With Astraea bringing Ryuu and the others in, Roy definitely had to arrange the best positions for his own people—drinks, beverages, and snacks provided in abundance.
The entry qualification was set at assets exceeding one million valis, yet it was still packed to capacity.
Gods of major Familias, adventurers, merchant guild bosses, and so on—over three thousand people combined!
Since they brought out Divine Wine for everyone to taste, the auction hadn't even started, yet the surroundings were already permeated with dense wine fragrance, drifting for ten li. Under the enveloping of mellow wine fragrance, everyone had a feeling of floating like immortals.
As if the next moment, they would transform into deities, ascend to Heaven, experiencing infinite enjoyment. The Gods were also feeling incomparably captivated.
Since they came to squeeze everyone's wallets dry, Roy didn't delay. When time arrived, the auction began.
As the host, Roy stood on the temporarily built auction stage, first delivering a classic opening speech, "My Lords, adventurers, and merchant guild presidents, thank you all for taking time from your busy schedules to attend this hastily organized auction."
Being able to let people taste Divine Wine—Roy's generosity made people admire him. Everyone was also very face-giving, thunderous applause ringing out, resounding through the clouds.
Roy first elaborated on the Soma Familia's recent situation, explaining their predicament, throwing the pot of previously selling defective Divine Wine onto the dead Zanis.
Roy's speaking method was very clever. He wouldn't name names, but used verbal implication.
Letting the other party guess the answer.
Every sentence of his was true, but the content often summarized many things. Gods also couldn't detect abnormalities.
"The Soma Familia's personnel has sharply decreased, paying penalty fees—the Familia has reached the end of its rope. This auction concerns the Familia's survival. We ask for everyone's generous support." Roy deeply bowed.
The Gods could all feel that Roy's words held not a trace of falsehood. Logically speaking, in business, one must certainly hide their own difficulties and bottom line.
Only then could they better fight for interests.
But Roy directly pointed out the Soma Familia's difficult situation, exchanging sincerity for sincerity, moving many people. They could also feel the youth's determination to burn his boats.
Expelling over ninety-five percent of malignant members from the Familia, paying high penalty fees to major merchant guilds, not engaging in fraud or bullying. Determined to become a Familia with honest business practices.
"Little brother Roy, we believe in you!"
"I want to buy ten jars!"
"Don't stop me, even if I have to lose my family fortune, sell my pots and pans, I must support little brother Roy!"
As Roy's words fell, the atmosphere reached its peak. Many Gods shed tears on the spot, shouting that even if they had no money to eat tomorrow, they would support Roy. Especially emotional Goddesses screamed continuously.
Unlike these brainless Gods who liked entertainment, shrewd merchants and adventurers looked at the high-spirited Roy on the stage with heavy eyes.
They couldn't help but sigh in their hearts.
The Soma Familia, after this incident, was indeed severely damaged. But they could feel brand new vitality. As long as that youth was present, revival would come sooner or later.
The Soma Familia—no, the Astraea Familia—had really picked up a treasure.
Moreover, if the Soma Familia collapsed, where would they buy Divine Wine in the future? Everyone present reached consensus: the Soma Familia must survive!
Ryuu, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lili all couldn't help but break into cold sweat for Roy.
Standing under the spotlight, being watched by thousands of people—these people's identities differed, their statuses varied. They would rather run to the Dungeon to kill high-level monsters than do this kind of thing. Too terrifying.
However, not a trace of stage fright appeared on Roy's face. He methodically guided the atmosphere of the entire venue. This was what surprised them most. At this moment, the youth seemed to transform into the center of the world, the protagonist in everyone's eyes.
Controlling the rules of this domain.
Roy took a deep breath, "The Divine Wine auction has a total of ten batches. Each batch is ten jars of original Divine Wine, each jar weighing about one catty."
Only ten batches?
The Gods below felt their hearts skip a beat. Too few, right? There were over three thousand people present, coming from different forces, adding up to over a thousand parties.
But Roy also said the Soma Familia was in difficult times. Being able to take out one hundred jars of Divine Wine was already not bad.
So what followed would certainly be a fierce dragon battle tiger fight.
Roy spoke with a booming voice, "Now beginning the first batch's auction, starting price five hundred thousand valis, each bid increase no less than ten thousand valis!"
Soma Familia members brought up ten wine jars, stimulating everyone's bidding desire.
In fact, he didn't need to stimulate them at all. Everyone's eyes were already red. Five hundred thousand starting price.
What difference was this from giving it away?
Those defective Divine Wines, several dozen milliliters cost fifty to sixty thousand valis. One batch was ten catties!
"Five hundred fifty thousand valis!"
"Six hundred thousand valis!"
Everyone began bidding one after another. In the blink of an eye, the first batch of Divine Wine was raised to over one million valis.
So this was why Roy set entry qualifications—people with assets below one million valis basically didn't need to come in.
At first, everyone bid relatively conservatively, adding tens of thousands of valis at a time. The further it went, the more terrifying it became.
"Ten million valis!"
This voice made the surroundings quiet for an instant, but was quickly drowned by more voices. One batch had ten jars of Divine Wine, split evenly—one jar over one million valis. This still couldn't scare everyone.
The first batch of Divine Wine ultimately sold for eighteen million valis. Surprisingly, the person who won this batch was Loki.
Surprise appeared on everyone's faces. This "Fool God" skilled in strategy and calculation, actually made her move so quickly—truly unexpected.
Loki's face was smiling, her eyes slightly opening, flashing with the light of a successful scheme.
But soon, everyone reacted.
Loki was correct!
The further it went, the more anxious everyone became. Prices for each batch rose like their lives depended on it.
Some small merchant guilds couldn't take down a batch of Divine Wine alone, so they pooled their funds together, dividing the Divine Wine afterward.
Starting from the second batch, prices broke through twenty million valis, then rose all the way, unable to stop.
For the last batch of Divine Wine, everyone dug out their family fortunes, fighting until blood flowed like rivers. The final transaction price reached a terrifying fifty-three million valis!
The Gods' intestines turned green with regret. If only they had drank their fill when tasting earlier.
Now, past this village, there would be no such shop!
Soma Familia members, Lili, and Soma watched all this with dumbfounded mouths. From the auction's start, they seemed to have lost their voices. Too outrageous—one jar of Divine Wine's price was hyped to several million valis.
Far exceeding their expectations.
Ten batches of Divine Wine, final total transaction price was 320 million valis. They looked with disbelief at that youth commanding the stage with a wave of his hand.
One night, wildly earning 320 million valis!
Simply creating a miracle in Orario's business history!