Chapter 107: The Auction Begins

Over the course of three days, Roland alternated between accompanying his parents in conversation and offering them comfort, and standing silently before his brother’s hospital room, gazing at him with quiet devotion as he prayed for his recovery.

After they had finished their own affairs, Maler, Karina, Gabaz, and Victoria arrived one by one. As no one had expected otherwise, Victoria and Gabaz each secured the championship of their respective grades, an outcome that brought the gathering much joy for some time.

To Roland’s surprise, Simon soon appeared at the Chuen Church. Having heard the news from his father, Master Cervantes, he had hurried over simply to see for himself. Naturally, he was exceedingly eager for the auction that would take place that very evening.

In the late afternoon, Physician Tihawk informed Roland that the operation was nearly prepared. Once Roland settled the fees the following day, the surgery could proceed without delay.

Amid the anxious wait, evening finally arrived. Gilger and his wife had intended to go observe the auction, but Roland gently persuaded them to remain. He feared that if the bidding fell short of one million gold coins—or if any unforeseen circumstances arose—their parents’ already fragile hopes would be too overwhelming to bear. After a brief discussion, Victoria and Karina resolved once more to stay behind and accompany the family.

Along with Simon, the rest made their way toward Cervantes’ Alchemy Store. As they approached, the rows of lavish carriages parked at the entrance drew their attention. The opulent gold and silver adornments on the carriages proclaimed the owners’ immense wealth.

Simon offered a casual explanation: “Not many came today because there were few items on offer—chiefly Roland’s space ring. We didn’t issue a broad announcement. If there had been a greater number of pieces, the turnout would have been several times larger.”

The group could not help but marvel at how distinguished Cervantes’ Alchemy Store truly was.

Roland and the others followed Simon through the side entrance and ascended to a private compartment arranged in advance on the second floor, where they would watch the proceedings in silence.

The compartment was decorated with simple yet exquisite elegance. A specially woven curtain at the entrance allowed those inside to observe the scene outside with perfect clarity, while those beyond could see nothing within.

Through the curtain, Roland was astonished to discover that the counters once placed on the first floor had vanished entirely, replaced by neat rows of magnificent chairs—more than a hundred in total. Most were already occupied by their owners: either stout, prosperous merchants or portly officials and nobles.

“My father invited only those of considerable means this time,” Simon pointed out, gesturing toward the crowd below. “The least affluent among them possessed assets worth several million gold coins. Under such fierce competition, it is easy to drive the prices upward.”

Roland nodded. Clearly, Cervantes had invested considerable effort into the auction of Roland’s space ring.

“You see,” Simon continued, “the compartments on the second floor like ours are reserved exclusively for individuals of the highest standing. Among them are the Holy Light Church’s Pope, the Emperor of the Oropa Empire, the President of the Alchemy Guild, and various princes and nobles. Maler’s father, for instance, as Imperial Finance Minister, naturally holds one such compartment. Yet these magnates are far too busy to attend in person. Their descendants and disciples, however, often come here to participate in auctions.”

“Wow, we’re sitting in a second-floor compartment as if we were nobles ourselves!” Gabaz and Bill teased.

Simon chuckled. “This compartment belongs to Cervantes’ Alchemy Store. Should any further auctions be held, I can bring you inside. As for the other compartments, with the exception of the one Maler may claim on his father’s behalf, none of us possess the qualifications to enter.”

At Simon’s words, the others looked at Maler with open envy.

“Hey, big brother, you truly have a great dad!” they exclaimed.

Maler rolled his eyes. “This isn’t an era of relying on one’s father. Why are you all staring at me like that?”

As the group exchanged light banter, the auction downstairs began. A slender attendant wearing a fedora hat stepped onto the platform. After offering a few polite remarks, he began the bidding.

“Simon, most of these items appear to have been crafted by your father himself, don’t they?” Roland asked, noting that the majority of the pieces were alchemical tools and artifacts.

“Some indeed were made by my father personally,” Simon replied, “but the majority came from the Alchemy Guild or from purchases we made. My father now devotes most of his time to researching advanced alchemy. As for the space ring you are auctioning, he has gained quite a few insights from studying it.”

After the auctioneer’s flurry of activity, dozens of items were swiftly sold. The wealthy bidders spent with lavish generosity, acquiring each piece in a few terse words.

During this period, the second-floor compartments remained completely silent. No one placed a bid. Through Simon’s earlier disclosures, Roland and the others realized that several other groups were present in the hidden boxes. The lack of commentary indicated that none of them found the current offerings appealing.

With so few items on the docket to begin with, after more than half an hour the auctioneer had sold every piece. He bowed, stepped down from the platform, and was met with puzzled murmurs. Then a white-bearded elderly man ascended the stage.

“Master Cervantes!”

“Unexpected! The Master himself has come to conduct the auction!”

“It seems the final item has been saved for last!”

Downstairs, astonished voices rose one after another. Everyone was eager to see what the ultimate piece would bring.

Cervantes cleared his throat twice. The hall fell into hushed silence as his voice rang out with resonant authority. “The item I am about to auction is the space ring I previously announced. I must make it clear that this ring was not forged by me.”

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. Cervantes raised both hands to calm the gathering.

“This space ring was entrusted to my store by a guest for auction. I have already examined it thoroughly. Its internal space measures ten cubic meters—an expanse so vast that even I am incapable of creating.”

As he spoke, shadows appeared faintly behind the curtain, indicating that the nobles gathered on the second floor had come specifically for this piece.

“Although I have tested it myself, if any of you still harbor doubts, you may step onto the platform for further examination.”

“Master, spare us the formalities. We trust your word. Please begin the auction at once!”

Cervantes smiled faintly. “Since everyone believes in this old man, the space ring possessing an internal volume of ten cubic meters will now be offered. The starting bid is five hundred thousand gold coins, and each subsequent bid must increase by at least ten thousand gold coins.”