Chapter 76 Gold River Merchant Group

“Going once! Going twice! Sold! We will deliver the item to you when the auction ends!”

Aldred felt excited and worried at the same time. “Mary, we got the item.”

Mary nodded rapidly. Blood rushed in her heart. 28,000 gold coins. It was either do or die now. If velobra sold less than that, they’d be damned.

“Our next item is a magical pill created by a Platinum Ranked magic alchemist. Let me emphasize the word magic for you all! The cart revealed a glass container filled with white beautiful pills. These are Miracle Breath Pills. When you climb the mountain, the higher you climb, the thinner the air. This makes it hard for you to breathe. With these pills, you do not have to worry about that. This container has 40 pills, and starts with the price of 1,200 Gold coins!”

“Do we need that?” Aldred asked.

“I don’t think we should spend any more,” Mary said. “We have already spent 28,000 gold coins. What if velobra doesn’t earn more than that?

“I should have enslaved more creatures. If only we could sell enslaved Gold Rank humans.”

“That’s not possible.”

Aldred sighed. “I am glad that it’s not possible. Slavery is not a good thing.”

“Slaves are okay to sell, but you cannot enslave those with power. People that couldn’t reach the Copper Rank can become a slave due to various circumstances, and they can be sold around.”

“Must be rough for them.”

Mira looked at Aldred and then sighed. She was still upset about the event earlier, but she knew the boy wasn’t a bad person. “We don’t have slaves in Montcresia. We believe that everyone deserves hope, and to have hope is to be happy. I apologize, but Ceraisian is an empire filled with depression and suffering. The majority of people here are badly treated peasants and slaves. When we were in the fort, I talked to some of the slaves, and I don’t like what I hear.”

“I know,” Aldred said. “I talked to them too. I wish I could do something for them.”

“You already did a lot,” Mira said with a smile. “They said something about you. Like how you help them with back pain and teach them how to obtain clear water.”

“What I do is not enough,” Aldred said. “Right now, they still work in the field under the hot sun that sears their skin. Every day. No rest or break given. If they get sick, they will be killed. How do you think it would feel if we were in that situation?”

Mira looked at the boy with widened eyes hidden behind her mask.

“I am sorry, Mira. I was being petty, and it cost someone their life. I will visit the lady. If she asks for my life, then I will give it to her.” Aldred got tears welled up in his eyes. Even though he got great blessings, and lovely parents. What he did was unforgivable. That lady did nothing wrong, but she died because of him.

Mira felt her anger dissipate. She was relieved the boy did not find amusement in her death. His empathy towards the lives of slaves should be enough proof that the boy was on the right path. ‘I must stay by his side and make sure he stays on this path.’

Pongo climbed on Aldred’s shoulder. “Pongo.”

“Where are you going?”

“Pongo pongo.” He jumped off and walked away.

“Don’t take too long or we will leave you.”

“Where is he going?” Mary asked.

“Probably looking for some poop to eat.”

If Pongo heard that, he would fight Aldred now and there.

“2,000 Gold coins! These pills will help you greatly, folks! Don’t miss this chance!”

Henry raised his sign.

“3,000 Gold coins!”

He looked at Aldred and was satisfied that he did not fight him for this item. ‘He must be afraid of my status. Humph! Peasants.’

After the item was sold, the lady on the stage presented another item.

“Before we reveal our item, let me tell you about it. It’s called Lashing Shoes. If you are human, you know you need to crawl on the mountains to climb it, but with these shoes, you can walk on it.”

The cloth was pulled to reveal a pair of shoes.

The audience was amazed.

Henry smiled proudly. This was the item that he auctioned. It was only proper if everyone was amazed by it.

“Can we try it?”

“Of course! Please get on stage and try the shoes. We receive this pair of shoes from someone influential. You have heard of his name before. That’s right. It’s from Henry himself!”

Henry held his head high. Even though he wore a mask and a robe, everyone already knew where he sat because of the event earlier.

A man walked onto the stage and put on the shoe. “How do I use them?”

“Try walking on the wall.”

The man put one foot on the wall. “It doesn’t work.”

“You need to put both feet on the wall!” Henry shouted. Damn peasants! They didn’t even know such basic things.

The man jumped and walked on the wall. His feet moved upward, and he smiled when he thought it was working.

It didn’t.

Not a second later, he started to fall to the ground, landing on the back of his head.

“It’s not working.”

“You fools!” Henry stood up. He then leaped forward before his feet touched the stage. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

He wore the shoes. “Watch closely.”

He jumped on the wall, both feet landed. Then he walked up. “See, it’s worki—”

He fell and landed head first.

The audience was silent.

“No. I haven’t used it properly. Watch again.” He tried again and fell.

“Again!”

He fell.

He kept doing this repeatedly until the manager came.

“Enough! I did not inspect this item because I trusted you, Lord Henry. It seems like my trust wasn’t put in the right place. Please leave the auction hall now. Someone will send your item at the entrance.”

“Wait! They worked before. I am sure if I do it correctly it will work again.”

“Men, please bring this man outside.”

“Damnit! You dare? Guards! Protect me!”

“Lord Henry, does the Count of Anzalatti wants to be enemy with the Gold River adventure group?”

The Gold River adventure group?! The audience was shocked at the news. All this time, it was a mystery who the owner of this auction was.

The Gold River adventure group was a powerful merchant group under the Adventurer’s guild that spread all over the continent. Its members had many races from all over the world and were known to be the most neutral group among merchants. Wherever they go, they will make lots of wealth while enriching the local lords. That was why they were accepted with open arms by anyone, and losing a friendship with them could cost a huge fortune.

Henry gritted his teeth. “Fuck! I will let you go this time!”

He left along with his guards while the audience sneered at him for being a fool. What an embarrassment.

“Anzalatti will surely fall soon if he is the only heir they have.”

Aldred watched Henry being escorted outside. Henry glared at him as he was pushed forward until he got out of his sight.

Pongo jumped on the seat and burped.

“Where did you go earlier?”

Pongo looked at him and his beak curled into a smile. Aldred smiled back. “Ah, so it was you.” Aldred giggled meaningfully.