Chapter 105 - 20X for you Julius
The next week, the grand hall of the Draykar estate was crowded with Nobles, merchants, and collectors.The estate was filled, everyone was examining items displayed on tables and pedestals throughout the rooms. Paintings that had adorned Draykar walls for generations now bore price tags. Furniture, tapestries, jewelry, and rare books—all categorized, evaluated, and prepared for new ownership.
Chen Xing moved through the crowd, answering questions and noting bids. Though his expression remained neutral, inwardly he marveled at the spectacle. The complete liquidation of a noble house’s possessions was unprecedented.
"Is this truly everything?" asked Baroness Helenia, examining a delicate jade figurine. "Even family heirlooms?"
"Everything except certain documents retained for historical purposes," Chen Xing confirmed. "Lord Ambrose prefers a fresh beginning."
The baroness raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, turning back to the figurine.
Whispers followed Chen Xing as he moved through the hall. Most attendees had come out of curiosity as much as desire for acquisition.
"Lot thirty-seven," announced the auctioneer, a thin man with a surprisingly resonant voice. "A fourth-century ceremonial dagger, silver inlay with obsidian blade. Traditionally carried by the Head of house Draykar. Opening bid at fifty imperial crowns."
Hands rose throughout the room. The price climbed rapidly, eventually settling at nearly three hundred crowns—the symbolic value far outweighing the material worth.
Chen Xing made note of the buyer, a distant cousin of the Empress who collected historical weapons. Each sale was meticulously recorded, creating a map of where House Draykar’s possessions would scatter throughout the capital and beyond.
Near midday, a stir ran through the crowd as Julius Luminaris entered, accompanied by two attendants. He surveyed the proceedings, though his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
Chen Xing approached with a formal bow. "Lord Luminaris, welcome to the auction. Is there something specific that interests you today?"