Chapter 193 Hunters and Prey
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for taking the precious time out of your busy schedule to come to this banquet!"
"I believe that the reason why we are gathered here is not only because of our devotion to Saint Sith, but also because we have a warm heart!"
In the center of the main stage of the venue, a middle-aged gentleman announced the opening speech of the auction in a loud and decent voice.
In the venue below the main stage, the boiling applause was like a roaring fire in the fireplace, cooking the peaceful atmosphere of the venue into a pot of hot soup.
Sitting in the auction banquet, Andes made a polite gesture of applause, and then smiled and turned his eyes to the stands of the venue.
Although there are still many empty rooms in this manor, the "Uncrowned King" of Thunder City still chose to sit in the middle of the crowd.
This is not because he likes to be lively, or because he wants to show his "people-friendlyness", but because the Andes family has a way of life that has been passed down from generation to generation.
As an ordinary citizen without a title, he keeps his profile very low.
As long as the guests present were nobles with actual titles, he arranged them in the box, even if they were barons from remote areas.
In contrast, those guests who have no title but are equally important like him will not feel treated differently or ignored after seeing him sitting next to them.
Punke, who was sitting not far away, quietly glanced at Mr. Andes in the crowd. While he was secretly surprised, he was also studying silently.
Perhaps these experiences can be used in the future.
After reading the opening remarks, the middle-aged gentleman standing on the main stage clapped his hands gently, and a maid in an evening dress walked onto the stage.
She held a box made of black walnut in her hands, and a golden pocket watch lay on the velvet cushion, like a pearl in a shell.
The moment it appeared at the auction site, the entire venue fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on it.
Including Princess Eileen Campbell sitting in the box on the second floor.
From the moment the pocket watch appeared on the main stage of the auction, her eyes have been staring at the screen projected by the magic crystal, and her voice has become softer unconsciously.
Sitting opposite the tea table, Luo Yan carefully studied her profile for two seconds, and saw that the dignified and elegant smile did not change much.
But he could still feel that those eyes were slightly touched, with three parts feeling lonely and seven parts feeling relieved.
It can be seen that the pocket watch is very precious to her, and not only in the sense of property, but also in the sense of emotion.
On the main stage on the screen, the host of the auction is introducing the story behind this pocket watch in an impassioned yet solemn tone.
“This pocket watch was made by a well-known dwarf craftsman, and its exquisite mechanical structure can be said to be the crystallization of dwarf craftsmanship! Thirty years ago, in order to thank the Principality of Campbell for extending a helping hand to the dwarf kingdom in crisis, the dwarf king presented this commemorative pocket watch to our respected Archduke Aaron Campbell, and then our respected late king gave it to his beloved daughter...that is, our Royal Highness Princess Eileen Campbell.”
"For more than ten years, its owner has not wound it once, but its hands have been as accurate as the day for decades, thoughtfully reporting the most accurate time to its owner, and taking care of every minute and every second of its owner's life in an orderly manner."
…"Everyone, this is not only a precious work of art, but also a piece of history whose value cannot be measured by money!"
The host continued with a solemn tone, "Grand Duke Campbell gave it to his daughter out of love for her. Now our beloved Princess Eileen has donated it to countless people displaced by the war out of the great love in her heart. People. "
"In the name of Saint Sith, please let us applaud this benevolent princess! Applause for the great Campbell family!"
The venue was filled with thunderous applause.
Looking at the thunderous applause in the venue, Erin Campbell's eyes were slightly moved, and the last three points of loneliness and reluctance in her eyes turned into relief.
"I think the spirit of Grand Duke Campbell will be pleased with your choice today." Luo Yan said in a very soft voice, "That respected gentleman not only left a strong principality to the people of this land, but also left them a kind and respectable princess."
"Thank you."
I didn't expect that Mr. Colin, who had only met once, would actually express his feelings. He is really a considerate gentleman.
“It’s just my feelings.”
Luo Yan nodded slightly.
Actually, he didn’t think Grand Duke Campbell would really think so, but he happened to know what the young princess wanted to hear most at this moment.
At the same time, Punk, who was sitting in the venue, was rubbing his index finger holding the sign, leaning forward slightly, looking eager to try.
Finally, the middle-aged gentleman standing on the main stage announced in a loud voice the starting price of one thousand gold coins, and that each increase in price would not be less than one gold coin.
At this point, the auction officially begins!
"Two thousand gold coins!" Punk took the lead in raising the sign and raised his voice, which was almost out of tune due to the excessive force.
But at this moment, everyone was immersed in the touching story that made people cry, and no one noticed his gaffe.
The host knocked the golden-rimmed gavel in his hand and spoke loudly to the guests in the audience in an passionate tone.
"The quotation from the distinguished Mr. Colin is two thousand gold coins once! Is there any higher?"
"Two thousand five hundred!"
The person holding the placard this time was also a servant of a nobleman. Judging from the arrogant look, his master's status should not be low.
Recalling Master Colin's instructions, Punk calmed down and ignored the provocation in the eyes of the arrogant guy.
What he wants to grab is the first and last stick, rather than chirping in the venue like a parrot that has just learned to talk.
Seeing that Mr. Colin's servant did not respond to the challenge, the noble's servant showed a slightly disappointed expression on his face, as if he had been punched on cotton.
But he did not remain proud for long.
Because it was not just his master who wanted to show off in front of Her Royal Highness the Princess, it could be said that there were many people in the entire venue.
Before the host on the stage even had time to knock down the hammer in his hand, another servant who came to his senses immediately raised the sign in his hand.
"Three thousand!"
The atmosphere at the scene was pushed to a peak. The host excitedly knocked down the hammer in his hand and shouted loudly with an enthusiastic voice.
"Baron Amante quoted three thousand gold coins! Three thousand gold coins! Is there any gentleman or lady willing to pay a higher price?!"
The price tripled in just three calls!
Many of the guests present looked slightly moved, and some young gentlemen and ladies even held their breaths involuntarily.
That’s three thousand gold coins!
Not a silver coin, let alone a copper coin!
In Osland, most of the gold mines are in the hands of the empire that monopolizes the colonies. Therefore, even though the empire has been using gold coins to harvest the world's wealth, the purchasing power of gold coins is still quite amazing.
Most of the time, the nobles of Osland mainly use silver coins on a daily basis, and gold coins are only used when making large payments or calculating family property.
Even though the citizens of Thunder City were fighting over a few mattresses, in fact, the highest price they got was only 20 gold coins.
The horizontal comparison of this thing is not the high-end graphics card and Audi of the 21st century, but the Santana and color TV set in the era of scarcity.
There is definitely a premium for a mattress of 200,000 copper coins, but the premium is obviously acceptable to the citizens of Thunder City. After all, people in this world don’t have short videos to watch, and there aren’t that many gossips to chat about. The biggest entertainment scene is in bed.
As for the pocket watch worth an apartment in Queens...
The value of it can no longer be described as a premium. Its true value can be said to be worthless, or it can be said to mean everything.
After all, those who are qualified to raise cards in this auction do not need to keep their time accurate to every minute and second to match other people's schedules, and a pocket watch with accurate hands is of course worthless to them...that is what the people who serve them need.
But on the contrary, the reason why this pocket watch is so accurate is because the bell tower of Thunder City follows the owner of this watch.
The weight of this cannot be measured by money.
However, there are not many people who can see this. After all, there are many people who can care less about a pocket watch among the guests present, but those who truly "own everything" are very rare.
· Baron Gus, who was about to let his servant join in the fun, hesitated several times, but finally controlled his hand.
The income that Silverpine Town contributes to him a year is only a few thousand gold coins. It is true that he is rich, but his daily expenses are not small. He cannot afford to pay for an apartment in Queens just to look familiar in front of Her Highness the Princess.
Furthermore, the real ruler of the Principality of Campbell is Duke Edward. The cost-effectiveness of currying favor with Princess Irene is not as good as currying favor with the Andes family. He must consider whether it is worth it.
The same goes for other nobles.
Especially the higher the status of nobles, the less interested they are in participating. Most of them are small nobles and wealthy people without titles competing there.
But for Princess Irene, this is enough.
As the price increased from three thousand gold coins to four thousand, the price increase began to slow down each time, from four digits to three digits or even double digits.
But even so, the price was far beyond Princess Irene's expectations. After all, in her original calculation, a piece of bread weighing one kilogram only cost 5 copper coins.
She specially ordered her cronies to conduct careful surveys in various streets of Thunder City, and determined that the prices in Thunder City were at this level, with at most one or two copper coins depending on the region.
Three thousand gold coins are six million kilograms of bread, enough to feed the refugees outside the city for a year, and there is even more!
And now, the price of this pocket watch has reached five thousand gold coins!
How many pieces of bread are there? !
"Great, Teresa! With this huge sum of money, we will definitely allow the refugees outside the venue to spend this winter safely!"
Looking at the increasingly higher prices, Princess Irene, who was sitting in the box, had an expression of joy on her face, so much so that she subconsciously returned to her usual self.
She was a little nervous before tonight, worried that no one would support her idea, but she did not expect that just one auction would achieve her fundraising goal tonight.
The female guard standing behind her also showed a smile of joy from the bottom of her heart. She was sincerely happy for Her Royal Highness the Princess and the refugees outside the city.
"Thanks to your generosity, Your Highness, I believe that those who have been saved from dying from cold wind and hunger will definitely be grateful for your kindness."
"Whether they thank me is secondary. I didn't do this for their gratitude. This is the responsibility of the Campbell royal family."
Princess Eileen's lips raised slightly, and suddenly she looked at Mr. Colin, who had been silent, and said with a sweet smile.
"Thanks to Mr. Colin's support."
"It's my honor to serve you, although I didn't do anything."
Looking at Her Royal Highness the Princess who winked playfully, Luo Yan smiled and nodded slightly, just replied humbly, and then quietly watched the performance of "the chess pieces on the stage".
In fact, he envied this carefree Princess, who could naively regard this auction as just a simple auction, and the rising prices made him smile.
But it seems too early to use her smile here, after all, the fun has just begun.
His chess pieces have been laid out for so long.
It’s almost time to start taking action.
As the price competition entered an anxious stage, Mr. Andes finally raised the sign in his hand and raised the price to five thousand gold coins.
Seeing Yan Andes personally holding up the placard, some people who were originally eager to give it a try, after hesitating for a while, suppressed their bids.
On the one hand, five thousand gold coins have far exceeded the value of the pocket watch itself. On the other hand, the owner behind them has to consider the Andes family's position.
Although Mr. Andes places his position very low, it does not mean that the nobles sitting in the box on the second floor can ignore his energy.
This auction was undoubtedly organized by the youngest daughter of the Campbell family, but everyone knew who the real organizer was.
Looking at Mr. Andes sitting in the auction banquet, the excited host's voice on the stage sounded like he was singing.
"Five thousand gold coins twice!! An offer from Mr. Jan Andes! Thank you to this generous gentleman, and ask the great Saint Sith to bless his noble soul... Is there any lady or gentleman willing to pay a higher price to sponsor the kindness of Her Royal Highness the Princess and save those who are frozen in the snow?!"
Punk is sweating behind the warm fire.
He kept in mind every word that the distinguished Mr. Colin told him before he came here——
After raising the placard for the first time, he kept a close eye on Mr. Andes’s reaction. If the host of the auction knocked the hammer for the second time and there was still no bid, then he would double Mr. Andes’s bid and raise the placard.
He didn't know why the gentleman arranged it like this, but he knew that now was the time for him to take action, so he decisively raised the sign.
"Ten thousand gold coins! Salute to the kindness and kindness of Ms. Irene Campbell!"
When his voice fell, the atmosphere at the scene was like a burst of firewood, thundering in silence.
Hands of eyes focused on him, like countless red-hot horseshoes, making his back feel as hot as fire.
Sweat slipped into his collar, and Punk swallowed, desperately resisting the pressure and maintaining a calm look on his face.
He was certain that Mr. Colin must be looking at him at this time! If he behaves inappropriately to make that gentleman feel embarrassed, he will lose everything he has now!
Fortunately, his performance was pretty good and he made no mistakes.
In addition to subconsciously casting surprised glances at him, people did not put too much energy into this little person.
Ten thousand gold coins!
The guests at the auction exchanged glances, whispered, and looked in the direction of the second floor from time to time.
“Ten thousand gold coins to buy a pocket watch?! Even if this is to save poor people... Dear Saint Sis, how much wealth have you given to the Colin family! Have they ever saved the world?” A wealthy priest couldn’t help but cross himself on his chest, his pious face full of emotion and shock.
One-stop version!
Not far from the priest, a man who looked like a businessman couldn't help but let out a complicated sigh.
"What on earth does he want to do? Who is richer than the Andes family?"
Of course he can get 10,000 gold coins, but with this extra spare money, he would rather add two more cargo ships to his ocean-going fleet!
"Perhaps it is to please Her Royal Highness the Princess..."
The guest sitting next to him couldn't help but express his guess, and this sentence soon caused ripples like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
In the matter of gossip, there is actually no difference between rich people and poor people, especially since it may be closely related to their interests.
I felt... He didn't show any particular enthusiasm when he saw His Highness. Instead, His Highness invited him to sit at the same table. "
"I don't know! So they have a mutual affection?"
"When did it start?!"
"Perhaps there was an exchange of letters before... This kind of thing is not very rare. Haven't you heard? He is the eldest son of the prince. He will inherit an entire principality in the future, and he is a good match for the Campbell family."
"I think the Campbell family has the highest ranking among the principalities entrusted by the empire...if you don't consider the bloodline of the hero."
"If that's the case... then ten thousand gold coins are really nothing."
Thinking that Mr. Colin might have been on good terms with Her Royal Highness the Princess, many of the men present showed envious expressions on their faces.
The smiles on the faces of the ladies and ladies who had been interested in Mr. Colin since the beginning of the banquet were a bit disappointed, stiff and sad.
However, they are not jealous of Her Royal Highness. At most, they just lament the "reality" of the world. People always fall into the clichés of status and family status, and cannot faithfully choose beautiful love... as if they represent beauty and love.
Looking at Punk holding up the sign, Andes smiled slightly, his face once again showed the expression that every man knows, he nodded slightly politely and gentlemanly, and put down the sign he raised.
No one will raise signs anymore.
The host standing on the candlestick had sweaty palms in his hands. He could hardly hold the gavel in his hand and almost dropped it several times.
"Ten thousand gold coins once! Ten thousand gold coins twice!"
"Praise to the distinguished Mr. Colin! Coming from a distant continent, he still misses the suffering people of Saint Sith in the old land! The third time! Deal! Please let us applaud this generous gentleman!"
The gavel hit the tray heavily. The host threw away the gavel that seemed to weigh ten thousand kilograms with relief, and excitedly took the lead in applauding.
The audience burst into applause.
Including Mr. Andes, countless prominent figures in Thunder City sent their sincere blessings and applause.
This is not only a praise for that generous act of kindness, but also a praise for the wonderful story achieved tonight, and the expectation for the bright future of the Principality of Campbell.
The significance of this auction has long gone beyond the items themselves and the tens of thousands of poor people waiting to be saved.
Even, these are incidental.
The relieved host looked at the maid carrying the wooden box beside him, and put the remaining pressure on her.
Close the wooden box in her hand, the maid bowed slightly and walked tremblingly towards the audience. She felt that her calves were shaking, for fear of missing a step.
Ten thousand gold coins!
Just subtracting zero is an astronomical figure for her!
At the same time, in the private room on the second floor.
Looking at the venue with thunderous applause, Irene Campbell was even more stunned on the spot, with her bright red lips slightly open, unable to say a word for a long time.
Ten thousand gold coins is still a huge amount of money for her, let alone an ordinary person, even for her who was born into a noble family.
Maybe her two brothers can get in touch, but it is too much for her.
How many pounds of bread does this cost? !
Her mind went blank and she couldn't calculate at all.
Perhaps...she can even let people outside the city have a bite of cake?
Appreciating the cuteness that showed a hint of gaffe due to surprise, Luo Yan picked up the teacup and took a sip of black tea, then gently put it back on the tray.
It seems that compared with the vampire princess Vivian, the pocket money of the quasi-brave Irene is still too small, and one hundred million is shocking.
But if you think about it, it’s actually normal.
The Principality of Colin is not the target of the Principality of Campbell. In hell, it is at least the level of the Kingdom of Lane. The target of Magic City is the holy city of the empire, not even a "rural place" like Thunder City.
· Coupled with the severe inflation in hell where living materials are scarce and extremely unevenly distributed, high-level demons have long been numb to the string of zeros on the card.
If there is an unjust person who spends 100 million Keira to chase Princess Vivian, I am afraid that not to mention surprising the latter, maybe it will only get a hehe.
This is also the difference between the two.
"This gift is too precious... I really don't know how to thank you." As if she finally recovered from the shock, Irene looked at Mr. Colin sitting opposite and sighed sincerely.
She almost subconsciously believed that the mysterious gift Mr. Colin promised to give her was these ten thousand gold coins.
And she also admitted that she was indeed frightened by this surprise, so much so that she temporarily forgot to manage her expression.
However, her rank is still too low.
The person sitting in front of her now was, after all, a demon who graduated from Demon King Academy, but he just happened to look like a human.
Supernatural power is the smallest gap between the two sides.
Luo Yan smiled and did not answer, nor did he admit that his gift was so superficial. He just turned his gaze to the screen projected by the magic crystal.
After a period of warm-up, the host on the stage quickly offered the next lot while the iron was hot, pushing the entire auction from one climax to another.
"The next lot is a special treasure..."
At the same time as he finished speaking, a maid in an emerald green dress walked from the bottom of the stage to the front, holding a walnut box in her hand.
The moment the wooden box was opened, the emerald green luster on the velvet cushion was like a magnet, firmly catching the attention of all the guests present.
Surprised.
Shocked.
Even shock and longing...
The faces with different expressions are filled with thousands of different emotions.
If an unknown pocket watch shines solely because of the glory of the Campbell family, then this treasure does not need anyone to praise it.
Just sitting there quietly, it exudes unparalleled brilliance, making people unable to help but be fascinated by it.
That is the magic of wealth itself.
Even Yan Andes, who had already regarded it as a treasure, could not help but hold his breath again after seeing it under the spotlight.
As for Baron Gus, who was sitting in a certain box, his palms were even hotter with excitement.
If his strength did not allow it, he would have had no choice but to snatch it into his pocket and pass it on as a family heirloom.
The host standing on the stage restrained his excitement and continued speaking in an impassioned voice.
"This diamond is nearly five centimeters in diameter, weighs about 100 grams, and has 76 facets. Its emerald green luster is unique, and it is incomparably beautiful. It is like the miracle left by Saint Sith in this world... Please forgive me for overstepping. I believe your first reaction after seeing it must be the same as mine! In addition to interpreting the word beautiful, Outside of the body, it is also an excellent magic weapon material... But if it were me, I would never put this beautiful thing in such a dangerous place! "
"This precious item comes from the respected Mr. Roxsay Colin! His family discovered this treasure in a distant land and decided to give it as a gift to Princess Eileen and the Principality of Campbell!"
"Starting bid! One hundred thousand gold coins! Every increase in price shall not be less than 1,000 gold coins!"
This is no longer a competition that ordinary people can participate in.
The vast majority of people have given up the competition after hearing this number. Instead, the nobles who had previously stood still showed expressions of interest.
It doesn't matter whether it is practical or not. They need to use this heirloom treasure to decorate their scepter and show their prestige.
At the same time, this transaction will not be a loss for them. There will always be more and more gold coins, but this kind of rare treasure will not.
Looking at Princess Irene who was lost in thought again, Luo Yan smiled softly and said in a gentle voice.
"Among my many collections, I fell in love with it at a glance, as if it had a special charm for me, making it difficult for me not to notice it."
"It is indeed... so beautiful." Irene replied subconsciously, and did not wake up from the bright light immediately.
Everyone has the love for beauty, it is not a vulgar feeling, and she is certainly no exception. What she didn't expect was that Mr. Colin, who had only met her once, would actually use this heirloom treasure to support her wish.
She has no doubt that he is a kind gentleman, but this cannot be explained by kindness or kindness.
Just when she didn't know what to do and could only use surprise to cover up her inner panic, a light word floated into her ears like the evening wind ruffling the lake water, and instantly dyed the quiet and elegant lake water into a misty red cloud.
"Indeed, but what attracts me most is not its beauty, but how much it looks like your eyes."
Looking at those eyes that were as panicked as a deer lost in the forest, Luo Yan could even hear the pounding heartbeat.
Perhaps he does have vampire genes in his body. For a moment, he even had the idea that she must be delicious at this moment.
But he is not a vampire after all, nor does he have such a superficial purpose.
With no worries in his heart, he took half a step back with a smile on his face, leaving room for his prey to breathe and think, instead of continuing to press forward step by step.
…"Please forgive my presumption, I have no intention, I just want to dedicate this gift to you."