Chapter 62
No need to rush.
Haruto quickly tried to comfort her.
He wasn't really sure about the Kidō Orb. If the auction hadn't been so transparent, he would have bid for it himself—even if he lost 20% of the bid according to the rules, it would still be better than it going unsold or being taken by someone else at a lower price.
Fortunately.
The silence at the scene lasted only a short while.
After a brief silence, Room 17, which had previously provided funds for Room 16 to purchase the Zanpakuto, was the first to make a bid:
Thirty-five gold coins!
"Thirty-six gold pieces!"
However, as soon as Number Seventeen opened his mouth, someone in the room next to Haruto immediately raised the price.
"Thirty-eight gold pieces!"
Forty-two gold pieces!
Haruto's anxiety quickly subsided.
The first Zanpakuto sold for just over sixty gold, and Haruto's expected price for this Kidō Orb was actually only around forty-five gold.
Although the craftsmanship requirements are very high, the Kidō Orb can be repeatedly manufactured, unlike the stringent conditions for leaving one's Zanpakuto in the world after its release.
Final.
The offer for Kidō Orb stopped at fifty gold coins, and it was successfully won by the owner of room number seventeen.
"I've struck it rich!"
Although Haruto's expression didn't change much, he couldn't suppress his excitement: this was the first time he had received such a large sum of money, having been penniless for so long.
"Cut!"
Byakuya, who had seen through Haruto's inner thoughts, curled his lip in disdain.
"It's only three months' allowance, and you're already acting all high and mighty."
Anyway, it's more money than you have in your pocket.
Haruto retorted sarcastically, not to be outdone.
"..."
Not long after.
Along the bottom edge of the open window, a tray containing five round, dark gold metal objects was handed in by the courtesan as she bent down.
"This is..."
Haruto didn't even glance at the snow-white mountains through the window; instead, he picked up the metal on the tray and examined it carefully.
"A golden pangolin? But the size is wrong..."
"Ignorant."
Byakuya casually snatched the metal from Haruto's hand and explained it to him:
"This is Soul Gold, refined from gold used to make koban (Japanese taels of silver), and forged using special techniques and rare materials."
"It is itself a highly condensed product of Reishi, worth ten times more than a small gold coin."
"... I see."
Haruto nodded.
He didn't ask for the Soul Gold back from Byakuya. The auction's 20% commission was split equally between the buyer and seller; in other words, Haruto would have to pay five gold coins when they left... Byakuya's spare change was just enough to cover the hefty "parking fee," and the rest was for his tour guide fee.
Byakuya wants it or not is one thing, Haruto gives it to him or not is another matter entirely.
"So."
"This is the last item up for auction."
The host glanced at the booklets on the tray.
After the successful sale of the Kidō Orb of Dankū, the value of the next three items was much lower. Two items failed to sell and one item was sold at the reserve price, which even made some nobles yawn impatiently.
As for why they didn't leave first, perhaps it was because of this last item up for auction.
Number 30!
"Record of the secret technique of the Hadō #91: Senju Kōten Taihō!"
The host picked up the thin booklet.
"The entire text is written in ciphertext and has not yet been fully deciphered; the authenticity of its content cannot be fully confirmed."
"Moreover, the origin of this item is unknown. Hadō' with a number of 90 or higher cannot be learned unless one is at the Captain-level."
Starting bid: 100 gold!
"..."
The silence lasted only a moment, then followed...
"One hundred gold!"
Two hundred gold coins!
The houses that had previously shown no interest in bidding suddenly became the subject of fierce bidding.
"..."
What happened?
Haruto was also taken aback by the exaggerated bid, but he quickly noticed something was amiss:
Byakuya had mentioned to Haruto that the secret techniques for Hadō to higher levels (numbered 90 and above) were almost entirely monopolized by the Four Great Noble Clans.
What Captain-Commander Yamamoto and the Great Kidō Master possess is pure knowledge, not secret teachings.
"I don't know either."
Byakuya shook his head.
"I've never heard of any family's secret techniques being stolen, and if it really did come from the hands of a high-ranking noble family, this auction house might not dare to accept it."
"But..."
Byakuya stared intently at the secret manual in the host's hand with a serious expression.
"This thing can't be fake."
Writing the Kidō number 90 or higher in cipher is a way for high-ranking nobles to protect their secret teachings.
Moreover, the thickness of the secret manual can roughly determine its authenticity: for high-level Kidō of level 70 or 80, the secret manuals are usually a thick stack, while for level 90 and above, the documents recording the secret manuals become very thin.
"Really, we don't have any money either."
"... you're right."
Regardless of whose secret technique was leaked, it's none of their business.
To dare to participate in the competition for this item at least indicates that they have a Captain-level expert backing them; otherwise, even if they obtained the Senju Kōten Taihō, they wouldn't be able to learn it. To have such means, they must be a powerful upper-class noble.
After waves of fervor, the secret technique of the Senju Kōten Taihō was snatched away by the buyer in Room One for a staggering 2,200 gold.
It's the one that sells Zanpakuto.
The auction has now concluded.
The host pressed his palms together forcefully.
"Thank you for your visit, esteemed guests. It's getting late; if you've traveled a long way, you might consider staying here for the night."
All services are free.
"If you have other urgent business, after we call your room number, just leave in the direction you came from. There will be a five-minute interval in between."
"So..."
The host and the courtesan bowed in the direction of nothingness.
"Today's auction has come to an end."
How should we say it?
Byakuya asked Haruto, who didn't seem very satisfied, probably because the auction was different from what Byakuya had imagined.
The problem is I didn't bring enough money... If you don't have money to attend the auction, of course you can't have any fun.
"They must have left. Don't you have a curfew?"
Haruto had already stood up and tucked the Zanpakuto beside him back into his waistband.
"It's past the appointed time. I didn't expect it to take this long."
Byakuya said somewhat sullenly.
"Why not just stay in the dorm overnight?"
"I'm not used to it."
"... problem."
Despite being able to use the Great House only thanks to Byakuya, he himself rarely spends the night in the dormitory; it's more often a place to rest after training.
Byakuya takes showers and changes clothes very frequently, two to three times a day is commonplace for him, which is definitely an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Thirty rooms.
Following the five-minute intervals, simply leaving would waste more than two hours.
However, considering their own safety, most people can afford to wait this long... If not, they can always stay overnight at the store.
Fortunately.
Although Haruto has put away his Zanpakuto and is unable to practice Jinzen, it does not prevent him from practicing Kidō.
If the scabbard hadn't concealed the blade's sharpness, the small room they were in would have been constantly flashing bright beams of light, like the moving head lights in a karaoke bar.
Even when he's out and about, Haruto doesn't miss a beat in practicing his Zanka no Tachi.
Despite his boastful words, Haruto certainly couldn't understand the Hyōga Seiran, which even the Ginrei Kuchiki father and son couldn't master at a glance.
Haruto possesses a considerable number of high-level Kidō, but the ones he can truly showcase are still only the same few he used to have.
If he hadn't been inside the room, the Raikōhō in his right hand would never have stopped.
Waiting is agonizing.
When Byakuya's impatient leg-shaking speed was comparable to the speed of his hands, it was finally their turn— Byakuya was different from Haruto; whether training or practicing, he needed a relatively quiet environment.
"Walk."
The two exchanged a quick glance.
Then he left the shop as quickly as possible, and as soon as he stepped out, he headed towards the forest that divided the different districts of Rukongai.
"Not taking the main road?"
"Leaving aside the fact that it might scare people, stepping on the roof is very unsafe. Who knows what kind of person the owner of the house is? It's easy for people to misunderstand."
The two were talking quite loudly, as if afraid the wind would drown out their voices.
"The truth?"
"It's hard to perceive people when there are too many people around; it's much clearer to spot them in the forest."
The eerie shadows of the trees were left behind, and their whispered conversation was quickly swallowed by the night.
"And..."
"If we don't go through the forest, how dare they chase us?"
The first few districts of Rukongai have very good environmental protection, but from the 60th district onwards, the areas between districts are almost all wasteland.
But.
Although the wasteland lacks cover, its openness and sparse population make it an ideal place for murder and robbery...