"Now we have a duo of 3-Star Martial Beasts, Silver Zaverian Horses, a Mare and a Stallion, who have an affinity for Water. These Beautiful Beasts are three years old," Misa announced, and the Beast Master on the Platform summoned the two horses inside the Formation of Chains.
Unlike the red Zaverian Unicorns, these two appeared rather calm, and they huddled close to each other, showcasing their battle awareness.
Though they were not struggling, the Chains were constantly flickering, which meant that the Horses were trying to sneakily access their Aura and Mana. Most importantly, despite being forced to stay in place by these Chains, both creatures refused to lower their heads. A faint metallic chime came from the links whenever a pulse of energy pressed against them.
They truly were creatures of pride.
"The bidding will start from 100,000 Stones, and each bid has to be no less than 10,000 Stones," the Hostess said, and then smiled at everyone. "Let's begin!"
"600,000!"
Before anyone could even speak, Keith raised the price by six times, which was 50,000 more than the price a pair of such creatures had gone for the last time they appeared in an auction.
"610,000!"
However, this time, someone from the Golden Gallery followed with a bid.
"660,000!" Keith gave the number to his Attendant, who nervously announced it.
Once again, the Hall turned silent, and the one who had followed with a bid earlier switched off the light on their Balcony.
As soon as Misa announced that this pair of Zaverian Horses belonged to Balcony 6 as well, murmurs and whispers rippled through the Hall.
At least people were now sure that whoever was in that Balcony was not short of money, but they could not help feeling that the person was being rather excessive and careless with his wealth.
"Next up is a duo of bronze-coloured Zaverian Horses, a Stallion and a Mare. These beautiful creatures are also 3-Star Martial Beasts, and both these siblings possess an affinity for the Wood Element. They are three years old," Misa informed the audience when the Beast Master summoned two beautiful Unicorns on the Platform, whose green eyes shone under the lamps. "The bidding will start from 100,000 Stones, and each subsequent bid cannot be less than 10,000 Stones over the previous bid. Let's begin!"
Subconsciously, a lot of people looked towards Balcony 6, expecting them to make the bid, but seconds passed and no bid came.
"200,000!" "220,000!" "300,000!" ... ... ... ...
"I thought we were going after all of them." Alana frowned when she saw that Keith was busy eating the meal that had just been served.
"Oh, we are." Rebecca giggled. "Just wait."
Though curious as to why they were waiting to make a bid this time, Alana nodded her head and then started eating as well.
She kept an eye and ear on the rising price and frowned when she saw it stop at the 555,000 mark.
"We overpaid for the others." She confusedly looked at Keith.
"We did." He nodded his head and then gave the price to the Attendant, who announced it before the countdown could finish.
"600,000!"
"Six hundred thousand from guests in the Golden 6!" Misa brightly smiled. "Do we have anyone who wishes to bid 610,000 or higher?" she asked the audience, but no one responded.
Even the guests who had the second-highest bid switched off the light of their Balcony, announcing that they were pulling back.
"The last Zaverian Horse before we get to the Empyrean Breed is a three-and-a-half-year-old grey Mare. She has an affinity for Smoke and Mist and is currently a 3-Star Martial Beast."
The Mare that was now locked in Chains on the Platform seemed to be the wisest of all horses they had seen so far, and she was also slightly taller than the rest.
Her black hair on her neck and tail formed a very attractive contrast with her metallic grey coat. She truly was a gorgeous Beast. A cool haze clung to her mane like breath on a winter morning.
"She's mad." Kiara grinned when she sensed the emotions of the Beast, and her sisters smiled at her.
"I bet she wants nothing more than to suffocate everyone in smoke right now." Ingvild too had taken an instant liking to this Mare.
"Qingyue would love her." Rebecca suddenly said, and her sisters could not help nodding their heads in agreement.
The bidding started from 100,000 Stones again, and it rose all the way up to 305,000 Stones.
"330,000 Stones," Keith ordered, and the Attendant immediately lit up the light on their Balcony and announced the number.
"340,000!"
This time, however, a reply came.
"360,000!"
"400,000!" The person raised the price again.
Keith could not help but sigh in his heart.
Someone seemed to have taken a liking to this Mare, and they could not be blamed for it. However, he had to get this beautiful Unicorn now.
"420,000!" Under his call, the Attendant followed with another bid, and the crowd in the Hall went crazy with excitement.
Then something happened that shocked them all.
One of the Royal Balconies was lit up, and they made a move.
"We will match the bid," they announced.
As per the rules of the Auction, if a Royal makes a move and matches the highest bid by someone who was not in the Royal Gallery, they win the Auction.
Keith frowned as he looked at the Royal Balcony that had made the move. They were not hiding their identity, and the Royal Emblem was lit up as well.
"The Royal House of Krone from Orenesia has matched the highest bid. If a new bid is not submitted, this Zaverian Horse will go to them." Misa smiled and announced to the audience.
Keith and Rebecca exchanged glances, and the blonde was about to stand up to go out on the Balcony when Avriel grabbed her hand and forced her to sit down.
"You don't have to bother. I will deal with it." She said, and walked out.
Seeing her come out on the Balcony, Misa, who was about to start the countdown, stopped.
"440,000 Stones." Avriel lightly said, and then looked towards the Royal Gallery, at the Balcony that was numbered 8. "If the Royal House of Krone wishes to match it, we invite them to a Battle of Rights over the prize."
The words exploded in all their minds, and a deathly silence descended in the Auction House.
Her words were light, but they were calm, collected, and emanated resolve. There was no hint of hesitation, and she had called out the Royal House of Krone as if they did not mean anything in her eyes.
All of this forced the guests to start running their minds and try to figure out the origin of the guests in Balcony Six.
She was wearing a half-mask, which strangely masked her eyes as well, but they could see the snow-white hair from under her hood.
"Is she from the Ancient Orayen Family?" someone whispered, and soon a series of murmurs and rumours broke out in the Hall.
Misa, who was now a little nervous after hearing Avriel's call, looked towards the Royal 8, waiting for a response from the Royal House of Krone.
She was really hoping they could make their decision before she had to proceed to the countdown, and, to her relief, they did make their move.
A tall young man with semi-long and wavy brown hair, wearing a brocade robe and a white crown on his head, walked out of the Balcony.
His brilliant green eyes looked at Avriel, matching her gaze, and then he curiously tilted his head and smiled.
"Is the Princess an Orayen?" he curiously asked.
"No." Avriel denied it, which surprised the Prince.
It seemed that he was totally expecting her to be an Orayen, and now he was openly frowning.
"May I have your name?" he politely asked.
"You may not."
"Excuse me?" He frowned, but Avriel's face and voice remained indifferent.
"Make up your mind. Do you want to follow the bid and enter the Battle of Rights, or do you want to show some goodwill to my family and step back?" she asked, forcing the Prince to think.
The arrogance of her words sent chills up the spines of people in the audience, and even the Prince of Krone looked a little unsettled now.
"What do you have in mind for the Battle of Rights?" he politely asked.
"It can be a game of chess or a duel. You can even put your life on the line," there was finally some hint of playfulness in her voice, but it did not make anyone feel better. Rather, it made them even more uncomfortable.
"How about we have a Battle of Rights by trying to tame this Mare?" the Prince proposed. "If the Beast chooses you over us, it is yours."
"That's fine." Avriel smiled in her heart and nodded her head. "Are you personally going to take part, or do you want to send a Beast Master?"
"I am a Beast Master myself, My Lady." He smiled and then flickered from his place, arriving on the Platform in the blink of an eye.
However, to his dismay, he found her already standing there.
She was faster than him, a lot faster, or perhaps she possessed a very high-grade Movement Art.
In either case, she was not someone ordinary, and it made the Prince of Krone more cautious.
What unsettled him the most was that he was unable to see past her Realm. He did not know how strong his white-haired Princess was.
"The Beast Master will drop the Chains, and then we will both approach the Mare. We are not allowed to interfere in each other's Magic," he said, and she nodded her head again.
"Get ready." The Beast Master alerted them right before he unchained the grey Zaverian Mare, and, as soon as she was free, the Prince of Krone locked her under the pressure of his presence.
The Mare struggled, but she was an intelligent creature, who understood that she had no chance of winning against this person in a battle.
She visibly grew restless when the two started approaching her, neighing in warnings, and she even started emanating Mist from her body. A cool, damp scent spread across the Platform.
The Prince of Krone immediately initiated a binding Spell, where a rope of Aura and Mana shot out of his hand and wrapped around the Mare's neck.
As for Avriel, she stopped a few metres away from the Beast and raised her hand towards it.
"Come." She ordered, and the Mare stiffened at her call.
Suddenly, an angry neigh resounded in the Hall, and the Binding Spell that the Prince had created shattered.
The Zaverian Mare raised her forelegs off the floor, and then stomped them with pride, generating some fissures.
Next, under the amazed looks of the audience, she bowed to the White Princess before approaching her and rubbing her head against the outstretched hand.
"Good girl." Avriel smiled as she patted the Beast, and then stepped forward to plant a kiss on the Mare's face. "Stay calm. I will see you soon." She instructed her before looking at the Prince. "She's mine."
There was nothing he could do to refute her, and he was still in shock at what he had just witnessed.
Never in his life had he seen a Zaverian Horse submit itself to a Master without any struggle. Not even the best of Beast Masters could achieve such a feat.
What was even more outrageous was that the Beast was following the orders of the girl who had not even bound her by a spell yet.
Even after Avriel disappeared from the Platform, the grey Mare obediently stood there, not making any trouble.
"Sold to the Golden 6!" Misa came back to her senses and finalised the Auction.
Up in the box, as soon as Avriel walked back into the room, Kiara stood up and high-fived her sister.
"Good job!"
"Thanks." Avriel giggled as she took her seat, and then continued eating her meal.