Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Volume 13 - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: 27

13-27 . The Third Auction Day (2)

◇

The auction has begun .

Around 300 people are sitting on the college hall-like mortar-shaped hall .

The noble seats area that we are located at sticks out on the inside of the hall like a balcony, and there are several of it .

Looks like there are around 30 of it in total .

According to the pamphlet as the substitute of the usherette, the orb auction is after the very first one, so it looks like I'll be bored for an hour .

『Everyone! This [Farsight Scope] was excavated from a treasure chest in the 1-3 area of Selbira's Labyrinth--』

The host is explaining the exhibited item while holding a mic in one hand .

There was no explanation who the exhibitor is .

The bid began before long, but--

『10 gold coins』

『10 gold coins and two silver coins』

『10 gold coins and four silver coins』

『11 gold coins』

And such, the bidding amounts are very tight .

The auction hall is slightly dim, spotlights are highlighting the host and the bidders who raise their notes .

Looks like the light will highlight the bidder who raises their notes, so they'll know the one who raises their notes immediately .

In case there are several people who raise their notes, they'll highlight them from the fastest one in turn .

『14 gold coins』

『 . . . . Since no one bids anymore, it's a successful bid . The winner of [Farsight Scope] is number 921!』

Rounds of applause are echoing in the hall once the host declared a successful bid .

The sound don't match the moving hands, so it's probably sound effects from some magic tool .

It seems they don't announce the bidder's name but their number .

Rather than for avoiding needless confusion, it's for hiding the bidder's identity no doubt .

By the way, my bidder number is number three . It's probably because I'm here as a delegate of Duke Mitsukuni house .

Still, I don't know whether it's because the bidders are mainly lower nobles or military men, but the winning bids are all only at 30% of the market price .

The people in this hall are probably aiming for the [Blessing Orbs] .

Looks like I have a lot of rivals .

There were some interesting magic tools that were exhibited, but I wait for the [Blessing Orbs] auction without attempting an affair .

"Kuro-sama, please calm down . You don't have to be so worried, we will absolutely win the bid . "

The manager who's sitting beside me persuades me while warmly gazing like a kind mother .

So I really shouldn't have let out, "Gununu" sound, or maybe staring hard at the noble seat restraint restlessly was bad . . . no, it has to be because I'm unconsciously tapping my foot . . . .

I cough once, and then reply the manager with a voice full of dignity .

"There is no need to worry . I am calm . "

"Yes, of course . "

The manager nods and then presents me with a glass of carbonated fruit water .

I'm bothered with her kind mother-like expression, but this is just right as I feel thirsty .

I gulp it and then refreshing sensation slides down my throat .

"Another glass please . "

"Yes . "

After drinking the second glass, I feel calmed down .

Looks like I was a bit too eager .

I have to calm down until the real thing .

◇

And then, the long-awaited [Blessing Orbs]'s turn came .

This time there are eight orbs that are going to be displayed, they are our [Water Magic], [Paralyze Resistance], Jeril's [Light Magic], [Chant] and other people's [Transport], [Great Sword], [Arithmetic], and [Horticulture] .

The plan should have been that the less interesting items are to be exhibited first, but it seems the management side are worried the bids would be sombre .

They feature the highlight, [Light Magic] right from the outset .

It seems they're right on the money-- .

『150 gold coins!』

『153 gold coins!』

『160 gold coins!』

--The price rises rapidly .

"The rise is worse than I thought . . . . "

The manager beside me tilts her head in puzzlement .

That reminds me, I've heard from the guildmaster and Jeril in Labyrinth City that, "It was bid for 3000 gold coins 200 years ago . ", so this might be lacking .

『 . . . 920 . . . gold coins!』

『930 gold coins!』

『 . . . 931 . . . gold coins!』

The price gradually rises, but the end isn't quite in sight yet .

The competition from people from distinguished military families and upper nobles are fierce, maybe because possessing [Light Magic] skill is one of the requirements for entering Holy Knight .

I feel strong-will wanting to win no matter what .

I've also employed a proxy as Satou, but he was dropped off quickly since the upper limit was 500 gold coins .

Leaving that aside, if this keeps up-- .

"It's getting prolonged more than we thought isn't it . If this keeps up, it'd be the break time before all the orbs are finished being exhibited . "

That's bad . . . but if I intervened here, there might be other nobles who went after the important [Chant Orb] instead . I want to prevent that from happening .

After about 45 minutes, the [Light Magic] was finally sold for 1096 gold coins .

The man is wearing a mask but that's probably Duke Oyugock .

After that, it was quick .

--[Great Sword], 12 gold coins .

--[Arithmetic], 31 gold coins .

--[Horticulture], 7 gold coins .

--[Transport], 5 gold coins .

It seems orbs that have weak demands are cheap .

And the remainders are [Chant], [Water Magic], and [Paralyze Resistance] .

『Then continuing on, after a fierce fight between the [Floormaster, Flame Snake] of the labyrinth's middle layer and the corps led by the Mithril explorer party, [Lion's Roar]--』

The prologue is too long!

Shut up and let me bid already!

"Kuro-sama--"

The manager puts her white hands on top of mine and whispers .

Not good, not good . I have to be cool .

『--Then let the bid begin . 』

I quickly raise my note, however the spotlight isn't highlighting me, but a lower noble in the hall .

There are more than six notes raised when I look around the hall .

Looks like [Chant Orb] is really popular .

It seems there are a lot of people who are stumped at that impossibly hard spell chanting .

The usherette tells me that I'm the fifth .

Apparently, in case of simultaneous note-raises like this, the spotlight will highlight the notes in turn .

Now then, leaving that apart .

The first lower noble announces with tension in his voice .

『10 gold coins!』

--I wait and see .

The spotlight highlights the proxies of the lower nobles one after another .

『11 gold coins!』

『12 gold coins!』

『12 gold coins and 1 silver coin!』

--They play around too much .

"Kuro-sama, please . "

"Umu--"

I receive the mic and pause a bit .

First, it's the skirmish .

I'll cut the mob, leaving only the serious opponents .

『100 gold coins』

I calmly said so, and turned my sight toward the one who's going to bid after me in the noble seats .

I wait for the noble of lineage, some Earl or something, to state his bid-- .

He's having a long deliberation, perhaps for ascertaining my move .

Looks like he's quite capable .

He's not lacking as an opponent .

And then, voices come out of the hall's speaker .

『The winner of [Chant Orb] is number 3 . 』

--eh?

"Congratulations, Kuro-sama . "

I can hear the manager congratulating me and applauses in the hall .

No but, most of the 300 . 000 gold coins still remain though . . . .

I feel somewhat downhearted, so I bid and won [Water Magic] and [Paralyze Resistance] for childish prices .

I remembered after having won it that the [Water Magic] and [Paralyze Resistance] orbs were the items we brought from the labyrinth .

◇

"Kuro-sama, is there anything wrong?"

When we're walking to the place to get the items, it seems my dissatisfied mood leaks out, the manager asks worryingly .

"No, it's just that I thought the 『Chant Orb』 was too cheap considering the winning bid in the past .

"When you say it like that, certainly . "

According to the history, [Chant Orb] was won at around 200-400 gold coins .

The answer to that is brought by the usherette who's guiding us .

"That's because of the note raised by your proxy . "

"Note?"

She consented when I asked again .

If I'm not mistaken, the color of the note differs depending on the potential amount .

My upper limit was 10 . 000, so the other people who saw that probably pulled back .

We enter the place to get the item that's strictly protected by high level knights .

The proxy of Duke Oyugock has entered first, they're confirming the payment .

I'm guided to a different table, and then I take out a bag of gold coins for the payment .

--One of the luminous points disappears .

I promptly open the marker list on the map .

--Blast it!

"Ku-Kuro-sama?"

Looks like I unconsciously used [Coercion] skill, the surrounding people have solidified with blue faces .

"The orb has been stolen . I will chase the criminal . Manager, finish the winning bid procedure . "

"I-I understand . "

After confirming the manager's reply, I leave that place .

◇

The one who steals the orb is a [Phantom Thief] .

My [Chant Orb] is in the thief's Item Box . It seems the other orbs have all been stolen too .

At first I thought it was the same phantom thief from before, but it was an old man with a cute un-phantom-thief-like name, Pipin .

Still, he's fast .

Even though it hasn't even been 10 seconds since he got outside, he's already several hundreds meter away .

I understand the reason why he's strangely fast after chasing him with Flash Drive .

--It's a short-distance teleport .

That's a rare gift, but I won't let him escape!

I move in front of Pipin with Unit Arrangement .

"A pursuer huh!"

Pipin heads toward the downtown with short-distance teleport .

Apparently, he can jumps 300 meters in one go .

"I-impossible!"

Pipin continues doing short-distance teleports even while panicking .

Pipin stops running away after five teleportations .

Looking at his remaining MP, he can only jump for one more .

We're standing on a four-story apartment building, but it seems the buildings around here are deserted, there isn't any common people here .

"What's the matter? Are we done playing tag?"

Hearing me speaking like I've cornered a rat, Pipin grins and laughs .

He's probably anticipating the red luminous lights lurking in the surrounding buildings and whatever that makes my [Trap Discovery] reacting since a while ago .

"--Yep, that's right, it's over . "

Birdlime balls are raining toward [The place where I was] from the surrounding, and the pitfall and net trap are activated .

Unexpectedly, they're all non-lethal traps .

"Kukuku, there's no way you can escape unless you can teleport like me . "

"That seems to be the case . "

I agree with the triumphant phantom thief from behind him .

"W-what!"

Pipin does the last teleport while getting surprised .

He's not giving up easily, but this is the last .

◇

There are two figures of people at the place where I move with Unit Arrangement .

Beside Pipin who's standing with his back facing here, the other phantom thief who was disguising as Satou the other day, [Sharururuun], is also standing .

I see, so they were planning to meet here .

It'll be troublesome if they diverge .

Let's settle it quickly .

"W-wait! Please wait . "

Sharururuun waved her hand in panic, stopping me when I was going to use Ground Shrink .

Pipin is keeping his silent .

Sharururuun throws a velvet bag to me .

The radar shows the luminous point of a marked item approaching me along with the bag's trajectory .

I take it and put it into the storage .

Now it'll be fine even if we talk carefreely .

Apparently, Pipin is unconscious .

"What are you planning?"

"What? Haven't you heard from Miss Elterina?"

To my question, Sharururuun looked puzzled and said an unknown name .

--Elterina?

Ah, the manager's name huh .

When I look better, Sharururuun's affiliation is [Echigoya Firm] .

"Right, you were the one who found my little brother right? Thank you . Thanks to you, I could cut my tie with those bastards . "

Fumu, it's about the missing person that the manager asked recently huh .

"That's splendid . I'll leave it to you to take the man to the authority . "

"Understood . By the way, what do you want me to do with the items inside his Item Box?"

"I'll entrust it to you . "

"Then, I'll use 『Forced Storage Opening』 and give them to Echigoya Firm . "

She tells me so, and then Sharururuun goes along the roof while shouldering Pipin .

I see, I was wondering how she could take out the [Orb] from the Item Box, but it seems there's a skill to forcefully open an Item Box . I'll ask her to teach me later .

After neutralizing Pipin's companions with [Remote Stuns], I fire three Firework magic to the sky in order to alert the guards .

I'll leave it to the guards to clean up the small fries .

◇

I take out the [Chant Orb] from Storage .

Fufufufufu--- .

I stare at that gallant figure while suppressing my laughter .

It finally comes into my hands .

I've confirmed with the manager using [Telephone] magic that the payment has been completed .

There is nothing that holds me back anymore .

Flooded with emotion, I hold the [Chant Orb] high toward the sky .

The orb glitters from the light of the sun .

Come now! With this I can freely use any magic!