Reborn as a Useless Noble with my SSS-Class Innate Talent-Chapter 165: Ch : The fake Auction- Part 2

Chapter 165: Ch 165: The fake Auction- Part 2

‘Why did I not take a horse to come here? Why did I decide to take the carriage?’

Bruce sat stiffly inside the carriage, his jaw clenched and sweat collecting at his brow despite the cool breeze slipping through the small windows.

He was certain—absolutely certain—that if they didn’t arrive soon, he would die. Not from enemy blades or poison or some elaborate assassination plot.

No, he’d die from the pressure.

He cast a glance toward the open slit of the window and watched longingly as Queen darted through the air outside, flying free and unburdened, blissfully unaware of the chaos contained within the cramped space of the carriage.

It had flown off the moment the door shut behind them, not even pretending it would stick around for this.

Bruce gave Queen a mental salute.

‘Smart creature.’

Desperation rising, he turned toward Kyle, who sat across from him with his usual calm expression, gazing out the window like he wasn’t sitting in the most dangerous war zone imaginable.

Bruce gave him a pleading look.

Just one.

A small escape.

Maybe a pretext to ride on horseback or pretend he forgot something?

Kyle turned his head ever so slightly—just enough to meet Bruce’s eyes—then casually looked away, pretending the plea hadn’t been seen.

A clear message: You’re on your own.

Bruce nearly groaned out loud.

The reason for his torment sat around him: Melissa on his left, her arms crossed and her gaze sharp; Grand Duchess Amanda on the other side, her lips curled in a faint, superior smile; and Silvy beside her, clearly annoyed and trying not to show it.

They had all insisted on coming along with Kyle to the auction.

And for reasons Bruce could not comprehend, they’d all decided to ride in the same carriage.

Tension, thick and unrelenting, filled the space like a rising tide.

Then came the spark.

“My fiancé certainly attracts a lot of attention. Perhaps you should consider toning it down a bit, Kyle—before people get the wrong idea.

Amanda said with a pleasant smile that was anything but.

Bruce tensed.

‘Here it comes.’

Melissa’s jaw twitched, but she held her tongue. Barely. Her clenched fists and narrowed eyes betrayed the storm she swallowed down.

But Silvy? She didn’t even try.

“I’d suggest you mind your own business, Your Grace. Or do you make it a habit to comment on every woman near your fiancé?”

Silvy said with a sharp smile.

The air practically crackled. Melissa’s lips twitched upward, but she wisely said nothing.

Amanda’s smile froze for a moment before she turned her head to look out the window again, clearly deciding it wasn’t the right battlefield just yet.

Bruce exhaled through his nose.

‘It’s a miracle no one’s dead yet.’

By the time the carriage rolled to a stop, Bruce felt like he had aged a decade.

The moment the wheels stopped turning, he flung the door open and leapt out, inhaling the fresh air like a drowning man coming up from water.

“Ladies.”

He said stiffly, gesturing for them to exit.

Melissa stepped out first, regal and composed despite the storm in her eyes.

Silvy followed, her expression set in defiance. Amanda was last, gracefully stepping out as if she hadn’t just stirred a hornet’s nest with a few sweetly laced words.

Only Kyle remained inside, calmly sipping from a small flask as he waited for the chaos to disperse.

Bruce stared at him, half-expecting the young master to teleport away.

When Kyle finally descended, he did so alone, neatly sidestepping the need to escort anyone and avoiding adding more fuel to the fire.

As if on cue, a group of armored escorts arrived for the Grand Duchess. She turned toward Kyle, her tone breezy and sharp all at once.

“I’ll be visiting soon, Kyle. There are some formal matters we’ll need to finalize if our engagement is to last.”

The way she said formal—with just enough emphasis—made it sound less like an administrative necessity and more like a pointed jab at the two women standing a few paces behind her.

Kyle merely nodded, his expression unreadable.

Amanda left soon after, her heels clicking confidently against the stone path as her entourage swept her away. Bruce let out the breath he’d been holding.

“She’s really something.”

He muttered.

Melissa crossed her arms again.

“She’s trying to provoke us.”

“She can try.”

Silvy muttered under her breath, glaring after the disappearing duchess.

Kyle gave them both a brief glance.

“Let’s not cause a scene until after we’re done here.”

Bruce snorted softly.

“So… just wait until we’re outside the auction house?”

Kyle didn’t reply.

Bruce sighed again, casting another look toward the sky, where Queen continued to circle freely overhead.

‘Next time, I’m taking a horse.’

While Bruce was still standing outside, trying to gather the shattered pieces of his soul from the sheer tension inside the carriage, Kyle had already vanished from sight.

He moved through the busy streets with practiced ease, dressed in a plain cloak and hood that concealed his identity.

His steps led him straight to the auction house, a towering structure pulsing with energy and voices from within.

The crowd gathered outside was loud and eager, all hoping to catch sight of the rare treasure being auctioned today.

Kyle approached the guarded entrance and offered the guard a small pouch of coins without saying a word.

The man raised a brow at first, then peeked inside the pouch and found more than enough silver to quell his curiosity.

Without further hesitation, he stepped aside and motioned for Kyle to pass through.

Inside, the space was already packed. Every seat was filled, and the hum of conversation buzzed like static in the air.

All around him were nobles in disguise, merchants, adventurers, and opportunists. None noticed Kyle slip into a back seat, his presence blending in with the rest.

The curtains at the front of the room pulled aside moments later, revealing Master Garret himself.

Dressed in garish silks and adorned with unnecessary jewelry, the auction house owner wore a smug expression that made Kyle’s lip twitch ever so slightly.

Garret lifted a velvet-draped tray and pulled back the cloth with dramatic flair, revealing the dull, violet-hued mana stone. The crowd gasped as if they hadn’t seen one just days ago.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a rare and powerful mana stone—confirmed genuine, pulsing with mana, and ready for your investment. Let the bidding begin!”

Garret announced, voice smooth and theatrical.

The crowd practically exploded with numbers.

“Five hundred gold!”

“Eight hundred!”

“One thousand!”

The numbers flew higher and higher, each more desperate than the last. Nobles elbowed one another.

Merchants stood on chairs. Kyle watched it all from his seat, lips twitching into a faint smile.

Garret beamed at the chaos, thinking himself clever.

The mana stone he held was the same decoy Kyle had crafted. Its outer layer still retained a thin coating of Kyle’s mana, enough to fool the average practitioner—or even a skilled one who didn’t look too closely.

Kyle leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. He had no intention of bidding. This was no longer about the money.

It was about watching the greedy tear themselves apart over something worthless.

As the price soared past two thousand gold, Kyle’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Let’s see how long it takes before the illusion fades.’

And from somewhere in the distance, high above the city, Queen circled quietly in the sky.

It tilted slightly in the air, watching the crowd swell below, sensing the simmering tension beneath the surface of greed.