NOVEL NEXT Chapter 106: Rich Olivia
Richard naturally suspected that Rebecca had been pregnant with an extraordinary man. There was no way she would have chosen some random stranger—he must have been exceptional in both talent and appearance.
But the Skylight Clan… It wasn't that he held a negative view of the clan, but the thought of being family with Olivia made him uncomfortable.
What if they were even siblings?
"No."
He shook his head, thinking it was completely impossible.
He believed his father should have been around the same age as his mother, who was only in her thirties now. There was no way she would have chosen someone much older.
Olivia was already at least twenty years old, perhaps a little younger, so it was impossible for them to share the same father—unless Olivia's father had bedded his mother when he was barely in his teens.
"1.3 million!" Luca raised his bid again, but his expression began to look uneasy.
Perhaps the spear wasn't his true target, and he couldn't afford to spend too much of his Nature Spirit.
But Olivia raised the price again.
"1.4 million," she said casually, smiling as she snapped her fingers.
She seemed far too lazy to bother with a mere fifty-thousand raise.
Luca fell silent when he heard that, as if realizing his budget was no longer enough—especially since the item he truly wanted was far more expensive.
He didn't bid again.
On the other hand, Sophia observed the participants, who seemed deep in thought, but no one spoke.
She furrowed her brows slightly, realizing that psychologically, people were starting to hesitate.
If no one else placed a bid soon, of course she would have to close it.
"Is there no one else?" she asked, trying to flash a charming smile.
Unfortunately, there was still no response.
"Sold! This young lady wins the bid!" she finally declared reluctantly.
One of the men then carried the spear over to Olivia.
Although Richard had plenty of Nature Spirit to spare, he truly wasn't interested in owning the spear.
What he hoped for was something like the Ignis Volt Core—something that could unleash a special attack without needing an Arcane Art.
Of course, what he desired most was something that could increase his strength.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we shall continue with the second item. This is an extraordinary artifact, for within it lies a hidden world. Though small—perhaps smaller than the tiniest room you've ever seen—it is still an incredibly safe place to hide. Naturally, the best part is that it is an outstanding place for training, capable of doubling the results of your practice." Sophia explained the second item, which immediately caused a huge uproar, especially among the older generation.
They clearly placed great importance on such an artifact.
The one bringing it onto the stage was even an elderly man whose aura was more intimidating than Luca's two guards.
What he carried was also a miniature world sphere, similar to the Dragon Hall, but far less impressive in appearance.
Of course, to the auction participants, it was immensely impressive—so much so that their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
Figures like Henry and Layla straightened their backs, looking as though this was the item they had been waiting for.
"For such a remarkable artifact to appear so early, perhaps there won't be many items in this auction," Richard thought.
But he also reasoned that if there were too many items, then the auction would lose its special significance.
This event was clearly reserved for rare treasures that would inevitably spark fierce competition.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we shall open the bidding for this artifact at 2.5 million. Each increment must be no less than 100 thousand Nature Spirit," Sophia announced.
Richard could only be stunned by the artifact's price, which he felt was absurdly high given that the hidden world inside was so small.
However, the others grew even more excited, especially Henry and Layla.
The latter raised her hand first and declared loudly, "3 million!"
Rather than bidding the minimum raise, she directly increased the price significantly.
Those who had been considering joining the bid immediately hesitated, even Henry.
Layla looked at Henry with a mocking expression and said, "What's wrong, Henry? Is this price already too much for you? I refuse to believe that your secret military funds amount to less than 3 million over the years."
Her provocative words made a few people laugh.
"3.2 million! I bid on behalf of the Duke of Eastern Star!" Suddenly, another voice joined in, coming from a group that had seemed inconspicuous until now.
Without invoking the name of the Duke of Eastern Star, they might not have had the courage to bid.
The Duke of Eastern Star was a royal relative who ruled over five provinces on the border.
"3.5 million! I bid on behalf of the Duke of Ice Mountain…" Another group suddenly joined, representing another Duke.
This auction truly wasn't only attended by participants from the capital but also several powerful nobles from outside.
And the Duke of Ice Mountain was somewhat related to Richard, since the city that had been handed to him was technically within the Duke's domain.
Of course, since his authority over the city was absolute, he was essentially independent of the Duke's control.
With two Dukes driving up the price, Henry and Layla began to struggle to compete.
Unfortunately, compared to the wealth of the Dukes, theirs was insignificant.
In the end, it was the two Duke representatives who continued to raise the bid until the price reached 4 million, with the Duke of Ice Mountain's side claiming victory.
After receiving the artifact, they immediately departed.
But no one seemed to consider robbing them.
Every Duke was still related to the royal family. They were usually descendants of siblings of past kings. Naturally, the Dukes could request the kingdom to escort their people.
"Next, the third item—something that will surely be desired by those of you who possess powerful Primordial Beasts," Sophia announced as the audience awaited the next item.
However, she did not immediately explain what it was, waiting for the item to be brought onto the stage first.
This piqued Richard's interest, for Athena, his horse, though merely a steed, possessed a King Bloodline—making her worthy of receiving precious resources for her growth.