Auction

Derrick arrived at Terra in the evening and was welcomed by the same carriage he had previously taken.

The chauffeur recognized him and gave him a warm smile.

He also noticed that Alma was nowhere to be seen this time around.

After a short trip where he took in the majestic sight of the city, he arrived at the auction house and was lodged in a luxurious room.

It was slightly better than the one he had had during his last visit and while unpacking, his butler had apologized on Brigand's behalf, as his master couldn't meet him due to work. They would catch up tomorrow before the event.

Derrick didn't mind much and simply went to bed, readying himself for what would be a tumultuous day…

***

When he opened his eyes, the sun was already illuminating the entirety of the room. He lazily took three quarters of the king-sized bed, unwilling to get up and get on with his day.

To be fair, he couldn't do much without money.

When he settled on going back to sleep and wake up later, a loud and repetitive knocking sound interrupted him.

"Sir Derrick, my Master is ready to see you!"

With a sigh, he left the comfortable fabrics and dressed up.

This reminded him he kept pushing back the construction of his house in Akata. As soon as the mine would start its operations, he would finally focus on that matter.

There was still so much to do that his inner fire started burning violently. His determination was unwavering, and he would do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

The butler, named Pablo this time, didn't lead him to the usual room, instead bringing him to a study where Brigand sat at a huge wooden desk. It looked exquisite, with lions carved in its structure. The details were astonishing, with it looking more like a sculpture than an actual piece of furniture.

The burly man seized Derrick and smiled while welcoming him to a seat in front of him. It appeared the merchant wanted to conduct business in a more formal manner, to which the necromancer didn't mind, as he had a few demands of his own.

"It has been a while, Sir Derrick. The auction will happen tonight, and I can assure you that the goods you sell will fetch an even better price. Our previous commotion seems to have awakened the interest of several hidden parties, which will participate tonight. Fret not, as I can still guarantee your anonymity"

After speaking, he swiftly pulled out a pouch and laid it bare in front of Derrick. Gold coins fell out and shone on the desk's smooth surface.

"The 500 gold coins I owe you"

Derrick gulped.

It had been a long time since he had been in possession of such a sum, but he controlled his urge of immediately grabbing it.

"Could you keep it and instead grant me a line of credit like last time? I'd also like to discuss a transaction with you"

Brigand's eyebrows creased, and his business flair took over.

With another, albeit slower, movement, he recouped the coins and stored them in a drawer, which he promptly locked.

"What would you like to buy?"

"Weapons. Which quality do you offer?"

The big man stroked his chin while seriously searching his memory. He was no stranger to Derrick's expansionist plans, meaning he needed to find goods that would best fit his needs.

After a few moments, he answered.

"I can offer you iron swords and standardized bows that are used in every army of this Empire. However, the price will be steep as I'll have to hide the details of the transaction. Otherwise, large orders like this would definitely catch the attention of the higher-ups"

Derrick could only admire Brigand's business tactics.

The man had taken in consideration every part of the equation, allowing him to be greedy and thoughtful. Calling him a genius was almost selling his abilities short.

"That's one of the reasons why I wanted a line of credit. I need 200 iron swords and 50 bows. How much would it cost?"

"With the privacy surcharge, it amounts to 50 silver coins per sword, thus totaling 100 gold coins. As for the bows, they are pricier since their technology is more advanced. They also come with a quiver of 20 arrows. One bow costs 1 gold coin, meaning the total transaction amounts to 158 gold coins, including my 5% fee"

Ah… So expensive!

Derrick's heart was in turmoil… Every time he had access to funds, it simply vanished. He almost thought that he was cursed.

However, he needed to bite the bullet. It also made him appreciate his Blacksmith's skills even more.

"Great, I'll take them. With this matter concluded, would you like to see what I've brought?"

The merchant's eyes shone. That was what he really wanted to see, with him somehow managing his impatience up to this point.

Without further ado, Derrick opened his magical pouch and took out all the weapons before neatly arranging them in front of Brigand, who seemed to be experiencing a stroke caused by delight.

After tonight, he was sure his establishment's name would spread far beyond Terra.

***

Derrick was comfortably seated in front of the tainted glass, sipping a delicious glass of wine. His heart loudly thumped, excited by the prospect of finding something that would allow him to progress on the path of necromancy.

Once again, his butler stood in a corner of the room like a statue, imperturbable. The only time he had spoken was to ask if Derrick knew the rules, to which the latter had confirmed.

The gallery below was slowly filling itself, with parades of well-dressed nobles flaunting their wealth. After all, such an event was a show of one's social standing.

Derrick inwardly sneered, dismissing these "threats".

The true powerhouses were next to him, and from what Brigand knew, the depths of their pockets were unknown.

However, Derrick wasn't too worried. The line of credit he had been granted by Brigand had flabbergasted him. The last two weeks of training had been truly productive.

After a few more minutes, the gallery was at max capacity and the lights dimmed. The red curtain covering the stage parted, revealing a beautiful woman wearing a tight blue dress.

Of course, Derrick remembered her.

While seductively glancing at the crowd and showing her plentiful curves, her clear and pretty voice resounded throughout the space.

"Hello everyone! My name's Jacqueline and I'll be your host tonight. May the auction begin!"