Auction

　　The largest auction in Sidamire City was owned by the Jerome clan. 

　　Like the Joseph clan, the Jerome clan was one of the seven royal families, publicly led by a fearsome Marquis, while their Duke had been in seclusion for a millennium. 

　　After Caesar disembarked from the carriage, he looked up at the grand and towering building. The entrance was bustling with people, all of whom were nobles. 

　　Commoners had no right to enter. 

　　"Sir, please present your identification." 

　　Caesar was stopped at the door. 

　　Though the two guards were polite, their eyes held a hint of vigilance, as they were unfamiliar with Caesar. 

　　"I am Count Stephen's steward." 

　　Caesar produced a metal badge that symbolized his steward status, emblazoned with Count Stephen's family crest. 

　　The two guards immediately let him pass. 

　　Once inside, a servant guided him through a long corridor to a spacious hall, which served as the auction venue. 

　　Rows of seats were neatly arranged, with an aisle in the middle, and a raised platform at the front. 

　　"Since it's your first time, let me explain the rules," the servant said politely. "During the auction, you must remain silent. Bidding is done by raising a paddle. Each participant has five paddles corresponding to the following amounts: 500, 1000, 5000, and 10000 gold coins." 

　　Caesar nodded to indicate he understood. 

　　The servant then handed him a black mask shaped like bat wings. "This is a mask; you may choose not to wear it." 

　　"I'll wear it," he replied, taking the mask. 

　　...

　　After taking his seat, Caesar discreetly surveyed his surroundings. 

　　A large number of people had come to attend the auction—approximately several hundred, all of whom were nobles, including several Count-level vampires. 

　　In Sidamire City, a Count was considered a major noble, possessing their own fief and private army. 

　　Marquises were high-ranking officials, their status immensely prestigious, rarely deigning to attend such auctions unless they had been informed of remarkable items being presented.

　　After waiting a few more minutes, the auction began. 

　　The host was a baron vampire. 

　　"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Jerome family, I welcome you all…" 

　　After a brief introduction, the first item for auction was presented. 

　　It was a five-star magic artifact, which sold for a high price of eighteen hundred gold coins, ultimately acquired by a Count. 

　　Caesar had no interest in magic artifacts; he already possessed a better seven-star magic artifact, the Scythe of Death. 

　　Then came the second and third items… 

　　Finally, when the seventh item was brought onto the stage, Caesar's spirits instantly lifted, and he found himself sitting up straight involuntarily. 

　　It was a coffin! 

　　The dark wood was adorned with exquisite blood-red patterns, measuring two meters and seventy centimeters long and one meter and fifty centimeters wide—much larger than an ordinary coffin, exuding an extremely heavy and mysterious aura. 

　　"As you can see, this is a corpse-preserving coffin. I believe you can already appreciate its extraordinary craftsmanship!" the host boasted loudly. "This coffin was personally crafted by the elder of the goblin clan, captured by the Jerome family's army on the battlefield. Every exquisite pattern on it is a pinnacle of artistry!" 

　　"It is undoubtedly a top-quality coffin; you won't find such a high-grade corpse-preserving coffin in any shop in Sidamire!" 

　　Caesar's interest was piqued. 

　　Moreover, he sensed that several other Count-level nobles present were also intrigued. 

　　The quality of this coffin was certainly on par with Stephen's, if not even higher.

　　"Starting bid: 1500 gold coins!" 

　　As soon as the host finished speaking, someone immediately raised their paddle to place a bid. 

　　Then, another paddle was raised. 

　　A frenzy of bidding ensued, with people competing fiercely, and quickly the price soared to a staggering figure: 6500 gold coins! 

　　Caesar's eyes widened. 

　　One gold coin was enough for an ordinary peasant family to live comfortably for half a year. 

　　6500 gold coins was an astronomical sum, enough to fill a small chest. 

　　As the steward, he knew very well that Count Stephen's annual tax revenue was only around three thousand gold coins. 

　　These people were incredibly wealthy… 

　　Caesar glanced at his own backpack, reconfirming his savings: 9834 gold coins. 

　　That was equivalent to three years' worth of tax revenue for a Count. 

　　Yet, he had no confidence that he could win the bid. 

　　Fortunately, after the price had reached such heights, the pace began to slow down, with many participants withdrawing from the competition. 

　　Only two Counts remained in contention. 

　　"Oh~ Count Nixon bids 7500 gold coins, 7500 gold coins for the first time… Alright, Count Pipps raises the bid by 500, 8000 gold coins for the first time… 8000 gold coins for the second time…" 

　　The host was lively and passionate. 

　　Caesar noticed that Count Arman seemed to be running out of steam. 

　　Without hesitation, he raised his paddle decisively… 

　　"Oh my! Another gentleman has joined the bidding, offering 9000 gold coins, 9000 gold coins for the first time!" 

　　Count Pipps hesitated for a moment but then raised his paddle, adding another 500. 

　　Caesar squinted; he really didn't have much gold left! 

　　This guy was impressive, having outbid six or seven Counts. At this rate, Caesar would have to concede defeat. 

　　It seemed he would need to employ some tactics… 

　　Taking a deep breath, Caesar's eyes glimmered with a hint of purple light as he activated his supernatural ability: mind reading. 

　　Having reached the pinnacle of the Count level, his mental power far exceeded that of his opponents. 

　　He easily tapped into Pipps's thoughts: Oh~ this Count really doesn't have much money left. Damn it, please don't raise the bid any further! 

　　Caesar's eyes lit up; it seemed that behind his invincible facade, Pipps was actually feeling the pressure too. 

　　He quickly wrote a number on his blank paddle and raised it high. 

　　The host blinked in surprise, his eyes widening: "Uh… this gentleman raises the bid… by 1 gold coin! Ahem, 9501 gold coins for the first time!" 

　　Count Pipps's face darkened, and he immediately gave up, cursing as he withdrew from the competition. 

　　Raising the bid by just one gold coin, he suspected that Caesar was deliberately raising the price, possibly a plant set up by the auction house to drain his wallet. 

　　You want me to raise the bid? Hmph, I won't! 

　　"...Third time! Congratulations to this gentleman for winning a top-quality coffin!" 

　　Caesar let out a sigh of relief. 

　　After living in Sidamire City for so long, he was experiencing the power of money for the first time! 

　　Everyone present today had been defeated by his "cash" prowess!