The Auction House

Yesterday, thanks to Sakura-san who is always nice and understanding, we're able to appraise all our secondhand Monster-Cores.

For the price of 1L Gold coin, I think we really did make a good find because of the High-Level Rank-3 Steel-Hawk Monster-Core.

Normally, the price of that Monster-Core at 100 percent durability would cost around 5L to 6L Gold coins. With the remaining 30 percent durability plus the other Monster-Cores we can use for other things, this is indeed a good find.

Mr. Chad really did serve his purpose. We won't report him back to the Guards but he is still going to pay for tricking me about those Stinky-Bug Monster-Cores.

Before we left the Adventurer Guild yesterday, we asked Sakura-san to give us a ticket to the Auction House. And right now, our group is inside the Auction House waiting for the auction of the Monster-Cores to start.

We made sure to come here one and a half hours before the auction started so we could familiarize ourselves with the betting system used in the auction. After half an hour of studying, we're now casually chatting while sitting at the table and waiting for the time to pass by.

"Mifumi-sama, Vier, why does Monster-Core always get broken?"

"Didn't we learn that from Grandma's lesson, Felin-chan?"

"Hmmm?"

"Demi-Humans like Felin can't use or rather don't have to use Monster-Core so it won't be an interesting lesson for her, Mifumi-sama. Maybe that's why she doesn't remember it."

"Well you have a point, Vier-chan. Okay Felin-chan, according to the theory of Magic and Monster Researcher, Monster-Core is made by the Dungeon-Core for the monster to be able to use magic. It's a type of Dungeon-Artifact that would manifest inside the monster's body. It also serves as a pseudo-Sub-Spirit for the monsters."

"Like Cat-san?"

"Mhm, like your Cat-sith and Nymh-san's Dryad. Since it is only a pseudo-Sub-Spirit and doesn't have a self Ego like a true Sub-Spirit, Humans like Vier-chan and Half-Race like me can use those Monster-Core with the same Element as our Attribute to be able to use Magic."

"Okay, I understand! But why does it always get broken?"

"That is because of Affinity, Felin-chan. Since Monster-Core is specially designed to be used by monsters, it will break at a much faster rate if the person using it doesn't have the Affinity for that Monster-Core."

As Mifumi-sama has said, Attributes and Affinity are the basis for choosing which Monster-Cores a person should use and master.

Identifying one's Attribute is very simple. You just need to try every Element base Monster-Cores and feel which one will consume less of your Mana.

When it comes to one's Affinity, finding the right Monster-Core might take years or decades. No test will determine which kind of Monster-Core a person has better Affinity. The only way is to continue using different Monster-Cores and see which one will last longer until it breaks.

And even if you have a high Affinity with a Monster-Core, it doesn't mean that it won't be broken. After all...

"No matter how high the Affinity of a person to a Monster-Core, in the end, they still have to part since they are not meant for each other.

"You don't have to make it sound romantic, Vier-chan."

"Did we really have lessons like that, Vier, Mifumi-sama?"

"Hmmm... Do you remember when we had those cool-looking marbles in the lesson room, Felin?"

"The one we used to play by shooting at the hole in the ground?"

"Mhm! That lesson is around that time when those cool-looking marbles were still in the lesson room."

"Mhm! I remember playing those marbles."

Felin smiled happily as she recalled us playing with those cool-looking marbles.

"Sheesh... Vier-chan, Felin-chan, you know those are not cool-looking marbles but some Rank-0 Monster-Cores. And it was taken away because both of you and the other kids were always using it to play."

"Really?... But you also played with us, Mifumi-sama."

"Well, that's true, Vier-chan. But that is probably why Felin-chan doesn't remember those lessons. You're all thinking about playing the Monster-Cores after the lesson ends."

After talking about Monster-Core, our next topic is about the always nice and understanding Sakura-san. I'm not being sarcastic... Fufufu... I'm just telling the truth about her...

"Vier, your face is looking weird again."

"Ehh?..."

"She's probably thinking weird things about Sakura-san, Felin-chan."

"What?... Of course not, Mifumi-sama."

"Sheesh... Anyway, thanks to Sakura-san, we have the Pass for the Auction House today."

"She sold it to us for 5S Gold coins. That's the original price without the Adventurers Guild commission, but it would be better if she gave us a bit of a discount."

"Don't be greedy, Vier. Sakura-oneesan will get mad at you again."

The Auction House is a part of the Merchants Association that handles the sales of materials or items that want to be sold through auctioning by the Adventurers, Craters, Alchemists, Blacksmiths, or other like individuals.

The auction is categorized between, Magic-Item, Monster-Materials, Monster-Cores, Potions and Antidotes, Mana-Tech, and many others.

It is not open for everyone like the open market and those who want to participate in the auction as a buyer need to have a ticket which is sold for a price of 5S Gold plus the commission of the seller.

Our next topic is one of our reasons as to why we came here much earlier before the auction starts.

Since we bought our ticket a day before the auction event, we didn't receive any auction catalog from the Guild. So we just have to get one right here at the Auction House today.

"What are we buying, Mifumi-sama, Vier?"

"The catalog has a list of several Rank-3 and Rank-4 Monster-Cores and the highlight, a Rank-5 Monster-Core."

"Most of the people here are probably aiming for Rank-4 and Rank-5 so we should focus on some Rank-3 or at least one Rank-4, Mifumi-sama."

The auction catalog only describes the name and rank of the Monster-Cores. It won't give the details about the skills contained in the Monster-Core but since the seller decided to sell those by auctioning, all of those Monster-Cores are probably High-Level.

"Do we have enough money, Vier, Mifumi-sama?"

"If the price doesn't go too high, we could get one Rank-3 and one Rank-4 Monster-Cores or at least two Rank-3. Have you decided on your choices, Mifumi-sama?"

"We already have a Wind-Element base Monster-Core since I'm planning to use the Rank-3 Steel-Hawk. The Water-Sphere skill and Water-Barrier skill of the Rank-3 Lake-Hunter are useful so I want a new one. For the Flame-Element and Ground-Element Monster-Core, I'm not sure what to choose yet."

"How about the Rank-2 Fire-Lizard? You're already familiar with using that Monster-Core and it's the lowest rank of all the Monster-Cores in today's auction, Mifumi-sama."

"Okay, let's aim for that, Vier-chan, Felin-chan. Since it's in the auction, it's probably a High-Level Rank-2 Fire-Lizard."

"For the Ground-Element, maybe we can try to aim for a Monster-Core that has a Unique-Class Magic, Mifumi-sama?"

"Okay, let me check the catalog again."

While Mifumi-sama was browsing the auction catalog, Felin asked me about the Unique-Class Magic.

"Unique-Class Magic? Like my Sub-Spirit Magic, Vier?"

"Well, every Sub-Spirit Magic is unique but not like that, Felin. For Example, for Ground-Element there is the Basic-Class which is Ground-Magic, the Advance-Class called Land-Magic, some other Combine-Class, and the Unique-Class called Metal-Magic."

"Ugh!... There are so many it's always hard to remember."

Felin got a bit depressed that she couldn't remember the lesson we had before about the classification of Magic.

"Don't be depressed, Felin, I'm also not familiar with everything about Magic."

After a few minutes, Mifumi-sama finally decided what to choose among the Monster-Cores listed in the auction catalog.

"Felin-chan, Vier-chan, let's aim for this one and this other one."

"Which one, Mifumi-sama?"

"The Rank-3 Rock-Golem and the Rank-4 Iron-Hound."

"We only had a 12L Gold coins budget. If we're able to get the Rank-2 Fire-Lizard or the Rank-3 Lake-Hunter, we might still have enough for the Rank-3 Rock-Golem but I don't think we can compete for Rank-4 Iron-Hound, Mifumi-sama."

"What if I use my own money from my allowance?"

"Are you sure you want to? How much is your budget, Mifumi-sama?"

"Ummm... I brought another 6L Gold coin. This is my half-year savings from my allowance."

"Okay, we'll buy the Rank-2 Fire-Lizard or Rank-3 Lake-Hunter using our group's funds. Then we will add Mifumi-sama's savings to buy at least one of either Rank-3 Rock-Golem or Rank-4 Iron-Hound. If that's not enough, I will add my savings too."

"Mifumi-sama, Vier, should I also add my money too?"

"You don't have to do that, Felin-chan."

"You're saving that for the new Dagger and Knife that Master Berlin will make for you, right?"

"Okay, I understand."

While our group was waiting at our table and discussing our plan for the auction items we were aiming for, someone came to greet our group.

"It's an honor to have you here today at the Auction House, Mifumi-sama. I'm Mr. Henri, the Master of today's auction."

Whoa!... This Mister looks like those secret gentleman knights in one of the stories in my dreams of Memory-Fragment.

He wears his suit so properly that it almost looks weird to me. He's already wearing glasses and if I make him carry an umbrella, he would look like one of those secret gentleman knights.

"Thank you, Mr. Henri, I'm Mifumi Greendale, first daughter of the Greendale Baron House. But since I'm here today as an adventurer, please address me as Ms. Mifumi."

"I understand, Ms. Mifumi. I also hope you can introduce me to your friends or I'm right to assume they're your Adventurers-Party members."

"Yes, this is Felin and Vier, their families are both retainers of our Baron House and they're my best friends, retainers, and Adventurers-Party members."

"I'm Felin, nice to meet you, Mister."

"I'm Vier, the three of us are members of the Copper-Rank Adventurers-Party called BlackOpsCo.."

"Not just Ms. Mifumi. It is also an honor to meet the famous Ms. Felin of the Lightning-Beast Saber race and the infamous Ms. Vier."

"Huh?... I understand Felin being famous but why include me as well, Mr. Henri?"

"It might be rude for me but I heard some rumors of your accomplishments, Ms. Vier."

This Mister!... Don't tell me he knows about my identity as a Dream-Holder. Or me having two different Demi-Humans Bloodlines? But the Greendale Baron House and Adventurers Guild should monitor any individuals in town investigating about me... Wait!... Accomplishments?... Could it be me being the writer Kumiko-sensei?

Nothing will happen if I just keep on guessing what kind of rumors Mr. Henri knows about me so I just decided to ask him directly.

"I'm also a member of the Merchants Association, Ms. Vier. You can be at ease that the rumors I heard from the Association won't be used to your disadvantage."

Ohh!... I see, it's about the Stinky-Perfume incident. It's probably Mr. Chad doing it. I will make that guy pay for spreading rumors about me.

"Thank you, Mr. Henri."

"Our Auction House always visits the Green-Dale Town at least once a year. We're lucky that this time your group has joined the auction. Is everyone already familiar with the betting system for the auction?"

"Yes, Mr. Henri. The letter on our cards tells our registered name."

"And the numbers in the cards are used to bet, Mister."

"No.1 means to add 1S Gold coin, No.2 means to add 2S Gold coins, No.3 means to raise the price to half way which is 5S Gold coin, No.4 means to raise the price to the next L Gold coin, And No.5 means to double the existing L Gold coin."

"I see that you understand the betting system. The Auction House is a battle of Wits and Money so I hope your group comes prepared so you can win your desired items."

"We're prepared, Mister."

"And we had our strategy to win our items."

"Raise the price slowly, right Vier?"

"That's right, Felin. Also, don't rush, and don't be greedy."

"That's the most basic strategy but also the most effective. The Auction will begin in a few minutes so just relax and I hope for you to win your items."

"""Thank you for greeting us Mr. Henri/Mister."""