Desire is a truly profound thing. The fierce competition of the auction brought that reality into sharp focus.
I even witnessed a winner who, despite clinching the prize after a desperate struggle, looked absolutely devastated for some reason. The one who wins the bid isn't necessarily the victor. A true victory only exists when the item's value exceeds the price paid.
Since everyone has a limit to their funds, those who allow themselves to be swept away by the peculiar heat of a bidding war are often met only with regret. However, there are a select few in this world—the overwhelmingly powerful—to whom such logic simply does not apply.
"Now then, Catalog Number 28, the 'Small Storable, Top-class Pet House,' is currently at 10 Platinum Coins!"
"Ugh, hmm..."
Looking at the item, which had already reached a price far higher than I expected, I rested my chin on my hand and groaned.
That was a hundred million yen in Japanese currency... and with the bidding still active, it was only going to get more expensive.
"Number 985, 11 Platinum Coins! Number 643, 11 Platinum Coins and 5 Gold Coins! Number 7, 12 Platinum Coins!"
"Muu..."
The item up for bid was a pet house that utilized the principles of a Magic Box. It was compact enough to be carried, yet the interior was built to be sturdy and spacious enough for even a giant monster to relax in. I really wanted it.
If I had that, traveling with Bell and Rin would be a breeze. I wanted to win it somehow, but it seemed I wasn't the only one; this was a rare piece with plenty of interested buyers.
Given that it was essentially a portable mansion for monsters, it wasn't surprising that the price tag had reached nine figures. It wasn't that I couldn't afford it with my current budget, but it was shaping up to be a very steep purchase.
Lost in thought, I raised my hand and signaled with my index finger.
"Number 985, 13 Platinum Coins! Number 522, 14 Platinum Coins!"
"It's still going up, huh..."
"...Kaito... do you... want that?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. I was thinking it would be nice to go on trips with my pets..."
I answered Isis-san's question while staring at the ever-climbing numbers. She nodded once, appearing to have reached a conclusion.
"...I understand... leave it to me."
"...Huh?"
With those words, Isis-san fluidly raised both hands and made a series of rapid hand signals.
"Wh—? Eh? N-No, my apologies! Number 986... p-p-platinum... '100 Coins'!!"
"What?! I-Isis-san?!"
A billion yen, just like that?! What on earth... Wait, is she trying to win this for me? I mean, I'm grateful, but jumping straight to a hundred coins is insane!
"...A return gift... for the brooch."
No, no, the price gap between a brooch and this is astronomical! But the bid had already been called; there was no taking it back now.
Surely, no one would be crazy enough to go over a hundred Platinum Coins—
"Oh, Number 643! 100 Platinum Coins and 5 Gold Coins!"
Someone did it! Though it seemed the rest of the room had finally dropped out. Isis-san, on the other hand... Wait, hold on, Isis-san?! That thumbs-up gesture she just made, if I remember correctly...
"Number 986... she 'doubles' the previous bid! 201 Platinum Coins!"
"..."
In that instant, the entire venue fell deathly silent. It was a staggering display of wealth. Seeing Isis-san casually double the price without a moment's hesitation left everyone in the room stunned.
Predictably, no further bids were made, and the item was officially hers.
"...Kaito... I got it... for you."
"I-Isis-san... I mean, I'm truly happy that you did this for me, but... are you really okay? Financially, I mean?"
"...Why?"
"Because of the money! That was a fortune..."
"...It was 'only' 200 coins, you know?"
"..."
She said it so nonchalantly that I realized she genuinely didn't consider it a significant sum.
"...Um, this is a bit late to ask, but... Isis-san, exactly how much money do you have?"
"...Excluding my assets... just cash?"
"Y-Yes..."
"...Platinum Coins... maybe about... '4 million'?"
"...Huh? E-Eeehhhh?!"
Four million Platinum Coins?! Let's see, one Platinum Coin is ten million yen... which means... forty trillion yen?! That's basically a national budget! And she said that was just her liquid cash, excluding her properties and mines? Just how much of the world's total currency does this woman hold?
"I-Isis-san, I had no idea you were that rich..."
"...Eh? ...But... Kuromueina is... many times... richer than I am."
"Are you serious? Just how much does Kuro have..."
"...I don't know for sure... but I think... the way she measures it... is different."
"The way she measures it?"
"...Yes... In Kuromueina's case... it's not a matter of how many coins she has... it's more like... 'What percentage of the global economy' she owns."
"..."
I had heard that Kuro was the richest person in the world. But to think that in this world—which is vastly larger than my old one and has a population several orders of magnitude higher across the three realms—she personally holds a significant chunk of the entire world's economy...
She truly is the King of the World. To Isis-san or Kuro, two billion yen must be nothing more than pocket change.
Dear Mother, Father—I thought I understood that Kuro and Isis-san stood at the pinnacle of the Demon Realm and possessed overwhelming fortunes, but the reality was far beyond my imagination. Even though Isis-san is rich beyond belief, Kuro—seems to be on a whole different dimension.
~ The Wealthy of the Other World ~
Kuromueina: Owner of the world's largest trading company and holder of patents for nearly 80% of all existing magic tools. She also holds numerous patents for magic crystal processing and other technologies. She owns vast territories in the Demon Realm and is a prolific investor. She is the richest person in the world and possesses enough economic power to collapse a nation if she so chose.
Isis: In addition to owning veins of high-quality gems, she possesses vast lands in the Northern Region of the Demon Realm and numerous magic crystal mines, providing a staggering annual income. Her primary trading partner is Kuro.
Alice: She holds almost no liquid cash, but her assets are abnormal. The items she crafts just to kill time are worth hundreds of millions each. While the names on the deeds differ, she secretly owns shops and land all across the globe.
Magnawell: Known as the God of Business, he controls the trade of monsters and all major transportation networks like the Wyvern Service. However, due to his gargantuan size, he cannot personally use coins, so he allows his massive wealth to circulate naturally through his subordinates.
Lilliwood: She owns vast territories, and since a single Fruit of the World Tree can fetch an astronomical price, she could obtain immense wealth whenever she wishes. However, she believes in not hoarding more than necessary and distributes most of her earnings as bonuses to her subordinates and kin.
Megiddo: Owns massive territories in the Demon Realm. He is a collector of rare alcohols. Despite his rough appearance, he is highly intelligent and active in investments. He favors those who strive for the top and often provides nearly interest-free loans to those he takes a liking to.
Lilia: Quite wealthy by human standards. As a Duke and owner of several businesses, she has a very high income. However, she cannot compare to the Six Kings, who have accumulated wealth over tens of thousands of years.
Gods: They receive significant income through widespread worship in the Human Realm, but since most of them never leave the God Realm, they rarely spend any of it.
[Out of the Question]
Shallow Vernal: Can create as many Platinum Coins as she wants.
Eden: Same as above.