Once the auction ended, Terrance and Lillian approached Val.
“Congratulations, Master Val. Your item was sold for 5300 gold coins,” Terrence announced an air of respect in his voice.
Lillian chimed in, “Starlight Auction House takes a 1% commission fee for our services, which equates to 53 gold coins. The remaining 5247 gold coins can be given to you in gold or Starlight notes. The notes are accepted everywhere in the kingdom, even the northern frontier.”
Val could only select the second option as he didn’t have enough space in his pocket dimension to store such a high amount of gold.
Val said, “I’ll take the Starlight notes. It’ll be difficult for me to carry so much gold.”
Terrence nodded understandingly. He handed Val a small bundle of exquisitely made notes. “Here are 5 gold Starlight notes, 2 silver notes, and 5 copper notes. Each gold note is equivalent to 1000 gold coins, a silver note to 100 coins, and a copper note to 10 gold coins. The total value sums up to 5350 gold coins. We’ve rounded up in your favor, Master Val.”
Val was impressed. The Starlight Auction House really knew how to maintain good relations with their customers.
“Thank you,” Val said, his voice filled with satisfaction.
When Val expressed his gratitude, Lillian’s lips curved into a genuine, bright smile. She had been observing Val closely during the auction. His strength, ability to resist the seduction of their top notch service girls, calm demeanor, mysterious aura, and now obvious wealth had piqued her interest, and she found herself wanting to know more about this enigmatic man. She wanted to know what he was besides being the son of Joshua V. Whitemore the ruler of the IronSpire Stronghold. She wanted to know the true him.
“You’re most welcome, Master Val,” she said, her tone warm and friendly. “And I want to personally thank you for choosing Starlight Auction House for your auction needs. It was truly a pleasure doing business with you.”
Then, she took a small step closer, her eyes meeting Val’s. The professional, polite smile was still there, but something had changed. It was subtle, but there was a spark in her eyes, an interest that went beyond business dealings.
She added, “I hope we’ll see more of each other in the future. Perhaps we can have a meal together sometime? To discuss future business or…otherwise.”
The suggestion was light, leaving room for Val to interpret it as he wished. After all, a smart businessman — or in this case, a businesswoman — always knows when and how to seize an opportunity.
As Terence watched the interaction between Val and Lillian, a thoughtful expression crossed his features. He saw nothing wrong with Lillian’s interest in Val. After all, Val was a promising young man with an abundance of talent. Besides, Lillian had always had a good eye for people. Not to mention, If she would get his favour and bear children for him, the one to benefit would undoubtedly be the auction house!
“I’m afraid that might not be possible,” Val replied, interrupting Terence’s train of thought. “I’ll be leaving for the Northern Frontier by the end of this month.”
Terrance was taken aback, hearing Val’s words. He couldn’t help but wonder whether Joshua was in his right mind. After all, to send someone as talented as Val to a place rumored to be so hellish that even bloodline users drop dead there occasionally, only a fool would dare to do it!
Knowing that Val was going to the Northern Frontier, Lillian’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise and disappointment flashing in her eyes.
The Northern Frontier was not a place for the faint-hearted, and it was also a place with a high mortality rate. Val despite being an outlander, had defeated a Stroud. It meant his bloodline was really pure. Such a special specimen didn’t deserve to go there. He deserved to have a harem of his own. After all, if there were many women giving birth to his babies, then the kingdom would surely have a surge in innate bloodline users!
“You’re being sent there?” she asked Val, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief and worry. “Are you being forced?”
Terrance, seeing Lillian’s reaction, interjected, “Master Val, if you’re being forced into this situation, I might be able to help. The Starlight Auction House has considerable influence and connections. Of course, such help wouldn’t be without cost. All we would require is your assistance in clearing a dungeon. What do you say?”
Dungeon conquerors were revered by insightful people, and Terrance was one such person. He wanted to bag Val, somehow bring him under the control of the Starlight Auction House. Val, however, had no interest in becoming someone’s dog. Although many would, considering its influence.
“I appreciate the concern, but I am not being forced. I am going there to serve my kingdom.” Val replied righteously. “It’s my duty.”
He didn’t mean it. But he knew that even the Starlight Auction House wouldn’t be able to change the Queen’s decision. It would just be a waste of time and might make things worse for them.
Besides, his statement was simple, yet resolute, effectively putting an end to the topic, and allowing him to make his exit from the Starlight Auction House.
There was a smile of satisfaction on his face. He was more than pleased with the result of his first-ever auction. He tucked the Starlight notes securely into his pocket dimension before making his way back home.
…
Later that day.
True to his word, Joshua had already prepared to make amends. The purification potion – Seraphim’s Purity – was brought in front of Val.
“I trust you’ll make good use of this, Val,” said Joshua as he handed over the vial.
“Thanks, Father.” 𝞸𝔳𝓛xt.𝑪𝗈𝐌
With a word of gratitude, Val accepted the potion. The liquid within the vial glowed with a soft, ethereal light, indicating its potency.
He retreated to his room. Without any hesitation, Val uncorked the vial and downed its contents in one gulp.
As soon as the liquid slid down his throat, he felt an unfamiliar sensation. It was not pain – his Unfeeling trait made that impossible – but he experienced a level of discomfort that was alien to him. It was as if his entire body was undergoing a drastic transformation.
Suddenly, a system notification rang in his head.
[System Notification: Seraphim’s Purity has taken effect. The Whitemore Bloodline Suppressing Poison has been purged from your body.]
Immediately after the notification, the discomfort subsided.
Then, a thick black substance began to gush out from his pores, covering his skin in a grotesque layer. The smell it carried was so horrendous that the air around him became dense and rancid.
“That’s enough to make even a corpse turn its nose,” Val muttered to himself, a grimace painting his features.
It was so bad that even he, who was cursed with the Emotional Impairment Trait, felt offended, his nose scrunching up in disgust.
Without missing a beat, Val jumped out of his window, landing nimbly in the garden. He quickly shed his soiled clothes and dived into the crystal clear pool. As soon as he immersed himself in the water, the black substance washed off, turning the pool into a pit of darkness. The fish inhabiting the pool floated up, lifeless, and poisoned by the substance.
“Finally clean.”
Emerging from the pool, Val summoned a clean set of clothes from his pocket dimension and slipped into them.
The ruined pool and dead fish didn’t bother him. After all, it would be cleaned by a servant by tomorrow.
His priority had been to rid his body of the foul substance, and he had achieved that.
Everything else was a trivial matter.