The carriage rolled into the capital, along with many others packed with people. The steady influx of travelers into the city was evident, whether for business or other reasons. It was a busty capital.
They had spent hours on the road, and by the time they arrived, night had fallen. Yet, the city was still alive with activity, much like the business district of the province they had left, but amplified many times over.
The streets were lit with lanterns while vendors shouted out their wares, and people of all types roamed around.
In this crowd were all kinds of individuals: pickpockets, scam artists, and even murderers. It was a place where the moment someone sensed they could profit from you, they made sure they did.
The deeper they ventured into the capital, the more they passed through small, lively night markets, taverns filled with music and laughter, street performers, and the occasional shady alley where it seemed most men went to die...or at the least get very close.
Aric led the two mages with a quick and purposeful stride through the streets, his eyes sharp and his head low.
Soon, they reached a towering building. Unlike the smaller businesses illuminated by torches, this one was lit by a display of magical lights. Its entrance was designed with symbolic carvings, and it was clear that wealth and power surrounded the establishment.
There was a divide, a clear difference.
Back in the streets with the market vendors was where common folk and peasants went to purchase their needs and wants. Here, in this absurdly grand building, the rich had the chance to either spend far less than something was worth or many times more.
The door was guarded by two imposing men in armor, leaking a dangerous level of ki, perhaps an intentional deterrent to any foolish ambition. They watched as the group of three entered the building.
Upon entering, a formally dressed doorman swiftly approached them, sizing up the trio. He spoke in a polite tone, though it was laced with uncertainty. The cloaked figures in front of him didn’t resemble the elite he usually rushed to serve, but he couldn’t be sure.
"Welcome to the Casmir’s Auction House. Will you be joining us in the basic, elite, or prestige section tonight?"
"To make a bid," the doorman walked toward the table in the middle, gesturing to a rune stone that lay on it, "just speak through the rune stone. I hope you have a wonderful time."
With a nod, the doorman exited the room, leaving the group of three. Lerai and Serina had already begun stuffing their faces with the food laid out on the table, while Aric walked closer to the glass pane.
The rows of seats were scantily filled, and the other prestige sections on either side seemed empty as well. It was clear they had arrived slightly early.
"Hey," Serina called out almost inaudibly, her mouth full of food. "What if they don’t auction any mana crystals tonight? You would’ve just wasted 200,000 gold. I know you’re a—"
Aric raised his arm, stopping Serina before she could finish her sentence. He knew she was about to call him a prince.
"That stone," he said, gesturing to the rune stone on the table, "if it can be used to hear our bids, it can probably hear everything else we say."
Serina tilted her head, her features flooding with realization as she glanced at the stone.
"But the rune isn’t flashing," she countered.
"He never said it needed to, and they definitely wouldn’t expect us to do the incantation ourselves. That stone is active, and they are listening. So be careful what you say."
"Understood," Serina nodded, wiping crumbs from her mouth.
Meanwhile, in a different room, a man sat leaned all the way back in a chair, his legs propped up on a table in front of him as he sipped from a glass of wine.
"Come on, Valerian. You don’t need to hide that you’re the imperial prince. That’s not the information I want from you."