Permit & Auction House
The next day, Ryker and his group quickly head towards one of the main office to get the permits to the capital.
Though, they found themselves in a snag.
"It seem it will took longer sir," the receptionist said in an apologetic tone.
"How long it would take?" Ryker asked the most important question.
"Since there are 25 of you, it would take maybe 4 weeks to 6 weeks before all the permits will be done. After all, there are others that need their permits as well"
Ryker sighed, though he already suspect their stay in Elkom City would be long. Especially with the numbers in their group. Even little Ariana would need a permit, not to mention the older ones, who will need to undergo some test to determine their strengths.
-x-
When they exit the building, Ryker turned towards his family before saying, "Looks like we will be staying longer than I thought," he told them.
"Well, at least you can visit the auction house," Esran tried to find a positive out of their current predicament.
"Sure. Maybe there is something interesting we can find, even if there is no auction," Ryker agreed to his smartest sibling.
With that said, they split up, with Ryker taking both Mashia, Brea and Ina to Elkom Auction House while the rest lead the children to their current lodging.
-x-
"My Lady, it seem your object of interest had come to the auction house," the beautiful woman that showed some interest to Ryker seemed surprised, though she was able to keep a straight face.
"Is that so. In that case, Sonet, keep an eye on him and observe any transaction he is going to make," the woman ordered.
"Yes, Lady Sophia. But, my Lady," she struggled to say her piece, something Sophia, noticed.
"What is it, Sonet?" she asked.
"Why are you so interested with the man. With someone of your stature, there are many more men worthier of your attention," she said, hoping to not earn the ire of her Lady for speaking out of turn.
"There maybe more powerful men than me in the District, but he was able to sense me despite I'm hiding my strength. While only at the Genesis Lake.
I would like to see what he is truly capable of. That's why, while you observe him, I will use my Soul Sense to prod him, to see if he detect anything.
If he does not, than it means it just luck. But if he did sense my Soul Sense, then," the woman shivered in excitement, "I would like to see what he is truly capable of,"
Sonet nodded, while giving her condolence to the young man that invoke the interest of her Lady.
-x-
'Why am I feeling cold all of a sudden,' Ryker thought, suppressing the shiver that come to him.
He wondered the reason for the sudden shivering, but decided to not investigate it. After all, he had better things to do like entering the Elkom Auction House.
He could see guards on the entrance, and from a single glance, he could tell they are at the Genesis Sea Realm, though only at the early-stage.
The guards looked at them, but seeing they are only at the Genesis Lake, turned away, probably determining they are no threat to the auction house.
While it may seem rude, Ryker was glad as it would meant they could enter the auction house and see what is inside.
While the auction house main attraction is the items sold in the auction, it also double down as a store, selling rare resources that did not pass through the examination, or did not get the lowest price for a bid.
Ryker decided to check on it, as it is more aligned to his coins. While Duke Zalrus gave him a lot of it, even thousands of High-Grade Genesis Gold, it probably barely enough to buy some of the resources sold in the auction house, which is of higher quality than the one sold in the market or any other stores.
"Hhmm, looks like the visit is worthwhile," Ryker said as he looked at a vial of blood. More specifically, Earth Thundering Horse Blood. It is a Tier 9 Genesis Beast blood, and would compliment Sutal greatly, allowing his stallion to become even stronger.
'Though, the price is expensive,' Ryker gulped slightly as it reach about 2 000 High-Grade Genesis Gold.
'I should probably take some missions after this,' Ryker decided in his head. After all, it is his main source of income, when he did not smooch of his powerful in-law.
As he looked around some more, the others drifted away, looking at the various materials, resources, weapon, items, and consumable such as pills and talisman.
While his gaze fell on the weapon section, he felt someone staring at him. Trying to discretely determined where the gaze came from, he almost used his Soul Sense, but stopped as he knew it could be seen as provocation by the owner of the auction house.
Instead, he discretely looked around, trying to find anyone who looked at him weirdly. He soon find her, as an amber-haired woman stared at him before looking away for some reason.
Walking towards her, Ryker pretend to look around before he stopped next to her.
When they are close, he voiced his thought,
"Why are you looking at me?"
-x-
Sonet froze when the young man made such accusation. Normally, she would have beat such person black and blue, but her Lady instruction made it clear to not harm the young man.
Though, she was impressed. While he may got the wrong person, in the end, he was able to detect the gaze of her Lady, something that even peak Genesis Sea experts could not do.
Still, the young man looked at him expectantly, clearly wanting an answer.
"My Lady is the one that looked at you. She is the owner of the auction house," she told him before leaving the awestruck young man behind.
She hid the smile on her face, silently laughing at the face he had made.
-x-
'The owner of Elkom Auction House, a Noble Realm expert,' Ryker thought bitterly. For some reason, he garnered an interest of the woman.
He could not help but thought of the conversation he had with his woman, of the possibility of him interacting with her.
He thought it was stupid, but apparently, somehow, he manage to make a powerful expert interested in him.
Ryker did not know whether it was good luck or not, but he could not think it through as the amber-haired woman returned, saying to him,
"The Lady wish to meet with you,"