AUCTION

The bidding area was situated on a boat slightly smaller than the town hall, cleverly designed to resemble a passing vessel docked on the beach, distanced from the town. Despite its appearance, Sponge noticed a significant number of people inside, many of whom she suspected were city dwellers.

"Paper?" the man in front inquired as Sponge retrieved her note and handed it to him. After a brief look, he nodded and pushed open the half-ajar door to allow Sponge entry.

Walking in, Sponge felt the warmth of the place, with numerous people engaged in conversations. Seats and tables filled the area, most of them occupied to some extent. At the front, a man stood on a stage in a suit, exuding a smile.

The bidding had already commenced, and Sponge found herself an hour late due to a brief nap before her arrival. Now she stood at the back, hiding in the shadows, observing the bidding proceedings.

While she knew she should be paying attention, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of JM and the upcoming second meeting. Although Vvh had mentioned that an immediate conclusion was unlikely, Sponge anticipated the arrival of someone from the city to speak with JM.

Nervously nibbling on the bottom of her lip, Sponge found herself not fully focused on the stage. The boat was filled with smoke from individuals freely smoking pipes, and the scent of alcohol permeated the air.

Sighing, Sponge turned her attention back to the stage.

"What we have here is the head of a unicorn from the British lands!" the man on stage announced, "Starting bid will be nine hundred thousand gold."

"Two million!" A woman shouts.

"Two point five million," Another woman shouts.

As bids were called out, Sponge tilted her head, observing the crowd with interest. Witnessing people willing to purchase such items left her feeling disgusted. The majestic creatures should never be subjected to such harm.

Sighing, Sponge crossed her arms tightly across her chest. Her attention was momentarily diverted when a woman stood beside her, leaning against the wall with a wine glass in hand. "An outsider?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips as Sponge turned to her. "Who's asking?"

The woman giggled, taking a sip of her wine. "Don't be so reserved. Aren't you here to have fun as well?" She attempted to place a hand on Sponge's arm, prompting Sponge to step aside, away from the woman.

"No thanks. I suggest you return to your seat," Sponge grumbled, almost glowering with annoyance. The woman clicked her tongue in disappointment before retreating to her seat, engaging with a man beside her in a similar manner.

Rolling her eyes, Sponge sighed, shaking her head.

"Sold!" the man in front declared, as two people pushed the unicorn head off the stage, making way for a new item. This time, a dark red coat adorned with gold accents was presented as "The Cloak of Invisibility."

A collective "ohhh" emanated from the crowd as Sponge leaned in, mildly intrigued. She watched as the man explained the cloak's capabilities, nodding in understanding. While the cloak held fascination for her, she recognized it wasn't the type of garment she would typically use.

Noting the potential risks associated with the cloak's length and its potential for causing harm if its invisibility feature malfunctioned, she contemplated the item's practicality and suitability for her needs.

The cloak appeared long and prone to snagging or tugging if the invisibility function malfunctioned, potentially causing harm to the wearer. This could pose a risk of injury to someone wearing it.

Furthermore, Vvh might not approve of it; she had reminded Sponge multiple times to keep her attire light, ensuring that her clothes were loose enough to be practical but not excessively loose to avoid accidental snags on her weapon or tripping hazards. This was the reason why Sponge had opted for slightly shorter pants, essentially altering them for better functionality.

Amidst the loud bang and the announcement of "Sold!", the cloak was rolled off the back of the stage, presumably to be packed and taken by the winning bidder. Sponge glanced around at the focused audience, contemplating slipping backstage for a closer look, given that none of the items particularly piqued her interest.

She moved stealthily towards the backstage, her attire blending seamlessly with the shadows as she slipped inside. Evading two men transporting a stroller carrying gold armor, Sponge's attention was captivated by the various cases on display.

Staring in awe at a gold bracelet adorned with numerous jewels, she felt the magical aura emanating from each gem as she touched it, unable to resist a chuckle. Turning her focus to the other cases, she discovered shoes with wings, the cloak of invisibility, an unfamiliar chainmail piece, and a painting.

Pausing in front of the painting depicting a woman with a smudged face, Sponge crouched down to inspect it closely. The pure gold frame glistened and sparkled, devoid of any apparent magical enchantment. Running her fingers along the frame, Sponge carefully opened the partially closed case to get a better view of the painting.

Noticing some shaky and barely readable writing on the side, she squinted as she read, "For my Crystal Flower, my dear Saphria, my one and only love." Perplexed, she fully opened the case and gently pulled out the painting by grasping the corner of the frame to examine it more closely.

There, Sponge finally noticed the name of the painting on the black banner at the bottom frame. "The… Crystal Flower of Saphria…" Sponge read, realization washing over her, causing her to let out a shaky breath.

"Hey!" She flinched at the sudden voice, one hand instinctively reaching for her axe as she turned towards the noise. A man in uniform stood before her, looking confused.

"Are you the new worker? You know you can't snoop around here, right?" He asked as Sponge carefully placed the painting back, rising to her feet and facing the man. "How did you get this painting?" Sponge inquired, observing as the man's eyes narrowed, taking a step back. "You're not a worker—" He began, but before he could react further, Sponge swiftly moved towards him, grabbing the front of his vest and pressing the blade of her axe against his neck.

"Answer my question or you lose your head," Sponge threatened, the man trembling in fear, his legs quaking. "I-I, w-what d-do you want?" He stammered, his gaze fixed on Sponge's axe, his breath hitching as she stared down at him.

"Where did you get this painting?" Sponge repeated, the blade inching closer to his skin. "L-Look, I'm only a worker; I move things from the stage to the backstage!" The man's voice was squeaky and shaking as Sponge continued to gaze at him. "Answer my question," she insisted.

As she edged the blade closer, it made contact with his skin. The man whimpered, nodding. "It-it's the–the Crystal Flower of Saphria… S-Someone commissioned it to be st-stolen so it could be s-sold off!" He explained, causing Sponge's eyes to narrow.

"What do you mean by Crystal Flower of Saphria? Are you telling me this is the stolen Crystal Flower of Saphria?" Sponge's tone was surprised as the man stared at her, eyes wide with fear, nodding shakily. 

He nodded again, "Y-Yes, I-I know many believe that the crystal flower is a crystallized flower, but it's just a painting all along—but it was sold for a hefty price so—" He yelped as Sponge shook him. "I don't care about what they think. Pack that case right now; I am taking that thing back," Sponge demanded, the man letting out a small squeak and shaking his head.

"I-I can't do that! I'll lose my job!" He argued.

"Fuck your job, Saphria is raining hellfire on Aquithis because you idiots stole the artifact! The whole country will be in ruins because of you idiots," Sponge growled, pushing him towards the case where the painting was housed, pointing her axe at his head.

"Fix the case right now, or else," Sponge commanded as the man shakily nodded, swiftly crawling towards the case and beginning to secure the painting back in place, his hands trembling and his breath shaky, tears welling in his eyes as Sponge loomed over him, glancing at the door before returning her attention to him.

"Hurry up, or I'll seriously take your head off if you're not quick about it," she warned as the man let out another frightened squeak, closing the case and looking back up at Sponge. "L-Look, I already did it, p-please let me go," he pleaded, clasping his hands together.

Sponge grabbed the handle of the case, lifting the handle and testing its weight before lowering it back to the ground. She then turned towards the man, striking his temple with the butt of her axe, causing him to collapse in a heap, completely unconscious.

Taking a deep breath, Sponge turned towards the door, contemplating how she could remove the entire case from the boat without drawing attention. "Unless…" Sponge looked up at the ceiling, noting the moonlight shining through the glass opening.

She turned to glance down at the man before deciding to drag him over to the wall, concealing him behind some cases. She then attempted to climb up the chains towards the glass ceiling, pushing it with her palm to test its sturdiness. After confirming it could be opened, she carefully pushed it up, climbed through, and dragged it to the side, peering back down at the spot where she had left the case.

"Did you hear?" a woman's voice echoed, prompting Sponge to quickly climb up and hide on the deck of the ship, observing from above. She saw two women in the same uniform as the man earlier, approaching the case containing the painting.

"What?" the other woman inquired, bending over the case and opening it to reveal the painting. "This painting is the actual Crystal Flower of Saphria," one woman exclaimed, laughing before closing the case. The other woman gasped, "Seriously? I really thought it was a flower."

"Me too. It's still pretty, I suppose. But now I understand why some leave disappointed."

"Mmm, I can see that."

"Anyways, help me with this; Miss Khestri is waiting for us."

Sponge let out a small groan as she watched the women carry the case away. Running a hand over her face, she jumped down and hurried after them.

She paused when she saw everyone on their feet, engaged in conversations and milling about, effectively obscuring the two women struggling to move the case that had snagged on a chair. The bidding event had ended, with people beginning to leave. Sponge then spotted the blonde and brunette women, grappling with the case that had become stuck on a chair.

"Sorry!" the blonde woman exclaimed as the man sitting on the chair waved them off. "Fucking hell," Sponge grumbled, pushing through the crowd, parting men and women who let out curses and yelps as she trailed the two women.

She observed them departing through the front door, exchanging nods with the man at the entrance who acknowledged them. Sponge hurried after them, pausing when she encountered the same woman who had attempted to touch her arm earlier.

"Miss Khestri, here is the painting," the blonde woman said, visibly excited. Khestri simply patted her cheek, causing the blonde to blush under her gaze.

"Good girl, you two can leave now. I can handle this myself; I'll wait for my boat to arrive," Khestri announced as Sponge stood to the side, arms crossed, glaring intensely. She watched as the two women walked past her, stealing a brief glance at Sponge in confusion before entering the boat.

Khestri then turned her attention to Sponge, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "If it isn't the handsome woman I noticed at the back," Khestri remarked as Sponge approached her, her gaze shifting towards the case near Khestri.

"Good morning to you," Khestri greeted with a sly smile, looking at Sponge expectantly. "I assume you are here to accept that... offer of mine from earlier," she added, her eyes tracing up to Sponge's arm, a small smile playing on her lips.

Sponge gave her a contemplative look. "I—"

"Perfect! We can share a drink on my boat now that it's arriving," Khestri interrupted, clapping her hands together, her gaze fixed on the approaching blue boat, just a short distance away from the current vessel.

Seizing the case, Khestri began dragging it towards the boat, prompting Sponge to blink in surprise.

"Are you coming?" Khestri smirked, turning towards Sponge.

I'm going to regret this... but if it helps JM, I'm doing it, Sponge thought to herself as she followed the woman onto the boat.