Chapter 192: Chapter 191 – Auction

‘She would hope so?’ Yuna tilted her head at the oddly worded reply. ‘Does that mean that they are close? Or she wants to be close?’

Not elaborating anymore, Akira gestured to her to follow her and Erica. They began to wander about the party as a group as they waited for Zero to return. 

“It has to be almost 19:00, right?” Erica asked, looking around again before sighing. “I still wish there was a clock somewhere.”

“Zero said that it was almost time, didn’t she?” Akira said. “The auction. That’s why she wanted to see if she could get a good look of it before then.”

‘That’s one way of putting it,’ Yuna thought.

The room suddenly went silent, the music cutting off abruptly. Then the lights dimmed and the sounds of a slowly rising string enveloped the room. It sounded like the music that a movie would play in the background before an epic reveal.

“There they are,” Akira whispered, jutting her head to the grand staircase that led down from the second floor of the mansion. “The sponsors of this party. The Hyrins.”

Yuna looked up and followed Akira’s gaze. Her eyes landed on a group of people that were slowly making their way down the massive crystal and glass staircase. There were four people, three female and one male. The male stood in the center in a dapper black suit. The three women around him wore glamorous white and blue gowns that almost glowed under the spotlight that had been trained on them. 

‘Are those Mr. Hyrin’s wives?’

The entire room watched the Hyrins as they took their time to traverse the steps. The massive dresses the three women wore didn’t help them in that department. The man seemed to be holding himself back to walk at the same pace as them.

At last, they reached the bottom. They walked across the room, heading towards a stage that had been erected since the start of the party near the back of the ballroom. The crowd parted to clear a way for the party of four. Up close, the four looked nowhere near as glamorous as they did on their reveal. The women wore generous amounts of makeup that barely conceal the wrinkles and worry lines one their faces. The man had them on full display. Beyond that, Yuna noticed the silvery white roots in the man’s hair that clashed with his shiny jet black locks. 

‘It seems that the hard times have really done quite a bit to them. Unless their just very old.’ Yuna frowned. ‘I never asked Yuki for their age. And it wasn’t on the profiles he gave us.’

The four made their way to the top of the stage where a podium stood. The man stood behind it, the three women taking a seat on the chairs that rested on the sides of the podium though a bit back. 

“Welcome all,” the man said, spreading his arms like a preacher. “My name is Rujin Hyrin, the head of the Hyrin house. These are my lovely wives Julie, Kiele, and Rachel.”

The crowd clapped politely in response.

‘Kiele?’ Yuna thought as she clapped as well. ‘What an odd name.’

“What did I miss?” Zero’s voice suddenly piped up from behind her. Yuna nearly jumped, controlling herself at the last moment. “Oh, it’s just the introductions.”

“Welcome back,” Erica greeted. 

“Hi~,” Zero said, taking a place beside Yuna and Erica. She looked at the stage. “Oh, their daughter couldn’t make it. She is in another country, so I guess that’s only natural.”

“Another country?” Yuna repeated, tuning into what Zero was saying. Rujin Hyrin was still going on with his pleasantries.

“Mhm,” Zero nodded. “She’s getting education in Kiera. That’s where her mother Kiele is from.”

“Oh.”

“So how did things go?” Akira asked in a low voice, her eyes still on the stage. 

“It’s been moved,” Zero sighed. “When I went back, I couldn’t feel it anymore. I still snooped around in the room to see if they hid it in something, but came out with nothing. They probably took it to prepare for the reveal.”

“Where do you think it is then?” Akira said, glancing over at her. 

“Probably underneath that stage,” Zero replied, jutting her chin towards the platform the Hyrins were on. “This makes things a bit complicated. We’ll have to switch to plan B.”

“I love plan B,” Erica grinned.

‘Oh gods. Plan B,’ Yuna thought, groaning inwardly.

“Plan B,” Akira repeated.

“Yup. So on my signal, it’ll start. It’s our only option right now,” Zero shrugged. “You have everything prepared?”

“They’re in my ring,” Akira nodded, holding up her hand and waving her finger. “How about you?”

“I have everything,” she replied, touching the blue gemstone earrings she wore. “On my cue, remember.”

“What’s the cue?” Yuna asked. She didn’t remember that ever being disclosed. Yuki said that it would obvious enough if it came to that.

“It’ll be obvious, don’t worry,” Zero smiled. 

“Oh.”

Zero shushed them and they refocused their attention to the stage. Rujin had just finished his pleasantries and introductions. He let out a small breath, swallowing a bit, before placing his hands on the podium.

“Now, we get to the real meat of this event,” he announced. “The part that you all really came for. That is, the auction.”

He clapped his hands, summoning a holographic screen behind him. On the screen, a large logo was displayed with the words Hyrin Mining Co. underneath it. 

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“I would like to formally announce that we at the Hyrin Mining Company have made what may be one of the most impressive discoveries of the century,” Rujin said grandly. “Around a hundred and fifty years ago, the Jewel of Fire was discovered in the mine shafts deep within the Montsol mountains by the dwarves. It was a wonderful discovery, hailed as the king of all gemstones and the most powerful of elemental jewels.”

The Jewel of Fire appeared on the screen in all of its smoldering scarlet glory.

“But now that will all change,” Rujin said. The Jewel of fire disappeared behind him. “We have discovered something will blow that little red jewel out of the water. An elemental jewel that has far surpassed anything that we’ve ever seen before. I present to you, the Heart of the Wyvern.”

A familiar image a smooth pale emerald gem appeared on the screen. Dramatic music played as Rujin gestured with both of his hands towards a display that was rising from the stage. In a glass box, a glowing egg size gem laid on a red velvet cushion. 

“That’s the real thing,” Zero murmured.

“This is the Heart of the Wyvern. The highest grade an elemental jewel can be. Every single test conducted on this beauty has blown us away. It’s absorption. It’s purity. It’s durability. But to make things even better, this jewels attribute is one of the rarest to find. That is, the wind attribute.”

The crowd oohed and ahhed. Rujin smiled broadly, soaking up every second of it.

“And now, you have the opportunity to obtain this priceless gemstone for yourself,” he announced. “That’s right. The piece being put up for auction today is no other than the Heart of the Wyvern. Now, shall we start the bidding?”

The crowd held their breath.

“The starting bid will be at six thousand gold coins,” he said. He took a scan through the room. “The bidding. Starts. Now.”

A flurry of movement erupted from the crowd as bidders rushed to get their bids in. Rujin looked overwhelmed, but pleased, pointing at people to call out their bids. The bids were kept track on the screen behind him.

“Should we do something?” Yuna asked quietly, directing her question to Zero.

“No. Trust me,” she replied. “Something is going to happen.”

Yuna nodded at stared at the screen as the price of the jewel slowly rose from six thousand to seven thousand. It began to sputter after breaking the eight thousand coin mark until only three bidders were left.

“Eight thousand four hundred,” a man declared, his voice booming.

“Then eight thousand four hundred and fifty,” another man said in response.

“Eight thousand five hundred,” a woman said calmly immediately after.

There was a pause as everyone awaited the response.

“Oh ho,” the first man laughed. “Well then. Eight thousand seven hundred and fifty. Beat that.”

The other man tightened his lips and began drumming his fingers on his pants. The woman’s face remained unchanged though her eyes did harden.

“Eight thousand seven hundred and fifty,” Rujin repeated. “Can anyone best that?”

Silence. Then a hand. A black gloved hand that held a wooden cane.

“The gentleman in the back,” Rujin said, gesturing.

“I would like to bid,” the man said, his voice deep and low. A hat cast a shadow over his face. 

“Well, obviously,” Rujin smiled. “What would it be?”

“Ten thousand.”

Rujin blinked, his smile still stuck on his face.

“Ten, ten thousand?” he repeated, licking his lips.

“You heard me.”

“I, I see. Then, um, can anyone beat that?” Rujin asked. His voice was less boisterous than it had been a few moments ago. “No one. Then going once. Going twice. And sold.”

Rujin picked up a wooden mallet and slammed it on the podium. The sound rang out, echoing in the silent room. Then Yuna heard the rustle of some clothes as Zero stood up from her seat. Yuna watched as Zero calmly snapped her fingers, a gun materializing in her hand. Then she cocked it and aimed carefully.

Bang

The sound of the shot exploded throughout the room as people screamed and scattered at the noise. The glass casing around the Heart of the Wyvern shattered. And there stood Zero in her black dress, a gun in her hand. Akira and Erica stood as well, slipping masks on their faces.

‘I guess that was the cue.’ 

Yuna called to the ring on her right hand and summoned her own mask and sheathed sword. She quickly placed the mask on and drew her blade, the sheath disappearing. Then she readied herself for the chaos that was about to ensue.

 

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