The bidding escalated rapidly. Baroness Artheim, the Wavefront nobleman, and the sinister captain traded bids. Each was increasing the stakes. The air crackled with tension.
Baroness Artheim held strong. Her resolve was evident. Jack knew she had a great budget. She was an extremely wealthy noble woman after all. He also knew she pushed such limits when a truly worthy prize appeared. But even she had her breaking point.
The nobleman from Wavefront Kingdom announced an excessive number. Higher than any bid ever called in the auction. A triumphant smirk was on his face. As if daring anyone to surpass him.
The Baroness clenched her jaw. Her paddle remained lowered. She had reached her limit. Not willing to bid any higher.
The sinister captain hadn't reached his limit though. He countered immediately. His gaze was fixed on the egg with an unnerving intensity.
The nobleman hesitated for a while. But then, gritting his teeth, he raised his paddle once more. Calling for a higher bid with tight voice.
The sinister captain's eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth, but then he stopped. He slowly lowered his paddle and snarled under his breath. The dark aura around him seemed to thicken. Turning into an invisible cloud of frustrated rage.
"... going once… going twice… Sold!" The gavel struck with a heavy, final thud.
The nobleman beamed. Already imagining his new, exotic pet. The attendants carefully began to move the caged egg down from the stage.
Jack, however, did not relax. His gaze remained fixed on the sinister captain. The man's visible rage and the almost predatory gleam in his eyes... They strengthened his suspicion.
This man would not give up. He merely ceased bidding in a public forum. The auction might be over. But the battle for the [Lightning Kirin Egg] had just begun. And it would almost certainly spill onto the dark docks and the open seas.
Jack had a very clear feeling that the nobleman from Wavefront Kingdom had just won a prize that would soon be stolen, or worse. The captain with the dark karma would not let such a prize slip from his grasp.
...
The auction hall was emptied. The murmur of the crowd faded into the general noise of Crescent Island's bustling evening.
Jack, Reina, Baroness Artheim, Bell, Leon, and Chloe exited the grand building. Stepping back into the cool embrace of the early evening air.
They took their hired carriage back to the port. Chatting idly on the way. They didn't discussed anything special, for the sake of the hired carriage driver.
When they reached the dock, they moved out of the carriage with less grace, and more practical gaits. Their walk back to the Silent Mermaid was purposeful.
The Silent Mermaid was currently disguised as a forgettable single-masted sloop named the Ocean Wanderer. She bobbed gently, yet unexplainably eerily, at its mooring. Blending in with the dozens of other vessels in the harbor.
As they boarded the Silent Mermaid, the sounds of the port receded. Replaced by the familiar creak and sway of their own deck. The crew members... Barnaby, Mirella, Don, Serene, Autumn, and Argust.. were already waiting for them on board.
Leon Drake started to speak seriously. "That dragon egg..." He began in low voice. "It's a magnet for trouble."
"That nobleman from Wavefront Kingdom." He gestured vaguely towards the direction of the auction house. "He's just painted a target on his back."
Bell grunted in agreement. "Predators smell blood. The captain who lost the bid? He wasn't just disappointed. He was enraged. He'll make his move."
Bell's assessment was blunt and direct. And it echoed Jack's own thoughts.
Reina nodded slowly. "He has the look of a man who takes what he wants, regardless of the law. And that egg... it's a unique prize. Worth risking a great deal for."
Jack observed his companions. He felt a grim satisfaction. His suspicions were not mere paranoia.
"My thoughts exactly." He stated in calm voice.
He scanned the faces of his core group. They were a diverse lot. And they had their own unique specialization.
He turned to Leon Drake. "Leon! Could you take Barnaby to keep an eye on that captain. Find out where he's docked, what his crew looks like, and any whispers about his usual methods."
Jack's instructions were clear and concise. He didn't need to elaborate on the details. The two he picked were quite experienced. They understood what he wanted.
Leon grinned. "Understood, Captain. We'll do it... as soon as I got out of this stupid things." He looked at his formal outfits and sighed.
As he walked quickly to his cabin, Jack turned to Reina and Mirella, the painter.
"Love!" Jack began. "Take Mirella. I need you two to observe the nobleman. His movements, his ship, any security he employs. See if you can glean his departure plans."
Reina met his eyes with her own. "Consider it done, Dear."
Patting her gown, she looked at Mirella and immediately continued. "But Leon is right. Wearing this for investigation isn't a great idea. Wait for a moment, Sis!"
Mirella merely nodded and checked her bags. Ready to act anytime.
Finally, Jack turned to Baroness Artheim. She was still holding the [Tome of Arcane Talisman Craft] in her hands. Its ancient binding and strange scripts contrasted sharply with her noble attire.
Jack reached into his [Spatial Belt], pulling out a tarot-like card. "Here it is. [Omni-linguistic Sense] spellcard." He said.
He handed the card to her. "As I said, it will allow you to comprehend any language, written or spoken, for fifteen minutes. It has six hours cooldown before it can be used again. Use it to translate the book."
The Baroness's eyes widened slightly in excitement. She took the spellcard with a wide smile. "Incredible, Captain. I'll definitely share the content of this tome. Thank you."
She bowed her head slightly before retreating to her own cabin. Eager to decipher her new treasure.
With his orders given and his crew dispersed on their tasks, Jack ascended to his workshop-cabin. It was a space designed for steamrune tinkering. Yet, it held a certain high class comfort.
A large research desk dominated one wall. Covered with runic, mechanical tools. A comfortable couch occupied another.
Rune, his fairy guide, flickered to her personal perching stand. Emitting a soft, inquisitive green glow. Signaling her awareness of his immediate focus.
Jack sat at his desk. Pulling out the [Mental Cleansing Board Game] he had acquired from his [Spatial Bag].
He placed his hand on the Go board. Focusing his intent, he activated his Treasure Hunter secondary class. The inherent ability of the class allowed him to get inspired by a treasure. And this item was definitely a treasure.
His fingers touching the object glowed. And a card flashed in front of him. Appearing out of nowhere. The Treasure Hunter's special power had kicked in.
The tarot-like card that hovered on air in front of him was silver and black in color. It had a classic painting of a Go board game with its black and white stones.
He held the newly acquired spellcard. It pulsed with a faint, calming aura. Activating his [Eyes of Judgement] skill, he inspected the card...
[Spell Card: Clear Mind Field]
[Type: Domain]
[Effect: Creates a large area-of-effect field that nullifies almost all mind-afflicting status effects and mental de-buffs within its radius. This includes fear, confusion, charm, compulsion, psychic assault, and most forms of mental fatigue. It does not negate direct mental attacks or harmless illusions.]
[Requirement: Usable by any transcendent. Caster must possess a minimum Mysticism of 40.]
[Maximum Duration: 30 minutes]
[Cooldown: 10 minutes per use]
Another domain type card! Jack felt a surge of satisfaction.
This was an exceptionally useful spell... for Reina and his crew members. It wasn't really that useful for him personally. He had the greater [Mythical Adaptation] passive trait after all. Mind-affecting effect had never been a great problem for him.
However, it was a different case with his companions. He remembered the experience he recently faced in the Purplesky Realm. Against that damn eyeball creature. He was unaffected by the mental hypnosis the creature emitted. But his companions were in grave danger.
With this spellcard, it would be a different case. A domain that could cleanse and protect against mental afflictions was invaluable. Especially when facing unknown transcendent threats.
He carefully stored the spellcard in his [Spatial Belt].
...
Some time later...
A soft knock echoed on his workshop. "Dear, it's me and Mirella."
"Come in, Love!" Jack called out. He was no longer in his formal wear. His outfit was his standard leather set now.
Reina entered. Followed by Mirella. Reina's expression was composed, as usual.
Mirella, on the other hand, looked excited. She held a small, detailed sketch of a ship. There was a caption... the Gilded Swan, under the sketch.
"The nobleman was Earl Aldenair of Wavefront." Mirella reported. "He's not waiting until morning. His crew is making preparations. Subtly, but they are. He seems to plan... to set out to sea tonight. Very likely, just after midnight."
Jack nodded slowly. "Prudent. He anticipates a move."
"Indeed." Reina confirmed. "He's hired additional guards. Three transcendent mercenaries and well-armed, professional-looking men. They're positioning themselves around his ship's gangplank now. It seems he understands the value of what he acquired, and the kind of attention it attracts."
"Good work, both of you." Jack said. The information was crucial. It confirmed that the noble was not an oblivious fool. He was prepared. Or at least, he attempted to be...
=====
If you, dear readers, enjoy the story, please share a review.
And if you are willing to support my work, please visit and join patreon.com/Alkrishna. It should be about 15+ chapters ahead there.
=====