"So that's it! This is the first time I've heard you talk about your hometown!"
Kouta looked deeply at Indigo.
Others couldn't feel it, but he could sense the sadness hidden in Indigo's heart. It must be that something unfortunate had happened to his hometown!
When they first entered the Grand Line and sailed to Bass, Indigo had been very interested in Bass's current situation and the Tenryubito.
At that time, he seemed to have sensed the same sadness in Indigo as he did now.
"Since she's from near your hometown, let's bid for her!"
Just then, a bidding voice came from nearby.
"500,000 Berries."
Kouta withdrew his gaze and raised his paddle.
"1,000,000 Berries."
Disco on stage heard Kouta's voice and eagerly looked at him, shouting loudly, "Guest number 88 bids 1,000,000. Are there any other bids?"
"1,100,000 Berries."
At this moment, a fat man in ornate clothing, with a greedy look on his face staring at the stage, bit his lip and, like a pitiful girl, unhesitatingly raised his paddle.
"Alright, guest number 121 bids 1,100,000. Are there any more bids?"
"You know, this is a princess!"
"Not just any commoner."
Hearing this, another ugly youth who clearly wasn't short of money also raised his paddle.
"1,500,000 Berries."
Clearly, he felt that bidding in increments of 100,000 didn't suit his status.
"Alright, guest number 224 bids 1,500,000. Are there any more bids?"
"1,600,000."
"1,700,000."
"..."
By this time, the bidding voices had gradually increased, and in the end, only the ugly youth and the fat man staring greedily at the girl remained.
The ugly youth raised his hand again.
"3,000,000 Berries."
"Alright," Disco spun around exaggeratedly and then roared loudly, "Guest number 224 bids 3,000,000."
After shouting, he scanned the audience below and finally fixed his gaze on the fat man, roaring, "3,000,000 Berries, first call. Are there any more bids?"
"This is a very rare princess!"
"Imagine, you buy a princess and she does whatever you want, and you are her master."
The fat man gritted his teeth, as if Disco had hit a sore spot. He excitedly stood up and raised his paddle.
"3,500,000 Berries."
After shouting, he tilted his head and smugly glanced at the ugly youth.
"Alright, guest number 121 bids 3,500,000. Are there any more bids?"
"First call."
"Second call."
Disco said twice in a row, then turned his gaze to the ugly youth, "If no one else bids, then this beautiful princess will belong to the handsome guest number 121!"
The ugly youth could naturally feel the smug glance from the fat man and the burning gaze from Disco.
But after a moment of hesitation, he relaxed his body and slumped down, not making a sound.
The price of a human was only a few hundred thousand, and a million was for an exceptional one.
Even though the girl on stage was indeed beautiful, even if she was a princess, she was not worth him bidding any higher.
For 3,500,000 Berries, he could buy 10 identical slaves.
Regaining his composure in time, he thought about it and made up his mind not to bid any higher.
His concession made the fat man look at him even more smugly.
As for Disco on stage, he felt a flicker of disappointment.
"Broke."
However, he immediately became excited again. 3,500,000 Berries, just as the ugly youth thought, if it weren't for her being a princess, she wouldn't be worth this price.
She had reached such a high price because of the bidding war between people.
He was very satisfied with this price.
So, he withdrew his gaze and looked back at the fat man, excitedly shouting, "Third..."
Just as he reached the center of the stage and was about to bring down his hammer.
"5,000,000 Berries."
A voice that echoed throughout the entire hall interrupted his action.
"5,000,000?"
The hall fell silent.
Then came a roar of laughter. "Is this person an idiot?"
"Exactly, exactly. 5,000,000 Berries could buy nearly 20 slaves."
"Although the quality might be a bit lower, the quantity is more!"
Most people scoffed at the sudden appearance of 5,000,000.
The fat man who had bid 3,500,000 Berries was furious, but then, hearing the surrounding laughter, he quickly calmed down.
A princess was still a woman.
With his status, 3,500,000 could buy nearly 10 such women.
Thinking of this, he breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at the source of the voice with a mocking smile.
When he saw that the bidder was a very handsome man, a flicker of jealousy flashed in his eyes. And when he saw the two very beautiful girls beside him, the jealousy on his face became even more intense.
However, it was only jealousy. He knew very well what kind of place this was, so he also mockingly sent a triumphant smile towards the handsome man and slowly sat down.
"Wow!"
Disco shivered, quickly recovered, and then looked at Kouta with burning eyes.
"Guest number 88 bids 5,000,000 Berries. It seems he is a very generous and gentlemanly person."
Kouta and his companions were sitting in the middle-rear of the left side. As the main lights in the hall were concentrated on the stage, their area appeared dim.
As the owner of this human auction house, Disco's servants knew Kouta, and he naturally recognized him as well.
However, from such a distance, coupled with the obstruction of the lights, he couldn't clearly see Kouta's appearance. Although he found Kouta's blue glowing eyes somewhat familiar, he didn't pay much attention to it.
After all, he met many people every day, and he was familiar with everyone in the hall.
Therefore, he didn't recognize Kouta immediately.
"5,000,000. Are there any other guests who wish to bid?"
Disco excitedly scanned the hall. Even though he knew no one could bid higher, he couldn't help but fantasize, and finally, his gaze landed on Saint Charlos, who was bored and sitting in the front row.
Seeing that the Celestial Dragon had no interest in this princess, he quickly turned around and shouted, "5,000,000, first call."
"5,000,000, second call."
"5,000,000, third call."
Bang—!
The hammer fell heavily on the pillar in the center of the stage, its crisp sound echoing throughout the entire hall.
The sound reached Cocuyes Fiso's ears like a massive bell toll, making her body tremble.
She knew that her future life, with the sound of this hammer, was no longer her own.
"Alright, this beautiful princess now belongs to the handsome guest. Please proceed to the back to settle the payment and collect her after the auction concludes."