John stepped out of the room wearing his sunglasses.
The streets were bustling with activity. After all, this was a special world granted as a reward by the game, and many people had already acquired their own classes. The whole scene was vibrant, like a garden in full bloom—each person bringing their unique flair to the place.
John, however, had long grown used to such lively surroundings. He made his way swiftly through the crowd and soon arrived at a nearby shop.
The shop's interior had a noticeably old-fashioned vibe. Dust clung to the wooden beams, and even spiderwebs dangled quietly in the corners.
As John approached, rows upon rows of glass display cases came into view. They were crammed with all sorts of random odds and ends—so much so that it was hard to focus on any one item.
And right in front of those cabinets, reclining on a worn armchair, was an elderly man with white hair. His eyes were half-shut in a nap. Next to him sat an old-fashioned gramophone, slowly turning as it played a mellow tune, adding a layer of tranquility to the cluttered space.
Ding-a-ling!
The bell above the door jingled as John stepped in, immediately snapping the old man out of his nap. A broad smile broke across his wrinkled face as he stood up to greet his customer.
When he saw who it was, the grin on his face deepened.
"John, what are those black things in front of your eyes? Another one of your weird inventions?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
As the owner of a general goods store, Jaque was always intrigued by unusual items. And John… well, John always managed to come up with something bizarre from time to time. No one really knew what went on in that head of his.
"You could say that," John replied coolly. "But this one's not for sale." He batted away Jaque's reaching hand and handed him a list. "I need you to help me acquire these."
Jaque took the slip of paper with a wary look. "You're not pulling one of your imaginary stunts again, are you?"
He still hadn't forgotten the infamous "Periodic Table" John had handed him a while back. John had asked him to try and collect samples of every element on it. While Jaque could identify a few—like gold, iron, and silver—the rest were total nonsense to him. Or so he had thought. He'd spent a decent amount of silver coins trying to gather intel on the other mysterious items on the list… only to come up empty-handed and sleep-deprived for days.
Seeing the old man's suspicious expression, John realized the periodic table incident still haunted him. He quickly straightened up and said earnestly, "Everything on this list is real, I swear. I didn't make any of it up. It's just that they're rare, hard to find. But with your connections in the city, you might be able to get them for me."
Hearing that, Jaque finally took a proper look at the list. As his eyes skimmed the items, a curious "Hmm?" escaped his lips.
"These are all rare materials used in the class change for a swordsman," he said, glancing up sharply. "You planning to switch to a swordsman class?"
John's heart skipped a beat. This old man really wasn't simple.
These were the exact materials Celia, the Class Conductor, had provided for his class change. And Jaque had recognized them at a glance!
Still, John didn't hide the truth. He nodded. After all, their families had done business together since his father's generation.
Jaque gave him a thorough once-over before shaking his head. "I wouldn't recommend it. You're not cut out for this path. Besides, these materials are too rare. I don't even have them in stock. And even if I did, you couldn't afford them."
"Who says I can't afford them?" John raised an eyebrow. "Just tell me where I can find them, and I promise I'll buy them!"
"Well, in that case… the Aurora Auction is being held at noon today," Jaque replied with a sly smile. "They'll have everything you need. But the competition's fierce, and the prices? Pfft. Unless you're a tycoon from Winterhold, there's no way you're walking away with anything."
John chuckled. "What if I am some hidden tycoon?"
Jaque snorted. "If you're a tycoon, then I'm the Sword Saint!"
John's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Sword Saint, huh? Then how about this—if I manage to buy all the materials, you teach me swordsmanship. Deal?"
"No deal!" Jaque barked. "That's impossible!"
"Oh, come on. You scared?" John taunted with a smirk.
"Who are you calling scared?" Jaque's beard practically stood on end. "When I roamed the continent, you were still playing in mud puddles!"
"Then prove it. If I bring you those materials before nightfall, you teach me how to wield a sword!"
Jaque huffed. "Fine! If you really bring them to me today, I'll teach you."
"It's a deal!" John turned and dashed off toward the city center with a grin on his face.
As he disappeared down the street, Jaque suddenly felt like he'd been tricked.
"…He's not seriously going to find those materials, right?"
By the time John arrived at the auction venue, the place was already packed. The entrance was swarming with people—nobles, merchants, and other well-known figures of Winterhold.
"They're clearing out their inventory this time, I heard. The number of items up for auction is record-breaking!"
"Yeah, they're even auctioning a Crimson Flame Flower that's been aged for a hundred years!"
"No way! That herb's incredibly rare! No wonder all the rich folks in the city have gathered. This auction's gonna be legendary."
Amid the buzz of excited chatter, John moved with the crowd into the Aurora Auction House.
However, as he approached the entrance to the special clearance auction hall, he was stopped by a guard wearing pristine white gloves.
"Invitation, please. If you don't have one, you can purchase an entry ticket for one silver coin," the guard said with a professional tone.
John was taken aback. One silver coin just to get in? Talk about daylight robbery!
He'd saved up for years, and all he had to his name were 100 silver coins.
Still, he couldn't miss this auction. The items he needed might all be here, and who knew when he'd get another chance like this?
He adjusted his sunglasses and said confidently, "I have a high-value item for auction. Can I enter for free?"
The attendant nodded and gestured for him to follow.
Not long after…
John stepped out of the appraisal room and was guided to a private VIP booth inside the auction hall.
"That bandage from the Mummification Wrapping Skill is actually worth that much?"
Sitting in the booth, John was still processing what had just happened. His face wore an expression of astonishment.
The appraiser—an experienced and well-traveled man—had been shocked by the quality of the bandage. Its regenerative capabilities were so potent that he gave it a starting auction value of 500 silver coins!
To put it into perspective, the Crimson Flame Flower, a renowned and extremely rare herb, only had a starting price of 100 silver coins.
And that was just the base price. The final bid would likely skyrocket!
Because of how unique the item was, the auction house had even granted him a VIP booth.
"Next up," came the sultry voice of the female auctioneer echoing through the hall, "we have the Crimson Shard. It absorbs ambient elemental energy and slightly aids in breakthrough progress. Starting bid—5 silver coins!"
As the glowing red crystal rose into view on the center platform, the auction began in earnest, and all eyes turned toward the glittering treasure.
The bidding war had officially begun.