Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter81，Part2: 2 - Auction ②

Chapter 81 Auction ②

Part 2

The venue for the Zebrudia Auction is a white theater in the center of the Imperial Capital.

Usually, it is used for concerts or theater. In the sophisticated building made of marble, there are a lot of people lining up, regardless of their ages, genders and styles.

Among them, I wonder how many of them are going to actually bid on the auctioned items? How many people will be competing with us? When I got to this point, I just hope that this fun Auction will end.

The entrance is divided for nobles, Hunters and others. It is obvious for the noble, but the reason Hunters have their own entrance is because if you put Hunters with the common people together, you will definitely have problems to deal with.

The entrance fee for the Zebrudia Auction is one hundred thousand Gils. The most crowded and most striking one is the Hunters entrance.

First, the appearance of the peoples gather there are different. Why would you wear a full body armor at an auction? Some people have different attitude and there will be some people who will bring their weapons to not be misunderstood.

If they are participating in the auction, it means that they are Hunters who possess a high sum of money and there are also some faces that I recognize.

And among them, I notice a group I knew.

A boy with blazing red-haired, as if it was burning the sky. A mature man with dark brown hair. A female thief with brown hair and the disciple of the one who is clinging to my right arm. It has been a long time since the last time I saw all the Dark Pot Members gathered together.

There are many people around them that I don’t know but no matter how much there are, I won’t mistake Tino’s face.

I wonder if I should call out to Gilbert boy or to Greg-sama or to Ruda. But eventually I call out to Tino.

“Oh, it’s Tino. Did you guys also come here to buy something?”

“! Master! Good morning.”

The Dark Pot Member look at me and an uncomfortable expression appear a little bit on their face.

Did you start working together because you were in the same Party once?

Well anyway, I am glad that Tino seems to have made some friends.

Gilbert boy and Greg-sama shrink because of Liz’s glare.

“I came to see Master’s bravery. They were just about to go to the auction, so I thought about going with them.”

“Tino, you… When you are facing “Infinite Variety” your character change.”

Tino turn her disdainful eye toward Gilbert boy who muttered that.

It wasn’t my intent, but I am the eye of the storm for this auction. The man next to Gilbert boy looks at me in an interesting fashion. I hear their whispers. It is very uncomfortable.

“Let’s leave aside if you will see my brave appearance, if you were coming, we should have gone together…”

“…… Well… I couldn’t invite you…”

“…”

Sorry. Really sorry. I am really sorry whereas you just lend me some money. I didn’t notice it at all.

But if you let me make an excuse… Right! It is probably better to go with Ruda and the other rather than with me because I think it is better to not get everyone’s attention. It is to the point I want to switch my position with yours.

Ruda looks at me as if she was blaming me. Does she know that I have a debt to Tino?

“Ah…Uuun… Ehm……”

Tino is staring at me.

What should I say? I can invite you now, but you already have a prior arrangement and being close to Liz and Sytry will make them always be in your mind.

It is at that time that I came up with a good idea.

“… Tino, if you like… Do you want to try participating in the auction as my proxy?”

“……Eh? A proxy?”

Zebrudia Auction has a system called proxy.

As the name suggests, it is a system where someone else take your place to participate in the auction.

I am also going to the auction, but I won’t speak out and I will send a signal to Tino and have Tino speaks as my proxy.

It is often used by highest bidders who want to hide his or her identity information. In this case, it is a well-known fact that I am aiming for the 『Reverse Face』 so it isn’t really useful, but it will help you enjoy the auction.

My suggestion makes Tino eyes go black and white. Sytry narrows her eyes and make a small nod.

“… I see… It is not bad. It is unclear how the Ojou-sama will react, but it can confuse her… It may become a good consolation for her. But is it fine? Cry-san, didn’t you want to bid yourself?”

Indeed, I love auction.

Participating in a heated auction, the catharsis when you get the highest bid for the product you wanted is wonderful but this time, I should give it up to her.

“I have participated many times last year and the year before that. This year I am all sloppy… Look, Liz. Don’t look so greedy.”

Perhaps she wanted to act as my proxy, Liz was itching all around me.

No matter how much you are too immature.

Liz replies in a slow voice while staring at Tino.

“……Haiii. Tsk, Ti, definitely win.”

“Y, yes! Please leave it to me, Master, Onee-sama! I will absolutely win the Relic in question!”

Tino strongly holds her fists.

Well, she says to definitely win but even if we lose, it will be because we didn’t have enough money, it won’t be because of Tino’s fault.

On the noble entrance, a carriage approaches. From the carriage with Gladys coat of arms, a girl in a pure white dress and then an old man wearing butler clothes comes down.

éclair-jou looked around left and right and when she finds me, she is staring at me with a look that you wouldn’t think it is from someone younger than me.

There was no trace of the stunned expression she showed us at the end of that time negotiation. Apparently, she has collected more than two hundred million.

Without showing it on her face, Sytry holds my hand tightly. Looking from the side, her expression seems to remain smiling.

However, I know that there is a deep feeling of anxiety behind that expression.

Is this… Our lost?

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Oh damn now the showdown will begin! éclair can bid up to 1 billion but not Cry! How will Cry reverse the situation?

Tchao à plus!

Dark Pot (Yami nabe): Japanese hot pot where all the member brings some found and put inside without knowing if it will blend well with the other food.