Her struggles were useless, the glass had been fully reinforced. She looked around at the people watching her and scoffed, or something like that cause the only thing I saw were the bubbles coming from her sneering mouth.
Sirens were just as intelligent, but they were also difficult to find. No one in their right mind would go to the sea for a goose chase.
I wondered how the auction managed to find this one.
"Since all of you have seen our first product, shall we start the bid?" she went on quietly," the starting bid is ten thousand gold and only an increase of five thousand or more."
Abeloin stepped back from the glass he was leaning on as though he had been burnt.
"That could last years, who would spend that...."
"Fifty thousand."
I cut him off my voice echoing in the quiet auction. It seemed that was the only push they needed.
"A hundred.."
Someone shouted from the group floor.
"Two hundred.."
The voice came from two rooms down mine.
"Five hundred..."
I shouted. I really wanted the siren, and I was determined to get it. Who knows when I'll be able to find another one? She might just be the only one found.
"Seven hundred..."
Another voice chimed in from a different floor, it seems everyone was after it.
"Young master, isn't it a bit too much..."
Abelion said nervously.
"You will never understand the world of the wealthy. "
Blair said sarcastically. I felt like laughing but I was too caught up in the auction.
"One million.."
"That money can run five commoner households for a whole lifetime. "
Abelion said in distress. I rolled my eyes at that.
"Two million..."
"Young master..."
Now luna started to get worried. I turned to her and patted her shoulder in reassurance.
"I know what I'm doing ."
I told her softly. She nodded, her eyes filled with trust. A few seconds passed but no one added the amount. Two million gold wasn't something to be laughed at but spending it on her was worth it.
"Two million going once..."
The auctioneer started the call.
"Going twice....."
"Two point five.."
A familiar female voice filled the room.
"Why is the saintess here?"
Blair asked in confusion. I was also confused, the church was against slavery. They complain about killing and slavery being a sin or something along those lines.
"Three million. "
I waited for the counter but nothing came.
"Three million going once, twice, and sold to the gentleman in room number one."
The auctioneer's voice filled the house as she swung the small mace down.
I had just bought my very first mermaid a legend on earth. That made me proud even for just a second.
"Okay, the next item, ladies and gentlemen, is our favourite, silver-haired elves. Brought directly from the elven forest, this is for our ladies, we've got a male Elf that would satisfy every one of your desires..."
The moment she finished shouting, prices were being shouted out before the elf was even revealed. Elves were naturally beautiful so even a male elf fetches quite the prince.
The auction rolled on slowly as most of the better quality items were sold for astronomical prices, but no one was able to surpass me.
"This marks the end of our monthly auctions, we strive to give you the best products every time. "
She bowed before leaving the stage.
"Donovan.."
"Yes, young master."
"Go tell the pay to be put under the Bloodmoor family account ."
Donovan's eyes widened.
"Were you not paying on your own young master?"
I nodded.
"I will be out of gold if I paid it on my own."
"The duchess..."
"I'll deal with mother when the time comes."
Donovan nodded before leaving the room. The siren had been an impulse buy. I did have enough money, but everything had been budgeted for, I couldn't pull my research back just because I was scared of my mother's wrath.
She will get angry and eventually forgive me , it happens all the time.
"We should leave."
I said and started to head for the door. The auction had taken at most two hours, and there was nothing more I wanted to buy.
We all filed out of the private room and out of the auction house without any trouble.
"Where do you want to go young master?"
Luna asked me the moment we stepped out. Since Donovan was dealing with the auction the carriage was not ready.
"How about we take a walk, we might get a surprise ."
I said and stepped into the crowd. The difference between the auction house and the slave market was like night and day. The auction house was a haven here.
I looked around at the slaves, but all I saw was unsatisfactory.
"Donovan should be finished by now right?"
I turned to Luna.
"Yes, we're supposed to meet him at the exit."
The exit was just a few steps away.
"Young master."
Donovan waved at us with a big smile on his face.
"Something good happened?"
I asked out of necessity. Donovan's smile got even bigger as he nodded enthusiastically.
"We got free delivery and a bigger fish tank"
"Thats it?"
I deadpanned as I got into the carriage with the others. Donovan chuckled. The carriage left the market as it headed to my laboratory.
Someone had to receive and transport the siren.
"Why do you think the saintess was in the auction?"
Blair asked clearly confused.
"To buy a slave?"
Abeloin chimed in.
"Are you serious right now?"
Blair asked him. He nodded, turning to look at me, confused.
"Master, may I make a suggestion?"
Luna asked quietly. I nodded.
"She might have sneaked into the auction on her own or the church might have known about the siren."
"Yes, that has also crossed my mind, but why would the church let their dear saintess out of the church. Master lucian it might also be the prince."
Blair said thoughtfully.
"Yes, if it's the prince, he might have set his eyes on the siren. It is a treasure, a beautiful gift ."
"Ooh! Yes, why didn't I think of that? I heard the prince say in passing that one of the other kingdoms might visit but they weren't sure when it was still being discussed."
Blair said enthusiastically.
"So he might want to give it as a gift?"
Abeloin asked.
"It's actually just a hypothesis, it might not be the prince at all, but that girl acting alone. The capital is too large for all of us to know what goes on behind doors."
I said. The matter did feel bizarre, but it would be a waste of time to worry about what would happen and what would not. We might all just be wrong.
"Young master, you really need to find a way to penetrate the capital or you'll be left out."
Blair said seriously. I had that in mind, but the capital was filled with giants, it wasn't as easy as it seemed.
"I know, that has been troubling me. The capital isn't like the duchy; a single mistake could ruin us."
Blair nodded.
"But we don't have to start aggressively with the nobles, just the slow integration. You still have four years in the capital to set everything up."
Blair explained.
"I'll be leaving that to you then."
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
"We've arrived young master."
Donovan's voice came.
"I think we'll have to buy another carriage, this is too crowded ."
I said to no one the moment I got out. This was the worst carriage experience. Who wants to sit in the same carriage with two men squeezed inside?
"The fish tank seemed to have already arrived. "
Donovan said, pointing at the still-open mansion door. The slaves were busy cleaning and rubbing the tracks left on the floor.
"Welcome to my home."
I said to Blair. He was the only one who had not visited the place. We walked inside and headed directly for the basement.
The slaves were wise enough to know where to place all new arrivals.
"I could never imagine something like this under this mansion."
Blair said in wonder the moment he entered the laboratory. Abelion had added a few more static tanks and it just made the place look more magnificent and real.
"Its supposed to be a secret."
Donovan answered playfully.
"Look."
In front of the very end of the laboratory, on the wall facing the entrance, was the large fish tank. It took up the length of the whole wall and height-wise it almost reached the ceiling.
Blue light crystals had been thrown at the bottom of the tank, making it feel like an sea.
The siren was floating in the middle of that luminescent her scales shining every time the light hit them. She was truly a beautiful sight.
"Reward the slaves who placed it there, this was marvelous work."
Donovan nodded.
Before I could continue forward, a slave came running from the cells, her hands covered with blood, and her eyes panicked.
"Master, bad news...bad news..."
That was the only thing she was shouting but it was enough to get me in action. Blood I didn't cause wasn't something good.