Chapter 125: Auction·Prelude Part 2

The chaos in the Defendi Territory caused by Churde Defendi reached a peak during breakfast time.

These soldiers and knights of the Defendi Territory, who were former mercenaries, began searching everywhere for Churde Defendi like headless flies.

Regarding this, the people of the Tier Territory naturally watched with cold indifference.

The relationship between the two sides was far from close enough to warrant helping each other.

On the side, the people of the Janel Territory, having just woken up and arriving late, looked completely confused.

Baron Janel once again took this opportunity to approach Miss Baron and ask in a low voice.

After receiving an answer from Miss Baron, Lord Baron immediately revealed a smile that all men understood.

He lowered his voice and said, “I heard Churde Defendi has several lovers in Vauban City. Did he go there to spend the night last night!”

As he spoke, Lord Baron smacked his lips, his face showing thick envy.

This caused a flash of deep disgust to appear in the eyes of Miss Baron standing nearby.

“Dean! Dean!”

The next moment, Miss Baron shouted like this.

Undoubtedly, although the goodwill Miss Baron had just developed for Dean due to last night’s banquet vanished instantly, compared to Baron Janel in front of her, she was more willing to face Dean.

As Dean approached, Baron Janel immediately moved away from Miss Baron like a startled rabbit, only daring to stand in his own guard squad in the distance and watch.

Regarding this, Dean felt contempt in his heart once again for this Good-for-nothing Baron.

If he had hesitated upon hearing this title in the past, Dean now felt that this title truly suited the other party.

Being cowardly and incompetent went without saying.

Just openly showing affection to a lady in public, but then in the next moment showing envy towards a guy who might be a playboy.

With such brainless behavior alone, the other party truly deserved the title ‘Good-for-nothing’.

Of course, such a ‘Good-for-nothing’ was not without benefits; at least, enemies would always leave him a ‘way to live’ when facing him.

After all, even if such a person lived, they posed no danger whatsoever.

“Miss Lily, good morning!”

Withdrawing his gaze from Baron Janel, Dean looked at Miss Baron.

Facing her cold expression, Dean greeted her as usual.

“Hmph!”

However, this greeting earned a cold snort from the Baron’s daughter.

Dean paid no mind to this; he pulled out a chair and sat down, naturally picking up the cutlery placed before him and starting his breakfast.

He knew exactly why she was angry.

But that did not mean Dean needed to comfort her.

After all, considering the situation at the time, Dean had done her a huge favor. Even if his final refusal was abrupt, a truly reasonable person should know how to be grateful.

Therefore, Dean, who did not think he had done wrong, naturally felt no need to apologize.

Moreover, Dean’s mind had already begun thinking about the ‘Brotherhood’s’ operation.

Dean knew that, following the ‘Brotherhood’s’ code of conduct, they would definitely make a move on Marquis Vauban’s auction.

The only thing to consider was how they would make their move.

After all, the auction was inside Vauban Castle, heavily guarded. Even if they could successfully infiltrate, leaving with an item would not be easy.

Unless the item was very small, small enough to be carried on one’s person.

Thinking of this, Dean raised his head and looked at Miss Baron before him—

“Miss Lily, do you have the list of items for today’s auction?”

Dean asked.

“Hmm!”

Miss Baron turned her head with difficulty, still looking coldly at Dean. After a long while, she nodded, then stood up and walked towards her room.

A moment later, Miss Baron appeared again, holding two neat pieces of parchment in her hand.

“One is mine, and the other is yours—the Snow Bear you captured is also in the list of auction items, so you received this list of auction items!”

As if to prevent Dean from misunderstanding her intentions, Miss Baron explained in great detail.

“Thank you!”

Dean, who did not mind this, thanked her and accepted the auction list with a smile.

Watching Dean lower his head to examine the auction list carefully, the Baron’s daughter gritted her teeth—she had never seen such a clueless guy.

Wasn’t her performance obvious enough?

“Detestable guy!”

Miss Baron cursed secretly in her heart.

Dean paid no attention to such curses. After getting the list of auction items, his focus was entirely on it—

As his spoils of war, the intact Snow Bear was scheduled to be the second auction item this afternoon.

The one before that was a Longsword sent in by a certain merchant. Of course, it was not Magic Equipment, just exceptionally sharp.

The third auction item was directly upgraded to Magic Equipment, a Steel Armor imprinted with a weight-reduction Spell.

The two items after that were both Magic Equipment.

However, one was better than the other.

These five items were the auction items for the first day.

Clearly, among these five auction items, Dean did not find any item that would prompt the ‘Brotherhood’ to make a move.

Even the Magic Longsword that served as the finale of the first day was the same—given the ‘Brotherhood’s’ strength, forging such a Magic Longsword was not very difficult.

After ruling out the first day’s items, Dean naturally turned to the auction items for the second day.

Almost instantly, a name attracted Dean’s attention—

Oniedon!

A figure active after the founding of the Emerald, he was a highly respected Wizard Master, very skilled in refining various Potions. He even left his Laboratory in the Capital of Emerald.

However, Dean knew another identity of this Wizard Master: one of the major leaders who revived the ‘Brotherhood’.

Of course, his identity as a Wizard was also real.

It was just that he had this other identity as a ‘Brotherhood’ leader.

After experiencing the wars of the Empress and the Conqueror King, the ‘Brotherhood’, which had been employed by the Conqueror King, suffered heavy casualties. Even the guild leader died on the battlefield during the final battle, forcing the ‘Brotherhood’ to recuperate. People even thought for a time that the ‘Brotherhood’ had long since perished.

It was not until Oniedon and others became active again that the ‘Brotherhood’ became known to people once more.

Of course, Oniedon had always hidden his identity.

As for how Dean knew?

He, who had deep contact with the ‘Brotherhood’ in his previous life, knew quite a few things that others did not.

This included the identity of Master Oniedon.

“Master Oniedon’s notes…”

Dean looked at the note on the auction list and chanted in a low voice.

Undoubtedly, the ‘Brotherhood’s’ target was these notes.

And naturally, notes that could attract the ‘Brotherhood’s’ attention were no ordinary thing—after all, Master Oniedon left behind countless things.

Especially in the Laboratory in the Capital of Emerald, his magic notes are still preserved.

Given the ‘Brotherhood’s’ style, if those magic notes really contained anything important, they would have obtained them at all costs.

However, those magic notes had been kept there ever since Oniedon passed away.

On the contrary, a casual note had aroused the ‘Brotherhood’s’ interest.

If there were no shady secrets involved, Dean would never believe it.

Putting down the auction list in his hand, after determining the ‘Brotherhood’s’ target item, Dean clearly let out a sigh of relief—knowing the opponent’s target made defense much easier.

The only thing left to consider was the method they would use to ‘take’ this item.

Based on the news obtained in the Black Market yesterday, a scene had already formed in Dean’s mind: local Thieves Guild members, mercenaries, and those mixed in the Black Market would distract Vauban Castle, while the main force of the ‘Brotherhood’ would take the opportunity to infiltrate.

If some ‘fireworks’ were added to heighten the excitement, it would certainly cause greater panic.

When the time came, the people attending the auction would surely follow Marquis Vauban’s arrangements and go to take shelter.

The items would be escorted by guards to the Treasury and sealed away again.

“The Treasury is heavily guarded. The ‘Brotherhood’ wouldn’t be unwise enough to attack it head-on, so they would only snatch the items while they are being transported back to the Treasury…”

Dean once again used the mindset of a Thief or Assassin to narrow down the scope of the opponent’s action.

“During the transport? Then they must be familiar with the terrain of Vauban Castle, and have the Strength to defeat the escorts… or perhaps, there will be a traitor among the escorts?”

One thought after another began to appear in Dean’s mind.

Some were certain, but more were denied.

Just like his attitude towards the ‘Brotherhood’, even knowing their details, Dean never underestimated them. In fact, precisely because of this understanding, Dean took them even more seriously.

Of course, the same went for Marquis Vauban.

This Marquis, whom Dean evaluated as an old fox, was also not an easy person to deal with.

As a person with little influence, if Dean wanted to participate, he had to consider his position carefully; any recklessness would cause all his previous efforts to be wasted.

As for why he wanted to participate despite knowing the danger?

Aside from the benefits of befriending Marquis Vauban, Dean was also very curious about Oniedon’s notes.