Isekai Nonbiri Nouka-Novel

Chapter 564 – Auction

The auction will be held in a tent a little wider than the baseball infield.

An invitation is required to enter the tent and participate in the auction.

Gulf gave my invitation to the receptionist.

The demon king also hands out his invitation the same way.

A card with a number will be given to the participant after handing out his invitation.

It is necessary to enter and exit the tent.

But they don’t have any measure against Beezel’s teleportation.

However, using magic in a place like this is against etiquette.

I see.

But, this is a tent.

Isn’t it easy to get in and out whenever you want?

-0-

Chairs and tables were placed in the tent.

It’s like they are set up in groups.

When I was wondering where to sit, I was guided by a maid-san.

I was sent to the largest place, the center.

I thought I should be in a different place but it seems like I’m grouped with the demon king.

I have no problem with that.

I’ll be with Tiselle after all.

On the table, two cards with numbers are placed.

They are the same as mine and the demon king’s.

When participating in the auction, it seems like I only need to raise this number.

When I was about to take it, Daga took it.

It looks like servants are the ones that should handle things like raising numbers.

Or so I thought because the demon king is holding his own number.

Is it because of Beezel? If he has it, Beezel can’t compete with him.

Ah, Beezel asked the maid-san who guided us here for a card for himself.

It looks like Beezel will be able to freely participate.

…..

I proposed something.

The demon king’s card will be held by Gulf.

Daga will hold Beezel’s.

And my card will be Tiselle’s?

Youko seems dissatisfied.

She wants a role too.

I’ll be asking you for advice.

Honestly speaking, I don’t know how much is the good or bad price or even the market price of the auction items.

-0-

There is only one rule at the auction.

If you successfully bid, you must pay within 30 days.

That’s all.

If this is not observed, the deposit to the organizer of the auction will be forfeited.

….deposit?

There’s a deposit?

30 silver coins?

People with a certain degree of position are exempted from depositing.

I obviously know why the demon king and Beezel are exempted but why am I exempted?

Well, this auction is organized by the Goroun Company so I think it’s because of that.

After making a successful bid, I’ll make sure to pay properly.

By the way, it is safe to pay with goods but bargaining after a successful bid seems to be a violation of etiquette.

Let’s keep that in mind.

-0-

The other participants arrived and the auction began.

First, music is played.

Then, according to the music, a stage was set up in an open space.

It looks like it’s a safety measure in case there are suspicious individuals planning something in advance.

When the music stops, Michael-san appears.

He said his greeting speech.

Since the participants are nobles and there’s even the demon king, his greeting is pretty polite.

I study that greeting too.

「This time, we will all compete from exhibition item number one to one hundred. There are missing numbers which are number 11, 24, and 52.」

Missing number means canceled because of certain circumstances.

One of the many reasons is being damaged when transporting to the auction venue.

I heard a moan from somewhere.

He might be targeting those missing items.

「We will start from number one. The secret items are the multiple of ten items from 10 to 90.」

Secret items are those items whose details are not disclosed.

If you put something like that in between, it will definitely attract attention.

But, don’t all auctions have something like that?

Well, since it was being done for a long time, it should be effective.

By the way, when I was looking around at the exhibit, the number told by the demon king is number 70.

……

Only the organizer and the seller know what the secret items are so is it demon king or Beezel who’s selling them?

Doesn’t look like them.

They are probably acquaintances of the person who’s selling it here.

That must be it.

「Lastly.」

Michael-san cough.

It should be the closing of his speech.

「Do you have moneyyyyy?」

Eh?

I was stunned but the demon king and the crowd responded with a loud cheer.

Michael-san continues.

「Here is what you wanttttt!」

Ooooohhhhh!

「Do you really want to get iiittttt!」

Oooooooohhhhhhh!

「If someone gets in your way, hit him with your bag full of money!」

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!

「The auction starts now!」

Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!

………

This is a bit different from the auction I have in mind.

-0-

「Auction item number 1. There’s one bottle of it. The price starts at 10 silver coins.」

After promoting the item….the auctioneer rings the bell and the auction begins.

「50 silver coins.」

The price was raised to that but….no one competed.

The auctioneer rang the bell and the auction for item number 1 ended.

Hmm, I want to hit it using that mallet too.

I’ll ask Michael-san later.

-0-

「Auction item number 2. There’s one bottle of it. The price starts at 10 silver coins.」

Areh?

That’s the same thing.

「If you put them all together as one item, there’s a possibility that it would be too expensive that no buyer will bid. To make sure that won’t happen, it will be divided into small parts.」

Youko taught me.

I see.

「50 silver coins.」

-0-

「Auction item number 3. There’s one bottle of it. The price starts at 10 silver coins.」

「12 silver coins.」

「13 silver coins.」

「20 silver coins.」

「23 silver coins.」

「30 silver coins.」

「35 silver coins.」

Unlike the previous 2, some people are actually bidding.

However, it seems like those who bid in the first two did not participate.

Why?

This time, it was Beezel who taught me.

「The first and second bidding winner is a person from a major magic tool workshop. It would be foolish to compete with someone with such financial strength. Because of that, everyone will just let them bid on the first two in order to save time. I think he also met others in advance so that he’ll no longer bid in that item after the first two.」

There’s even an advance meeting.

Good grief.

However, buying things unreasonably cheap will buy grudge too. It seems like it is related to bidding etiquette.

The third was settled with 130 silver coins.

-0-

I thought it would take time but the auction proceeded at a good pace.

Because there’s a meeting.

There’s almost no competition.

This is a bit disappointing.

So this is the reason why there are secret items.

The bidding is moderately competitive and lively during the bidding of secret items.

However, everything comes to an end when Gulf raises the demon king’s card.

Don’t they think that they have the ability to compete with the demon king financially?

That’s probably the reason why the demon king refrained from participating or rather, declared the number of items he’ll buy.

Three items.

So when the demon king made a successful bid for auction item 65, he made Gulf hold the card upside down.

It seems like the way to tell everyone that he’ll no longer participate.

A feeling of relief flowed through the tent.

Does this mean that I can get the secret item?

Or is it for Beezel?

That might be the case.

「Father father, I want to raise the card too.」

Right.

It’s about time for the number 70 that the demon king was saying.

「Tiselle, get ready. 」

「Okay. Can I tell the bid too?」

「You have to say it loud.」

「I’ll do my best.」

Fufufu.

So cute.

Ah, I’m admiring her too much.

Number 70 is….

「Next is a secret item. Item number 70 It is a 700-year-old item and it was discovered in a storehouse of a certain noble. The author is Rogat Muslin. He is a famous agricultural researcher. Though clumsy, his days while researching the field are written in detail. Though it is a research material on crops, it is an enjoyable read. There are some scratches and dirt but….there’s no missing part that can’t be read. There are no missing pages but on the back cover, there is something written which was written years later. That something doesn’t seem to be an existing character so we couldn’t decipher it. There is also a possibility that they are only graffiti. The starting price is 10 silver coins.」

……

I see.

A research material about crops.

I certainly want it.

But I’m anxious about what’s written on the back cover.

”In this book, the stash of seed’s location is written.”

I was able to read it.

Seeds?

What kind of seeds?

It got my curiosity.

Since I’m curious, I have no choice but to bid.

「13 silver coins.」

「15 silver coins.」

「Father, there seem to be two other interested parties. How far should we go?」

「Until you make a successful bid.」

「Then….one hundred silver coins.」

Tiselle shouted and it was settled.

「One hundred silver coins is one gold coin, right? That’s dirt cheap.」

I’m not confident but let’s think again for the sake of my children’s sense of money.

That’s what I thought.

-0-

AN: This has been documented several times already.

Japanese conversion is only an imagination so might not be accurate.

Small copper coin = 10 yen

Medium copper coin = 100 yen

Big copper coin = 1000 yen

Silver coin = 100,000 yen

Gold coin = 10,000,000 yen