Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 229: Fall of Valtair [25]

The room settled into tense arrangement around the long table.

Count Valtair sat rigid in his chair, jaw clenched so tight the muscle jumped beneath his skin.

Vivienne remained beside him, her hand resting lightly on the table.

The other nobles spread out like predators claiming territory, Elira Thornvale directly across from Valtair, her ice-blue eyes fixed on him with barely concealed disdain.

Varell Duskwood had positioned himself in shadow near the corner. Count Hadrian Greaves sat with ease, one hand drumming on the armrest. Baron Torvan Ashford, Baroness Lysara Fenwick, and Count Marius Blackwell filled the remaining seats, each accompanied by an attendant holding document cases.

Alaric remained standing at the head of the table, his hands resting on the back of his chair.

"Before we begin," he said, his voice carrying easily through the hall, "let me clarify the terms. Four mining operations are being offered today. Each will be auctioned separately. The highest bid will be acknowledged, and Count Valtair will then have the right of first refusal, if he matches that bid, the contract transfers to him. If he declines, the highest bidder wins."

Elira’s lips curved. "How... generous."

Valtair’s nostrils flared but he said nothing.

Alaric gestured to one of the servants, who brought forward a leather portfolio and set it on the table before him. He opened it, revealing documents, surveys, yield reports, partnership agreements.

"We’ll begin with the smaller operations and work our way up." His fingers found the first set of papers.

"The coal mine in the Ashvale region. My family holds a fifty-five percent stake, partnered with Count Blackwell."

Marius Blackwell nodded once in acknowledgment.

"Current annual yield averages twelve hundred gold. Net profit split according to partnership percentages." Alaric’s tone was businesslike. "Opening bid: forty-two hundered gold."

A pause. The room held its breath.

"Forty-five hundred." Baroness Lysara bid first.

"Five thousand." Varell Duskwood came next.

"Fifty-five hundred." Elira didn’t even blink.

The numbers climbed steadily, each noble testing the waters, gauging how badly the others wanted it.

"Seventy-two hundred." Count Greaves leaned back in his chair, projecting boredom.

Silence stretched for a beat. Then two.

"Going once," Alaric said quietly. "Twice—"

"I’ll take it." Valtair’s voice cut through.

All eyes turned to him.

Alaric nodded. "Count Valtair matches the highest bid. The Ashvale coal mine stake is his." He made a note on the documents.

"Payment terms are thirty percent down payment today which is mandatory, remainder could be by tomorrow at sunset."

Valtair’s jaw worked. "Agreed."

Twenty-one hundred sixty down. Five thousand forty outstanding.

Vivienne’s hand finally moved, fingers brushing her husband’s arm. But he didn’t acknowledge it.

"Next." Alaric pulled out another set of documents.

"The silver mine in Greyridge Valley. My family holds a seventy percent stake, partnered with Fenwick."

Lysara inclined her head gracefully.

"Current annual yield are ten thousand gold." His crimson eyes swept the room. "Opening bid is sixty-five thousand gold."

"Seventy thousand." Elira again, her tone sharp.

"Seventy-five." Varell countered immediately.

The bidding accelerated.

"Eighty thousand." Baron Ashford spoke for the first time, his voice deep and measured.

"Eighty-five." Elira’s eyes glittered.

Silence.

Alaric turned to Valtair. Vivienne was whispering something in his ear and then he nodded.

"I’ll match it."

Alaric smiled and moved to the third document set.

"The iron and copper mine at Thornbrook Ridge. My family holds a sixty percent stake, partnered with Baron Ashford."

Torvan Ashford’s expression remained neutral, but his fingers tightened slightly on his chair’s armrest.

"It’s a dual-vein operation. Iron yields average nine thousand annually, copper adds another seven thousand."

"Opening bid is forty thousand gold."

"Fifty thousand."

"Sixty."

"Seventy."

"Seventy-five."

"Ninety thousand."

"Ninety thousand." Valtair’s face had gone pale, but his voice held.

Alaric made the note, set aside the iron-copper documents and reached for the final portfolio.

This one was thicker, bound in better leather, sealed with wax that bore his family crest.

The room went absolutely silent.

"The Vernacite."

The words fell like stones into still water.

"As you all know we hold most of its shares and the current estimated extractable Vernacite are more than one thousand crowns worth of raw material."

{A/N: 1 Crown is 100 gold}

He let that number hang in the air.

Someone inhaled sharply. Valtair’s knuckles had gone white where they gripped the table edge.

"Additionally," Alaric continued, his tone never changing, "the mine hosts Lunthera flowers."

He looked up, his eyes sweeping across every face.

"Opening bid for my family’s share’s... two hundred thousand gold."

The floodgates opened.

"Two hundred twenty thousand."

"Two hundred fifty." Varell abandoned all pretense of calm.

The numbers climbed with dizzying speed, each noble recognizing what was at stake, each one calculating how much debt they could afford, how much risk they could stomach.

"Four hundred thousand."

A fortune that could buy estates, armies, influence that spanned kingdoms.

Alaric’s gaze moved across the table. "Going once."

"Going twice."

Valtair’s breathing was audible now, harsh, rapid.

"Go—"

"Four hundred thousand gold."

Every head turned toward him. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Alaric met Valtair’s eyes and for just a moment, something flickered in his expression. Satisfaction.

Then it was gone, replaced by professional neutrality.

"Count Valtair matches the highest bid." He made the final notation, his quill scratching loud in the silence.

"The Vernacite mine share are his."

The total crashed down like a hammer.

Coal mine: 7,200 gold

Silver mine: 85,000 gold

Iron-copper mine: 90,000 gold

Vernacite mine: 400,000 gold

Total: 582,200 gold.

Down payments required approximately 174,660 gold. Outstanding by tomorrow sunset of 407,540 gold.

Valtair sat there, chest heaving, staring at nothing. The magnitude of what he’d just done was only beginning to register.

He’d bought salvation.

Or signed his own death warrant.

Vivienne’s hand found his under the table, squeezing once. Her face remained composed.

She knew what Alaric had done. Knew and had helped him do it.

Alaric closed the portfolio with a soft thud.

"Contracts will be prepared immediately. Count Valtair, if you’ll provide the down payments, we can formalize the transfer."

Valtair nodded mechanically. Reached for the document case his guard carried. Began counting out whatever assets he’d managed to scrape together.

The other nobles watched in silence. Then one by one, they rose and departed.

Within minutes, only three people remained in the hall.

Alaric. Valtair. Vivienne.

The Count finished signing the last document with a trembling hand, then looked up at Alaric.

"I’ll have the remainder by tomorrow." His voice was hollow. "Every copper."

"I have no doubt," Alaric said smoothly. "The contracts are yours, Count Valtair. Congratulations."

The word tasted like ash in the air.

Valtair stood, his movements stiff. Vivienne rose with him, her hand on his elbow, steadying him.

They walked toward the exit together.

The doors closed behind them with a heavy thud.

Alaric stood alone in the empty hall, surrounded by documents and silence.

Then he smiled.

Slow, satisfactory smile.

Got you.