"F-five million?"

The noble who had bid four million stared blankly at the young man. After a pause, Olivia faintly overheard murmurs:

"That’s a newly graduated Potion Master, right? His family’s loaded, and his future’s bright. I heard he’s researching compound potions too. Better not compete with him…"

"Five million? No more bids?"

Vale scanned the crowd and repeated: "Five million, first call… second call… third call… sold!"

The gavel fell. The ten potions’ ownership was settled—and so was Olivia’s five million. Her heart bloomed with joy. She vaguely felt her wallet swelling in midair, making her clutch her pocket tightly, afraid it might slip away.

Alright, with five million secured, she could now scout the auction for bargains. But these nobles were filthy rich… the real treasures wouldn’t be easy to snatch.

"Next item: a seed bundle of cash crops—Gewell trees, Pigo coffee, and more. All precious potion ingredients. Enough for a full-scale farm. Top quality. Starting bid: 500,000 denars. Minimum raise: 50,000. Begin!"

Vale placed transparent jars of seeds on the podium. Olivia inhaled sharply, excitedly counting the varieties.

Perfect. The auction house wasn’t bluffing. These seeds were ultra-rare. In her memory, some materials only dropped in late-game high-level dungeons. If she planted them all with her automated farming system… hiss—

Yield concerns vanished. She’d print money like a nuclear reactor.

"600,000!"

Before Olivia could react, eager farmers shouted bids. The Bluehaired Loli raised her hand instantly: "800,000!"

"900,000!"

Suddenly, a familiar slimy male voice cut in mid-bid. Olivia frowned at Caius, who turned and smirked coldly at her.

This guy… still chasing farming dreams? Hah. Must you leech off Rin’s land to survive?

Olivia wouldn’t let the yellow-haired bastard win. She raised her hand again: "One million!"

One million… an outrageous price. Nearby farmers calculated silently—no big farm could break even at this cost.

Olivia rested her chin on her palm, radiating indifference to expenses. Vale announced: "One million? Any higher? One million, first call… second call…"

"1.2 million!"

Caius shot up his hand, shocking the farmers. This wasn’t about profit—it was pure spite. How could anyone recoup 1.2 million for seeds?

Olivia fell silent. Caius twisted around, flashing his smug white teeth. "Masked one, quit fighting me for these. I love snatching what others desperately crave. The more you want them, the harder I’ll bid! Think I don’t see it? People like you—afraid to show your face—are just nouveau riche clowns. Pathetic. No matter how rich you get, you’re still a bumpkin. Since you’re here, let me teach you high society’s rules!"

The chattering noble ranted on while others listened eagerly. Caius counted on his fingers:

"First: in high society, resources go to those of higher status. Even with more money, you’ll stay beneath us."

"Second: show respect to your betters. Stop hiding behind that mask. Take it off! What are you scared of? A shill from the auction house?"

Vale moved to warn Caius, but Olivia spoke first.

The Bluehaired Loli sneered. "So I’m a bumpkin, a shill, and nouveau riche? Pick one. Yeah, I’m a bumpkin—but why should I follow your noble nonsense? I only care about money. 1.5 million!"

Hiss—

Gasps rippled through the crowd. "She’s insane… 1.5 million for seeds…"

Olivia didn’t care. To others, these were just seeds. To her, they unlocked her system’s plant catalog. Their production efficiency was incomparable. Breaking even would be effortless—and profits endless. Besides, 1.5 million was peanuts after selling potions for five million.

Caius’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected this "bumpkin" to actually be loaded. Out of funds, he snarled, teeth clenched: "You… dare? Masked man, heed this: holding treasure invites danger. Drop this bid—or you might not live to keep it!"

Olivia merely arched a brow. "Don’t you know auctions guarantee buyer protection? Stealing from a winner means the entire auction guild hunts you down."

"Exactly, Mr. Caius," Vale warned sharply. "We have no shills—and we act against threats."

Caius clicked his tongue dismissively. Damn… he’d thought this "first-timer bumpkin" wouldn’t know the rules.

But Olivia remembered—this game had a bad ending triggered by false murder accusations over stolen goods. Damn it…

She adopted a sarcastic tone, grinning. "Not knowing that? Guess you’re no noble either… just a rat running in the streets~!"

Caius’s eyes bulged. He gripped his water glass so hard it nearly shattered.