Madame Lu'El's Auction House

Inspecting the building on which there was a sign "Madame Lu'El's Auction House", unlike the mercenary guild, the place that the owner chose resembled a small tower stretching upward.

Windows were visible through which either employees or possibly customers were passing; there was a line near the entrance that stretched to the entrance to the buildings.

- I will ask you not to do the same as in the mercenary guild. - With concern in his voice, Captain Alur turned to the dark elf who just sighed. - Both nobles and magicians stand here, I have no doubt in your ability to cope with them, but the city will suffer greatly from your battles.

Understanding that Aueli's father was not worried about Madame Lu'Eli's auction house itself, but about those who might come under attack, I agreed with his request.

As Alur said, we quickly entered the buildings, looking around, I saw different things that were located throughout the hall, which was longer than I thought from the outside.

A human girl approached us, smiling, she had blond hair and unusually purple eyes, she was wearing a white shirt and black pants and a gray cape over the shirt. While examining us, she made some conclusions for herself and approached Professor Ni'Lim.

- Dear guest, how can Madame Lu'El's Auction House help you or your servants? - A girl's melodic voice was heard. - Or do you want to sell something or perhaps exchange it?

The dark elf laughed when she heard that the girl thought that Keirin and I were her servants. Examining myself, I realized that I looked no better than a warrior who had returned from battle.

- Girl, you need to talk not to me but to him. - Ni'Lim answered the lost girl, laughing, pointing her hand in my direction. - I think such a mistake is worth good compensation in the form of a discount on goods.

Having winked at me, the dark elf left the lost girl who continued to look at the retreating Ni'Lim. Turning her gaze to me and Keirin, the girl tried to portray a smile and figure out how to get out of this difficult situation for her.

- I apologize for my behavior, I did not expect that you would be clients and not your companion. - The girl said, trying to choose her words, glancing from me to Keirin. - As your companion said, for my mistake, the product you choose will be sold at half price

I had doubts that the girl could speak for the auction house, being a simple employee, observing our doubts, the girl sighed.

- I am the owner of this auction house, my name is Lu'El. - The girl introduced herself in an upset voice. - Do not doubt my words, my reputation is more valuable than the goods that can be sold.

Shifting her gaze to Keirin, who shrugged her shoulders, she, who lived alone for a long time, knew that reputation is the most important thing for auction houses. And insulting a client was the worst thing a merchant could do to which buyers might not come.

- Okay, I want to sell and maybe buy a sword if you have something. - I said thoughtfully while examining the walls where some weapons hung. - My name is Trey and her name is Keirin.

I had the idea of ​​introducing myself to Rikua, but I was here with Professor Ni'Lim, who might have questions.

The girl sighed, feeling that the threat to her reputation began to recede and led us to the side, turning into a corridor where there was only one door and entering it, Keirin and I had to follow her.

Finding ourselves in a small room that occupied almost the entire room with a large table near which a girl stood.

- You can get the product you want to sell, as I said earlier, the product you want to buy will be half the price. - The girl said pointing her hand at the table. - The same applies to the sale, you will receive the largest profit due to my oversight.

Exchanging glances with Keirin, we began to take out what we found in the forest, there were both unknown fruits and parts of monsters and animals that were not harmed in any way.

We didn't look at the girl and continued to post until we heard a sound similar to a fall. Looking in the direction where the sound was coming from, we saw a girl sitting on the floor and looking from us to what we were getting.

- Is that all or is there something else? - The girl asked worriedly.

Having checked my storage, I was convinced that there were still things there that I would like to sell and nodded to the girl sitting on the floor.

- Where did you get all these things? Have you gone to the forbidden forest? Do you know that it is forbidden to enter there?! - Turning to shouting, Lu'El asked questions.

It was clear that she was worried not only about the fact that we had brought things from the forbidden forest, but about the fact that we couldn't go there.

And she, as the owner of this auction house, was threatened not only with closure if she put them up for sale, but also with possible death if she did not report us.

- I was completing a task in the forest and getting these things along the way. - I turned to the girl, taking out an emblem in the form of a sword and handing it to her. - You probably know what it means, don't you?

The girl carefully took the emblem, turning it and trying to squeeze it, making sure that it was real, she returned the emblem to me.

And she began to slowly rise from the floor, leaning against the wall, rising, Lu'El walked to the table and began to shake her head.

- I would like to say that I can buy everything from you, unfortunately this is not the case. - The girl said in a sad voice, turning to us. - And not because the quality is poor, but because I don't have that much gold, even if I become your concubine, my half-elf body will not cost as much gold as is lying on this table.

Looking at the table on which lay various things ranging from herbs to fruits and body parts of monsters and animals.

I had my doubts about Lu'Eli's words, but remembering that she was afraid for the reputation of her auction house and the deception did not benefit her reputation.

- Set aside what you can buy without becoming my concubine. - I turned to the girl in a calm voice.

The half-elf looked thoughtfully at the table and began to put aside parts of monsters and animals, some herbs and fruits.

Watching her actions, I expected that there would be more things she would put off, but after a couple of minutes the girl stopped putting off and turned to me.

- That's all I can buy or exchange from you, if you add anything else, I will become your concubine. - The girl said in a quiet voice with her head down. -Are you sure you don't want my body?

Sighing and shaking my head, but remembering that the girl lowered her head and did not see my disagreement, I had to speak up.

I could see how Keirin was amused by the whole situation in which I found myself; she could hardly restrain herself not to laugh.

Approaching the table and removing all the goods that Lu'El could not buy or exchange, I turned to her, expecting what she would offer.

- As you said, you are looking for a sword, but what if I offer you steel from which you can forge your own weapon? - The girl turned to me, trying to stay away from me. - The steel I'm talking about is called Acheln, maybe you've heard about it; it enhances any magic that passes through it.

Trying to suppress my emotions, I squeezed the table with my hands and lowered my head down, I knew the steel that Lu'El was talking about, from which the staff of the Empress of the Cray Empire was created.

But it was difficult for me to understand why the nobles of these lands did not take this steel or buy it?

The price for such steel would be prohibitively high, but they would buy it, which means there was another reason.

- Why didn't the nobles buy it? Tell me everything about this steel specifically and there is no need to be cunning. - I asked the girl, releasing fluctuations of magic. - There are things worse than loss of reputation.

The girl, having lost her strength, sank to her knees, clutching her throat with her hands, and tears were streaming down her face. She tried to say something, but my hesitation did not allow her to do so.

- Trey, calm down, she's trying to say something. - Keirin said anxiously, trying to approach me.

My fluctuations did not affect the light elf as much as others due to the fact that she was my servant and she had my magic in her blood, which protected her.

Having canceled the fluctuations of the magic, I heard the girl fall to the floor, continuing to cry, turning my head in her direction, I saw how she was trembling all over and a puddle began to spill under her and an unpleasant smell appeared in the room.

- It has not been cleaned, which is why nobles are afraid to buy it. - Lu'El shouted in a broken voice, pressing her back against the wall and putting her hands forward. - Only the gnomes knew the method of purification; after the exodus of the five races, the remaining representatives of this race did not leave the dungeons and the nobles, no matter how they tried to negotiate with them, were refused!

The half-elf kept getting confused and continued talking from the very beginning until she finished. Her whole body was shaking and she tried to put her hands forward, hoping that this would be enough for her to protect herself.

Sighing and trying not to pay attention to the smell and strange sounds of the half-elf, I thought about steel.

What the girl said was true, for the same reason only rulers had weapons made of this steel, but not ordinary magicians, pure steel was rare and it was taken away immediately, even if it meant emptying the treasury.

And as I remembered, one dwarf was heading here who was supposed to be able to clean this steel and forge a sword.

- I agree to such an exchange, lead me to steel. - In a calm voice, I turned to the girl who began to tremble more and more from my voice.

The light elf shook her head and asked me to leave the room so that she could help Lu'Eli calm down, who continued to press herself into the wall and put her hands forward when I passed by her.

After a while, I saw the door open and Keirin was the first to come out, and a girl was hiding behind her; when she saw me, she pressed herself against the back of the light elf.

Waving his hand at me to move away, as soon as I moved away the girls came out and started walking towards me.

- Where should we go for steel? - Keirin asked the girl in a soft voice.

The girl spoke in a quiet voice behind the light elf, who nodded and continued walking along the corridor in my direction.

- Trey, you better wait for me with Professor Ni'Lim, otherwise this behavior of the owner of the auction house will arouse suspicion and possibly a battle. - Keirin addressed me in a quiet voice, continuing to walk slowly in my direction.

It was clear to me what the light elf meant, nodding to her, I left the corridor and went to look for the dark elf who was looking at some books with interest.

Seeing that I was walking towards her alone, Ni'Lim's eyebrow raised, glancing around and not seeing Keirin or the other girl, interest appeared in the dark elf's gaze.

- Where did you lose your servant and the girl who met us at the entrance? - Ni'Lim asked with interest, continuing to look around.