Chapter 455: The News Spread

Less than a week after the Adventurer Guild held its first Grand Auction, news of what had happened inside the auction house had spread far beyond the districts surrounding the Kingdom Guild Headquarters.

The city was enormous, divided into hundreds of districts and filled with enough noble families, merchant houses, Knight Orders, Mage organizations, churches, academies and wealthy independent Warriors that major news appeared almost every day.

Auctions selling rare treasures were nothing unusual either. Ancient weapons changed hands, monster materials worth fortunes appeared from dangerous expeditions, and old noble families occasionally sold treasures that could make ordinary Warriors stare in disbelief.

If an established auction house had sold a Gold-Rank sword or even a Platinum-Rank Skill Stone, the story might have entertained people for a day before being buried beneath the Capital’s next scandal.

What caught people’s attention was the seller.

The Adventurer Guild was new.

For most of the Capital, it had barely existed long enough to deserve an opinion. Some had heard about the enormous complex built within the old Western Garrison.

But those stories had mostly remained within the western districts. Then reports from the auction began moving through taverns, merchant halls, noble estates and Mage towers: three Gold-Rank pieces of equipment, five rare potions, five Skill Stones including two Platinum Rank, and finally a three-hundred-year Golden Mana Liquid sold for one hundred and fifty million gold coins.

Inside House Merrowen’s estate, three districts from the Guild, Lord Cassel Merrowen tossed a copied auction record onto his breakfast table and frowned at his steward. "Twenty-two million for Starfall Severance, twenty-four million for Titanheart Warplate, twenty-eight million for a Gold-Rank Magic Staff, and one hundred and fifty million for Golden Mana Liquid. You’re telling me all of this came from the same auction?"

Steward Halven inclined his head and answered calmly, "Yes, my lord. I had the figures checked against three separate accounts. House Varell purchased Starfall Severance, House Drelmont obtained the armor, and the Argent Spire purchased the Golden Mana Liquid. The numbers appear genuine."

Cassel’s wife, Lady Mirelle, lowered her tea with a thoughtful expression. "I received an invitation to that auction."

Lord Cassel slowly turned toward her. "And?"

Lady Mirelle gave him an unimpressed look. "You said the new Guild was probably selling monster hides and cheap weapons to mercenaries."

Cassel stared at the report again. "I may have assessed the situation prematurely."

Lady Mirelle smiled. "You mean incorrectly."

Lord Cassel sighed. "Yes, Mirelle. Incorrectly."

Several Great Noble Houses simply ordered information gathered. The Adventurer Guild had not suddenly become important enough for ancient families to panic because it possessed several valuable treasures. What interested them was how a newly arrived organization had acquired enough rare items to sell them publicly without hesitation.

At the Argent Spire, the Golden Mana Liquid had already been transferred into one of the organization’s most secure chambers. The Mage who represented the Spire at the auction stood before three senior members while recounting the evening.

Archmage Selwyn Arcturus listened without interrupting until the report ended, then tapped one finger against the arm of his chair. "You saw the Guildmaster personally?"

Representative Vaelor nodded. "Sage Alistair stood beside the final treasure during the bidding. He showed no reluctance when the price passed one hundred million."

Selwyn’s eyes narrowed slightly. "That isn’t what I asked. Did he behave like a man selling the greatest treasure he owned?"

Vaelor understood the question and remained silent for a moment. "No, Archmage. That was what bothered me afterward. He looked pleased by the price, naturally, but not reluctant. He behaved as though selling the Golden Mana Liquid was a business decision rather than a sacrifice."

Another senior Mage leaned forward. "Then either he’s an exceptional actor, or the Guild possesses treasures he values more."

Archmage Selwyn looked toward the sealed chamber beyond the meeting room. "Find out which. Quietly. I want information about Sage Alistair, where this Guild originated, its branches, its expeditions and especially this concept they call Adventurers. Do not antagonize them. Anyone capable of placing Golden Mana Liquid on an auction stage deserves investigation before arrogance."

The same curiosity reached Knight Orders for different reasons. The Heaven-Splitting Sword Art and Voidstride had circulated through Warrior circles within two days, and descriptions of both techniques became increasingly ridiculous with every retelling.

Others insisted Heaven-Splitting Sword Art could cut a castle in half. By the fourth day, Garran had ordered Guild clerks to stop correcting every rumor because there were simply too many.

The Ardent Sun Knight Order had the advantage of hearing the truth directly from Leon.

During morning training, one younger Knight finally asked the question several others had clearly been holding back. "Captain, is it true the Guild sold a movement Skill that lets someone disappear?"

Leon rested his practice sword against his shoulder and gave the young Knight a tired look. "No, Jerrick. Voidstride is not teleportation, and if I hear one more person claim the buyer can walk through walls, everyone responsible is running twenty laps around the training yard."

Jerrick immediately straightened. "I never said anything about walls, Captain."

Leon pointed his wooden sword toward the other Knights. "Someone did. Find him."

Laughter spread across the yard, but Leon’s expression became more thoughtful when training resumed. He had seen the treasures himself. More importantly, he had watched Sage throughout the auction.

The Guildmaster had sold enough wealth in one evening to make established organizations pay attention, yet Leon suspected the money wasn’t the most significant result. Before the auction, the Adventurer Guild had been a curiosity. Now people who had never visited the western districts were asking what it was.

Merchants reacted even faster.

Holtweiss Consortium caravans began receiving questions from customers who had previously shown no interest in the Guild. Garen returned to Sage on the fifth day carrying a stack of letters thick enough to use as a weapon and dropped them onto Sage’s desk while

Boren watched suspiciously. "Congratulations, Guildmaster. You have discovered the fastest method in existence for making rich people suddenly remember your name."

Sage glanced at the pile. "What are those?"

Garen spread his hands dramatically. "Requests. Questions. Invitations. Merchants asking whether the next auction has been scheduled. Merchant houses asking whether Holtweiss can obtain Guild treasures for them. Two people offered me ridiculous sums merely to tell them what you’re selling next."

Boren immediately asked, "Did you take the money?"

Garen placed a hand against his chest and looked wounded. "Brother Boren, what kind of merchant do you think I am?"

Boren stared at him without expression. "The kind who would take the money."

Garen’s wounded expression vanished. "They didn’t offer enough."

Sage laughed and opened the first letter. The attention was useful, but he had no intention of announcing another auction simply because wealthy people had finally noticed him.

The first had succeeded precisely because the Guild possessed things worth selling. Repeating it too quickly would turn extraordinary treasures into expected merchandise and encourage people to believe the Vault was bottomless.

Pax’s report that evening confirmed the other side of the situation.

Interest had spread across the Capital, but so had scrutiny. More people were asking about Sage’s background. Noble servants had visited districts around the Headquarters.

Merchant agents were speaking with local shopkeepers. Mercenary informants were questioning Guild members about expeditions, while several unknown individuals had attempted to learn where the auction treasures were stored.

Pax sat opposite Sage and spoke quietly. "Nobody important is moving against us yet. Most are curious. That’s different from being friendly."

Sage closed the report. "And Marholt, Halbrecht and Krail?"

Pax’s mouth tightened slightly. "They’re paying more attention than before. Krail especially. The auction proved the Guild can enter markets he understands, and unlike the nobles, he doesn’t have the luxury of treating us as an interesting rumor."

Sage nodded. That was expected.

Outside his window, the Kingdom Headquarters remained busy long after sunset. Adventurers crossed the courtyard carrying completed mission records, wagons entered the warehouse district, and lights burned throughout the Grand Guild Hall. None of that had changed because wealthy people elsewhere in the Capital had finally learned Sage Alistair’s name.

But the way the Capital looked at the Guild had changed.

The Adventurer Guild was still small compared with the ancient powers surrounding it. One successful auction hadn’t placed Sage beside Great Noble Houses, top Knight Orders or old Mage organizations, and he had no intention of pretending otherwise.

What it had done was simpler.

Less than a week ago, most of the Royal Capital had never bothered asking what the Adventurer Guild was.

Now they were asking where it had come from, what it possessed, and what it might sell next.