"Now,dies and gentlemen, make some noise for thest item of this auction!" Screamed the auctioneer, skilfully exciting the crowd using his years of experience.


    Loud, passionate shouts echoed throughout the hall for a moment before he continued, feeling the attendees were ready to blow their pouches up for the climax.


    "I must say, I''m sad to see this event conclude. But every good thing has an end," he added, causing the nobles tough at his shenanigans.


    "Alright, without further ado, let me present to you..." He pulled the white silk covering the item. "The hair of the mystical creature that every man dreams of after a certain age... the hair of Follicora! Not only will it restore your youthful vigor, but it''ll also stimte and restore hair growth, even for the baldest heads!"


    A deafening silence engulfed the room as the younger nobles anddies gazed at the auctioneer in confusion.


    However, the middle-aged and old men''s pupils constricted as their facial features contorted into ones of ardent desires.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    Then, all hell broke loose. Before the auctioneer could announce the starting price or minimum increment, greedy shouts reverberated from every direction, with crazy bids from the get-go.


    In their chamber, Arun and Juliusughed at the surreal scene. As young boys, they didn''t share those concerns. Yet, the old nobles'' red faces and flying spit thoroughly amused them.


    Meanwhile, Nova focused on Adam, wondering why he remained silent until she noticed his luminous eyes turn into two bright torches.


    Scared by the strange urrence, she was about to ask him if he was alright. Unfortunately, she was toote.


    "Twenty-five thousand!" Adam roared, his eyes fixed on the strands of hair covering the table and his ethereal hands trembling with anticipation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "We have an offer of twenty-five thousand gold. Who says more?" The auctioneer said, mming his gavel tomand silence in the hall with a bright smile. After all, things were turning serious, and he hoped to break thest item''s price with this one.


    "Twenty-eight!"


    A gentle, feminine voice said, outbidding Adam from her V.I.P. chamber.


    "Thirty!"


    Another V.I.P. eximed, his voice filled with ardent desire.


    ''I don''t have much margin...'' Adam thought, his chest tightening. ''I can''t let them increase the prices slowly.''


    With this idea in mind, he opted to pressure them into thinking he was desperate and wealthy enough to get the material.


    "Forty thousand!"


    Hushed whispers engulfed the hall as the price suddenly rose by ten thousand coins. The amount wasn''t that extravagant in itself. They all were much wealthier. Deeds,nds, shares, if they converted everything, most of them weighed more than a hundred thousand gold. However, to have forty thousand in liquidity was still shocking.


    "Forty thousand. Who says more?" The auctioneer asked, struggling to maintain hisposure and not let his eyes roll in pleasure.


    Seconds passed, but no one spoke.


    "Forty thousand going once!" he said, causing Adam to shiver in anticipation.


    "Going twice!"


    "Forty-two thousand."


    The feminine voice shattered the assumption that the deal was done, causing another wave of excited whispers to engulf the room like wildfire.


    Adam''s bent forward frame deted like a balloon, his shoulders slumping as he remained motionless for a few seconds. Then, the auctioneer''s voice echoed again, asking who would bid more.


    "I can''t give up!" He said, startling the two boys. Yet, he had no money left. Julius was as poor as when he lived in the vige as he had spent every coin  he received to break through the golden core realm.


    His mind raced as the situation turned urgent. The auctioneer had already started to count, leaving him little time to find a solution. At first, he thought about Arun but rapidly dismissed the idea. Since the boy was just apanying them, he had no reason to carry thousands of gold coins in his pockets.


    Then, he remembered something he had acquired months ago but never used. Unfortunately, it wasn''t money. However, he hoped it would appeal to the auctioneer.


    "Forty thousand... and a shop''s deed in the Belloria kingdom''s capital! It''s close to the center in a premium location!" He roared, fervently praying that his bid would be epted. He didn''t know the exact value of Asha''s gift, but it should easily reach several thousand gold coins.


    Upon hearing the bold bid, the auctioneer''s eyes narrowed, a thoughtful light shing in their depths. It would be a lie to say the deed didn''t interest him considering the location. Yet, he couldn''t be sure of its value.


    "Let me see the document," he said, eager to confirm who he was dealing with through the owner''s name.


    A momentter, a mage entered Adam''s chamber, retrieved the document from Julius, and brought it respectfully to the old agent.


    Next, he adjusted his sses to get the information he wanted before sighing in frustration. He had never heard about any family going by Riverwood.


    Still enticed by the shop, he searched for information on the property''s transfer as ast measure before choosing. And he didn''t regret it. His eyes lit up upon seeing the Kaur family''s name and their matriarch''s signature on the officially stamped document.


    With their bag venture, their name was on everydy''s lips. Even before that, they were renowned for their high-quality products, establishing them as trustworthy merchants. This reputation led him to believe the shop was of great value.


    A calctive light shed in his eyes as he estimated the deed''s minimum price. Then he stated, "The deed is worth twelve thousand gold coins. Who says more than fifty-two thousand?"


    No one answered his words. The attendees were too stunned to process the bold move they had just witnessed, different thoughts filling their minds. Yet, amon one echoed louder than the others: it''s not worth it.


    Unsurprisingly, the gavel echoed a few secondster, concluding the auction and granting itsst item to Adam, who grinned like a kid to hispanions'' confusion.


    "Big bro... You don''t have hair. No, you don''t even have a head to begin with," Julius said, facepalming at the indecent amount of money spent on something useless.