Chapter 551: Castellan of Roland City
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
By immediately calling out such an unreasonable and astonishing price, he thought that it would make him look more powerful. However, he didn’t know that he had already committed the big taboo of auction. All of these people were people of status in the Breezy Plains. Which one was easily frightened? To show such urgency over this item only told other people how badly he wanted it. At the very most, it could make some bidders who had close relationship with him give up bidding.
However, he didn’t have to raise the price so high if he had wanted to dissuade close friends from bidding; just adding to the base price by a little would achieve the same effect. If it was something not so important, close friends would certainly give him some face by not bidding for it. If it was something very necessary, then 5,000,000 wouldn’t be able to scare those rich families off.
As the people downstairs kept looking in his direction, how could they hide their expressions from Lin Li? However, Lin Li didn’t care about others’ opinions, and wouldn’t tell them his true thoughts. After all, how could he tell them that he didn’t want to waste time? That would be too hurtful…
Of course, Lin Li definitely wouldn’t tell them that this seemingly ordinary branch was actually a piece of debris of the stars which possessed the power to manipulate life. Getting hold of it was equivalent to having an undying body, so nobody would be able to resist this temptation. If anyone else knew about this, Lin Li didn’t have the confidence to win the bid over Glittergold Trade Union. Any kind of relationship was nothing compared to this. Those unscrupulous merchants didn’t care about relationships. To them, money was their closest friend.
“Mage Felic from the Tower of Dusk bid 5,000,000 gold coins…”
William was rather disappointed. He had high hopes for the branch, but it didn’t induce any waves in the audience. If Mage Felic hadn’t raised the bid to 5,000,000 directly, the outcome would’ve been even worse.
“Going once, going twice…” William raised his gravel, ready to seal the deal after asking for the third time. However, just then, another bid came from upstairs and made him withdraw his gravel.
“6,000,000 gold coins!”
This voice caused an uproar in the auction hall. Nobody could imagine who would be interested in this ordinary branch other than the nouveau riche who had just earned 10,000,000 gold coins.
However, Lin Li could clearly hear that the bidding voice had come from outside his door. He instructed Norfeller to open the door.
Outside the door, Castellan Arathor of Roland City was about to knock. He put down his arm and smiled apologetically. “President Felic, I seek your understanding. This item is very important to me.”
“Please come in, Castellan Arathor.” Lin Li looked very composed. He wasn’t at all angry that someone was competing with him for the item. Whoever with the highest bid would get the lot. Nobody had the right to snatch another’s freedom to bid.
Wilkinson and his companions, however, didn’t seem as calm as Lin Li. Although the castellan of Roland City held considerable power and reputation, Wilkinson and his companions didn’t think he was anyone important. Seeing that Arathor had come in with his two attendants, Wilkinson and his companions didn’t hide the displeasure on their faces, though they didn’t doubt Lin Li’s decision.
Arathor didn’t dare to show any negligence to Wilkinson and his companions. Although they didn’t look pleased with his visit, Arathor still put on a smile and greeted every pharmacist respectfully. Of course, Arathor’s attitude wasn’t reciprocated. He wasn’t bothered by this, though. After all, it was universally acknowledged in the Anril World that every capable pharmacist had a bad temper.
“Seems like Castellan Arathor is also interested in this treasure.”
Lin Li raised his bid to 7,000,000 before turning to Arathor with keen interests, making William put down his gravel again.
Lin Li wasn’t angry with Arathor’s sudden participation in the bid, but he couldn’t help feeling very curious. This was because he hadn’t called for 5,000,000 gold coins randomly. He had made this decision only after thorough contemplation.
Lin Li was very clear about what this branch was for. However, other people probably didn’t know its use until now. Even the sharper ones only knew that the natural fragrance of this branch contained powerful vitality.
How could Lin Li as a pharmaceutics Guru not know that Wilkinson had wanted the branch for his herb farm? Maybe a lot of other high-level pharmacists or pharmaceutics Masters would have the same idea.
Hence, Lin Li had raised the bid to 5,000,000 as it was the highest price this branch could take if it had only this effect. If the price was any higher, it would be over the presumed value in people’s eyes. So, this 5,000,000 was to dissuade these so-called sharp-eyed people from bidding and save some time.
This was why Lin Li was curious. Why would Arathor participate in this bidding? He wanted to raise the production of crops? 5,000,000 was already the most any pharmacists would be willing to pay if they wanted to put the branch in their herb farms. Arathor, however, had started with 6,000,000 gold coins. If he wasn’t a fool, he most likely knew something about the branch.
“This…” Arathor turned around and peered at his attendants inadvertently. He then sat on an empty chair, and said to Lin Li, “I’m terribly sorry, Mage Felic. This treasure is really very important to me, so can you…”
Although Arathor’s cheap shot didn’t catch the eye of others, it didn’t escape Lin Li’s eyes. After Arathor had sat down, Lin Li scanned Arathor’s attendants while he listened to Arathor.
Downstairs on the stage, William asked about the bid twice and held up his gravel again.
“8,000,000 gold coins!” exclaimed Arathor immediately.
“Good! 8,000,000 gold coins is the current bid for this treasure from the Elven Kingdom. Anyone wants to raise the price even higher…?” William announced with passion, but he was also secretly worried. Though it was good to see people competing for the bid, did Arathor even know what he was doing by competing with Mage Felic?
Lin Li scanned every one of Arathor’s attendants not just to look at them, but, more importantly, to feel their energy waves. He could sense from Arathor’s actions that it wasn’t Arathor’s own intention to bid for the branch. However, what kind of person would Arathor willingly serve as the castellan of Roland City?
“Mage Felic, Roland City will always be your loyal ally if you are willing to give this item to me.” Arathor convinced Lin Li with sincerity.
“Who are you to be the ally of our Tower of Dusk! You are just a little castellan. Do you think you are so important?” Wilkinson couldn’t help but mock him. Though he didn’t sound polite, anyone who knew the Tower of Dusk would know that what he said was very true.
Arathor wasn’t angry upon hearing Wilkinson’s words. Instead, he was shocked that Wilkinson said “our Tower of Dusk” when he mentioned the Tower of Dusk. He had thought that the Tower of Dusk had recruited these pharmacists, but did it now mean that all these pharmacists belonged to the Tower of Dusk?
Lin Li was very surprised that Arathor had raised the bid to 8,000,000 gold coins. Could it be that the one behind Castellan Arathor had already known the secret to this branch? Although Roland City was prosperous, and the castellan had control of all taxes other than income tax paid to the Felan Kingdom, Lin Li knew that 8,000,000 was definitely not a small sum to Arathor. If he hadn’t known something, Arathor wouldn’t have agreed to pay so much for a branch.
With this question in mind, Lin Li examined Arathor’s attendants more carefully, hoping to catch every bit of unusual energy wave. Downstairs, William had asked about the bid twice and raised up his gravel again, all ready to seal the deal with the third inquiry. Lin Li frowned unobservably at that moment.
Although Lin Li’s Myth Potion had been auctioned at a whopping 10,000,000 gold coins, he would only get about 8,000,000 gold coins of income after deducting the transaction fee he needed to pay William. Hence, everyone thought that it was highly likely that Lin Li wouldn’t be able to afford 8,000,000 gold coins. Nobody believed that Wilkinson and his companions would give all their earnings to the Tower of Dusk.
Maybe because of this speculation, the person behind Arathor felt that victory was already in his hands after Arathor had raised the bid to 8,000,000 gold coins. Thus, his emotions couldn’t help but register a slight wave. As a Legendary-mage, Lin Li was very sensitive to magical energy, and managed to catch this wave. He fixed his attention on one of Arathor’s attendants and finally spotted some clues.
Back at the Endless World, Lin Li had been a Hunter. One of the necessary skills that Hunters needed to learn was camouflage. Unlike the stealth movement skills of the assassins which emphasized hiding their identities and attacking their enemies stealthily, Hunters could change their appearance using the camouflage skill.