Chapter 246

Chapter 246

After a short while, an attendant from the Holy Rose gently knocked on the door of the private box.

"Sir, the auction is about to begin. Would you like to go backstage?" the attendant asked respectfully at the door.

As the initiator of this charity auction, Debra naturally needed to ask Lorant for his opinion.

"No, let Debra handle it as she sees fit," Lorant shook his head slightly, declining.

He wasn’t particularly invested in this charity banquet to the point that he felt the need to be personally involved. He had full confidence in Debra's abilities; organizing an auction would not be a problem for her.

The attendant nodded and quietly closed the door before stepping back.

This was not one of those attendants temporarily hired from the Knights Academy, but rather one of the Holy Rose's own trained servants.

This batch of professional attendants were not practitioners, but their personal qualities were certainly outstanding.

Their good looks, combined with polite speech and manners, allowed them to make a strong impression among the billionaires who frequented the Holy Rose.

Many of the methods used to train these attendants were drawn from the training manual of the Blue Star Restaurant's staff.

Lorant generously shared these methods.

Shortly after the attendant left, before Lorant and Lancelot could properly discuss just how many types of fresh fruits were in the huge fruit platter that the Holy Rose had sent up, the auction officially began.

The venue below had, without anyone noticing, filled up with people. This charity auction had every seat taken, and even several merchants had gone out of their way to secure invitations.

However, their eagerness was less about helping others and more about building connections with the Animal Pet Shop.

Lorant stepped forward and pulled open the thick, deep red velvet curtains in front of the box's glass. As the lights flickered, the auction officially commenced.

Debra gracefully walked to the center of the stage. By now, she had changed into a different dress.

This was a formal gown specially designed by Lorant for female Beast Tamers.

It was a dress that Lorant had crafted by artisans based on the cheongsam but modified to incorporate the fashion styles of this world.

It combined the elegance and allure of the cheongsam with practical mobility.

Of course, female Beast Tamers also had other options. Lorant had also prepared more exquisite and fitted ladies' suits for them to choose from, and these options were highly praised by Beast Tamers.

Deep down, those who truly identified themselves as Beast Tamers might only be people like Gibson. However, this did not prevent these dual-identity individuals from choosing a preferred gown when they needed to attend an event.

The fitted gown accentuated the beauty of the cheongsam on Debra's curvaceous body.

Debra had styled her wavy golden locks to one side of her shoulders, and the elegant cheongsam further highlighted her striking beauty.

By now, people had grown quite accepting of these unique gowns for Beast Tamers.

This was thanks not only to the growing influence of the Animal Pet Shop but also to the exquisite beauty of these gowns, which made them irresistible.

It was surprising to Lorant how high the acceptance of new things was in this world. The higher-ups were particularly open to new trends, whereas those living at the bottom of society seemed unexpectedly conservative.

This came as a surprise to Lorant, who had previously only interacted with people at the grassroots level.

With a smile, Debra looked around. She relished the attention from the crowd.

"Welcome to the Chamber of Commerce's charity auction night," she said softly, gently touching the accessory near her elegant collar, which was disguised as a cheongsam button.

A clear and bright voice instantly spread throughout the entire venue.

"I'm sure everyone already knows the format of our charity auction. A total of thirty-four generous individuals have provided us with items for free auction."

Debra waved her hand backward, and with her motion, a light screen displaying a list appeared in the air.

"First, allow me to, on behalf of those shivering in the cold wind, thank these incredibly compassionate gentlemen and ladies. It is because of your kindness and generosity that those living on the edges of the city will receive warmth in the winter." Debra bowed slightly as she spoke.

The audience immediately burst into loud applause, whether out of genuine emotion or just to applaud Debra's performance, everyone appeared deeply moved.

It was as if everyone here would shed a tear at the sight of someone freezing on the street.

Lorant couldn't help but feel a sense of absurdity.

And come to think of it, even in his sarcastic imagination, the definition of 'kind-hearted people' seemed astonishingly low.

"Now, for all of you equally compassionate gentlemen and ladies present, you may choose to bid on these items. All proceeds will be donated to help those in need. During this time, the Blue Star Pet Shop will act as the chief administrator of the donations, working alongside the church to manage the funds."

"Mr. Lorant, the shop owner of Blue Star Pet Shop, is also the honorary president of our Chamber of Commerce. His kindness is one of the world's most precious treasures. I assure you all that with the Chamber of Commerce overseeing this, your generous donations will certainly reach those who truly need help."

"Now, let us bring up the first item for auction tonight."

The elegant lady slightly turned to the side, and immediately someone brought the first auction item onto the stage.

It was a wooden box as tall as a person.

When the attendants carefully lifted the exquisite wooden box next to Debra and opened the side facing the audience, what appeared before everyone was an extremely beautiful suit of armor.

Seeing this armor, Lancelot raised an eyebrow.

"Mithril enchanted armor?" Lancelot murmured in surprise as he looked at the armor, "This is quite rare. Especially given the craftsmanship, it seems to have been made by a dwarf master. I wonder if the enchantments on it have been determined. If it's blank and can support high-level defensive magic, this armor would certainly be quite expensive."

Lorant smiled, "The price of this item won't be low, and you're only half right. This armor wasn't made by a dwarf master."

Lancelot was slightly stunned, then looked back at the armor, scrutinizing it carefully with furrowed brows, "But this level of precision doesn't seem like the work of human craftsmen. This forging technique and method should only be achievable in the dwarves' Earth-Quenched Forge." He commented professionally.

Lorant couldn't help but feel a bit smug as he watched Lancelot puzzle over it, "Even you, Master Cavendish, can be wrong?"

Not the least bit angry, Lancelot, taking advantage of Maomao excitedly running to the front screen to watch the scene below, nimbly sat next to Lorant, "I make mistakes all the time, so I need the shop owner to keep me on my toes. So, shop owner, can you tell me where I went wrong?"

"This mithril enchanted armor is a set from Mr. Kale's collection from many years ago. It was meticulously crafted by a dwarf master craftsman. Moreover, it was personally reforged by the legendary dwarf craftsman, Loderick, making it a rare masterpiece."

"Not only is the craftsmanship exquisite, but the raw materials of this armor are also noteworthy. It contains eighty percent mithril. This much mithril makes the armor highly flexible and allows it to support high-level magical enchantments. After being refined through a second forging, the original enchantments were removed, making this armor a brand-new enchantable set!" Debra's voice clearly reached every corner of the venue.

As she finished her introduction, the entire venue erupted in chatter.

Lancelot looked at Lorant in disbelief, receiving a nod from the youth with a hint of smugness.

No one expected to see such a high-level exhibit at this auction.

Armor crafted by a legendary dwarf master is usually reserved for knights of at least level eight.

For the dwarves, craftsmen are one of their unique practitioners, a highly powerful class. Weapons and armor made by them are incredibly valuable.

More importantly, this armor was made of eighty percent mithril. This material is so precious that even some mages' staves don't contain as much mithril.

Mithril, being an excellent magical conductor, seems almost wasteful on a suit of armor exclusively for knights.

At first glance, this knight's armor seems incredibly valuable, but on closer inspection, it makes sense why it's here.

It gives off a very strange feeling, like a product made with ample high-quality materials and craftsmanship but has somehow missed its mark in terms of purpose.

Those who need mithril don’t require armor, and those who need armor don’t require such an excessive amount of mithril for enchantments.

In short, it’s like a massive sword that’s razor-sharp yet encrusted with gemstones, making it nearly impossible to swing effectively.

However, this contradictory set of armor is perfect for Lancelot. It’s tailor-made for a knight like him who excels in both magic and martial combat.

Lancelot immediately took an interest, gazing eagerly at the armor below. Although Debra’s explanation wasn’t overly technical, she provided all the essential details. Those who were interested would naturally prepare for the upcoming bidding.

Lorant walked over to his side and continued, “This item was originally a gift that Kail’s grandfather brought back from a trip to the Dwarven Kingdom.”

“Unfortunately, for most people, this set of armor is somewhat mismatched. Even if someone wanted to sell it, it would be hard to set the right price.”

“If the price is too low, Kail would think it’s not worth it; if it’s too high, no one would be willing to buy it. So it has been delayed until now.”

“And since Kail’s family has been unlucky, without producing a single practitioner in three generations, they’ve been using this precious set of armor as a display in their castle, which is quite a waste.”

Lorant thought back, “The last time I attended a party at their estate, this item was displayed in the banquet hall as a decoration. When Kail told me about it, I could hardly believe it!”

“But perhaps he saw my interest in the item at the time, which is why he decided to put it up for auction today,” Lorant added, as if recalling something.

Although today’s auction was initiated by the Animal Pet Shop, all procedures were handled by the Merchant Association. Therefore, even Lorant didn’t know exactly which items would be up for auction in advance. Of course, if he wanted to know, Debra would have presented the list to him immediately.

So, upon seeing this set of armor, Lorant was somewhat surprised.

After the commotion below subsided, people quickly became interested in this intriguing collection piece.

With a starting price of 1,000 gold coins, a lively bidding war began.

......

“9,800 gold coins!” A bald middle-aged merchant with a round belly raised his paddle and shouted the price.

The number of people bidding against him gradually decreased. After he increased the bid by 500 gold coins in one go, one of the other two competing with him reluctantly put down the auction paddle and gave up.

Just as the merchant thought victory was in his grasp, he heard Debra, looking at the screen in front of her, say with delight, “Box 6 bids 10,000 gold coins!”

Box 6 was, of course, where Lorant was seated.

Those in the boxes didn’t need to shout out loud with paddles like the ordinary participants below.

The Merchant Association had set up convenient auction buttons in the boxes, allowing the distinguished guests inside to enter their desired price. With just a press of the button, the bid would appear directly in front of the host on stage.

The bald merchant was slightly startled, then turned his head to look at the dark boxes on the upper floor.

Those boxes exuded an oppressive aura, and even he felt a slight chill in his heart.

The dark, lightless boxes felt like beasts hovering above, ready to devour people at any moment, making it hard for anyone to resist.

It was the weight of wealth and power, accumulated over generations, pressing down on everyone.

But merchants have a soft spot for such peculiar items. Not willing to give up, the merchant continued to bid, “10,050!”

Before he even finished, Debra from above spoke again, “Box 6 bids 11,111 gold coins!”

The bid seemed almost playful, and it immediately deflated the bald merchant’s confidence.

The crowd in the venue buzzed with surprise.

Though the bidder’s identity remained hidden, it was undoubtedly one of Mauplan City’s wealthiest merchants.

The merchant’s dismissive attitude toward money made it clear that he had no chance of acquiring the coveted item.

In the private booth, Lancelot looked somewhat surprised at Lorant fiddling with something like a tablet.

When the armor appeared, he had indeed been tempted, but Lancelot soon gave up the idea of bidding.

First off, the armor I’m wearing now is more than enough for me. Although the mithril armor might be more suitable, switching to a more expensive set wouldn’t make much of a difference.

Secondly, even as a partner of the Beast Pet Shop, Lancelot still couldn’t shake the reality that he was essentially broke.

The dividends from his partnership with the Beast Pet Shop hadn’t arrived yet since it hadn’t been a full year, and the new revenue from the ranches like the Candy Rabbit Ranch and Cotton Trees Farm in the Slime Ranch territories wasn’t substantial.

In short, the knight was still not particularly well-off.

Thus, his self-control regarding unnecessary items was always quite good.

Well, forced to be good.

However, when he saw Lorant start bidding, Lancelot became a little confused.

"Lorant, this armor looks nice, but it’s not very practical. If you’re thinking of buying it for Silem, I’d suggest asking the dwarf master to craft a custom-made one instead," Lancelot whispered. "The master we worked with before was very skilled in crafting armor, and using regular materials, it wouldn’t be this expensive."

Lorant shot him a puzzled glance. "Silem is only a first-level knight; he doesn’t need something like this."

Lancelot blinked, a thought flashing through his mind, but he didn’t dare voice his expectations, only staring straight at Lorant.

"Sure, it might not be useful to others, but it’s perfect for you," Lorant said frankly, seeing Lancelot’s surprised look and hesitating slightly. "What? You don’t want it? Is it no longer helpful to you?"

He had noticed Lancelot seemed interested in the armor earlier and thought to bid on it as a holiday gift for him.

But then Lorant immediately thought otherwise. Even if Lancelot didn’t need it, he could display it in his living room.

It would be perfect for Castle of Moonlight Grass, fitting Lorant’s aesthetic to place a few sets of knight armor in the corridors.

Lancelot was slightly startled, then a happy smile spread across his face. "No, even for me, this is still a very important armor." The knight said honestly.

He had come to understand Lorant somewhat, and if he really said he didn’t need it, Lorant would probably still buy it, though what he would do with it then was anyone’s guess.

While the armor was worth over ten thousand gold coins, its true value was even greater. If there were more adventurers present, the price of this armor could easily increase tenfold.

Lorant’s money was well spent.

Besides, for Lorant, this was just the price of a Windbreaking Horse. If he wanted to, buying it for fun wouldn’t raise any objections.

Even Ruth wouldn’t object to her son’s little indulgence.

Seeing that Lancelot didn’t object further, Lorant nodded and turned to watch the scene below.

With the final bid, no one competed for the somewhat niche armor.

Without adventurers present, to most people, the armor was just a valuable collectible.

People spend money on their interests, but not too much.

Thus, Lorant successfully secured the item.

With the first auction item setting a high standard, people’s interest was quickly piqued.

Following that, a pearl crown from the mermaids of the Eastern Sea, a pocket watch crafted by gnome artisans, and a complete set of tea ware brought back from the elves were brought onto the stage, each rare or precious.

Although most of the auction items presented on stage couldn't be considered particularly valuable, they still managed to captivate the interest of the merchants attending.

Especially the items with significant meaning.

The auction concluded when the final item—a wooden carving made by the young Duke of Aikin Island—sold for 2,000 gold coins.

Jeremy and the Church members he brought had been observing the charity auction backstage. This was standard practice for the Church, which always attended to oversee and regulate such events.

After all, this was Mauplan. Merchants couldn’t do much without the practitioners’ involvement.

Jeremy had been the sole person in charge of this aspect for the Church for many years, having overseen numerous events. But no previous fundraiser had ever left them as stunned as this one.

The amount raised at this auction was shockingly high. It seemed that many people had trouble grasping the scope of this new form of charity, as quite a few had contributed extremely valuable items for the cause.

This time, because the Animal Pet Shop was leading the event, the handling of the donations was handled differently.

Lorant felt the previous method was too informal.

To ensure the process could be streamlined, after consulting with Archbishop Frank, Lorant and the Mauplan Church, together with the Animal Pet Shop, established a brand-new charity organization specifically tasked with managing all donations.

Naturally, Jeremy volunteered to lead the Church’s side. However, to everyone's surprise, Lorant appointed his mother, Ruth, to represent the Animal Pet Shop.

The two leaders would be in overall charge, while more tedious tasks would be handled by the Church's experienced priests.

Thus, the world’s first dedicated charity organization, the Blue Cross, was born.