Dustin walked out of Nicholson Villa and was about to make a call when his phone rang. It was from Roderick Brooks.
Dustin answered, “Hello, Mr. Brooks, I was just about to go look for you. It’s such a coincidence that you called first.”
“Oh? Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Rhys?” Roderick was taken aback.
“I have a friend who got into some trouble and needs a sum of money. Would it be possible for me to borrow money from you?” Dustin asked.
“Phew, you scared me. I thought it was something serious. It turns out you just need money. Of course. I might not have much of anything else, but I definitely have money. How much does your friend need?” Roderick breathed a sigh of relief.
“One billion.”
“No problem. I’ll send it to you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brooks.”
“No need to be so polite, Mr. Rhys. You were the one who treated my recurring illness!”
“Congratulations again. Right, is there a reason you called me?” Dustin changed the subject.
“Mr. Rhys, didn’t you have me be on the lookout for a few precious herbs? I just heard that neighboring Alorith recently put out a few treasures. Apparently, the Heliotrope you’re looking for, which is also known as the thousand–year green lotus, is among them.”
Roderick’s revelation caught Dustin off guard. “A thousand–year green lotus? Are you sure?” His eyes widened. He only lacked three more precious herbs to produce Longevitum–the flower of Crimson Gem, Cherusia, and the thousand–year green lotus. Each item was an extremely precious treasure that was hard to come by. It came as a happy surprise to him to hear news about the thousand–year green lotus in such a short time.
“It should be true. Anyway, that was how they advertised the auction. Even members of the
Stoneray Order are heading there. As for the specifics, we won’t know until we get there.”
Roderick was careful with his words, afraid of giving the wrong information.
“Alright, I hope it won’t trouble you to accompany me to the venue.”
“It would be my honor!”
Since Alorith was neighboring Swinton, the journey wasn’t far, and it only took two hours by car. As they made casual conversation in Roderick’s car, it didn’t take long before they finally arrived at their destination.
The venue was an underground auction house, and the place teemed with a diverse crowd and a vast array of treasures. They had almost everything one desired, albeit at a higher price.
“Mr. Rhys, after you.” Roderick led Dustin personally as they headed inside the auction house.
1/2
At the moment, the venue was a roaring hubbub of voices. Prices rose rapidly from the intense bidding as items were brought on stage one after the other. It was clear that Roderick had made preparations in advance since they both took a seat in the front row.
“Mr. Rhys, we’re in luck. It seems like they haven’t started the bidding for the thousand–year green lotus.” Roderick silently breathed a sigh of relief.
“It’s always best to come at the right time instead of coming early.” Dustin smiled.
“Hey! Are you two here for the thousand–year green lotus too?” At that moment, a young woman seated beside them suddenly spoke. She was wearing a baseball cap and had a lollipop in her mouth. She was also dressed in branded items from head to toe and had a beautiful appearance. However, she seemed to carry a hint of rebelliousness within her.
“That’s right. A thousand–year green lotus is a rare find. Naturally, we wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Dustin nodded in response.
“Hmph! Let me tell you, I already have it in my bag, so it’ll be best to give up!” The woman in the baseball cap said coldly.
Roderick plastered on a smile. “Miss, aren’t you too confident to declare it as your item when the bidding hasn’t started yet?”
“Confidence comes from power. As long as it’s something I want, I will definitely get it. You two, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You better not challenge me, lest you humiliate yourselves.” She cocked her head to one side.
Roderick chuckled. “You have a rough temper for your age.”
He had seen his fair share of wealthy daughters like her, who thought they could show off all because of their minuscule wealth.
How naive!
