018: Grand Auction Day (3)

Brant Arlenheim was a Rank 5 Acolyte Mage, only one step away from becoming a Early Moon Mage. Unlike most Mages in the Arlenheim Kingdom who specialized in Ice, Water, or Metal Magic due to the region's climate, Brant's mixed heritage allowed him to wield Fire Magic—growing stronger and more dominant as he matured.

Reaching Rank 5 at just eighteen was considered a monumental achievement.

Moreover, Fire Mages were highly coveted by many kingdoms in the northern hemisphere to power various Magic Technology.

In fact, Brant Arlenheim had become the favored candidate of the Royal Court to inherit the throne, despite being the third prince—his father having died in battle against the Ten Demon Generals seven years prior.

At present, the Arlenheim Kingdom was temporarily ruled by its queen.

Naturally, Brant's confidence soared. Not a single soul in the VIP section dared to outbid him.

All eyes turned to the upper loft, where Chieftess Andariel calmly raised one hand and extended her index finger.

Violetta immediately picked up the cue. "Such generosity! That brings the total to 140,000 gold coins for all twenty Mana Stones!"

"140,000 gold coins, going once!"

"140,000, going twice!"

"140,000, going thrice!"

"Sold! Twenty medium-grade Fire Elemental Mana Stones to Number 26! Congratulations, monsieur. You may proceed to the backroom to settle your payment while we prepare your goods."

The young prince rose to his feet, pulling his collar up smugly as he looked down on the other bidders. Unbeknownst to him, most of them were waiting for something a bit more… unconventional.

As Brant left for the backroom, the next items were brought out and auctioned one after another.

Meanwhile, Alice had grown bored waiting for her products to take the spotlight. She had dozed off in Chieftess Andariel's embrace. The usual mischief in her smile had vanished—she looked like a sleeping angel as Andariel gently brushed her hair.

That peace was short-lived.

Violetta's high-pitched voice jolted her awake. Alice shot up from the chieftess's lap and leaned forward, staring at the stage in a mix of panic and excitement. Her heart raced with nerves. What if the guests rejected her products? What if they were offended by their… bold shapes?

She had spent hundreds of materials crafting her inventions. If this failed, she'd be in serious trouble.

Alice clasped her hands together and shut her eyes tightly, silently praying.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the main event of this splendid evening! Kaelith, bring them up!"

The yellow-skinned succubus strutted offstage and returned with a gold-plated box. A heavy silence fell. Everyone leaned forward, curious about what treasures lay inside.

"Introducing our latest, most exquisite invention to date... the Love Nectar Extractor!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Kaelith opened the box. Inside were five exquisitely crafted, manhood-shaped marbles standing tall and proud. Every vein, every contour, every muscle was flawlessly sculpted. The craftsmanship was beyond compare.

"A-Are they...?" a woman stammered, her voice trembling.

Her legs felt weak beneath her skirt. She was a well-known merchant—respected, wealthy, the owner of hundreds of boutiques across multiple kingdoms. And yet, even she was caught off guard.

"As you may have guessed, mademoiselle," Violetta said with a graceful bow, "these are not the usual cylindrical playthings we women rely on for private relief. Our master artisan has created a revolutionary piece of art and pleasure!"

Kaelith paced slowly around the stage, holding one of the marbles for the audience to examine. "Each one is carved from the finest marble and embedded with intricate Rune Formations. By channeling your mana into the base, the device will vibrate and massage your intimate areas—adjustable from low, to medium, to high."

Violetta added playfully, "And that's not all! Each piece is powered by a High-grade Elemental Mana Stone at its core, offering you a range of unique experiences! Currently, there are five variants based on elemental affinity: Fire, Water, Ice, Wood, and Lightning. Each provides a different… sensation. But we won't spoil the surprise—you'll have to discover them yourself!"

A high-society lady, her lips painted with thick red rouge, raised her hand. "What about safety? How do we know it won't explode during use?"

"Oh my dear… fufufu." Violetta chuckled coyly. "Before tonight's official unveiling, Lady Morwenna herself spent an entire week rigorously 'testing' the prototypes. She's now so enchanted by them that she uses them daily—with her fiancé, of course. In fact, we still have a couple of unused prototypes available. Would you care to try one, mademoiselle?"

"E-Erm, no thank you... not in front of everyone."

All eyes turned toward Lady Morwenna, seated beside the Chieftess. She rose elegantly to address the crowd.

"I can personally vouch for Violetta. Everything she said is true. Honestly, I would've bought the entire set myself—but alas, the rules forbid Succubi and Incubi from bidding at this auction. Count yourselves lucky to witness this collection. Only one set is produced at a time."

"There you have it!" Violetta clapped her hands. "The Lady has spoken! Any other doubts about their safety? No? Then let the bidding—"

"50,000 gold coins for the complete set!"

"55,000!"

"60,000!"

"69,000!"

The bidding frenzy took off. Not only women, but also several men jumped in—hoping to gift the set to their partners back home.

At that moment, Brant Arlenheim returned from the backroom after settling his purchase. He noticed the commotion and turned to his adjutant.

"What's going on? Why are the ladies losing their minds over... marble dicks?"

The adjutant cleared his throat. "They're not ordinary, Your Highness. Each is embedded with a High-grade Elemental Mana Stone. Based on my appraisal, one contains a Fire Elemental Stone."

"What?! They used High-grade Elemental Stones… in sex toys?!"

"Yes, Your Highness. It appears a rather mad artisan has made a groundbreaking discovery. These items adapt to the user's elemental affinity."

"Damn it! I should've saved my gold! How much do I have left?"

"Approximately 60,000 gold coins, sire."

"Can I buy just one?"

"Unfortunately, no. The set is only sold as a complete collection, and the ladies seem determined to outbid each other."

"Ugh, shit!" Brant cursed, falling back into his seat with a scowl. "We're done here. Let's go back to the inn."

"As you wish…"

Just as the young prince stormed off and exited the underground dome, a mysterious woman in a flowing gown and dark veil slowly raised her sign. Number 69.

"Five Primordial Stones."

The entire hall went silent.

Gasps erupted. Primordial Stones were priceless—each one powerful enough to supply energy to an entire city for a decade. Only the royal families of powerful kingdoms or empires were permitted to own such treasures.

This outrageous bid could only mean one thing: a member of the royal family Arlenheim Kingdom—possibly the Queen herself—was pledging her alliance with Tusa Village by offering Arlenheim's national treasures for these highly-coveted items.

Chieftess Andariel understood the gravity of the moment. No one could, or should, outbid such a declaration.

"Sold... Please proceed to the backroom, guest number 69."

---

Author's Note:

Originally, I planned for Violetta and Kaelith to demonstrate how to use the dingdongs onstage to convince the crowd.

But then I remembered a line from a movie: "Nobody's gonna buy used guns."

So yeah… the Queen of Arlenheim will be "in action" in the next chapter or two. With… well, you can guess who.

Things are about to get real.