103 – Episode 102
Afterwards, we had dinner nearby and headed to the auction house hosted by Roman City Hall.
Once a week, the auction hosted by Roman City Hall is quite large.
All kinds of works of art, artifacts and weapons come up.
“How do you feel? Is there anything worth buying?”
I nod my head as I look at the auction house pamphlet.
“Yes. “I don’t have any useful weapons, but there is a really famous saying.”
A famous horse with quite a good pedigree has arrived.
If I had to name the most famous horse breed here, I would choose Akhalteke.
It has beautiful golden fur and the ability to run faster and longer per day than an ordinary horse.
In addition, this horse is mainly a specialty of the Babylonian Empire and is a breed that is rarely seen here.
“Really? “What do you mean?”
“It’s a breed called Ahalteke. There is a rumor that it can run 400 km in a day. “It’s so precious that it’s my first time seeing it in person.”
Theodora nods and says to me.
“Will my sister-in-law like it?”
I nod my head with confidence at those words.
“Yes. “If he’s a famous horse, he can’t use his four limbs.”
The horse that Mary rides is a pretty good horse, but not as good as Akhalteke.
Besides, she is a woman who is crazy about words, so I think she will really like it.
“I’m glad. hehehe…”
I watch the auction while seeing Theodora smiling brightly, wondering what is so good.
[This work is called Death of a Hero, sculpted by Mendelike, the best sculptor in the empire. Can you feel it? Don’t you feel how tragic the hero’s death is as you look at these women with sorrowful expressions?]
I think about this sculpture depicting a man with a hole in his stomach, a woman crying while holding him in her arms, and women surrounding him.
It doesn’t feel tragic, does it?
So many different items come up for auction.
[As for this tiara, it is an item from the Dwarven Kingdom. It is a superb work of art decorated with large blue sapphires and hundreds of diamonds. Look at this grandeur, and the skeleton made of aluminum, which is said to be difficult to smelt, is indeed the work of a dwarf.]
Although aluminum is a rare metal here…
In modern times, it is not an expensive metal.
It feels rather frugal.
It feels strange to think that expensive jewels are embedded in aluminum.
Aluminium is something we commonly encounter in our daily lives.
[Now! We will start with 100 gold.]
Then Theodora raised her hand…
[110 Gold has been obtained. Do you have any more?]
“Huh? “Do you want to buy that?”
Theodora gently nods her head at my words.
“Yes… That… Isn’t it pretty?”
[120 Gold has been obtained. 130 Gold, 140 gold!]
It certainly looks mysterious.
Because it feels like a grayish metal rather than the characteristic glow of metal.
The amount gradually increases.
[200 Gold has been obtained. Do you have any more? One two.]
As the host spoke quickly, Theodora held up her hand, clenching her two fingers.
[400 Gold! Got 400 gold. Don’t you have any? 800 Gold! 800 Gold!]
Theodora bid for 400 gold and a middle-aged woman bid for 800 gold.
[1600 Gold!, 1600 Gold has been obtained.]
“Huh…?”
Theodora calls for 1600 gold.
“Isn’t it overheating?”
Jewelry is expensive, so… Should I buy something decorated with aluminum or something like that at such a high price?
“Eight! It’s aluminum. “Of course it’s expensive.”
[1700 Gold! Do you have any more?]
And when Theodora raised her hand again, with her triumphant look, with two fingers crossed…
[3,400 Gold! 3,400 Gold! Do you have any more? One, two… 10,200 Gold! 10,200 Gold has been obtained! It’s huge!]
Theodora hesitates at that sight.
I ask that question.
“Why? “Aren’t you going to buy it?”
“Ugh…! You have to buy Akhalteke later. Plus, considering the imperial budget granted by her mother…”
She hesitated for a while, and then, as if she had made up her mind, Theodora lifted up two of her fingers.
[20,400 Gold!]
A middle-aged woman competing with Theodora raises her five fingers.
[Ten… 102,000 Gold has been obtained!]
Theodora looks at the middle-aged woman, mesmerized by that sight.
Do it in moderation…
Everyone knows that Emperor Theodora came here.
Then, it would be natural to compete moderately and then lose, but what does she believe that makes her raise money like that?
Do you brag about having a lot of money?
Hmm…
[Is there anything else?]
Or does she think Theodora is her scarecrow?
So you’re acting so arrogantly, right?
Anyway, I’m starting to get a little angry at the actions that are trying to lower the emperor’s prestige and disgrace him.
[One…]
Maybe I’m just being sensitive.
It could simply be that she really wanted that tiara, and legally, she can participate in the auction and bid on anyone, whether she is the emperor or a citizen, as long as she can pay the money.
[Two…]
But it wouldn’t be good for me if it became known that the emperor couldn’t buy what he wanted.
Maybe she thinks I took all her money.
But is it right to buy an aluminum tiara at such an expensive price?
Either that lady really wants the tiara, or she wants to embarrass Theodora.
No matter what, today’s incident will be talked about for a long time.
The emperor couldn’t buy what he wanted…
When she glances at Theodora, her sad expression catches her eye.
Looking at your trembling red eyes, I make a decision.
Ugh…
[Oh… 510,000 Gold! 510,000 Gold came out!]
When I raise my hand with five fingers, the host is surprised.
And…
-Hwiik…
Theodora turns her head and looks at me in fascination.
“When you go home today, wear that.”
She says that and gives her her smile.
[520,000 Gold!]
I guess she really wants that tiara.
Otherwise, you want to compete with me, the powerful person in the empire, for money.
Well, even so, seeing as they only raised 10,000 gold, they must have run out of money.
[This… 1,040,000 Gold… 1,040,000 Gold came out.]
The host speaks as if he is shocked.
This is an amount that easily exceeds the annual budget of a small barony.
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“Da… You?”
She was so dazed, as if she didn’t know I would participate like this, but then she looked surprised.
[One, two, three.]
And of course, I won the bid for that tiara.
***
That’s how I won the bid for the tiara and wrote a contract promising to pay at the auction house…
“Now, I’m writing this.”
I pick up the tiara and place it on her head.
“Thank you…”
Seeing her blushing and speaking shyly, unlike usual, she regrets it inside.
No matter what, I think I paid too much for it…
An aluminum tiara purchased with a small county’s annual budget.
It’s hard to let go of the feeling that I’ve become a fanatic.
But it has a mysterious color for aluminum.
Something other than the metallic light we usually think of… How can I say it?
Gives a mysterious feeling.
When I put the tiara on her head… Theodora lowers her head and cannot lift it.
[It seems that the rumor that His Highness the Archduke is a loving wife was true. Now, let’s move on to the next item…]
While the auction was going on like that, she couldn’t raise her face.
[Now! The following are specialties of the Avalon Empire. This is Ahalteke!]
The words that came up on the podium.
“Huh? “It’s very different from what I used to hear?”
As the auction of Akhalteke begins, Theodora lifts her slightly flushed face and looks at her horse.
“Is that Ahalteke? “Didn’t you say his fur is golden?”
“So?”
When me and Theodora have doubts.
[Everyone. The Ahalteke originally has golden fur. But this horse is not usually Akhalteke. This is a red Ahalteke, one of the few in the Avalon Empire. ]
Ahalteke with an impressive red mane.
The entire body has red fur with a subtle golden color.
[This type of red Akhalteke is known to be faster and more powerful than a regular Akhalteke. Ruler! Today, who will be the owner of this red Akhalteke? Let’s start with 10,000 gold!]
And so the auction began…
The auction was not very competitive.
[30,000 Gold! 30,000 Gold! Is there anything more?]
Let the 20,000 gold exceed the amount allowed by Theodora.
She speaks in a hushed voice.
“You…please add some money.”
I say that as if I were dumbfounded.
“Huh? “Wasn’t that what you lived for?”
Theodora spoke while avoiding my eyes.
“Uh… I got permission from my mother for 20,000 gold…”
“Then I can’t help it, it’s a merry gift anyway. Just cheaply place the imperial seal on any sword…”
I couldn’t bear to continue speaking.
“Well… It’s still your family. “How can you do that?”
I finally came forward as I saw Theodora asking for a favor with a fragile face that looked as if it would break if touched…
I was able to win the horse for 600,000 gold.
And after the auction was over, I thought as I returned to the imperial palace.
No matter how much I think about it… I think I paid too much for the tiara.