Chapter 58
It was an extremely faint sound.
So faint that even Kain, with his exceptional senses, couldn't quite make it out.
It was the kind of fleeting sound that most people, even if they heard it, would immediately forget.
But just as one's own name stands out in a noisy crowd, that sound pricked at Kain's ear.
Kain whipped his head around towards the direction of the sound.
It came from a corner of the black market, obscured by a large curtain.
Kain felt drawn towards it, taking a step in that direction.
"Young Master...? Hey, where are you going? If there's something else you want to buy, just say so, okay?"
Eisel hurried to catch up and whispered, but Kain didn't stop, approaching the curtain.
And just as Kain reached out his hand towards the curtain.
"Hah hah, it seems the young master is already quite interested in the goods over here."
He turned to see a man in a white mask looking at them.
A white mask signified a vendor.
He grinned, looking at Kain's red eyes.
"Unfortunately, the items behind there cannot be revealed just yet. They're about to go up for auction, you see. There's a certain thrill in revealing them one by one, wouldn't you agree it wouldn't be fun if you already knew? Hahahah. Please, take a seat and wait, and we'll reveal them. Do look forward to it."
His tone was obsequious, but his gestures and intonation carried an implicit pressure to return.
Kain stared at him for a moment, then turned sharply and said,
"...You'd best not disappoint me."
Kain delivered his role-appropriate line and walked back the way he came.
It was true that he felt the urge to open the curtain, but it was an action with too low a return for the risk.
And that return could soon be obtained without risk.
Eisel stuck close to Kain and whispered,
"That was an amazing line. But seriously, why did you suddenly go over there? You startled me. You could've gotten unnecessarily suspicious."
"I apologize for acting alone."
"Hmm... Seems something was on your mind. Actually, since I was here, I just tried to extend my senses to see if there was anything interesting, but they must be using some strong barrier magic stones because I couldn't sense anything at all. As that man said, everything will be revealed one by one later, so let's just wait a bit. First, let's get a seat..."
Eisel secured seats at the back before too many people took them.
It was a secluded back corner, chosen on the principle of minimizing others' lines of sight.
Since the seating was tiered, the back seats offered a clear view of the area below.
"It's a bit late, but thankfully, people don't prefer the back seats."
This was understandable; while escorts would have a good view from the back, most customers with money were ordinary people who couldn't fight and thus wanted to see the items as closely as possible.
As a result, escorts naturally followed their employers, leaving the back seats relatively empty.
"The auction will begin shortly. From now on, entry will be strictly limited."
After waiting a moment in their seats, another white-masked individual announced the guidelines.
Clank. Clank.
The sounds of the few entrance doors being securely locked could be heard.
They said they would limit entry, but in reality, it meant blocking access altogether.
This was also a measure to prevent various accidents that could arise from greed.
"Even with the restraints, they're incredibly thorough."
"Everyone probably knows they're not the only ones weakened."
If only one person wore restraints, they might be cautious, but since everyone was wearing them and thus weakened, there was still a possibility of incidents occurring.
"That's true. And if a real fight breaks out, everyone knows the difference in skill will become overwhelmingly apparent."
Depending on the performance of the mana restraints, typically, a 2nd or 3rd Circle mage would have their power limited to the point where even casting magic would be difficult.
However, the higher the wearer's circle, the more power they could exert to some extent.
In such cases, it would become a fight between ordinary people and mages or warriors, making the outcome obvious.
Nevertheless, the restraints were enforced to allow the organizers to suppress any incidents if they occurred.
The guards, after all, weren't wearing restraints.
'In the past, there was an incident where the black market organizers deliberately used this, deceiving customers into believing there were rare and expensive items, then restrained everyone, killed them all, and fled with all the money.'
Of course, that group of organizers was later caught and met a very cruel end.
It was remarkable they thought they wouldn't get caught, considering the powerful backing of people with that kind of money.
Anyway, this is why customers entering the black market primarily participate based on their trust in the organizers.
Considering Eisel mentioned that a 6-star mercenary was also present, it seemed the organizers here commanded a considerable level of trust.
'A 6-star mercenary wouldn't ordinarily take the risk of wearing restraints and entering willingly.'
Or perhaps there was a compelling advantage, like wanting to buy something so badly that it outweighed the risk.
"Now, thank you for your patience! Today's main items! We have gathered truly valuable goods that are difficult to obtain elsewhere, so we hope you look forward to them!"
While he was thinking that, the main auction began.
"Then, let's immediately reveal the first item! The first item is!"
The white mask brought out a glass bottle containing a blue liquid from behind the curtain.
"Elven Tears!"
As soon as the item's name was heard, murmuring erupted from various parts of the bidding area.
"...It's an imitation that has successfully reproduced some of its effects!"
Then, boos erupted.
"Bah, I knew it!"
"I thought something amazing was going to come out as the first item!"
"I never believed it from the start. Selling Elven Tears in a corner of this abandoned mine makes no sense."
"Hahaha! My apologies. But as you all know, the elves left the continent of Aron in the distant past. Unlike some races that remained and became monsters, the elves departed cleanly, leaving 'Elven Tears' as nothing but a legend, with no way to obtain them."
The white-masked figure skillfully explained, quelling the complaints.
"That's why, if only you could get your hands on it, they say it's wonderful. They say it can restore youth. They say it's preserved deep within some cave. Rumors abound, but no one has actually seen it. However, this blue liquid is a regrettable imitation of the 'youth' that Elven Tears are said to restore."
He swirled the glass bottle.
"Just one sip and your skin becomes as smooth as silk, your complexion soft and radiant! It only takes 3 days for the change, and the effect lasts for a remarkable three months! Elven Tears that, once bought, can maintain your best youthful skin for years!"
The white-masked figure's voice grew louder as he shouted.
"Bidding starts at 100 gold!"
One hundred gold. It was an enormous sum.
The value of a single gold coin was enough to live, eat, and sleep comfortably for a month without working, assuming one wasn't extravagant.
'If it were a potion that permanently increased muscle strength, physical vitality, or mana capacity, then maybe. But a potion with a temporary effect that only smooths out your appearance while your body still ages, starting at 100 gold?'
Kain would never buy something at that price.
"Wait a minute."
As if to confirm Kain's thought, an objection was immediately raised.
"Is that potion's effect reliable?"
...It seemed someone was willing to buy it if the effect was certain.
The white-masked figure smiled and replied,
"Hahaha! Of course! I understand your suspicion, but... then, for the sake of trust, I must reveal the creator of these Elven Tears. The name of the one who created this is..."
The white-masked figure paused for a moment, then opened his mouth.
"Vin Eldros."
"Vin Eldros...!"
"Vin Eldros? Is that true?"
"Bid! I'll bid!"
As soon as the name Vin Eldros came from the white-masked figure's lips, voices shouting bids erupted from all over.
Kain quietly asked Eisel,
"Who is Vin Eldros?"
"He's a fairly well-known alchemist in this underworld. He creates many exceptionally potent items, and he's extremely reluctant to reveal his identity, so he only sells his goods through channels like this."
"His name must be an alias too."
If it were a potion for skin beautification, he could simply package and sell it in small portions without needing the black market, earning a fortune. There was a reason he specifically sold it here.
"Just his name? Nobody even knows if Vin Eldros is old or young, male or female. No one's ever met him. The organizers probably just received the goods without meeting him directly."
"An unknown genius alchemist... There's always one in every era, I suppose."
Two hundred years ago, there was a genius alchemist who worked in seclusion, creating and selling all sorts of items but never revealing their identity.
Kain himself had never managed to uncover that alchemist's identity.
"Why are you suddenly talking about eras? Your way of speaking makes you sound like an old man... Anyway, it's surprising that the organizers here managed to contact Vin Eldros. This isn't even that big of a black market in terms of scale."
While Eisel and Kain conversed, the bidding price immediately jumped by leaps and bounds, reaching 200 gold in an instant and showing no signs of stopping, continuing to climb.
"I can't go any higher."
"I wanted to buy it because my wife would like it, but..."
"It's only the first item, so we should pass on this one."
"Bid."
"I bid!"
One or two people started giving up, and eventually, the bidding competition narrowed down to two individuals.
"Currently at 330 gold!"
"...Bid."
"I'll bid."
"Hah..."
"..."
In the end, the final winning bid was set at 350 gold.
"If there are no further bids, it will be awarded for 350 gold. Any objections? Congratulations!"
The white-masked figure handed the glass bottle to the successful bidder and received a pouch full of gold coins.
"Phew... I finally bought it...!"
The buyer seemed incredibly pleased.
Eisel whispered,
"Lady Rosanne ended up winning the bid. We should at least pretend to participate in the next items. Bid a few times, then stop once it gets too high. If something we genuinely want comes up at a reasonable price, we can buy it then."
"Understood."
Since a high-priced item, a staggering 350 gold, appeared in the very first item, even rarer items were sure to appear next.
Amidst the anticipation of the crowd, the white-masked figure brought out the second item.
"Now, the second item is!"
