Chapter 450: Gold-Rank Treasures

"Eleven million gold coins!"

The shout had barely crossed the Grand Auction House before Master Orwin turned toward the raised paddle and extended one hand. "Eleven million from House Varell’s representative. Do I hear twelve?"

"Twelve million," the Iron Fang representative answered from the central seats, his expression tightening as several heads turned toward him.

Before Orwin could repeat the amount, a grey-haired Knight seated near the front lifted his number. "Thirteen million."

"Thirteen million from Sir Aldren Marr," Orwin announced, his voice carrying easily through the hall. "We began at three million, ladies and gentlemen, and Starfall Severance appears determined to prove that none of you came here intending to behave responsibly."

Laughter broke some of the tension, but nobody watching the sword looked relaxed. Starfall Severance remained upon its stand beneath the stage lights, its black blade scattered with silver specks like stars.

Most bidders were only wealthy Warriors, nearby minor noble Houses and local organizations. If this was what the lesser powers could spend, Sage could only imagine what would happen if the Guild attracted those standing near the Capital’s true summit.

"Fourteen million," a representative from Black Banner called, raising his paddle.

The Iron Fang man immediately answered, "Fifteen million."

Boren slowly turned toward Sage. "They hate each other enough to make us rich."

Irene heard him and replied without taking her eyes from the bidding, "They’re not spending fifteen million merely to annoy each other. A Gold-Rank weapon is worth fighting over."

Boren pointed toward the two mercenary representatives. "Both things can be true."

Orwin continued driving the room forward until the price crossed seventeen million. Black Banner finally withdrew. Iron Fang remained until nineteen million, only to be challenged by House Varell’s representative, who raised the price to twenty million without consulting anyone beside him.

A silence followed.

Orwin looked across the hall, gave the audience several breaths, then raised his hammer.

"Twenty million gold coins for Starfall Severance. Do I hear twenty-one million?"

A paddle rose near the rear.

"Twenty-one million!"

Orwin smiled. "Master Corren Vale enters at twenty-one million. House Varell?"

The noble representative hesitated before lifting his paddle one last time. "Twenty-two million."

Master Corren leaned back and folded his arms, surrendering.

Orwin waited, swept his gaze across the hall and brought the hammer down. "Sold! Starfall Severance goes to House Varell for twenty-two million gold coins!"

Applause rolled through the Auction House. The representative of House Varell finally released the breath he had been holding, while two Guild attendants closed the sword inside its case and carried it toward the secured holding room.

Boren watched it disappear and murmured, "Twenty-two million for one sword."

Sage glanced at him and reminded him that he had nearly complained about selling it earlier.

Boren nodded solemnly. "I was young and foolish then."

Irene stared at him. "That was this afternoon."

Boren waved the detail away. "People change."

After several lesser lots, two attendants rolled an ironwood stand onto the stage. Upon it rested a complete suit of crimson-black armor, faint engraved lines running across the overlapping plates like veins beneath skin.

The Knights immediately became attentive again.

Orwin rested one hand beside the armor. "Our next major treasure is the Titanheart Warplate. Rank: Gold. Type: full-body Knight armor. Like Starfall Severance, this treasure was recovered during an Adventurer Guild expedition and was not forged by Guild craftsmen."

He paused before touching the edge of the breastplate. "The Warplate was forged from Titanblood Adamant, a rare crimson-black ore believed to form where exceptionally dense earth mana saturates mineral deposits that have also been soaked for decades in the blood and remains of powerful monsters. The result is a metal prized for extraordinary toughness."

A mercenary officer raised his hand. "What makes it Gold Rank rather than simply very hard armor?"

Orwin nodded toward the question. "An excellent distinction. Titanblood Adamant responds strongly to a Knight’s mana. Once mana enters the engraved channels throughout the Warplate, the armor hardens further. More importantly, a heavy strike landing upon one section does not force that entire impact into the same point. The Warplate spreads part of that force across the connected plates."

Leon leaned forward and studied the engravings.

One of his Ardent Sun Knights quietly asked whether that meant a direct blow could still injure the wearer.

Leon nodded before answering, "Of course. Armor doesn’t make the man inside immortal. But spreading the force could turn a killing strike into broken ribs, or broken ribs into bruising. In a real battle, that difference is everything."

Several nearby Warriors heard him, and interest visibly sharpened.

Orwin smiled. "Captain Drakar has saved me an explanation. The opening price for the Titanheart Warplate is four million gold coins."

"Five million!" someone shouted immediately.

"Six million!" another bidder answered.

The contest became fiercer than the sword. Almost every Knight understood the value of surviving a blow that should have killed them. Mercenary officers fought minor noble representatives for it, two smaller Knight Orders entered, and Iron Fang remained until the price passed twelve million.

Lucan watched from his box before asking Leon, "You’re not bidding?"

Leon looked toward him and shook his head. "I want it. Wanting something and having twenty million gold coins to throw at it are different problems."

Lucan smiled. "That’s surprisingly sensible."

Leon gave him a flat look. "Some of us weren’t born Auremonts."

Lucan considered that before nodding sympathetically. "A terrible misfortune."

Leon laughed despite himself.

The Titanheart Warplate eventually reached twenty-four million before House Drelmont, a minor noble family with several generations of Knights, secured it. As Orwin announced the sale, Sage noticed Edmund Krail quietly recording prices and buyers without bidding once.

Then the stage was cleared.

Orwin waited longer this time.

When the next attendant emerged, he carried no sword case and pushed no armor stand. Instead, he held a long wooden box lined with dark velvet. Several Mages in the audience straightened before the lid even opened.

Iris stopped writing.

Orwin noticed the change and smiled. "Our Knights have enjoyed themselves immensely tonight. I believe our Mages have demonstrated admirable patience."

Scattered laughter came from the Mage section.

Orwin opened the case.

The staff was almost as tall as a man. Pale silver wood carried natural green lines, while intertwined branches at its crown held a large heart-shaped blue crystal with faint light moving inside.

Iris rose from her seat.

Boren stared at her. "She’s standing."

Sage nodded gravely. "That’s probably dangerous."

Iris looked back at them with an expression so serious that Boren immediately stopped smiling.

Orwin carefully lifted the staff. "Verdant Crown of Asterion. Rank: Gold. Type: Magic Staff."

The room became silent.

"The body of this staff was carved from Thousand-Year Moonheart Wood," Orwin continued. "Moonheart Trees grow only in places where natural mana remains exceptionally rich for centuries. A tree surviving beyond a thousand years becomes a treasure in itself. Properly prepared Moonheart Wood draws surrounding mana toward the staff and eases the burden placed upon a Mage when controlling large amounts of mana during spell formation."

A robed Mage from a nearby spell circle raised his hand. "And the crystal?"

Orwin turned the crown slightly, allowing the blue treasure to catch the light. "Azure Dragonheart Crystal. Despite the name, it is not taken from a dragon. The crystal forms deep inside ancient mana veins after centuries of pressure and accumulation. Its shape resembles a crystallized heart, which gave the treasure its name. The crystal steadies mana passing through the staff and strengthens the formation of spells."

Iris raised her hand immediately. "Has the Guild identified whether the Moonheart Wood favors a particular element?"

Orwin glanced toward Sage, then answered from the appraisal notes. "No fixed elemental restriction has been identified. The staff responded successfully to several elemental mana types during inspection."

Iris’s eyes sharpened. "Several?"

Sage leaned over the railing and warned, "Iris, this is an auction, not one of your research sessions."

Iris looked up at him with complete seriousness. "I’m asking before potentially spending an irresponsible amount of money."

Boren muttered, "At least she knows it’s irresponsible."

Iris ignored him.

Orwin raised the staff slightly. "If there are no further questions that will turn tonight into a lecture, we shall begin. Opening price: five million gold coins."

"Six million!" Iris called instantly.

Sage blinked.

Lucan leaned over his railing and looked toward her. "You didn’t even let him finish breathing."

Iris kept her eyes on the staff. "I heard the price."

A Mage in dark green robes lifted his paddle. "Seven million."

"Eight million," Iris answered.

"Nine million," called another Mage.

Within moments the hall discovered that Mages could be every bit as unreasonable as Knights.

Several local Mage circles entered the contest. A wealthy apothecary pushed the price beyond twelve million, and a minor noble representative joined at fourteen. Iris remained until sixteen million before her hand finally stopped.

Sage watched her struggle.

Iris stared at the staff, then at her own paddle, before slowly lowering it. "I hate rich people."

Lucan laughed so loudly that several guests turned toward him. "Iris, I’m devastated."

She looked up at him. "You should be."

The bidding continued without her.

Eighteen million became twenty. Twenty became twenty-three. The room grew quieter as weaker bidders disappeared. Finally only a wealthy Mage named Master Theron Vael and House Orswick’s representative remained.

"Twenty-six million," Theron called, jaw tight.

House Orswick answered, "Twenty-seven million."

Theron closed his eyes briefly, then raised his paddle. "Twenty-eight million."

Orwin turned toward the noble representative. "House Orswick?"

The man hesitated.

Slowly, he lowered his number.

Orwin raised his hammer. "Twenty-eight million gold coins for the Verdant Crown of Asterion. Once. Twice."

The hammer fell.

"Sold!"

The Grand Auction House erupted.

Twenty-eight million gold coins.

The Magic Staff had surpassed both Starfall Severance and the Titanheart Warplate.

As the Verdant Crown was returned to its case, Sage looked across the excited audience and realized something important.

Tonight’s guests represented only a tiny corner of the Royal Capital.

And already, Gold-Rank treasures were selling for fortunes.