The Four Hundred Thousand Glass Cup

"If you like it, Big Brother, you can bid on it."

Matthews thought for a moment before saying, "Forget it, it's not worth it."

"It doesn't matter, we'll have money once the items we sent in are auctioned off."

"Fine, twenty-five gold coins."

Sure enough, right after Matthews called out his bid, a shill stepped in. He shouted directly, "Thirty-five gold coins."

Matthews cursed under his breath, These shills are all a bunch of bastards!

After the shill waited a moment and didn't hear the person in the private box speak again, the auctioneer hesitated to strike the gavel, instead asking repeatedly, "Is there anyone else willing to bid?"

The second shill took the opportunity to call out a price of forty gold coins, but Matthews remained calm and did not bid again.

At this moment, Winter called out, "Forty-five gold coins."

"Ah, why would you pay such a high price? This thing isn't worth that much at all."

Winter didn't care in the slightest, saying directly, "It doesn't cost much anyway, if you like it, I'll give it to you."

In the end, the item was easily won by Winter for forty-five gold coins, and subsequently, Matthews managed to purchase a fist-sized piece of unknown ore.

"Next up is a pair of glass vessels from the nobility. They are crystal clear and exude an air of elegance; their former owner was a young nobleman from a great family."

Just as the auction house host displayed the two glass pieces Matthews had crafted, a young master in a top-tier private box exclaimed, "These things are quite beautiful, they might make a good gift."

In another box on the second floor, Kelly, whom Matthews had met once before, was accompanying her brother. Seeing that his sister liked them, her brother said, "If you like them, Big Brother will bid on them for you."

"Mm, Mother's birthday is in a few days. I can use these as a gift for her."

"My sister is always so thoughtful."

After the auctioneer introduced them for a moment, he said, "The starting bid for these two glass pieces is one hundred thousand gold coins. Each increment must be no less than one hundred gold coins."

Immediately, someone in the first-floor hall shouted, "One hundred and ten thousand gold coins."

"Hee hee hee--"

Matthews was no novice; he could guess from Winter's earlier words that the ultimate buyer of these ordinary glass cups would definitely be someone in the second or third-floor boxes. The person bidding from the hall downstairs was definitely a shill for the auction house.

The shills that had seemed so detestable in Matthews' eyes earlier now appeared quite adorable. With just this one bid, Matthews had gained an extra ten thousand gold coins in profit.

The price rose quickly. After the person in the hall finished, someone on the second floor immediately followed up, "One hundred and twenty thousand."

"Tch, stingy."

After Kelly's brother said this, he shouted, "Two hundred thousand gold coins."

The young master who had been interested earlier followed up immediately after Kelly's brother spoke, "Two hundred and ten thousand gold coins."

"Two hundred and thirty thousand."

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"

Their bids rose one after another, and Matthews' head swung back and forth between the two directions. Inside, he was shouting excitedly, Keep bidding, fight back!

"Four hundred thousand gold coins. If the friend opposite likes them, I'll let you have them!"

Seeing that her brother had lost his composure, Kelly reminded him, "Brother, maybe we should just let it go. Although these two glass cups are rare, they aren't worth this price."

Kelly's brother looked at his sister and then said, "Fine, I'll bid one last time. If the person opposite raises it again, we'll stop!"

"Four hundred and ten thousand gold coins."

After Kelly's brother made this bid, the person opposite who had been keeping up with the price did not bid again.

"Ugh, what a pity. They didn't bid again!"

Seeing Matthews' excited expression, Winter explained, "We've already made a profit; the value of the glass cups is only around two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins."

Matthews was still thinking about whether he should take the opportunity to make another batch since these glass products were so valuable. However, after glancing at the cold-faced Lodi beside Winter, the excitement of suddenly obtaining a large sum of money immediately cooled down.

He was no longer the novice who had just arrived in this world. He had only been able to sell these two glass cups because of the face of Winter's family. He was only a level-six warrior right now and could never protect the secret of how to make glass.

If he leaked this secret now, Winter might not care, but this Lodi would definitely report it to those behind him, and Winter's family would likely be the first to turn their blades against him.

Soon, it was time for the auction to end. After a five percent commission was deducted from the four hundred and ten thousand gold coins, over three hundred and eighty thousand remained. The auction house staff delivered the gold card and the natural magnetite to the box.

The person who came was a beautiful woman. After knocking and entering, she performed a standard noble salute and smiled at Winter, saying, "Greetings, Young Master Winter."

People in their line of business were highly skilled at identifying people. The Utteridge family, to which Winter belonged, was quite powerful in the Empire, so she naturally recognized the second young master of the Utteridge family.

"Mm, you're too kind."

Winter nodded politely. After Lodi took the gold card, the woman retreated politely. Lodi turned and handed the gold card to Matthews.

Holding the gold card, Matthews thanked Winter, saying, "I owe you a favor for this."

"I'll have Mia send your share to the school later."

"Mm, no rush. Where are we going next?"

"I want to have a weapon made. I'm a level-six warrior now, but I still don't have a suitable weapon!"

Winter thought for a moment and then said, "I don't know where there are any good master blacksmiths in the Imperial Capital."

Lodi had also specifically inquired about the background of the siblings when Matthews first approached Winter, discovering they were commoners with no influence. He had also verified their talents, and seeing that they posed no threat to his young master, he was happy to let it be. After all, their talent was worth Winter's effort to recruit them.

"Master Drexler has a smithy in the Imperial Capital."

Seeing Lodi, who was usually cold and curt, finally speak up, Matthews hurriedly asked, "Is that true?"

Although he, Matthews, knew how to forge weapons, he was not a professional blacksmith after all. Previously, he had no connections and lacked any cultivation techniques. He had been willing to risk his life using the weapons he crafted just to get his hands on a technique.

Now that a superior plan was available, he naturally wanted to abandon his desperate, inferior one.

"I don't know if the Master will have the time!"

Seeing this, Winter spoke up, "It doesn't matter. We aren't busy today anyway. Let's go and take a look!"