When Angor spoke to Sunders, the price of Travel In Dreamland was pushed to two million magic crystals by Sennefer.
Angor still remembered how Sunders won the “Cursing Puppet” from Twilight Auction by paying seven million. At that time, he did not feel impressed when hearing the results from others. But now that he was witnessing all the wizards getting tangled in a heated price war up close, he felt a kind of great excitement in his blood that was ignited by something called “money”.
And when the VIP guests offered millions of crystals like it was nothing, Angor couldn’t help but feel a monster called “poverty” making it hard for him to breathe.
He was not the only one feeling disturbed when seeing rich wizards throwing money like this. In normal circumstances, 10,000 was already a big number in the eyes of most wizards.
The bid was soon elevated to three million, and even then, Sunders had still not joined the fight. Also, it seemed the VIP guests weren’t feeling so relaxed either.
“*Cough*” Someone in a VIP room hacked and painfully gasped for air. “That’s about everything I’ve saved up in my entire life... Are you all really going to bully a poor old woman?”
“Miss Kikyo... I believe you’re anything but ‘poor’ after you sold those witch stew of yours. Really now?” Qetesh humphed loudly.
“You’re wasting money on something that can be easily copied. Say, how about I take this one? We’ll make sure to distribute copies of the scroll to you,” said Sennefer.
“Get out of my sight. We all know how Moonfrost Union do their shady works!” Graves scoffed.
“Oh, it’s... what’s your name again, friend from the Chapel? Did your sanity break down after falling behind my steps and you want to vent out your rage on the Union?” Sennefer sounded sarcastic as she said those words.
Graves humped again and did not say anything further.
Angor frowned as he watched the truth-finder wizards verbally assault each other in the open and realized that the whole matter was more serious than he thought.
The offers obviously slowed down once the price reached 3.5 million, as the VIP guest revalued the true profit held by the scroll.
Meanwhile, Angor got over the excitement that was brought by the display of wealth.
“I think Sennefer is right, professor. Surely someone can make copies of the scroll. Fighting like this will only give all the money to Sky Auction and that seller.”
“See that glowing seal on it?” Sunders pointed to the scroll where several runes were shining. “Items affected by such a seal can only be read once. If others want to learn what was written in the scroll, they must pray that the first witness tells them the truth. Do you think Sennefer would share the knowledge after winning the scroll?”
“But we can always use truth detection spells or similar methods.”
“For one, being inspected in this way is humiliating. Also, someone as strong as Sennefer has many ways to cheat such spells.”
The current bid was 3.7 million, and only Sennefer and Qetesh were still bidding now.
Whereas Qetesh didn’t seem so sure about this anymore, Sennefer still looked rather confident.
When Qetesh remained silent for a long while, the others knew that he had reached his financial limit.
“Three point seventy-five,” Qetesh offered again after careful consideration.
“Three point seventy-six.” Sennefer did not even hesitate for a second.
The difference wasn’t so much compared to his earlier bid, but Qetesh still gave up.
“Three million and seventy-six, going once. Going twice...” Melantha saw Qetesh’s attitude and proceeded with her job.
As Sennefer got ready to welcome her undeniable victory, Sunders suddenly surprised everyone when he said in his plain and calm voice, “Four million.”
Nobody questioned who was in Room 012 because they already knew.
No one would deny the fact that Sunders was currently the strongest wizard attending the auction. Even Sennefer, as another level-2 truth-finder wizard, had no hope in defeating Sunders if they were to fight for real. Sennefer attained her current level not long ago, while Sunders had already reached the summit of his level and was ready to challenge level-3.
As the other guests wondered why the gentleman suddenly decided to go against Sennefer, Sennefer raised her offer again. “Four million and a hundred thousand.”
“Four point five million.”
Sennefer grabbed the sofa she was sitting on so tightly that her fingernails sunk into it. Sunders’ last offer happened to be her “last line”—she brought 4.5 million in total; it was all she had.
But she did not say anything. It was Sunders she was going up against, not Graves.
Sennefer clenched her fists and chose to give up.
After dropping her gavel, Melantha concluded, “The Travel In Dreamland goes to VIP 012. Congratulations.”
The other VIPs felt bad because Sunders’ brief and decisive blow made all their earlier quarrels seem like jokes.
Angor was looking at his professor with his eyes widened as well. He knew Sunders was rich, but he didn’t know he was THIS rich. But again, it was completely possible since Sunders was free to explore the Nightmare Realm.
With that in mind, Angor felt glad that he was also blessed with a great talent that allowed him to look for fortune in the same place.
There were still two items to be brought up, so Angor calmed his mind and waited for more surprises.
Sunders, on the other hand, was looking at somewhere on the first level with a strange expression while moving his lips in silence.
He was communicating with someone in private.
When it was done, he fixed his gaze on Angor again. Meanwhile, Angor was completely oblivious of his professor’s movements and that final, meaningful look.
The second last item was a portable fortress invented by the city’s research department. It was said to be a piece of tactical equipment created by multiple master alchemists, including the city’s vice president of the research department.
The item held superior offensive and defensive capabilities as well as great mobility. Using this, anyone could commence flexible operations in different environments.
Angor looked at the item and quickly thought about the “space ships” he saw from certain movies. He only thought about it in a general sense because the overall designs, as well as many details, were quite different.
A representative from a certain wizard clan bought the item at three million crystals.
It was finally time for the last and probably the most important lot for the entire monthly auction.
Angor waited excitedly, but he did not see anything being taken out.
Just as he thought there was something wrong with the arrangements, Melantha suddenly said, “The last lot is as always. But we will also provide an extra entry allowance to train in the Fountain of Souls. Let’s begin!”
Before Angor could even figure out what she meant, the bid had already reached three million.
Similar to before, he looked at Sunders so that he could ask about it. However, he didn’t say anything because he noticed that the gentleman was staring at him with a weird look.
“Professor?”
Sunders looked away and checked the auction stage. “Ahem. It is a convention for Sky Auction to sell a ticket into ‘Sonance Abysm’, which is... a certain place created by a Mystery item. It helps you discover the path of truth. But only a small chance. After all, all wizards need their own insight and intuition for the discovery. Even if someone manages to find the path of truth by using extra help... they’ll only be considered the weaker ones among all truth finders. As for the Fountain of Souls...”
Sunders suddenly revealed a disdaining look. “The souls of all dead monsters and apprentices in the purification garden all went into the Fountain of Souls, and after going through a certain cultivation process, the city can create another resource that assists you in finding the path of truth. However, this is an even worse method for cheating your way through the journey. Those who use such an approach might be unable to grow stronger ever again.”
“But... if it is impossible for someone to achieve the path of truth on their own, such help is worthwhile,” said Angor.
“Worthwhile? Hah! The Sonance Abysm works by stimulating your innovations and helping you to invent new spells, which is usually what helps to create one’s true path. As for the Fountain of Souls... it forcefully injects the intelligence of other souls into your mind, which MIGHT grant you the knowledge of the truth. Yet it remains to be seen whether the soul that survives in the end is still you.
“I suggest that you do not think about such trickery. Look at Flora. She’s been struggling with finding her path, yet she will never accept these double-edged workarounds, which are very likely to ruin her future potential.”
Angor nodded obediently.
The auction reached its curtain fall smoothly... if one did not mind the debate centered around Travel In Dreamland.
Angor did not pay attention to who won the “ticket” in the end. After collecting their respective items, he and Sunders left the auction site in the same carriage.
Angor took a brief nap on the vehicle. The sleep last night didn’t fully help him mend his fatigued spirit, which was caused by working day and night for so long. The tranquility in the night combined with the gentle swaying of the carriage helped him to quickly fall asleep.
It was an hour later when he woke at the pleasant smell of hot tea.
They were still inside the vehicle. Sunders was holding a teacup while casually reading the scroll.
“We haven’t arrived yet?” Angor sat up and looked through the window.
He saw lit buildings and bustling crowds outside, which suggested they were in the main city district, but not the suburbs where Sunders’ garden manor was.
Sunders slowly folded Travel In Dreamland. Under the effect of the magical seal on it, the item turned into dust in his hand.
“We’re going somewhere else. I’m taking you to the person who sold the scroll at the auction.”
“Uh, the seller?” Angor frowned. What does he mean by “taking me”?
“Because she asked to see you directly.”