13-26. The Third Auction Day
Satou's here. For examinations, for the first date, when I was making preparation for them, I often felt more anxious the more I did. I feel that that anxiety loosened up once I learned how to dump a bit of my enthusiasm.
◇
"Good morning, we've come to met you."
Zena-san whose smile has a trace of shadow comes to do a morning greet.
I've been too busy I feel that I've hardly talked to Zena-san lately.
Once I got my hands on the Chant Orb, I'd invite Zena-san and go on a Royal Capital picnic. Our girls will be happy too.
Today Zena Squad is going to escort Arisa and Mia to the royal castle.
I was actually invited too, but the third auction day where the [Chant Orb] is being exhibited is more important, so I won't be attending with poor health as the reason.
Arisa who comes to the entrance hall with a cute princess-like dress takes a pose while looking proud.
After lightly praising her, I tell her what to do when she's asked about the matter yesterday.
"--Then, we should just maintain that we don't know the detail right?"
"Yeah, that's good enough."
I nod to Arisa.
"Ready."
And then, Mia who had dressed up came to the entrance hall.
When her eyes meet mine, she twirls on the spot.
When I told her that she was cute, she satisfyingly replied, "Nn".
"Then we'll be going. Do you have something to tell to her highness?"
"Nothing in particular--tell her my apology for my absence."
"Un, okay. You work hard too okay!"
I nod to Arisa's encouragement, and send them off after asking Zena-san and her friends to take care of Arisa and Mia.
"Everyone, what's your plan today?"
Returning to the living room, I check the other girls' plans.
Arisa and Mia aren't here today, so there will be no labyrinth expedition.
"I'll be staying in the kitchen since I want to review the dishes from yesterday."
Lulu asserted with a face full of spirit.
Looks like she was swinging the kitchen knife in Boruenan Village tree house's kitchen last night.
"Pochi wants to go to the school today nodesu."
"Hemu coming~"
"That's right nanodesu. We have a practice with great teacher Hemu nodesu."
I tell the two who are swinging wooden swords with faces full of excitement, "Don't use Magic Edge Cannon since it's dangerous okay."
They're able to fire Magic Edge Cannon with normal wooden swords recently, so I can't be carelesss.
"I will accompany them and watch over so that they won't make any mistake."
"I'm relieved to hear that from Liza. I'm counting on you."
"I will exert the utmost of my poor ability."
I feel like Liza would end up fighting Sir Heim instead, but she probably will refrain.
"We (boku-tachi) will go to the school as usual."
It seems Crow and Shiro like to go to school, it might be better to let them commute to the Royal Capital's academy from now on.
It might be good to let them teach the children in the Labyrinth City's training school later in the future.
"Crow, your words."
"--We (watashi-tachi)."
Pointed out by Shiro, Crow corrected her words.
The noble daughter whom the two get along with probably pointed out that girls using [Boku] is strange.
"What are you going to do Nana?"
"I'm hoping to do a classroom visitation. Master, please the permission."
--Classroom visitation?
Is there such an event in Shiga Kingdom?
I don't know if the school side would accept it, so I confirm it with the butler who seems to be in the know.
"I am not familiar with the term classroom visitation, however, they should accept parental visit."
"What should I do to get the permission?"
"There is no problem if we send them a prior notice. We could send a maid with a letter informing them if Master wish for it today."
"Please."
A tactful employee like always.
The butler is the one writing the letter.
I saw off the children, and then a letter came from Sera of Tenion temple when I had gone back to the bedroom to prepare for the feigned illness.
It's probably about the prophecy I've heard in the royal castle last night.
Sera usually would have come visiting herself, but it seems she's in the royal castle's audience room with other big-wigs of Tenion temple.
I open the letter with a paper knife and read the content inside--
『Ring of flame encircles the world, the moon wakes up』
--so the verse of Sera's prophecy is written.
Looking at the [Moon] and [Wakes up] keywords, I imagine it's about the revival of the demon god, but the meaning is far too different than the 『Fragment of cup breaks, False King is born』 I heard yesterday.
Above all, if the demon god is really going to be revived, all the gods should have issued the same warning.
It's probably much ado about nothing, probably something like an annular solar eclipse.
It's normal for a world without scientific progress to treat solar and lunar eclipse as natural disasters.
I write a letter to thank Sera and give it to a maid, tell her that I can't meet anyone who comes and stay in the room.
Now then, I have to go out soon.
◇
"Kuro-sama, I've been waiting for you!"
The manager met me with sweet voice.
Today she's not dressed in her usual sharp director-style dress, but a refined-looking normal noble daughter dress.
It's similar to the dress that an earl daughter was boasting in the tea party yesterday.
Confirming it, it seems to be made from the same workshop.
The price is unreasonable at 30 gold coins, but that's probably not much considering the manager's yearly income.
"Now! Let's go!"
"Please wait--"
Tifaliza's wise voice stops the manager who was going to link her arms wrapped in white gloves to mine.
"--Manager, you forget to report the information from the prime minister."
"I-I know."
Under the ice-like gaze of Tifaliza, the manager clears her throat with a cough.
"I was going to report it once we settle down in the noble seats of the auction hall."
"In truth, you forgot about since you could go on a date with Kuro-sama right?"
An executive girl who appeared from the room's entrance teased the manager who was making an excuse.
When the manager sent a sharp glance to her, she went to the finance room next door while saying, "scary scary."
The manager looks embarrassed with a red face.
....Sheesh.
We're going to the battlefield (auction), and yet there's not enough seriousness.
"Do that after you've completed your duty."
"Y-yes! I'll serve with my whole heart!"
For some reason, the manager's face is blushing harder than earlier even though I scolded her.
It seems she questionably misunderstood the [Duty] part.
"Kuro-sama, forgive me for my audacity, but allow me to report myself. Last night, the prime minister--"
Without giving the manager the chance to speak, Tifaliza smoothly tells me about the prophecy.
She even told me about the interpretation of the prophecy and who told what.
Unfortunately, there's no new information it seems.
After thanking Tifaliza, I head toward the auction hall with the manager.
The executives in charge of the auction should be waiting in the meeting place already.
◇
"We've been waiting for you. We've heard the story from his excellency prime minister. Please submit the orbs for the exhibition."
I take the orbs from my Storage and give it to the supervisor of the auction hall.
Of course the three dangerous orbs like the Demon Summoning one are not for the exhibition, so I'm still carrying it.
--Wait for me. You'll be mine this noon.
I speak to the [Chant] orb that's on the supervisor's hand.
Of course there's no way it'll reply.
To the person who has appraisal skill beside the supervisor--
"W-what are you"
The supervisor's face becomes cramped when he sees the appraiser has sunk into the wall.
Fumu, an explanation is needed huh.
"That man is a thief. I'll take off the camouflage magic tool from his chest, let the man over there appraise it."
While doubting my words, the supervisor directs another appraiser.
"Th-this is a magic tool of 『Job Disguise』. I-it's just as the person of Duke Mitsukuni has said, this man is a thief."
"No way! We have only employed people with trustworthy birth and parentage...."
Unlike the supervisor who's making an excuse, the other people in the room tie the thief that's been turned into a mess and takes him away.
I feel like I've gone a bit too far, but there is no mercy against thieves.
Right, there might be others too.
Squeezing the area around the auction hall, I search the map.
--One, two, three....
--Damn you pest (thieves).
I'll let you regret stepping into this place aiming for my 『Chant Orb』.
I won't take their life, but I'll make their bodies unable to take anything but liquid food for half a month.
"I'll dispose of the other pest (thieves)."
After declaring so, I check the routes to the targets. I open the closed door with [Clairvoyance] and [Magic Hand] magic, securing the routes.
I fire [Remote Stuns] with dummy chant, sweeping off the auction hall.
In order to prevent any victim other than the targets, I pick the course to be near the ceiling.
I know from the map that the Remote Stun bullets have hit the targets one after another.
It seems two of them have avoided the first bullet, but that's no more than a useless resistance.
In fact, the thieves lost their consciousness after getting hit from successive bullets.
Fuffuffuu, the evils are destroyed.
"Kuro-sama?"
"It's alright. This much is within my expectation dayo (you see)."
I show a relieving smile toward the manager who looks worried.
"Dayo?"
The manager tilts her head wonderingly.
Oops--my original way of speaking that's not like Kuro's came out.
"Do not worry about small things."
"Y-yes...."
I have to be cooler--.
I look around at the dumbfounded people.
The supervisor keeps opening and closing his mouth, since he seems useless, I talk to the site supervisor who looks responsible.
"What are you getting absentminded for. There are two on the second floor, two in the warehouse, and one in front of the underground vault. Arrest them quick."
"Y-Yes!"
The site supervisor directs his subordinates to arrest them, and runs to the underground vault himself.
Good grief, I'd have liked it if they got a grip on themselves before the sweeping.
After confirming with my own eyes that the Chant Orb has been stored in the underground vault, we head to the upper noble participant waiting room led by a usherette.
In addition, I was warned by the usherette not to use magic in the meeting place.
◇
"--That is all of the procedures for bidding in the auction."
The explanation was long, but it's not that special.
One thing I find unusual is that you have to report the feasible amount of money you have for the bid beforehand, [You cannot bid if the bidding price is more than that amount].
"Is there any question?"
"Can you get the item you've successfully bid immediately?"
There are many things I want to hear, but I'll confirm the most important one.
"No, it will be delivered during the recess on the first floor. The guards in charge of the delivery will be stand by the successful bidder, so please be advised."
It seems they don't bring the won item to the waiting room in order to prevent crime.
The auction will have three two-hour bidding time and one-hour rest time each, nine hours in total.
I thought the rest time was too long when I first heard it, but it seems there's a reason for that.
The door is knocked and then a woman along with guards enter.
"It seems the official appraiser has come. Then, sorry for the inconvenience, but would you please present the money for the bid."
Urged by the usherette, I open the Item Box and take out bags with gold coins inside.
I arrange them on the table one by one. Each one has 100 gold coins inside.
"Amazing...."
"As expected of the house of duke even though they've just emerged."
Attentive Ears skill picked up the maids waiting near the wall talking in low voice.
I keep putting the gold coin bags on the table without minding it.
"Eh...."
"U-um...."
The usherette and even the appraiser look surprised.
They should have gotten used seeing only this much--what strange people.
The table can't hold the gold coin bags any longer, so I call the two.
"Looks like the table's legs have been broken. Do you mind if I put the rest on the floor?"
The usherette, the appraiser and even the guards behind them aren't replying with their mouths hanging open.
Please answer immediately with YES or NO.
I interpreted the silence as YES, so I put gold coin bags one after another on the floor, and then the usherette finally moves.
"P-please wait!"
"What is it? Is the floor giving in?"
"No, that's not it!"
The usherette whose atmosphere feels like she's from the high society is swinging her arms buzzingly with a face that suits her age.
It's cute, but isn't that bad for her work?
"How many gold coins have you prepared?!"
"For now, it's around 300.000 pieces?"
If that's not enough, around 10 million gold coins of Furu Empire are waiting in my storage you know?
"D-do you want to bid the whole city!?"
--How exaggerated.
"Calm down. You are being discourteous."
"P-please forgive me...."
The usherette droops after getting persuaded by the appraiser.
"Either way, it is impossible for me to judge that much. I'll sequentially inspect several samples, afterward please take the notes for the indicated amount of money."
The appraiser said so and then appraised about three bags.
In the end, even though I have only showed them 300 bags for the 30.000 gold coins, they give me 30 notes for bidding that indicate 10.000 gold coins each.
It seems the amount of money for the bidding is announced through the loudspeaker while these notes are being posted.
Since the appraiser only brought five 10.000 gold coin notes, the remaining 25 were delivered to the room later.
And then, after waiting for around an hour.
The announcement for the opening of the third auction day is broadcasted.
"--Then, let's go."
"Yes, Kuro-sama."
I lead the manager by hands, walking toward the noble seats of the auction hall while linking arms.
The auction (battle) finally begins!