Chapter 516 - 403: The Appearance of the Pirate King’s Treasure: "Mermaid’s Tears
Chapter 516: Chapter 403: The Appearance of the Pirate King’s Treasure: "Mermaid’s Tears
On the tray sat a seemingly ordinary, dark brown rum bottle.
A yellowed and somewhat damaged label was stuck to the bottle.
The label depicted a beautiful mermaid with a line of florid Common Tongue script below it: "Mermaid’s Tears."
"That’s it!"
Falek pointed at the bottle and shouted.
"The legendary ’Mermaid’s Tears,’ which hides the Pirate King’s treasure!"
The entire auction hall instantly erupted.
"Heavens! It’s really ’Mermaid’s Tears’!"
"I always thought it was just a legend, but it’s actually real!"
"The Pirate King’s treasure! If I could get my hands on that, I’d be set for life!"
Flames of greed burned in everyone’s eyes.
Even Raylo, in his private room, couldn’t help but sit up straight.
Although he had little interest in the so-called treasure, the story itself was simply too legendary.
"Father, is this thing really the bottle from the legend?"
Avril asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Whether it’s real or not, no one can say for sure."
Marquis Orlando shook his head, a playful smile on his face.
"However, the bottle’s origins are indeed quite mysterious. A mysterious guest brought it to the Baisha Trading Company seven days ago to be auctioned."
Raylo nodded in understanding.
’A gambler’s mentality is the same in any world.’
"Of course, if this were merely an ethereal legend, this bottle wouldn’t have made it into our auction today."
Falek’s voice rang out once more.
"We invited the master appraisers from the Mage City to examine this bottle. Although they couldn’t confirm if it truly contains a Treasure Map, the masters did discover a very faint, yet extremely ancient, trace of Space Magic Power hidden behind the label!"
"In other words, this label is very likely a sealed Space Scroll!"
This news was like a spark hitting a powder keg.
The hall exploded.
If the legend was just grasping at shadows before...
...then the appraisal results from the Mage City just gave it a massive boost in credibility.
"Alright, enough idle chatter!"
Falek raised his auction gavel high.
"’Mermaid’s Tears’! The starting bid is ten thousand Golden Dragons! Each bid must be an increment of no less than one thousand Golden Dragons! Now, let the bidding begin!"
"Twenty thousand Golden Dragons!"
The moment Falek finished speaking, a rough voice rang out from a corner.
The bidder was none other than the president of the "Black Sails" Trading Company, Aurum "Blood Axe."
He had directly doubled the price.
His hawk-like eyes were fixed on the rum bottle on the stage, filled with a determination to win at all costs.
"Thirty thousand Golden Dragons!"
Another voice immediately followed.
The bidder was a great noble from the Southern Territory whose family also possessed a massive fleet.
Clearly, he also wanted the Pirate King’s treasure to further expand his family’s power on the seas.
"Forty thousand!"
Aurum followed without hesitation.
"Forty-five thousand!"
"Fifty thousand!"
...
The price climbed steadily amidst their frantic bidding war.
The entire auction hall had become their personal stage.
The others, though green with envy, could only watch helplessly.
This level of competition was far beyond what they could afford to join.
"It seems Aurum is dead set on getting this item,"
Raylo remarked, watching the tense atmosphere below.
"Pirates always have an almost paranoid obsession with treasure,"
Marquis Orlando laughed.
"They believe they are the chosen ones of fate, destined to find those legendary treasures and soar to greatness."
’My father-in-law really sees through people,’ Raylo thought.
Soon, the price was driven up to eighty thousand Golden Dragons.
The great noble from the Southern Territory was starting to look pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
This price was already approaching his limit.
He hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth.
"Eighty-five thousand Golden Dragons! That is my final offer!"
All eyes fell upon Aurum.
A savage smile spread across Aurum’s face.
He slowly rose to his feet, his oppressive gaze sweeping across the entire hall.
Then, he held up one finger.
"One hundred thousand Golden Dragons!"
He announced this suffocating price in a tone that permitted no argument.
The entire auction hall was plunged into a dead silence.
The great noble from the Southern Territory turned deathly pale and finally slumped back into his seat, defeated.
He had lost.
"One hundred thousand Golden Dragons! Are there any higher bids?"
Falek’s voice trembled slightly.
This price had far exceeded his expectations.
No one else made a bid.
"Sold!"
With the fall of the gavel, the legendary bottle of rum finally landed in the hands of Aurum "Blood Axe."
The auction was over, but the aftershocks were just beginning.
The news that Aurum "Blood Axe" had thrown down one hundred thousand Golden Dragons to buy the treasure of Pirate King Barbossa spread through Baisha Port as if it had grown wings.
In an instant, he became the focus of everyone’s discussions.
Some envied his wealth, others were jealous of his good fortune, but most watched him from the shadows with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man.