Her silver hair remained unchanged, but it no longer stood out. Quite a few people wore silver wigs or used dyeing magic, so it wasn't an especially distinctive feature.
"The auction itself is held on the top floor. Each level displays the items that will be auctioned shortly."
The attendant calmly explained the system.
"You may also place an advance bid if you find something you like. We use those preliminary offers to determine each item's opening price."
Behind her mask, no one should have recognized her as Lady Angelina Flobert.
Yet despite that, the employee was exceptionally courteous.
Angelina unconsciously glanced at the nameplate on his chest.
Adam.
She silently memorized the name, deciding she'd reward him with a bonus if the opportunity arose before turning her attention to the displays.
"They really auction off everything here."
There were monster fangs taken from a recent extermination campaign.
A bottle of whiskey supposedly created by the Magic Tower after experimenting on a serpent monster.
There were far too many bizarre things to count.
"And this?"
She pointed at what appeared to be an ordinary suit of mithril armor.
The answer she received was anything but ordinary.
"It's armor crafted from the scales of the sea monster, Leviathan. Twenty-five years ago, an alchemist forged it for a close friend."
...Right. It's probably healthier to assume nobody in this place is normal.
Letting out a quiet hum, Angelina continued walking.
"These are all of today's auction items."
Upon reaching the floor closest to the auction hall, she stole a glance at the man accompanying her.
Even a mask can't hide how handsome he is.
Was it because of that perfectly sculpted jawline?
Maybe I should make my brother wear one too.
It would probably give him an entirely different kind of charm.
Then she pictured him buying dozens of masks the moment she suggested it.
Shaking her head vigorously, she abandoned the idea.
"So, which one is your family heirloom?"
He quietly pointed toward one side of the exhibition.
"I can feel its presence over there."
"...?"
Feel its presence...?
A chill crept down Angelina's spine.
It's not some cursed object... is it?
Considering this was the Red Boat Auction House, even a haunted doll wouldn't have surprised her.
Suppressing her growing unease, she followed him.
Fortunately, what awaited them was nothing more than an ordinary-looking double-edged sword.
Displayed inside a massive glass case, the blade looked magnificent even to someone like Angelina, who knew nothing about swords.
"So your heirloom is a sword?"
"Yes."
She nodded slowly as she examined it more closely.
Even by appearance alone, it was obvious why it had made its way into such a prestigious auction.
I figured he was skilled the moment he drew his sword against those thugs... but maybe he really comes from a family of knights.
Perhaps this was what people meant when they said a master swordsman recognized a legendary blade.
As someone who had never even held a wooden practice sword, she couldn't say.
"What's the starting price?"
"Our appraisal places it at four million shillings."
"I see."
"Gasp..."
A startled sound escaped Holly beside her.
The price far exceeded her annual salary, so her reaction was understandable.
Ignoring it gracefully, Angelina turned back to the employee.
"If that's only the appraised value, then someone must have already placed an advance bid?"
If someone liked an item enough, they could begin bidding even before the auction officially started.
The employee smiled awkwardly.
"Yes... though I'm afraid I can't disclose the amount."
"Naturally. The advance bids are anonymous."
Otherwise, people would start competing before the auction even began.
"Well, I've seen what I needed to see."
A faint smile curved Angelina's lips.
There was unmistakable excitement in her voice.
"Shall we go enjoy an auction?"
Her footsteps toward the auction hall were almost light enough to skip.
Behind her, the supposed owner of the heirloom narrowed his eyes.
His expression was unusually complicated.
Since meeting her, this was the happiest she'd looked.
Is attending an auction really that exciting?
He couldn't understand it.
There was, however, one thing he didn't know.
The very first item on Angelina's bucket list had always been—
To recklessly splurge money.
So while everyone else thought she was simply looking forward to an auction...
She was actually thrilled at the prospect of committing the most gloriously wasteful spending spree imaginable.
Angelina watched every moment of the auction unfold.
It was far more entertaining than she'd expected.
Some items made her wonder,
People are willing to spend that much on this?
Others made her think,
That's all it sold for?
With every item, she was reminded how differently people valued things.
And she found that fascinating.
So this is how auctions work.
Despite the House of Flobert owning dozens of auction houses, she realized just how little she actually knew about them.
Because Brother never lets me help with the business.
Whenever she offered, he'd simply smile and say,
"Our Lina doesn't have to do anything."
At first she'd thought he was pushing her away.
Only later had she realized it was his way of protecting her.
"Next up—the Leviathan Armor!"
Soon, the items she'd briefly seen upstairs began appearing on stage, making the auction even more enjoyable.
"It's incredibly light and thin, allowing it to be worn comfortably beneath any clothing!"
The auctioneer enthusiastically listed its merits.
"Bidder Thirty-Two offers eight million! Eight million! Do I hear nine-fifty? Ah! Bidder Twelve at nine million five hundred thousand!"
The bids quickly escalated.
The auctioneer kept the momentum alive with booming energy.
Resting her chin on one hand as she watched the spectacle, Angelina casually spoke.
"Laura, let's buy that."
The one who reacted wasn't Laura.
It was Holly.
"What?! Why would you buy that?!"
She practically shrieked in disbelief.
Scratching the bridge of her nose awkwardly, Angelina answered,
"...Just because?"
"I'd rather go hunt a water dragon or skin a minotaur myself and make you an even prettier suit of armor!"
Holly's horrified protest only strengthened Angelina's resolve.
After all...
Wasn't true extravagance about wasting absurd amounts of money on luxurious things you didn't actually need?
"One thousand six hundred twenty! Now eighteen million!"
Angelina calmly raised her bidding paddle.
Holly's jaw dropped.
"Balcony Number One bids eighteen million! Can anyone make it nineteen?"
"Milady..."
Ignoring Holly's pitiful expression, Angelina entered a fierce bidding war with a man seated on the floor below.
In the end...
She won.
"Sold for twenty-two million two hundred fifty thousand shillings! Congratulations to Balcony Number One!"
The auctioneer's excitement was obvious.
The final price had far exceeded expectations.
A short while later, when an attendant came to collect the payment, Holly still looked utterly dejected as Angelina handed over the twenty-two million two hundred fifty thousand shillings.
Meanwhile...
A satisfied smile spread across Angelina's face.
"I've got the hang of it now."
She hadn't particularly wanted the Leviathan Armor.
Yes, part of her simply wanted to indulge in some reckless spending.
But more importantly...
She wanted experience.
Before bidding on the item she truly came for, she wanted to understand the rhythm and instincts of participating in an auction.
"Next is today's most anticipated item! A top-tier magic sword imbued with lightning magic, specially designed for fighting multiple opponents at once!"
At last—
The item they had been waiting for was brought onto the stage.
One corner of Angelina's lips slowly curled upward.
"So it's a magic sword."
She reacted lightly.
Beside her, however, the man's fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Thirty-two million!"
"Thirty-five!"
"Bidder Twenty-Two offers thirty-five million—"
"Thirty-seven."
"Thirty-seven million from Balcony Number Five!"
Watching bidder after bidder jump into the competition, Angelina couldn't help being impressed.
It really must be an incredible sword.
She knew nothing about weapons.
But seeing so many people fighting over it, it clearly deserved its reputation.
Even balconies that had remained silent throughout the entire auction suddenly joined the bidding, as though this had been their true objective all along.
"Sixty-nine million from Balcony Number Five!"
Among them, Balcony Number Five was by far the most aggressive bidder.
Resting her chin on her hand, Angelina looked toward the distant balcony.
It was the farthest one from hers, making its occupant difficult to see.
Yet his passion for the sword was unmistakable.
Even from this distance, she could almost feel the intensity burning in his gaze.
...I almost feel bad.
Someone wanted that sword so desperately.
And soon...
That dream was likely to be crushed by her money.
But if it really is his family heirloom...
Thinking that, Angelina silently turned to the man who claimed the sword belonged to his family.
Then, all of a sudden, a thought crossed her mind.
...It really is his family heirloom... right?
