Terra & Auction

As they entered the city, Derrick became amazed.

The roads, made of unified and leveled gray stones, were jam packed with people and stalls on each side. From a single glance, everything could be found, from food to souvenirs to cheap weapons.

Soldiers, who were all wearing well-maintained bronze alloy armor, patrolled the streets and intercepted the rare troublemakers.

Everyone seemed happy.

Moreover, and as they kept going, the already elegant buildings became even more refined with an ever-increasing level of detail. They also went from an average of two stories high to four, with some having entrances made of precious gems.

The roads also had fewer people, with the ones remaining all looking like dignitaries and nobles. The small and tidy shacks had also made place to large and luxurious shops that offered higher quality products.

One of the things surprising Derrick was that he had only seen humans roaming around, making him inquire about it.

Even when living in his small village, he knew that there were multiple races living on the continent.

"You're observant. Terra is a human-only city, but it wasn't always the case. When it was founded, all races tried to co-exist together, but it failed miserably and resulted in a war"

A bit of sorrow appeared on Brigand's face, but he rapidly continued.

"Anyway, this war was won by humans at the cost of tens of thousands of lives, which set Terra's development back by a lot. However, other races haven't completely disappeared from this place, since they can still be found as slaves in prestigious markets. Are you interested?"

Derrick wondered and came to the conclusion that he needed to. He knew that some races had different skill sets, meaning he might be able to find hidden specialists there. It was definitely worth checking out.

"Yes, I'd like to go there after the auction if you don't mind"

"It won't be an issue. You're also in luck because the next auction I hold is tonight. Afterward, we can go there and look around. I have an acquaintance who owes me a favor"

Derrick nodded. He had to say that Brigand was quite resourceful and helpful, even if he knew that it was a purely business relationship.

Their trip lasted a few more minutes before coming to an end in front of a magnificent building.

It was five stories tall and had four imposing marble pillars supporting its triangular roof. There were also large windows covering its facade and an entrance made of two large bronze doors that looked absolutely unmovable.

When the necromancer stepped down from the vehicle, a red carpet welcomed him, making his eyebrows rise.

Just how important were the guests coming here?

When he saw his reaction, Brigand couldn't help but let out a raucous laugh.

It had been a while since he had seen someone this green and yet, he understood him perfectly well as someone who had lived at both extremes of society.

"Don't be too intimidated. You'll not meet any of those people unless you want to. I'll show you to your quarters for the time being"

When they entered, the theme of luxury persisted and even though it looked like a palace, it wasn't distasteful. You could see that every material had been used with purpose and care.

After leading Derrick to his room, Brigand excused himself as he had to finish tonight's preparations.

Without even throwing a glance at the various amenities, Derrick removed his cloak and armor and jumped in the large bed.

It was finally time to rest.

***

*Knock-Knock*

"Sir?"

Silence.

*Knock-Knock-Knock*

"Sir, are you awake?"

Derrick grumbled and slowly opened his eyes. He had slept for a few hours, which rejuvenated him a lot.

He eventually answered the sweet voice coming from outside his room.

"Come in..."

Without pausing a beat, a maid entered, with her appearance greatly surprising him.

It was a gorgeous elf! He had never expected to meet one so soon.

"Master informs you that the auction will proceed in an hour"

After a courteous bow, she examined Derrick from head to toe. For a maid, she clearly didn't have any boundaries.

She also gave off a mysterious feeling that he didn't quite understand, and since she was a servant, he didn't bother using appraisal on her. After a few seconds, she continued.

"Do you have any requests?"

"None, thank you"

After his answer, she quickly vacated the room.

***

"What do you think?"

"He gives off a dangerous aura... You need to be careful. Also, I couldn't assess his equipment, meaning that it's even better than what he's selling"

"Hahaha!!! Good, good... Do you think he's trustworthy?"

"From the brief interaction I had, he doesn't seem like a malicious individual, which leads me to say yes. At the end of the day, it's your decision, Master"

"Understood. Keep an eye on him during the auction. Dismissed"

***

After taking a quick bath and cleaning his cloak, Derrick proceeded to a VIP suite that had been arranged by Brigand. He was guided there by a well-dressed and cleanly shaven butler.

Derrick had to say he'd expect someone like that to be a noble instead of a servant.

Once arriving, he looked at the decor. The cubicle was pretty much like his room, minus the bed and one wall, as an entire side was made of tinted glass that only allowed one to see from the inside out.

Through it, he could see the small hall where everything would take place. He admired how well-designed it was.

There was a big red curtain hiding the stage where the items would be sold, and a small seating section where guests could sit comfortably.

The suites were located above said section, giving off a pressure that made the people below feel their importance.

Suddenly, Brigand entered the room and surprised Derrick.

"I hope you've been enjoying your stay so far! I know that your weapons haven't been sold yet, but I have good news. I'll be giving you a credit, as I have no doubt that they will be. Your account will thus contain 400 gold. I'll also be waving the usual fee as a gesture of goodwill for choosing my establishment"

The husky man appeared to be in a jovial mood, with Derrick genuinely starting to like him. If everything went well, he was considering asking him to be the main supplier of his city.

"Thank you very much. Everything has been perfect so far"

"Well, if you need anything, just ask. The butler will also tell you the rules of our auction. If you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend"

And with that, he left as fast as he had arrived. The butler, who had been standing in a corner of the room, advanced.

"My name's James and I'll be your attendant tonight. The rules are simple : you must bid by increments of 10% of the item's original value, but you can of course bet higher. All bets are final and paid the moment the item is obtained. As you have credit, it'll be deducted off of it. Do you have any questions?"

Derrick shook his head before sitting in a large, and surprising comfortable, chair facing the glass.

His heart started racing. He never expected being able to participate in such a prestigious event!

The gallery below had already begun filling up and after another few minutes, every single seat was taken.

Every member of the higher class seemed present, which made Derrick ecstatic and scared. His items could fetch more, but if he wanted something, its cost would also be higher.

Suddenly, all lights, which were generated by magical trinkets, started to dim.

The curtain then lifted, and a host appeared at the center of the stage. It was a beautiful woman wearing a tight and sparkling black dress.

"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jacqueline, and I'll be your host tonight. Let's begin!"