Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 44: The Highest Bidder, Part Nineteen

{Enverna}

One item after another had been sold away. Ultimately, Enverna wasn’t too curious about whatever items were put up. She just hoped that Lianna had made it out alright with whatever she was doing.

Indeed, Enverna then received a message.

Liannabby: I’m done

Liannabby: I’m coming back now

Letting out a sigh of relief, Enverna let her head fall back against the seat.

[She’s alright.]

If Enverna was interpreting this correctly, it appeared that her guess as to Jack’s real target had been correct. Finally, the tension in Enverna’s chest could loosen a little.

Or, at least, that’s what Enverna thought.

At that moment, someone walked up to her.

"Good evening."

A sultry, somewhat deep, but still feminine voice spoke to Enverna.

Standing beside her was a woman with raven hair so long it nearly touched the floor, wearing a white dress and black shades over her eyes.

Immediately, Enverna theorized as to why that could be.

[Is she trying to hide her heterochromia, maybe?]

"Is this seat taken?" The lady asked.

[... Haiko’s been gone for a while now.]

"Um, yes, but the person who was sitting there has been away for some time..."

"Ah, in that case, I’ll sit and if they should return then I will simply leave you be," the woman replied, whispering slightly so as to not draw attention to them.

Being right next to her now, Enverna couldn’t help but notice that she was rather well-endowed. It was something she would have never noticed about any woman before but after having met Lianna, this was simply another of her frequent sources of frustration.

The lady crossed her legs. Enverna made sure to keep her Inventory open, just in case the friendliness she was exuding was merely an act.

"Your visit to Telvan has not been without controversy, has it?"

"No, it has not."

[So, she knows me. I expected that much, given that she came to talk, but... Yeah.]

"A few more outings like this one, walking amidst the public eye, should help with that... But, I was wondering, Mrs. Alteri, if perhaps you’d like to speed the process up a little?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Enverna was, naturally, rather curious, but she knew she shouldn’t forget herself.

[... Don’t let your mask slip.]

"I’ll hear you out," Enverna replied with a far colder tone, "but, you’ve already got a strike as far as I’m concerned."

The lady tilted her head.

"Have I offended you?"

"Indeed, you have," Enverna nodded. "You have yet to introduce yourself. The fact that you know who I am but I do not know anything about you puts me at an inherent disadvantage, does it not?"

"A disadvantage in what? We’re merely having a conversation," the lady replied.

"Conversations can have winners and losers too. So," Enverna narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

The lady grinned. Enverna couldn’t see past her shades, but she got the feeling that she was being looked at with quite a bit of... hunger.

"I see that Mrs. Velcross has a taste for women with sharp tongues. Very well," the lady eased up, "my name is Dianne Ironfront. I... take it by your lack of any real reaction that this does not ring a bell, does it?"

"No, it does not."

"Very well, allow me to explain. I am a member of the Starsign Association. Again, I suppose you have not heard of us, so, let me tell you what we’re about. We are a community of sorcerers, and..."

She looked at the entrance to the theatre and Enverna followed her gaze. Haiko was walking back in.

"... I’m guessing that’s the person who was sitting here. Oh well, here," Dianne gave Enverna a card. "Call me. I have an offer for you. You and your wife both, of course."

On that note, Dianne stood up. She and Haiko exchanged glances but neither said a thing.

Haiko sat down next to Enverna.

"So, what did I miss?"

"A member of the ’Starsign Association’ said she wanted to make me an offer," Enverna explained as Dianne walked out of the theatre, seemingly uninterested in the rest of the auction.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes... Who are they?" Enverna asked.

"Witches," Haiko replied. "Children of mana who came together and built a whole fucking company for themselves. You should probably just throw whatever card they gave you away. Those ladies tend to give people sweet-sounding deals that usually come at a price."

Enverna was stuck on something Haiko said, though.

[Children of mana? Lianna will probably want to meet them, then... I’m guessing it was Lianna herself Dianne was probably looking for, actually.]

Enverna stared down at the card, before putting it in her Inventory.

---

Just as the auction was nearing its end, Lianna suddenly returned.

"Ah, your wifey’s back," Haiko said, standing up. "I should probably get going. Anyway, consider what I said about my guild."

"I... Maybe I will."

Up ahead, someone had just purchased an item. The sold object was removed from the stool and the helpers were currently bringing out the next one, just as Lianna passed by Haiko and sat down where she’d been.

Immediately, Lianna’s head fell on Enverna’s shoulder.

[...!!!]

Enverna froze but did not do anything else.

"I’m so fucking tired," Lianna said quietly. "Jack went to the Watchful."

"He did?" Enverna asked.

"Yeah... Stopped him, though. I’ll tell you all about it later, I just... Fuck, I just want to chill for a bit."

[Understandable,] Enverna thought as she gently wrapped her arm around Lianna and rubbed her shoulder. She didn’t think about it too hard, just an effort to relieve a friend of her stress. [Seems she had a tough time.]

"How have things been here? Bought anything?"

"A lesser mana potion. Apparently, this thing increases people’s mana by 25. I’ll be using it later."

"Sweet."

"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer said, "as fun as it’s been, I’m sure, we must bring the night’s event to its conclusion! So, here you go. Our final item!"

"How much money have we spent?"

"25 royals," Enverna replied.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. My attention has been... Elsewhere, unfortunately. I barely even recall what’s been sold."

"Oh. Maybe we should bid on this," Lianna suggested.

"Perhaps."

The final item was a bow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this right here is the Arcania’s Bow! The Bow of Sunlight, as some of you may know it. It is the same bow Arcania used to defeat the Greater Fiend Xarak 200 years ago, ending the first era and bringing us to the second! Refined by our greatest blacksmiths, this bow collects the energy of all nearby allies and focuses it into its next shot, which was how Arcania managed her feat. Any takers?"

Immediately, Lianna lifted her head up a little and locked eyes with Enverna.

She understood that there was no way this was the actual, original bow, as such a thing would never be sold. Someone in the guild would undoubtedly want to use it for themselves. But, it could be some sort of replica or a system-generated weapon of a similar power level. In any case, it was definitely something Lianna would want.

[Heh. Very well.]

"Do I hear... 7500?"

A few paddles went up.

"8500?"

Some of them went down.

Prices were listed off rapid-fire as more and more people conceded the item, until, eventually, the final price was 30000 royals.

"Ah, maybe we should-"

"Nonsense," Enverna replied. "Don’t you want your fiance to provide for you?"

Lianna was shocked to hear a joke like that come out of Enverna’s own lips but, she couldn’t help it.

Here was one bit of territory Enverna was well-traveled in. Money.

[Besides, the Shields of Saren themselves are splitting the cost. It’s fine.]

"Going once... Twice..."

Enverna raised her paddle.

Many of the people’s eyes shifted to her, and then to Lianna, who was still resting her head on Enverna’s shoulder.

A flurry of different emotions seemed to pass over the crowd, but that didn’t matter.

The other contender lowered their paddle.

"Going once... Twice..." Lianna squeezed Enverna’s hand. "Sold!"

And on that note, the night came to a close.