300: Aphra

Chapter 299: The Extravagant Afra

Added an illustration, Chapter 2: Mina Sleeping Soundly.

As expected, after the staff cut open the raw stone, dazzling imperial jade green appeared in everyone's sight, and the venue immediately erupted!

"Hiss, it has color!"

"Such quality, it's ten-thousand-year extreme ice gemstone!"

"Heavens, this old man missed out on hundreds of millions!"

"Unbelievable, the final price was actually only thirteen million gold coins, my Snow Goddess..."

Almost everyone felt immense regret. After all, the nobles and rich people present were powerful, and thirteen million gold coins was naturally something they could afford.

However, because the second raw stone didn't look appealing, the bidding enthusiasm wasn't high, and many people didn't even participate in the bidding just now!

Of course, the main reason was Afra; her bidding style was too overbearing, easily causing people to feel intimidated and back down.

The scene was clearly a bit out of control, and the noise even drowned out the auctioneer's voice.

Buying a piece of ten-thousand-year extreme ice gemstone for thirteen million gold coins, and it wasn't even small in size, was simply a huge profit!

If sold off, they could net at least hundreds of millions of gold coins. The gold coins lost on the first piece were not worth mentioning at all!

In another private room, Jinna congratulated Afra with a beaming smile, but felt a slight twinge in her heart.

After all, thirteen million gold coins was already a quite low transaction price in stone gambling, not to mention that Afra had opened up ten-thousand-year extreme ice gemstone.

But on second thought, it was just using the ten-thousand-year true ice to please Afra, and it also benefited the Bit Family, so it wasn't a loss.

Besides making money from the auction house, Jinna's biggest dream was actually to enter the Elf Gold Firm and become the person in charge of the Eternal Frost Forest region.

Unfortunately, the possibility wasn't high, so Jinna could only treat it as a dream and didn't hold much hope.

One must know that the Elf Gold Firm and the Adventurers Guild had completely opposite management styles.

The Adventurers Guild delegated power to local rulers, implemented regional autonomy, and willingly became a tool for maintaining long-term social stability and order.

The Elf Gold Firm, on the other hand, practiced highly centralized autonomy; all branch managers had no connection with local rulers.

The Elf Gold Firm was not interfered with by any forces. If a local ruler attempted to meddle, the Elf Gold Firm would directly choose to withdraw its investment and leave.

Yet, just like the Adventurers Guild, no country could do without the Elf Gold Firm.

After all, sometimes the national government also needed capital turnover, and without the Elf Gold Firm, the circulation of gold coins would be greatly hindered, causing a significant blow to the local economy.

Nowadays, merchants traveling would not possibly carry hundreds or thousands of boxes of gold coins; that was simply too troublesome and also attracted thieves.

They would only carry thin and portable gold notes, which were vouchers issued by the Elf Gold Firm that could be exchanged for gold coins at any branch of the firm in the world.

At this moment, facing Jinna's flattery, Afra's expression was the same as when she had lost twenty-three million gold coins before, showing neither joy nor sorrow.

It was as if, in her eyes, the two stone gambles were merely changes in two sets of numbers.

"Jinna, I actually have another purpose for coming to the Eternal Frost Forest," Afra's tone shifted, and she said slowly, "I want to see Leon's growth."

"If Leon's growth satisfies me, then taking him to the Elf Gold Firm headquarters in the Central Continent for further study... is not impossible."

Upon hearing this, Jinna was stunned for a moment, then quickly became overjoyed. She hurriedly poured Afra a glass of wine and respectfully expressed her gratitude.

A long time ago, when Leon displayed his Magic Swordsman talent, the Elf Gold Firm noticed him and promptly provided relevant teaching resources for the Thunder God Style Swordsmanship.

After all, this was an SS-rank swordsmanship ranked seventh in the world, and the Bit Family was merely a family in the Eternal Frost Forest; they definitely couldn't possess its inheritance!

Let alone the inheritance, the Bit Family previously didn't even have more than a vague impression of the name Thunder God Style Swordsmanship.

Only world-class super forces, the Elf Gold Firm, had enough foundation to provide learning resources for the Thunder God Style Swordsmanship.

However, compared to the Thunder God Style Swordsmanship, Leon, who possessed the Thunder God Sword Physique, was the most valuable.

Scarce resources like talented individuals were the favorites of every super force!

"Lady Afra, you can rest assured, Leon's growth will definitely satisfy you!"

To be honest, Jinna didn't understand the Thunder God Style Swordsmanship. She herself wasn't a powerful magic professional; she only had her talent points maxed out in making money and socializing.

But Jinna understood that Leon, at the mere age of 137, had reached the terrifying level of 69, which would definitely satisfy Afra!

Hearing Jinna continuously praising Leon, Afra nodded and smiled on the surface, but in reality, she felt a bit melancholic in her heart.

Because, if Leon was truly too satisfactory... then the family side would make him her husband; this was a means of attracting talent.

The vast majority of Elves would only have one spouse in their lifetime, a true lifelong partner, and would not remarry even if widowed.

As for someone she had only met a few times and barely spoken a few words to, becoming her lifelong partner...

Afra felt resistant in her heart. Rather, she was inherently resistant to the matter of marriage.

Her body and mind would always belong to herself. Being touched by others, or even "interacting" like savage animals... Just thinking about this made Afra feel disgusted.

Before long, accompanied by a loud shout from the auctioneer, the third raw stone was brought up.

This was a raw stone of smaller volume, not even half the size of the first one, but the patterns on it were very beautiful, making it extremely appealing.

Influenced by the "outstanding" second raw stone, the bidding enthusiasm of everyone present soared in this round. They were all red-faced and thick-necked, shouting more fiercely than the last.

It was as if they were the next winners.

In the VIP private room, Dick was still calm and composed, chatting and laughing with Leon, completely unconcerned about the passion below.

He had just let Anberer'er go in and check; in this third raw stone, there was only scattered hundred-year true ice, not even worth mentioning as trash!

Seeing that the current bidding price had already exceeded thirty million gold coins, Dick wanted to laugh, but his composure from a hundred lifetimes of rebirth made him hold back.

"Dick, didn't you say you wanted to buy ten-thousand-year extreme ice gemstone before you came? Why aren't you participating in the bidding..."

Hearing Leon's puzzled question, Dick gently shook his head and pretended to be profound, saying, "It's not that I'm not making a move, but the time is not yet ripe."

"Time?"

Leon didn't quite understand but felt it was impressive. However, after thinking carefully, Aunt Jinna had indeed taught him that auctions were very particular about timing; it was a field of study.