Chapter 4: Fascinating Auction

The plaza was packed, alive with the buzz of merchants, adventurers, and curious onlookers. Makeshift stalls surrounded the main stage, offering everything from rare herbs to enchanted trinkets. At the center, a wooden podium stood elevated, where an enthusiastic auctioneer, dressed in fine but slightly frayed attire, worked to hype the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” the auctioneer bellowed, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Gather around for the finest, rarest, and most intriguing treasures you’ll ever lay your eyes on!”

The Nameless Girl slipped through the crowd, her small frame allowing her to maneuver easily among the towering adults. She didn’t care for the noise or the pomp, but she was here for one thing: something useful. Her expression was as blank as ever, though her sharp eyes scanned the stage with purpose.

The first items rolled out.

“Behold! A scale from the elusive Thunder Drake!” the auctioneer declared, holding up a shimmering silver fragment. “Guaranteed to amplify your lightning spells tenfold!”

Bidding started high, and the price climbed even higher as mages in the audience clamored for the rare material.

Next came a peculiar gemstone. “An Obsidian Core Crystal! Rumored to have been mined from the depths of an Abyssal Rift!”

The crowd ooohed and aahed, bids flying in from all directions.

The Nameless Girl remained unimpressed, arms crossed as she waited.

Then came a strange, seemingly out-of-place item. The auctioneer pulled a dull, handleless sword from a velvet cloth, holding it up for the audience to see. Its blade was pockmarked with faint lines that might have been scratches or something more.

“And now,” the auctioneer said, his tone shifting into a dramatic flair, “a piece of forgotten history! A blade said to be engraved with ancient runic inscriptions! A relic from a bygone age, shrouded in mystery and untold power!”

The crowd fell silent. Then came the whispers.

“Is he serious?”

“That’s just a broken sword!”

“Ancient runes? That’s a stretch.”

“I wouldn’t pay a copper for that junk.”

The auctioneer’s smile faltered slightly, but he pressed on. “Starting bid: one small gold coin!”

No one moved. The crowd’s attention drifted back to the shiny gemstones and ornate weapons waiting their turn.

“Do I hear one coin?” the auctioneer tried again, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. “One small gold coin for this unparalleled piece of history?”

A tiny hand shot up from the middle of the crowd.

“One small gold coin,” the Nameless Girl said plainly.

All eyes turned to her. The murmurs grew louder.

“Is she serious?”

“What’s a kid gonna do with that thing?”

“Let her have it, I guess.”

The auctioneer’s grin returned as he slammed his gavel. “Sold! To the young lady for one small gold coin!”

The giver of the item, a burly man with arms like tree trunks, frowned as he carried the sword down to the girl. “Kid, you sure about this? This thing’s heavy, real heavy. You’ll hurt yourself.”

“I’ll take it,” she said, holding out a small pouch of coins.

The man hesitated, then reluctantly handed over the sword. To his surprise and to the shock of the onlookers, the girl grabbed the blade with one hand and slung it over her shoulder as if it weighed nothing.

The giver blinked, scratching his head. “Huh. Guess you’re stronger than you look.”

The Nameless Girl said nothing, turning on her heel and walking away with her prize. The whispers followed her, but she paid them no mind.

As she disappeared into the crowd, the auctioneer wiped his brow and muttered under his breath, “Well, I guess even the smallest gamble can pay off sometimes.”

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