Chapter Forty-Nine: The Appraisal and Auction Gathering

After eight or nine days of trekking through mountains and rivers, without deliberately hastening his pace, Lando nevertheless arrived at Heckel right on schedule. At that moment, he could not help but envy Carter—if only he had Carter’s ship, wouldn’t this distance be covered in a flash?

Compared to the fearful and tense atmosphere he witnessed during his previous visit, Heckel had now transformed completely. Adventurers dressed in all manner of outlandish garb could be seen everywhere, and lavish carriages occasionally sped by on the streets. Vendors and stalls had multiplied, making the town bustle with activity.

Upon inquiry, Lando learned that there were still three days left before the Blasso family’s appraisal and auction event. The so-called appraisal auction was initiated by the Blasso family, who joined forces with numerous nobles from the Eastern Realm. They presented a vast collection of antiques and treasures, both of known and unknown origin, for a three-day public exhibition. During this period, any appraiser or scholar could attend. Should someone succeed in identifying the provenance of an unknown item, they would not only receive a reward but also achieve instant fame—a double harvest of glory and fortune.

Furthermore, anyone could bring their own treasures for free appraisal; as long as their item was proven valuable, it could be included in the exhibition. When the exhibition concluded, the auction would begin, and owners willing to part with their treasures could sell them directly.

This event had attracted not only a multitude of nobles and wealthy merchants from the Eastern Realm, but also countless commoners and adventurers, who brought family heirlooms or spoils gathered from their journeys.

Such was the origin of the lively scene Lando now beheld.

Lando was quite surprised by the scale of the event; he had thought it would simply be a Blasso family auction in collaboration with some Eastern nobles, nothing more. He had not anticipated such a grand affair.

Yet, this was advantageous for him; the more treasures there were, the greater his potential gains.

He now hesitated, unsure if he should still visit the Blasso family. Given the situation, blending into the appraisal exhibition would suffice to achieve his goal, and there seemed little need for further entanglement.

However, after a brief contemplation, he decided to go. Guided by his principle of returning kindness with greater kindness, Lando felt it would be remiss not to respond to the Blasso family’s considerable efforts to win his favor.

Of course, in Lando’s eyes, it was merely a matter involving the disputes between the Azurewater royal family and the Blasso family—a trivial affair, easily managed.

Arriving at the bustling gates of the Blasso estate, Lando had not yet spoken when someone called out, “Master Lando, is it truly you?!”

Lando looked closely and recognized the guard he had met during his last visit.

The guard said, “The young master and the lord have been waiting for you for days, always telling me to keep my eyes open. At last, you’ve arrived! Come with me, I’ll take you to see the lord.”

Lando nodded and followed the guard inside.

“It seems the Blasso family has been quite lively lately,” Lando remarked casually.

“Indeed! Not only are there many nobles of high standing in the family now, but also a host of renowned scholars,” the guard replied, evidently proud.

Upon reaching the inner courtyard, the guard bowed and spoke quietly to a steward, then turned to Lando. “Master Lando, I’m not permitted any further inside; please follow this steward.”

“Master Lando, the lord has already made arrangements. Please, come with me,” the steward said respectfully.

Lando nodded once more.

They arrived again at the grand hall where he had previously met them, and Umut was already waiting at the entrance.

“Master Lando, welcome,” Umut greeted.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Umut got to the point. “Mr. Lando, the appraisal exhibition begins in three days. You mentioned an interest in history and antiques, so apart from preparing a wealth of treasures, we have specially invited numerous scholars to provide analysis and appraisals. We hope you will be satisfied.”

Lando recalled that he had indeed claimed an interest in history at the time—merely as a cover. He hadn’t expected Umut to be so attentive, which pleased him greatly.

Seeing Lando nod in approval, Umut was delighted as well; he had invested considerable effort into this undertaking.

After chatting for a while, Lando ended the conversation on the pretext of needing rest. This time, he did not refuse Umut’s repeated invitations and stayed as a guest of the Blasso family.

He was led to a secluded, quiet room with its own private courtyard. At the center stood a pavilion, beside which lay a small pond and several trees whose names he did not know. The trees were in full bloom with pink flowers, exuding a captivating fragrance, and ornamental fish swam in the pond, adding to the charm.

Inside, the room was not opulent, but instead evoked a cozy, warm domestic atmosphere.

“Are you satisfied, sir? If you have any other requests, please do let me know,” the steward asked respectfully.

“This will do nicely. The environment is excellent,” Lando replied, quite pleased.

“In that case, please rest well, sir. There are servants outside; if you need anything, just let them know. I’ll take my leave now,” said the steward, who then turned and departed.

Once the steward had left, Lando did not immediately rest. He took out his scanner—the ever-useful scanner—and, after a few simple adjustments, began scanning the entire room, including the courtyard outside.

“Collecting data…”

“Collection complete…”

“Analyzing…”

“Analysis complete…”

“Air composition… normal. Surveillance devices… none. Elemental fluctuations… none. Arcane residue… none…”

After a series of analyses, Lando nodded. The Blasso family had not done anything foolish.

As was his custom, he installed protective monitoring devices before finally, feeling somewhat weary, he tossed himself onto the soft bed and fell into a deep sleep.

…

At that time, only Umut and the newly arrived Metalu remained in the great hall.

Umut sipped a cup of hot tea slowly.

Metalu reported the current situation: “The Azurewater royal family is mobilizing its forces more frequently, and our spies have detected signs of mysterious troop movements. As for the Eastern Realm nobles, we’ve received many verbal promises, but if war breaks out, it’s hard to say how reliable those promises will be…”

Seeing his son’s pessimism, Umut smiled indifferently and said, “Don’t worry, son. The Blasso family has always only feared the Four Kings’ legacy. When the Azurewater royal family was strong, we had to be cautious. But now, their royal heirs have all been killed by Mr. Lando. Their last hope for resurgence is gone. As their power wanes and ours rises, there is nothing left to fear. As for the nobles of the Eastern Realm? Ha! They are merely distractions, never the key!”