Watching the next item being brought out Marcus was feeling a sense of anticipation.
"Our next item as I am sure all of you can see is a top tier mithril spear. It is a powerful weapon that any spear wilding knight or adventure would want to have. And while it has no elemental abilities the other enchantments more than make up for that."
Amelia then had one of the auction guards pick up the spear and demonstrate some of its powers.
'Looks like she has attracted a good amount of attention with that little demonstration.' Marcus thought seeing the intent stares that many were giving his spear.
It was practically the perfect weapon for a pure warrior that used the spear, and its quality was just about as high as a mithril weapon could go.
"As you all can see it is an impressive weapon that would server any wielder well. However, I am sure some of you are wondering who could have made such an excellent spear. This spear is actually a very recent creation by who could be considered the most up and coming forgemaster in the kingdom, Lady Irene Geist. I am sure that most of you have heard of her but for those of you who have been living under a rock, she is the most recent apprentice to the kingdom's greatest forgemaster, Thabon Blazegram."
After giving her opening speech to hype up Marcus and his weapon, Amelia gave the crowd a minute to discuss amongst each other, because there was one exploit of Marcus' she had not mention.
Naturally almost everyone currently in the auction house had either seen or heard of Marcus' battles in the tournament.
"I heard that she beat her fellow senior apprentice Gurrom in the tournament, and that her work is actually superior to his."
"Yeah, you are right, I saw the match and it was spectacular. She apparently is even able to use a tier six spell and used that to blow Gurrom away."
"Hey, we cannot forget about her fight against Quillon. That was easily the best in the tournament according to most people, and her mithril scythe held up against his sword that had in an earlier match cut right through adamantine."
As many different people began talking about Marcus and rumors floated abound, Amelia could only smile at the interest that had been generated.
"Well without further ado, let us begin the bidding on this top-quality item. The starting price is forty-five hundred gold coins, and any subsequent bids must be at least three hundred gold coins."
And wasting no time as soon as Amelia had finished speaking, the bids came pouring in.
Forty-eight hundred."
"Fifty-one hundred."
"Fifty-five hundred."
Fifty-nine hundred."
Soon the bid had risen to over seven thousand gold coins, well within the normal market value of such a weapon, but it still had plenty of momentum and seemed to soon be going to reach higher.
Yet before it went any higher, Marcus placed a bid of his own, wanting to try something.
"Seventy-five hundred."
Once again garnering the attention of the crowd, many looked up at the box where the mysterious high bidder who had so far abstained from most items was located.
However, Amelia who knew Marcus was in there, frowned when she heard him bid.
Currently it was his own item up for auction, and while it was not unheard of for people to try and raise the prices on their own items, it was certainly frowned upon.
Yet what happened next made her realize why Marcus had done so.
"Eight thousand."
Immediately after Marcus' bid, Duke Fealltoir made a bid of his own wanting to force Marcus up after fighting him over the regeneration skill orb.
'I see so that is what she is doing. I suppose that it makes the most sense to test on her own item to minimize any possible loss.' Amelia thought figuring out Marcus' motivation.
Of course, while she thought that Duke Fealltoir was just being petty, truthfully it was Marcus who had started this, since he had no intention of winning the regeneration skill orb. But he was the only one who knew that.
'Looks like I was right. He plans to try and force my bids up, so that I lose more money. Well let us see who will win this game of chicken.'
After that Marcus once again bid, bringing it up to eighty-five hundred gold coins, and as he expected Duke Fealltoir raised the bid once again to nine thousand thinking that Marcus really wanted this item.
Except after that Marcus went completely mum, no longer bidding as the price had already gone above normal market value, and his experiment had proven fruitful.
Still to both Marcus' and Duke Fealltoir's surprise, another person bid again and looking down into the seats below Marcus saw a grizzled man who was obviously a season warrior.
"Sold, to bidder number sixteen, for ninety-three hundred gold coins."
'Well, I suppose I would rather have one of my weapons end up in the hands of someone who will make good use of it, rather than Duke Fealltoir's.' Marcus thought seeing the elated expression on the man who had won his spear.
With the bid for his spear finished, Marcus now knowing what Duke Fealltoir was up to, decided to see how far his adversary was willing to go in their game of cat and mouse.
…
"Sold to our esteemed guest in box number eleven for seventy-one hundred gold coins."
Slouching back into his couch Marcus was feeling conflicted about the item he had just won, since it was the latest item that he and Duke Fealltoir were fighting over.
'Well, I still forced him to buy four other items a bit over their value, so four out of five is not bad. And anyway, I have made sure to only bid on items I do not mind having and a small item box skill orb for Lilia will be useful for her.'
Coming to terms with the money he had just spent, Marcus knew he still had a sizable amount of funds left, and that he had more to come with the sale of his remaining items.
'Oh, speak of the devil.' Marcus thought as he saw the next item being brought out.
This time it was one of his sets of armor that were contained within a pendant one could wear around their neck.
'If my spear was able to go for over nine thousand gold, I wonder how much my armor will get.'
"For our next item we have another masterpiece by the forgemaster Irene Geist. However, this time we have a set of armor instead of a weapon."
Amelia then paused and held out the pendant, that certainly did not look like armor, and almost everyone thought that for the first time during the auction she had made a mistake.
Yet before the crowd's confusion had reached its peak and people tried to point out her "mistake", Amelia put on the pendant and activated it, causing a set of chainmail to unfurl and affix itself to her body.
"As all of you can see, sealed within that pendant was a full set of chainmail, that can quickly cover your body. It is also enchanted to fit all sizes as any high-quality armor should be, so no need to worry for whoever may win this item. And I have personally tested its abilities and can say they are top notch, having plenty of unique enchantments that will keep you safe from any number of attacks. The starting price for this impeccable armor will begin at six thousand gold coins, and all subsequent increases must be at least three hundred gold coins.. Now, let the bidding begin."