The Achievement Junkie

Inside Jack's room, one person was startled beyond belief and the other was overwhelmingly happy. A few minutes passed and Eliza had yet to return to the stage, but a tiny knock came to Jack's door.

"Who could that be?" Getting up after such a long time sitting, Jack stretched himself and walked over to the door. Unsure who it could be, Jack looked through the peephole and saw a friendly, familiar smile on the other side. "Come in."

As Jack opened the door, Eliza walked in, acting even more respectful than before. "Young Master Jack, I'm sorry to disturb you. I've been sent here to verify that you can afford the things you've purchased as well as bring them to you. So far you've bought a world atlas, a fossilized egg, a dark type peak-tier spell, and now three bestial rings. You're total is eighty-four thousand and two hundred gold. Can we make the exchange now?"

"Of course, I'm happy you've already brought me my things!" Jack laughed as four chests appeared around him. "Here you are, feel free to take a look and count it all. I may have given a bit too much, but just consider that a delivery tip. You'll get the same if you bring me my things in a similar fashion next time, as well."

"Next time… Young Master Jack, do you still plan to keep purchasing items?" Eliza asked, thinking that Jack wouldn't have much left after she saw the four chests.

"Of course I am, I still need more bestial rings!"

"Young Master Jack, here are your things. I have something I need to report and I'll be right back, okay?" Eliza said a few words as she threw Jack a ring and then stored the four chests.

"Very well, we'll be waiting for you here."

With that, Eliza vanished and left the room. Within minutes she was back and her smile was even more resplendent. "Jack, I spoke with the managers and considering the amount of gold you've spent and are still willing to spend, they've decided to offered you a platinum emblem in exchange for you gold one. Here it is."

Too curious about the sudden change of emblems, Jack asked, "What does this mean, exactly? What's the difference between gold and platinum emblems?"

"Very few people throughout the continent have platinum emblems; you can count them on one hand, so you'll be the fourth person to receive one. From now on, this private room is yours indefinitely and you're also allowed to browse our warehouses personally. Doing that, you'll be able to make private offers outside of auctions is you wish, though we can't guarantee that we'll accept them if we don't feel it's worth it on our end."

"Also, I'll be your dedicated attendant whenever you visit us. If you wish, we can connect your contact crystal to ours so that I can keep you aware of any precious items you might be after. How does that sound? You'll even be allowed free room and board here whenever you're in town, as well as food of course."

"Wow, I'll gladly accept the upgrade!" Jack immediately agreed after hearing the free benefits. He was basically offered the royal treatment for doing whatever he wanted.

The Fat Goose may have appeared too generous, but they knew exactly what they were doing. With three major auction houses inside Federal City, how could they not try and rope in such a massive spender like Jack by any means necessary? His spending alone would earn them more than a common auction.

Switching the emblems, Eliza curtsied to Jack. "This is great news! There is one thing I need to ask. Are you with any organization, and if so can you please tell me which one?"

Scratching his head, Jack thought for a moment before he answered, "The organization I'm with is only in its initial phases of growth, but in time we'll reveal more of our strength."

"And which organization is that?" Eliza was even more curious now.

"Will this information be confidential?"

"All information involving our platinum guests is entirely confidential and impossible for other's purchase. Your secret identity is safe with us."

"Alright, then I'll tell you but make sure not to inquire of me or my guild further. If you do, then I'll have to find a different auction house to help acquire my many needs," warned Jack, making sure to appear top-secret and stern. "I'm with the Leisure Guild."

"Leisure Guild…"

Chuckling to herself, Eliza was wondering what the higher-ups would think when they heard that Jack was with the Leisure Guild. Eliza knew of it but she knew very little and that it's former grandeur had dwindled into a minor guild in Trodar. But if Jack was really from there, did that mean there was a lot more to the guild than anyone knew?

"Thank you, Young Master Jack. For now, I must return to the stage. Once the auction is over, you can stay here and I'll come to bring you your goods personally. Again, thank you for your patronage." She bowed to both Jack and Maura, leaving them with a very strong first impression.

"Maura, what do you think?"

"I think you're spending too much…" While Jack was alert and attentive, Maura was drunk and unfocused. "Shouldn't you save some for me too?"

"Who said I haven't?" Jack joked around with the drunken Maura, sure that she wouldn't remember much of the auction the following day. "Let's get back to the auction, shall we?"

Like Eliza had said to Jack, she soon after reappeared on the stage and riled up the crowd. But instead of offering more armor and items, she presented another batch of bestial rings. It was probably due to the time she was away and they wanted to reignite everyone's passion to spend money.

"Here's another three bestial rings of the same quality and type. After these, there is one last batch and another special batch of bestial rings. Like before, we're starting at ten thousand gold."

"Ten thousand gold!"

"..."

When Jack didn't immediately respond with a higher bid, the others all felt better. If Jack wasn't bidding, then maybe he had finally reached his limit. No one else dared spend so much before the auction's final item was up for grabs.

"Eleven thousand gold!"

"Thirteen thousand gold!"

The bids came left and right. Since the man with the deepest pockets was joining the bid, no one was afraid to finally start competing for the items. Very quickly, the price reached nineteen thousand gold and the bids were slowing.

"Twenty thousand gold!" shouted Prince Tyrel from the Zuran Empire.

"Twenty thousand gold going once! Going twice…" Eliza's pause felt a hair longer than usual as she looked up to Jack's room with a suspicious glance.

Unlike the rest of the room, she knew that Jack was nowhere near his limit and that he wanted these items in particular.

As if her glance had predicted the future, that same voice left Jack's room yet again to stun the crowd.

"Twenty-five thousand gold!"

Tyrel's face twisted and contorted in fury. When he finally felt he would get a bestial ring for himself, that same annoying voice reappeared and stole his thunder.

"Prince Tyrel, he should be at his limit now. No one would dare give so much gold to a young man," reasoned the old man behind Tyrel.

"Fine… we'll wait since there's another batch…" Tyrel complained to the royal advisor, agreeing only because he felt he had no choice.

"Twenty-five thousand going once! Going twice… Sold!"

"Gong!"

"Alright, on to the next one for another ten thousand gold," immediately going into the next auction, Eliza hurried the crowd to bid.

"Ten thousand!"

"Fourteen thousand!"

Again, the bids went on without Jack and the others raised the price over and over again. But the moment it started to stall, a familiar voice rang out and angered everyone.

"Twenty-five thousand gold!"

"Twenty-five thousand gold going once! Going twice…"

The extra-long pause was a test to see if anyone dared compete with Jack, but it proved unnecessary.

"Sold!"

"Gong!"

With every bid Jack won, Eliza's smile became more brilliant. How could she not be happy that the person she was in charge of was spending more than anyone even thought possible? Her stance in the Fat Goose would sky-rocket after this!

"Now, we'll sell the last of this batch. Who will offer ten thousand gold for it?"

Silence. Not a soul dared make a bid. Everyone had the same thought and fear. No matter what they offered, Jack would trample over them with his money.

"Ten thousand gold!"

This time, Jack took advantage of the situation and offered ten thousand gold to start everything off.

"Ten thousand gold going once! Going twice--"

"Eleven thousand gold!"

The counter shocked the audience and Jack as well. Jack looked and saw Prince Tyrel on the second floor staring at his private room. A cold smile appeared on Jack's face when he saw that Tyrel dared bid him up.