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Chapter 40
“49,000 gold! We have 49,000 gold! Any higher bids?”
The auctioneer’s excited voice, charged with the soaring bid, filled the shop.
“If there are no more bids, this beautiful mana stone will be sold for 49,000 gold. Three! Two! One! Sold for 49,000 gold! This is the highest price ever recorded for a mana stone at Rodrigo’s Trading Company!”
Thunderous applause erupted among the guests.
The one who had secured the coveted item rose from his seat, removed his hat, and bowed, thanking those around him.
“Ahh… If I’d just had 10,000 more gold, it would’ve been mine.”
Stefan muttered in despair.
“If you’d joined in, you’d have only driven the price higher.”
Adrian crossed his arms and shrugged.
Regardless of Stefan’s mood, the auctioneer’s cheerful voice rang on, celebrating the record-breaking sale.
“Would the successful bidder please proceed to the room prepared on the left. Our staff will assist you with payment and delivery. Now! Let us move on to the next item—”
Sasha jabbed Stefan in the ribs.
“Let’s go. It’s already been way past ten minutes.”
“No, wait. Let’s look around a bit longer, just in case… Huh? Sasha! Look at that!”
Still fixated on the stage, Stefan pointed, tugging Sasha’s attention.
“Quit stalling and get moving. How much longer are you going to drag this out? At this rate we’ll be stuck here all day!”
Despite Sasha’s scolding, Stefan kept pointing insistently at the platform.
“No, really—look, look, look!”
“If it’s nothing, you’re dead meat.”
Grumbling, Sasha turned toward the platform. When she saw what had been placed on display, her eyes widened.
“Huh? Isn’t that a mana stone that can connect to the Community?”
“My heart’s racing. I’m sure you all know what this is. The great legacy left behind by Felodian Winona—a mana stone that grants access to the Community! The bidding will start at 10,000 gold.”
As soon as the auctioneer finished, Jaylin checked her bracelet. Starting at 10,000?
“W–what? It’s worth that much?”
“Yeah. Because it’s contraband.”
Jaylin whipped her head around at the sound of Lionel’s voice, which shouldn’t have been audible here.
“H–huh? How did you know we were here?”
Lionel raised his brows and chuckled softly, then pointed toward the stage. At his fingertip, the Community stone shimmered brightly.
“I asked Sasha.”
“O–oh, I see.”
Lionel went on, explaining.
“The Community system is normally issued only to students or graduates of Felodian Academy. For ordinary people, it’s extremely rare. It’s not something that should ever be circulating in a regular market. That’s why the price skyrockets.”
“Then… they shouldn’t be selling it like that, right?”
“Correct. Strictly speaking, it’s illegal. Sometimes it’s stolen and fenced, or a student or graduate sells theirs through the black market for money. But this is the first time I’ve actually seen it happen openly.”
Jaylin glanced around nervously.
“If it’s illegal, how can they sell it like this? They’ll get arrested if caught.”
Lionel pulled a wry face.
“It’s more like a tolerated illegality. Unless someone is directly caught, people look the other way. Since it allows even non-mages to communicate, many buy them this way. Even the state sometimes purchases them for emergency communications or information sharing.”
Just then, a commotion broke out in one of the back rooms. Unlike the excited buzz of bidding, this was a harsh, disruptive noise.
It was coming from the very room where the winning bidder of the mana stone had been taken by staff.
Loud, angry shouting spilled into the hall—loud enough for everyone to hear.
“…What do you mean the item disappeared after I paid?!”
Everyone in the auction house instantly realized what had happened.
The auction stopped dead. Customers began to murmur angrily and demanded answers.
“What’s going on? How can an auction item vanish?”
“You took his money but don’t have the item? That’s outrageous!”
“I–I deeply apologize. We’ll investigate immediately and resume as soon as possible.”
The auctioneer, drenched in sweat, struggled to calm the crowd.
At that moment, the man who had won the bid shoved away a staff member’s restraining hand and stormed back into the hall, his face flushed with fury.
“Listen to me, everyone! These lunatics took my 49,000 gold, and now they claim the mana stone has vanished! Don’t ever buy from this place!”
“Sir, please calm down—”
He shook off the employee’s grip violently.
“Calm down? You expect me to calm down when this much money is at stake and you can’t even manage your items properly?!”
Foaming at the mouth, he screamed so hard his body shook.
“Bring me the stone I bought right now! Otherwise pay me double, as written in the contract!”
The staff member bowed repeatedly, flustered.
“M–my deepest apologies. I don’t know how this could have happened…”
“Useless! Where’s the owner? Bring me the one in charge!”
His thunderous shouting made Sasha clap her hands over her ears. She tugged Stefan’s sleeve.
“Ugh, my ears. Let’s get out of here—it’s not our problem.”
“Y–yeah.”
Jaylin and Lionel turned immediately toward the exit, but Stefan lingered, still watching the quarrel.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Can’t we just watch a little longer?”
Stefan fidgeted, but Sasha grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the door with surprising strength.
“Fine, fine! I’m going!”
Adrian strolled behind them at a leisurely pace.
“Watching a fight is always the most fun, though.”
Even while being dragged, Stefan kept looking back, grumbling.
Meanwhile, Lionel and Jaylin reached the entrance first, but before they could leave, guards blocked their way.
“You cannot leave right now.”
“Is there a problem? We’re only trying to go out.”
Lionel asked politely, but the guard shook his head and barred the exit.
“My apologies. Due to the theft of an auction item, the shop is now closed until further notice.”
Several more guards rushed out and formed a line at the doorway.
A few customers, sensing trouble, tried to slip toward the windows but were immediately stopped.
“What is the meaning of this? Let us out!”
“You cannot.”
“You can’t just imprison people like this! Are you insane? I’m a busy man!”
One guest shoved a guard, sparking a scuffle that quickly turned the hall into chaos.
At that moment, a stern, dignified old man’s voice echoed from the stage.
“Greetings. I am Mason Rodrigo, proprietor of this establishment. The 7,500k mana stone auctioned just now has been stolen. Until it is recovered, Rodrigo’s Trading House will remain sealed. I ask for your cooperation.”
His words were met with shouts of protest.
“This is outrageous! I have urgent business!”
“My apologies. Once the stone is found, you will be free to leave.”
“How can you be sure it’s still here? What if the thief already escaped? Locking us in won’t help!”
Rodrigo’s voice was firm.
“This shop is under detection wards. If any unauthorized item leaves, an alarm sounds. Since it has not, the stone must still be inside.”
Rodrigo would not yield. After several heated exchanges, the weary guests dispersed around the shop, muttering.
Jaylin’s group also settled in a corner.
“Ugh, this is the worst. Our whole schedule’s ruined. Stefan, if you hadn’t insisted we come here, everything would’ve gone smoothly.”
Sasha glared at him. Nearby, Adrian lounged lazily with his chin propped on his hand.
“Life never goes the way you want.”
“Exactly. That’s life. You never know what’s ahead. We might walk out right now… or we might be stuck here forever.”
Stefan nodded solemnly, spouting nonsense.
“F–forever? We’ll at least get out today… right?”
Jaylin’s face went pale at his words.
To ease her worry, Lionel spoke calmly.
“Don’t worry too much. They won’t be able to hold us for long.”
