Font Size:
The Duke knew very well how to influence Amos, the eldest son, to change his mind.
Listening to him, the Duke said, “Apart from a few Gryphon eggs, the items in this auction are relatively ordinary. Are you sure you want to waste precious slots on them?”
Although there was a list of auction items, the scale of this auction made it clear that the magical beasts on offer were not particularly outstanding.
However, the lack of uniqueness didn’t mean they lacked the qualifications to be purchased. At least, in the Duke’s opinion, the price for the horse-shaped magical beasts on the list seemed reasonable, and he was inclined to buy one.
Upon hearing the Duke’s words, Amos regretfully abandoned the idea of buying another magical beast.
The auction had already begun. The early batches of magical beast eggs and younglings didn’t interest them as they were more like pets. The Duke sat beside his children, flipping through the list while waiting for the horse-shaped magical beasts that caught his interest.
The atmosphere of the entire auction was not particularly lively. After the auctioneer introduced the magical beasts, the number of bidders was scarce. Most items already had new owners, and the bidding prices were either not too high or the starting prices were too low.
This situation continued until the auction of high-level magical beast eggs and younglings.
Among common magical beasts, horse-shaped magical beasts were relatively popular. Their herbivorous nature made them less harmful, and although they could cause injury, they were not known to attack humans. The fact that ordinary horses had been domesticated by humans for a long time also contributed to the high acceptance of horse-shaped magical beasts.
Despite occasional reports of tamed individuals, some even pulling noble carriages in Holy Lotean City, people generally considered horse-shaped magical beasts as creatures that could be tamed. Even in the city, it wasn’t uncommon to see a tamed horse-shaped magical beast with a bridle, adding to a certain trend. Some nobles, eager for attention, even participated in this, despite occasional incidents of loss of control causing inconvenience to pedestrians, who considered it an inevitable consequence of the nobles’ eccentricity.
Therefore, the situation of the horse-shaped magical beasts presented for auction was somewhat different from other magical beasts. While the popularity of other magical beasts tended to increase, unhatched magical beast eggs were especially sought after. In contrast, the more horse-like and trainable the horse-shaped magical beast, the more desirable it became. The appearance of horse-shaped magical beasts, with a solid color or distinctive patterns, was particularly favored. The more diverse the coat color, the more people liked it. This unique appearance factor played a significant role in auctions.
In the current auction, several horse-shaped magical beasts with consistent coat colors were presented, with one in particular being a winged horse with a body entirely in a greenish-blue shade. Just standing there gave the impression of a gentle breeze approaching.
As one horse-shaped magical beast entered the stage, the auctioneer had just announced the starting bid when the Duke raised his bidding card. Outside the private box, the bid card display randomly activated, showing a number. This indicated that the bidder was willing to increase the bid by the specified low amount determined by the auctioneer.
The auctioneer, looking toward the private box, was momentarily stunned. He announced, “The guest in private box number one bids ten thousand and one hundred gold coins.”
The auctioneer’s surprise was due to the fact that he had not been informed of any guest in private box number one. Typically, the single-digit boxes were reserved for distinguished guests, with the higher the number, the more prestigious the guest. In normal circumstances, such occurrences were extremely rare, especially for the prestigious number one box.
Regular auction attendees were familiar with the rules, and upon hearing the bid from box number one, those who had been preparing to bid immediately withdrew their intentions.
Regardless of the identity of the guest, being in private box number one indicated an extraordinary status. The bidding for a seemingly average horse-shaped magical beast from this box was indeed noteworthy.
As a result, the horse-shaped magical beast smoothly fell into the possession of the Duke.
Amos couldn’t hide his displeasure. “Isn’t this magical beast of average quality? Why did you buy it?”
The Duke responded casually, “The quality is average, but it’s sufficient for our needs. Your mother likes it.”
Thinking of the Duchess, Amos lowered his voice. His mother had always liked beautiful things, and unlike other noble ladies who enjoyed showing off and having a sense of grandeur, she genuinely appreciated a well-behaved horse-shaped magical beast, especially one that could pull a carriage. It was indeed to her liking.
As the auction continued, the siblings observed as the Duke consecutively won bids for several horse-shaped magical beasts. Due to the competition, each time the bid went slightly higher than the starting price. With every bid for these horse-shaped magical beasts, it seemed that the Duke might incur a loss tonight.
Amos couldn’t help but express his dissatisfaction, “Father, does Mother really need these magical beasts for pulling carriages?”
The Duke responded with a nonchalant expression, “It’s a change, and your sister also needs them.”
Amos rolled his eyes and turned to Aresia, complaining, “He bought them because he likes them.”
Aresia smiled, silently expressing her approval. After all, what knight wouldn’t like horses, especially this batch with particularly appealing appearances that were hard not to love.
The Duke heard his grumbling and shot him a sharp look, silencing Amos immediately. The Duke just said “You might just continue your consultation to Aresia about the incantations for the beast companion contract.”
Amos insisted on being the one to read the incantation since he wasn’t a mage in the first place, and plan to learn it for the future when his ready to form a contract with a beast.
The incantations for the beast companion contract were lengthy. If one didn’t regularly practice magic, it was challenging to memorize. However, after reciting it a few times, it could be committed to memory. Aresia, being more knowledgeable, had explained it to Amos, and even the Duke took a moment to listen.
Tonight’s horse-shaped magical beasts included a few that were more suitable as mounts. Their attractiveness seemed not to align with the Duke’s taste. Despite this, he persisted in winning bids for these horse-shaped magical beasts. As they were bought by the Duke, the auction was nearing its end, transitioning to the auction of Gryphon eggs.
This time, people refrained from competing against the Duke, allowing him to secure the bids without much opposition.
Gryphons are not a common type of magical beast. They adhere to a monogamous mating system, typically laying one to two eggs per clutch. Moreover, once the eggs hatch and the young ones grow, the parents do not reproduce again. The protection around their eggs is strict; one of the parents remains in the nest to incubate the eggs.
If anyone attempts to steal their eggs, the Gryphon parents fiercely resist, often resulting in the destruction of the eggs. Gryphon eggs are hard to come by, and the rarer the item, the more nobles are willing to pay for it, especially for the Golden Gryphons. They are highly sought after due to their exceptional appearance and strength. Even with a high price tag, noble families are willing to pay handsomely for them.
However, being willing to spend money doesn’t mean they are naive. The price for a single Gryphon egg typically ranges between 500,000 to 1,000,000 gold coins, with Golden Gryphon auction prices slightly higher, usually around 1,200,000 gold coins.
The Duke smoothly secured three Gryphon eggs at this price.
With that, the auction came to an end.
Normally, the process of paying and receiving items would be handled by the responsible staff, but Amos couldn’t wait and hurried to the pickup area to meet his future companions. He couldn’t wait to personally receive them.
At the pickup location, they encountered Viscount Davis.
The Duke’s purchase of these magical beasts had aroused Lord Davis’s curiosity. This keen viscount smelled something unusual and decided to wait at the pickup area, expecting some extraordinary news.
To his surprise, instead of the steward, it was the Duke’s son who came to pick up the items. Noticing the intense interest in the young master of the Rogest family towards the three Gryphon eggs, Lord Davis narrowed his eyes, sensing an unusual situation.
“Young Master Rogest seems to really like Gryphons. Why not raise one yourself? If you let us know earlier, I would have arranged for the Gryphon eggs to be directly delivered to your mansion.”
Amos tilted his head slightly, showing that he wasn’t completely naive. Outside, he carried himself with the Duke’s dignity.
“The emblem of our family is a Gryphon, and I happen to like them.”
He responded with restraint, answering Viscount Davis’s question while avoiding any mention of personal matters. He then continued with the process of receiving the three Gryphon eggs.
The Gryphon eggs were carefully placed in special boxes with thick padding at the bottom to prevent any damage. The boxes were adorned with magic runes, indicating that they were magical incubation boxes. Placing magical beast eggs in such boxes ensured their protection and facilitated a smooth hatching process. Typically, the hatching period for Gryphon eggs was around four weeks.
Amos, in this moment, gazed affectionately at the trio of Gryphon eggs in the box. Despite being un-hatched, the eggs emitted a magical energy that could be sensed by mages. This energy gave an indication of the vitality and potential of the Gryphons. The magical beasts auctioned were often tested for these qualities.
Observing Amos, Lord Davis saw an opportunity and pointed to one of the Gryphon eggs, sharing insights with Amos, “Among these three Gryphon eggs, this one has a more lively response. Its magical waves slightly surpass its siblings from the same clutch.”
Even before hatching, mages could sense the magical energy emitted by the eggs. This energy was indicative of their vitality and potential. Lord Davis was providing valuable information to Amos about the Gryphon eggs.
Amos promptly made a decision and turned to his father who just arrived, “Father, may I choose this one?”
Originally, the three Gryphon eggs were to be chosen by Amos himself, but the Duke did not intend to reserve one specifically for him. Given Amos’s rank as a squire, Gryphons were not the most suitable companions for him. Besides, the Duke himself preferred contract-bound magical beasts, and the remaining Gryphon egg didn’t offer such an option.
The Duke, already knowing the rarity of Golden Gryphon eggs, had plans for them even if he couldn’t personally bond with them. He intended to use them to establish a Gryphon squadron for the Duke’s family.