August exhaled, his body relaxing slightly.
I won. The Tempest Sovereign's Mantle is mine.
He glanced at Vanne, who was studying him with a mixture of pride and curiosity.
"10,500 spirit stones," Vanne said, his voice carrying a note of dry amusement. "That is a significant portion of your fortune."
August shrugged, a faint smile crossing his lips. "It is worth it. This spell model is the foundation of my future. I would have paid twice as much if necessary."
Vanne nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I understand. But you should be careful. That bid attracted a lot of attention. The spiritual pressure from the other booths was... intense."
August's smile faded slightly. "I noticed. Someone tried to probe our identities. They failed, of course—the Hallowed Hut's formation is too strong. But it means someone here is very interested in this spell model."
"Or in you," Vanne said quietly.
August nodded slowly.
