After she took her place beside Edith, Emma looked over the crowd and spoke, "Good evening everyone. I thank you for attending this Empyrean Auction on behalf of the rest of my family."

She then waved her hand to release four scrolls bound with silvery-gold ribbons and spoke, "Today my family would like to purchase a Rose Grade World Core from anyone willing to part with one in the audience."

As soon as the words left her mouth the already quiet room became deafeningly silent as countless pairs of eyes widened with shock and a few brows perked up in interest.

World Cores were the heart of a World and sustained both all the life born in it, as well as the creation of various environments and its continual growth.

As previously mentioned they continuously absorbed Source Energy and refined it into vast quantities of World Energy which was stored in its depths and utilized by its Will and Protogenoi to shape and maintain the World it fostered.

They were divided similarly to Spirit Crystals into the levels of White, Aquamarine, Gold, Rose, and Amethyst with one more level entitled Gray, based upon the quantity and purity of the World Energy Stockpiled.

With Cornith's being Gray in Color.

They could be used to power formations, or increase the natural Energy density of a region by countless times depending on the area's natural density and the Garde of the World Core.

Sometimes they could also be used as ingredients in reagants, potions, and equipment.

The powers of Western Cornith had naturally invaded and conquered many of their Sub-Worlds but had destroyed relatively few of them, making it so they only had less than one hundred of them. Amongst them, those of the Amethyst Grade could be counted with the fingers on one's right hand. And those of the Rose Grade had been estimated to be around twelve.

Thus making a single one equal to tens of Divine Grade weapons in rank.

From this one could imagine the value of such a thing, making it impossible to simply barter for or purchase them.

Meaning that The Firm must be offering a great deal if they were thinking of acquiring one.

Her following words proved just that.

"In exchange for the Rose Core, we are willing to give out not only 25 percent of the Shares for The Pendragon Trading Firm but also the deed to Kent, as well as both my own and my mother's hand in Marriage. "

The few people who initially showed interest in the proposal and had made sure to retain some of their funds now had their eyes flashing with determination to secure the deal.

David had been observing the situation as he wasn't necessarily interested in acquiring shares in The Firm as he had other revenues of income which would soon rival that of The Firm and he would rather keep hold of the single Rose Core he did have. 

Said streams of revenue being the deal he had just promised to discuss with Astrid several hours earlier and The Mystic Dragon Trading Firm and Adventurers Alliance he had established with the help of Sigfried and Noah.

But when he heard Emma's mention of her and her mother's hands in marriage a switch seemed to flip in his mind as he was suddenly rather keen on getting rid of the Rose Core.

As Emma much like her sisters possessed immense beauty and Morgana was said to be the most beautiful woman in all of Western Cornith.

And his blood had already begun to flood with strange hormones as he felt the slowly building desire to explore both her body as well as her mother's.

And maybe even her sisters.

And not only that, it would give him a basically guaranteed chance to make Arthur the leader of one of his Knight Orders.

An almost evil smirk began to spread across her face as Emma once more spoke, unaware of the future which now awaited her.

One of seemingly endless writhing as she was reduced to a bundled mass of nerves lost in a sensation of pleasure on one occasion after another along with the integral role she would play in the boundless chaos that would soon encompass the The Mortal Plane of Existence.

Seeing such a smile Aurelia felt obligated to give his waist a small pinch, which she did.

And the others felt a small degree of pity for the Fate that awaited her, one which she originally had no intention of bringing upon herself.

"This of course is an auction. As such the Rose Core will be counted as the starting bid with subsequent bid increments needing to be at least 50,000 World Spirit Coins."

Her face and tone were impassive even as she discussed the price at and the process by which she would be sold, causing a light of admiration to fill the depths of David's eyes.

As soon as she finished speaking he immediately cast his bid. 

Even as those in the other Private Rooms conversed with the other higher-ups within their powers or if they were lone wolves debated whether it was worth it, and those on the lower levels maintained a shocked silence.

500,000

In response to his bid several individuals in the Private Rooms were flabbergasted and everyone else was gobsmacked as to both how he still had any money to spend, let alone the equivalent to 50,000,000 Amethyst Spirit Coins, and how he could make such a decision so quickly.

Edith and Emma two were a little shocked despite knowing that he had made about that same amount with the selling of his items earlier, as he had spent just as much as he gained by claiming earlier items.

"Just how deep are this man's pockets." They both thought simultaneously.

The sum of Spirit Coins wasn't necessarily impressive to them, rather it was his ability to spend them so freely.

Although the Pendragon Trading Firm pulled nearly the same amount on a monthly basis they spent nearly all of it on R&D as well as the fortification of their city and the expansion of its forces.

They eventually snapped back to reality as someone else called out a bid.

"550,000!"

"600,000!"

"700,000!"

"750,000!"

"800,000!"

"850,000!"

"900,000."

"950,000!"

...

...

...

"2,000,000."

Eventually, David threw out an insane Price that no other force had readily available and won.

To be honest, he didn't necessarily have that much in liquid funds either, but he was sure that as he handed over the Rose Core and most of the liquid funds he could give them the rest as weapons, reagents, and Bloodline Potions which they could sell and use at their own discretion.

As a side note, he got all this money from selling or collecting resources he got in his Destruction of various Dungeons, killing of Demonic Beasts, and pilfering of National Treasuries.

He often got bored and conducted such activity in his search for entertainment as he gathered his forces and made the journey to the Central Continent.

With that, the curtains closed on the auction and Edith and Emma left both the stage and a still-reeling crowd behind.

There was soon a knock on David's door, which Erena was kind enough to open.

On the other side stood Astrid, who looked somewhat displeased upon seeing his smug self-satisfactory smile.

She entered the room and asked him, "Do you have everything you owe on you? If not we will give you three days to get it."

"I have the Rose Core, and some Spirit Coins Equivalent in value to the World Spirit Coins to most of what I owe. I believe you would be willing to accept Bloodline Potions, Weapons, and Reagants in replacement?"

He spoke as he took out a crystalline ball of Rose colored light surrounded by many layers of space that made it seem as small as a fist when in reality it was of incomprehensible size and showed it to her.

"We will." She appraised the World Core before nodding her head in affirmation.

She then looked him in the eyes and spoke, "Just so you know. I will not be calling you 'Father'."

"Whatever you say little one. Father doesn't mind." David spoke with a sardonic grin as she turned on her heel and lead him and the others elsewhere.

He then thought to himself as he appraised her from behind, "Now that I'm in the house you will be calling me all kinds of things soon enough."

***

The group soon reached a secure location within the auction house where he was given the items he purchased and whatever Spirit Coins he was owed.

On the way there Astrid had informed him that the swords were created by her oldest brother with the Blood of her 3rd and 4th sisters.

She also informed him that he would conduct the rest of his exchanges with the Pendragon Family at the family home, tomorrow morning.

He, agreed and the two thus parted ways. 

Her leaving to take care of the Auctions remaining lose ends before returning to the Pendragon home.

And him leading his group back toward the Inn they were staying at.