The Elder and the Woman

The auction for the one thousand bottles of Elven Spring Water was divided into five rounds, each consisting of two hundred bottles. The highest bid reached an astonishing three hundred and two thousand gold coins, while the lowest still fetched nearly two hundred and seventy thousand. The average price per bottle far exceeded the market rate. This is the power of an auction—competition drives prices higher. Moreover, obtaining such a large quantity of Elven Spring Water at once is nearly impossible unless one deals directly with the nature elves.

"Miss Sophia!"

After the auction concluded, the middle-aged man personally delivered a crystal card to Sophia in her private room. "The auction raised a total of one million four hundred seventy-five thousand gold coins, all stored in this crystal card. Please, take it."

"Thank you." Sophia accepted the card, which was a universal crystal card on the Sacred Continent. Created by powerful organizations like the Magic Guild, the Bounty Hunter Guild, and the Trade Guild, these cards could be used in any area where these groups had a presence. They also allowed the holder to withdraw "cash" from any of these guilds.

At that moment, the middle-aged man added, "Miss Sophia, two guests are waiting for you in Box Nine."

"Lead the way," Sophia nodded.

Soon, they arrived at Box Nine, where an elderly man and a sensuously dressed woman were seated. The elder wore a black robe, standing tall with a robust and spirited appearance despite his silver hair. The woman donned a purple evening gown, her cleavage partially exposed, and her long, slender legs catching the eye.

Sophia's gaze momentarily froze upon noticing the fluffy white tail and the fine white fur on the woman's ears. This woman was from the beast tribe—a fox person, known for their intelligence and cunning.

"Young lady, let's get to the point," the elder in the black robe said impatiently. "I want all the Elven Spring Water you have. Name your price."

The fox woman giggled, "Master Dominic, you humans have a saying, 'haste makes waste.' We must discuss business patiently."

She turned her attention to Sophia, her expression seductive. "Dear human sister, I am Gloria, a fox person, but please do not associate me with the treacherous ones. As a reputable merchant, I value integrity."

Integrity? Sophia scoffed inwardly. Fox people were known for their deceit, much like goblins were known for their greed. She dismissed Gloria's words and said, "I have about four thousand bottles of Elven Spring Water. Whoever offers the best price gets them."

She wasn't interested in probing their backgrounds; they were clearly influential figures. Her focus was on selling the Elven Spring Water at the highest price to maximize her commission.

"Four thousand bottles?" The elder named Dominic straightened up, while Gloria's flirtatious expression turned serious. Even the middle-aged man who escorted them twitched nervously, surprised by the sheer quantity Sophia had. Was this a raid on an elven village?

Dominic spoke first, "For four thousand bottles, I'll offer four hundred fifty thousand gold coins."

Sophia shook her head, "Too low."

"Don't compare my offer to auction prices. I'm offering the market rate," Dominic argued.

Sophia smiled, "In the market, it's impossible to buy this much Elven Spring Water at once."

"Exactly!" Gloria chimed in cheerfully, "Master Dominic, you're being more cunning than us fox people. If it were me, I'd at least offer four hundred eighty thousand."

Dominic glared at Gloria, his anger evident. Just as he was about to retort, Sophia interjected, "If those are your offers, I think I'll take my leave."

Her minimum expectation was five hundred thousand gold coins. Not a coin less.

Gloria's smile faltered but quickly recovered, "Five hundred thousand gold coins is my highest offer."

Dominic scoffed, "Five hundred ten thousand."

Without hesitation, Gloria countered, "Five hundred fifteen thousand."

Dominic fumed, "Are you serious, Gloria?"

Gloria batted her eyes, "Master Dominic, you know how badly I need this Elven Spring Water."

Dominic frowned, contemplating something before abruptly standing up and leaving without a word, clearly conceding the auction.

Relieved, Gloria turned to Sophia, smiling, "Are you satisfied with my offer?"

Sophia nodded inwardly, though she maintained her composure, "Round it to five hundred twenty thousand gold coins, and we can consider a long-term partnership."

Gloria forced a smile, impressed yet annoyed by Sophia's negotiating skills, "Deal!"

They quickly completed the transaction under the middle-aged man's supervision, adding five hundred twenty thousand gold coins to Sophia's card. Gloria, in turn, received the Elven Spring Water she desperately wanted.

Beaming, Gloria asked, "What do you mean by a long-term partnership?"

Sophia replied, "You'll find out soon, provided you have enough gold ready!" She was confident the lord she served had more Elven Spring Water. This wouldn't be their last transaction.

"Looking forward to it!" Gloria said, shaking hands with Sophia. As they parted, Sophia found a business card slipped into her hand.

"That went unexpectedly well," Sophia remarked to the old mage Simon at their headquarters. "Now we just need to find a way to sell those Red Dragon Fruits and procure some grain before heading back to the Golden Oasis."

Simon cautioned, "Miss, we must be vigilant. Moving goods worth millions of gold coins can attract unwanted attention."

Sophia nodded in agreement. Caution was crucial. If they were robbed, losing their lives would be one thing, but surviving and failing to deliver would be unacceptable. How could she face the lord who trusted her?