I Only Tame Dragons

"The other bidder seems dead set on getting that [Construct Plating]," Trisha murmured, glancing sideways at Cedrick.

Her voice was tight with concern as she watched the tension rise in the auction hall.

Cedrick rubbed the back of his neck, his face torn between frustration and determination. Without another word, he pressed the buzzer.

"80 Bullions!" he declared.

Trisha's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious, Cedrick? You're really going to bid that much for a material?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, almost panicked. "You know Aeloria's not going to like this."

Cedrick sighed, his lips curling into a sneer. "Aeloria doesn't understand the value of this material, Trish. But I do. There's a recipe back in the Star Kingdom—something we can forge with this [Construct Plating]. A life-saving item. Trust me, once mother sees what it can do, she'll want it, too."

Trisha wasn't convinced. "Still . . . bidding that high—80 Bullions? That's nearly an Aurum.

And don't forget we've already bid on several items today. Our budget of 20 Aurums is almost depleted. Any more, and Aeloria won't just disapprove—she'll have our heads."

Technically, Cedrick was their leader—at least in name. He was a prince of Star Kingdom, but everyone knew the real authority rested with Aeloria, one of the kingdom's feared generals. And Trisha knew all too well how she ruled with an iron fist.

Cedrick waved her off, clearly irritated. "Stop whining, Trish. Since when are you so scared of Aeloria? Have you forgotten who I am? I'm the prince of the Star Kingdom. Money's not an issue for me." His voice rose with a mixture of arrogance and annoyance.

"Besides, whoever's bidding against us is bound to back down now."

But as if on cue, the auctioneer's voice boomed through the hall once more.

"1 Aurum!"

Cedrick's jaw dropped, fury bubbling up inside him. "Who's the bastard?!" he hissed through clenched teeth. His hand shot toward the buzzer again, but Trisha quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Cedrick, we're down to our last 80 Bullions. We can't bid more than that—we don't have enough funds to cover it."

He shot her a glare, pulling his arm free. "We've got plenty of money in the bank. I'll withdraw more if I have to. It'll be fine."

Trisha shook her head, her voice firm but edged with caution. "You know the rules here. Without a Crystal Card, we can't take out a loan from the Auction House. If we don't have the money on hand, our bid gets forfeited, and we'll be slapped with a fine for making bids we can't pay."

Cedrick took a sharp breath, fists clenched as he glowered at Trisha. For a moment, his eyes blazed with anger before he snapped his gaze away, sneering bitterly.

"I shouldn't have brought you here. You're lucky mother chose you as my fiancée, or I would've canceled this engagement ages ago. You're too whiny and controlling."

Trisha bit her lip, resisting the urge to fire back. She had long learned to swallow her pride around Cedrick. She didn't have to love him to marry him—she was going to be queen of the Star Kingdom one day.

For that, she could endure his temper and his insults. But moments like these, it was hard not to question the price of ambition.

Cedrick was a wonderful man in the eyes of outsiders, but inside, he was a brat to put it simply.

Cedrick wasn't even supposed to be the crown prince. As the second-born son, the throne should have passed to his elder brother.

But Cedrick's fate had been sealed by his power. Being a Rank-S, Tier-7 Warlock, meant the throne automatically fell to him.

His older brother, though capable, was only a Rank-A, and in the Star Kingdom, strength trumped birthright.

This shift in destiny had swelled Cedrick's ego. The people adored him, hailing him as the future king, while the queen herself showered him with favor.

The power, the praise—it had all gone to his head. Cedrick had become arrogant, reveling in the fact that his sheer magical prowess, not his birth order, had made him the kingdom's chosen one. His abilities were unmatched, and his lineage only solidified his claim to the throne.

Trisha sighed quietly beside him. To everyone else, Cedrick was a warlock prince—a vision of power and charisma, a man destined for greatness.

But to her, he was little more than a spoiled child, high on his own importance. Babysitting him was more draining than she cared to admit.

It was hard to ignore how entitled he had become—every whim catered to, every command obeyed without question. It was infuriating at times.

Yet Trisha reminded herself why she was still here. Cedrick might be a brat, but he was a prince, and a damn good-looking one at that. His title and power were her ticket to the highest echelons of the Star Kingdom's court.

She didn't have to love him, or even like him for that matter. All she needed to do was tolerate him—endure his arrogance, his tantrums—and one day, she would be queen.

Still she couldn't help but wonder on who the bidder was? 1 Aurum for a material?

"That guy's insane," Trisha thought, glancing at the balcony where the mysterious bidder had just won the [Construct Plating] for 1 Aurum. "Must be a native forger. That's the only reason anyone would bid that high for a raw material." What's more it came from one of the balconies, so he must be a big shot. Even Cedrick didn't earn a Crystal Card.

It could only be a native Forger, probably in the Master level already.

After all, Forgers and Crafters were greatly valued in Auction Houses and by the Merchant Federations than royalties.

Trisha's thoughts were interrupted by the host's voice booming through the auction hall. "Ladies and gentlemen, behold the final item of today's auction!"

All eyes turned to the stage as a strange black blade, shimmering with a dark, ominous glow, was revealed. It radiated an aura that commanded attention.

"This," the host continued with reverence, "is the [Dragonkin Blade]!"

Trisha and Cedrick barely glanced at the screen. They were mages—what use did they have for a blade?

Cedrick scoffed, uninterested. "What's so special about a Tier-5 Silver weapon?" he muttered, crossing his arms.

But then, the blade's description flashed across the screen, and their expressions changed in an instant. Their jaws nearly hit the floor.

+70 STR!

Not only that, but the blade had special effects that were typically only seen in high-tier Gold weapons—effects powerful enough to tip the scales of any battle.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Cedrick, normally indifferent to melee weapons, felt a wave of desire wash over him. As a mage, he had no need for physical weapons, but the sheer power radiating from this blade was undeniable. Even he wanted it.

"I . . . I should've saved my money," Cedrick muttered, visibly frustrated as he realized how much he had squandered earlier in the auction. He had spent too much on other items, and now, the one thing he desperately wanted was slipping out of reach.

His hands clenched into fists as he glared at the [Dragonkin Blade], knowing he couldn't afford another bid.

For the first time all day, the prince found himself feeling like a fool.