"How about you come up to the V.I.P rooms with us?" Lissandra asked, "Im sure we would love to entertain you."

Evan smiled, before taking her up on her offer and joining them to the v.i.p rooms on the top of the auction room.

The room where the auction was being held was a large theatre-like room, with several rows of seats, with the v.i.p rooms being divided and higher up by the lower seats, showing the authority.

The people below couldn't see the people in the v.i.p rooms, showing them that those that reside in them are in a different world, even if nobles are the ones that resided on the bottom layer.

The V.I.P room was luxurious, with a bar and several sets of sofa's where guests will reside. 

Evan didn't say anything, slowly resting.

Lissandra and Robert simply got a simple non-alcoholic drink from the bar and sat on the sofa opposite Evan.

"Say, Evan do you know the reason why this bar only sells non-alcoholic drinks?" Robert said, sipping on the berry juice made with fresh oran berries.

Evan didn't talk, only shaking his head.

"The Pokemon-hunters." Lissandra laughed "When do you think it's the best time to strike?"

Evan decided to say "After." 

"Correct." Robert said "Im sure the winners of the bagon will be expecting several ambushes after the event. Some by pokemon-hunters, some by fellow nobles." 

Evan looked down at the stage, where the auctioneer went to the stand 

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" 

Everyone gave a polite clap, as the auctioneer smiled 

"None of us want to waste our time, no?" The man gave a smile "As such, let's go to our first item, a piece of fine art, crafted by the kalos number 1 painter and his smeagle." The auctioneer brings his hammer up "The bidding starts at 40,000 pokedollars."

"50."
"60."

"65"

"70"

"75"

"80!"

"85!"

"90!"

"100!" 

Sold to the gentleman on the third row for 100,000 pokedollars.

Evan gave a strange look at both of them.

"Don't look at us rich people like that." Robert muttered, "He will use the painting to avoid tax and gain a profit."

Indeed. It worked by getting a painting from a source, then highering a bribed art examiner to give the painting a high price than one brought it for. Then he would donate it to a museum, which would collect the piece of art for the new price.

The seller would be eligible for a charitable deduction of tax and would get a tax cut. 

He remembered that he would have to pay tax soon for all the transactions, and that made him groan.

He would have to pay a large amount of money.

"Second item of the day,  a Galarian pokemon with the name "Milcery."

He could hear the rumours and most importantly disgust from the crowd below.

"Sorry, but why do they hate galarian's?"

"Most of them still feel hatred from the war thousands of years ago, and Sinnoh and galar do not have a good relationship because of it."

Evan realised that not many people put their paddle's up, so Evan bidded. 

"60,000."
"70."

"80."

"90."

"100."

"110."

The hammer knocked "Sold to the person in the V.I.P room!"

Evan didn't feel the pride or the nationalism of the other Sinnoh people, so he thought it was an easy catch.

"Well done for your purchase." Robert gave a small clap "Although I am interested in why you brought it."

"A single drop of Milcery's cream/milk is known to be delicious in any single food it touches, meaning that a bakery on the edge of destruction could be saved by just a few drops of this pokemon's body."

"You are interested in the business of bakers?"

"No, im interesting in owning a chain of failing bakers." Evan cleared up, before going silent.

He had an urge that something would go wrong, and he needed to save up his psychic energy.

The two respected his silence, as the auction went on.

"The next 5 pokemon will be sold in one group, as they are all the same species." The announcer "each will be sold separately, and each will have a different owner, that is, you buy 5."

"They are green aptitude, and for carrying reasons, are presented in pokeballs."

The people were piqued.

"5 milk tanks." The person said, "Let the bidding announce." 

Evan was smelling opportunity.

What if he was to mix the highly nutritious blend of moomoo milk, with the highly tasty flavour of Milcery?

the result would be incredibly marketable. 

I want one.

"The first one, medium green, is level 5, alongside the rest of them." The announcer said 

The market to get Miltank is hard, as you would have to go and try to get one from the black market.

Why? 

because of the Whitney family in Johto.

For centuries, they have managed to make sure any Miltank were swept up and recruited by them.

But no, this time, it was his chance.

But there were a lot fewer bidders than expected 

"Why?" Evan thought before his expression drifted towards Lissandra 

"Oh, you may be confused." Lissandra said, "Miltank are high maitence when it comes to their milk production, as they need an experienced farmer and a lot of food to produce milk." She dwindled with her shoulder-length hair "That's why most nobles wouldn't choose to pick a Milktank, although there are some exceptions." 

Evan raised the paddle, before getting one of the miltanks for the humble price of 160,000 pokedollars.

Of course, this was on Robert's card. 

He wasn't going to not use this situation, and he wouldn't certainly use the opportunity.

"I can see why my father sees potential in you." Robert smiled "you sure know what works in business."

The Auction went on for an hour or so, as Evan felt the excitement build up in the room once they started to reach the end. 

"The next one is the..... famous Mismagius you may have heard of." The person went quiet 

"A level 40 Mismagius with high green potential." 

The murmurs stopped, as Evan shot the glance he shot when he wanted information

"That... Mismagius is "cursed." Robert said with a frown "It brung a famous noble household down to the ashes after it cursed its master, a young crippled woman with a disease. the woman died, and then the owners of the house committed suicide out of guilt."  Robert said

"The mismagius is unstable and is bound into the Pokeball for safety reasons." The man said, "It was found roaming the halls of the mansion that had decayed over 500 years." 

"The auction starts at 230,000 pokedollars." 

"..."

"..."

"231,000 pokedollars." A woman said, which Evan recognized as Fantania.

"Is she insane!"

"Who would want that cursed pokemon?"

"260,000." Evan put up his paddle, causing the people to whisper loudly 

"Who is the people up there?" 

"Dunno."

"Must be fooled."

Evan wasn't affected by mere mysticism, nor would he think of a pokemon as cursed over a mere unfortunate.

"Your one crazy bastard," Lissandra muttered, causing Evan to smile.

He would give this hurt pokemon a second life, by his side.

He needed a guard pokemon, one that would protect him.

That was what his mother taught him.

To never judge a book

by its cover.