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A few moments later… The auction hall emptied the way a battlefield emptied after the last horn. Not suddenly. Not cleanly.
People flowed out in controlled groups, each buyer surrounded by guards and contract clerks, each purchased case sealed twice and carried like a newborn that could explode if mishandled.
Some winners left with smug faces that tried to hide shaking hands. Some losers left with smiles that were too polite, already planning revenge in their heads.
The smaller houses departed first, because smaller houses understood that staying near larger houses after money moved was the fastest way to become collateral.
Mira returned on the platform until the final primary lane transfers were confirmed. When she stepped down at last, her calm looked slightly worn around the edges, but she never let the audience see fatigue. She carried the ledger and sealed receipts as if she had been born with them in her hands.
