Extra's Perfect Ending

"Let us demonstrate the item," the host announced. Reeva raised an eyebrow. Most of the items here didn't require demonstrations and the few that did often skipped them. A demonstration would undoubtedly prove the dagger's special properties, which could drive the price beyond his thousand stac limit. The waiter carefully picked up the knife and slashed the air a few times before making a swift cut on the stand, leaving a visible mark. The audience clapped when the performance ended. "Thank you for your applause, but our waiter hasn't even activated the knife's true property yet," the host said, his words raising the eyebrows of previously disinterested guests. The waiter had already been quick with the blade—could he go even faster? "Please observe our waiter closely," the host continued, nodding at the knife holder. The waiter removed his glove, exposing his hand, and then slit his palm until blood seeped out. The blade seemed to absorb the blood, and veins started to stand out visibly on the waiter's body. Gripping the blade tighter, the waiter made a quick slash, and to Reeva's surprise, he could clearly see the difference in speed with his naked eye. If he noticed it, so did the other guests. The host's smile widened as he observed the room, where eyes gleamed with greed. The guests could already see the potential benefits of such a knife. Whether given to a knight or a mystic, it could dramatically enhance their power—possibly turning the tide in battle. "The starting bid will be 200 stac, with a minimum increase of 20. Please place your bids now." Three rods shot up immediately. "220!" the waiter called out the first increase. "240!" "260!" The price quickly climbed to 500 stac, with no sign of stopping. Bidders continued to raise their rods one after another, eager to secure the knife. Reeva occasionally joined in but mostly held back, letting the others drive up the price. There was no point in bidding if the price was going to rise regardless. As long as it didn't exceed a thousand stac, he was still in the game. As time passed, only two bidders remained. "780!" one called out. At this price, most had dropped out, knowing that the dagger wasn't even the final item in the auction, which meant something better might still be up for grabs. Those with significant wealth often saved their resources for the last item, the most valuable. "800!" the other bidder responded. At this level, the money could be used to fund an entire squad of knights. The remaining bidders were either highly influential or had a particular interest in the knife. Both seemed to fit that description. "820!" However, the bidding had slowed considerably. Each new raise required more thought. Reeva glanced at the two remaining participants—one was a wealthy-looking merchant, the other, a noble of some kind. Neither fit the description he had for Ulla. "840!" the merchant raised a rod, raising the price again. But this time, the noble hesitated. "840 going once," the host announced clearly. "840 going twice…" The host deliberately stalled, giving the noble a chance to reconsider. The merchant smiled, confident he had won the blood dagger. But before the sale could be finalized, a rod rose from Reeva's table. "860! From table 27," the host announced. The thrill that the price could go even higher. Reeva, seated at table 27, had raised his rod. The merchant gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated by the competition. He then answers back with a raise of hi own. "880 from table 14!" "900 from table 27!" ... "980 from table 27!" Reeva was nearing his budget's upper limit. The merchant could hardly believe he was being forced to pay so much for a mere knife. At this point, it wouldn't be worth it anymore. "980! Going once…" "980 going twice…" "980…" The merchant gritted his teeth and raised his rod. "1,000 from table 14!" "1,020 from table 27!" Reeva decisively followed up with the raise, pushing the price beyond a thousand stac. He could cover the extra cost later—perhaps even gain favor with Holen if he played his cards right. Besides, he still had the money to pay for it. The merchant was bewildered by Reeva's quick response. Was this some undercover royal? Who else would spend so much on a mere knife? That kind of money could buy an entire building. "1,020 going once…" "…twice…" "Sold!" The merchant couldn't match the price any longer. Reeva sighed in relief, knowing he had secured the item he had come for. The host moved on to reveal the final item—a rare painting by a deceased artist. Reeva wasn't particularly interested in the artwork. From what he could see, it was just a regular old painting with nothing special about it. The merchant who had competed with him won the painting for 1,300 stac. If he had truly wanted the dagger, he could have won it. Fortunately for Reeva, the dagger wasn't his main objective. At the end of the event, Reeva felt plenty satisfied. The food had been excellent, and he had completed what Holen had asked of him. Now, they just needed to exit the event. Every 10 minutes, guests were escorted out one by one to prevent anyone from being followed. Of course, the hotel staff knew who the guests were, but their reputation kept them from exploiting that information. The hotel was a neutral ground supported by various powers in the city. To stay in business, it had to maintain its neutrality. Reeva, Theia, and Hilda left the restaurant around midnight, exiting with the middle group—not too early, not too late. At the end of the day, Reeva felt happy. They returned to their room and fell asleep shortly after. The long day of working and buying the knife had been tense. ---------------------- Reeva woke up in the morning to the sound of knocking on the door. Reeva just woke up but he is on high alert. Hilda went to check the peephole.