That Much

The next day, the three once again began their early journey to the city.

Before departing, Meara dropped by Mr. Milton and told him that she was going out with Calla and Theron.

Mr Milton felt like a parent with a daughter asking for permission to go out. He acknowledged Meara and gave a few reminders of safety.

Theron arrived with a small cow cart he rented from his neighbor. The cart has only a driver's seat and a passenger seat for two. It has a small area at the back where they can put some things.

Upon arrival to the city, Theron left them at the pharmacy first. After confirming they were safe inside, he went to his contact in one of the more affluent areas of the cities in the southwest.

The auction house is of course closed at such an early hour. However, Theron knows the back entry and sees one of the helpers. He asked if his friend Anton was around.

Anton Figg is his childhood friend from the same village. His father was also a hunter but they moved to the city when his father remarried a city woman. His fate brought him to this line of work and he has been enjoying it for 10 years. They remained friends despite the distance.

Anton went out in a hurry and hugged Theron sincerely.

"Hey, what brings you to this part of the city?" Anton asked.

"Brother, I have a really rare item that I hope to auction off at your auction house. Do you think I can talk to Mr. Whorl?" He pulled Anton closer and whispered, "I harvested a reaaaaally old ginseng." He emphasized.

"What?!" Anton's surprised reaction is both funny and alarming. He immediately put his hand in his mouth.

Mr. Liam Whorl is the owner of the auction house. A bachelor, a 30-year-old rich master of the Whorl bloodline, and currently has no heir nor relatives. He's a naturalized person from another kingdom and established his name because of his business acuity and perseverance. His business world revolves around his auction house, 2 jewelry emporiums, and an artwork gallery. It is safe to say, he likes art, expensive, and pretty things.

"Let's go, let's go!" Anton pulled him excitedly.

Anton can be considered close to Mr. Whorl. The rich man discovered Anton's talent in public relations when he saw him when he was 12 years old as a greeter in a clothing shop. He was cute and charming and he could not help but see the potential. Nine years later he has now grown into a lovely handsome young man and his talent has improved significantly.

Anton knocked into Mr. Whorl's meeting room and went in alone. In less than a minute, Theron was pulled to get in by Anton.

The meeting room is painted dark but has an elegant feel. A few light fixtures were placed in all corners and the middle of the walls. There were two small and elegant chandeliers in the ceiling, illuminating the whole room despite the dark wall colors.

"Theron, sit down immediately. You don't know how important this rare item of yours is if included in my upcoming catalog. I am still looking for items to add. Now let me see your hundred-year-old ginseng?" The excitement cannot be hidden from the man's face. He held onto Theron's elbow and sat him in a chair in front of a square table around 2 meters wide.

"Sir, it's not a hundred years old but more than two hundred years old."

Mr. Whorl and Anton were speechless.

Theron slowly opened his bag and carefully laid the precious ginseng revealed from a very large piece of wax paper. The roots were spread out beautifully on the wooden table.

Mr. Whorl asked the old servant on standby to bring water to him. For a few minutes, nobody spoke.

Theron broke the silence.

"It is actually two hundred and twenty-six years old based on the neck scars."

"This… this is going to be a highlight!"

"Both of you boys are going to make me rich!"

"Sir, please hide my identity. I harvested that with two more people. We only want a peaceful life. We saw this ginseng up in the mountains and, luckily, we were able to find it then."

"No worries. No worries. Your group can sit with me in my private box." Mr. Whorl's excitement is still high.

"Listen. The opening bid of a ginseng of 30 years is 5000 penns and according to rules, it roughly says that it adds a thousand every half-decade thereafter. I'm saying this loosely because the oldest we auctioned off was 51 years old and its opening bid was 9000 and the hammered price was 65,000. I remembered pharmacy owners and rich old men had a tight competition that day."

Mr. Whorl contemplated…

"This means… The opening bid alone is roughly at 44000 penns!"

"Mr. Theron Ivar, we are going to be richer two weeks from now. I would like to ask you not to look for other auction houses anymore. I am willing to offer a 13% commission charge instead of the usual 15%. No, make it 12%. I will also make sure to give a generous bonus to Anton here. Do we have a deal?"

"Mr. Whorl, I trust you completely."

The agreement was drafted, read, finalized, and signed by two parties not long after. It was then witnessed and signed by two more people.

"Then we will come back two weeks from now." Theron shook hands and he was ushered to the door.

"Oh, by the way, if you don't mind…" Mr. Whorl suddenly remembered one final thing.

Theron looked back.

"Who are your companions?" Mr. Whorl asked.

"General Xelt's concubine and her servant."

"Then, I guarantee you your privacy with me."

"Thank you." Theron went out the door.

Theron met the two ladies back at the pharmacy. As usual, the two were delighted. The four rare herbs they sold totalled 1850 penns combined and one bag of Celestial Saffron alone was bargained at 1600 penns.

Theron smiled at the two and said he had good news but they needed the privacy of Meara's little courtyard.

In the courtyard…

"That much?! I was sold at 40,000 penns according to Donne. I feel so inferior to ginseng…"

"Then do you want us to buy you back?" Theron casually asked.

"Yeah, let's all live together once we are rich!" Calla exclaimed.

"Not possible. My assignment as a concubine was decreed by his highness…"

The three went silent and then laughed at their illusion.

"No, but seriously. I didn't expect it to fetch that much. I understand the rarity of that thing and the obsession of the people who want to own it but..." Calla pondered.

"I guess, rich people are like that and we can never understand unless we become one." Meara agreed.

"Yeah. Who knows, maybe we will know one day." Theron smiled at them.