Chapter 275 - Ghost Castle Auction

Battle Valley. The source of thɪs content is ɴovel(ꜰ)ɪre.nᴇtOne of the present eleven valleys in the region.

This name, full of the smell of gunpowder, doesn’t reflect the character and foreign policy of its inhabitants.

Instead, it’s because it lies at the central point of the optimal route for a Sambia invasion.

The great armies of Sambia need only to follow Rosaville Road and cross Black Feather Bridge, and they will run headlong into Battle Valley.

However, compared to military invasion, Sambia’s wealthy political nature determines their preference for solving problems with money.

They like to purchase properties, estates, and lands all around the Valley.

In their own words, when they have bought up all the land in the Valley, what need would there be for a military invasion?

Owing to its strategic location, Battle Valley naturally becomes a focal point for their atypical invasions.

But for every successful real estate transaction a Sambia noble undertakes, two or three will end up in ruins, many becoming the notorious ghost castles or ghost manors.

Battle Valley has suffered greatly from this.

To solve the increasing ghost castle issue, Lord Ilmater specifically implemented a policy—Ghost Castle Auction.

The auction is open to everyone, for all unclaimed ghost castles in Battle Valley.

The successful bidder gains the right to reside in the ghost castle, allowed to live there free of charge for a month.

Those who can permanently solve the ghost castle problem will receive permanent ownership of the ghost castle and its attached properties, earning recognition and protection from Lord Ilmater.

Esebra.

The largest town in Battle Valley and the one that most resembles a capital.

However, the size of this town doesn’t quite allow you to associate it with the capital of a whole region.

It extends over thirty kilometers into the Kosoman Forest, a true forest town.

It has neither castles nor large clusters of buildings, but consists of farmhouses along both sides of Rosaville Road; the only commendable feature is well-planned farmhouse layouts, particularly the section of Rosaville Road that runs through the town, which is broad enough to be considered a small square rather than a road.

Along the main road are densely arranged lookout posts and shooter’s towers with barriers.

They are clearly not empty, but bear traces of human habitation; when strangers pass by, they can distinctly feel pairs of watchful eyes tracking their every move.

If they are merely docile travelers or merchants, they will pass through unhindered.

If they harbor unsavory intentions and stir trouble here, they will be met with sharp, precise arrows, followed by the swift arrival of Lord’s Warriors.

In the most central Battle Courtyard, surrounded by walls, this vast courtyard is perhaps the only place that might give outsiders the impression of it being a town.

It not only has taverns, shops, and the Gond Temple, but also houses the administrative department of Battle Valley and the residence of Ilmet—Ilmet Estate.

The Ghost Castle Auction held on the first of every month takes place on the high platform at the entrance of Ilmet Estate.

Today is the liveliest day in Esebra.

The taverns of the Battle Courtyard have opened their doors early and placed their mobile bars at the entrance, filled with various kinds of alcohol.

The weapon shops have polished their best weapons and armor to a sheen and placed them in the most conspicuous spots.

The general stores are offering a variety of hot and cold food and have also displayed their signature magic trinkets.

Even the area around Gond’s House, the Gond Temple, is filled with crowds gathering with their small carts or burdens, laden with various handicrafts.

These shrewd merchants and craftsmen are taking advantage of today’s occasion to boost their sales.

Early in the morning, the streets are already packed with a crowd of onlookers.

They include local residents, transient merchant caravans, tourists who have come to see the sights, and ambitious adventurers; the latter are today’s protagonists.

But compared to the protagonists, the first three groups are much more numerous.

"Here she comes, here she comes, presiding over the auction today is Miss Regina."

"Ha... To think that it’s Regina herself hosting today’s auction—no matter whether there is a successful bid or not, just to witness Miss Regina’s honor with one’s own eyes makes the journey worthwhile."

"Is Regina that famous? What’s her background?"

"You’ve never heard of Regina? You must be from out of town, right?"

"Spot on, actually. This is my first time traveling Rosaville Road with my team; I’ve always been around the Northern Horse Path, heading directly towards Komeer."

"Then you’re in luck; your first visit coincides with an auction presided by Princess Regina herself. She’s busier than Lord Ilmet and seen perhaps two or three times a year at most. She’s Lord Ilmet’s daughter, the pearl of Battle Valley, hailed as the number one beauty of the Valley, surpassing nymphs in beauty, rivalling nightingales in song, matching Elves in archery, outclassing the nobility in elegance, and surpassing Mages in wisdom. It’s said that the Ghost Castle Auction is her brainchild, not Lord Ilmet’s."

"Now that you mention it, you’ve piqued my curiosity," he said. "Even if she’s only half as you’ve described, it would be a journey well worth taking."

"Rest assured, you won’t be disappointed... Here they come..."

In the midst of a buzzing exchange of whispers, a group of spirited female cavalry emerged from the Ilmet Estate, galloping out.

These women were uniformly dressed in deep green leather armor, carrying longbows on their backs, longswords at their waists, and many also bore various musical instruments. Their matching cloaks fluttered in the wind.

Looking at their faces, none were very old, the oldest being just over twenty and the youngest merely sixteen or seventeen.

Such a vibrant group of young girls, when put together, were a sight so captivating that it was hard to look away. And that’s without mentioning their pointed ears and striking hair colors, which revealed that they were either Elves or of Elf Bloodline.

However, compared to the woman at the forefront, the other young ladies merely served as a backdrop to a blossoming flower.

One could only say that the local man’s adjectives were not an exaggeration but merely a partial depiction of her.

Truly, even the Goddess of Wisdom would pale beside her.

She had fine features as if deliberately matched together, a tall and slender figure with curves in all the right places, most notably her swan-like neck, so white and long, with a water-blue necklace that only served to highlight her beauty.

The smile on her lovely face made her appear approachable rather than aloof. Even from a distance, one could feel the genuine happiness and joy emanating from her, which lifted the spirits of those around her.

Her movements were clean and decisive, and upon reaching the entrance of the estate, she dismounted from her slowing steed with a leap, lightly and gracefully taking to the air, and landing as though she were gliding in dance, eliciting a thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd below.

With her looks alone, even a flirtatious glance could send the male onlookers below into an excited frenzy. Not to mention, her recent display clearly showcased an outstanding foundation in dance, marked by an elegant and pleasing grace.

Once on stage, Princess Regina began to speak, making even the nightingales lose their luster. Her voice was clear and melodious, each word, enchanted like poetry and song, holding a unique rhythm, "To save everyone’s time, I will not dwell on why you’ve gathered here today. Let us get straight to the point. The auction for the Recovery of Lost Territories starts with our very own Anka Estate, still in the first position.

Although it might seem repetitive, for the sake of our new friends, I find it necessary to briefly introduce the estate, allowing those adventurous warriors to at least make a mental preparation, to avoid unnecessary dangers.

Anka Estate has its origins from Anka Balisk, who was our king, the greatest king of the Battle Valley and our Valley, the Supreme King, the Cloak King.

This estate is not only his place of origin but also his burial site.

It is said that all the treasures accumulated in Anka’s life, including his world-renowned Magic Cloak, are here.

It is said that the continuous appearing of Bound Spirits and Ghosts here does not stem from darkness or resentment but from belief and legacy. Only by gaining Anka’s recognition and inheriting his beliefs and values can one bring rest to him and his soldiers, and even earn their allegiance."

"Whoever recovers Anka Estate, regardless of background, race, or age, will become the owner of Anka Estate and win the respect of everyone in the Battle Valley.

The auction for the recovery rights starts at five thousand Gold Coins. Let the bidding begin now."

This Princess Regina, without a doubt, was a Bard, and not a low-level Bard at that, but one with substantial skill and technique.

A story known to all, a manor haunted by specters, she recounted it as if it was a tale of legacy straight from the legends. Not just strangers unfamiliar with the circumstances, but also the locals, were stirred with boiling blood, as if the legacy of the Cloak King was within arm’s reach.

If they were willing to try, they would become the protagonists in the story, not only gaining Anka’s recognition and inheritance, but also the ownership of Anka Estate and even his beliefs and esteemed status. They could call to action everyone in the Battle Valley and the Valley, becoming the new Supreme King.

But the entrance fee of five thousand Gold Coins doused the burning enthusiasm of the young people with cold water.

Even if they considered themselves extraordinary, without the five thousand Gold Coins, they couldn’t even step foot inside the door of Anka Estate.

Although there weren’t guards stationed there year-round, there was something more troublesome than guards, a Mist Barrier.

It was set up by Lord Ilmet who paid Mages, and what was being auctioned now were the keys to freely enter and leave these Mist Barriers.

Those who didn’t understand thought Lord Ilmet had a knack for making money, amassing wealth by selling tickets.

Those who understood knew Lord Ilmet used this method to keep headstrong youngsters at bay.

If one couldn’t even afford five thousand Gold Coins, they were definitely young adventurers with hot blood, for whom the Ghost-infested place was too dangerous.

Even if the Ghosts of Anka Estate weren’t as ferocious as those in other castles, after all, a Ghost is still a Ghost, and any reckless action or inadvertent triggering of a taboo could be fatal.

The number of people who died at Anka Estate had exceeded a hundred, and many, even after being resurrected, had no clue how they had died previously, with some not being revivable by ordinary resurrection techniques.

After Regina’s words fell, a round of murmurs spread among the crowd, yet no bidders emerged.

The Ghost Castle Auction in Battle Valley wasn’t something new but had been happening for years.

From the first occurrence, Anka Estate had been at the top of the auction list and it still holds that unshakeable position. Before the auction, Anka Estate had already been in existence for over three hundred years, and before it was shrouded by the Mist Barrier, anyone could freely enter and leave. Many older people in the area, back when they were young, were even regular visitors there.

If this problem could be easily solved, it would have been solved long ago; there would have been no need to wait until now.

Most of the time, Anka Estate would end up not being sold, and this time seemed to be no exception.

Regina paused slightly and began to finalize Anka Estate as unsold, "I will count to three, and if there are no bidders, Anka Estate will be considered unsold. One... Two..."

"Wait!" A young voice, at the most critical moment, interrupted Regina.