Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Lieutenant Adam glanced at Gates, exhaling slowly. "You seem hell-bent on having this item," he said with a slight edge in his voice. "Fine, let's make a deal."

Gates tilted his head, his grin widening. "A deal, you say? Go on."

Adam folded his arms. "I'll stop bidding for this item right now. But if the second rare item isn't something you currently need, you back off and let me have it without a fight. Deal?"

Gates considered it for a moment, his grin fading slightly as he weighed the offer. "Hmm... fair enough," he said, extending his hand.

"Deal."

"Going Once"

"Going twice!"

Arthur stood at the stall, his hand raised. "Sold! For 15 gold coins to Gates!" he announced, his tone carrying some excitement.

The crowd burst into murmurs of disbelief.

"Fifteen gold coins? That's a fortune!"

"That's $150,000! You could buy a sports car for that!"

Arthur, grinning ear to ear, accepted the trade request from Gates.

[Player Gates would like to trade.]

[Yes/No]

Arthur pressed [Yes].

[Gates deposited: 15 Gold Coins.]

[Fateless deposited: Iron Dagger (Rare).]

Both confirmed the trade and the transaction was completed smoothly.

"Thanks for the business, Mr. Gates," Arthur said with a small bow, his tone professional.

Gates gave a nod, his trademark grin still in place. "Pleasure's all mine, Mr. Fateless."

As Gates walked away with his prize, the crowd erupted into applause, whispers flying left and right.

"This guy just spent $150,000 like it was nothing!"

"I wish I was born rich..."

One player sighed dramatically. "I would sell my entire inventory for half of that dagger's value."

"Your inventory wouldn't even cost 1 silver coin let alone half of what the dagger costs." A player snickered at the remark.

Meanwhile, Arthur turned his attention back to the crowd, his grin faltering slightly. 'I can't believe they agreed not to compete for the next item. I already know it won't fetch as much profit as the first one. But if I back out now, my reputation as an auctioneer will fall,' he thought, letting out a quiet sigh.

With a flick of his hand, he displayed the next item.

"And now," Arthur declared, his voice amplified for the eager crowd, "the final item of today's auction—a Rare Iron Wand! Perfect for spellcasters and mana users alike. This wand will give you the edge you need to dominate your enemies and outlast your rivals!"

He held the wand up for everyone to see, the polished iron gleaming faintly in the light.

"The starting price for this remarkable item is 5 gold coins," Arthur announced.

Lieutenant Adam, standing near the front, frowned slightly. "The starting price is a bit steep," he muttered under his breath. But he didn't complain—after all, he'd struck a deal with Gates, and now the bidding field was his.

"I'll start at 5 gold coins," Adam declared confidently, raising his hand.

A few other players in the crowd hesitated, then joined the fray.

Experience more on empire

"5 gold coins and 10 silver coins!"

"5 gold coins and 20 silver coins!"

Adam raised an eyebrow but didn't respond immediately. Before he could speak, a new voice chimed in.

"6 gold coins!" shouted a young man, his uncommon armour shining in the sunlight.

Arthur smirked. "A new challenger appears."

The bidding continued, but it became clear that most of the crowd didn't want to go against Adam. His affiliation with the army gave him an edge, and the others didn't want him to target them.

As the bidding hit 7 gold coins, Adam finally turned to the remaining competitors, his tone calm but firm. "Just so we're clear, I'm from the military. I would be very grateful if you guys gave me some face and allowed me to get this wand."

The challengers exchanged uneasy glances and one by one, they dropped out.

"Sold," Arthur said with a lack of enthusiasm. "For 8 gold coins to Lieutenant Adam."

The crowd clapped politely, but it was clear they were more entertained by the first auction.

Adam initiated the trade.

[Lieutenant Adam IV would like to trade.]

[Yes/No]

Arthur pressed [Yes].

[Lieutenant Adam IV deposited: 8 Gold Coins.]

[Fateless deposited: Iron Wand (Rare).]

Once the trade was complete, Adam gave Arthur a small smile. "Thanks for the wand. I'll make good use of it."

Arthur nodded, his voice professional again. "I look forward to seeing what you accomplish with it."

As Adam walked away, Arthur leaned back against his stall, letting out a sigh. 'Not as GOOD as the first one, but hey, it's still 8 gold coins.'

The crowd began to disperse, murmuring among themselves about the auctions.

"That dagger went for way more than the wand, didn't it?"

"Yeah, but the wand was still worth a ton. I'd kill for that kind of money."

As Arthur was preparing to leave the area, he heard a familiar and overly cheerful voice call out.

"Heya!"

He froze for a moment, recognizing the voice immediately.

Turning around, his suspicions were confirmed. "The fake princess..." he muttered under his breath. Jasmine was walking toward him, her grin so wide it could rival the Joker.

"You're too enthusiastic," Arthur said as soon as she was close. His brows furrowed. "Something's wrong."

"Wrong? Me? Never!" Jasmine said, but her expression faltered for a split second, resembling a thief caught red-handed.

Arthur crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Hmm... Okay." He turned and resumed walking, only for her to trail closely behind him.

After a few steps, he stopped abruptly, causing her to almost bump into him. "Why are you following me?" he asked with a sigh, glancing over his shoulder.

"Remember?" she said, beaming. "You said I can follow you inside the village, just not outside."

Arthur sighed deeply, already feeling his patience wearing thin. "Right," he muttered, turning back around. He took a step forward, then paused again, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "What else?"

"What else?" she repeated, tilting her head to feign innocence.

"You're not following me just to keep me company, are you?" Arthur said, his gaze sharp and questioning.

Jasmine's grin faltered, and she scratched the back of her neck. "Oh, you mean that… Ahem." She cleared her throat, visibly nervous. "You know the inn you paid for..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Arthur's expression turned stony. "Yes, I do," he said flatly, already bracing himself for the inevitable.

"The next pay—"

"Stop right there," Arthur interrupted, raising his hand.

"But—"

"I said stop," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "Let me guess. The lost princess wants money for her living expenses. And, of course, your dad will totally pay me back, right?"

Jasmine's grin returned, softer this time. "Exactly! See? You're such a genius."

Arthur groaned. "How much this time?"

She hesitated, holding up three fingers. "Two silver coins?"

Arthur blinked. "Two silver coins? What are you doing in that inn, throwing lavish banquets?"

"No!" she protested, pouting. "It's just… you know… rent, food, and... other essentials."

Arthur stared at her, his face unreadable, before shaking his head. "No. You are only getting one silver coin, and it better last you a week. You're lucky I'm too tired to argue." He opened his inventory and gave her the amount.

"There. Happy now?" Arthur said, crossing his arms.

Jasmine's face lit up, and she clapped her hands. "You're the best! I promise my dad will repay you in full. My dad is generous, he might even give you a powerful item!"

Arthur gave her a blank look. "Yeah, sure. I'll put that promise right next to my 'Primordial dragon pet aspirations.'"

"See? Optimism suits you!" she chirped, giving him a thumbs-up.

Arthur stared at her, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Optimism? Lady, you've been in this game for a few days, and I'm already feeling pessimistic when hanging out with you. All you've been doing is giving me trouble and bleeding me dry."

She gasped, clutching her chest as if wounded. "Bleeding you dry? Fateless, I'm practically your lucky charm! Haven't you noticed how successful you've been since we met?"

Arthur squinted at her, his suspicion growing. "My what? You've done absolutely nothing but follow me around and—wait—did you just call yourself my lucky charm?"

"Absolutely," she said, nodding earnestly. "I'm like... the secret to your success. Look at how much gold you've made!"

Arthur groaned, running a hand down his face. "The gold I've made was through my hard work and my auctions. What exactly have you contributed?"

"Support!" she said brightly. "Moral support. Emotional support. And I've even made you laugh a couple of times. Admit it, my company is priceless."

Arthur stared at her for a moment, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're unbelievable."

She gave him a cheeky smile before bouncing off toward the inn. Arthur watched her go, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I've got to figure out a way to get rid of her," he muttered to himself. "Or at least start charging her rent for following me around."