The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies - Chapter 127



126 – Zikawood (03)

127.

The honey milk dessert was delicious.

Kallen liked the taste quite a bit and thought about visiting again later.

Anyway, the price wasn’t too expensive, but all Kallen had was gold coins.

For just two cakes and two drinks, he paid a rather excessive gold coin, and the shop owner bowed deeply in gratitude.

As they left the shop,

“…Isn’t your sense of economy a bit too loose?”

“…It’s a misunderstanding.”

Richeza was shocked to see Kallen casually paying for snacks with a gold coin.

Unable to explain why he only had gold coins, Kallen could only repeat that it was a misunderstanding.

As the short but sweet snack time ended, Kallen and Richeza quietly strolled through the streets.

Few people would take an interest in passersby, but Kallen’s appearance caught the eye even at a glance.

Richeza, too, had a beauty that was not lacking compared to any other noble lady, so when the two walked together, they attracted quite a few gazes.

Some were of surprise, others of interest.

A boy and girl with looks rarely seen even in high society, it was harder not to draw attention.

Most of the gazes were directed at Kallen.

Richeza didn’t know, but it was the moment when Selina’s efforts shone.

Overall dark, but his white skin exuded a mysterious allure.

The dark uniform, not too excessive, and the monocle on his left eye matched the boy’s cold expression perfectly.

Murland’s main street was a haven for noble ladies.

There were far more noble ladies than noblemen, and the reason these ladies couldn’t approach Kallen was simple.

Richeza Zikawood.

There was no noble lady here brave enough to ignore her and speak to the boy.

And the two of them…

“What shall we do now?”

“I don’t know…”

“Is there nothing else you like?”

“Talking to Lord Daphnis.”

“I am not Lord Daphnis.”

“…I know.”

There was nothing to do.

Kallen had promised to go eat Daphnis’ chocolate dessert.

Richeza couldn’t leave the two alone, so she was stuck in between.

Since they had no plans or thoughts in mind.

Kallen and Richeza just walked along the path by the river.

“Hmm…”

But they couldn’t keep doing that forever.

Richeza racked her brain, groaning.

“Ah…!”

She finally came up with something suitable.

“Lord Kallen. How about we go to the auction house?”

“Auction house?”

“Yes. I remember the largest auction in the empire is being held today. We weren’t invited in advance, so we can’t participate in the high-end auction, but we can still join the general auction.”

“Is there a difference?”

“In the general auction, they sell anything that seems like it could make money. Last time, I saw a pair of gloves that some noblewoman had used and discarded.”

“Why would that be worth money…”

“The high-end auction only sells items with guaranteed value. Like paintings by famous artists or rare jewels.”

Is it more decent than I thought?

When I heard ‘auction,’ it felt illegal, but Richeza’s confident and detailed explanation quickly dispelled that feeling.

“Even if we participated in the high-end auction, we wouldn’t have the money… No, that’s not the case for you, Lord.”

Recalling Kallen’s pouch full of gold coins from earlier, Richeza changed her words.

“Since we have nothing else to do, let’s just go and look at the items. If we find something we like, we can aim for it.”

“…”

Kallen wasn’t interested at all.

If things like discarded gloves from noblewomen were coming up, Kallen was sure the auction would be boring.

But they couldn’t just walk around for hours.

Reluctantly, he nodded, and Richeza started talking more about the auction.

“Of course, you can find useful items at regular auctions too. Items with unknown origins are usually put up for regular auctions first. Sometimes, you might stumble upon something valuable.”

“Is it the same as the auctions I know?”

“The method? I don’t know what you know, but it’s probably the same. You compete with bids for the auction items. The highest bidder wins.”

The method was something Kallen already knew.

In this peaceful era, it was an absurd idea, but if it were a straightforward duel where the winner takes all, would it have piqued his interest?

As Kallen entertained such a delusion, Richeza frowned as if she had noticed.

“…You’re not thinking of anything strange, are you? Violence is absolutely forbidden. If you cause a ruckus, you’ll be arrested.”

“…Yes.”

“Then… shall we go? It should be fun. There’s nothing more entertaining than watching people place bets.”

Hesitation.

At Richeza’s casual remark.

Kallen’s movements halted.

Then, blinking a few times, Kallen asked nonchalantly.

“Bets?”

“Yes? Yes. Bets. It’s an auction, isn’t it? A bet on the value of an item. The winner gets the reward.”

“…”

“Hmm… When an item of unknown value comes up, it can really feel like a bet, don’t you think? There are even people who bet on whether such an item will appear or not… My lord?”

As Richeza spoke, Kallen approached her.

“…Are you smiling right now?”

“No.”

With a sly grin.

Richeza was seriously flustered by the charming smile she had never seen before.

Was this the same person who had been expressing disinterest with his whole body until just now?

Kallen’s lips, which had been twitching slightly, were definitely curved upwards.

“Let’s go, Lady Richeza.”

“…Alright.”

Richeza sensed something was wrong, but Kallen’s attitude was too resolute to stop just because of that.

The auction house wasn’t far away.

*

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“I don’t really know either. Maybe I just wanted to set the mood, or perhaps it’s a minimal safety measure. When competition gets overheated, there are a lot of people fighting outside. Though we don’t get involved in that.”

Before entering the auction house, Kallen and Richesa received masks.

They were half-masks with simple patterns, covering only the eyes and nose.

If you’re going to cover, cover it all.

The masks clearly showed a desire to save as much money as possible.

They were told to wear them at the entrance before entering the auction.

Kallen roughly put the mask on his face.

Richeza also wore her mask, and the two of them faced each other and entered the auction house.

The atmosphere of a legal auction held in broad daylight, where could it be like that?

Still, isn’t it too bright?

The place, which was even pleasant, was quite crowded.

The largest and most popular auction in the empire.

Kallen took Richesa and sat in a place that seemed appropriate.

“Don’t you know what’s coming out?”

“No. It’s not like they’re dealing with suspicious items. Still, to raise the tension of the auction, it’s better not to know what’s coming out.”

Richeza’s words made sense.

No, actually, it didn’t matter.

Kallen didn’t even lean back in the plush chair, holding onto the armrest and laughing.

A bet.

Richeza said this was a bet.

The reason, too, was not lacking in calling it a bet in Kallen’s mind.

Whatever it was, money was wagered, and the winning side seized the spoils.

Of course, he didn’t like that the losing side didn’t take much responsibility.

Still, he liked the idea of taking away what the opponent wanted.

“Hehe…”

From noble mtl dot com

“…”

Kallen chuckled with the half-mask on.

Richeza quietly looked at Kallen, then turned her eyes away.

Just as the auction house was filling up.

A person who looked like the host walked onto the podium wearing a half-mask.

“Welcome, everyone. Now that all seats are taken, we will begin the 247th regular general auction.”

There was no enthusiastic response.

Everyone just gave a moderate applause.

The host received the short applause and immediately started the auction.

In a faster and simpler manner than expected, Kallen focused on the items coming out to the podium.

“The first item is… ‘A pair of shoes worn by a certain noblewoman until yesterday.’ The special feature is… it is said that the warmth has not yet faded. The starting price is 50 copper coins.”

An absurd price.

Richeza muttered as she looked at the podium with her chin resting on her hand.

Who would buy such a useless thing for 50 copper coins?

Moreover, that’s the starting price. Richeza recalled the ‘gloves discarded by a certain noblewoman’ that were traded for 3 silver coins at the last auction.

Who would buy something used, especially shoes that don’t even fit?

It’s just an act of wasting money.

“…I really don’t understand. Who would buy such a thing… Don’t you think so, sir?”

When Richeza had previously talked about the gloves.

Kallen had reacted in much the same way as Richeza herself.

It was natural to have no interest in such items.

Even though there was nothing else to do, was it really a good idea to come and see this?

Richeza quietly waited for Kallen’s words.

– 60 copper coins.

– 65 copper coins!

– …80 copper coins!

– Hmph! One silver coin!

– Five silver coins…!

– Five silver coins have been offered. Any more bids?

Hearing the clowns faithful to their desires wasting money, Richeza turned to look beside her as Kallen hadn’t responded.

It was at that moment.

“One gold coin.”

Just as the host was about to declare the item sold, a low, heavy voice echoed through the auction house.

– …

“…”

Richeza quietly stared at Kallen.

Although the half-mask covered his face, obscuring his eyes, Kallen was clearly smiling.

“That, one gold coin… Do you… have more?”

The numbers called by the auctioneer gradually decreased.

Until then, no one had bid higher than Kallen.

“…Sold. The buyer can collect their item after the auction ends.”

Richeza was dumbfounded, unable to understand Kallen’s absurd actions and laughter, and just stared blankly at him.

“I won…”

Muttering incomprehensible words, Kallen’s body trembled slightly as Richeza slowly turned her head away.