Chapter 2-18 : The Collector’s Scheme (part 2)
「ThーThree thousand five hundred gold coins! This is the highest bid so far! Anyone else?」(auctioneer)
「…Khh…!」(Oglan)
I can’t let him have that sword, but… I can’t spend more than three thousand… Dammit!
There was no way I could win the bid against the son of the richest noble family in the south region.
「3500 gold coins! Does anyone want to bid higher?」(auctioneer)
The auctioneer kept asking, but no one raised their hand.
「Very well. The Bottomless Quicksand Magic Sword is sold for 3500 gold coins to Sir Balvin! Congratulations!」(auctioneer)
The people in the venue turned to the brat and applauded him. Everyone congratulated him on his victory.
Except for me…
Feeling embarrassed for not being able to win the bid, I couldn’t help but clenched my fists and gritted my teeth out of frustration.
Seeing his proud face, I couldn’t hold my anger and shouted at him.
「You…! You’re not planning to use it in battle, are you!?」(Oglan)
「Hm? What’s wrong with that?」(Duke Balvin’s son)
「You better not leave a single scratch on that beauty, or elseー」(Oglan)
「ーOr else, what? What’s your problem, old man? Of course, I will use it in battle. Swords are nothing but tools that help me win my fights. This one’s no exception.」(Duke Balvin’s son)
「You… You fool! People like you will never understand the value of that masterpiece!」(Oglan)
「What did you say? What did you call me?」(Duke Balvin’s son)
「…Youー」(Oglan)
This brat really gets on my nerves, but I need to keep my cool.
It’s not a good idea to make a duke’s son upset in a public place like this. I would ruin my own reputation.
「…Tsk!」(Oglan)
I clicked my tongue and walked away.
I left the venue to avoid making a scene and inviting trouble for myself.
Nothing else in the auction item list caught my interest, so I decided to just head back to my mansion.
◆◆◆
「Dammit! How annoying!」(Oglan)
I can’t believe I would lose. I never expected that brat would come all the way from the south to attend this auction.
If he left this city and went back to the south with that sword, I would never get another chance to see that sword again.
My hands trembled in frustration as I poured myself some wine. I took a sip of my wine but I didn’t taste anything. I was too irritated to enjoy it.
「Gaah!! Dammit! Dammit!」(Oglan)
「My Lord, I have information that might calm your anger.」(butler)
There was no one here in my office except for one person. He is my butler and also a reliable informant.
「Oh? Calm my anger, huh? Does it have anything to do with the sword at the auction?」(Oglan)
「I believe, yes.」(butler)
「Alright, go on.」(Oglan)
「I heard that the sword you saw at the auction had a sibling sword.」(butler)
「It has a sibling!?」(Oglan)
*/TL : Sometimes weapons, especially legendary swords that are related to each other are often called sibling swords. For example, Ame no Habakiri and Enma, the two legendary swords that belonged to Oden from One Piece.
「Yes. I heard it was as powerful and beautiful as that quicksand sword.」(butler)
「Excellent! I didn’t expect that! I didn’t see it on the list in today’s auction. So, when will that sword be put up for auction?」(Oglan)
「Unfortunately, they don’t have any plan to put it up for auction.」(butler)
「Wh, what!? Why!? They’ve already sold the quicksand sword, why won’t they sell the other one?」(Oglan)
「Apparently, the owner wants someone worthy of that sword to have it.」(butler)
「Someone worthy? No one’s worthier than me! Where is it now?」(Oglan)
Seems like I have no choice but to buy it directly from the owner before they give it to someone else.
If they refuse to sell it to me, I’ll get it by force!
「It’s in the hands of the same person as the one who put the Bottomless Quicksand Magic Sword up for auction today. Marquis Kushaq.」(butler)
「Marquis Kushaq, you say!?」(Oglan)
Marquis Kushaq is a nobleman who belongs to the opposite faction. Even so, it’s not that we are enemies. We’re not completely hostile toward each other. It’s more like we are in neutral positions.
I think there’s room for me to negotiate with him, asking him if he will sell the other sword to me. However, I can’t be careless since his rank is higher than mine.
But… I wonder where he got those magic swords…
「I know that man, and I know that he’s not interested in magic swords. Where did he get the swords?」(Oglan)
「It seemed that the two magic swords belonged to his adopted daughter.」(butler)
「Hold on. He has an adopted daughter? I didn’t know that. No, that’s not important. Why does his adopted daughter have magic swords?」(Oglan)
「Forgive me, My Lord, I haven’t got reliable information regarding that, but I think those swords belonged to her late parents.」(butler)
「I see. Her parents were probably knights who served Marquis Kushaq and died on the battlefield. She inherited those swords when they died. Marquis Kushaq then adopted the girl because she was his subordinate’s daughter.」(Oglan)
「Yes, most likely.」(butler)
「Well, it’s just my guess, but it doesn’t matter. What matters now is that I know that quicksand sword has a sibling, and I know where to get it. However, it doesn’t mean that I’ve given up on getting that quicksand sword.」(Oglan)
That’s right. I’m not going to let that brat from the Balvin Family waste that wonderful piece of art in battle!
Both The Bottomless Quicksand Magic Sword and its twin will be mine!
「My Lord, what are you going to do? Are you… planning on taking that sword away from Duke Balvin’s son?」(butler)
「Yeah. Tell ‘those men’ to take that sword away from that brat!」(Oglan)
「Fo, forgive me, My Lord, but we are up against Duke Balvin. I’m afraid we will be at a disadvantage…」(butler)
「No, we won’t. That sword is worth three thousand and five hundred freaking gold coins! That brat may be rich, but there’s no way he walks around bringing such a huge amount of money with him all the time. He has probably only paid the up-front money today and it will take time for him to pay the remaining amount, which means the quicksand sword is still in the auction venue now. We will have ‘those guys’ attack the auction and steal that sword.」(Oglan)
「I see. ‘Those thieves’ don’t know that the sword belongs to Duke Balvin’s son.」(butler)
「That’s right. ‘They’ will steal the sword and sell it somewhere, but what actually will happen is they bring the sword to me.」(Oglan)
「If someone asks where you got that sword, you will say that you happened to buy it from a traveling merchant or something.」(butler)
「That’s right. That way, we don’t have to deal with the Balvin Family.」(Oglan)
People might be suspicious of me since I wanted that sword. They might think I hired those thieves, but as long as I can hide the evidence, I will be safe.
Those thieves are known as a sneaky bandit group. I doubt they can be caught easily.
No one will blame me if I say I bought the sword from a merchant without knowing it was stolen. Instead, The Merchant Guild will take the blame since they are the ones responsible for letting the thieves steal the sword from the auction venue.
Khu khu khu~ What a clever plan if I say so myself.
「Convey my orders to those men.」(Oglan)
「As you wish, My Lord. But, how about the other sword?」(butler)
「Hmm… Send Marquis Kushaq and his adopted daughter an invitation to my upcoming party. Tell them I would love to see their legendary magic sword and tell them that they will be my honored guests at the party.」(Oglan)
「Understood.」(butler)
Obtaining the sibling sword might be more difficult than stealing the quicksand sword since I have to negotiate with Marquis Kushaq.
However, that sword originally belonged to his adopted daughter. Perhaps I can try convincing her instead rather than negotiating with her new father.
Deceiving a little girl will be a piece of cake. Khu khu khu~
Those two marvelous magic swords will be mine!
I can’t wait to enshrine them side by side in my treasury and adore their beauty while enjoying my wine!
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Yeah good luck