Directly above the venue, against its backdrop of stars, an enormous shadow abruptly appeared with a surge of powerful magic. A gentle male voice rang out from within:
"Please pause for a moment!"
Someone had actually called a halt to an auction organized by the Sacred Spring Trade Guild?
It was a rare event indeed, something one might not see in a century. Even the auctioneer looked visibly surprised, though his expression turned stern a second later.
He stared straight at the enormous carriage entering the auction hall, drawn by dragons, and said solemnly, "Your Highness, Elector King, this is an auction held by the Sacred Spring Trade Guild!"
Streams of deep blue spring water faintly appeared among the stars. They silently spread into every corner, inconspicuous at first glance, yet together they could form a boundless sea.
An Elector King?
Kroya narrowed his eyes and asked the intelligent golem beside him, "What is an Elector King?"
"A king of the Star Sea Empire eligible to compete for the imperial throne."
Clearly, this intelligent golem was not very intelligent. It offered that one dry sentence, then fell silent.
Still, that was enough.
Kroya had learned a little about this before. The Star Sea Empire was a monarchy, and its emperor was both its strongest individual and its supreme ruler. Every rule had to yield before him.
That was the pleasure power brought. In other nations, even emperors faced certain restrictions.
An Elector King truly belonged to the second tier of authority in the Star Sea Empire. No wonder he had the nerve to halt the Sacred Spring Trade Guild's auction...
"Hm?"
Kroya had still been reflecting on this when he suddenly saw the Sacred Spring surging around the venue rush toward the Elector King's carriage.
"Oh, so showing off really