchase.
I don't know what she wanted them for, but there was very clearly a deep reason for it. Regardless, I reached over and squeezed her hand.
She glanced my way, and I could see the faint smile of hers.
The next item was brought in, just as the first was.
"Mystic Eyes of Stillness." The auctioneer introduced. "They allow the user to briefly pause any object in motion—depending on the size and speed of the object, the duration varies."
Neat, I could see how practical that would be too.
Looks to be of the lowest rank again, but that's neither here nor there.
"Ten million." A man I didn't recognize raised his hand.
"The gentleman from the Ahr-Manj family starts with ten million." The auctioneer called out.
"Twenty Million."
"Twenty-five!"
"I have a Mystic Code here for trade." Another voice called out.
The same as before, the auctioneer approached and took the Mystic Code. It looked like a pair of cuff links. She took them over to Morgan to be examined.
Morgan whispered to the auctioneer, who nodded again and announced the new bid. "A Mystic Code worth 65 million is the new bid."
"What!?" The owner slapped the table. "That Mystic Code is worth at least a hundred million! I demand an explanation!"
"No." The auctioneer replied casually with her dismissal. "Our evaluations are final."
"Ridiculous! Who is she to question a Mystic Code crafted by my family!?" He pointed an accusing finger toward Morgan. "A second-rate magus I don't recognize." He said with a scoff.
"Oh, that poor fool." Venelana shook her head because she too noticed Morgan's expression suddenly shifting.
"Well, someone was going to do it; I just didn't expect it this early." I leaned back and was happy to watch the show.
Magi usually have…large personalities. Being 'snubbed,' from his perspective, well, he reacted like he probably normally would have back home.
That is to say, I expected someone to test either the auction or Morgan's patience, but I didn't think it'd be this soon.
"They're worth no such thing," she said coolly. "The gold is plated, not solid. It's already beginning to tarnish where the clasp meets the hinge. Any real collector would see that immediately."
She turned one in her hand, letting the light catch on the small inlays. "The gem work is worse. You've set flawed quartz, cut badly enough that the mana channels inside fracture under even modest use. If you tried to run a proper spell through these, the stone would crack within a month."
She took one, holding it up to the light of the ceiling. "The only reason I'm not calling them trash is because someone had the smallest hint of intelligence to allow them to absorb moonlight to repair themselves over time through an obscure ancient rune. Otherwise, the spell inscribed to disrupt spellcasting through magic circuits is pitiful at best, and I wouldn't have even given it half the appraisal I did." She finished with a scoff, tossing them onto the table in disdain.
I think I could pick the moment that his pride crumbled exactly.
As much as I dislike Morgan, I could never deny her skills. And he was just asking for a verbal thrashing.
His face flushed in anger, but it was hard to retort when she was so precise in her 'appraisal.'
"The current bid is 65 million." The auctioneer, doing her best to push things back on track, interjected before he could argue again.
"80 Million!" A voice I recognized called out the next bid. It was Yvette who enthusiastically waved her hand next to the waver. As soon as the room's gazes turned to her, she latched onto Waver's arm, much to Waver's annoyance.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
How sly.
She was using Waver's status to scare off any other bidders. Despite the auction being 'without conflict' sometimes, people have to be careful about who they offend. Not many people would want to 'challenge' Waver over a basic pair of Mystic Eyes.
"80 million from Miss Lehrman, are there any other bids?" The auctioneer asked, looking around, and no one spoke up. "Very well, sold to Miss Lehrman. Please provide the funds within a day."
Yvette threw her hands up excitedly.
She got them for cheap; frankly, they were about the same as the previous pair of eyes and should have at least been a hundred million, maybe a tad more.
The next eyes arrived quickly.
Once more, they were of the lowest level.
"Mystic Eyes of Silence." She announced. "While the user keeps someone in their eyesight upon activation, you can prevent them from speaking or making any noise."
Neat.
You know, if nothing else, it's interesting to see all the Mystic Eyes they got their hands on.
"Forty million." Luvia surprisingly threw out a casual bid, but her expression made it look like she wasn't very enthused.
"Forty-five." A sharp-voiced woman two rows down raised her hand without hesitation.
"Fifty." Another bidder, a middle-aged man with a heavy accent, chimed in as if he had been waiting for someone else to take the bait.
Luvia's lips curled in mild amusement, and she leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. She didn't bother to counter. "Do go ahead," she said under her breath, waving the matter off like it was beneath her.
"Fifty-five."
"Sixty."
The auctioneer's eyes swept across the room, noting the last voice. "Sixty million from the gentleman in the back. Any further bids?"
The room stayed quiet.
"Very well. Sold for sixty million." The proverbial gavel came down with a firm word.
The man who had won the Silence Eyes didn't look particularly thrilled with his purchase—more relieved that no one pressed him further. Luvia, by contrast, looked as though she'd just been entertained by a passing performance, her mind already elsewhere.
There were several more lower-level Mystic Eyes that popped up, but none of them really caught my attention.
None of them broke Salem's initial bid, and they all teetered around a hundred million, if that, in their final price.
"Next, we have a special product ready. Normally, a pair of eyes like this would be our auction headline, but they've taken a back seat this time." The auctioneer gestured to the newest pair of eyes being brought out. "Mystic Eyes of Severance. They're Gold-Ranked Mystic Eyes, fantastically rare compared to the previous ranks you've seen so far."
The lowest rank on the Noble Color Scale is red, sometimes blue or green. Essentially, they're 'singular colored' to denote their lesser value or rarity. Gold-colored ones are the next level up, and the rarity of them increases significantly.
Arcueid's Mystic Eyes are gold-colored, to put it into perspective.
Well over 95% of all Mystic Eyes are of the lowest 'rarity,' so it's a bit surprising that the Auction had more than just the Mystic Eyes of Providence to offer.
As she said, these eyes, without even knowing what they did yet, would have been a headliner in a different situation.
"Allow me to introduce them. These Mystic Eyes can be used to sever the bonds between two non-physical links. They excel at dispelling Bounded Fields, Contracts, and Enchantments."
There was a brief moment where the room was deathly quiet, like everyone simultaneously took a deep breath before the excitement erupted.
"One Hundred Million!" A pudgy man in a well-tailored suit called out first.
"One-fifty!" Another person immediately threw out a higher number.
"One-eighty!"
"Two hundred million!" Luvia's voice rang out sharply. Her bid caused a slight lull in follow-ups, not because of the amount offered, but because of both her tone and her identity.
However, it wasn't enough to dissuade the auction further.
"Two-fifty." The pudgy man threw out without a care, making Luvia's expression slightly dour.
"Three hundred!" a sharp-faced woman snapped, almost on top of his words.
"Three-fifty!" came from somewhere near the back, the bidder half-standing in his eagerness.
The auctioneer's voice was as before, professional, but even she had to raise it slightly to keep up with the frenzy. "Three hundred and fifty million, do I hear four?"
"Four hundred!"
The room buzzed, the tension crawling up the walls. A few people who hadn't bid at all leaned forward in their seats, eyes glittering. Even those who had no intention of joining seemed taken by the frenzy that started.
These were certainly some very interesting Mystic Eyes for the common Magus. It's not inaccurate to say that they would be a tremendous boon to any Magus family to be hoarded and passed on.
Eyes like this are exactly the reason that this auction is so popular and coveted.
"Four-fifty!"
"Five hundred!"
Luvia raised her hand again, smiling sharply as she slapped the table. "Five hundred and fifty million."
That silenced the room for a heartbeat again. I could tell she did it intentionally to try and shock the other bidders, but the reprieve, unfortunately for her, didn't last but another beat or two.
"Five-seventy!" one man barked, his hand trembling in excitement.
"Six hundred!" another voice overrode, and with that, almost all the other bidders shrank back their heads like this number was the invisible barrier they all decided on not passing.
Well, for most people, Luvia still looked to be warring with herself as the eyes of the auction settled on her, waiting for her response.
For a long, tense moment she seemed ready to press further, but her jaw clenched, and I could see the reluctance in her eyes as she let out a sigh and waved her hand. "How droll," she murmured, as if the game had stopped being entertaining. "Do enjoy bankrupting yourselves."
She's most certainly a sore loser, isn't she?
The auctioneer didn't miss a beat. "Six hundred million. Any further bids?"
Silence answered, and she was ready to call it, but I raised my hand.
"Seven Hundred Million." I called out casually.
Their heads snapped to me, and even Salem and Venelana seemed surprised by my interest.
"Seven hundred million offered by Lord Schweinorg, are there any other bids?" The auctioneer asked, looking around again.
The person who made the previous bid just shook his head and sat back down, looking annoyed.
"Very well, Mr. Schweinorg, congratulations on your purchase. Would you like to pay separately or charge it to your account?" She asked.
I had an account?
It was probably Gramp's account, now that I think about it. He did say he has been here before, and he often does business throughout our little world. I shouldn't be surprised that he has a 'known account' bouncing around.
In which case.
"Charge it to my account, please." I smiled. "And pass those eyes over to Miss Edelfelt." As soon as I said that, the girl snapped her head towards me with a look of confusion. "As a thank-you gift."
Waver said that she provided some pertinent information to him earlier. He also mentioned how Luvia was currently being 'punished' by her family due to what had happened between her and me previously.
I am not without compassion. A gift as thanks, and I intentionally did it 'publicly' to dispel any notions of ill will I had towards her.
Her expression was a mix of several emotions as they flashed across her face, but she softened quite a bit from a few moments ago, when she was clearly upset that she had to give up the bidding.
She met my gaze, and I just gave her a polite smile and a nod.
I wasn't her biggest fan due to her antagonistic relationship with Rin, but she was most certainly not a bad person, especially by Magi standards.
Regardless, I settled a debt I owed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's now time to move onto the main event for tonight." The auctioneer quickly changed pace.
The conductor brought out the larger glass case, and inside, it was the eyes from before. Those same crystal-like eyes that very clearly never belonged to a human.
I was glad that I wasn't the only one feeling the uncanniness of them based on the expressions of everyone in the room.
The church people in particular looked like they were ready to jump forward and grab the Eyes and run away.
Just their presence was enough to silence the room upon their arrival.
"These are the Mystic Eyes of Providence. They have been confirmed to be of the Noble Rank of Rainbow, the highest rank possible. As for their use…it's unknown." The auctioneer said with a smile.
"What do you mean unknown!?" Someone got the courage to shout.
"Do you expect us to bid on an unknown pair of Mystic Eyes?" Another added.
"This is highly unprofessional! Why has there not been a professional audit of the eyes?"
The auctioneer just smiled. "If you don't like it, you don't have to bid. I'm sure someone else may appreciate them regardless."
That shut up the dissenting voices. Because, very clearly, there were many people who would happily acquire them no matter what.
"One billion pounds." The first bid came out sharply and unexpectedly; it was from the Church side.
The one who bid wasn't Ciel, but it seemed like she was sitting back and letting him handle this specific matter. But her eyes roamed over the room, as if daring anyone to start anything.
A billion was certainly a big start. Enough that some people were starting to second-guess despite this not even being close to what the Eyes are worth.
"1.2 Billion," Olga called out.
Color me surprised again.
She wasn't at all scared to go against them despite them shooting her dirty looks.
The Animusphere family could certainly afford it too. An ancient family that had been accumulating wealth since the Age of Gods, it's hard to say how much money they actually had. If there was a competitor here that could keep up with an institution like the Church when it came to bidding, it would be Olga's side.
There was one problem on my end. While I had enough to compete, I didn't have straight money, like this. And I don't think Gramps would be happy I emptied his accounts or put him in debt.
Trying to pay with a literal mountain of gold isn't really a plausible means here.
"Two Billion!" The church person called out, not giving anyone else a chance.
Even Olga was taken aback by the huge jump.
They really wanted this pair of Mystic Eyes.
"Two billion from the Church, are there any other bids?" The auctioneer asked.
"I have a bid." I raised my hand. "I have a small vial of water from the River Styx."
May as well go big, right? It was a leftover from what I gave to Venelana to make the wine in the first place.
It was a tiny thing too, probably like a 15th of an ounce.
Honestly, it might be easier to count the drops inside than try to parse the fraction of an ounce.
However, the atmosphere in the train turned odd.
"Lord Schweinorg, may I ask for clarification? When you say, "Water from the River Styx—"
"I mean, it's water taken from the River Styx from Greek mythology." I answered the auctioneer.
Rather quickly, many people began to whisper around us.
"You're welcome to evaluate it." I held up the vial to her.
Hesitantly, for the first time, the auctioneer looked a mite nervous as she took it into her hands and quickly moved towards Morgan.
Morgan too seemed surprised as she took hold of it, inspecting it intently. It wasn't immediately like before, and it was like the train was waiting with bated breath for her evaluation.
"It's real." She finally said after a few minutes. "Based on your currency, I value this vial around 2.5 billion."
I almost wanted to ask a question of how she even knew the value of our 'currency,' as she's been on the Reverse Side for a long time, but I held my tongue.
There were a lot of stunned expressions in the train at this point. I don't think any of them expected something right out of Myths to appear, certainly not something that shouldn't exist anymore.
The auctioneer cleared her throat, though the faint tremor betrayed her professionalism. "The bid of Lord Schweinorg is accepted. Two-point-five billion, equivalent value."
The room erupted, not in shouts, but in hushed whispers. I looked towards the Church delegation, and the one handling the bidding looked peeved, to put it mildly. Perhaps because I wasn't something they could try and bully if it came down to it.
"Three Billion!" He raised his voice above the crowd's whispers, deafening them again as he looked my way.
"Three billion. Lord Schweinorg, do you have a counterbid?" The auctioneer asked.
I took out a Life Fruit from inside my ring and set it on the table. "A fruit grown by a faerie tree from the Fae Lands, full of life energies, can extend lifespan if eaten."
I noticed Morgan's slight twitch as I introduced my newest bid.
It had almost the same reaction as the water from the River Styx, something pretty much inaccessible to normal people, but in particular, I was amused by Morgan's veiled shock.
Once more, it was presented to Morgan for evaluation.
She glanced my way with pursed lips as she looked it over. "Eight Hundred Million."
I rolled my eyes because I felt like that was a low amount, but I held my tongue again.
"Eight hundred million," the auctioneer repeated smoothly, though her eyes flicked between us. "The bid from Lord Schweinorg now stands at three-point-three billion, equivalent value."
"Five Billion!" The Church Executor countered once more, his voice carrying a hint of anger this time.
That wasn't a small amount by any means, even for them or a large Magus family. There are countries with less of a GDP than what was just thrown out.
Well, the good news is that we somehow squeezed out all the other bidders. Even though Olga decided not to join in after her first bid, she was just watching. Albeit with a dumbstruck look on her face, mostly aimed at me.
"A vial of blood from a Great Faerie." I held up the vial. Particularly, I wanted Morgan to see it. It was, of course, from the Winter Queen. By the vernacular here, she would be a Great Faerie, conveniently the same 'status' that Morgan would presumably have—or Vivian for that matter—if I were to guess.
Was it slightly petty? Absolutely.
It was a tad bigger than the River Styx water I bid earlier, but it was also worth quite a bit. The blood of a Great Faerie was not something you could just get your hands on even with money. While it, of course, could have a monetary value if you compare it to other things, it was also rather rare.
Once more it was given to Morgan to evaluate.
Her expression slowly shifted to a frown, and she scowled my way once it appeared she was finished.
"Five Billion." She huffed, handing it over to the auctioneer.
There was silence as she all but stated that it was real.
Every Magi worth their salt knew what a Faerie was. However, a Great Faerie was a slightly different and deeper subject to dwell on. At a minimum, it was known that Great Faeries were something straight out of legends, something on par with Divine Spirits in obscurity and status.
"Five billion," the auctioneer confirmed crisply. "Adding to Lord Schweinorg's previous offerings, the standing cumulative bid now totals eight-point-three billion pounds, equivalent value." Her voice trembled slightly, as did her hand as she set the vial down next to the other items I had bid on.
This is probably the most 'money' I've ever thrown around. There are more than a few countries that would be absolutely jealous right about now.
It wasn't as explosive as before; after a few times, I think the people here were now somewhat used to me throwing out absurd things.
That's not to say that they were unsurprised, but the reactions were much more reserved.
I looked at the direction of the church people, and there wasn't an immediate response this time. Instead, they looked a little panicked, like they weren't sure of the correct response.
Maybe it was a little intimidating from their end to see me toss out items like this casually.
They started discussing between themselves.
The auctioneer didn't rush them; her job was to get as much 'money' as possible, so seeing that they hadn't given up yet, it was enough for her to give them a moment.
Their whispers turned harsher, and it was very clear they began to argue amongst themselves.
A cold harumph stopped their escalating arguments that I could only faintly hear from this far away without intentionally trying.
Ciel stood up. "Fifty Billion." She said it curtly without any fanfare.
The others looked at her wide-eyed, like they were about to argue, but a glare from her had them quickly reeling back.
If I had to guess, I'd say that she just threw out their absolute limit. Their entire budget, as it were. She's most certainly the type of person to just use everything they had because she was impatient or didn't care to 'play around.'
Fifty billion—that was a pretty astronomical number.
I don't think most people could wrap their heads around that amount of 'money.'
With fifty billion pounds, you could more or less buy any government on earth. You could influence any political party and essentially do what you wanted. You could quite literally buy certain countries and proclaim yourself king.
I actually wasn't sure I could get close to that with the amount of gold I had even if I wanted to.
Genuinely, I was not expecting the price to go up that high.
That was an absurd leap, and I suppose it was doing its job, because it left me rather speechless for a beat or two.
The Church really has a lot of money to throw around, don't they?
And like that, the ball was back in my court.
"Lord Schweinorg, do you have a counterbid?" The auctioneer asked.
I tapped my finger on the table, considering what I had and what I could offer.
Ciel looked very happy with herself; her smirk was all but showing how she thought she had won.
You know what?
Fuck it.
I slapped my last bid on the table. "The Wing of a Fallen Angel."
One of Kokabiel's wings, to be specific.
If my earlier bids caused everyone in the room to go quiet, this was different. This was a deathly silence that filled every corner of the train.
The blood of a Great Faerie? Very valuable, but that was a tiny vial, not even an ounce. Same with the Water Styx.
This was an entire wing of a fallen angel.
They couldn't compare.
It felt like everyone in the room forgot to breathe for several moments.
"Blasphemy!" A roar shook the silence as one of the Church Executors slammed his fist on the table, cracking it. "This is an affront to God's Creation! A lie! A fake!"
Even Ciel's expression hardened when she looked at the wing, and she wasn't even a 'believer.'
"Bullshit." Ciel finally called out. "That's utterly absurd and impossible."
The church people around her, less calm about it than her, agreed with her wholeheartedly.
"Well, that's not for you to judge." I rolled my eyes.
Morgan rose from her seat, the auction enough to cause a brief moment of peace as both sides just watched her walk towards my table.
She looked at me, and I at her. The normal smug, if playful, nature of it was gone. She had a very serious look on her face as she looked at the wing on the table.
Morgan stopped at the table, eyes lingering on the wing for a long, suffocating moment. She didn't touch it, merely studied the faint radiance of divine authority still clinging to the feathers. Finally, she exhaled.
"…It's genuine." Her words cut through the strange tension in the room. "I don't have a monetary value to assign it. Accept it as the superior bid." Her words carried a casual dismissal and appearance of uncaring towards it, but the lack of her normal smugness was telling.
The auctioneer's composure cracked for the first time, her voice trembling as she forced the words out. "Th-then… the cumulative bid of Lord Schweinorg is accepted." She cleared her throat, regaining a semblance of calmness. "Lord Schweinorg, your prize."
She presented the Mystic Eyes to me, setting the glass case on the table carefully, especially careful not to accidentally set it on the wing still present.
She, of course, quickly, but just as carefully, picked up the wing in a way as to not ruffle the feathers.
"We thank everyone for attending the auction. As of now, the auction is closed." Maybe it was impolite in the way she quickly shut down the event, but I don't think anyone could fault her.
While my Mystic Eyes were now the envy of everyone in the room, their eyes were focused on the wing in her arms as she left the room.
The only reason I think the church people weren't throwing more of a fit was because they were sort of staring at it blankly as well.
I suppose it's not every day that literal proof of your belief system is presented so openly.
Regardless, while they were still reeling from my 'bid,' I did the most sensible thing and quickly stored away the Mystic Eyes.
I had no idea what they were for or what their purpose was, but now they were mine, and I had the time to figure that out.
[Line Break]
A/N
Big chapter; it took me awhile.
The next main chapter is PHO.
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone
I also have a boosty if you can't use the above under the same name.